Chapter Three
The Dead Come to Life
Gryffindors cheered wildly as the Quidditch match got under way. Jordan sat next to Hermione and Ron and wore red and gold even though she was officially in the Ravenclaw House. The excitement was contagious as she watched Harry flying high above them all, keeping his eye out for the Golden Snitch while still directing his players.
They were matched well with Hufflepuff. They had a new captain as well, Tamara Allbright, the house's first female captain in at least a generation. She had trained her players long and hard and even had meetings in the Library to discuss moves when the weather was bad.
Having read Quidditch Through the Ages at least twenty times, Harry used many of the plays described by its author, Kenilworthy Whisp as described in his other bestseller Beating the Bludgers—A Study of Defensive Strategies in Quidditch. One of the first things Harry gave Jordan upon her arrival at Hogwarts was his copy of Quidditch Through the Ages. She enjoyed reading about broomsticks and flying—anything she couldn't master intrigued her. In her opinion, flying miles above the ground with only a wooden stick beneath you was a risk no one in their right mind would take.
Madame Hooch, the school's flying instructor, called a foul half-way through the game against Gryffindor when Ron blogged one of the Hufflepuff beaters.
"No, way!" Hermione yelled through cupped hands as the stands fell into a frenzy. "He did not touch the other broom!"
"What's blogging?" Jordan asked.
"Grabbing your opponent's broom tail to slow them down."
"He didna touch Chang's broom!" Hagrid called out, his deep voice booming over the crowd.
Jordan's ears perked up, "That was Cho Chang?"
Hermione looked over, smiling, "Harry tell you about her?"
She nodded, "I wish I could see her better!"
Suddenly, Harry took a nose-dive right past their seats. Jordan jumped and covered her eyes.
"What are you doing?" Hermione pulled Jordan's hands away.
"What is he doing? He'll kill himself!"
"No, he's seen the Snitch! Go, Harry!"
Luna Lovegood's lazy voice came over the PA system, "And Harry Potter's got the Snitch! Gryffindor wins 200 to 40!"
The crowd got to its feet, Gryffindor the loudest, clapping and cheering and chanting "Harry Potter—Gryffindor! Harry Potter—Gryffindor!"
Jordan jumped up and down, applauding and yelling Harry's name, caught up in the excitement of the game. "Wow! That was amazing!"
Hermione grabbed her arm and led her down the bleachers. "I know! It really is a fun game to watch."
They were headed toward the pitch and the mass of students gathering around the players who were all sliding off their broomsticks and giving each other high-fives. Jordan searched for Harry. He was sweaty but smiling. He gave Cho a handshake and watched her walk off toward the school with her teammates.
"Was that her?" Jordan asked after Hermione hugged Harry, and then left to go find Ron.
"Yes," he snapped his fingers in a mock display of concern. "And isn't it too bad you didn't get to meet her!"
Jordan put her arms around him, "Congratulations! It was a great game."
"Come on. I'm in too good of a mood to go inside. Let's walk."
The sun was warm and so she followed him. They moved south along the wall of the school, toward the Lake.
He took her hand when they were out of sight of the rest of the student body, "Did you understand any of it?"
"Not much. I got the main gist of it from that book you gave me. I must have missed Ron blogging your girlfriend, though."
He stopped and gave her a sarcastic smile, "First, Ron didn't blog anyone. It was a rotten call. Second, she's not my girlfriend."
Jordan waited for the inevitable "you are" but thankfully, he didn't say it. Instead, he resumed walking.
"There are Merpeople in this lake. I saw them when I did the second task of the Triwizard Tournament." He sat on a bench in front of the water. The sunlight sparkled off it, causing him to squint.
"Tell me more about that tournament. All I know is that boy died."
Harry went on to explain about the Goblet of Fire and how in his fourth year, his name was put in it, despite the fact he wasn't seventeen yet. He described the three tasks: getting the golden egg from the dragon and how he used a Summoning Charm to get his Firebolt to do it; taking Gillyweed to grow gills and webbed hands and feet in order to stay underwater in the Lake so he could rescue Ron, who had been kidnapped; and finally, working his way through a maze until he reached the TriWizard cup—which happened to be a Portkey.
"A Portkey?"
