A/N: I'm going to London with my ISTA (International School Theater Association) group so this won't be updated for about a week. Sorry. Still, I live off of reviews, give me something to survive off of ;-). REVIEW! I can't stress that enough.
Chapter Three: A Reasonable Explanation
"Now I don't know exactly what went on in that corridor, but I know it couldn't have been good. Jasna, what did you tell him?" Dumbledore asked.
"That outburst was me in a nutshell, Professor," she whispered, hugging her knees.
"You told him everything?"
"No, not quite."
"What did you leave out?"
"I wouldn't like to say right now, sir," Jasna whispered. Dumbledore smiled and looked at Professors
McGonagall and Snape.
"I suppose, Minerva, you want to send this girl away again. Out of the school, into the dangerous world where her father can find her more easily?" Dumbledore asked.
"Well, maybe if she went back to
a school in America it would be safer…"
"I knew it," Snape sighed and shook his head.
"You knew what?" McGonagall
snapped at him.
"You don't care about her in the least!"
"And you do?"
"Well, this is a switch," Dumbledore grinned.
"Of course I do! You just want her out of here!"
"Excuse me, Professor Snape, but
I care about her wellbeing just as I care about his wellbeing," McGonagall motioned
at Harry, "And the wellbeing of every student in this school. I just think it would be safer for her to
learn witchcraft in a country that would be hard for You-Know-Who to find her."
"Professor," Harry whispered to Dumbledore, "Shouldn't we stop this? Don't you think Jasna will be
uncomfortable?"
"No, let them go on," Dumbledore said with an amused smile, "I want to see the
points they come up with."
"The only place He won't find her is Siberia, Professor McGonagall!" Snape returned in the same, formal fashion McGonagall used, "Right now, Hogwarts is safest for her, under Dumbledore's eyes. I suppose, next you will be suggesting we send her and Harry Potter BOTH off to Siberia… Ooh, there's a thought…" Snape trailed off.
"I don't want to send either one
of them to Siberia, Professor Snape.
America seems like a fine choice-"
"Every single school in America knows who she is, Professor!" Snape cried, "Do
you think any school would accept her?" Jasna let out a stifled sob but the two
arguing professors didn't seem to notice.
"We accepted her, didn't we?"
"That's because Dumbledore believes she-"
"Excuse me," came a small voice.
Finally, Snape and McGonagall turned to look at the person who spoke.
"Go on, Jasna," Dumbledore encouraged her.
"Just incase my opinion
matters," she whispered, "I think I'll be fine here. I won't hurt anyone. The
only reason I lost control was because he was asking too many questions and I
just got fed up."
"Fed up?" Dumbledore asked. Harry
frowned. He didn't think he asked too
many questions. He was just trying to
console her, that was all.
"Actually, sir, yes. It wasn't even the questions, it was the
fact that he was there. I couldn't
stand it."
"You couldn't stand me being there?" Harry asked, slightly offended, but understanding
at the same time.
"No, not exactly."
"You're confusing the boy, Jasna, not to mention the rest of us," Dumbledore said.
"I'd just received this letter, sir," Jasna said, showing him the letter she'd received, "And when he showed up… I just didn't need him there, sir. You'll understand why if you read this letter." Jasna handed the letter to Dumbledore. Dumbledore opened the letter and his eyes scanned through it.
"Ah," he said, "Yes, I see. Perhaps Minerva was right, then."
"I was? I mean, yes, of course!"
McGonagall nodded.
"No." Jasna stood up. Dumbledore looked confused.
"Aren't you afraid he might take advantage of your position?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes. But I'm not about to leave."
"Why not?"
"He can't get to Harry Potter through me," Jasna turned to Harry, "As I said,
Harry. We went through Hell for
you. And I'll go through it a thousand
more times before I betray your trust."
"Spoken like a true Gryffindor,"
Dumbledore grinned, "Now, I think I've kept you long enough. Tell your teachers you were with me. After the scene at breakfast this morning,
I'm sure they'll understand."
"Did they… Hear anything?" Jasna asked, cautiously. Snape stood and shook his head.
"I assure you, Miss Larden, the
people in the Great Hall heard muffled screams of anger, but no distinct words…
except they might recall a certain name that seeped through the doors…"
"Right," Jasna nodded. She turned to
Harry and with an embarrassed smile said, "I did say his name kind of loud,
didn't I?" Harry laughed.
"Come on," he said, offering his hand, "We're late for class."
As they walked to Herbology
together, Jasna was nervous.
"You won't… You won't say anything, will you?" she asked him, shyly. Harry gave her a reassuring smile.
"About what?"
"About what I said in the hall."
"What did you say in the hall?"
"You know, all that stuff I said about my family and stuff."
"What stuff?"
"Don't play dumb! Remember in the hall
when I had my- wait… Oh! I'm sorry!"
Jasna flushed as she realized what he was doing. But Harry just laughed.
"I won't say a thing," he promised her. Jasna smiled back.
"You don't hate me?"
"I must admit, you had me there for a while.
But no, I don't hate you, Jasna.
I'm glad you got all that off your chest. But I have to say, you do scare me a little." Jasna laughed at
Harry's last comment.
"I'm sorry if I insulted you."
