A/N: Hello, one and all!!! I am so sorry that it took me as long as it did to get this chapter up! I have had a pretty busy past few weeks. Two trips to and from Oregon, a trip to and from Nebraska, and school starting all just kind of caught up with me. So yeah. Poky, thank you soooo much for referring those Georgia Nicolson books! They were freaking hilarious--I absolutely loved them! And they really do help with the whole British-talk type stuff. So I will try to... erm... British-ify my fic later when I get a chance (All of the chapters so far are pre-written, remember that. And I change a lot of the stuff when I post it on here, too, so you get the most updated and accurate version of the story... Don'tchya feel special? Laughs). I'll post my next chapter (which I believe all of you will really like) as soon as I get a few reviews. I'm not going to make any outrageous requests, just two or three revs is fine with me. :) Thank you all for reading and waiting so long for this chapter!!! (Just fyi, in case you didn't spot it in the last chapter, Jessica is a Gryffindor. Therefore Prof. McGonagall is her head of house. That's why McGonagall would be meeting her, just in case anyone was wondering.)

Jessie :-D

Chapter 8: The Meeting

Jessica just laughed again. "It was nothing. I babysat last night and I just wanted something to burn my money on. Oh crap!" She was looking at her watch. "It's almost three! I've got to go, I'll see you two at Hogwarts," she called to them as she jumped off the bench and ran down the packed street.

She cried out as she stumbled into a tall redheaded man and fell backwards. "Owe," she whimpered when her bottom made contact with the ground.

"God, I'm sorry! Here, let me help you up," said the voice of the man she had just ran into. Jessica opened her eyes and looked up at the man, whom was holding out his hand for her to take. It was George Weasley. At a glance towards the closest shop, she saw that the sign above it read "Weasley's Wizard Wheezes." She accepted his hand and he helped her to her feet.

"Thank you, George," Jessica said kindly to him, rubbing her sore backside.

"No problem, Jess. So tell me, why the rush?"

"I'm on my way to an important meeting with McGonagall and Dumbledore."

"Oh, I bet you've gotten Head Girl, haven't you?" George teased.

"I don't know that's what I'm going to go find out."

"Well, if you do get it, don't be like Perfect Percy the Prefect. I'm not sure if you'd still be the same Jessie that I know and love."

"Me? Be like Percy Weasley? Ha! Thanks for your concern, George, but trust me, I would never be like Percy if I could help it." She nearly shivered at the thought. If there was one person she could hardly stand, it was Percy Weasley. Of course, she used to look up to him for his intelligence and the fact that he was such a good student. Then he turned into an insufferable, jealous, know-it-all jerk, whom thought that he was always in charge. "So, I should go now before I'm late," Jessica said. If she didn't go quickly, she would almost definitely be late.

"Okay," said George. "Come and see me before term starts, hear me?"

"All right, I'll be back later anyways, you know I live to come here."

"See you later, Jess." George hugged her and she was off again, running through the crowd, just a bit more careful as to where she was going.

Soon Jessica was stepping into the dark entryway of the Leaky Cauldron, trying to catch her breath from running. Looking around, she spotted her parents sitting at a table reading the Daily Prophet. She walked over to them and took a seat. Peeking into her parents' mugs she saw that her mother was having tea and her father was having coffee. Jessica scrunched her face into a look of disgust and called the waitress over to order a mug of bitter brew. It was a type of pumpkin juice fused with butter beer that equaled a very interesting taste.

"Ah, thank you very much," Jessica said as the waitress brought her cup of bitter brew. She smiled as she took her first sip and warmth coursed through her body.

A bell clanged at the front of the pub, causing Jessica to look up from her mug. Professor McGonagall was striding towards her, her face seemingly cemented in it's stern look.

"Hello, Professor," Jessica greeted her as she reached their table. Her parents also stood and shook hands with the teacher. Professor McGonagall ordered a cup of tea and then looked at the three of them, her face still in it's stony expression.

After a few moments of small talk, Jessica's father spoke, "So sorry to be direct, Minerva, but what's this all about anyways?"

Professor McGonagall closed her eyes and sighed deeply. "I have come to you with grave news. It is very hard for me to say this to one of my best and brightest students, no doubt. But what I have come here to tell you is not going to be the best of news." She paused and looked at Jessica's confused face.

