Hi guys, back again. I was going to make this 2 separate chapters as it is around 7000 words long but I didn't know where to cut off from in this chapter to start the next chapter so I just left it.
By the way I got AAA for my predicted A levels. Now I'm just waiting to hear back from my Uni options. Wish me luck :)
In the next moment, the scene changed to a bright morning outside, where Damon and a 10 yr old Jade were climbing into his car. She was looking much more healthier than before, taller and filled out with a bright smile on her face and a sparkle in her eyes that they were happy to see.
"Excited?" Damon asked with a grin, as he started the car.
"Yes! I can't wait to see the snakes," Jade said, practically vibrating in her seat. Damon gave her a fond but exasperated look as he pulled out the driveway.
"Of course," he said, rolling his eyes.
"Don't be mean dad. Snakes are awesome," Jade said with a grin.
"They are creepy," he said with a dramatic shudder.
"No they're not. They're just misunderstood," Jade said with an affronted pout.
"Whatever you say sweetheart," Damon said, shaking his head.
"She's got you wrapped around her finger," Stefan said to Damon, a smile on his face.
"I wouldn't have it any other way," Damon said, pressing a kiss to her head from where it was resting on his shoulder.
"Love you too dad," Jade said grinning up at him.
"Who knew Fangs could be such a softie?" Sirius said teasingly.
"Shut it Padfoot," Damon said, rolling his eyes but unable to hide his smile.
When the two finally reached the zoo, they both exited the car laughing about something.
"I don't think I've ever seen you that happy before," Bonnie said to Damon with a smile. "I like it."
"I'm happy when I'm with you," Damon said, looking at her warmly. She looked up surprised before her face morphed into a smile, a tinge of a blush coloring her cheeks.
"I'm happy when I'm with you too," she said a tad shyly. Damon smirked slightly as he tucked a stray hair behind her ear stroking the line of her jaw with a gentle thumb.
"Isn't that just adorable?" Lily remarked, nudging James with a smirk, her voice bringing damon back to the present. He reluctantly pulled his hand back and turned to her with an exasperated look on his face.
"Right? It's like watching two lovesick teenagers," James teased but the smirk dropped off his face when damon looked at him, his eyes red and fangs out.
"Got something else to say Prongs?" he asked, with a creepy smirk on his vampiric face.
"Nope. Not at all," he said immediately, shaking his head.
Damon laughed at him as he turned his face back to normal. "Coward."
"I amnotacoward," James said affronted.
"Right. Of course," Damon said sarcastically.
"I am not!" James said frustratedly.
"Whatever you say," Damon said, nodding mockingly.
"I'm not!" James said.
"Uh-huh," Damon said, his lips lifting at the corners.
"I'm..." he was about to go on before lily put her hand over his mouth.
"For the love of Merlin James shut it. And Day stop provoking him," Lily said glaring at them both before removing her hand.
"Sorry Lils/Flower," they said at the same time, before giving each other a look.
"Great. Now shut it and turn back to the screen," Lily said and they immediately did so, much to the other's amusement.
"Fancy a sundae?" he asked, holding her hand when she reached for his.
"With sprinkles?" she asked hopefully.
"With extra sprinkles," he said with a grin.
"Yeah," she said nodding her head and he pulled her over to an ice cream stand getting them both a sundae.
"Thanks Dad," she grinned, digging into her treat as he led them into the zoo after paying for their tickets. Jade's eyes widened in awe as they walked through the gates, her gaze darting around at the colorful signs and the throngs of families enjoying their day out.
"Where is that place?" Blaise asked curiously. It looked fun.
"It's called a zoo. Many people are against the idea of keeping animals in enclosures for the entertainment of people, but it's not all for that. Many of these species are endangered, so zoos play a crucial role in conservation and education. They often work to protect animals and their habitats, ensuring that future generations can experience these incredible creatures," Jade explained. She herself didn't know what to feel about it. She hated the thought of animals being trapped, confined away from their natural habitat, but in the wild, many have become endangered because of humans—habitat destruction, poaching, and pollution. The purpose of many zoos is to help by providing a safe environment for them and she guessed she couldn't fault them for that.
"Look at that, Dad!" Jade exclaimed, tugging at Damon's sleeve as they passed a large enclosure filled with exotic birds. Brightly colored macaws fluttered above them, their squawking creating a delightful cacophony. Damon chuckled, amused by her enthusiasm.
"Do you want to see them up close?" he asked, nodding toward the aviary. Jade nodded vigorously, and they made their way inside, surrounded by the chirping and fluttering of wings. Jade giggled as a small parakeet landed on her shoulder, and Damon snapped a picture on his phone, capturing the moment.
