IX. Interfering
A person tending to interfere in other people's affairs.
Harry almost forgot that the exam results were still to come, but they did. To their great surprise, both he and Ron passed with good marks. Hermione and Jayla, of course, come top of the year. Even Neville scraps through, his good Herbology mark making up for his abysmal Potions one. They hoped that Goyle, who is almost as stupid as he is mean, might be thrown out, but he passed too. It was a shame, but as Ron says, you can't have everything. And suddenly, their wardrobes are empty, and their trunks are packed. Neville's toad is found lurking in the corner of the toilets. Notes are hung out to all students, warning them not to use Magic over the holidays. "I always hope they'll forget to give use these," Fred whines sadly.
"It's okay, brother." George assures him, hugging him on the sofas.
"Night boys." Hermione says, walking up to the dorms, and Jayla joins her, wanting to spend one last night in the dorms in peace.
"Night." Jayla smiles, waving at them.
"Night." The others in the Common Room shout back.
⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴
Being the last evening before the students leave on the train tomorrow morning and go home for the summer. Jayla pulls her hair into a bun, getting ready for bed, dressed in her blue cloud pyjamas as Hermione and Parvati for the last time till September. The young Heiress puts Hades on the bed as the girls sit on the floor, getting out the exploding snap cards. "I still can't believe we won." Parvati smiles, looking at the others.
"Tell me about it. I thought Harry and Ron getting us into trouble would be our doom." Jayla jokes, laughing with them, and puts down a card, which explodes on contact.
"You still won't tell me what spell you used?" Hermione inquires, looking at her best friend, and she shrugs.
"Just a Banishing and Summoning Spell on the Stone." She answers, making them look at her in shock.
"You used a Fourth Year spell. I can't do that." The bushy-haired grumbles, but the young Heiress knows it wasn't in anger or jealousy but irritation at herself.
"Hey, I'm just as surprised." The two-toned-haired girl laughs, and Hades jumps down, tapping on the cards on the floor, which explodes, frightening her and she runs for cover under Jayla's bed.
"Jay, make it stop! It could hurt one of you!" Hades whines in fear and worry, quivering.
"Don't worry, Hades. It's completely harmless. It just sparks a little, that's all." Jayla assures the feline and looks at the girls.
"Yeah, don't worry, Hades, I promise it's completely harmless." Hermione adds, helping her friend, and Parvati nods. Hades slowly walks out from under the bed, cautiously toward the girls, and Jayla scoops the cat into her arms, puts her on her lap, continuing to play.
⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴
The next day, Hagrid is there to take the first-year students down to the fleet of boats, and they sail across the lake, the Golden Quartet sitting together, chatting amongst themselves before making it across to the other side.
⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴
The students walk around the Hogsmeade Platform, getting their bags on the Hogwarts Express before they depart. Jayla carries her shoulder bag and Hades' pet carrier with the others. "Come on now, hurry up. You'll be late. Trains leaving. Go on. Go on. Come on. Hurry up." Hagrid tells the students, moving around the platform. Jayla waits with Hermione and Ron as Harry gives Hedwig to the train attendant, and the Golden Quartet walks to the train's open door. They wave at the Groundskeeper, who waves back, and they board the train, but Harry stops.
"Come on, Harry." Jayla calls to him, but he waves her off. "Did he just…!"
"Leave it, Jayla." Ron scoffs.
"One minute." Harry tells them, walking to Hagrid while the others watch the exchange. Harry takes one look at Hagrid, and the half-giant bursts into tears.
"It's - all - my - ruddy - fault!" Hagrid sobs, his face in his hands. "I told the evil git how ter get past Fluffy! I told him! It was the only thing he didn't know, an' I told him! Yeh could've died, and Jayla! All fer a Dragon egg! I'll never drink again! I should be chucked out an' made ter live as a Muggle!"
"Hagrid!" He exclaims, shocked to see him shaking with grief and remorse, great tears leaking down into his beard. "Hagrid, he'd have found out somehow. This is Voldemort we're talking about. He'd have found out even if you hadn't told him."
