Chapter 8
The Request

"Jamie… Jamie!" Jane said, "Are you even listening to what I am saying?"

"Huh… what?" Jamie asked, "Oh, sorry. I just got some things on my mind."

"I was just saying," Jane said, "It is a really nice day out today, and if you wanted to, we could spend it all day outside. This could be one of the last nice days of the year, you know."

"Yeah… all right," said Jamie, "Whatever."

It was Saturday morning in the great hall, and Jamie wasn't listening to much of what her friend was talking about. Romeo had just walked into the Great Hall. Jamie smirked quickly at Romeo and looked back down at her half-eaten bacon. Would she be able to tell Romeo about the dream she had? What would he think of it? Would he think she was losing her mind? Jamie wanted to know the answers to these questions. But she was afraid to tell the boy she was secretly dating that she had a dream about him, and that in her dream he was dead!

It just isn't the right thing to tell your boyfriend, Jamie, a voice in Jamie's mind said.

But he would want to know, wouldn't he?

He would probably break up with you if you told him!

He wouldn't do that!

This is Romeo Malfoy we are talking about!

Romeo is sweet… he wouldn't break up with me over a little dream I had. Fine, I am going to tell him!

Fine… have it your way…

But when and how Jamie could tell Romeo was a whole different story. There Romeo was, talking to his friends whom, as far as Jamie knew, knew nothing about their best friend's fling with Jamie Potter, and Jamie couldn't talk to him without causing questions she knew she wouldn't want to answer. Unless…

Jamie then had an idea.

"Uh, guys?" Jamie said to her friends, "I will be right back. I just remembered I need to talk to Professor Lupin."

"My Dad's eating breakfast right now," said Joseph, "It can probably wait."

Blast! Jamie thought, spotting Professor Lupin sitting at the Professor's table.

"Oh yes, I guess it can," Jamie said, in a defeated tone.

"Why do you want to talk to my Dad anyway?" Joseph asked.

"I uh… just remembered he was going to lend me a book," said Jamie, "But I will wait till after breakfast."

This was true. Professor Lupin did say he was going to try and find that Muggle book for Jamie. But this was the least of Jamie's worries. This was just supposed to be a decoy to get herself away from her friends, and maybe lure Romeo toward her! Jamie knew right away this might be the start of a very long day. She already had promised Jane that she would spend the day with her, Joseph and Alice, which she now regretted doing.

That's what you get for having your mind too full of stuff, the voice in her head said.

Yeah, my mind is too crowded with thoughts I guess. Wait… that's it!

A sudden thought entered Jamie's mind. A couple years back Jamie's father told her about a certain item that had been given to him after Albus Dumbledore had died: The Pensieve. The Pensieve had remained at Hogwarts and the only way to get to it was with McGonagall's permission.

Jamie looked up at the Professor's table. Professor McGonagall was sitting there eating breakfast. Jamie had to talk to her. This might be the only chance all day. Besides, it would give her a chance to talk to Professor Lupin as well. Jamie stood up and began walking toward the Professor's table, getting odd looks from Jane, Joseph and Alice as she left the table.

"Yes, Miss Potter?" Professor McGonagall asked as Jamie walked up to the table, "May I help you?"

"Maybe," Jamie said, "Professor, I was wondering if could ask you something? Not really a question… more of a favor."

"Of course, Miss Potter," McGonagall said.

"I was wondering if I could… use my father's Pensieve?" Jamie asked, not really sure about the answer.

"Oh, yes, your father did tell me that you knew about it," McGonagall said.

"Yeah, he told me about it," said Jamie.

"And you need to use it?" McGonagall asked.

"Yeah, I guess," said Jamie, "I find I have too many things racing through my mind right now."

"Like… a certain dream you were telling me about?" Professor Lupin asked, "Sorry, I just happened to be listening in."

"Dream?" McGonagall asked, looking from Jamie, to Lupin, then back to Jamie, "May I ask what this dream was about?"

"I don't really want to talk about it," said Jamie.

"Well, the reason I am asking this, Miss Potter," said McGonagall, "Is because it is very hard to put a memory of a dream inside a Pensieve unless it was a very vivid one."

"Vivid?" Jamie asked, confused.

"Did it seem real?" McGonagall asked, "Was it one of those dreams that you could have swore was real?"

Jamie didn't know how to answer this. So she told the truth.

"Well, I woke up and I didn't know where I was," said Jamie, "I was actually in my dormitory… but I felt… weird."