"Do you have your phone Day?" Lily asked hopefully.
Damon checked his pockets and pulled it out, albeit a tad confused. "Yeah, why?"
"I want to see all the photos of you both later, if that's okay?" Lily asked him and most of the theatre perked up at that, turning to Damon.
"Yeah of course. There's no need to ask Lils. I was planning to show you later anyway," Damon said and she smiled at that.
"Obviously it goes without saying that we're joining too," Sirius said gesturing to himself, Remus and James who nodded immediately.
"Can I as well?" Caroline asked hopefully.
"Yeah sure," Jade said with a shrug. She didn't have many embarrassing ones, if there were any, it was when they both were being goofy, so she didn't mind if they saw.
Others started asking as well though. Those from Hogwarts wanted to see Jade's younger pictures. Those from TVD wanted to see more of Damon with her.
"If you wish it Mistress, I can put the pictures on the big screen later during a break,"Death suggested.
"Now that's an idea!" Damon said, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, sure, that'll be fun. I don't want that girl, whatever her name is, here though," Jade said.
"Hey!" came her voice, unfortunately back in her seat.
"Oh. You're back? Joy," Jade said sarcastically.
"Don't talk to me like that. I cannot believe you had me grounded like a damned child," Elena said pissed.
"TechnicallyIdidn't have you grounded Miss Delulu. You got yourself grounded. If you're going to act like a child, you'll be treated as one," Jade said, rolling her eyes. "But hey, if you want to keep acting like a toddler, I can always grab you a juice box and some crayons."
Elena's face flushed with anger. "You're insufferable! This is all your fault! You think you can just waltz in and ruin everything for me?"
"Ruin everything? I'm pretty sure you did that all on your own. But hey, keep blaming me if it helps you sleep at night," Jade said, not backing down. Damon laughed from where he sat, watching the exchange with amusement, clearly entertained.
Elena shot him a glare. "Aren't you going to say anything?"
"No, I think I'll let you keep going," he said with a grin.
"Great! Glad to know my misery is entertainment for you," Elena scoffed.
"Don't worry, it's good for everyone else's mood. You're like a walking motivational poster for how not to act," Jade chimed in as she leaned into Damon, who laughed at her quip.
"Just wait until we're out of this situation," Elena warned, her eyes narrowing. "You'll regret this."
"I'd rip your heart out your chest before you could lay a hand on her so that better not be a fucking threat. And before you think you'd get away with anything, you're delusional. You'd be outnumbered and outmatched," Damon retorted, a sharp bite to his voice.
Elena's eyes widened in disbelief. "You're seriously going to defend her? She started it! She's the one who got me locked in that room."
"Playing the victim card, as per usual," Damon said, rolling his eyes. "Instead of owning up to your mistakes, you'd rather point fingers. It's not Jade's fault that you couldn't keep your cool. Maybe if you took a moment to think before you acted, you wouldn't find yourself in these situations."
Daphne leaned closer to Tracey, whispering, "Is it wrong that I'm kind of enjoying this?"
"Not at all," Tracey replied, stifling a laugh.
"Wait where the fuck did you get the popcorn?" Daphne asked Blaise who'd been munching away his gaze rapt on the enfolding argument.
"I asked for it," Blaise shrugged.
"Give me some," Tracey said, reaching for it but he snatched it away.
"Get your own," he said with a protective glare.
"Ugh fine," she said and a second later, all three of them were munching away.
Elena huffed, crossing her arms defiantly. "I can't believe you'd side with her over me, after everything we've been through!"
"Everything we've been through? Seriously Elena? You're a bag full of bullshit. You know perfectly well the only reason I helped you is because of my brother. There was never anything between us but a burgeoning friendship that dwindled to shit after I realised you were no different than your counterpart. You're a delusional drama queen with an ego the size of Manhattan."
Elena's face flushed with anger. "You don't get to talk to me like that! I've done so much for you, and this is how you repay me?"
Damon leaned closer, a challenging gleam in his eye. "You've done things for yourself, Elena. You're always seeking validation, and I'm done playing your games. You want someone to blame for your misery? Look in the fucking mirror."
Jade couldn't help but smirk at her Dad's words. "Seriously, Elena. You're acting like the world owes you something. Newsflash, It doesn't. Get over yourself."
Elena opened her mouth to protest, but Damon continued, "You want to throw threats around? Fine. But know that you're in over your head here. Keep pushing, and you'll find out just how much I'm willing to protect her. You've already crossed the line once. Do it again, and it'll be the last thing you do."
