Chapter 16
A Date in Detention

Detention. For the first time since fourth year, Jamie Potter had recieved a detention. But this time she hadn't deserved it.

Jamie was staring up at the top of her four-poster bed, trying to clear her mind of the meeting she had with Professor McGonagall. It had been nearly an hour ago but Professor McGonagall's office was still in Jamie's mind...

Flashback begins:

Madam Pomfrey, Jamie, Romeo and the others arrived at the door of Professor McGonagall's office. Madam Pomfrey knocked on the door, and they waited for an answer. As they waited, Jamie looked around at her friends. Would they all be serving a detention? Alice, whom had never been in a detention in her life, was only there because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. She had done nothing to Jasmine. Richie hadn't done anything to Jasmine as well. He was also there for no reason. James was only there because, like many other times, he had stood up for his older sister. No... Jamie felt that only herself and Romeo needed to serve these detentions. Jamie was sure that it was because of her that Romeo cursed Jasmine Nott. Why else would he do it?

The door opened and Professor McGonagall was standing in the doorway. She looked at Madam Pomfrey, then to the other students.

"What is the meaning of this?" McGonagall said in her stern voice, "Is something wrong?"

"Professor McGonagall," Madam Pomfrey said, "Can we please come in? I will tell you about everything inside."

"Yes, of course," Professor McGonagall said, letting Madam Pomfrey, Jamie and the other students in. "Now, what is going on?" McGonagall said, after closing the door.

"Well," Madam Pomfrey said, "I was tending to the patients in the Hospital Wing and I heard a commotion outside the door. I opened the door to see what was going on, and I find these students, as well as Jasmine Nott. Miss Nott was on the ground in the full body-bind. Miss Potter's wand was out when I had discovered them."

"Well, Miss Potter?" McGonagall said, looking from Madam Pomfrey to Jamie, "What do you have to say?"

"Well, Professor," Jamie said, trying to figure out how to tell her side of the story.

"It was self-defense, Professor!" Romeo said.

"Mr. Malfoy?" McGonagall asked.

"It was self-defense, Professor," Romeo repeated, "I had come to visit Joseph Lupin in the Hospital Wing and I had discovered Jasmine Nott pointing her wand at James and Jamie. I couldn't let them get hurt..."

McGonagall looked from Romeo to Jamie, then to James.

"Is this correct?" she asked.

James nodded.

"Alice and Richie had nothing to do with it," Jamie said, "They had joined James and I. We were going to go back to the Common Room and Jasmine confronted us."

McGonagall paused, then looked at Alice and Richie. She then turned her attention to Madam Pomfrey.

"Madam Pomfrey," McGonagall said, "I know you need to tend to your patients, so you can leave if you want. And... please take Mr. Weasley and Miss Longbottom with you. Make sure they go to their common room."

Jamie looked from Romeo to James with a surprised look.

"Yes, mam," Madam Pomfrey said, "Come on, you two."

Alice and Richie didn't say a word. They followed Madam Pomfrey out of the office. Jamie turned back to McGonagall.

"I am seriously disappointed in all three of you," McGonagall said.

"Professor, it was in self-defense!" Jamie said.

Professor McGonagall raised a hand to stop Jamie. "I thought that all three of you would have known better than to use magic without permission," she said, "Especially you two, Jamie and James. Gryffindors are supposed to know better than this. And I thought your father would have taught you better."

"I was the only one who cast a spell Professor," Romeo said, "Jamie was going to defend herself and her brother, but I... beat her to it."

"That may be," said Professor McGonagall, "But the three of you should know better than to fight in the halls. You know you should report these things to one of the staff. Madam Pomfrey was feet from you. But you decided to take the matter into your own hands. So, as punishment, you will all serve a detention..."

Jamie sighed and closed her eyes.

"A Detention tomorrow night," Professor McGonagall continued, "James, you will help Madam Pomfrey with her cleaning of the Hospital Wing."

James groaned.

"As for you two," McGonagall said, turning to Romeo and Jamie, "You will help Professor Lupin with whatever he needs. You all are to report to your detentions at seven-o-clock sharp. Do you understand?"

Jamie, Romeo, and James nodded silently in understanding.

End Flashback

Jamie still couldn't believe it. It was true, she was happy that Alice and Richie didn't get into trouble, but she still had detention. Jamie clinched her hands into fists at the very thought of why she had recieved detention. If Jasmine Nott hadn't confronted her, Jamie wouldn't have recieved a detention. Was Jasmine going to get a detention as well? It was probable, but a detention still wasn't the right punishment for Jasmine. She had almost cursed Jamie and her brother! She wasn't going to get away with that.