"Then your mind made you think that it was real?" McGonagall asked, "I may not be a dream interpreter but there is certain things I do know about dreams. They can seem very real. All right… I want to hear more about this dream, and I want you to be the one who tells me. Tomorrow night, I want you to meet me in my office. There I will decide if it is right for you to use the Pensieve."

Jamie was kind of shocked about this request. All she wanted to do was clear her mind a bit, and it led to a meeting with McGonagall!

"You may have gotten permission from your father to use the Pensieve when you wish," said McGonagall, "But it just so happens to be in my office and it was also once owned by my very dear friend. I want to see that it is properly used. This is why I requested you to come to my office tomorrow night. Do you understand, Miss Potter?"

"Yes, Professor," said Jamie.

"Then I will see you tomorrow night," said McGonagall, "How about Seven p.m. sharp? Password is Bumblebee."

Jamie could have screamed out loud if it wasn't for the fact that she was standing in the middle of the Great Hall, and there were about half the student body and many professors there as well. But she stopped herself and walked down the middle of the tables, passing her friends, and leaving the Great Hall.

This is not what she wanted at all! There were too many things rushing through her mind and all she had wanted to do was clear it a bit. Between the dream she had, and the thoughts about her secret relationship she was having with Romeo Malfoy, Jamie's mind felt like it was about to explode. And it didn't help that she also had her schoolwork to worry about as well. And now she had to worry about what would happen at that meeting she was going to have with Professor McGonagall. Jamie couldn't just not show up. This was a meeting with the Headmistress of the school. A meeting the Headmistress requested just because Jamie decided to open her big mouth!

"Jamie?" a voice said behind her.

Jamie turned around. Romeo was standing at the bottom of the stairs.

"Are you okay, Jamie?" he asked, "I saw you walk out of the Great Hall. It seemed like you looked a bit mad."

"It's… nothing," said Jamie, "Okay, it's everything."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Romeo asked.

"Talk about it?" Jamie replied, "Here?"

"We could go down to the lake," said Romeo, "No one would see us. Everyone is either up in their dorm or in the Great Hall."

"Well…," said Jamie.

This is the one person you really need to talk to, Jamie! the voice in Jamie's head said, Say yes!

"Well?" Romeo said.

"Fine," Jamie said, "Let's go."

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A few minutes later, Jamie and Romeo arrived at the lakeshore and sat down on a large log.

"This is one of my favorite places to go," Romeo said, "It gives me a place to think."

"Yeah, it is really nice," Jamie said.

"So?" Romeo asked, "Are you going to tell me about this certain dream you had?"

"Well…" said Jamie. She then realized what he asked. "Wait… what? How do you know about that?" Jamie asked, standing up.

"Okay, I am sorry," said Romeo, "I er… read your mind again. You looked like you were upset. I wanted to know what you were upset about."

"Didn't you ever think that I didn't want to talk about the dream I had?" Jamie said, "I mean… maybe I didn't want to bring it up."

"Okay, don't get so defensive," said Romeo.

"You are the one going through my mind!" said Jamie, "And I don't mean that in a good way!"

Jamie walked over to the lakeshore, picked up a rock and threw it into the lake.

"Careful, Jamie!" said Romeo, "You don't want to wake up the Giant Squid!"

"I don't care about no stupid old Giant Squid, Romeo!" said Jamie, furiously, tears falling down her cheeks, "Here I am, trying to sort out what is going on in my mind and you decide to intrude. Just because you know Legillimency, doesn't mean you need to use it on me!"

"I already said I am sorry," said Romeo, "Holy Merlin, I mean, what is so bad about this dream that you didn't want to tell me about it?"

"In my dream, you die!" Jamie said, still furious, "Okay? Happy? Yeah, I didn't like it either!"

Jamie walked off, heading back toward the castle. Behind her, she heard Romeo say "It doesn't mean it is going to happen, Jamie! I don't know why you are so mad at me!"

Jamie continued to walk and didn't stop until she reached the castle. When she walked in, she nearly ran over Jane, Joseph and Alice.

"Whoa, Jamie," Jane said, "Slow down. What is wrong?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Jamie said, her cheeks still red from her crying, "I am going up to my dorm and I want to be alone! You guys go have your fun!"

Jamie didn't give her friends time to reply. Instead she ran up the stairs and headed for the grand staircase leading to the seventh floor. A few minutes later she reached the painting (Buttercup!) and rushed into the Common room, passing her brother and cousin who were playing wizard's chess and ran up to her dorm, where she spent the next few hours crying and deep in thought. The world's biggest Pensieve couldn't help her now.

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Well... that chapter was full of attitude... how did you like it?

Feedback appreciated... as always.