"Do you think she'll actually take a hint this time?" Fred whispered.
"I wouldn't count on it," George replied, smirking. "She seems more like the type to double down on her delusions."
"I can't believe you would choose her over me," Elena spat, her voice dripping with venom.
"Yep. You were right," Fred said with a nod.
"Of course I was," George said with a grin.
"That would imply that you were actually an option," Damon said bitingly and Elena flinched at that.
"Ouch, that's gotta sting," Fred said with a wince.
"Good comeback though," George said with an impressed whistle.
"Why are you all red in the face?" Fred asked Jeremy, concerned.
"She's my sister," he said with a grimace.
"Ah. Makes sense"
"Don't worry lad"
"It ain't your fault"
"She's her own person"
"Don't be embarrassed on her behalf"
"Though to be honest"
"Everyone in this theatre is"
"Probably feeling the exact same thing."
"It's still painful to watch," Jeremy said.
"Still entertaining though,"
"No offence of course," they said.
"None taken," he said, shaking his head.
"Here, have some popcorn," Fred said, handing him a box before another appeared before him.
"Where did that come from?" Tyler asked, looking shocked, along with Matt and Jeremy.
"Magic," they said at the same time with dazzle hands. "Ask and ye shall appear."
They did so and soon enough, all 5 of them were munching away.
"I can't believe I thought you were different, Damon," Elena said, her eyes glistening. "You were supposed to be on my side."
"Side? You mean your side of the never-ending pity parade? No thanks. I've had enough of that nonsense," he shot back, his patience wearing thin. "You're in the wrong here, and I'm not going to sit back and watch you bully someone who's done nothing to deserve it, especially when that someone is my daughter."
James leaned closer to Remus, raising an eyebrow. "Wow, who knew 'Fangs' could go off like that?"
Remus nodded. "Yeah, I've never seen him so worked up before. What's up with that girl?"
"No clue but she looks like she just ate a lemon. Can't say I'm not enjoying this," Tonks said snickering, her hair bubblegum pink. It had been red before when the girl had started insulting Jade but now she was enjoying her getting torn into by Damon.
"I'm concerned about Jade though. That girl is out for her blood," Remus said, voicing his worry.
"I know but she has all of us," Sirius said to him.
"Whilst we're here, yeah," Remus said, reminding them of their limited timeline with Jade.
"Don't remind me," James grimaced.
"She has Damon, and what seems like quite a few friends though. I'm sure...I'm sure she'll be fine," Lily said softly.
"Of course she will Lilyflower. And not only that, our girl is strong in her own right. I mean my daughter can turn into a wolf," James said with a grin, trying to make Lily feel better and he clearly did for she smiled at him.
"You want popcorn?" Sirius asked her, holding out his box.
"Where did you get that from?" Lily asked, confused.
"I asked for it," he said with a shrug and soon enough, they all had begun eating away.
"What about us? What about what we've been through?" Elena asks desperately.
"There was never an us to begin with Elena. You've created this fantasy image in your head and you need to let it go because I don't feel anything for you. You're toxic. All you do is take, take, take, and then cry foul when someone calls you out on it. Frankly I don't want anything to do with someone who thinks the world rests at their feet and who more often than not fails to realise that they're not the only one suffering, but would rather drag everyone else down to make herself feel better than admit it," Damon snapped at her.
Elena scoffed, crossing her arms. "Oh please, you think you're so noble? How many times has Stefan put himself in the line of fire to save you? How many times have you dragged him down to make yourself feel better? Don't act like you're some saint Damon."
"He's no saint that's true. Then again, none of us in this room can claim to be. Not even you. You know full well he's put himself in the line of fire to save me multiple times. He grew up taking beatings for me for stupid shit that I did. He's the one who suffered for so many years because I forced him to become something he didn't want to be. I'm the one who screwed everything up that night so the fact that he still has my back speaks volumes about the person he is. I'd choose him over anyone else any day and everything I did for him was a choice I made willingly. He never had to ask, but with you, your drama isn't just your own, it spills over and drowns everyone around you because you ask for it, you demand it, so when things go sideways, you console yourself with the feeling of having someone other than yourself to blame," Stefan interjected with a steel note to his voice no one had heard coming from him before, especially not when talking to Elena.
Damon looked at Stefan, a mix of surprise and admiration in his eyes. He hadn't expected his brother to step in for him, especially not so passionately. "Well said, Stefan," he remarked, a hint of pride in his voice.