Suddenly, a sound of the dormitory door creaking was heard, followed by a happy-sounding hum. Jamie sighed loud enough, hoping that whoever was intruding on her thinking time would go away.

"Jamie?" It was Jane's voice. "Jamie, is that you?"

"Yeah, it is me," Jamie said.

"I don't think my day could get any better, Jamie," Jane said, "Joseph and I are back together... and, if you believe it, Jasmine Nott is in the Hospital Wing! Last time I saw her, she was stiff as a board!"

Jamie rolled her eyes. Jane opened the curtains around Jamie's bed.

"Jamie?" Jane said, "What's the matter?"

"I am the reason Jasmine Nott is in the Hospital Wing," Jamie said.

"What?" Jane said.

"Long story," Jamie said.

"Oh, come on," Jane said, "I want to hear it."

"It's not as great as it sounds," Jamie said, "Well, you remember when I left the Hospital Wing with James, Richie and Alice... you know, to give you alone time with Joseph."

"Of course," Jane said.

"Well, Jasmine happened to show up," Jamie said.

"And?" Jane asked, urging Jamie to continue.

"She started being herself," Jamie said, "You know... 'Potty' this and 'Don't cross me' that."

"What did you do?" Jane said.

"I didn't do anything," Jamie said.

"I don't believe that," Jane said.

"I didn't," Jamie said, "I would have... but James stepped in. He defended me... well, actually he defended you and Joseph."

"How?" Jane asked.

"How else?" Jamie said, "Nott was bad-mouthing you and Joseph. So James butted in. Well anyway, Nott got angry and whipped out her wand. I took out my wand but Nott had gotten cursed by someone else."

"Really? Who?" Jane said.

"Romeo Malfoy," Jamie said, trying to not sound too proud.

"He was the one who put Jasmine in the full body-bind?" Jane asked, surprised.

Jamie smirked. "But then it gets bad from there," she said.

"What do you mean?" Jane asked.

"Pomfrey found us," Jamie said, "And well... she tended to Jasmine, bringing her into the Hospital Wing. And then came back and took us to Professor McGongall's office."

"Oh, no..." Jane said, covering her mouth with both hands, "Did Malfoy rat you out or something? Say you did everything? I mean, I am sure McGonagall knows what kind of a feud you have with Nott. She probably would have believed Romeo..."

"No!" Jamie said, "Malfoy was actually nice about it."

Jane raised an eyebrow.

"He said he defended us," Jamie continued, "But McGonagall wouldn't have it. Alice and Richie got off with no punishment. But... the rest of us have detentions. James has to spend his detention helping Madam Pomfrey clean the Hospital Wing, and... Romeo and I have to serve our detention with Professor Lupin."

"Oh, I don't envy you!" Jane said, in a disgusted tone, "Two hours or so with Romeo Malfoy!"

Jamie said nothing. Jane was right! Jamie was going to be able to spend two hours with Romeo Malfoy! Maybe this detention wasn't so bad after all...

"When do you have to serve these detentions?" Jane asked.

"Huh?" Jamie asked, still deep in thought about Romeo and the detention, "Oh, tomorrow night. Seven-o-clock."

"That soon, eh?" Jane said, "Well, maybe you will be lucky and Romeo will leave you alone."

Jamie smirked. "Yeah, maybe," she said.

"Well, I am going to go back downstairs," Jane said, "Oh, I am so happy right now. Not about your detention, of course."

"Of course," said Jamie.

Jane smiled and closed the curtains around Jamie's bed. Jamie laid back down on the bed and sighed. She was going to be able to spend more time with Romeo. Even if it is in detention with Professor Lupin. At that last thought, Jamie bolted up. Detention with Professor Lupin? He knows about her relationship with Romeo!

"Oh, yeah, Jamie," Jamie said to herself, in a sarcastic tone, "This is going to be really fun."

Jamie rolled her eyes and laid back down on the bed.

---------------------------------------

It was nearing seven-o-clock the next night, and Jamie was standing outside Professor Lupin's office.

"Well, I guess Professor McGonagall doesn't know about our relationship," said a voice, "Otherwise she wouldn't have put us two together in the same detention."

Jamie turned her head and saw Romeo walking towards her.

"Yeah... nice to see you too," Jamie said.

"Jamie, why aren't you happy?" Romeo said, "This thing isn't like a detention at all. It is like a date... in a classroom."

"Romeo," Jamie said, "Do I have to remind you? Professor Lupin knows about our relationship!"

