Death Threat
A/N. This is the second to last chapter I think….I really must hurry and write the ending but it won't be written!!!:}
Chapter Twelve: Invitations
They sat there in silence for a while, all looking slightly awkward, except for Jenny, who was calmly stroking Fawkes.
Still feeling nervous Harry searched his pockets for Vipereus, wondering if she had gone for a slither. Luckily, so far no one had noticed her. He found her curled up at the bottom of his pocket, awake. Harry knew she hated being woken up and would have probably left her had she been asleep.
'I'd put her away before Dumbledore comes back if I were you. He doesn't know you smuggled her in,' said Hermione, looking as nervous as Harry felt when she spotted the snake.
'I will, don't worry,' he said as Vipereus slithered up his arm.
As soon as he heard Professor Dumbledore approaching he hastily put her back in her pocket and tried not to look guilty when Dumbledore came in.
'I have talked to Miss Barret about what happened yesterday but now I would like your story,' said Dumbledore, once he had sat down.
Jenny talked for them, occasionally interrupted by the others when she left something out. When she had finished she gazed imploringly at her grandfather and Harry couldn't see how anyone could resist this pleading look.
'If you believe I am going to punish you are wrong. What you did was a very brave and heroic act…if not a little stupid…'
Jenny made an indignant noise and went to speak but Dumbledore held up his hand to silence her.
'…I will give you twenty points apiece to Gryffindor…except for you, Jenny'
'Why not me?' she exclaimed, outraged. 'It was my idea to use the bubble charm you know and…'
'My dear, you have done far more dangerous things than that. To you, the rescue was child's play once you found a way in,' he replied calmly.
'But…but…but,' she stuttered before an idea hit her. 'Harry's done way more dangerous stuff than that too but he still gets points!'
Hey, don't bring me into this!' Harry hissed to her.
'You know very well that is different. You are paid to do things like that but,' he sighed, 'I will give you twenty points also to Gryffindor for I know otherwise I will get no peace!'
'Thank you!' she said, beaming at the headmaster.
'You may all leave now,' he continued. 'I believe you are still in time for lunch.'
They left, smiling broadly at the points they had received, but Jenny stayed behind, telling them she'd catch up.
'Don't be too long or Ron'll eat all the food!' said Harry, feeling hungry now he knew he wasn't going to be suspended.
'I won't be, don't worry,' she replied as she turned and went back up the stairs.
'"Ron'll eat all the food." Just because you're starving you don't have to blame it on me!' said Ron with mock anger when she'd disappeared.
Jenny joined them soon and was in time to join the babble of talk about the fire. Apparently they were heroes!
'Ooh goody! Another thing to use against Severus!' said Jenny, chuckling evilly as she sat down.
'Is that mainly why you're here, to find pieces of information you can use against the teachers?' asked Ron.
'Yeah, pretty much!' she replied.
There were only a few weeks left until the Easter holidays and no one was really in the mood to work but it was a busy time for the fifth years because their O.W.L.S were to be taken in very few months.
Hermione had started revising months ago and kept nagging at them to do the same…though everyone else was far more relaxed.
O.W.L.S was the subject between the four on the way to Transfiguration on the following Monday.
'I don't see why I have to take them! I mean, I know most things already and I've got a very high paying job!' Jenny was complaining.
'Yet you don't boast, do you?' said Ron sarcastically, ignoring the fact that this probably wasn't the best thing to say.
'I'm not boasting, I'm just saying!' she flared up. 'Tell him, Harry!'
'Is that all I am, just a job to you?' said Harry, not listening to what they were arguing about.
'Yes…no, of course not. You mean more to me than that, you're my friend and not to mention, my boyfriend,' she ended proudly, forgetting about Ron.
'So even if your boss takes you off the job of looking after me you'd still keep in contact?'
'Of course I would! The three of you are my best friends!'
'Good.'
They found themselves in the threshold (A/N. Ha…Blinky Bill…) of the Transfiguration room and trudged gloomily inside, preparing themselves for a lesson of hard work.
Professor McGonagall didn't notice them walk in, slightly late, because she was talking to Professor Lupin. They both looked as though they were talking to each other as colleagues not as…whatever they were. As soon as Jenny saw them her face split into a mischievous grin.
'This is going to be fun!' she announced and before anyone could stop her she had bounded across the room towards the two teachers.
