Chapter 3.6 (POV Jo)
Cas keeps looking over her shoulder, paranoid as all hell for absolutely no reason. Well, I guess she sorta has a reason, but not a good one. Well, not in my mind, at least. We're walking around Hogsmede, not for the first time this year- not even the first time this winter. But this is the first time we've come here when we're actually allowed here. I'm enjoying every second, walking freely and all but basking in the sunlight despite how cold it actually is. Meanwhile Cas has her cloak wrapped tight around her, hood up and everything. She looks ridiculous, andI'm glad for both her sake and mine she's hiding her face.
George and Fred are with us too, obviously. While Cas does her thing we're all talking about Quidditch and the crazy match where Harry's broom went nuts on him. Needless to say, Gryffindor won anyway. We're just that good.
"Cas!" I hear a familiar shout from behind us. Cas jumps three feet in the air and almost starts running, but fred grabs her by the hood, revealing her face and almost choking her. George and I nearly fall down laughing, just as Lee catches up to us. He's being hanging out a lot more Cas since the Quidditch match, which is funny since they're such opposites. As fun as Lee is most of the time, he has his weird moments. Like all his commentating during the Quidditch matches are fun and funny, but out of the box he's almost too much. Loud and flirty and all. But when he's around Cas he calms down and seems a little more natural.
Cas catches her breath and calms down when she realizes it was only Lee, and we all start trying to make a plan for the afternoon. Cas and Lee are talking mostly to each other, as are me and George. Fred is kinda caught in the middle of Cas and George. I suggest we go to Zonko's joke shop, and Cas pretends she didn't hear. The twins are all for it, though, and I say to Cas and Lee that they can do what they like, but we're leaving. She turns defiantly, dragging Lee away with her.
"Fine then, don't expect any gifts or anything from me!" I shout after her, and she waves her hand back at me dismissively. George nudges me and we start off to Zonko's. It's nice walking around freely and waving at everyone we recognize. We finally get to the joke shop and start looking around. At first I think it's paradise- pranks of every kind everywhere around us. I'm grabbing this at random, testing things they'll let me touch, and being mildly sneaky with the things that aren't actually putting out for testing.
But after a few minutes I find something I actually really want, so I check the price. I drop the thing, and it would've shattered if Fred hadn't been here to catch it. He dives and catches it clean, giving his Quidditch grunt as he goes.
"Oi! More careful, ferret, I don't keep butterfingers on my team," I hear from outside the window of the shop. I look up and there's Oliver, laughing alongside some upper class Gryffindors. Fred stands up as I run out the door to see Oliver. I had no idea he'd be here. I remember seeing him on or twice last year during our excursions, and having to hide my face- but this time it's okay. I catch up to him and he laughs, giving me a high five and giving my braid a tug. I swag his hand and he taps me on the nose with his other hand, and I burst out giggling, which really isn't me...except when I'm with Oliver.
We walk along just a bit talking about Quidditch when I remember I left the twins behind. I tell Oliver I have to go, and he promises me some more one on one time on the pitch. As I run back to the joke shop I hear his friends whispering to each other and to him, and I look back to see I'm getting some weird glances. They're just jealous, I guess. I mean, I know my place, I'm not overstepping or anything. Not trying to, at least.
I'm so lost in thought that I run right by the joke shop, and get myself turned around. As I'm wandering, trying to find my way again, I see a familiar face. Well, I see plenty, but only one I have business with- I see Ruby. And she's not alone, she's got some guy by her side. That's not going to stop me from giving her what's coming.
"Hey! Hey, Ruby! Over here, stop! Ruby!" I yell, trying to catch up to her and the boy. Rub stops and turns to face me, looking confused as I get to her.
"Jolene? Hey...uh...what're you doing?" She asks nervously, her eyes shifting around. The boy with her looks equally uncomfortable.
"You little punk, think you can just abandon me and the twins and Cas? You goddam crushed her, and don't think you can just get away with it- "House loyalty" can go to hell, you owe her a proper apology!" I tell her off, and she looks at her toes, while the boy puts his hands up, trying to get me to quiet down. I look at him and notice the color of his tie- it's blue. Blue and silver. He's a ravenclaw.
"Seriously, Ruby? A Ravenclaw. Oh, Slytherin isn't good enough for you, and Gryffindor isn't either. But hey, what's "house loyalty" matter when a ravenclaw is involved?" I spit. She's panicking now, her face red and her eyes glistening with potential tears.
"Jolene- Jolene, stop! We can explain, just calm down!" The Ravenclaw begs. I'm furious now.
"Who are you, even? Think you can just replace Cas?"
"Jo-Jo it's me, don't you recognize? From the train that first year. It's me, Thayer." For a second I honestly have no idea who he is, but then it hits me- the traincar boy, the one I had hit it off with- the one Cas walked out on, when we first met the twins. He had never told me his name.
"Look, Jo, I can explain," Ruby starts, "See- with Harry Potter joining the school, being Gryffindor, it's just...different now. Our Head Boy and Girl told us, said we gotta stick together, all Hufflepuffs for themselves. They said I was too close with the Slytherins and Gryffindors, and I had to cool it down. I didn't, I mean- Cas is- I didn't want to hurt her," she whimpered.