"Oh no. I mean, well, you did, but
don't be sorry. You put up a good
fight. I think Ron will love you."
Jasna rolled her eyes as Harry laughed again.
He was being a terribly good sport about all this, "Come to think of it,
I think I have a good opponent for you."
"Oh really?" Jasna said with a laugh, "And who's that?"
"I think you could teach Draco Malfoy a thing or two in manners." At that, they
both laughed. Soon, they approached the
green house. They entered it
quietly. A few heads turned and eyed
them suspiciously. Jasna gave a small,
weak and embarrassed wave. She didn't
like attention because most of the attention she got was bad attention (unless
it came from her mother, the only thing in the world she lived for.)
Harry took a seat next to Ron and motioned Jasna to do the same sit on his other side. Hermione was positioned on Ron's left and he leaned in to whisper to her.
"Why are those two so chummy all of a sudden?" Hermione shrugged.
"Dunno. But be quiet! Sprout will wonder what we're talking about. Get back to work."
"Mr. Potter, Miss Larden, where have you two been?"
"We've been with Professor Dumbledore, Ma'am!" Jasna replied, obediently. Sprout nodded.
"I see. Well, today, we are reading about the Vepres plant, after a nasty incident a while ago when a student got caught in one. Tomorrow, we will observe a Vepres plant and how it captures and kills its prey, usually small mammals, but has been known to render things such as human beings unconscious and delirious. Read pages 20-48 in your books tonight."
Harry, Ron, Hermione and Jasna were walking back to the common room from their last class.
"Harry, could I talk to you for a minute?" Jasna asked.
"Sure." Harry shrugged. Jasna looked around at Ron and Hermione, nervously, "Oh, THAT kind of talk. Ron, Hermione, we'll catch up with you in the common room."
Ron and Hermione reluctantly
went on ahead as Harry and Jasna stayed behind.
"I don't like her," Hermione muttered to Ron.
"Why not?" Ron asked.
"Well, you remembered what
happened last time we left Harry alone with her."
"She told us it wouldn't happen again and Harry backed her up."
"Well, then, what if she's
flirting with him?" Hermione asked. Ron
stopped and laughed.
"Why would you care? Oh, Hermione,
please don't tell me…"
"No!" she cried, "I don't feel that way towards him."
"Sure."
"I don't!"
"I believe you."
"Ron!" Hermione cried. Ron grinned,
"Besides…" Hermione trailed off.
"Besides… what?" Ron's grin widened.
"I'm… Nothing."
"Besides what?!" Ron repeated.
"I'm… seeing Viktor."
"Oh…" Ron looked at his feet, "Never mind."
"What did you want to talk about, Jasna?" Harry asked, as he and Jasna
continued to walk.
"Why are you being so nice to me? You're being such a good sport about this."
"Well, if I had a father like that, I'd want people to be nice to me." Jasna stopped walking and when Harry saw this, so did he, "What?" he asked.
"You're just taking pity on me? That's the only reason you're being nice to me?"
"Well, no, not really-"
"Don't LIE! If there's one thing I
can't stand in this world, it's LIES!"
"I'm not-"
"Just shut the hell up. Listen to me
for once! I've had enough lies to fill twelve lifetimes! I DON'T NEED THIS!!"
Jasna yelled, quivering in rage.
"Jasna, I-"
"You are just like all the rest! You don't care WHO I am! You just look at my father, and see right past me! I'm not even there!"
"All right, that's a bit unfair!" Harry protested.
"Unfair? Don't tell ME what's unfair!" Jasna pointed at him menacingly, with an accusing look in her eyes.
"Jasna, stop talking. I am so sick of hearing all about you, it's always, 'poor Jasna, everyone pity her now'. Well it's time to hear about ME for once."
"Oh Harry, don't you get it? People have been hearing about you all their lives. They know everything about you, and I don't think they care. I think it's time that the Famous Harry Potter stepped aside, and let someone else have a chance to be heard."
Harry was speechless. He had never before been spoken to in such manner as with this girl. Not in the wizarding world.
"Jasna, you know, you…you…are…NOT NICE!" Jasna snorted.
"Who says I want to be?"
"Maybe you should give an effort. Maybe then people would give a damn about your life."
Jasna was rigid, and her eyes were glowing with pure hatred.
"You need to get a clue, Harry Potter. You need to try to understand things better, and yes, I know it will be hard with minute brain strength, but you need to think. Think about what people have gone through to protect you, what they have SACRIFICED TO SAVE YOUR PATHETIC SOUL! Think of the people who have been lost, and found, and destroyed, and…created…just because you lived. That's all you did, really. You survived, and now everyone thinks you're wonderful. The boy wonder. But I don't think so. I know it's not so. You disgust me, Potter. You do."
And with that, Jasna stormed off down the stairs.
"UGH!" Harry said with frustration, and went up the stairs to the common room.
A/N (yes again, shuddup): REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!! PLEASE! As I said, can't stress it enough. A lot of you are authors, you know what it's like to receive reviews. If I could (who knows, maybe I will) I'll send you a personal thank you by e-mail (if I'm bored enough and assuming you leave your address). If you want a personal thank you, say so when you REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!!
