As the Sister of Harry Potter

The following month was probably one of the worst of my Hogwarts career. Harry and I both got dirty looks and words not only from the Hufflepuffs, but from the Ravenclaws as well. And the Slytherins were being nastier than usual. Harry, for the obvious reason that he got his name drawn, and me because I stood up for him, the fact that I was his sister, and there was this nasty little rumor circulating that I had been the one who had put his name in the Goblet. I mean really, I think if I had been old enough, I would have put my own name in rather than my little brother’s. Of course, none of these were good excuses for acting uncivil, but the majority of the school seemed to think so. To make matters even worse, Ron wasn't speaking to either of us.

Harry, Hyden and I wrote Sirius about everything that had happened. In his response, he told us to meet him in the common room at one in the morning a week before the first task. But, conveniently enough, Harry also got a note from Hagrid telling him to meet Hagrid at midnight on the same night, and to bring the cloak. He didn’t say why, other than that it was really important.

"Gonna be one hell of a night," I said to Harry at breakfast on the day of the meetings.

"Yeah..." he said. He looked a bit off-colour.

-

That night, I grabbed the Marauder’s Map and crept downstairs to meet Harry and Hyden. I handed the Map to Harry and wished him luck.

"We’ll wait for you to come back," Hyden said as Harry threw the cloak around himself.

"Alright, see you two later then," he replied, and he was gone.

“Gah, what a month it’s been,” I said wearily, flopping myself down on the couch. “What do you think about all this?”

Stupid question for the wrong person, but Hyden will usually entertain me. “I agree with you and Harry. Someone’s out to get him, and Ron’s being a right jealous git. He really does need to get over it.”

I was just starting to doze off while reading when Harry finally reappeared, scaring the living hell out of me.

“Bloody hell, Harry! A little warning would be nice!”

“Sorry. Is he here yet?” Harry asked, handing me both the Map and my book that I had thrown at him.

“Not yet,” said Hyden, yawning a little.

“Well, I beg to differ.”

“Sirius!”

All three of us banged out knees on the floor in the scramble to get down to the fireplace. There he was, the amazing Sirius Black, his head in a fire and chuckling at us fools. It didn’t take long before Harry was spilling his frustrations. I didn’t blame the kid though. I had personally snapped when I saw the “POTTER STINKS!” badges.

“It’s dragons, Sirius, that’s the first task,” Harry said hopelessly.

“Wait, dragons? Harry… you’re joking,” I said, incredulous. My heart was going a million miles an hour now.

But Sirius was frowning. “Well, you could always—” He stopped suddenly, his eyes wide. “Someone’s coming. Be careful, you three.” And then he was gone.

“Who were you talking to?”

The three of us snapped up and around to see Ron standing in the boy’s dormitory staircase.

“None of your business, is it?” snapped Harry before he and Hyden both swept up to their dorm, knocking Ron a bit on the way up. I sighed and shook my head before standing and going off to my own dorm.

I spent the rest of the night thinking about dragons. They invaded my dreams as well.

-

"Jen, we have to!"

"No, we don't Harry!"

"Yes we do! All the others know, he's the only one who doesn't."

"So?"

"I thought you were all for fair play," Harry said, giving me that one look that made me feel terrible about myself.

I bit my lip. "Well, I am, but..."

“Come on Jen!"

"Oh... oh, alright! But don't expect me to be nice." Harry gave me a small smile, and we continued to walk through the corridors.

We were looking for Diggory to tell him about the dragons. Harry figured it was the right thing to do, since he was the only one who didn't know. (He had bumped into Karkaroff and Maxime in the forest.) But personally, I didn't really care if he knew or not. The school in general had been pissing me off, but really… what did Diggory do to honestly deserve Harry’s help? That’s right; nothing. But Harry overruled me this time. Sadly.

We finally found him in the Transfiguration courtyard, laying on a bench, and surrounded by his friends.

‘Well, won’t THIS be fun?' I thought snidely. The second we walked up to them, Harry got Ooh’ed at, and I got wolf whistled. How immature. Diggory sat up immediately, smiling in his stupid, sort of smirking way.

"Can I have a word?" Harry asked, trying to only look at Diggory.

"Alright," he said, standing up, still grinning, but looking like Harry was slightly mental. I bet I could wipe that grin off his face with a well-placed punch…

"Read the badge Potter!"

"Yeah, Potter stinks!"

Harry and Diggory began walking away, and I started after them, but Harry shook his head no. I glared and stayed put. Gosh, I really need to stop being so obedient. I’m like a dog.

"Potter, your brother is such a loser."

His friends were speaking to me now. I rounded on them, glaring. A few were seventh years I didn’t know, but I knew all of the sixth years. Colin and Jared again, but it just seemed like they were there to be there, and then Greg and Dom Bamal were there. Those were two people I could live my life without knowing.

"Shut it if you know what’s good for you,” I warned.

"Just face it. Cedric's gonna steamroll him,” said Greg, and everyone except for Jared and Colin laughed.

"We'll see about that," I said confidently, shaking back my sort of long red hair. Gosh it was being annoying today.

"What's the point? He's a liar and a cheat," added in one of the older boys, sneering at me. I started shaking I was so mad, and I pulled out my wand.

"You should shut up before I make you."