"Yeh could've died!" The Gamekeeper continuously sobs. "An' don' say the name!"
"VOLDEMORT!" Harry bellows, and Hagrid is so shocked he stops crying, and some students on the platform stop to gawk at the famous Wizard. "I've met him, and I'm calling him by his name. Please cheer up, Hagrid. We saved the Stone. It's gone. He can't use it. Have a Chocolate Frog. I've got loads…." The Groundskeeper wipes his nose on the back of his hand.
"That reminds me. I've got yeh a present." Hagrid says.
"It's not a stoat sandwich, is it?" He asks anxiously, and at last, Hagrid gives a weak chuckle.
"Nah. Dumbledore gave me the day off yesterday ter fix it. 'Course, he shoulda sacked me instead - anyway, got yeh this…." The Groundskeeper mumbles, taking out a handsome, red leather-covered book. Harry opens it curiously. It is full of Wizard photographs. Smiling and waving at him from every page is his mother and father. "Sent owls off ter all yer parents' old school friends, askin' fer photos… knew yeh didn' have any… d'yeh like it?" Harry can't speak, but Hagrid understands, watching him close the leather-bound book.
"Thanks, Hagrid." Harry smiles, shaking the Groundskeeper's hand, then hugs the half-giant tightly.
"Oh. Go on… on with you." Hagrid sniffles and the raven-haired boy lets go. "Oh, listen, Harry, if that dolt of a cousin of yours, Dudley gives you any grief, you could always, um, threaten him with a nice pair of ears to go with that tail of his."
"But Hagrid, we're not allowed to do Magic away from Hogwarts. You know that." He reminds him, not catching on to the idea.
"I do. But your cousin don't, do he? Eh?" The Groundskeeper chuckles. "Off you go." He nudges the boy to his friends, and Harry walks back to his friend, waiting for him by the train door.
"Feels strange to be going home, doesn't it?" Hermione comments, looking at the others.
"I'm not going home. Not really." Harry replies, looking at the castle longingly, and Jayla laughs.
"I bet. You've told us about your relatives. I mean, my Mum's side of the family isn't exactly a dream." Jayla teases, and they walk onto the train with the doors closing behind them as the whistle blows, signalling their departure. The young Heiress walks off with Hermione and Ron, leaving Harry to wave Hagrid goodbye while they find a compartment, which happens to be the same as before.
⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴
The Golden Quartet talk and laugh on the train as the countryside becomes greener and tidier, eating Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans and speeding past Muggle towns. Jayla sits reading another book as Hermione sits next to her, also reading while the boys pig out on sweets the ravenette bought for them. "Don't you worry about getting sick?" Hermione asks, putting her book down.
"No." Ron answers, digging into his sweets.
"He'll complain later. And it won't be our problem." Jayla remarks, not looking up from her book, Pride and Prejudice. Hermione had gotten her into it.
"Thanks." He grumbles.
"Welcome." She smirks.
"What are you reading?" Harry asks, looking at the worn book cover.
"Pride and Prejudice. Hermione suggested it. I quite like Muggle books. They're very inventive." The young Heiress comments, looking at him. "Have you read it?"
"No. Could I borrow it?" He asks, and she nods.
"I'll send it to you once I'm finished." Jayla replies.
"Thanks." The raven-haired boy smiles, and Hermione looks between them, seeing the blush on Harry's cheeks, then looks at Ron, who smirks at her, seeming to be hiding something.
"Does he?" Hermione mouths at him, pointing at the blushing boy, and Ron nods but stops when he sees his friend looking at him.
"Oi!" Harry exclaims, gaining Jayla's attention. "Nothing." She goes back to her book while the others look at each other, wondering how the smartest of them can be so oblivious.
"I can feel you staring." Jayla snaps, glaring at them. "What?"
"Nothing." They say together, and she looks out the window.
"Whatever. I'm going to get changed." She sighs and grabs her bag, leaving the compartment to find somewhere to get dressed.