Romeo's eyes widened at this. "I...er, forgot about that," he said.

"And do I have to remind you that Professor Lupin is one of my father's best friends?" Jamie asked.

"So what?" Romeo said.

"Romeo," Jamie said, rolling her eyes, "I am basically like a daughter to Professor Lupin. And you are... basically... a boy coming over to dinner to meet my parents!"

"What in Merlin's world are you talking about, Jamie," Romeo said.

"Two words, Romeo," Jamie said, "The... Talk."

"What?... oh," Romeo said, a look of understanding lighting his face.

"Professor Lupin may have promised not tell my father about this," Jamie said, "But it doesn't mean this is a free ride."

The door of the office opened and Professor Lupin walked out.

"Oh, good," he said, "You are both here. Come on in."

Jamie and Romeo followed Lupin into the office.

"First of all, I would like to say that I am very dis-pleased with the both of you," Lupin said, "Haven't I taught you enough in over six years of Defense Against the Dark Arts? I taught you to control your magic, not use it for fun."

"I was defending Jamie, Professor," Romeo said.

"Yes, yes," Lupin said, "McGonagall has told me everything. But that still doesn't mean you have to throw curses at anyone who threatens Jamie just because she is your girlfriend!"

"Can we leave that out of this?" Romeo asked, "It has nothing to do with this detention."

"Oh, it has everything to do with the detention, Mr. Malfoy," Lupin said, "Tell me... would you be here if you weren't dating Jamie?"

"I would have defended Jamie either way!" Romeo said, "She was in danger. I may be a Slytherin, Professor Lupin, but I do not sit around while people are in danger. Who do you think I am... my father?"

Jamie's mouth opened in shock. Romeo never talked like this in front of a teacher before!

"Your father has nothing to do with this," Lupin said.

"Oh, but my relationship with Jamie does?" Romeo said, "This is why we were keeping our relationship secret, Professor. This is why, unfortunately, you are the only one who knows about it. We didn't even tell our friends, Professor. Because we knew we wouldn't be left alone if we did."

Professor Lupin put his hands together as if in prayer. He stared at Romeo for a few seconds, then began to talk.

"Why do you want to keep this relationship of yours secret?" he asked.

"I already told you," Romeo began.

"Do you know about Harry Potter's history with your father?" Lupin asked him.

"You said my father has nothing to do with this," Romeo said.

"Do you know about the history between..." Lupin began.

"Yes, I know the history between my father and Jamie's father!" Romeo said, standing up, "My father has never been to Azkaban because he is fighting for revenge. I know this. My grandfather was killed because of something connected with Harry Potter, and my father wants revenge. I am afraid for Jamie's life if my father finds out about us. How do you think my father would react if he knew I was dating his enemy's daughter?"

Professor Lupin paused at this. He was, in fact, speechless.

"Exactly, Professor," Romeo said, "Now you know why we are keeping our relationship secret."

"Well, that still doesn't excuse the fact for you fighting in the halls," Lupin said. Romeo was about speak, but Lupin interrupted him, "Self-defense or not, it was still fighting. The Ministry is trying to cease all fighting, are here you are cursing people in the halls."

"You make it sound like I do it all time, Professor," Romeo said, "Like I am some kind of bad person."

"I never said that, Romeo," Lupin said, "I know you are not a bad person. You were only put in Slytherin because of your Malfoy blood. I know that. But, it was still fighting, and this is still punishment. Now, I really don't have anything for you to do in here for me... so I want you two to go down to the Trophey room and polish the trophies."

Romeo and Jamie were about to complain, but they saw the look on Lupin's face.

"Yes, sir," Jamie said.

Romeo just nodded and followed Jamie out of the office.

"That was an interesting conversation," Jamie said as she walked down the hall with Romeo.

"Interesting?" Romeo said, "Jamie, I don't think Lupin likes me that much. You saw how he was... all I did yesterday was defend you and now we have to polish trophies for it!"

"What are you talking about, Romeo?" Jamie said, "Professor Lupin likes you."

"I am just saying this, Jamie," Romeo said, "I think it is going to get worse from here."

"I highly doubt that," Jamie said.

"You still remember what I asked you to promise me, right?" Romeo said, "About my father..."

"Of course, Romeo," Jamie said.

"Good, because I don't want you to forget it," Romeo said.

Jamie didn't say anything, but took Romeo's hand in response. Romeo smirked at her, and they went to serve their detention.

Aww, Lupin is playing father figure! How sweet! Next chapter is Halloween! Will there be tricks or treats? Or Both... you will have to find out.

Feedback appreciated...