The Story of Jessica Black
Chapter Nine: Enmity Arisen
The Defense Against the Dark Arts room was freezing. Everyone drew their robes around them as they entered. Snape sat at his desk with a cold sneer on his face. The students chose seats next to their friends, the Slytherins on one side and Gryffindors on the other (naturally). When the bell rang, however, Snape's cold sneer turned into a malevolent grin.
"Welcome," he said coldly, "To your first proper Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson. Some of you, I believe, will be interested in going beyond what I teach you in this classroom. I shall monitor your topics of interest quite closely, while you are free to research anything that you would like to know more about. Of course," he sneered at the Gryffindors, "Some people learn only what is required of them, never going above and beyond. So, I am going to give you a seating arrangement."
The class gave an internal groan. Snape, however, sat behind his desk and began calling out names lazily, pairing desks together with his wand. He started with the second row, then, when he had finished with most of the others, he returned to the front row of eight desks in front of him.
"Ah, eight chairs, waiting to be filled by four unwilling pairs. I believe that we should have the old Trio of Troublemakers, now the Quartet of Questionable Behavior, come sit here. Potter!" Harry's eyes flashed cold, matching Snape's gaze exactly. "You and Mr. Malfoy shall sit here," he pushed two desks together with his wand. "Miss Granger and Miss Parkinson, right there. Weasley and . . . Mr. Goyle, over there. And Black. Black and . . . Miss Bulstrode."
Hermione thought she had it bad with Pansy as her seating partner, but Jessica had it much worse. A large, toad-faced girl that was built like a linebacker sat down next to Jessica. An odd smell was emanating from her.
The other three didn't look too happy, either. Harry and Draco were trying very hard to not look at each other, but Harry found it rather hard to keep his mouth shut when Malfoy was gawking at Jessica. He was still smarting from breakfast that morning (apparently Jessica's spell was temporary and his hair had regrown itself), but he didn't tear his eyes away from her all lesson. Harry's anger and jealousy bottled up inside him until he thought he couldn't stand it anymore.
The bell rang just then. Malfoy gathered his books and began to walk out with the rest of the class. Harry hung back in the crowd, waiting with his friends, because none of them wanted to listen to any Slytherin talk.
When they left the classroom, however, and were on their way to their common rooms, Jessica and her friends heard Malfoy's drawl: "Yeah, she's hot. But that new girl, Jessica Black, is hotter. If I could just get her alone in the common room . . . She might be a Gryffindor, but she's got a nice, Slytherin body."
Jessica's cheeks were flaming and her blue eyes were trying to seem occupied with investigating her shoes. Hermione and Ron looked at each other, then they looked at Harry.
One glance at Jessica's reaction was all it took. "I'll be back," he said, tearing off down the corridor they had heard Malfoy's voice coming from. Jessica and the others looked at each other a moment then took off after him. They heard it before they saw it.
Malfoy's startled cry. A sickening crack, like skull hitting stone. Harry's voice, shaking with anger, yelling, cursing at Malfoy. "You take that back! Take it back now!" Malfoy let out a choking sound, followed by more of Harry's yelling. "No, no! You take back what you said! You take it back or I swear I'll kill you with MY OWN TWO HANDS!"
Jessica rounded the corner just as Harry threw Malfoy down on the ground, and she pushed her way through the forming crowd to get to them.
"Oh, my God," she breathed when she saw them. Harry was on top of Malfoy, face red with anger and frustration, hands clasped tightly around Malfoy's throat. Malfoy's struggles were growing weaker by the second. She decided she had to do something.
"Harry," she tried screaming above the other noise, "Harry, listen to me! You've got to stop! Please, you'll be expelled!" Her cries didn't help anything, and she moved in closer to try and wrench them apart. Harry let go of Malfoy's throat with one hand and threw her away, then went back to pounding Malfoy's head against the floor. She now had a bump on her head and she saw stars before her eyes. But a small trickle of blood was flowing from the back of Malfoy's head.
Oh, God, she thought, he's actually going to kill him. Tears in her eyes about what was done and couldn't be taken back blurred her vision slightly as she stood and walked slowly over to them. She gently placed a hand on Harry's shoulder. He flinched at the touch, but loosened his grip when he heard Jessica speak.
