At dinner, Jude read over the full letter his mum had sent him after the note:
Hey, Jude,
(Don't make it bad.)
It's great to hear about Hogwarts, it sounds like an amazing place, please do keep me updated.
It's a shame about the electricity, but keep your chin up, you still have your guitar. If it were me I'd find out why it doesn't work in Hogwarts and try to find away around it, what with science and all, no block is strong enough to keep you away from your music! (I should know). My interpretation is that magic can't exactly block electricity because electricity is how your heart beats. If magic blocked electricity then you would die every time you tried to cast a spell, it must work another way or the magic is kept away from your heart and other muscles. Go and prove me wrong/right.
I'm so glad you have a nice group of friends to look out for you. Play your cards right and they could be friends for life. I met your auntie Anne in high school after all.
Don't go near the third floor corridor like your headmaster said. Focus on your studies and don't worry, I promise I will get to the bottom of it and sort it. You will be the first to know everything.
Don't mind the horrible teachers, every school has at least one, but remember to report them if you think they are being unfairly nasty. If you feel as though your grades are lacking, speak to an older student or another professor about tutoring, I would be willing to pay if you think it will help.
I'm so proud of you, baby.
Love, mum.
Jude felt a fire of determination go up in his heart. His mum was right, he could figure out what was blocking the electricity and try to solve the problem. He was about to invite Hannah to the library when Hermione stormed to the Hufflepuff table with lots of conflicting emotions playing on her face; all bad ones.
"Hermione, whats-"
"Neville's in the hospital wing. He's broken his wrist!"
[PAGE BREAK]
"I can't believe I did that!"
"Don't worry Neville, everybody has a stupid accident at least once in their life."
"I cracked my collarbone trying to slide across a puddle of ice to the shops," said Jude.
Hannah laughed.
"But I have stupid accidents all the time!" He complained, " I wish I wasn't so clumsy."
"You'll grow out of it. For now, just try to be more cautious," offered Jude.
Neville rolled over in his cot.
Hermione turned to Jude while Hannah crouched down to console him some more. "Can I talk to you outside?"
"Sure."
Hermione peeked through the doors to make sure Neville wasn't listening.
"Can you come with me to see professor McGonagall?"
"Of course. What's wrong?"
"Malfoy has Neville's rememberall. He stole it after Neville fell off the broom. I want her to get it back for us."
"Why? I'm sure Draco's just keeping it for him, let's go and ask him for it now."
She grabbed his wrist as he started to move.
"No, Jude. We need to tell a teacher- Malfoy is a bully, he won't give it back. He called Neville horrible names after he had left and when someone told him to stop, his entire gang backed him up. I told him to give the rememberall back but he just jumped on his broom and flew very high." She looked very frustrated, tugging at her hair. Jude put a hand on her shoulder.
"Let me try and get it back first. Then we'll tell a teacher. Okay?"
Hermione looked like she really wanted to argue, but the resolve on Jude's face stopped her, "okay... But I'm coming with you!"
"Come on then."
"What? Right now?"
"Of course, lets go."
[PAGE BREAK]
After checking the great hall, the library and the field, they saw Draco heading towards the dungeons with Crabbe and Goyle. "Follow my lead," Jude said quietly to Hermione.
"Hey, Draco! Crabbe! Goyle! Can I talk to you for a sec?" He yelled down the corridor, jogging to catch up with them.
"Hello, Day," Draco grinned, then sneered when he spotted Hermione, "Really? A mudblood? When you were talking about making friends with anyone I thought you at least meant our kind."
Jude pulled a confused face. What was a mudblood?
"She is our kind? She's a witch."
"But she has non-magical blood. Born and raised by muggles, awful things."
Jude glared, "I was raised by muggles. How can you say she has non-magical blood? She has the highest grades in her classes, she's better than both of us at magic."
Draco's face went red in anger and his 'body guards' stiffened, as if getting ready to attack.
"She shouldn't be here! She hasn't been brought up to know our ways!"
"She's working hard to learn your ways. Besides, neither have I! You seem to think it's fine that I'm here."
"Your parents were witch and wizard, this is your heritage you muggle loving scumbag!"
"I only have one parent and she is a muggle! She is my heritage! Not some random adults I've never met! She's the one who raised me and taught me right from wrong, her parents are my grandparents and I will not stand here and let you insult an entire race of people you racist!"
His voice rose an octave on that last word, he flushed as he panted. Draco was glaring at him, if looks could kill he would be six feet under.
"Who were your parents?" Draco finally said.
"They're not my parents, they don't matter."
"Hah," Draco grinned, "I bet they were blood-traitor nobodies, just like you."
"So what if they were? I don't even know if they were."
"Then tell me who they were."
"No. It doesn't matter," he said, it sounded calmer that he felt. He was ashamed for losing it like that, but now he was back on track. "You have Neville's rememberall. Give it back." He was done asking.
"You want it? Who were your parents?"
"Why do you care?"
"I want to know how much your worth."
"Blood doesn't equal worth! You absolute idiot! If blood equal worth then how the heck is Hermione the head of our class? How do people move up in the world? How do people lose everything? It's people's actions that determine what their worth, and I've gotta' say, you aren't doing well at all in that respect. You may inherit a degree from your parents but that doesn't matter in the long run."
"Tell me."
"No."
"Then no rememberall. Unless you want to duel for it?" He grinned.
"Nope," Jude blanked.
"What!?"
"I'm a pacifist."
"A what?"
"Come on, Hermione. Let's go tell McGonagall."
"URGGG, FINE!" Draco threw the ball down the hallway, then turned and left with his lackeys trailing behind him.
[PAGE BREAK]
"Thanks, Jude," said Hermione.
"For what?"
"Standing up for me."
"Of course. He shouldn't be allowed to say stuff like that, nobody should let him, and I meant everything I said. You're very smart, you're going to go far in this world."
She beamed at him, her cheeks red.
"Now, I was wondering if you'd like to help me with a research project for my own interest."
"Oooh, do tell."
[FINAL BREAK]
mizzrazz72: I very much agree.
Thanks for reading!
