Chapter 21

Jareth cracked open one eye on his bed in his bedroom above his classroom. What was today? Something special was supposed to happen. But what? He got up and dressed, all the while wondering what he was supposed to do. It was Saturday. He remembered there was a trip to Hogsmeade today. But what was the importance of that? While he was going through his desk in his office and found a square package, he remembered with a jolt what day it was. It was Valentine's Day! Usually, the thought would've given him more joy; besides Laura, nobody had ever actually been there to celebrate with him, and she'd always give him slime or feathers or toilet paper. Today, he had someone to celebrate with. But unfortunately, he had a feeling it was going to be a very long day.

"Mother.", he growled to him self. He sighed and changed into his owl shape. He picked up the small package in his talons and took off.

He flew in with the other owls into the Great Hall. Laura was, once again, sitting at his seat. It reminded him of back home when she used to sit on his throne and refuse to let him have it. He noted, with a little satisfaction that she was shifting uncomfortably in her seat. Jareth realized, however, that this was probably because Mother was coming.

Jareth flew along his identical counterpart and they both landed in front of Sarah at the same time. She glanced up at them and sighed.

"All right. Which is which?", she asked.

Jareth flew up, dropped the package in her lap, and landed on her shoulder.

She looked up at him. "It isn't going to blow up in my face, is it?"

Jareth nipped her ear, relishing in the brief pleasure of doing so, and hooted softly.

Sarah laughed and opened the package. She pulled out a crystal and looked up at him.

"What does it do?", she asked.

"Look, there's a note.", Harry said suddenly, picking the note out of the box. " 'Tap it with your wand', it says."

Sarah took out her wand and tapped the crystal. She gasped and dropped it. It bounced off the table and onto the floor. There, it melted into the floor. Suddenly, in a wave of color from that one spot, the Great Hall was bathed in gold. Everyone marveled at the Great Hall for a long time.

"Wow.", Harry said. "He really does keep his promises."

Sarah laughed a little breathlessly and looked up at Jareth. "Mornings of gold, I presume?"

Jareth hooted his confirmation, nipped her ear again, and took off for his room.

Sarah looked around, sighed, and put her head in her hands.

"Sarah, you think he got your present yet?", Harry asked.

Sarah looked up at him, then at Laura talking to Dumbledore. "I dunno. Maybe. Do you think we did right trusting Laura with it?"

Harry shrugged. "Yeah. I think so. I think Laura just wants her older brother to be happy."

Sarah grunted and put her head back in her hands.

There were footsteps and the hall suddenly quieted. Sarah glanced up briefly to see a tall woman. She had long black hair and mismatched eyes, and Sarah knew immediately who it was. She groaned, folded her arms on the table, and set her head on them.

"Rayne!", Dumbledore greeted cheerfully. "How nice to see you again."

"Shove it, Dumbledore.", said a harsh voice that could only be the woman's.

"Is that Jareth's mom?", Harry whispered. Sarah nodded without looking up.

"I am here for my children. They are going home.", Jareth's mother, whose name must've been Rayne, said.

"Rayne, I-", Dumbledore started, but Rayne cut him off.

"Dumbledore, where are you hiding my children?", she demanded.

"I'm not hiding them. I'm sure they're running around here somewhere. Laura was just here, but she's gone now."

"Dumbledore, I want my children!"

"Mother, I am no longer a child.", Sarah heard Jareth say, and she snapped her head up to look at him. His eyes were closed and he was pinching the bridge of his nose. "Why must all of my family discussions take place in the Great Hall for all to hear?"

"Because you insist on it.", Laura said as she walked up behind him. "You just have fun making yourself known, don't you?"

"Professor Shae.", Harry said suddenly, standing up and holding two sheets of parchment. He walked quickly over to Jareth and held out the paper. "My essay on goblins. Sorry it's late."

The amazing thing was that they had actually had an essay on goblins that was due yesterday.

Jareth took the parchment and inspected it for a few moments before looking up and saying, "Mr. Potter, for future reference, please don't copy Ms. Granger's paper."

The entire hall laughed as Harry grinned and walked back to his seat.

Jareth gestured around the hall. "Do you like my handiwork, Mother?", he asked.

Rayne frowned. "You did this?" She sighed. "You would think that you would use magic for something more useful."

"Well, I'm sorry Mother, but this happens to be important to me."

"Jareth, if this is about that song you wrote for that.... that girl, it is really unhealthy for-" Rayne cut herself off and looked around the room. "She's here, isn't she? She's a witch?"

Jareth took his Mother by the arm and Laura took her other side.

"Come Mother.", Laura said pleasantly. "We'll show you where you'll be locked up for the rest of your visit." And they were gone.