"Harry," she breathed cautiously and quietly, nearly crying, "Harry, can you hear me? Harry, please, just let go of him . . . Please. He's not worth it." Her tears were coming fast and furious now, but she couldn't just let him do this. He wasn't about to be sent to Azkaban for murder when he was fifteen for a stupid comment a perverted boy had made. Harry slowly let go of Malfoy, who made a grunting sound as his head fell backwards onto the floor. Harry turned and faced Jessica, then looked down at Malfoy on the ground. He looked back up at her again, then stood and began to cry. He couldn't believe what he had just been doing . . . what he had almost done . . .
Jessica let him sob into her shoulder as some of Malfoy's Slytherin friends bent down to help him up.
"I'll . . . I'll get you for this . . . Potter," Malfoy gasped, massaging his throat. Harry just couldn't stop crying. He felt as if all his emotions were running at once, overwhelming him, and he had to get them out. The hallway cleared, until only Harry, Hermione, Jessica, and Ron were left in the hallway, Harry sobbing in Jessica's arms, and Ron and Hermione standing dejectedly off to one side. What was going to happen now?
Suddenly, Hermione noticed that the stone in her amulet had begun to glow. She glanced over, and Ron's had as well.
"Erm, I'm so sorry, but, I think we'd better go to Dumbledore's office," she said quietly. Harry and Jessica broke apart, both drying their eyes, and nodded. Their amulets were glowing, too.
Dumbledore's office was empty. Jessica couldn't think why, as they had been called there, when suddenly Dumbledore and McGonagall came bursting through the door, followed by Sirius. Sirius swept over to stand behind Harry, leaning on the back of his chair. Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall stood behind Dumbledore's desk. All three adults were looking very grave.
They all sat in silence for a while until Professor Dumbledore said, "I doubt any of you have any idea why you are here."
The four students glanced at each other, then looked back to Dumbledore.
"You're first assignment in the Order," he said, "Someone has infiltrated Hogwarts. Someone here is posing as a student, and they are here with malevolent purposes."
Chapter Nine: Enmity Arisen
The Defense Against the Dark Arts room was freezing. Everyone drew their robes around them as they entered. Snape sat at his desk with a cold sneer on his face. The students chose seats next to their friends, the Slytherins on one side and Gryffindors on the other (naturally). When the bell rang, however, Snape's cold sneer turned into a malevolent grin.
"Welcome," he said coldly, "To your first proper Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson. Some of you, I believe, will be interested in going beyond what I teach you in this classroom. I shall monitor your topics of interest quite closely, while you are free to research anything that you would like to know more about. Of course," he sneered at the Gryffindors, "Some people learn only what is required of them, never going above and beyond. So, I am going to give you a seating arrangement."
The class gave an internal groan. Snape, however, sat behind his desk and began calling out names lazily, pairing desks together with his wand. He started with the second row, then, when he had finished with most of the others, he returned to the front row of eight desks in front of him.
"Ah, eight chairs, waiting to be filled by four unwilling pairs. I believe that we should have the old Trio of Troublemakers, now the Quartet of Questionable Behavior, come sit here. Potter!" Harry's eyes flashed cold, matching Snape's gaze exactly. "You and Mr. Malfoy shall sit here," he pushed two desks together with his wand. "Miss Granger and Miss Parkinson, right there. Weasley and . . . Mr. Goyle, over there. And Black. Black and . . . Miss Bulstrode."
Hermione thought she had it bad with Pansy as her seating partner, but Jessica had it much worse. A large, toad-faced girl that was built like a linebacker sat down next to Jessica. An odd smell was emanating from her.
The other three didn't look too happy, either. Harry and Draco were trying very hard to not look at each other, but Harry found it rather hard to keep his mouth shut when Malfoy was gawking at Jessica. He was still smarting from breakfast that morning (apparently Jessica's spell was temporary and his hair had regrown itself), but he didn't tear his eyes away from her all lesson. Harry's anger and jealousy bottled up inside him until he thought he couldn't stand it anymore.
