Oye, I know THIS is late... my wretched computer's hard drive CRASHED, and then my cable modem decided to wig out on me. But now I'm back... enjoy the chap.
Evening Chatter
Over the next few days, Harry discovered that Jon was a very enigmatic person indeed. Jon, like Hermione, was a sort of a bookworm and enjoyed spending hours reading and doing his homework. Harry was shocked when Jon told him that he was a Beater on his school's Quidditch team.
"It's fun to hit Bludgers at opponents," Jon said with a grin. "It releases pent-up aggression, and plus, there's a risk that you'll get hit. Nothing like a risk to make something fun." Jon's sarcastic and dry sense of humor amused Harry, but it did get annoying and grating after long-term exposure.
Harry also noticed that Jon did not like being disrespected in the least. It was evident that Jon could take a joke, but when Jon pinned two fifth-year Slytherins against the wall with icicles for making comments about his hair, Harry learned not to push Jon too far.
Jon's semi-rebellious nature, in addition to his already strange appearance, made him a kind of an icon among the students, all except the Slytherins of course. Draco Malfoy had immediately spread wild rumors about Jon's pyrokenetic abilities, and the Slytherins viewed Jon with silent malice. The other Houses, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, saw Jon as another (but interesting) student, while most Gryffindors adored the red-haired wizard.
The Weasley twins, Fred and George, exchanged Beater stories and tips with Jon; Hermione seemed to ask never-ending questions about Elementism and Ron also seemed to talk about Quidditch all the time with Jon. Harry recalled that Jon also enjoyed playing a Muggle sport called Lacrosse, in which opposing teams threw around a ball ("Only one ball?" Ron had said sulkily) with netted sticks and tried to score in the opposite goals.
"Is it dangerous?" Neville Longbottom, a forgetful Gryffindor had asked Jon over breakfast one morning.
"Lacrosse? Yes, it can be." Jon said. "It helps get rid of excess anger." Harry found it extremely odd that Jon talked about his anger a lot; Harry surmised that Jon had a lot of it. One evening, as Jon was sitting doing his homework, Harry decided to ask Jon.
"Jon," Harry said as he sat down. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure." Jon put down his quill and set his Study of Ancient Runes homework aside.
"You always talk about things getting rid of anger," Harry said. "Is something, er, wrong?" Harry looked into Jon's sapphire-like eyes. They seemed to widen slightly, and then they seemed to grow soft.
"I do have an anger problem, yes." Jon admitted quietly.
"How do you mean?"
"I have a very bad temper..." Jon said, hanging his head. "Been that way since I was a kid, really. I don't know where the anger comes from... it's just sort of there. It's made for a lot of bad moments, let me tell you. Used to get into a lot of fights... I've kind of learned to control it, at least somewhat." Harry noticed that Jon's eyes looked misty.
"So, what's it like being you, Harry?" Jon asked after a moment or two. "Being the destroyer of the most evil Dark Wizard-"
"Voldemort has returned." Harry said shortly. Jon gaped.
"Voldemort... is alive?"
"Yes... he... captured me, and his servant, a man named Wormtail, performed some kind of spell and he revived Voldemort."
"Harry..." Jon looked worried. "What if he comes..."
"Voldemort would never attack me, not while I'm at Hogwarts." Harry told Jon. "Voldemort is afraid of Professor Dumbledore." Jon's left eyebrow arched slightly.
"Why would Voldemort be afraid of Uncle?" Hermione had told Harry and Ron that Dumbledore was Jon's surrogate uncle a few days ago, so this was not new news to Harry.
"Dumbledore is the most powerful wizard I know," Harry said in a somewhat defensive tone. "And I think Dumbledore always suspected Voldemort... he taught Voldemort when he went to Hogwarts."
"Voldemort attended Hogwarts?" Jon exclaimed. Luckily, the din of the common room muffled Jon's cry.
"Yeah, fifty years ago." Harry said. Harry quickly filled Jon in on the story of the Chamber of Secrets, including his own adventure into the Chamber three years ago.
"Some story..." Jon whistled. "You're one brave dude, Harry."
"Dude?" Harry asked, confused. Jon laughed.
"It's American slang for 'friend'." A light of understanding dawned on Harry's face, and then Harry chuckled too.
"You've lead an interesting life, Harry," Jon said. "You'll have to tell me your stories sometime." Harry scowled.
"It's not all that glorious... I was worried a lot, and I wouldn't have gotten through if I didn't have Hermione, Ron, and a house-elf named Dobby to help me."
"You have noble friends, Harry... especially Hermione..." Jon blushed slightly. Harry peered at Jon, but he already knew. Jon liked Hermione. That didn't surprise Harry, considering their smarts could make them brother and sister.
"I've a question for you, Harry," Jon said. "Why does Severus Snape hate you so much?"
"Because my father made a fool of him when they were at Hogwarts," Harry snorted.
"Snape has just decided to carry over his loathing of my father to me." Jon laughed lightly.
"Snape is such a terribly charming fellow," Jon said sardonically. "I wonder how much he'd like it if I froze his greasy mop of hair." The image of Snape with a coating of frost in hair was too much for Harry, and he broke down into laughter.
"What are you two laughing about?" It was Hermione.
"Oh, nothing," Jon said. "Just mulling over the prospect of turning Snape's hair into a patch of ice." Harry doubled over in giggles, while Hermione gave the both of them a "don't-you-DARE" look. However, Harry could have sworn he had seen Hermione grin mischievously.