"Yes, it's an ordinary object that can transport you somewhere. Cedric and I touched it at the same time and we landed in the graveyard. Well, you saw the graveyard, didn't you? Thing is, I told him we should take it at the same time—win the tournament together."
She laced her arm through his, "You didn't know, Harry."
He nodded, silently looking out over the Lake.
She felt guilty for bringing it up, "I'm sorry to dampen your day. I shouldn't have said anything."
Harry smiled, tearing his eyes away from the water to look at her, "No, it's okay. It was nearly three years ago now."
"I really am proud of you, Harry. Today was—well, great. You are really talented."
Without thinking, he kissed her. Not wanting to dampen his spirits twice in the span of five minutes, she let him. Before he could do it again, however, she stood.
"Come on, everyone's waiting for you in the Common Room. I'm sure they're having some kind of party. And I, for one, am hungry and cold!"
Harry nodded. Nothing could make him upset now. Only a few students were on the pitch when they returned, hands gesturing in the air, reliving this play or that one. They moved through them and into the castle. Gryffindor Tower was buzzing with their win. If they could take their next match against Slytherin, they would win the House Quidditch Cup.
Sweets and Pumpkin Juice lined trays throughout the room. Jordan said she wanted a cup of coffee and surprisingly, Hermione asked the house elves to bring her one. Ron and Harry gave each other a strange look.
"I know there's nothing I can do to help them."
Jordan was puzzled, "Help who?"
"The House Elves. I tried to free them all a couple years ago. No one helped me."
Ron laughed, "How many times do we have to tell you, they don't want to be freed!"
The coffee was just as Jordan liked it and she took a warming gulp, "They make great coffee!"
"They make great everything...," Ron agreed, eating an éclair whole.
Hermione shook her head and went to talk to twins Padma and Parvati Patil. Harry and Ron laughed and took a handful of cream cakes back to a couple of chairs by the fireplace. Jordan watched them talking and decided to head back to her room. She had homework for her Potions class and wanted to get it done.
------------
Jordan was surprised how quickly the week went by. She had received her first Defense against the Dark Arts test back and had received an A. Excited, she showed it to Hermione who gently broke it to her that A meant Acceptable, more like a B in American Muggle schools. Still, Jordan was happy it wasn't a T which Hermione had informed her stood for Troll.
She had almost managed to finish the fifth chapter of her book. This is what made her happiest that week. Finally, she could allow herself to relax. Part of her wanted to spend the upcoming weekend sleeping; she had been so tired, but she knew Harry would be upset if she backed out of their Hogsmeade trip.
The students wore heavy jackets, scarves, gloves, hats, boots; whatever they could to keep themselves warm. Blowing snow wasn't going to stop anyone at Hogwarts from their trip into the wizard village of Hogsmeade. Even the teachers looked forward to a glass of Mead or Butter Beer at the Hog's Head or the Three Broomsticks.
Jordan wandered toward Gladrags Wizardwear. Clothes, no matter what kind, attracted her. She drifted away from Harry, Ron, Hermione, and their friends Dean, Seamus, Neville and Luna.
"She's very quiet, Harry." Luna was bundled head to toe, her words mumbled by the scarf wrapped around her neck at least seven times.
"Yeah, I know. She's not usually like that."
"What's wrong with her?" Hermione whispered.
Harry shrugged, "You go on. We'll meet you in Honeydukes."
Jordan looked up from her shopping as Harry entered. She was holding a dark green cape. "Isn't this pretty?"
He nodded, "Yeah, you'd look great in it."
"Do you think I should buy it?"
"…With what?" Harry closed his eyes and shook his head. He didn't know what possessed him to say that.
Jordan put the robe back and went to the door, "You're right."
Harry ran to catch up with her, "Jordan! I didn't mean that. Come on! Will you wait?"
She stopped, "What? I thought you wanted to go to Honeydukes. I'm sorry, I saw the clothes and lost track of time."
"Can we go for a walk?"
"It's freezing! Oh, alright…," Jordan finally acquiesced when Harry didn't move.
They began to walk toward Madame Puddifoot's tea shop. It was awhile before they said anything. Harry didn't want to let Jordan know she was right about how cold it was.
Instead, he said, "I had a date there with Cho."