Elena's face flushed with anger, her defenses rising. "I can't believe you're siding with him Stefan!"
"This isn't siding, Elena. This is the truth. It's not my fault it's not what you wanted to hear," Stefan said, shaking his head.
"Nice to see you standing up for yourself brother," Damon said clearly proud and Elena turned to him with a glare.
"You think you can just toss me aside? You're nothing without me. I made you better, Damon!" Elena said, pissed off.
Damon's expression shifted from anger to incredulity. "In what fucking universe are you living in? Made me better? Seriously? All you were trying to do is mold me into a person that suited your needs, except I didn't bend and that pissed you off. Don't even pretend otherwise. You've been coming onto me behind my brother's back for years. You act like you're some kind of saint, but all I see is a person who can't take a hint."
The tension in the room thickened as Fred leaned closer to George, whispering, "This is intense. Do you think she'll ever get it?"
George shrugged, clearly enjoying the spectacle. "If she does, it'll be a miracle. I mean, she's so wrapped up in her own head, it's hard to imagine."
Daphne, still munching on popcorn, smirked. "I can't decide if I want to be pissed on his behalf or laugh at her."
"It's like watching a train wreck," Tracey added with a chuckle. "You know it's going to end badly, but you can't look away."
Fred exchanged a knowing glance with George, both of them struggling to suppress grins.
"This is like watching a cat try to swim," George replied, barely containing his laughter.
"More like a cat that thinks it can fly," Fred said and they both snorted out a laugh at that.
"What did you say?" Stefan asked his eyes wide, there was a myriad of emotions all tangled together, but his pain was the most obvious.
"Stefan..." Damon grimaced, clearly he hadn't meant to say that out loud.
"No. What did you say?" Stefan asked again, more forcefully.
"Exactly what you heard," Damon responded reluctantly.
"He's lying. I would never have done that," Elena said, shaking her head immediately.
"You know there's a device in the wizarding world that can pull out memories and allow others to see them as if they were there. It's called a pensieve. Would you be able to deny it then?" Damon asked and it was obvious to everyone when Elena paused, horror in her eyes, that she was lying.
"Not that you'd need one. I've witnessed it often enough. You know all those times you came over to the house and began flirting with him? I was there," Bonnie said, sending a glare Elena's way who swallowed, her eyes wide.
Stefan looked at her like he'd never seen her before. "How could you? How could you do that? I loved you. I gave you all of me, and you didn't even have an ounce of respect to not go behind my back to my brother, mybrother,ofallpeople Elena. I knowhimenough to not ask if anything happened, but you didn't need to have done anything physical for you to have cheated. God Elena, how many times were you thinking of him when you were with me?"
"It's not... It's not like that. I didn't... " Elena stuttered, clearly not knowing what to say.
"I don't even need to see any evidence to believe you would do that. We broke up yesterday.Yesterday.And now you're all over him. At what point whilst with me did you fall in love with him? Was it at the start? In the middle? Towards the end? Tell me how much of these years I wasted?!" Stefan asked, now pissed off as he glared at her.
"Stefan... I... I never meant... I never meant to hurt you. I didn't... It's not what you think," Elena began.
Stefan took a deep breath, visibly shaking as he leaned back in his seat, a bitter expression on his face. "You know what? I think I've heard enough. It's crystal clear now. And honestly, Elena, it doesn't matter anymore. I'm done. I'm done with you."
Before she could get a word in, Damon cut her off with a final, cold look. "Save it. You've said enough."
The room fell into a thick silence, the tension so heavy that everyone could feel it.
"Is it safe to breathe now?" Fred said to George in the silence, attempting to lighten the atmosphere.
"Not sure. Think we need a sign that the storm's over," George replied, miming a dramatic sigh of relief, which earned a few laughs, but the tension was still thick in the air.
"Wait where on earth did all the popcorn come from?" Jade asked, looking surprised and those who were eating it looking slightly sheepish.
"We asked for it," Sirius shrugged.
"Of course you did," Jade said rolling her eyes exasperatedly but her amusement was obvious to them all as the screen started to play.
"Okay, now that's adorable," he said, showing her the image. Jade beamed at the photo, clearly loving the attention from the little bird.
After spending time with the birds, they headed toward the reptile house. Damon could feel Jade's excitement building as they approached the snake enclosure. "This is it!" she declared, practically bouncing on her toes.
Inside, they watched as snakes of all shapes and sizes slithered around their glass enclosures. Jade pressed her face against the glass, captivated by a large boa constrictor coiling gracefully in its habitat. "Look at how beautiful it is!" she exclaimed, turning to Damon with wide eyes.