Well, I am all for fair play.

"Bring it on, Potter, you're outnumbered anyways."

It was true; four boys against one girl. But I like those odds.

Without warning, I attacked. Well, maybe I’m not completely fair. "Stupefy! Stupefy!" I yelled, stunned Greg and another one right off.

"Tarantallegra!" Dom yelled, and I ended up dancing like mad, but I put the slug-belching curse on him. Now it was just me and the boy who had accused Harry of being a liar. I had a bit of trouble controlling my legs, but I managed to strike first.

“Philimungus!"

My hex hit him square in the face. Disgusting, multi-coloured fungus sprung up all over him and he fell over screaming like a little girl. I smirked. No one messes with my little brother. Especially not when I get to use the one hex I’ve invented.

By now, I had attracted the attention of pretty much everyone in the courtyard, including Harry and Cedric. I stopped the dancing jinx, walked over to them, and grabbed Harry's arm.

"Go on Harry, get to your next class," I said, pushing him off. When he was out of earshot, I got up in Cedric's face.

"Tell your thick friends to not go insulting my brother to my face, or they'll be in St. Mungo's next time." He nodded promptly, and I stomped off the Defense Against the Dark Arts, still fuming.

-

That evening, I sat in the common room finishing up homework with Ophilia. She was working on Divination, and I, History of Magic. It was actually really interesting at the moment, because we were going over Hogwarts history. Did you know the Ravenclaw tower is the only one without a real password? Yeah, I didn’t know that either.

The portrait hole opened and in crawled Sophia, looking really rather confused. “Um, Jennifer? Cedric Diggory’s in the corridor wanting to talk to you,” she said before walking up to the dorm, still looking confused. I sat there for a minute sort of frozen before I starting gathering up my stuff.

“Where’re you off to?” Ophilia asked dangerously sweetly.

‘Oh crap.’ “Uh, just off to bed. I’m tired,” I said, faking a yawn.

“Oh no you’re not, you are going out there and talking to him.”

“No I am not, I don’t have anything to say to him,” I said stubbornly.

“Oh yes you do. If he wants to talk to you, then you’ll humor him.”

“You’re not my mum!”

“I’m damn close to it,” said Ophilia, taking out her wand. I ran for it, but she caught me with a Levitation Charm too fast.

“You’re not coming back in until you two have talked,” she said cheerfully as she flicked her wand.

“I DIDN’T SIGN UP FOR THIS!” I screamed as I was hurtled into the corridor practically face-first. She shut the portrait behind me, and fancy that! The Fat Lady was also gone.

“Didn’t sign up for what?” asked that annoyingly nice voice.

I got up, dusted myself off, and found myself toe-to-toe with Diggory.

“Well, for one, being chucked out of my own common room by someone who’s supposed to be my best friend,” I said, glaring at the Fat Lady’s empty frame. I would be getting her back for this, and oh, would that be so sweet…

“Hmm, well, I just wanted to talk to you, you didn’t have to come out if you didn’t want to.”

“Oh trust me, I didn’t want to.”

Harsh honesty. That’s the way I operate.

“Oh, well, sorry. I just um, wanted to apologize for how my friends were acting earlier today. They were completely out of line.”

I sighed and rolled my eyes. “You see, this is why you annoy me so much Diggory! You go apologizing for things you never even did, and don’t even think about the things you do actually do!”

His jaw dropped slightly, but he recovered fast and went back to his face of mild amusement. “Oh? And what should I be apologizing for?”

“For spreading all these crap rumors about Harry and I and making those stupid badges, and all kinds of things! You really think Harry wants to be in this bloody tournament? You really think I put his name in the Goblet, when I’m not even old enough to put my own name in?”

“So you didn’t put his name in?”

“NO!”

I was practically screeching with hysteria at this point. I really wish I had my wand with me, but maybe it would be better if I just tore his hair out right now.

“Alright, look Jennifer, I don’t know what you’ve been hearing, but I didn’t make those badges. That was all the Slytherins, and I’ve actually been trying to get people to stop wearing them. As for the rumors, I didn’t spread them, I’m sorry I believed them, but then how do you explain Harry’s name coming out of that Goblet?”

“Well, it’s quite obvious that someone wants him dead, and what better way than entering him in a deadly contest that has a rather high mortality rate and can’t back out of?”

“But really, who would want him dead?”

“Lord Voldemort.”

Diggory flinched. “But he’s gone.”

“His followers aren’t.”

That seemed to stump him for a moment.

“Look,” he said after a moment, “maybe you’re right. I guess it would make sense. And I really have been trying to get people to stop slamming him, I imagine he’s been under a lot of stress.”

“A lot hardly covers it. And well… try harder.”

“I promise.”

And then as if right on cue, the Fat Lady showed up.

“Finally! Where’ve you been?” I asked snappily.

“Rude as always! Am I not allowed out on a night-time stroll? You certainly aren’t!”

“I didn’t have a choice in the matter, and you can’t stroll, you’re a portrait! Now let me in!”

“Give me the password and I might!”

“I’m not saying it with him around!” I pointed accusingly at Diggory, who held up his hands defensively.

“I’m gone.”

Once he was out of sight, I muttered, “Balderdash.”

“Your attitude is certainly balderdash.”

“Leave me alone.”