MidnightShadow: Hey, guys! Sorry for the long wait, but it's finally here! I'M FINALLY ON WINTER BREAK, WOO HOO! Anyway, THANK YOU SO MUCH TO 99Roosters for replying to my PM and helping me with this. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU!
Disclaimer: I. DON'T. OWN. ANYTHING. BESIDES. JAY.
Chapter 8: Jay's POV
Bam! Someone smashes headlong into me. Had I not been ranting about books, I would have no doubt avoided the accident, but my ignorance made me fall. My packages littered the floor, along with the boy's.
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" The black-haired boy stammers uncertainly as he gets up. He extends a plump hand to me.
"It's okay." I ignore the hand and get up, brushing myself off. He bends down and starts picking up packages. I get down and help out.
Annabeth sighs. "We'll get your books, Jay. Won't be too long."
All three girls march inside the bookshop.
"What's your name?" Asks the boy. "I'm Neville."
"Jay. Are you going to Hogwarts?" I try to be friendly. It's not easy. How do all the other demigods do it?
"Yep. I've been going for the last few years." He hands me my stuff. "Sorry about, you know, bumping into you."
"Oh, it's fine."
At that moment, a older woman stalks over. She has the same eyes as Neville, with a hooked nose. She's wearing old-fashioned robes and a huge hat, topped by a stuffed vulture. I stifle the urge to ask her sardonically if the vulture was a relative.
"Neville! Getting into more trouble, I see. What have you done now?" She has a sharp, no-nonsense voice.
Neville colored. "Sorry, Gran."
I shouldered my magical groceries and looked his grandmother up and down. "Gran? Where are your parents?"
Neville suddenly looked down at his shoes. His grandmother filled the silence.
"Don't be ashamed, Neville! You should be proud!" She turned to me. "They were both tortured into insanity by Voldemort's followers."
I immediately felt shock, then shame. I shouldn't have asked. "Oh." I can hear the real remorse in my own voice. It's been a long time since I've felt that. "I'm sorry."
"It's okay. Really."
"No, it's not." I look Neville in the eye. "It's terrible what people do, isn't it? I've lost people to Voldemort too."
He looked surprised and a little sad. "Yeah. I'm sorry about the people that you lost."
I smile. "You're the only one who could truly understand." I hold out a hand. "It was nice to meet you, Neville."
He took it. "Likewise."
"Well, got to go. Good bye, Neville." I let go of his hand, turn, and march into the bookshop.
It's been a long time since I've displayed any obvious emotion to anyone. Yet, I've only just met Neville, and I already feel like I've known him all my life.
And that's it! Look forward to the next chapter!
And, 99Roosters, Emma will show up soon, don't worry. :)