"I can't believe you have a crush on Jayla." Hermione squeals, looking at Harry, who blushes bright red.
"Keep quiet." Harry scolds her. "Someone could hear."
"Right. Sorry. Hades, don't tell her. Let him tell her." She warns the cat, who tilts her head. "Good girl." She gives the feline a treat.
"You are going to tell her, aren't you?" Ron asks him, and he shakes his head.
"I will. Some day." Harry tells them. "Just not now."
"Yeah. When you're ready, Harry." Hermione agrees. "Right. I'm going to get changed. I would, too, if I were you."
⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴
The Hogwarts Express pulls into King's Cross Station Platform 9 ¾, and the Golden Quartet are now out of their Wizard robes and in regular clothes, pulling on jackets and coats as the train stops. "Come off it. Like you could do that." Ron groans, hopping off the train onto the platform with the students and family members.
"Get over it, Ron." Jayla snaps, annoyed at his constant moaning and groaning about her advanced spell usage. "Honestly."
"She was brave, and so were you." Harry tries breaking them apart. The Weasley brothers all gather in the same area, taking quite a while to get off the platform. A wizened old guard is by the ticket barrier, letting them go through the gate in twos and threes so they don't attract attention by bursting out of a solid wall at once and alarming the Muggles on the other side.
"You must come and stay this summer." Ron tells the others. "You three - I'll send you an owl."
"Thanks." He smiles. "I'll need something to look forward to." People jostle them as the tweens move toward the gateway back to the Muggle World.
"Bye, Harry!"
"See you, Potter!" People call out to him as they walk past them.
"Still famous." Ron teases, grinning at him.
"Not where I'm going, I promise you." Harry reminds him.
"Harry, are you sure you'll be okay there?" Jayla asks him.
"I'll be okay. Don't worry." He assures her.
⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴
The Golden Quartet pass through the gateway together, making it onto the other side. "I think you're Mum is looking for you." Jayla announces, pointing, and he looks to see where she's gesturing, hearing the laughter that's all too familiar. "That's my Dad!"
"Quite right, Molly." Daniel laughs, standing with Mrs Weasley and the rest of the Darkmore Family.
"Who are they?" Ron wonders, frowning, seeing as they haven't met Jayla's family yet.
"Isn't that your Dad talking to her, Jayla?" Hermione asks, and Jayla nods, jogging over and swooping her younger siblings up, bringing them into a huge hug, which scares them, making them scream before it turns into laughter.
"Lala!" Yazmin yells.
"Jayjay!" Mason shouts.
"Mase! Yazz!" Jayla exclaims.
"There he is, Mum, there he is, look!" Ginny Weasley exclaims, pointing, but not at her brother Ron. "Harry Potter!" She squeals. "Look, Mum! I can see -!"
"Be quiet, Ginny, and it's rude to point." Molly lightly scolds her only daughter, smiling down at them.
"Busy year?" Sophia asks, smiling down at the children, glad to see them all safe.
"Very." Harry replies, looking at her and seeing where Jayla gets her looks. "Thanks for the fudge and the sweater, Mrs Weasley."
"Oh, it was nothing, dear." Molly assures him.
"Hey, there, Mase, Yazz, meet my friends." Jayla giggles, and Mrs Weasley looks at the young Heiress.
"So this must be Jayla. I've heard a lot about you from Ron's letters." She smiles, making the girl blush, but tries fighting it.
"Thanks, Mum." Ron groans from next to her.
"Jayjay, is that the one who got upset when you showed him up in Charms class?" Mason questions, making her laugh.
"Thanks, JJ." He groans, hanging his head and making the group of friends laugh.
"Welcome, Ronnie." Jayla giggles.
"Come on, now, Mason, don't embarrass the poor boy. Everyone struggles with some type of Magic. I couldn't do Transfiguration well enough till my Fourth Year." Daniel reveals, trying to ease Ron.
