John Constantine and The Useless Magic Rock

Encounter

John downed the rest of the cup's orange juice(apparently the bartender, Eddie, had an issue servin him coffee).

Today was the day.

Today he was making his trip to the famous 'Diagon Alley' and all that it entails!

Joy.

3 weeks- three bloody weeks of sitting on his ass doing fuck-all!

He's been doing his damnedest to translate the older Latin but nothing was useful to him so far.
Three weeks.......

John groaned at the headache starting to form, one that'll no doubt become worse as the day continues.

"Excited Mr. Constantine?"

John looked up.

"Hogwarts. 'Member my first time there as a first year-great place it is! You, will have the time of your life."

Eddie was cleaning a few different cups by hand while behind him a rag mopped itself around the counters.

Magic.

Throughout John's life, Magic was much more than a convenience to some lazy bloke or two.
To him, Magic was dangerous, a powerful ability and at times hard to control without years of practice.

This Earth was just pissing on every hardship he's sweat and bled through.....

"Yeah...sure......."

Eddie chuckled.
"Nervous too eh?"

Internally, John wanted to roll his eyes out of a slight annoyance.
Eddie....a nice enough bloke surely, but can be a bit nosy in his business.

Whether it had something to do with having a 'kid' in his care or if it's just a habit of his, John had no idea.

"Yeah a bit..."

"I wouldn't worry Mr. Constantine. It isn't as if you were being sent to Azkaban of all places."

John flinched.

Oh no

Not that monotone, condescending voice!

He turned his body on the bar stool over to see an unfortunately familiar face.

"Oh.....Ello there Professor...."

Professor Snape.

Of course John's so called luck would lead him to have the worst teacher he's met so far!

"I do hope you have everything you need on your person for this trip? Because if you don't, I won't be waiting."

John internally grimaced.

This was going to be fun.

      ————————————————

"Where exactly is Diagon Alley teach?"

The ebony haired man sneered, "As of now, I AM one of your professors as you've been officially enrolled and kept on record."

His voice turned cold.
Or at least cold-er, the man wasn't exactly the most friendly out there...

"You will call me Professor or sir.
You will communicate with each facility member with respect or consequences will follow. Understood?"

John closed a fist at the tone.
"Yes....sir."

The teacher whipped his frame back into his previous direction.

Oh how John wanted to say what was currently on his mind....

.....but the teach had a point....if John were to get as much work done(most of his jobs and methods being a bit unconventional to say the least), it'd probably be best to stay out of their radar.

"Uh...sir, you never answered me."

The Professor didn't turn in the slightest.
Actually-it didn't seem like he had heard him at all.

Though the man's head did move side to side, checking out each store and shop they pass by.

Is he looking for something?

Better yet-is he ignoring him?

"Come Constantine, we don't have all day."

John couldn't contain the small scowl that followed, he hated being told what to do!

They crossed the street and into a little bar or cafe.
Unfortunately, he didn't see the sign showing the stores name.

It was a small but crowded place, full of tables, chairs and happy contenders with mugs.

As he followed the greasy-haired shadow, John grew a bit uncomfortable by the gaining stares.

"N-new student going t-to H-Ho-Ho-Hogwarts eh S-Snape?"

John rose his eyes to the bar where a figure stood upside by a wall.

"N-not t-the f-fir-first stu-dent to c-come a-around. Y-you k-know w-wh-who I m-met l-last w-week?!
Harry Potter."

The stutter drew the attention of his new Professor.
Snape's eyes narrowed fully at the man.

The man in question was a tall and lengthy person, clothed in robes and a turban.
Purple wasn't John's first choice of color personally...

While John didn't care for the choice of style or his speech impediment-no what made John's stare linger was the feeling around him....

.....Cold.......sinister......

"Quirrell."
The sound of disgust and annoyance flooded through soundly on his teacher's behalf.
"Constantine.......this is....one of your professors. Professor Quirrell."

John blinked.
Wait what?

The man looked down to John, making him damn his new height for the seventh time in a row.

"H-h-ell-llo t-the-ere c-child."

Quirrell, didn't offer John a hand.
In fact, his new teacher, barely glanced at him for too long.
Keeping as much eye-contact with his chaperone for as time as possible.

Instead he folded them in front of him, one atop the other.

"I-I h-h-hope to s-see-e y-you i-in cl-clas-ss Mr........Constantine? W-was it?"

John narrowed his eyes slightly, a dark shiver running down his spine and a sense of danger overtaking his form.

"Well, as riveting as this experience has been Professor.....we'll be taking our leave. Now."

For the first time since meeting the man, John didn't hesitate to agree.

The man stared at Snape, a little too blankly in John's opinion...

As if in a trance......before smiling and wave a farewell to the both of them as the exited through the back door.

As much as he tried, John couldn't shake the feeling.
A dark cloud standing atop.

Not only above him....but of everyone.

Whoooooo! Sorry for the wait-been a bit busy myself, but things are starting to move!
So-do yourself a favor and stay tuned will ya?!