Did you know…..
If you yelled for 8 years, 7 months and 6 days you would have produced enough sound energy to heat up one cup of coffee.
(Hardly seems worth it.)
If you farted constantly for 6 years and 9 months, enough gas is produced to create the energy of an atomic bomb.
(Now that's more like it.)
The human heart creates enough pressure when it pumps out to the body to squirt blood 30 feet.
(Oh my God!)
A pig's orgasm lasts 30 minutes.
(In my next life, I want to be a pig.)
A cockroach will live 9 days with out its head before it starves to death.
(Creepy, but I'm still not over the pig.)
Banging your head on the wall burns 150 calories an hour.
(Do not try this at home…maybe at work.)
The male praying mantis cannot copulate while its head is still attached to its body. The female initiates sex by ripping the male's head off.
("Honey, I'm home. What the…?")
The flea can jump 350 times its body length. It's like a human jumping the length of a football field.
(30 minutes…lucky pig…can you imagine???)
The catfish has over 27,000 taste buds.
(What could be so tasty on the bottom of a pond?)
Some lions mate over 50 times a day.
(I still want to be a pig in my next life…quality over quantity)
Butterflies taste with they're feet.
(Something I've always wanted to know.)
The strongest muscle in the body is the tongue.
(Hmmm…)
Right-handed people live, on average, 9 years longer than left-handed people.
(If your ambidextrous, do you split the difference?)
Elephants are the only animals that cannot jump.
(Okay, so that would be a good thing...)
A cat's urine glows under a black light.
(I wonder who was paid to figure that out?)
An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.
(I know some people like that…)
Starfish have no brains.
(I know some people like that too.)
Polar bears are left-handed.
(If they switch they'll live longer.)
Humans and dolphins are the only species that have sex for pleasure.
(What about the pig???)
Lone ChildChapter 16: Aftermath and an Arrival
James was out of the hospital wing very early the next morning. Madam Pomfrey was well aware of his healing abilities; she and Dragon had been friends for years, so she saw no reason to keep him. She told him to take it easy in Quidditch practice but that he was under no restrictions. She had no idea that he knew about what had happened to the youngest Weasley brother.
He ran up to his room, dropped Jewel on his bed, and grabbed some clean clothes and robes to wear before jumping in the shower. After washing all of the dirt and grime out of his hair he turned the water off. After getting dressed and brushing his hair he picked up Jewel.
You sure you want to come? asked James.
Yes, said Jewel slithering up his arm and wrapping herself loosely around his neck.
James walked over to Dray's bed and opened the curtain. Obviously Dray had gotten up early so James continued on his way to the Great hall. When he entered he immediately picked out the group of Hunter's. All of them were present and James spotted a teary eyed Ginny sitting with grim twins.
He sat in his normal seat next to Triss. "Ron was attacked last night. Snape pulled Gin out of her dorm at 6:30 this morning and took her down to the infirmary. She said that you were already gone by the time she, the twins, and Percy had gotten there. Did you here anything?" asked Triss.
"Yeah, I was still awake when they brought him in a little after curfew. Evans said she found him staring blankly into a window. What ever this thing is it's bad. I thought it was a Basilisk at first but there are no living ones on record and Jewel would have told me about it," said James motioning to the snake just inside of his robes.
"I thought so to. Gin's taking it real hard though. Why don't you go talk to her? Her brothers have they're own stuff to deal with," said Triss pointing to the teary eyed Ginny.
James nodded and stood from his seat. He walked down to where Fred and George were sitting with Gin between them and sat opposite of them. "How are you holding up?" he asked.
"This sucks! Why would anything go after him? As much of a jackass as he is he didn't deserve this," sobbed Ginny throwing herself on James. James, not that surprised, held her and rubbed her back with out saying anything, he just let her cry.
"Did the Headmaster give you guys a grievance day?" asked James, Ginny still crying into his chest.
"Dumbledore didn't but Snape talked to Evans and she agreed to it," said Fred.
"Dumbledore can be such an inconsiderate bastard sometimes," said George furiously.
James nodded. "Gin, I'm going to take you back to your room now alright," said James picking her up. She was small so didn't weigh all that much so James had no problem carrying her. Thankfully she wouldn't be bothered much in her dorm as she shared one with Mel.
When he reached the dungeons Ginny had cried her self to sleep. Unlike most men James had a kind of gift that allowed people, mostly women, to feel at ease around him. This had really helped him with Triss when he had found her. She seemed to have a built in defense mechanism that caused her conscious mind to go deep into her mind to protect her self.
That was one of the endless reasons James was so protective of her. He wasn't kidding when he told Snape that if she were to retreat into her mind even he probably wouldn't be able to draw her out like he had the first time.
"Cobra," said James. The wall to the common room swung open and James walked in with Gin still curled up in his arms. He easily gained access to the staircase that lead up to the girl's dorms and into Ginny's own dorm. Pulling the blanket down he placed Gin's lithe form on the bed and pulled the blanket up to her chin.
