Glory |A. Potter|

Thirteen

By the time Halloween came around, the weather had turned brutal. Strong winds whipped at the castle that made Jane relieved her common room wasn't in a tower as she doubted she would manage to focus when all she would hear was the harsh screaming of the wind, although her common room truly wasn't in the best possible location. The dungeons were cold and humid when compared to the rest of the castle any day, especially when the weather was cold and humid in itself. It was around times like this Jane wished her common room was in a better location.

On Halloween morning, she woke up actually shivering. Around her, her housemates were asleep in their beds although she didn't attempt to sleep in more. Instead, she rolled off of her bed, all the while attempting to stop her teeth from chattering at the cold as she rushed to the bathroom, her robes at hand so she could change into her clothes. She did so as quickly as possible and then she reached for her wand, muttered a heating charm under her breath. Almost at once, she was feeling better.

Jane got to work. She got ready for her day of school, made sure her hair was set the way she wanted it, wasted a few minutes perfecting her eye-liner, applied her lipstick with practised ease, and once she was certain she appeared the way she wanted to, she left the bathroom. A quick glance around the room let her know Charlotte, Annabeth and Ramona were still asleep, so she swung her bag that contained any textbooks she would need for the day—she had taken care to get her bag ready the previous night—over her shoulder and with a last look around the dormitory, she opened the door soundlessly and slipped out.

There was hardly anyone in the common room as she crossed it to get to the exit. No sign of fatigue was seen on her face despite the hours she tended to spend studying, training or patrolling the corridors, she wasn't dragging her feet—she never did—and there was a slight bounce in her steps as she got up the stairs quickly that let anyone watching know she wasn't walking around aimlessly but had a destination in mind she planned on reaching soon. She didn't loiter, instead, she headed right for the door. As she left the common room, her manner didn't change.

Her strides were rather long, her dark eyes piercing even though she had woken up only a while ago, her steps quick when she reached the staircase and climbed the steps, balancing only on her tips as she ascended the stairs, her back set straight, chin held high. The fabric of her black cloak followed her movements after a few moments, traces of it seen a short while after she turned down a corridor. She had reached the Great Hall a short while later and she opened the doors, stepping in quickly in the same manner as before, her eyes instantly scanning the room until they rested on the two boys sitting at the Slytherin table. Jane didn't think twice before she headed towards them.

Scorpius and Albus were sitting next to each other in silence and only looked up at her as she sat down opposite them and a plate with one sandwich appeared in front of her. Jane reached for it at once as she sent them both a look and a brief inclination of her head.

"Good morning," Scorpius greeted her softly. She sent him a smile in return before her eyes slid to Albus and the two of them shared a short nod before they looked away once more. She turned to face Scorpius.

"Are you ready for today? As our DADA Professor said during our last class, today we'll be casting non-verbal spells."

"I can't be ready for it," he shrugged, "I kind of know what to expect but I can't be sure until I experience it."

"I've heard it's a tricky process," Albus muttered as he looked over at Jane first before he turned to Scorpius. "Everyone in my family claims they had an issue casting non-verbal spells at first. Except from Molly, that is. That woman is so headstrong and subtle I'm not surprised she managed it relatively easily."

"Molly Weasley, two years older than us?" Jane asked for confirmation as Albus nodded.

"Uncle Percy's eldest daughter."