The bell rang just then. Malfoy gathered his books and began to walk out with the rest of the class. Harry hung back in the crowd, waiting with his friends, because none of them wanted to listen to any Slytherin talk.
When they left the classroom, however, and were on their way to their common rooms, Jessica and her friends heard Malfoy's drawl: "Yeah, she's hot. But that new girl, Jessica Black, is hotter. If I could just get her alone in the common room . . . She might be a Gryffindor, but she's got a nice, Slytherin body."
Jessica's cheeks were flaming and her blue eyes were trying to seem occupied with investigating her shoes. Hermione and Ron looked at each other, then they looked at Harry.
One glance at Jessica's reaction was all it took. "I'll be back," he said, tearing off down the corridor they had heard Malfoy's voice coming from. Jessica and the others looked at each other a moment then took off after him. They heard it before they saw it.
Malfoy's startled cry. A sickening crack, like skull hitting stone. Harry's voice, shaking with anger, yelling, cursing at Malfoy. "You take that back! Take it back now!" Malfoy let out a choking sound, followed by more of Harry's yelling. "No, no! You take back what you said! You take it back or I swear I'll kill you with MY OWN TWO HANDS!"
Jessica rounded the corner just as Harry threw Malfoy down on the ground, and she pushed her way through the forming crowd to get to them.
"Oh, my God," she breathed when she saw them. Harry was on top of Malfoy, face red with anger and frustration, hands clasped tightly around Malfoy's throat. Malfoy's struggles were growing weaker by the second. She decided she had to do something.
"Harry," she tried screaming above the other noise, "Harry, listen to me! You've got to stop! Please, you'll be expelled!" Her cries didn't help anything, and she moved in closer to try and wrench them apart. Harry let go of Malfoy's throat with one hand and threw her away, then went back to pounding Malfoy's head against the floor. She now had a bump on her head and she saw stars before her eyes. But a small trickle of blood was flowing from the back of Malfoy's head.
Oh, God, she thought, he's actually going to kill him. Tears in her eyes about what was done and couldn't be taken back blurred her vision slightly as she stood and walked slowly over to them. She gently placed a hand on Harry's shoulder. He flinched at the touch, but loosened his grip when he heard Jessica speak.
"Harry," she breathed cautiously and quietly, nearly crying, "Harry, can you hear me? Harry, please, just let go of him . . . Please. He's not worth it." Her tears were coming fast and furious now, but she couldn't just let him do this. He wasn't about to be sent to Azkaban for murder when he was fifteen for a stupid comment a perverted boy had made. Harry slowly let go of Malfoy, who made a grunting sound as his head fell backwards onto the floor. Harry turned and faced Jessica, then looked down at Malfoy on the ground. He looked back up at her again, then stood and began to cry. He couldn't believe what he had just been doing . . . what he had almost done . . .
Jessica let him sob into her shoulder as some of Malfoy's Slytherin friends bent down to help him up.
"I'll . . . I'll get you for this . . . Potter," Malfoy gasped, massaging his throat. Harry just couldn't stop crying. He felt as if all his emotions were running at once, overwhelming him, and he had to get them out. The hallway cleared, until only Harry, Hermione, Jessica, and Ron were left in the hallway, Harry sobbing in Jessica's arms, and Ron and Hermione standing dejectedly off to one side. What was going to happen now?
Suddenly, Hermione noticed that the stone in her amulet had begun to glow. She glanced over, and Ron's had as well.
"Erm, I'm so sorry, but, I think we'd better go to Dumbledore's office," she said quietly. Harry and Jessica broke apart, both drying their eyes, and nodded. Their amulets were glowing, too.
Dumbledore's office was empty. Jessica couldn't think why, as they had been called there, when suddenly Dumbledore and McGonagall came bursting through the door, followed by Sirius. Sirius swept over to stand behind Harry, leaning on the back of his chair. Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall stood behind Dumbledore's desk. All three adults were looking very grave.
They all sat in silence for a while until Professor Dumbledore said, "I doubt any of you have any idea why you are here."
The four students glanced at each other, then looked back to Dumbledore.
"You're first assignment in the Order," he said, "Someone has infiltrated Hogwarts. Someone here is posing as a student, and they are here with malevolent purposes."