"Not my first choice for a pet," Damon joked, crossing his arms and pretending to shudder again. Jade rolled her eyes, giggling at his antics, but when she looked back at the enclosure, her smile fell slightly.
"What's wrong sweetheart?" Damon asked immediately, his brows furrowed.
"It's just...why do they have to be stuck in here? Shouldn't they be out in the wild where they belong, not behind glass for people to gawk at?" Jade asked with her own brows furrowed confused.
Damon bent down to her level, his gaze steady and understanding. "I know it's tough to see them cooped up like this darling, but a lot of these animals are here because they've been rescued or they're part of conservation programs that help them survive. Zoos do more than just entertain; they're working to protect endangered species and keep them from disappearing altogether. By learning about them here, we're doing our part to support their future and maybe even help them find their way back to the wild someday."
Jade listened carefully, considering his words, and then nodded, looking back at the animals with a more resolved expression. "So... it's not just for fun. We're actually helping by being here?"
Damon nodded, smiling. "Yeah, and they're taken care of by people who genuinely care about them and work hard to make sure they're as comfortable as they can be. It's not the wild, but it's still a safe place."
She seemed to relax, a small smile breaking through as she watched the snake through the glass. "Good. That's all I wanted to know."
"You're so sweet to care about that. Most kids your age wouldn't bother," Caroline said to her. She was liking the girl more and more with each passing minute.
"You did a good job raising her, you know that," Alaric said, shaking his head, still surprised that his best mate was a dad, and a good one at that.
"Thanks Ric," Damon said with a smile towards him. He was glad that the whole fight with Elena hadn't changed anything between them.
It was then that a young boy came up to the glass dragging his parents behind him. "Look Mom. It's a snake," he said, pressing his hands to the glass. A few moments went by and the snake sat exactly as it was, and his smile turned into an annoyed frown as he knocked on the glass. "Move."
"Dad make it move," he said, turning to his dad who knocked on the glass immediately.
"Move!" the man said much to Jade's annoyance who sent a glare his way. The kid hits the glass much harder as he shouts, "MOVE!"
"He's asleep!" Jade turned to him angrily.
"He's boring is what he is," the kid said but when he turned to her his eyes widened slightly. "Oh. Hello. I'm Justin."
"You still know this kid?" Kol asked, his eyes slightly narrowed at the obvious interest in the kid's eyes.
"Nope and thank Merlin for that," Jade said much to his relief.
"Jade," she said curtly.
"I thought snakes were supposed to be cooler. They can squeeze you and stuff. I saw it on a show but this one's not doing anything," he said.
"They're not toys," Jade replied, her voice firm. "They're living creatures. You wouldn't like it if someone started banging on your door demanding you to perform a few tricks for their entertainment if you were fast asleep."
"Whatever," Justin shrugged, rolling his eyes. "But it's still boring. I'd rather see a lion or something. They're way cooler."
"Lions aren't exactly known for their enthusiasm either, you know," Jade countered, crossing her arms. "They sleep most of the day, too. Maybe you should appreciate the creatures that are just being themselves instead of waiting for a show."
Justin stared at her for a moment, clearly taken aback by her intensity. "Wow, you're kind of serious about this, aren't you?"
"Someone has to be," she said glaring at him.
"Well I'll leave you to your snake then," he said, rolling his eyes before turning away with his parents.
"That's my girl," Damon said, ruffling her hair with a smirk.
"I'm glad you gave her space to speak her mind. Not many parents do that. They'd prefer to take over and nip the argument in the bud before it could form, but they fail to realise that sometimes its necessary for the child's confidence and development," Caroline said to him.
Damon nodded, a soft smile on his face as he watched Jade. "She'd come a long way at that point. I wanted her to feel safe enough to stand up for herself and what she believes in."
"Yeah, that's pretty obvious. You gave her the confidence she needed by becoming her safe place," Bonnie said. She was so glad the others were starting to see the real Damon, not the front he put on for the rest of the world.
Jade smiled at her dad before turning back to the snake. "Sorry about Justin by the way. He just doesn't understand what it's like, lying there day after day, having people press their ugly faces in on you."
It was then that the snake's head lifted, it's eyes staring into Jade's as it blinked.
"Oh Merlin what the hell," Sirius said, his eyes wide.
"Snakes don't have eyelids. How did it blink?" Jeremy asked curious.
Fred nudged George with an eager grin as they turned to the others and explained. "Well you see... "
"Jeremy," Jeremy offered.
"Jeremy... In the presence of magical people, animals can become a bit more... sentient."
