The Protector

Only the Beginning

I sat on the railing of the balcony, rubbing my forearms. The night was cool, and it felt good to be away from all of the noise that had become the common room. I was left alone with my thoughts, and for a moment, I was at peace. I was at peace with being here, by myself. I was at peace with the thought that I might not be normal. And I was at peace with the fact that I would have to make a decision soon.

"I think she might jump," said a familiar voice behind me. I ignored it.

"I think she would throw you over before jumping, mate," said another. I turned.

Fred and Geroge Weasley had found my safe haven. Lovely. "Don't you two have something better to do than bother me?" I asked touchily. Fred laughed.

"I don't think so, George," he said, pretending to ponder.

"Nope, not at all, Fred," replied George, and I groaned before laughing with them. I swung my legs over the railing, and turned to face them. Suddenly my face grew serious.

"He's gone, isn't he?" I asked shakily. Fred stared at me with sad eyes.

"We don't know, love," he said softly. "We'll never know. We can only hope." George's eyes grew solemn as well. I sighed, rubbing my arms again. The air had taken on a dark chill. Fred walked up to me and wrapped his jacket around my shoulders. I smiled a small smile of gratitude towards him. George's hands were now in his pockets as he looked away. I took a deep breath. "Let's go inside," said Fred, and I nodded. I followed him inside, but George did not follow. He remained outside. To be with his thoughts, I decided. I would leave him be. 

As we entered the common room, I noticed that most of the students had returned to their dormitories, leaving only Fred and I, Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Luna. Harry looked at me with wary eyes. Hermione smiled a half-hearted smile at me. Ron grinned his usual grin, and Luna greeted me in that eery voice of hers.

"Hello, Jade," she said, smiling. "Hello, Fred."

"Luna," I said, returning her smile, knowing it did not reach my eyes. I was not in a smiling mood.

"So you decided to stick around, eh?" asked Harry, and I glared at him. "Even after your father isn't here? You decided to try to-"

"Stop being such a git, Potter," snapped Fred. "It wasn't her fault." Harry's face was pinched in an expression of hatred and disdain. Hermione spoke up.

"I think it's wonderful that Jade is staying," she said, looking at me. Fred interjected.

"Well, we won't be staying for long," he informed us, and we looked at him with blank stares. "It isn't safe here, and I sure don't want to wait around for You-Know-Who to return."

"He won't return," said Harry, his face becoming red. "He's gone. I killed him. And I should do us all a favor and kill her-"

"Potter," Fred growled, now at Harry's throat, his wand drawn. "You watch what you say. She has been nothing but helpful to you, she has done everything she could to help you, you ungrateful little-"

"You know nothing!" screamed Harry, rising now. He was still a good foot shorter than Fred. Ron stood now, his hand on his wand. Luna watched on, unphased. I watched as Fred's face filled with heat and he dug his wand deeper into Harry's chest. "She could be doing his work, for all we know! She's his bloody daughter!"

"Blood doesn't mean anything," whispered Hermione. As a muggle-born witch, she knew this first hand. 

"In certain situations, Hermione, it does," snapped Harry. Ron lowered Fred's wand.

"Calm down, mate," he said softly. "Harry's just on edge right now. He just-" Ron shot me a look, swallowed, and then continued, "well, you know."

Fred stared at Harry for a moment longer, and then returned to my side. I cleared my throat.