Back in Gryffindor common room, Oliver had just told all of the guys
the story, in the manliest way possible, of course. He had tried to act
nonchalant about it, but that was only slightly successful in diminishing
the teasing. Chad, Fred, and George were there, along with Jason, a
Taiwanese boy in 6th year, Benjamin, a well-built, faire skinned and haired
guy with light blue eyes, and Tyler, a very tall 7th year with dark hair
and hazel-green eyes. All of them were gathered around Oliver looking
impish, and slightly envious. Oliver, of course, was positively beaming.
"Way to go, man. You deserve it!" Being Oliver's best friend, Chad was always very supportive. The worst of the banter came from the Weasley boys. Which Oliver wasn't too keen on, as he had to see them every day at Quidditch practice.
"So are you going to try for some action?" George asked.
"Yeah," Fred said leaning in, "don't worry, we won't try to catch you two snogging or anything..." He stated playfully.
"Oh, come off it, you annoying gits. This one is special, so stay out of it, please?" Oliver intoned.
Jen was so deep in thought that she collided straight into Roger. "Whoa there, little sis." He said with mock authority. Roger realized his sister was positively glowing with happiness. "What has gotten in to you? Why are you in such a good mood?" He asked her inquisitively. Jen sighed. She was going to have to tell him the truth sooner or later, and she'd rather he find out from her.
"I...found a date to the ball." She said, smiling nervously.
"Oh really? Who?" Roger asked a little too quickly. Jen looked at him uncertainly before replying.
"It's...He's, Oliver."
"WOOD!?" Roger looked like someone had just eaten a live goat in front of him. Jen gulped and started to explain herself but Roger cut her off. "What are you thinking? He's on a rival Quidditch team! Hell, he's the captain of a rival team! A team that is our biggest competition!"
"Roger," Jen said pleadingly.
"No. Jen, I can't allow this. Have you not heard about his reputation with women?" At this, Jen's back straightened and her blue-grey eyes turned stormy.
"Well, Roger, it isn't your place to allow anything. I don't need your permission to date whomever I chose."
"Jen, you don't know what's right for you! It's my responsibility to make sure that you don't make any silly mistakes that you will regret!" Roger replied heatedly.
"And what, wanting to be included, to for once have a boy that you haven't badgered away, is silly?"
"Being on the arm of some player who only wants you as a trophy-"
"How would you know what he wants?" Jen interrupted angrily. "Just because he's a rival Quidditch captain, since when does that mean anything? You don't even know him!"
"I know enough! I know that what he's after isn't something I'll soon stand by and let you give!"
"Roger. I have let you control me for far too long! I can do whatever I please and I will not hear another word from you about it. It is not your job to replace mom, and you will never be able to, so stop trying!" As soon as she let these words escape her mouth she knew she had gone too far, but it was too late. The comment had stung and Roger's eyes showed it. His irritation and resentment seemed to be replaced with a cold anger.
"I forbid you to go to the ball with Wood."
"Yeah," Jen smirked defiantly, "and how are you going to stop me?" And with that, she turned on her heel and stalked off down the hallway. Roger was left standing there looking both irate and stunned. Ever since their mother had died, Roger had kind of taken it upon himself to protect Jen. Mostly because he didn't want to lose her too, even if it was only because she became emotionally detached. He vowed to himself that he would stop this nonsense before he lost her. And the funny thing was, Quidditch hadn't even crossed his mind.
"Aw Jen, it's ok. I mean, at least you stood up for yourself, right?" Maggie said, as she comforted her crying friend a few minutes later. Jen's tears had finally ceased and she sniffled.
"Thanks Maggs, you always make me feel better." She said, smiling feebly. Jen hated it when Roger was upset with her, but she couldn't let him control her anymore. Plus, she liked Oliver and she didn't want to turn him down 2 days before the ball and leave them both miserable. "I had better get ready for practice though." Jen said, feeling as though a lump of lead had settled itself in her stomach. She was dreading facing Roger again...Quidditch was the only time he actually did have control over her. She dressed in her Quidditch robes and headed out to the pitch. Practice was dreadful. Of course no one else on the team knew what had happened between her and Roger, which called for an excess amount of confusion. Then when they finally figured out that Roger and Jen weren't speaking, things became very awkward. Roger tried harder to pal around with Brent, Avery and Ryan in attempts to make Jen feel bad. And halfway through practice, when Jen accidentally got hit in the face with the quaffle Roger completely ignored it, and instead yelled that the beaters should pick up the pace. She felt her eyes blur with tears that she desperately fought to keep back. Luckily, Roger signaled the end of practice a couple minutes later, and Jen raced toward the ground. She threw down her beating bat, leaving it behind as she walked quickly away from the pitch. She passed by the locker rooms, opting instead to shower back at the dormitory, in hopes of avoiding any questioning eyes. She looked down at her feet and the image began to blur again. Just then she felt herself slam into someone. And to her dread she heard the familiar Scottish accent on a voice saying, "Fancy that, if we run into each other like this anymore, we're going to have a problem." She looked up to meet the warm brown eyes of Oliver Wood. And although she was partially relieved to see him, he was also the last person she needed to see right now. Oliver noticed immediately that Jen had been crying. "Jen, what happened? Are you ok?" He put his hand on her shoulder. Jen nodded.
"Yes. I'm fine, it's nothing." She insisted, impatiently wiping the tears away from her eyes.
"Are you sure? Is there anything I can do to help?" Oliver looked so concerned for her.
