This fic has been rumbling around in the back of my mind for quite a while, so while I'm in the middle of a bit of a block with my other stories I thought that I'd post the first chapter or so to see what kind of reaction it gets.

This is a very AU tale based on Charlotte Bronte's 'Jane Eyre' – characters and certain situations from both that novel and the Harry Potter world will be interspersed with each other; although I'm loathe to classify it as a 'cross-over' fic as such. As always, your thoughts, comments and general feelings would be appreciated – flames will be generally ignored, so please don't bother if that's all you have to say….On with the legal bits…

Disclaimer – I am in no way connected with J K Rowling, nor do I have a claim on any of her written works, movie rights etc…The work of Charlotte Bronte is in the public domain, but again I claim no legal rights to the situations, characters or settings that follow

A young woman walked slowly out of the Headmaster's office, her smooth brow wrinkled in thought as she pondered the conversation she had just been part of. She was thinking so hard, that she nearly barrelled directly into Miss Temple, one of the teachers at the school and one of her closest friends.

'Hermione, you look lost in thought – nothing too troublesome, I hope?' Miss Temple, or Septima as she was to her friends, placed her hand on Jane's forearm and gave it a gentle squeeze. 'Come, I know that you don't have any classes this afternoon, we'll go to my study and share a pot of tea.' The two young women linked arms, as they traversed the chilly hallways of the school until they reached Septima's small study. Summoning one of the house elves, Septima requested a pot of tea and a small plate of sandwiches. Once teacups were in hand, Septima pressed her friend for more details. Hermione sighed heavily as her fingers traced the gold rim of the delicate porcelain teacup and she set the cup down in the saucer, placing them both on the low table in front of the comfortable armchairs.

'The Headmaster asked whether I would be prepared to take your place as lead Arithmancy Professor, on the proviso that I sign a ten year contract,' Hermione glanced up at Septima and saw the other woman's saddened expression. 'I don't think I have it in me to endure knowing that I won't have you to confide in.' Hermione confessed in a small voice, and both of their gazes were drawn to the sparkling diamond that adorned Septima's left ring finger. Over the Easter break, the Arithmancy Professor had accepted the proposal from Ernesto Vector; an Italian that she had met several summers ago whilst on holiday in Tuscany. They had been involved for a while, but Septima had been reluctant to commit to anything long-term as Ernesto was based in Southern Italy and Septima was stuck in a cold Yorkshire manor house for nine months out of the year. Ernesto had broken the news that his business would take him over to the United States for the foreseeable future, and rather than lose him completely, Septima had made the difficult decision to leave her teaching life and accepted his proposal. They were to be married over the summer break and make the move shortly afterwards.

'Dearest, it doesn't have to be like that at all,' Septima set her own teacup down and leant over the small table to press her hands against her friends. 'I've enjoyed my tenure as a teacher immensely, but then I only transferred over when the Headmaster arrived, I'm sure I couldn't have endured it with Brocklehurst in charge.' Septima grinned a little at the grimace that flitted over Hermione's face at the sound of the former Headmaster's name – when Hermione had first come to Lowood at the tender age of eleven, the school was under the care of Elias Brocklehurst, a cruel man that preferred to rule with an iron fist rather than a velvet glove. It was only when an epidemic of Dragon Pox swept the school, and proved fatal to a good deal of the student population, that the governor's decided that it was time for a new Headmaster to take control. Professor Albus Dumbledore had agreed to take over the reins for a ten year period, leaving one of his capable Deputies in charge of his own school – Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. Dumbledore had brought a few of his own staff with him; Septima, who specialised in Arithmancy, Poppy Pomfrey, the school matron and a good number of house elves on loan from the kitchens at Hogwarts.

Hermione snapped to attention as she realised that Septima had continued to talk while she had been lost in memories. 'I'm sorry, Septima…what was that again?' Septima chuckled as she tapped her fingers against the back pages of the newspaper that she was holding.

'I said, why don't you try advertising for a governess post or something similar? You've taught everything from Potions to Healing at Lowood, so you've proved that you can turn your mind to anything…a chance to spread your wings might be the very thing that you need.' Septima's gently twisted her engagement ring on her finger and she smiled softly. 'I never thought that I'd leave Hogwarts, or Lowood for that matter…but when I met Ernesto I knew that he was the one person that I'd be willing to follow to the ends of the earth.'

'Advertising…?' Hermione's tone was doubtful and Septima chuckled again as she drew a clean sheet of parchment forward and scratched out a few words.

'It's not all lonely hearts and saucy suggestions, dear,' Septima said as she frowned slightly over what she had written. 'How does this sound? –

A young lady accustomed to tuition seeks position in a family situation, where children are under the age of fourteen. She is qualified to teach Potions, Arithmancy, Defence and general subjects up to O.W.L level. Address H. Granger at general owl post office.'

Hermione ran the words over in her mind, and offered up a suggestion that would ensure her security just in case someone with nefarious intentions was looking for a young witch to seduce. 'What if we were to use my middle name and just my last initial?' Septima agreed and re-wrote the advertisement using 'Jane G.' as the name that Hermione would use, and attached the tiny scroll to the leg of her owl, Dega, and slipped a few bronze sickles into a small pouch which Dega picked up with his beak.

'The Daily Prophet, please Dega,' Septima requested, giving Dega's feathers a gentle stroke. Dega bobbed his head a few times, before soaring out of the open casement window, his broad wings opening up and for a brief moment his silhouette blocked out the midday sun entirely, causing a brief shiver to ripple down Jane's back. Septima cleared the table with a quick flick of her wand and then gave her friend a searching look. 'There's something else, isn't there?'