Jordan looked inside the window toward which he was pointing and could see the couples sitting at small round tables, sipping tea and eating baked goods. Some had their heads together; others were talking quietly.
She smiled, imagining Harry sitting there, "And?"
"Well, it didn't go so well. She cried."
Jordan laughed, "You made her cry?"
"I didn't make her cry! It was right after Cedric Diggory died in the graveyard. I came here with her for Valentine's Day—of all days--but she had gone out with him first. She was still really sad, I guess."
"I can understand that."
"Me, too, I suppose." Harry walked around the back of the shop and looked out at the view of the snow-capped mountains.
"Any other dates with her?"
He felt his face redden, "No. Actually, she pretty much stopped talking to me after that. She was a little jealous of Hermione and I just didn't see it."
Jordan took his arm. She liked their friendly conversation. "Well, if someone didn't know better, it'd look like you and Hermione were going together. I'm sorry your date didn't go well, though."
"Don't be. I'm over her—though I still think she's quite pretty." Harry looked at her out of the corner of his eye, smiling.
"You do, do you?" Jordan allowed him a moment to think she had risen to his bait.
"Uh huh…"
She reached down and picked up some snow, methodically packing it in her mitten-covered hands. She smiled as he backed up. "What's wrong?"
"Don't even think about it."
In an instant, she threw the snowball. It bounced off his arm. He laughed and began packing one of his own, "You throw like a girl."
She ducked as his snowball just missed her. She packed another one and got him in the middle of the back. He hit her in the stomach with his next attempt. Jordan moved out of his line of vision near a stack of boxes behind Dervish and Banges, The boxes held Spell-o-Tape and other materials to fix broken wands.
"Don't try to hide!" He called out, walking around the other side of Dervish's, and surprising her.
She yelped and fell to the ground as a snowball hit her square in the face.
Alarmed at her scream, he ran to her, "I'm so sorry! Are you alright?"
Jordan was giggling so hard she made no sound. He saw her hysterics and it triggered a laughing fit in him. He reached out his hand to help her, and she grabbed his arm and pulled him down. They were both laughing and wrestling in the snow, until they heard a cough.
Harry looked around to see Professor McGonagall standing over them with her arms crossed. Harry stood up slowly, but Jordan jumped to her feet, brushing off her coat.
"I'm s-sorry, Professor," she said, quickly.
"Coming to Hogsmeade is a privilege, Mr. Potter."
Harry's mouth opened, and then he shut it again quickly. "Yes, Ma'am. Sorry."
McGonagall nodded grimly at Jordan then left. Harry brushed off his pants and began to walk toward Honeydukes.
"I'm sorry if I got you in trouble, Harry." Jordan nearly slipped trying to catch up to him.
"It's alright. I just can't believe she's watching us like that. I'm an adult, you're an adult…"
"But it's not about you, is it? It's about…"
"…I know, Hogwarts."
"Let's catch up with the rest of them." Jordan took his hand and he relaxed a bit.
"Yeah, I'll buy you some chocolate at Honeydukes."
"You're going to get me fat."
"Never…" Harry looked at her, with her rosy cheeks and sparkling eyes and thought the day hadn't been a total loss after all.
On Tuesday night, Jordan and Remus Lupin ate dinner at a table in his office. He had requested the house elves prepare a meal of shrimp, potatoes and vegetables. He had even procured a well-preserved bottle of Mead to drink with a dessert of custard crème brulee. Jordan liked the quiet professor; there was no doubt about that. He was older than she and had a calming affect on her. She learned she could talk to him about almost anything and he had become a great advocate during her discovery of her magical heritage.
Far from a date however, Jordan was there to learn about Boggarts. Ron had said that Lupin's lesson on Boggarts was one of the best he ever had, so Jordan asked to be tutored. It was hard work and they both were hungry after.
"This was delicious. I need to thank Dobby and the other the house elves," Remus said, wiping his mouth with his napkin.
"Absolutely. And thank Madame Rosmerta for the Mead."
He lifted his glass, "To Madame Rosmerta, the lovely owner of the Hog's Head."
Jordan laughed at his bravado, "I'm glad we were finally able schedule this tutoring. I really appreciate the extra help all of you have been giving me."