"It's like they can sense the magic around them.
They pick up on our energy and get a little more aware of their surroundings."
"Think of it as a magical enhancement,"
"They might start reacting to us in ways they normally wouldn't..."
"...especially if they sense someone who understands them,"
"And considering our Jade is a parselmouth...
"...well you get the point," they said.
"Huh. That's cool. Not gonna lie," Matt said, shaking his head.
"What he said," Tyler said with a nod.
"Can you... hear me?" Jade said her brows furrowed as she tilted her head at the snake. Damon's eyes were wide from behind her as he watched the snake nod his head to her question. You could see him mouth 'What the hell?!' to himself as he looked between them.
"This wasn't your first time talking to a snake so why were you surprised?" Tom asked her curiously.
"I hadn't talked to snakes since I'd left that house. I'd honestly forgotten at that point," Jade shrugged in answer.
"Justice for Baneofallrodents," Damon said with a teasing note to his voice.
"Oh shut it. I didn't say I forgot about him," Jade said with a light shove at him.
"I used to talk to snakes when I was younger, you know. It's been a long while so I'd completely forgotten I could. Do you... I mean... do you talk to people often?" Jade asked curiously. The snake shakes his head in answer.
"You weren't speaking English, were you?" Rebekah asked, noticing Damon's utterly lost expression.
"No I wasn't. Except I didn't realise it myself. The sentence in my head was in english. It was later I found out that what came out of my mouth was a completely different language," Jade said much to a lot of people's surprise.
"Imagine that. Knowing a whole new language without learning a thing," Jeremy said, shaking his head.
"You're from Burma aren't you? Was it nice there? Do you miss your family?" Jade asked curiously. The snake turns his head into the direction of a sign which says, 'Bred in Captivity,' and Jade looks sad on his behalf. "I see. That's me as well. I never knew my parents either."
Draco let out a scoff, though he wore a half-smile. "I can't believe you're relating to a snake right now."
"Don't judge," Jade said, sticking her tongue out at him playfully. "I was ten."
He laughed, shaking his head. "Fair enough. Doesn't make it any less strange, though."
Jade's expression softened though as she looked back at Damon, offering him a small smile. "But it's different now," she said, her tone quieter as she turned back at the snake. "I know it's not the same, but he took me in when I had no one and gave me the love I didn't know I needed."
The snake gave a slow blink, as though it understood, and Damon's hand squeezed her shoulder lightly. It was clear he had no idea what she was saying but he could read her enough to understand.
The now awake snake however attracted Justin's attention and he comes over to the glass shoving Jade slightly as he did so. She stumbled into Damon who looks at the kid pissed, but he didn't seem to notice or he would have pissed his pants, too engrossed in the snake as he was.
"Mummy, dad, come here! Look at the snake! It's moving!" he shouted putting his hands on the glass wall. After Damon helped Jade right herself, she looked at the kid with a glare in her eyes and all of sudden the glass disappears, causing the kid to wretch forward, losing his balance.
"How did that happen?" Katherine asked shocked, but her amusement at the flailing kid was obvious.
"Accidental magic," Luna answered her.
"Oh. It responds to your emotions right?" Katherine asked the girl, remembering one of them explaining this before.
"Yes. She was angry, so her magic responded accordingly," Luna said, with that dreamy lilt to her voice.
"Whoa! Ahh! Ahh!" He screamed as he falls into the glass enclosure, spluttering in a pool of water. Jade's eyes were wide as she looked at the kid but her amusement was obvious, that is until the snake began to slither out the enclosure.
"Oh shoot. That's not good. That's not good at all," Padma said, her eyes wide.
"You can say that again," Parvati said.
"You kidding? This is hilarious," Seamus said grinning at the screen, clearly entertained by the chaos.
"Gotta agree with you there," Blaise said, nodding his head still munching away at his never ending popcorn.
"Jade, what... what did you..." Damon began his eyes wide as he looked at the ensuing chaos around them.
"I didn't mean to! I just... it was an accident," Jade said as she watched the snake slither out onto the floor. She looked even more wide-eyed when it slithered near her and butted its head against her ankle.
"Thanksss," the snake looking up at her.
"You got thanked by a snake?" Kol asked amused.
"Apparently," Jade said with a shrug.
"I don't like this snake,"came Havoc's sudden voice from nowhere.
"Why not?"Jade hissed back, her brow furrowing.
"Just because,"Havoc replied, sounding more petulant than ever.
"I think someone's jealous,"Tom teased, turning around with a smirk on his face.