Harry couldn't hear what she was saying to them but at one point the three of them simultaneously turned to look at him, Ron and Hermione, the two teachers looking scandalised.
After a while Lupin left, throwing them a dirty, but friendly, glance in their direction. They watched as Professor McGonagall ushered Jenny back to her seat, looking slightly disapproving.
'What did you say?' Harry asked, as Jenny sat down next to him, grinning impishly.
'I only threatened them that if they weren't nice to us them I'd spill their little secret,' she replied.
'What did they say to that?' asked Hermione.
'Not a lot really. She said…'
Jenny was cut off by Professor McGonagall who had started to talk, wanting to start the lesson. About half way through Professor McGonagall actually came over to their table, crouched down next to Jenny, and whispered in a low voice;
'But how do you know?'
'Saw you,' replied Jenny, not taking her eyes off her work. 'Out the window one night. Y'know, holding hands, kissing…'
'Alright, alright,' said Professor McGonagall quickly, as though afraid someone may hear. 'Don't tell anyone.'
'Why not?'
'Just…we just don't want anyone to know…please?'
'OK, OK, since you asked so nicely. Besides I wouldn't have told anyone anyway…except these three.'
'Good,' said McGonagall, straightening and looking slightly happier, 'Potter, what are you doing? It's supposed to be a tea cosy, not a teapot!'
'Be nice, Min. Don't worry, I'll help him…er…perhaps you'd better go help Neville?' said Jenny, warningly.
Professor McGonagall gave her a stern look as if she didn't need to be told how to teach properly, but, then seeing Neville's nose running across the floor, she hurried over.
They saw Faith again that lunchtime and she crossed the corridor to talk to them.
'I just wanted to say thank you,' she started. You saved my life, and, well, I haven't really shown you how much I appreciate it.
'It was nothing,' said Jenny. 'We'd have done the same for anyone.'
Faith smiled warmly at them.
'I was just wondering if,' Faith added, almost shyly, 'if you would like to come to my wedding. It's during the Easter holidays and I'm sure if you write to your parents or guardians then I'm sure they'd let you go…if you want to that is.'
'Of course we do!' Jenny exclaimed for all of them. 'But Severus won't want us to go, will he?'
'You saved my life, I'm sure I'll be able to talk him round,' replied Faith.
'I hope so, I've never been to a wedding before!' said Jenny eagerly.
'Me either,' said Harry, hoping Sirius would let him go.
With the prospect of a wedding to look forward to the Easter holidays never looked better. Ron and Hermione wrote to their parents for permission and got it, while Jenny asked Dumbledore and Harry asked Sirius. Sirius looked slightly forlorn but gave Harry written permission that he could go.
On night, a few days later, Harry was woken by someone whispering his name. It was, like last time, Jenny and as soon as she saw he was awake she crept into bed with him, making Harry blush.
'What're you doing in here?' he asked her sleepily.
'I couldn't sleep. I'm sorry I woke you but I needed to talk to you privately,' she replied, sounding sad as she hugged her knees to her chest with her arms, not looking at him.
'What?' asked Harry, trying to sound gentle as his world plummeted and putting her arm around her.
She leaned closer to him and began to speak again.
'It's just…I heard Minerva talking about…about us and…' She faltered and didn't continue.
'What did she say?' asked Harry, trying to coax the information from her.
'She…she said that she hoped that you wouldn't hurt me the way your father hurt some of his girlfriends at school…before he met your mother. Sounds like James was a bit of a heart throb.'
'Yeah, well I'm not, and I'm not going to hurt you.' Harry added firmly.
'How can you know that?' she said, almost angrily. 'You…'
A snort from the bed opposite, cutting Jenny off, made them aware of how loud they'd been talking. Harry leaned over her and pulled the curtains closed, hoping he hadn't just made her feel intimidated.
'Now, what were you saying?' Harry asked, sitting back down and pulling her closer to his chest.
'You don't know whether you'll hurt me or not! I mean you may dump me and….' She sounded so worried that he pulled her closer.
'Well, I'm not going to now. Stop worrying and try to get some sleep.'
'Here?'
'If you want.'
'OK,' she said, sounding happier and wrapping her own arms around him in a tight hug before letting him go and placing her head on his pillow. She was asleep in the matter of seconds.
A/N. I didn't like the ending the to that chapter either!!!! Just one more chapter left!!!:}
Disclaimer: I own Jenny and Faith!!!:}