"Don't mention it. I know it's been kind of tough, with Harry…," Lupin was hedging, not wanting to say anything that might make her feel awkward. "He's so much like his father…"
Jordan stood and went to the window. It was raining again. There seemed to be as much rain that winter as snow. "He is, is he? Well, I don't know much about James Potter, but I'm beginning to think coming to Hogwarts wasn't such a good idea."
"Why?"
"Harry wants so much more from me than I can give, especially here. McGonagall has her eye on me. She wants to be sure she didn't make a mistake."
He gave a chuckle, "Jordan, you're related to the Ravenclaws…Minerva wouldn't not have you here."
"But she thinks Harry and I…you know. Well, it seems everybody does."
Remus stood behind her, and put his hands on her shoulders, "Harry does like you. You're his first serious crush, I think. I'm sure the way he trails after you, the way he looks at you, wants to be near you…well, the other students, the teachers, they can see it."
She turned toward him, frantically, "Am I making a fool out of myself? I mean, I like him, too. He's very—mature, well, most of the time--and has been through so much. We're like kindred spirits, you know? But he is…"
"…young--," the Dark Arts professor finished for her.
"Yes, younger than me. Maybe I should just go home."
"That's up to you, of course, but I, for one, would be sorry to see you go. I've really enjoyed our lessons—and our chats."
Jordan smiled, "Me, too."
From over his shoulder, she noticed the clock on the wall. The time was 10:00pm and with a fleeting disappointment, Jordan knew she needed to get back to her room before it was too late.
"I have to go, Remus. I have a Transfiguration test tomorrow and if I'm behind in anyone's class, it can't be Professor McGonagall's."
He smiled, and walked her to the door, "I completely understand."
"Well, say hi to Tonks for me, if you speak with her."
He nodded, "I will. Thanks for joining me. Good night, Jordan."
She let him hug her, "It was my pleasure. Thanks again for helping me. Goodnight."
Jordan walked down the empty corridor toward her rooms, feeling slightly better after talking with Professor Lupin. She understood why Harry had looked to him when the Dementors badgered him so relentlessly three years before.
Once in her room, she lit the candles around her bed and prepared to get undressed. Turning around, she nearly screamed when she saw Harry by the window. "What are you doing--? How did you get--? What are you holding?"
He looked down, remembering the Invisibility Cloak in his hands. "I'm so young? The others can see me trailing after you?"
"What?"
"How many dinners have you had with him?" Harry was shaking with anger.
"Who? Remus? Just this one. Why? How did you know I was at dinner with him?"
"Certainly not because you told me!"
Jordan, suddenly exhausted, sat on the bed. She saw again the multicolored, shimmering object in his hands, "Harry what is that?"
He swung it over his head and she watched in horror as he disappeared completely underneath it. Harry removed it, a satisfied smile on his face as it dawned on her what had just happened.
"How dare you!" She hissed.
"Me?" He gave a sardonic laugh, "Me? Oh, that's rich!"
"How long were you spying on us?"
"Long enough!"
"Get out of here!" Jordan turned her back to him, trying to control her own emotions.
"Are you seeing him?" Harry refused to be sent away and instead walked around her, facing her once again.
"Remus and I are friends; that's all. You were there! He was tutoring me! You know, I really don't have to explain anything to you."
"Yes, you do. I thought we—we had something! But obviously I was wrong!"
"How can I trust you now—knowing you would do this—?" She gestured at the cloak.
"Trust? You're talking to me about trust? You've been with him all those times you didn't come to Quidditch practice, haven't you?"
She winced at his accusatory tone, "No, I haven't. I've only missed two of your practices, by the way. I've been studying and writing, if you must know."
"Have you kissed him?"
Jordan shook her head, unable to believe she was having this conversation, "Get out of here now, Harry!"
He walked toward her quickly, his strides so forceful, she had to step back. "You kissed me, Jordan, remember? I asked you a question! Answer me!"
"This is ridiculous! Get out!" Unconsciously, she had picked up her wand and pointed it at him with a trembling hand.
Harry said nothing, and with a complicated feeling of anger and despair, moved away from her and silently went out the door. Jordan knew it was time to go.