"Mr. Cage," came a voice from the door.
"Yes sir?" asked James turning to look at the dark form of the potions master.
"You, as well as Ms. Crew, Ms. Summers and Mr. Malfoy have been granted the day off to help with the Weasleys. Molly and Arthur Weasley will arrive sometime between now and 12 this afternoon, Ms. Crew will accompany them to the hospital wing. Mr. Malfoy and Ms. Summers are watching over the remaining Weasleys to make sure they don't do anything rash. I suggest you stay with young Ms. Weasley until someone comes to get you," said Snape before exiting the room.
James summoned a chair and a book before sitting down and reading while he waited. An hour or so later the door of the room burst open and a very pissed looking Mel burst in. "Oh, sorry. I thought someone would have come up for you by now," said Mel calming herself a bit.
"It's alright. Just try and keep your voice down, I don't want to wake Gin. She's taking the whole thing with her brother really hard," said James in a low voice.
"I'm not surprised. She and her brother were really close before he left for Hogwarts. They kind of grew apart after that but she still loves him and vise versa, even if they don't show it," said Mel sitting down on her bed.
"I'm sure. I'd probably go nuts if something happened to Triss. Anyway, what's gotten you so pissed off?" asked James.
"Damn Lockhart. You would think Dumbledork would have fired him after that display on the pitch yesterday but no. Old bastard just lets him have free reign. I swear if he so much as looks at me the wrong way again I'll make the son of a bitch wish he were in hell," hissed Mel.
"What did he do?" asked James. He hated Lockhart with a passion and if there were grounds to have him removed from the school he would take it. He would have contacted Lucius about the previous day had there been any rules against teachers physically assaulting students.
Sadly there was no rule against a teacher/student relationship or unwanted sexual contact so if Lockhart was assaulting Mel sexually there was little that could be done unless he went as far as to rape her, even then it was a long shot to get him in trouble with all of his publicity.
"He keeps grapping my ass and other places of the like. It's really starting to piss me off and there are no rules against it in this world. Nothing can really be done unless he rapes me in which case he might as well dig his own way to hell because it would be less painful. I can't contact me parents because they're dead and I can't fight back because there are rules against that. Guy's a pedophile through and through," said Mel rubbing his temples.
"Have you told Snape?" asked James.
"Yes, he said that unless he went further than the little ass grab here and there nothing could be done. Taking it to Dumbledore would be little to no use because Lockhart is practically his lap dog and wouldn't do any thing about it. Personally I hope what ever petrified Ron gets Lockhart as well, it would serve him right," said Mel bitterly.
"Best not to wish things on people, sometimes it doesn't come out the way you want it to," said James.
"Sure O' King of philosophy," said Mel sarcastically.
"Don't worry your self over Lockhart. You and I both know that if he did any thing to really hurt you, you could royal kick his ass," said James smirking.
"You're probably right but I'd rather not, Dumbledore would have me out of the school before you could say 'chocolate frog', and I really don't have any where else to go. I'll die before I go back to that damn orphanage," Mel said cringing.
"Then were are you planning on staying this summer?" James asked.
"Gin offered to let me stay with her, but she hasn't asked her parents yet. They may not want a Slytherin in they're house," said Mel.
"Well if you need a place to stay just let me know. My guardian loves kids so he doesn't mind Triss and I having people over. Plus the house is huge, the only problem we might have is where it is but if that comes to be a problem I can always use one of my foster parent's old houses. They were very wealthy before they passed," said James.
"How did they die?" Mel asked.
"They were murdered by Voldemort. I managed to get out of the house before he incinerated it. I think he was rather pissed that he was one-upped by a 5-year-old supposedly muggle kid. He tried to come after me but he was brought down before he could find me, but even if he somehow figured out where I was a seriously doubt he would be able to get to me," said James.
"You're an elf then?" asked Mel smirking.
"How did-"
"Your not the only one with special talents. I can just short of read peoples minds. It's not telepathy but a form of Legilimency, but not like Snape and the headmasters but something a little different, and unblockable," said Mel smirking at James's shocked look.
"So that's way your auras different than everyone else's," said James. Mel nodded as the door of the room opened. A smirking Professor Lockhart entered the room. His smirk died a bit when he saw James and the sleeping Gin but that didn't sway him.
"May I ask what you are doing in the girls dorms Mr. Cage?" he asked.
"Professor Snape told me to come up here to watch over Gin and make sure she didn't do anything rash. May I ask what you're doing here?" asked James.
"Professor Evans sent me up here to retrieve Ms. Weasley as her parents have arrived. Since you are here and have been ordered to watch her you can take her down to the hospital wing," said Lockhart.
"Alright," said James. "Gin, your parents are here. Time to get up," he said shaking her slightly.
Ginny wearily opened one of her eyes before slowly sitting up. "Alright," she said stretching and standing up.
"Come on Mel," said James leading Gin out of the dorm.
"Actually I have matters to discuss with Ms. Crew," said Lockhart. Mel shot a pleading look at James.