"I am not jealous,"Havoc said, annoyed as he curled up on her neck more comfortably.
"Yes you are. It's obvious,"Tom said amused.
"No I'm not,"Havoc responded more aggressively.
"Ok. Cool it you guys. It's ok to be jealous Hav,"Jade said amused herself, but trying not to show it.
"I am not jealous!"he snapped.
"You know you're the only snake for me right? You're like one of my best friends,"Jade said trying to make him feel better, and when she felt his body loosen on her neck she knew it worked.
"Of course I am. That snake can go bite its own tail for all I care,"Havoc said, sounding pleased with himself and Jade only just contained her laugh. Tom had no such qualms though as he laughed at Havoc's obvious jealousy.
"I don't think I'm ever going to get used to that," Draco said with a shudder, every hiss struck a chord in him, pulling at the fear he'd felt for so long.
"It's ok Draco. It will take a bit of getting used to that's true, but there's no need to fear anymore. That girl... She is the reason we are all here right now. She's the reason we no longer need to live in fear," Narcissa said softly, trying to calm him.
"I know, mother. Logically I know that but...," Draco sighed rubbing a hand over his face.
"The memories may never truly fade and the fear may always linger, but that's ok Dragon. You don't need to feel guilty for feeling what you're feeling. I think more than anyone she'll understand," Narcissa said soothingly.
"Thanks mother. You always know just what to say," Draco said with a smile.
Lucius, who had been watching quietly, shifted uncomfortably. "I never wanted to put either of you in a position to fear," he admitted, his voice heavy with guilt. "I didn't see how far gone everything was. I thought I was protecting you both."
"It's ok Father," Draco said, glancing at his dad. "You did what you thought was best."
Narcissa placed a comforting hand on Lucius's arm. "We've all made mistakes, Lucius, and as much as we want to, we can't change that, we can't change the past. What matters is that we're trying to move forward together now. Because of her, we have a chance to build something better."
"When we get out of here, it'll be a different story Cissa," Lucius said with a troubled look on his face.
"I know," Narcissa said, nodding her head. "We're going to face a lot of hate. You may even have to do a few years in Azkaban, but we'll... we'll make it through. We always have."
Draco's brow furrowed. "Azkaban? You think it will come to that?"
"Perhaps," Narcissa replied gently, her pain obvious.
"I never wanted you to have to bear the weight of my decisions," Lucius said, his voice weighed down with guilt.
"We'll face whatever comes next together. We're a family, after all," Draco said softly and they both gave him soft smiles in answer.
"Don't worry about Azkaban," came Jade's voice and they all turned to her, only just noticing that the theatre was silent and had probably heard most of their conversation. Daphne, Tracey and Blaise were looking at him like they understood the position he'd been put in, their expressions one of empathy, no judgement, and he couldn't help but feel grateful.
He had grown weary of the scornful judgmental glances from the Dark Lord and his followers for his obvious fear. He had grown tired of the disdainful glances from many Hogwarts students and even some staff members nearer to the war, just because of his family name. None of them had understood the choices he had to make. Yet in this moment, he felt a surprising sense of comfort and understanding from his fellow Slytherins and as he looked around, even surprisingly from Longbottom, the Weasley twins and Lovegood. He felt humbled to even get that from Longbottom considering the years of torment he'd endured from him. He really needed to apologise for a lot of things now that he thought about it. There were some things he could blame on the circumstance he was put in, but bullying him hadn't been one of them.
"What do you mean dear?" His mother asked, pulling him out of his thoughts as his own brows furrowed.
"I mean I still have a lot of influence in the wizarding world and I won't let your husband go to Azkaban," Jade said before her gaze turned to Lucius, her green eyes becoming glaciers."As much as you might deserve it for all the pain you've caused, Lucius, I don't believe Azkaban is the solution for anyone. It doesn't magically turn prisoners into model citizens; if anything, it only hardens their hearts and the next time they're convicted it's for a crime more sicker than the first one."
The room buzzed with a mix of disbelief and intrigue.
Draco's expression softened, a hint of gratitude flickering in his eyes. "You really mean that?"
"Yeah I do," Jade said, her tone firm yet compassionate. "We need to focus on healing, not punishment. Azkaban doesn't rehabilitate anyone; it breaks them down until they're just shells of their former self. Then those broken people are released back into the world, and all that pain just spills out again, causing more chaos and suffering. It's a never-ending cycle of misery that needs to stop."
Lucius looked taken aback, a mix of gratitude and remorse crossing his features. "You're willing to stand up for me, despite everything?"