"But Dad, you're an Animagus." Jayla remarks, frowning. "And so is Mum." She looks at her mother, who smooths down her daughter's skirt, admiring the outfit. She was happy to see her daughter so happy.
"True. But you never know what you're good at until you get into your own Magic." Sophia replies, smiling at her oldest child. "Considering we got a letter from Professor Dumbledore asking us how a first year could perform the Banishing and Summoning Charms?"
"Would you believe me if I say good luck?" She jokes, earning a glare from her mother.
"When we get home, we will be having a very long talk." Daniel informs her, making the young Heiress groan.
"It's all Harry and Ron's fault. I wouldn't be getting grounded if I had never met them." Jayla groans, glaring at the redhead, seeing him getting scolded by his mother. "Serves him right."
"It's my fault. Mr Darkmore." Harry confesses, making them look at him. "She only did it to save me."
"That's very sweet of you, Harry." Sophia smiles at the boy. "But Jayla needs to learn that some spells are year restricted for a reason."
"Thanks anyway, Harry." Jayla smiles.
"Ready, are you?" A voice breaks the lovely moment. It's Harry's Uncle Vernon, still purple-faced, still moustached, still looking furious at the nerve of Harry, carrying an owl cage in a station full of ordinary people. Behind him stands his Aunt Petunia and cousin Dudley, looking terrified at the sight of the raven-haired boy.
"You must be Harry's family!" Molly smiles, looking at the Muggles, who are reluctantly there to pick the boy up.
"In a manner of speaking." Vernon replies. "Hurry up, boy, we haven't got all day." He storms off without another word, leaving Harry to hang back for some last words with Ron and the girls. "See you over the summer, then."
"Hope you have - er - a good holiday." Hermione replies, looking uncertainly after his uncle, shocked that anyone could be so unpleasant.
"Oh, I will." He replies, surprising them at the grin that spreads over his face. "They don't know we're not allowed to use Magic at home. I'm going to have a lot of fun with Dudley this summer…."
⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴
The Darkmore Family make it back to the manor in silence, and once home, Jayla is escorted to the living room while her siblings go to bed, having returned late. The young Heiress sits on the couch while her parents stand before her, scolding her for endangering her life not once but twice. "Dumbledore is such a snitch." Jayla grumbles. "I am sorry. I didn't mean to."
"I don't want lies, Jayla." Sophia snaps, startling the girl.
"What your mother means is when we heard what really happened on Halloween and what happened against You-Know-Who. You scared us. We don't keep secrets in this family." Daniel says, and Jayla nods.
"Okay. Then what was it that you got out of Gringotts?" Jayla asks, seeing her parents share a look.
"It's in your pocket watch." He tells her, earning a look from his wife.
"What?" She asks, quickly removing the item from her skirt pocket and opening it to see the orange clock face. "I don't understand?" Daniel takes it and presses the side, taking the glass away to reveal an orange crystal.
"It's a protection amulet." Sophia informs her, and Jayla looks at them.
"Why give this to me?" Jayla asks them.
"I had a vision." She explains. "It wasn't awfully clear. I saw something in a dark chamber with a mirror and the Philosopher's Stone."
"I see." The young Heiress mutters. "I love you."
"We love you too. But please don't go looking for trouble again, please." Daniel pleads with her.
"I won't. I promise." She assures them, and they hug.
"You're still grounded." Sophia tells her, making Jayla laugh. "3 weeks."
"Three?" Jayla exclaims. "Why three?"
"Because that's home many times, you lied to us." Daniel replies.
"Can I still write to my friends?" She asks him.
"I don't see why not. But we have to look at them first." Sophia suggests. "Now it's bedtime. You can unpack tomorrow and help Flora in the garden."
"That doesn't sound too bad." The young Heiress muses.
"And you can help Mason clean his room too. If you don't think that's too bad." Daniel grins at his daughter.
"That's not fair! You read my mind!" Jayla yells. "That's a total invasion of privacy!"
"I'm your father. It's my job. When my daughter puts her life at risk." He argues. "Now. Go to bed."
THE END