There\'s No Place Like Hogwarts

Destiny’s Note- Hi everyone and thanks for all the great reviews. I had originally planned on posting the next chapter on Friday, but my boyfriend is curious as to what happens next and can’t wait to see it. So you have him to thank. Now that he’s into the story, my updates might be more frequent if I can manage. If you want to be notified when I update, leave your e-mail in the review. And the whole Wal-Mart smile thing (you’ll see) is true. When I worked for them, they had a rule called “the 10 foot smile”. You had to smile at customers (to make them feel nice while they spend all their money on useless things) whenever they got within a 10-foot radius of you. Because so many people go to Wal-Mart, I was constantly smiling. I just realized something. I’m listening to PoA and the end, I noticed how mean Snape was, and some thing he said. ‘I’m going to call the Dementors’. Hmm, how could he have done that? The Ministry are the only ones who can control them, right? Wrong. The Dementors leave Azkaban, acting on Voldemort’s orders. So whose side is Snape really on? Only time will tell.

Catpower- yeah the whole AU thing makes it so much easier to write things without having to explain much. And the whole thing where I say what’s going to happen, I got the idea from my soap opera Days Of Our Lives. They tell you what’s going to happen next.

Madelyn- I’m glad you find this interesting. Snape will have plenty of things to say to Jess, so stay tuned.

Dreamweaver- Good to see you back! I try to write at least one funny thing in the stories, but if it doesn’t happen, please don’t be mad.

Jenn- I’ve often heard the saying ‘Go suck an egg’. I simply adapted it for Dumbledore. My boyfriend likes this story so much. He was very surprised when he read the sex scene.

Lioncourt- I’ve read and enjoyed the Vampire Chronicles. I’ve seen Interview over 160 times. In fact I’m going to name my children Claudia and Armand (when I get around to it). Harry will be sad, but loves coming for him in future chapters, so don’t worry.

Lightgoddess- I’d love to go to Malfoy Manor too. Hmm, the actor who plays Lucius is quite cute.

Lorett- don’t worry. Draco will be good in this, I promise. So far you’re only seeing the bad Draco. He doesn’t want to get marked. Oops, I’ve said too much. You’ll just have to read on.

Severus and Jessica had finally arrived at Malfoy Manor. Neither of them had spoken since the incident in Potions. He had longed to tell her that he was sorry, that he’d never call her a mudblood. He was only half blood himself and did not share the common Slytherin belief that only pureblood wizards are worthy.

Jessica was trying to keep her calm when she really wanted to knock Snape out. She didn’t think for a second that maybe Snape was not calling her a mudblood. She just naturally assumed so. She fixed a frozen smile on her face (she called it her Wal-Mart smile. She once had worked for Wal-Mart and they had a rule that whenever you saw a customer, you had to smile) as they walked up the stairs.

“Jessica” Snape began, but she cut him off.

“Please don’t call me that. I hate it. Call me Jess, or something. Every time I hear my full name I fell like I’m in trouble or something.” Jessica said.

“Very well, Jess” Snape continued. “I do want to apologize for my behavior earlier. I was not going to call you a mudblood. I was merely expressing my concern for your safety around Lucius Malfoy. He’s not one to care for anyone less than a pureblood, unless he’s bedding them.”

Jessica felt her jaw drop. Was Snape saying that he was sorry? Wow, it did appear that he had a heart. If Snape could say that he was sorry, what was to come next? OJ Simpson admitting his guilt? Britney Spears fully clothed? The end of reality TV? Surely this had to be a sign of the apocalypse.

“Thanks. I sometimes get a little ahead of myself” she admitted. Snape took her hand and kissed it.

“You do look rather lovely tonight.”

Jessica smiled as a house elf let them in, and this time it wasn’t a fake one. She had to keep her eyes from getting too big. The manor was huge. It was full of antiques and things that she hardly dared to touch.

“Good evening” a female voice said. A woman dressed all in red velvet was standing next to a large fireplace. Her light blond hair was piled onto her head and was held in place by a jeweled clip. Her light blue eyes glittered as she approached us, a warm smile on her face. Narcissa Malfoy.

“Hello Narcissa.” Snape said smoothly.