--------
They didn't speak for almost a week as Jordan made arrangements with Hagrid and finished up the things she would need before she left Hogwarts. Professor McGonagall was kind enough to refrain from lecturing her about her relationship with the young Harry Potter, but Jordan could still sense the Headmistress's disappointment that Jordan wasn't going to finish her lessons.
The few times she went to classes and passed him in the corridor, Harry watched her from the comfort of his circle of friends, scowling at the thought of her with another man, and feeling his insides twist with the agony that he had gone too far.
Late the night before she was scheduled to leave, Jordan decided she was going to see Harry one last time. She had gone over what she wanted to say many times--there would always be a place for him in her home, but they could never have a relationship and once he graduated, he needed to start thinking of where he would live. In short, he needed to get over her and get on with his life.
She paced back and forth, wondering how it would sound. Too cruel? Too much like the Dursleys with whom he associated the behavior of all Muggles? No matter how angry she was, she didn't want him to hate her. The truth was, she did like him very much, but just the stares they still received from the students at Hogwarts proved to her there would be too many questions to answer if they were to become a couple.
Finally, she summoned the courage to open her door. She left her wand behind on her desk, afraid he might make her angry enough to use it. She checked to be sure her trunk was locked, took a deep breath and headed down the corridor. It was dark outside, but the time was only 7:30, so she heard the tittering voices of the students in their dormitories, telling jokes, laughing and talking the way young people do.
She heard a door open as she passed and she hoped it wasn't Professors McGonagall or Lupin. Jordan didn't want anything to deter her from getting off her chest what she needed to. If she didn't say this to Harry tonight, she never would.
"Your impertinence is astounding—walking around this school without robes or a uniform of any kind. You have come here as a student; you need to learn your place."
The voice stopped Jordan in her tracks, all thoughts of talking to Harry dissolved from her mind. The sneer; the pitch; the sarcasm; the deadly silkiness, all caused her stomach to flip and her breath to stop in her throat.
"Turn around, Miss Taylor."
She shut her eyes, willing herself not to faint in the middle of the corridor. It was a nightmare; she was only hearing things. The madman would go away.
But the voice came again, this time behind her right ear, "I said to turn around."
Slowly, Jordan turned to see a figure in black, with long hair and a hooked nose. She wanted to scream, to run, anything to separate the distance between the two of them, but her legs wouldn't move.
"Why aren't you dead, Snape?" she whispered, shaking.
"Did you think the Dark Lord would really kill me?"
"I watched it happen; we all did."
He shook his head, "I did a stupid thing; I admit it. I helped you, let the stories of a couple of teen-agers sway my allegiance. But he has forgiven me and I won't sway again."
"Harry and I aren't speaking. Taking me won't bring him to you if that's what you plan."
"Oh, yes it will, in good time, but it's no matter; my Master wants you."
Instinctively, tears of fear rolled silently down her face. She wanted to kill herself--do anything but go through this again. Her reaction only made Snape laugh.
"Oh, come, Miss Taylor. I thought from all your Dark Arts lessons with Professor Lupin, you'd have more confidence in your own abilities." His voice was thick with hatred.
"Please, Snape. I'm no use to him. I'm not a horcrux anymore."
"You are to be tried, Miss Taylor, and I'm to bring you to face him for your crimes."
She looked around her. This had to be a joke. "My crimes? Are you kidding? Your boss is a cold-blooded killer of innocent people and I'm to go on trial?"
"Silence!" He waved his wand menacingly and Jordan made herself stay quiet.. "You will come with me, Miss Taylor. I expect you will be found guilty—and executed."
Harry would find her, she thought. She would somehow be able to get away.
"Mr. Potter won't be able to save you this time, Miss Taylor. He will think you left just as planned. It's convenient don't you think, that you are fighting precisely at this moment?" Severus Snape rocked on his heels, pleased at the ease at which he would be able to carry out his master's order. "It will be no surprise that you went without saying good-bye, will it?"
She couldn't answer. She didn't have anything to say anyway. Snape was right. Harry would just think it was over between them and go on with his life, just as she wanted him to.
Snape waved his wand again and Jordan dropped to her knees. She winced as she hit the floor. Roughly, he grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet. In a moment, Jordan felt the temporary suffocation-like state that comes with Side-Along Apparition and in a moment she was standing in an ornately decorated living room.