'The Headmaster brought up some things that I hadn't thought about for years, about my family mostly…I thought I had put all of that behind me, but it appears that some skeletons simply refuse to stay buried,' Hermione smoothed down the skirts of her simple grey teaching robes, and Septima saw that her fingers weren't quite steady. 'It seems that my cousin, John, has joined the Dark Lord's army…and my aunt was forced to face up to the fact that she was wrong about me her whole life, Professor Dumbledore says that she has contacted me to make amends for her past behaviour,' Hermione's face twisted at her last words, and Septima knew that her friend still felt bitter over being forced out of a family that had taken her in as a child.'

'And…?' Septima left her armchair to kneel at her friend's side, wrapping a comforting arm around Hermione's shoulder.

'When my aunt had me sent to Lowood as a child it was because she was afraid of what I might do, if I were to remain under her care,' Hermione spoke softly, her hands clasped together tightly in her lap.

'Unconscious magic?' Septima questioned lightly, and Jane nodded briefly before continuing.

'I had been locked in a room for punishment after I had fallen asleep reading one of my cousin, John's books,' Hermione and Septima shared a brief smile, both knowing that in their experience falling asleep over a book was probably one of Hermione's most endearing traits. 'I hated that particular room, it felt oppressive and I was sure that my Uncle Reed haunted it as it used to be his study. On that particular day, I was so overwrought that I managed to blast the door straight off its hinges…I woke up two days later after being in a near coma.'

'You probably deleted your magical core with all of that pent up anxiety,' Septima rubbed Hermione's back soothingly, encouraging her to continue.

'Aunt Reed had an apothecary that visited the family at home, on that particular day, Mr Lloyd had been present and witnessed my state. I didn't know it then, but he was actually a wizard and it was he that suggested a wizarding school to Aunt Reed…I'm sure he had no idea that Lowood had sunk so low since his time there as a child,' Hermione paused, her throat feeling rather dry. She conjured up a glass of cold water, and drank thirstily. 'Sorry, I've strayed a little…' Septima waved Hermione's apology aside and begged her to continue. 'Aunt Reed had always hated me, even as a child. It was uncle Reed that insisted that I join the family after my parents died…she hated my mother and insisted that I be renamed as soon as I went to live with them…and so Jane became my name as long as I was under her roof.'

'If she declared that fact aloud, it probably explains why you never received your letter from Hogwarts…it would have been addressed to 'Jane Granger'…rather than Hermione Granger and as Jane didn't actually exist other than in your aunt's mind…you get my point,' Septima mused, and at Hermione's startled look, Septima elaborated. 'You mentioned that your aunt wasn't fond of your parents, and that she was frightened of your magic….that leads me to believe that one or both of your parents were of magical descent, and probably your uncle as well. What were their names?'

'Eleanor and Felix Granger…they loved Shakespeare, hence my rather elaborate first name, but Aunt declared that as far too elegant for someone as scrawny as myself, and so she christened me 'Jane' instead, as she declared me a definite 'Plain Jane' upon first inspection.' There was no recrimination in Hermione's tones, and she'd faced herself enough times in the mirror each morning to know that the plain grey teaching robes that all of the faculty sported were not at all flattering.

'I don't recognise the names, but Hermione is a lovely name dearest…and I think it suits you far more than just 'Jane',' Septima brushed a kiss on Hermione's cheek as she rose from her kneeling position. 'I think you need to put all thoughts of your spiteful old Aunt out of your head, and focus on what you want for a change.'

'Exactly,' Hermione nodded and then rose from the armchair after catching a glimpse of the clock. 'It's growing late, I've got a study session to supervise with the upper fourth, and we'll talk more tomorrow.' Both women exchanged a pleasant goodnight and Jane left Septima's study, leaving the older woman sitting near the fire with a thoughtful expression on her face. After a while, she reached out for another piece of parchment and started a letter to her fiancé…perhaps he could use his contacts in the wizarding law society to find out more about the Grangers, and the circumstances that left their infant daughter in the care of the Reeds.

AN: So, that's the first chapter - I think you can guess where I'm heading…I'd be interested in your views over the casting. I've pretty much decided that Luna will be poor Helen Burns, the bosom friend of Jane's that died of Typhoid in the original classic. Severus Snape, of course will be Edmund Rochester. Any ideas on who should get the role of Mrs Fairfax or the others…what about Bellatrix LeStrange as the maniacal wife hidden in the attic? If you're having a little trouble with the characters a brief description can be found below;

Mrs Fairfax – Rochester's faithful housekeeper, served the family for a number of years since Edward was a small boy

Bertha Mason – Rochester's clandestine wife, hidden in the attic apartments since their marriage as her mind is twisted and evil

Richard Mason – Bertha's brother, who comes to visit his sister only to suffer from one of her attacks

Blanche Ingram – a rich socialite who despises Jane, and hopes to ensnare Rochester for herself

Grace Poole – Bertha's keeper, likes her drink a little too much and her carelessness allows Bertha to escape from her attic rooms to attack Jane and Rochester

Adele Varéns – Rochester's ward, and Jane's pupil

Other characters coming up in later chapters; St John Rivers, Rosamunde Oliver, Mary Rivers, Diana Rivers, Georgiana Reed, Eliza Reed