"It's ok. Really." She said, trying to sound cheerful, but Oliver was not convinced.
"Do you need to talk? Or just-" Just then Jen noticed Roger and the rest of the team heading their way.
"Oliver, I'm sorry. I really have to go now." She said, and walked quickly around him before he could say another word.
"Way to go, man. You deserve it!" Being Oliver's best friend, Chad was always very supportive. The worst of the banter came from the Weasley boys. Which Oliver wasn't too keen on, as he had to see them every day at Quidditch practice.
"So are you going to try for some action?" George asked.
"Yeah," Fred said leaning in, "don't worry, we won't try to catch you two snogging or anything..." He stated playfully.
"Oh, come off it, you annoying gits. This one is special, so stay out of it, please?" Oliver intoned.
Jen was so deep in thought that she collided straight into Roger. "Whoa there, little sis." He said with mock authority. Roger realized his sister was positively glowing with happiness. "What has gotten in to you? Why are you in such a good mood?" He asked her inquisitively. Jen sighed. She was going to have to tell him the truth sooner or later, and she'd rather he find out from her.
"I...found a date to the ball." She said, smiling nervously.
"Oh really? Who?" Roger asked a little too quickly. Jen looked at him uncertainly before replying.
"It's...He's, Oliver."
"WOOD!?" Roger looked like someone had just eaten a live goat in front of him. Jen gulped and started to explain herself but Roger cut her off. "What are you thinking? He's on a rival Quidditch team! Hell, he's the captain of a rival team! A team that is our biggest competition!"
"Roger," Jen said pleadingly.
"No. Jen, I can't allow this. Have you not heard about his reputation with women?" At this, Jen's back straightened and her blue-grey eyes turned stormy.
"Well, Roger, it isn't your place to allow anything. I don't need your permission to date whomever I chose."
"Jen, you don't know what's right for you! It's my responsibility to make sure that you don't make any silly mistakes that you will regret!" Roger replied heatedly.
"And what, wanting to be included, to for once have a boy that you haven't badgered away, is silly?"
"Being on the arm of some player who only wants you as a trophy-"
"How would you know what he wants?" Jen interrupted angrily. "Just because he's a rival Quidditch captain, since when does that mean anything? You don't even know him!"
"I know enough! I know that what he's after isn't something I'll soon stand by and let you give!"
"Roger. I have let you control me for far too long! I can do whatever I please and I will not hear another word from you about it. It is not your job to replace mom, and you will never be able to, so stop trying!" As soon as she let these words escape her mouth she knew she had gone too far, but it was too late. The comment had stung and Roger's eyes showed it. His irritation and resentment seemed to be replaced with a cold anger.
"I forbid you to go to the ball with Wood."
"Yeah," Jen smirked defiantly, "and how are you going to stop me?" And with that, she turned on her heel and stalked off down the hallway. Roger was left standing there looking both irate and stunned. Ever since their mother had died, Roger had kind of taken it upon himself to protect Jen. Mostly because he didn't want to lose her too, even if it was only because she became emotionally detached. He vowed to himself that he would stop this nonsense before he lost her. And the funny thing was, Quidditch hadn't even crossed his mind.
"Aw Jen, it's ok. I mean, at least you stood up for yourself, right?" Maggie said, as she comforted her crying friend a few minutes later. Jen's tears had finally ceased and she sniffled.
"Thanks Maggs, you always make me feel better." She said, smiling feebly. Jen hated it when Roger was upset with her, but she couldn't let him control her anymore. Plus, she liked Oliver and she didn't want to turn him down 2 days before the ball and leave them both miserable. "I had better get ready for practice though." Jen said, feeling as though a lump of lead had settled itself in her stomach. She was dreading facing Roger again...Quidditch was the only time he actually did have control over her. She dressed in her Quidditch robes and headed out to the pitch. Practice was dreadful. Of course no one else on the team knew what had happened between her and Roger, which called for an excess amount of confusion. Then when they finally figured out that Roger and Jen weren't speaking, things became very awkward. Roger tried harder to pal around with Brent, Avery and Ryan in attempts to make Jen feel bad. And halfway through practice, when Jen accidentally got hit in the face with the quaffle Roger completely ignored it, and instead yelled that the beaters should pick up the pace. She felt her eyes blur with tears that she desperately fought to keep back. Luckily, Roger signaled the end of practice a couple minutes later, and Jen raced toward the ground. She threw down her beating bat, leaving it behind as she walked quickly away from the pitch. She passed by the locker rooms, opting instead to shower back at the dormitory, in hopes of avoiding any questioning eyes. She looked down at her feet and the image began to blur again. Just then she felt herself slam into someone. And to her dread she heard the familiar Scottish accent on a voice saying, "Fancy that, if we run into each other like this anymore, we're going to have a problem." She looked up to meet the warm brown eyes of Oliver Wood. And although she was partially relieved to see him, he was also the last person she needed to see right now. Oliver noticed immediately that Jen had been crying. "Jen, what happened? Are you ok?" He put his hand on her shoulder. Jen nodded.
"Yes. I'm fine, it's nothing." She insisted, impatiently wiping the tears away from her eyes.
"Are you sure? Is there anything I can do to help?" Oliver looked so concerned for her.
"It's ok. Really." She said, trying to sound cheerful, but Oliver was not convinced.
"Do you need to talk? Or just-" Just then Jen noticed Roger and the rest of the team heading their way.
"Oliver, I'm sorry. I really have to go now." She said, and walked quickly around him before he could say another word.