Sarah entered the Three Broomsticks and looked around. People were muttering about the Three Broomsticks, and all of Hogsmeade, really. They had not escaped Jareth's golden spell either. Some people muttered about how it hurt their eyes while others talked about how beautiful it looked. Sarah silently agreed with the latter. Sarah saw Ron, Luna, and Neville sitting near the window and she walked over and sat down with them.

"Hey, Sarah.", Ron greeted.

"Ron. Luna. Neville. How're you guys?", Sarah asked.

"My grandmother thinks she ought to home school me, actually.", Neville said.

"Why?", Ron asked.

"She doesn't think I'm getting educated properly here."

Sarah snorted. "Jareth is, surprisingly, quite a good teacher."

"Why, thank you Ms. Williams. I wasn't sure you were capable of praise.", said a voice in Sarah's ear, making her shiver. Jareth pulled a chair over and sat down.

Sarah chose to ignore his comment.

"How'd you ditch your mum?", Ron asked.

Jareth snorted. "It is actually quite easy to ditch my mother. Especially when you've got dirt on one little sister Laura and she'll do whatever you ask to keep you quiet."

"What is it?", Sarah asked.

A sly grin spread across his face. "No, I don't think so. You see, I don't recall getting a present from you, Ms. Williams, and I think I will keep that lovely tidbit to myself until I see one."

Sarah looked at him in surprise. "Laura didn't get it to you?"

It was Jareth's turn to look surprised. "Laura?"

"What?", Laura asked as she sat down next to her brother.

Sarah glared pointedly at Laura. "That is exactly what I'd like to know.", she growled.

Laura looked at her in surprise, then sighed. "Well, you didn't tell me when.", she said defensively. "I'll give it to him when I feel like it."

"There you two are.", said a voice from behind them. Brother and sister groaned. Rayne sat down in between them, and looked at Sarah. "Sarah Williams. Hm. I expected you to be taller."

"I'm sitting down, so naturally, one would think that.", Sarah retorted.

Jareth hid a grin behind his hand.

Rayne raised an eyebrow. "Well, then stand up."

Sarah shook her head. "No thanks. I do not willingly open myself up to criticism."

"Who said I'm going to criticize you?"

"Well, I'm a witch. From what I've heard, you aren't too fond of them, or wizards... anymore."

Jareth's and Laura's eyes shone with tears as they struggled to hold back their laughter.

Rayne held up a finger. "Don't play with me, girl."

"Oh, no. I'm being serious. I really don't think it's right to hate hundreds of other people because of one guy, but then again, I'm not you."

"I don't hate every witch and wizard." Rayne lowered her voice. "I just don't like the ones that like to break hearts."

Sarah inspected her fingernails. "Who says I like breaking people's hearts? I mean, it isn't like I had much of a choice."

"I object!', Jareth... objected.

"Jareth, don't start, okay? Toby is my brother. My own flesh and blood."

"No he isn't."

"Okay, well, not by flesh and blood, but he's still a brother to me. I wasn't just going to let you turn him into a goblin."

"You still can't say I didn't give you a choice. That I am not still giving you a choice." He leaned forward slightly and licked his lips. "As long as I am still in this world, my offer stands."

Sarah stared at him, open-mouthed, for a few moments. She was snapped out of her reverie when Harry and Hermione plopped down, the former grinning.

"Looks like I've already missed half the fun.", Harry said gleefully, then turned his eyes on Jareth's mother. "Harry Potter, Miss Rayne."

Rayne looked at Jareth. "The one that used to hit you in the head with stuff?", she asked him.

Jareth winced. "The same.", he answered through gritted teeth. "I was being very literal when I said he reminded me of the babe with the power. In fact, that's first time I sang that song."

Sarah snorted. "The Singing King is in full swing, folks."

Jareth grinned. "Sarah, my dear, must you always pick on me?"

Sarah nodded. "Yup. I mean, I can't pick on Harry anymore. He's already made his feelings clear, so I have nothing on him anymore."

Jareth pointed at Harry. "Did you or did you not once bathe with a ghost?"

Sarah erupted into a fit of giggles.

Harry scowled. "It's not my fault Myrtle decided to pop in.", he said.

"Moaning Myrtle?", Sarah asked in disbelief. "Harry, why don't you save us all the trouble now and tell us?"

Harry forced out a laugh then scowled. Jareth jumped out his seat and ran out of the door with Harry hot on his heels.

Rayne shook her head. "He has got to grow up.", she muttered.

"Then he wouldn't be a very good Goblin King.", Sarah pointed out.

"She's right.", Laura said.

Sarah thought for a moment. "Then again, it would be nice if he would not be such an egotistical bighead sometimes. It's annoying."

Rayne scowled and disappeared.

