Dangerous Games

Hermione sees Johnny rush out of the out of order girls' lavatory later that night.  Moaning Myrtle, the adolescent ghost haunting that particular rest room, is shouting at her.  "You stay out of my stall, you peeping Tammy!  I didn't start haunting this bathroom to have anyone spying on me in my stall!"

"I didn't even see you in there, you spook!" Johnny snaps.  She has changed into a pair of blue jeans, sneakers, and a light blue sweater.  She yanks her black baseball cap further down on her head when she sees Hermione watching her.  "I wasn't spying on her!"

"Ignore her," Hermione says.  "She's just high strung.  Is this where you've been all this time?"

Johnny shakes her head.  "No.  Been all over the place.  What's up?"

"We've been looking all over for you," Hermione says.  "Dumbledore needs to see you right away."

Johnny balls up her fists.  "It was just a kiss!  You British are so uptight!"

"What are you talking about?" Hermione asks.  "You call attacking a teacher kissing?  Did you hit your head?"

"Attack a teacher?" Johnny gasps.  "I did no such thing!  I'm a bit mean but I would never attack anyone.  Well, anyone not a Slytherin, anyhow."

"You don't know anything about it?" Hermione asks.  "You attacked Doctor Zimmermann, supposedly.  He said you attacked him after he found you with a load of Death-Eaters."

Johnny shakes her head.  "No, no, no.  I wouldn't be in league with a bunch of cruddy Death-Eaters!  I wouldn't hit the only teacher who's ever given me a chance!  There's got to be a misunderstanding somewhere!"

Hermione nods.  "Well, come with me.  We'll get this all cleared up in no time."

"I can't go to them.  They think I hurt someone…" Johnny is fighting tears.  She wouldn't cry in front of Hermione.  "Is he okay?  Is he hurt real bad?"

"I don't know," Hermione says.  "I was hoping to find you first.  Everyone's so mad at you.  And this looks awfully bad on your part.  After all that time we spent on the costume, why didn't you go to the party?"

Johnny hesitates.  No one knows she was there.  No one except Ginny and Neville.  She can't bring herself to telling Hermione what had happened.  She won't embarrass Ginny that way.  It was probably a huge misunderstanding.  Ginny wouldn't want a stupid American oaf like her.  She wants Harry Potter.  It's all Johnny ever hears about.  She won't ruin that for Ginny, especially since Harry has finally started to notice her.  "I didn't feel well.  I was in the common room, napping.  I came down here to use the bathroom when Myrtle started hounding me."

Hermione sighs.  "Well, we've got to get to someone who can help you.  Did anyone see you at all?"

Thinking of Ginny and Neville again, Johnny shakes her head.  "No."

"Then we have to go to Dumbledore.  He's the only one who'd help you.  He has faith in people," Hermione says.  "Come on, let's go."

Johnny follows Hermione reluctantly.  She freezes.  "Why are you so intent on helping me?  You hate us Americans but you went to the ball with Colby, helped Danny's scheme of breaking into Zimmermann's office, and you've been helping me with… well, everything.  What's your game?"

Hermione frowns.  "For your information, you're the only three I can stand.  You Americans are boorish, uncouth, and horribly paranoid.  But the three of you have stood above the rest and are proving to me that maybe I should be bit more open-minded.  Of course, this interrogation is perhaps proving me right, don't you think?"

Johnny sighs and keeps walking.  "Besides, I wasn't about to keep letting you lose the Gyrffindors points because you can't handle a quill," Hermione finishes.

"Miss Parker," Dumbledore begins.  Johnny is surrounded by faculty.  MacGonagall, Hagrid, and Sprout are standing on one side of her while Snape, Flitiwck, and  Filch stand on the other side.  She feels very vulnerable and is upset by that.  "You have been accused of a very serious breach of school rules.  You are accused of attacking a teacher.  How do you plea?"

"Am I on trial?" Johnny asks, more harshly than she intends.  She feels Snape and Filch's angry stares and clears her throat.  "I didn't do it, Headmaster.  I really didn't.  I really like Doc Zimmermann."

"Then how do you explain this?" Filch pulls out Johnny's Quidditch bat.  "It was found by Zimmermann's office, where he'd been attacked."

Johnny's jaw drops.  "I have no idea why that was there, sir.  I really don't."

"Where were you during the ball, then?" Snape asks.

"I was… in the common room," Johnny says.

MacGonagall shakes her head.  "I was in the common room right before it happened, checking up on my house.  You were not there."

Johnny sighs.  "I can't tell you where I was.  But it wasn't attacking Doc Zimmermann!  I swear it!"

Dumbledore takes a deep breath.  "Hagrid, escort Miss Parker to the Gryffindor Tower.  See that she doesn't leave for the night."