"I will stand up for you in the Wizengamot, but I won't be doing it for you. You've caused way too much pain for me to be able to throw it all to the side and say otherwise. I'm doing it for Draco, and for Narcissa," Jade said, throwing a glare his way.
"That means a lot more to me. Thank you," Lucius said gratefully. She just nodded curtly before turning away from him to the screen.
"You're not wrong about that, you know. I wouldn't even wish Azkaban on my enemies," Sirius said, shuddering at the memories.
"What's so bad about this prison?" Enzo asked curiously.
Jade looked at Sirius before turning to him to answer as best she could, "Azkaban is more than just a prison; it's a never-ending nightmare that you never wake from. The Dementors feed on your despair. They make you relive your worst memories over and over again until you're nothing but a hollow shell. It breaks you down in ways that are hard to explain."
"Not to mention the isolation," Sirius added quietly, his voice quite clearly haunted. "The silence, the darkness - it eats at your sanity. You lose your sense of time. It's like being buried alive, trapped in your own head."
"Sounds like a twisted kind of hell. No wonder people come out worse than they went in," Enzo said. "The mental scars remain long after the pain fades." It was clear from his words that he understood on a deeper level because of his own experience and Damon winced at that.
"Exactly," Jade said, her gaze steady. "That's why the cycle needs to end. We can't just shove people into a hole and expect them to come out fixed. It doesn't work that way."
Remus raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "So what's the alternative? Just let them roam free?"
"No, of course not. They should get punished for their actions, that's true, but not in a way that removes any chance of redemption," Jade answers.
"How would one go about doing that though?" Draco asked curiously.
"I'm not sure yet, but I think the first step is removing the dementors. They do more harm than good," Jade said and those from the wizarding world collectively nodded in agreement. Dementors were the worst creatures to exist.
"Miss Potter, I have to say, you have grown wise beyond your years," McGonagall remarked, her voice steady and filled with respect.
Jade looked at her, surprised yet pleased by the compliment. "Thank you, Professor."
"It's an admirable goal, indeed," McGonagall continued, her eyes shining with approval. "Change is never easy, but with the right mindset, it's possible. You've shown more insight than many adults I know."
Jade's cheeks flushed slightly at the praise. "I just think we owe it to everyone to at least try. There's too much suffering in this world already."
"Couldn't have said it better myself," she said, clearly proud of her student. "Now let's watch on shall we?" They all agreed and turned back to the screen.
"Anytime," Jade said with a shaky smile as she watched it slither off to the exit. Damon looked like he was seconds away from either laughing his ass off at the screaming, or yanking Jade out of the zoo before anyone figured out what just happened.
"Of course you'd find that funny," Stefan said, shaking his head.
"There was never a dull moment with her is all I can say," Damon said with a smile.
They both then looked back at the enclosure as Justin gets up to get out, but the glass was now back over the enclosure. His eyes widen as he realised the same thing, and he immediately begins to pound the glass in a panic.
"Mum. Mummy!" He shouts out and the woman in questions turns around, her own eyes widening in horror as she screams running over.
"Mummy, help me! Help me!"
Everyone in the theatre was either laughing their asses off or staring wide-eyed at the screen.
"Oh that is gold," Fred said practically cackling as he clutched his stomach.
"Did you hear him?" George wheezed through his laughs, as he began to mimick Justin's panicked cries. "'Mummy! Help me!'" That threw them into another fit of laughter, with Tyler, Matt and Jeremy joining in.
"My darling boy! How did you get in there?! How did you get in there?! Is there a snake?!" She screams looking pale.
They expected Jade to laugh but instead she looked really guilty. She looks around and finds a security guard rushing people out the place, and goes up towards him, tugging on his sleeve to get his attention. "Excuse me, sir," she said, glancing nervously at the enclosure. "That boy... he somehow ended up inside the enclosure. He needs help."
The guard looked away from where everyone was running down out, to her in confusion before noticing the boy pounding on the glass. His face blanched, and he hurried over, pulling out his radio to call for assistance.
Damon shot Jade a look of surprise, eyebrows raised. She just gave him a small shrug. "It's my fault he's in there. I can't just leave him stuck."
"Sometimes I wonder how you're still so sweet. Personally I would have left him in there for a bit," Damon said conspiratorially, which Jade couldn't help but giggle at. "Come on then. Let's get out of here."
"Do you think they'll close it down because of the snake?" Jade asked him hoping otherwise.
"No idea kiddo. But if they will, we'll have as much fun as we can until then," Damon said, smiling down at her before they walked out of the reptile enclosures just as the screen changed again.