The next day, Jane's first class was interrupted by Filch. "Jane Birtch has been summoned to see The Headmaster," he announced.
Everybody stared at Jane.
Jane nervously left the classroom, to find Neville standing outside.
"Neville, what's going on?" Jane asked.
"I don't know," he said.
They did not know where Professor Dumbledore's office was, but Filch showed them.
They walked in to find Professor Dumbledore, Jane's mother, and Mrs. Longbottom.
Jane was not sure why her mother was there, but she rushed up to her.
"May I give you a hug?" her mother asked.
Jane nodded, and then they embraced each other.
"Neville," Professor Dumbledore said, "your grandmother insisted that you are not to compete in the tournament. She even threatened to pull you out of school, if I tried to make you compete, and even brought a parent along who threatened to pull her kid out too."
"Does that mean I don't have to compete?" Neville asked.
"It's a bit more complicated than that," Dumbledore said.
Jane rocked back and forth, nervously holding her mother's hand.
Neville just stood there, practically frozen, looking at Professor Dumbledore.
His grandmother walked up to him and put a comforting hand on his shoulder.
Even if you didn't put your name in, you're still bound by a magical contract. Even if your grandmother pulls you out of school, you're still bound by a magical contract. If you break a magical contract, you'd go to Askaban. Fortunately, if anyone can do this tournament and make it out alive, you probably can. There was a prophecy made, long ago, about the one who had the power to vanquish the dark lord, which could have applied to either you or Harry Potter. Voldemort went after Harry first, and then everyone thought it was Harry, but then Harry was vanquished, so it must have you, Neville, all along."
"I don't want to compete in this tournament, and I never want to be the one to vanquish the dark lord."
"Well," Professor Dumbledore said, "faith says otherwise."
Jane trembled. She lowered to the ground, as her mother got down with her.
Neville made a move toward Jane, but his grandmother grabbed him. "Let her mother handle it, Neville," Mrs. Longbottom said.
Everyone but Jane and her mother left the room.
Eventually, Jane managed to calm down somewhat. She was sitting on the floor, breathing deeply, holding both of her mother's hands. She finally spoke, blurting out, "why do unfair things keep happening to Neville?"
"Unfair things happen to everybody. Like when Daddy died. It stinks, but we managed to deal with it."
"It stinks more for Tracey. At least I had Daddy for eleven years."
"Jane, I would love for Tracey to have Daddy in her life, but if I had to choose one of you to have Daddy in their life for several years it would be you."
"Why?"
"You probably don't remember this, but there was a time when I could not understand you at all, but your father pretty much could, and he had to help me. Tracey's easier."
Jane looked down, feeling a little insulted by that last line.
"I didn't mean it that way. It's not your fault that your brain works differently."