"That will have to wait. She is the Weasley's guide," said James grabbing Mel's arm and pulling her out of the dorm along with Gin. He pulled them into a small passage so Lockhart couldn't find them.
"Is Lockhart stalking you again Mel?" Gin asked.
"Yeah," said Mel.
"That bastard should just leave you alone. You're not even 12 yet and he's trying to molest you. It's sick!" said Ginny.
"You don't have to tell me that. If we were in the muggle world he would be locked always for 15 or more years. I still don't know why there aren't laws against that," said Mel.
"It's because of wedlock. Some pureblooded lines set their children in arranged marriages. Most of the time the wed locked couple are around the same age but sometimes the female child is more than 30 years younger than the male, never the other way around. In those instances families had signed contracts that every female child would go with a male child in that generation, no matter the age difference. It doesn't happen that often but it has in the past.
"Plus, the wizarding world has a dangerously low population because people are so concerned with blood lines that they inbreed with each other making that generation or the next squibs. As far as the ministry is concerned the more wizards born the better, no matter how they are conceived. I heard a few months ago the ministry is going to try and ban abortion, no matter the circumstances or age of the mother," said James opening another passage door.
"Isn't that stupid though? The wizarding population can't be in so much trouble that the ministry would over look rape and then not allow a woman who conceived a child get rid of it, would they?" asked Mel.
"They're going to try. I know a lot of Ministry workers will go for it but I don't know about anyone else. Plus, this is only in the British Isles. I don't think they could easily pass it anywhere else," said James.
Several twisted passages later they arrived in the hall the hospital wing was located in. "How did you find that passage?" asked Ginny.
"A little snake told me," said James.
The two girls giggled a bit, not knowing that what he said was true. "We're here," he said pulling open the infirmary doors and allowing the two girls to enter in front of him.
The atmosphere inside the hospital wing was grim. A redheaded woman sat next to the bed where Ron Weasley laid, eyes vacantly open and stiff. Gin stifled a sob and buried herself in James's chest again. The woman must have heard the muffled sob and turned around to see James holding the tearful Gin.
"What are you doing here?" the woman demanded. This was obviously Mrs. Weasley.
Gin stopped sobbing and turned to look at her mother. "I came to see you," said Gin in a light, almost pleading voice.
"This is no place for a little girl to be in. Out!" said Mrs. Weasley angrily shooing the trio out. Outside of the hospital wing Gin broke down into tears once again.
"What's wrong with Mrs. Weasley?" James asked Mel.
"The whole Weasley family, bar Bill, Charlie and the twins, didn't take her getting into Slytherin well. I guess Gin thought that if she saw her mother face to face they would get along," said Mel sadly.
"I'll never understand large families," said James grabbing Gin under the knees and picking her up, as she sobbed into his chest completely oblivious, for the second time that day.
"Me neither. They have no idea how lucky they are to even have a family. It's so stupid! Fighting over something so senseless," said Mel.
"Yeah, but what ever floats they're boat. Have you seen the rest of the pack yet?" James asked.
"Last I checked Percy was off with his girlfriend, Penny Clearwater, I think her name was. Triss was busy keeping the twins from killing something or going after whatever the monster is and Dray was taking Mr. Weasley to go see Dumbledork," said Mel, thankful for the change in subjects.
James glanced worriedly at Mel. "Do you happen to know what Triss was doing to keep the twins out of trouble?" he asked.
"I think they were going over some ideas for the you-know-what at Christmas," Mel replied impishly.
James smiled to himself. The 'you-know-what' was the little prank on Dumbledore at Christmas. So far they had formed very few ideas on how to annoy the old man. One option was to turn the headmasters whole wardrobe black and make it stay that way for a few months but the group doubted that that would really get on his nerves. Another option was to charm Dumbledore, Potter, and Lockhart to do a very embarrassing song and dance routine.
"Follow me," James said suddenly turning into a secret passage for the second time that day.
"What's wrong?" asked Mel.
"Lockhart was about to come around the corner, most likely looking for you. Try and stay away from him. Don't go into any closed rooms with him either. If he corners you just call out for me in your head and I'll come," said James.
"How?" Mel asked curiously.
'I'm telepathic,' James thought to here.
Mel jumped when James's voice entered her mind. "Cool!" she said aloud.
"Yeah, I love that little trick. As I said if you need me or anyone else in the group just call out. Triss can sense your emotions so you can do that if you ever need her, alright," said James. Mel nodded.
By this time they had arrived back in Mel and Gin's dorm. James set Gin back in the bed and pulled the covers over her. Like earlier she had cried herself into a deep slumber.
Review responses:
Athenakitty: Yes, Yes, yes…..
ER: You'll hate Lockhart even more before the year is out. The guy is a perverted creep.
ZeonReborn: No Lockhart will not be fired because as you can see above the wizarding world is lacking in quite a few rules and laws. Good to know you like Florida.
Darcey: Thanks.
Jordan: Yes and thanks.
Lady Phoenix Slytherin: Thanks.