The time after returning to Hogwarts was hard on the Potter family. Charlie was ecstatic that both his mum, dad and one of his godfathers were coming to school as assistant teachers, even if only for the remaining part of the school year. Jennifer was disappointed. She was disappointed and also angered that they would accuse her of being a dark witch for something as stupid as not being good enough for them. Not being their perfect little girl, but instead an actual person.
She sighed, thinking once more about what they had been doing since they came to Hogwarts. Going through her stuff –of course, not finding anything- following her at night only to discover that she made late-night library visits, talking to –more like interrogating- her few friends, and just generally being annoying.
She got them back for it though. Several well-executed pranks that left them annoyed beyond words or red in the face from embarrassment.
Even with the pranks keeping them busy she couldn't get a moments rest, and after two weeks she was more than tired of it. In frustration she had gone outside together with Neville, hoping to get a moment of peace together with her best friend. They'd been outside for a while now, and it seemed that for once, she was left to be.
That was until the Malfoy brat decided to show up together with the two gorillas he called friends.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't Potter and the Longbottom squib. Having fun sitting in the dirt?"
Jennifer looked up to see Malfoy standing just a bit away from them, wearing a smirk on his face while his goons laughed at the poorly made jab at Neville.
"Malfoy, I'm giving you the opportunity to leave right now. If you decide to stick around, you might find out what I can do to someone if I'm in a foul mood." Jay looked at the boys with a blank expression, just waiting for either them leaving or actually give her a valid reason (at least in her mind) to punch the daylights out of them.
"Yeah, right. And what would you do exactly? Talk our ears off about what type of dress you want to wear during your next gala? Oh, wait, you'd do that regardless." This prompted the boy into another fit of laughter.
Neville was looking uncertainly at Jay, not knowing what her deal was as of late. She'd been more and more aggressive since returning from Christmas break and he didn't doubt the fact that she could probably kick all their asses. Perhaps not at once, but definitely one on one.
"Is that truly what you think?" Her tone now had a dangerous tone to it. The boys stopped laughing. "Do you really think that I wouldn't pick certain things up from watching Charlie train? That I can't defend myself?" She gave them a smile with way to many teeth. The boys now looked nervous. Good, they should be. "I have no doubt that I can beat the three of you at once without even taking out my wand, boys. No offence, but you wouldn't be much of a challenge to me."
Malfoy didn't seem to know how t react to this, so he settled for turning red and started to yell at her. "Who exactly do you think you are? I bet you can't even take on a single one of us! You're just a stupid little whore!"
That did it, and Jay was on her feet within half a second. She moved towards them quickly and punched the fat one –was it Crabbe or Goyle?- in his stomach, who then dropped to the ground. Malfoy and the other boy had taken out their wands in the meantime, and were aiming at her. Before they were able to cast any spells at her she already jumped at the other boy and wrapped her thighs around his neck. Next she lt herself fall backwards, throwing the boy on his back while she elegantly landed on her hands and flipped herself back on her feet. She turned towards Malfoy, who seemed both startled and scared at her sudden attack.
By the time she was on him he finally managed to cast a spell at her, which she expertly dodged. She then kicked his feet out form him and landed him on his back. Quickly she grabbed his wand arm and disarmed him before flipping him over and pinning his arm to his back.
"I'm sorry. You were saying?"
"Get off of me Potter! Just wait until my father hears about this!" He yelled angrily while trying to throw Jay off his back (and failing).
"You mean how Jennifer Potter managed to not only disarm you but also knock out your two bodyguards and pin you to the ground? Or the part where there were three of you and one of me? I bet he'll be very proud of you."
Malfoy now had a pensive look on his face, followed by dawning realization that what she said was true to the bone. She let go of him.
"Crabbe, Goyle let's go." With a sneer on his face the boy left with his two side-kicks miserably tailing after him.
"You just did that." Nevillle looked at her with a awe-struck face, "You actually just did that. What's ever crazier is that you'll totally get away with it too!"
"Yeah. The brat's been a total annoyance so far. Besides I haven't had a nice fight in way too long. My hands were just itching to hit something. Preferably someone."
With that she turned back to what she was doing. Neville obviously wanted to ask her some questions, but decided against it. Fat chance she wouldn't answer them anyways.
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
Two days late James found himself looking for his little girl for nearly an hour and a half before he even got a hit at where she might be from the Weasley twins, whom Jennifer had become more and more friendly with.
When he finally found her she didn't seem to notice him getting closer. What surprised him was when he called out to her she completely ignored him as if she hadn't heard him. When he got closer he saw what she was doing.
There was a large notepad on her knees and several pieces of charcoal laying on a piece of cloth. What surprised him was the drawing she was making. It was simply amazing. She'd drawn about two-thirds of the mighty castle they were now both facing. It was as if someone had taken a picture of Hogwarts and had simply wiped-out a part of it. Her hand was rapidly moving, applying small lines here and there, what for James couldn't see until she applied the next set of lines and brought that part of the drawing more together. Amazed, James couldn't find it in himself to disturb her, and simply watched as she drew the tiniest details on the paper. Aside from the occasional look up, she had no eyes for anything but the piece of art she was creating.
She was truly marvelous at what she did. At everything she did, he came to conclude after a while of having her in his class. He could see how she not only had a natural affinity for the spells and like taught in his class. He and lily had been talking about it just the other day. It was as if someone had switched Charlie's and Jennifer's results around. They'd expected that he'd do a lot better as his sister, yet instead he was an average student at best. Jennifer apparently excelled at all classes.
It brought along some questions. Surely, if Jennifer was able to do it, why not Charlie?
He was really proud of her though. Even if the drama she'd caused during Christmas had caused Lily to be terribly upset.
Since they had taken to... well.. spying on her, they'd found absolutely nothing out of the ordinary. She was just a normal girl. She made the right choice in friends –the Longbottom boy and the Weasley twins- and was overall respectful to teachers and students alike.
"You know, if you have something you want to talk about, you should come and stand where I can actually see you. It might help."
James nearly fell on his ass after being startled so bad by her. Had she known he was standing there the whole time? And hadn't said a word?
"I was just walking around, and uh... came to see what you were doing. That's an amazing drawing by the way!" James tried to cover up his shock and embarrassment at being caught.
"Yeah, I kind of figured since you've been standing there now for nearly half an hour." She turned to face him. "But I'd rather not change the subject of that you were lying about why you're here."
"It, It wasn't a lie-"
"Dad, please. Do you really think I wouldn't notice the way you've been following me around? That I wouldn't notice that my stuff in my trunk moves around every other day?"
He was now openly gaping at her. She continued, "If there is anything you think I did, I didn't do it." She got up and grabbed her stuff. "And if you were wondering, yes, I'm still angry about Christmas." She left for the castle, leaving a flabbergasted James behind.
With her back straight and head held high, Jay walked into the castle for dinner about an hour after leaving James behind, wondering how her dad would react to having his entire furniture glued to the ceiling. For the second time this week.