Sarah sat up late in the common room long after everyone had gone to bed, reading a new book she'd gotten in Hogsmeade. It was nearly 2:00 in the morning, and Sarah finally gave in and stood up to go to bed. Before she could however, a poof of glitter announced a certain Goblin King's arrival.

"Good morning.", she greeted tiredly.

The corner of his mouth twitched into a small smile.

"Reading, I see.", he said simply. "I don't suppose there are any handsome Fae kings in this book, is there?"

Sarah shook her head sadly. "Sadly, no."

"Anyway, I came to tell you my mother is leaving at the end of the week. I thought you might like to hear that."

Sarah nodded. "It is nice to know, but before she leaves, I think I might like to talk to her again."

Jareth looked at her as if she were crazy. "You're mental.", he announced.

Sarah shrugged. "Maybe. But I would still like to talk to her."

"Would you like me to tell her?", Jareth asked.

Sarah shook her head. "I think perhaps I'll surprise her."

Jareth nodded. "And give her a heart attack. I'm with you." When Sarah glared, he chuckled. "Joking, Sarah. It was a joke."

Sarah crossed her arms. "Sooo... Was that the only reason you came here?"

"Of course not." Jareth suddenly swore and covered the distance between them in three long strides. He kissed her for quite a while until Sarah decided it was best to sit down before she her knees gave way under her.

"Now, then. What were we talking about?", Jareth asked, sitting down next to her.

Sarah shook her head. "Got me. What do you want to talk about?"

"Mm.", Jareth grunted, as if he had just thought of something. He reached into his robes and pulled out a quill. "I've been using this for the past few years. I thought you might find it useful." He handed it to Sarah.

Sarah looked at it closely, and she thought she recognized the feather. "Is this... one of yours?", she asked.

Jareth nodded. "And it hurt like hell to take out, especially when it's your little sister doing it."

"Laura?"

"No, my other little sister, Tensa."

"How many little sisters do you have?"

He started counting on his fingers. "Five.", he answered.

Sarah shook her head. "No wonder your mother is grumpy."

Jareth chuckled.

"Oh, so, I'm grumpy am I?", asked a voice behind them, and they both groaned. "Yeah, yeah. Groan all you want."

"Mother, you are smothering me.", Jareth growled.

"I am not.", Rayne said. "You are still breathing perfectly normal."

Jareth rolled his eyes, and Sarah giggled.

"You. Girl. I wouldn't laugh if I were you.", Rayne warned.

"Well, you're not me, are you?", Sarah retorted.

Jareth snorted.

"Oh, I hate humans.", she muttered. She looked at Jareth for a few seconds before snapping her fingers. A large book appeared in her hands.

"Oh no.", Jareth whispered. "The photo album. I hate it when she shows people the photo album."

Rayne sat cross-legged on the floor and opened the book.

"Amazingly, we do have photography in the Underground.", Rayne said.

"Yeah, I kind of figured that.", Sarah said. When Rayne looked at her in confusion, Sarah explained, "Jareth keeps a little photo album of Wished-Aways and their Runners."

"Oh, yes, that.", Rayne said in realization, then held up the picture in the album. A boy of a about eight with unruly blond hair was standing at the edge of a pond, dripping wet with his bottom lip stuck out.

"Who is that?", Sarah asked.

Jareth groaned and put his head in his hands.

"That's Jareth when he was only a century old.", Rayne answered.

Sarah swiped a hand over her mouth to wipe away the grin that threatened to overcome her face.

"And here he is at three centuries.", Rayne announced, flipping the page. The picture showed a boy who looked to be just coming into his teenage years with blond hair that was big and wild, though not quite as long. He was hanging upside down in a forest with a rope around his foot. Once again, Sarah had to fight to control her laughter.

It was the next picture that finally broke the dam Sarah had been working hard to build that held back her laughter, and all of her mirth came bursting forth. Rayne said that this was at Jareth's 800th birthday, and he was flailing around, covered head to toe with goblins.

"Aw, Jareth, you're... you're so... cute.", Sarah said in between gasps.

Jareth looked at her in shock. "You're laughing at me?", he asked incredulously.

Sarah nodded, unable to speak. When she finally composed herself, Jareth and Rayne was gone, but the book was still lying on the floor.

Okay, there's another chapter. And don't worry about Jareth's present, he gets it... eventually. I've actually got a pretty good idea about something... but I won't spoil it. Anyway, next chapter, more pictures of Jareth, and I'd like some ideas from you guys about some funny pictures that I could do.

Jareth: What's going to- Lp? *looks around*

Lp, Sarah, Laura, Harry: *hiding behind couch*

Jareth: *turns away from couch*

Lp: Fire!!!

Lp, Sarah, Laura, Harry: *fire paintball guns filled with pink paintballs at Jareth*

Jareth: *runs away screaming like a girl*

Lp: Thanks Team Guy of Gisborne for the paintball gun!