"Miss Firehart, you are being held back to sixth year."

"What?" Jessica said loudly, clearly shocked.

"I am sorry to say that you will be repeating your sixth year, due to your missing the end-of-year exams. I know that this is very hard for you to take, but-"

"I can't just simply re-take them?"

"No, I'm afraid not. It is an ancient Hogwarts rule that Professor Dumbledore doesn't want broken."

"You can't just simply bend the rules, just this once?" Jessica pressed McGonagall.

"No, i-"

"And the reason that I missed my exams doesn't even help me?"

"I'm sorry, but-"

"The fact that I missed them because I was thrown into a depression because half of my family and loved ones were killed, doesn't even factor into these "ancient rules?" Jessica went on hotly, her voice growing louder and firmer each time she spoke.

"Well-No, I-Eh," Professor McGonagall sputtered, looking for words.

"And even though my life was nearly ruined, we just had to go and find something to screw it up even more; just as it was getting back to normal!" Jessica said more to herself than to the others.

"Jessie, sweety, please, just sit down," her mother said calmly. It was only then that Jessica realized that she had stood up in her rage, and was now attracting the attention of many of the customers in the pub. Reluctantly, she sat down.

"Now, Miss Firehart, I know that this is very hard for you to accept. Especially after the great tragedy that you recently suffered. But it is not avoidable, and it will not change. You must accept it."

"So," said Jessica, calming down slightly, "I have to retake all of my classes from last year over again?"

"Yes."

"Will I stay in the same dormitory?"

"No. You will be moving in with the sixth year girls, Hermione, Pavarti, and Lavender."

"Will I still be a prefect?"

"Yes."

"But I won't be Head Girl?"

"Correct."

Tears brimmed in Jessica's eyes. Now that she wasn't a seventh year, there was no way that she would become Head Girl, even next year. It was obvious who would get Head in that year-Hermione Granger. It was undeniable.

There were a few moments of silence. Jessica couldn't really be mad at McGonagall, it wasn't her fault really.

Professor McGonagall's face had softened and she was looking at Jessica with a sorry expression on her face. "I really am sorry, Jessica, you know that," she said truthfully. "I have to leave now, if you have any other questions in regards to... this matter, just send me an owl and I will reply as soon as I can." McGonagall stood with a slight smile on her face and began to turn around.

"Professor, wait," Jessica called in a small voice. Tears were now streaming freely down her face.

Professor McGonagall turned to look at her. "Yes?"

"I-I just wanted to know," Jessica said in the same small voice, "Would I have gotten Head Girl?"

"Until quite recently," said McGonagall slowly, "That was the plan."

Jessica let out a choked sob as her professor exited the building. She would have been Head Girl. Jessica could've never been happier to hear that, if it weren't for the fact that it wasn't going to happen.

"A-are you okay, dear?" asked her father tensely.

"Yes, dad, I-I'm fine," she lied. "I just... I just need a moment to let it soak in. Do you mind if I go for a walk and just use the floo to get home?"

"Go ahead, sweetie," her mother consented.

Jessica stood and walked out into the small courtyard behind the Leaky Cauldron. She drew up the hood of her cloak before tapping the brick wall to gain entrance to the long alleyway behind it.

What stood before her was a colorful street full of wondrous things and crowded with people. But before her eyes, it was simply a dingy lane full of babbling old fools.

Lowering her head, so as not to be seen, she set off once again through the crowd of people. She suddenly bumped shoulders with someone quite hard, but didn't stop to appologize. "Hey, watch where you're going!" he shouted angrily after her.

Jessica didn't care if she bumped into anyone at this point. All she wanted to do was get away to a nice, quiet, desolate place and be alone. But when she found herself in front of Fred and George Weasley's shop once more, she figured out that what she needed now wasn't lonliness, it was companionship. Slowly, Jessica pushed open the door and a small bell rang.

"Welcome to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes," came a voice from behind the counter that Jessica recognized as George's. "One moment and I'll be there to help you." A moment later, George came hurrying over to her. "'Ello, miss. How may I be helping you today?" Jessica slowly lowered the hood. "Jessie! How did the meeting go, miss Head Girl?" His face fell when he saw hers. "Jess, what-" But before he could finish, Jessica collapsed, sobbing, onto his chest.