"Voldemort lives here?" She asked, incredulously.
"Do not say his name—you have not earned that right!" Snape hissed in her face.
"Where am I?"
"You are under house arrest until the Dark Lord pronounces your sentence."
"I thought I was getting a trial," Jordan felt less frightened when she didn't find a damp cell and metal bars surrounding her.
With a wave of his wand, Snape threw Jordan against the doorjamb. She fell to the floor; two collector's plates hanging above her shattered, showering shards over her. Snape watched passively as the owners of the house came running in.
"That will be your trial!" Snape answered, impatiently.
"What are you doing?" A woman with long hair looked from Severus Snape to Jordan and back again. She bent down and picked up the pieces of china from the floor. "Oh, Severus, these are my good Atiani plates! For goodness sake! Reparo!"
The plates repaired themselves and the woman placed them gently on the fireplace mantle.
"No harm done, Narcissa!" Lucius Malfoy addressed his wife and stepped over Jordan's body. "We'll take it from here, Severus."
"Keep her under guard. Her magic is stronger than she knows. The Dark Lord will be extremely upset if this doesn't go the way he's planned."
"I know…I know. Between Narcissa, Draco and me, she will be well watched."
"Good. I better return now. I will check on you later."
Once the Death Eater Disapparated, Narcissa bent down to lift Jordan's head, "She is unconscious. We'd better move her from here."
Lucius picked up Jordan's prone form and carried her effortlessly into one of the back bedrooms in his stately house. Dropping her onto the bed, he took his wand and used it to bind her hands and feet.
"Oh, this is going to be an easy assignment, Miss Taylor. You're time here will be hell, I assure you," he whispered to her still body. He turned on his heel and left, locking the door behind him.
Chapter Four
Confinement
Harry knew when he didn't see her at breakfast that she had gone. A weight settled in the pit of his stomach and he didn't even want to eat. Even before Ron and Hermione sat down next to him, their plates in hand, he was up and moving past them out of the Great Hall.
"Hey, where're ya going?" Ron asked, turning almost in a complete circle as his best friend passed him by.
"Not hungry," Harry mumbled, wishing he could just fade into the woodwork.
Ron and Hermione gave each other a look of concern and sat at the Gryffindor table. Hermione shook her head and began eating with gusto.
"What's wrong with you now?" Ron asked, dryly.
"If she broke his heart, I'll never forgive her. I told you she was too old for him!"
Ron watched her absent-mindedly crumbling toast in her hand, "Calm down. You don't even know what happened."
"I can see he's crushed. And she's not down here yet. Harry mentioned something about having a fight—something about Jordan and Professor Lupin."
"Lupin?" Ron was astounded, "Her and him? No way!"
"Well, apparently Harry says he caught them together."
Ron's jaw dropped, "You're kidding. He's so much older than she is. I mean, there's a bigger difference between Jordan and Lupin than between Jordan and Harry, right?"
Hermione nodded, then waving Ron away, she downed her pumpkin juice in one gulp and stood, preparing to bring her plates back to the cleaning area.
"Wait!" he called. "Come on, Hermione! I'm not finished yet!"
She wasn't listening. Instead, she decided she was going to get to the bottom of this mess. The halls were deserted as students found their way to their morning classes. Hermione had a free period, but knew Harry didn't. Just in case, she checked his dorm.
"Harry?" she called tentatively, from the door of the boy's dormitory.
Neville was on his way out and gestured toward Harry's bedroom, "He's kind of upset, I think."
"Harry?" she called, again.
He was sitting on his bed staring out the window, "What?"
"Are you alright?"
"I don't feel well. I'm not going to class today."
"I'm sorry that you had a fight." Hermione sat next to him on the bed.
"Yeah, well, that's not the half of it. She's gone." Harry continued when he saw the look of shock on Hermione's face, "I'm not surprised."
"So it was true then?"
He shrugged. That's what nagged him the most. What if he was wrong? What if nothing had gone on between Jordan and Lupin and he had ruined their relationship for nothing!
"You could send an owl to her, you know." Hermione didn't know why she was telling him to contact Jordan when inside she wanted to scream that she had told him this would happen, that Jordan Taylor would break his heart.
"Send an owl where? I have no idea where she is."
"She probably went home, back to America."