"That doesn't explain him," I spit, nodding at Thayer. He looks offended but doesn't say anything.
"He-he- I...can I, Thayer, please?" I'm confused as both Ruby and I look to Thayer for an explanation. He sighs deeply before nodding at Ruby, and they both look at me.
"Look, Jolene: you can't tell anyone. Not anyone- not Cas or Fred or George or anyone, okay?" I tentatively agree, and Ruby pulls a back from her cloak. She lets me look in, and I see the strangest assortment of things, some of which I can't even identify.
"What is all this? I don't understand."
"It's...it's muggle stuff. Like- like muggle writing tools and books and toys. It's for the muggleborns and the like," Ruby explains.
"I still don't understand," I tell her, my frustration rising again. Before she can answer, Thayer speaks up.
"She's doing it for me- you gotta understand, it's all my fault, all my idea. Don't get mad at Ruby," he starts, taking her hand in his, "My younger brother- he's Hufflepuff with Roo. And- and- he's...my parents, they thought he was a squib."
My attention was mainly on the bag I was holding and sifting through, but when Thayer said that my eyes shot up. I can't believe it- that's really serious. I can see in his eyes that he's not lying- I mean, no one is cruel enough to lie about something like that.
"I-I-" I stutter, not knowing what to say. Thayer's cheeks are pink, and I know it's not just from the cold.
"It's okay. When he was little he never showed signs of magic, not for years. Obviously we just didn't notice. My parents- they wanted him to be happy and have a normal life- they started raising him for life in the muggle world. And then on his eleventh birthday, the letter came," Thayer explained. It's like my heart's being wrenched, I can't imagine how hard that must have been on the family.
"He got sorted into Hufflepuff last year. And there were rumors, and he isn't the best with his magic, but everything was kept cool for a year. Then Harry shows up, and the Houses divide and it's like everyone's scared or something. I found Seth- that's his brother's name- crying one night outside the common room. The kids were bullying him, harassing him. It was disgusting the way they turned on him. From his own House- the House of the Loyal, too. So I found Thayer, and we...we started this," Ruby finished, taking back the bag.
"This is all for your brother?" I asked Thayer, and he shook his head sadly.
"No, it started just for Seth, but there are others. Muggle borns who are being discriminated against. In all the Houses. We bring them this stuff to- to comfort them. Help them out when we can, see? You just can't tell, okay? I don't know what the administration would say, or the other kids," Thayer says. I nod gravely.
"I'm sorry about Cas, Jolene, but things are changing. Not for the better. I need to help the muggle borns more than Cas needs another friend. Tell her it's not personal?" I nod again, and the little couple run off to finish their mission. I'm stunned into deep thought.
I walk around for awhile alone, eventually grabbing a butterbeer to just sit down with. I don't know how much time passes before I hear the twins coming in laughing. I look up and wave them over, and they grab a drink and sit with me. They ask me about where I went, and I just lie and said I'd been hanging out with Oliver and his friends. It's an innocent enough lie I figure, although George gives me a look like he doesn't trust me.
"Any luck in Zonko's?" I ask, trying to change the subject. They shake their heads and George explains that everything was either too much money, or too low quality.
"I could make a better product in Charms- or Cas could with her Potions, and we'd sell them plenty cheaper," Fred chimes in. I bolt upright- that's it! The twins stare at me in confusion while my mind churns out the perfect plan.
"We smuggle stuff in, or make it ourselves- and then we sell it in the castle!" I finally say. George smiles excitedly while Fred's brow furrows.
"No- hear me out: that cheap stuff at Zonko's, we buy it right? Then we improve it and sell it for profit. Or we just get our own ideas and make them ourselves. The kids at school would love it!" I tell them. George nods with growing enthusiasm.
"We can share the pranks- keep our legacy going!" He says, and after a little more bickering we get Fred on the hook too. By then its about time to get going back to the castle. We never met back up with Cas or Lee, but I figure I'll see Cas at least before the night is out. I'll need to get her and the twins all together so we can really take my idea seriously.
As we're walking back I feel sickish- all of the excitement from the joke shop idea with the disgust from what Thayer and Ruby told me. I mean- most of my friends were Gryffindors, I just figured it was natural. But what if there's more to it? I noticed the tensions between Houses, but never bullying. I resolve to keep my eyes more open, and maybe ask Cas about it. I hate to stereotype, but if anyone was going to be stirring up trouble, I'd bet it was Slytherin.
We get to the castle and go to dinner, getting swept up in the normality of Hogwarts life again. George is shoving his face with food and generally goofing off; some of the Quidditch kids are talking strategy; a group of kids in my Charms class are studying; and a group of younger girls are gossiping. I try to tune in to them, to get my mind off of the serious stuff Ruby and Thayer shared with me, but they catch me quick and start giggling. I roll my eyes and turn away, not before hearing them make a crack, "What happened to her, not sitting with her man? I mean, I think he's a real keeper."