Narcissa accepted a kiss on each cheek from Severus. She then turned her attention to the woman at his side. She was beautiful, as Draco had said.

“Good evening Mrs. Malfoy” Jessica said, as the older woman looked her over with an inquisitive eye. She tried her hardest to think of what to say next, but thankfully Lucius and Draco entered the room.

“Hello Draco” Jessica said politely. He gave her a wink, and she smiled. He wasn’t as bad as he was written in the books. Perhaps there was more to Draco than met the eye.
Lucius was wearing a silk robe in green (no big surprise there she thought) trimmed with gold and black thread. He walked over to her, eyeing her like a piece of meat. Jessica felt disgusted at the way his eyes roamed over her body. But she kept her smile fixated on her face.

“Mr. Malfoy, I am quite pleased to meet you.”

“As am I.” he drawled, kissing each cheek as she had seen Narcissa do. He offered his arm and they walked out to the dining room. The table was highly polished and looked like it could seat 20. A large crystal chandelier hung over the table, throwing dancing light all around the room.

Lucius pulled out a high backed chair and motioned for Jessica to sit. She did, and noticed to her displeasure that he sat next to her. Severus lowered his eyes at the elder Malfoy. He knew that his fellow Death Eater was up to no good, and that if Lucius had his way Jessica would be on her back before you could say ‘Avada Kedavra’. Severus sat next to Jessica and placed his hand on top of hers.

“So, my dear. Tell me what has brought you to us?” Lucius asked, ignoring the look that Severus was giving him. His eyes were drilling into Jessica’s and it was all she could do to look at him. All of the sudden she heard Snape’s voice in her head. ‘Tell him only a little. Say that you do not feel like it.’

“Well, my mother has recently passed on.” She cast her eyes down, putting a frown on her face.

“I’m sorry” Lucius said, though he didn’t look like he meant it.

“There’s not much to it after that. I got a letter from Albus, asking me if I wanted to come here.” There, short and sweet, she thought.

“Lucius. The poor girl does not want to talk about it. Leave her be” Narcissa gently chided.

Dinner went rather well. Lucius had tried a few more times to press Jessica about her past, but she changed the subject on him. Draco talked about the upcoming Quidditch match, and soon the 3 men were going on about the game.

Narcissa stood, excusing herself and Jessica. They went into a drawing room where Narcissa sat on a small red settee and motioned for Jessica to sit next to her. Her heart was pounding at being away from Snape and alone with the wife of a well-known Death Eater. She nervously fingered her wand, though it would not do her much good. She knew the words of the spells, but was unsure if she had the ability to do them.


“My son seems quite taken with you, as does my husband” Narcissa remarked. Jessica blushed, and Narcissa continued. “Not that I blame him, for you are a beauty. A little too old for Draco, yes. But just fine for Lucius.” She ran her hand over Jessica’s arm and smiled. “Is there a relationship between you and Severus, for if there is, you can tell me? Lucius would hardly take away someone that belonged to a friend.”

Thinking of Lucius Malfoy touching her, she inwardly grimaced. He’d probably be some sick fuck who enjoyed beating women while having sex.

“I would like there to be more, but it does seem like there is the start of one.” Jessica said. It seemed to be the right answer. Narcissa nodded and called for a house elf to bring in drinks. Jessica hadn’t seen so much slavery since she watched Roots.

“Are you in service of our Lord?” she asked, handing Jessica a crystal goblet of red wine.

Jessica felt trapped. If she said no, she hated Voldemort then she was in danger of getting herself hurt or even worse, exposing Snape’s secret.

“I have not yet seen Volde- I mean the Dark Lord.”

“Then you are in luck,” a cool voice said. Jessica looked for the speaker, but in her heart she knew who it was. She felt a breeze behind her and when she looked up, she saw it was true. Standing before her was Voldemort.

AN- sorry, I know I promised a lot, but the chapter is getting so big that I had to cut it in half. Draco will get marked soon, I’ve moved that up a little so that I can have a little more time with developing him and making him nice. He also needs a love interest(not Ginny though or Luna) so any ideas? Evil little cliffhanger here, but the next chapter will be up tomorrow. Or rather, the rest of this chapter.