"I can't…I don't know what to say."
"Harry, I know it's hard, but this is a sign, I'm sure. You need to concentrate this year. She shouldn't even have been here. You are graduating—and those N.E.W.T.s…"
Harry got up and walked to the window, "Hermione…I really want to be alone."
"Okay, well, let me know if you need anything."
He didn't turn around until after Hermione had left the dormitory. He crawled back into his bed, took off his glasses and closed his eyes. All he wanted to do was sleep.
Harry could hear her voice. He followed the sound down the hallway and into Professor Lupin's classroom. It was then he realized that he was wearing his father's Invisibility Cloak. Something told him that Jordan wouldn't forgive him this time if he didn't announce he was there, but when he tried to remove the cloak it wouldn't come off. As he entered, he saw them in each other's arms. They were dancing to Lupin's ridiculous music, talking quietly. He wanted to scream. Struggling to find his way out of the cloak, he called for her.
Jordan turned around, her face red with anger when she could only hear him, not see him. She broke away from the Defense against the Dark Arts teacher and put her hands on her hips, "Stop spying on me, Harry! Do you understand?"
"It's not my fault. I can't get the cloak off!"
"Accio Cloak!" Lupin called and in an instant, the multicolored shroud lifted itself off Harry and landed neatly in the teacher's hand.
"Can't get the cloak off? Right!" Jordan was angrier than he'd ever seen her and he knew he was in trouble. "It seemed to come off pretty easy for Remus!"
It killed him for her to use Lupin's first name so casually, "Jordan, I…I'm sorry!" Harry's voice sounded shaky, and he tried to stay calm.
"Listen to me! It's over between us! As a matter of fact, there never was anything between us!"
Harry felt sick to his stomach, "What do you mean? Everything we've been through…and at your Mum's…," he couldn't get a complete sentence out. He knew in his gut that she'd been wanting to break it off but couldn't bear to hear it. Why did he always have to push so hard?
"I was being nice, Harry. You saved my life! But I'm too old for you! You need someone your own age."
"Like you and Professor Lupin?" Harry's comment was sarcastic, but he didn't care.
Jordan put her hands, palms down, on one of the desks in the DADA classroom. She glanced over her shoulder, looking for support from Lupin, but screamed instead. Harry jumped as well to see a werewolf standing behind her, teeth bared, ready to pounce.
"Jordan, don't move!"
"What is it?"
"A werewolf. It's Professor Lupin."
"I don't understand." She yelled again as the beast took a step toward her, "He's going to kill me, Harry!"
"No, I won't let him." Harry didn't understand. How would Professor Lupin have turned into a werewolf without a full moon? Fenrir Greyback still felt wolf-like tendencies after returning to human form, but never was able to turn back into a werewolf without a moon.
Suddenly, Lupin pounced, pulling Jordan to the floor. She screamed and he saw flecks of blood fly into the air. Harry tried to run to her, but couldn't move. His legs were frozen, immobilized. Had Lupin hexed him before his transformation?
Jordan screamed again and Harry called for her. He wasn't going to be able to get to her in time. He couldn't…
"Harry!"
Harry jumped, groggy, thrashing at his blanket, "Jordan?"
"Harry! For God's sake! Wake up!"
Opening his eyes, he saw Ron standing next to him. The sun was starting to go down and he realized that he had been asleep all day.
"What?"
"Bad dream?"
"Yes…"
"Was it about Jordan?" Ron took off his cloak and put his books down.
Harry nodded and put on his glasses. He shivered, wanting to take a hot shower. "Was I calling for her?"
"Just now. Hermione told me what happened. I'm sorry, mate."
"Me, too. I finally felt like I had a home and then I have to go and ruin it."
Ron sat on his own bed, "A home? You have one, here and at my house, you know that."
"I know…it's just--it was—different with her. You know what I mean."
"I think I do…come on, we have homework. We'd better do it or you'll be way behind."
Harry shook his head, trying to dislodge the vision from his dream and followed Ron to the Common Room.
--------
Narcissa heard the screams from the back bedroom, but couldn't get herself to move from the hallway. Jordan had been crying out repeatedly over the past half-hour, since Malfoy left his turn at the watch and Lucius took over.
She knew what her husband was doing—using one of the Unforgivable Curses to break her down. If the Dark Lord hadn't expressly forbidden her death, her husband would have gladly killed Jordan Taylor—the ultimate "Mudblood."
Finally, Narcissa began to pace, wringing her hands and telling herself she would go in there…use the Alohamora spell if she needed to, in order to stop what was happening in her house! She was a supporter of You-Know-Who as much as the next Death Eater, but torturing an innocent girl was too much to bear.
Finally, Lucius Malfoy, a tight smile on his face, walked out of the bedroom and brushed past his wife, hardly acknowledging she was there.
"Where are you going?"
Lucius turned, his long white-blond hair sweeping gracefully over his shoulder, "I have a report to give the Dark Lord."
"About what?"
"Dear Narcissa, you know I can't tell you that."
She remained silent as he turned back toward the parlor and went out the door. Remembering, the prisoner in the room in front of her, Narcissa entered quietly, nearly afraid of what she might find.
Jordan's face was pale, strained from fighting the curse Lucius had cast only moments before. Her hair and body were gleaming with sweat. The shirt she wore was stuck to her and she was still curled into a fetal position from her efforts to block the effects of the spell.
As Narcissa approached, Jordan cried out, "No! Please! I don't know anything!"
"I'm not going to hurt you, child. I'm just going to clean you up a bit."
Mother of Draco and wife of Lucius, member of the Dark Lord's inner circle, felt pity for this girl, or perhaps she was simply growing tired of the life she led. She went into the bathroom, put cold water on a facecloth and returned to Jordan's side, where she mopped her forehead, and gently untangled her hair.
"Please," Jordan whispered, frantically, "please tell him to let me go. I-I don't know anything. I haven't done anything wrong?"
"But you plotted against the Dark Lord's life!" Narcissa wondered if the girl was faking naiveté, or truly had no clue of what she had done. "That is a crime worthy of capital punishment."
"Lord Voldemort made me a horcrux. I would have died!"
"That is the price you should pay to swear allegiance to him. It is an honor!" Narcissa stood then, feeling defensiveness rise in her like bile. "How can you not know this? Surely, all of the rumor cannot be true. Have you been living as a Muggle all these years?"
Jordan closed her eyes, covered her face with her hands. If only she could go back to those days, those simple, uncluttered days of regular earthly problems: making ends meet, struggling with a diet or squabbling with relatives.
"Please, Mrs. Malfoy. I'm of no use to him. Let me go!"
"I-I can't, girl. You are under house arrest until the Dark Lord says otherwise." It was then Narcissa remembered that her husband went to see him. "You must have told my husband something. He left here to give a report. What was it you said?"
"Nothing…I couldn't speak. The pain…" Just thinking back on it made her weep.
"Well, just rest now. I'll leave you to sleep."
Jordan watched the woman go, wanted to say something else, but couldn't remember what it was. As the door closed and the light from the hallway faded to blackness, she could only close her eyes.
She wondered what Harry was doing. Did he know that she was a prisoner of Lord Voldemort? Would he even care if she was? How hurt was he by their fight? She had to find a way out of this, not just sit back and wait to be rescued.
Gingerly, she got to her feet. She lost her balance immediately, but caught herself before she hit the floor. Her eyes had adjusted and she began to search for a way out. The windows were bolted shut and no amount of magic would undo them. Jordan ran her fingers under shelves and along picture frames, thinking maybe she would find something to release her, some trap door or secret compartment.
Just then, she noticed something in the mirror over the dark cherry bureau. Her reflection wasn't there; it was empty. She ran her hands along the outside, then touched the glass. Near the center, the surface became like water. Jordan let her hand go into the sensation-less liquid, felt a pulling. Instantly, she withdrew it.
Should she try it? Should she take the risk of what she might find in the mirror? Playing with magic was dangerous—even she knew that. What if she ended up somewhere from which she could never return? Or worse yet, what if the mirror took her directly to Lord Voldemort? Then again, the mirror could be another method of traveling from place to place, like Floo Powder…it could be her only way of escaping.
Before being given the chance to make up her mind, Jordan heard footsteps. Quickly, she got back into bed and closed her eyes. It would have to wait. Still, her heart lifted. Perhaps, there was a way out after all.