Decree No.29 (O.C) Fred Weasley/ Draco Malfoy

The New Girl

"The Headmaster is busy," said McGonagall, "I suggest you take a breather and join your fellow students at breakfast or go to your Head of House. Professor Snape's office is down in the dungeons."

McGonagall then walked away before Jessica could argue back. She stared at her with her mouth open as she turned out of sight.

"Alright traitor?"

Jessica turned around. Ginny was leaning against the wall at the end of the corridor, her straight fiery hair matching her robes perfectly. "Green's your colour you know, you should wear it more often."

"Thanks," Jessica said sadly as she walked up to the stone arches of the courtyard. The morning sunshine was encasing the Castle, and a gentle breeze swayed through her hair. Ginny walked forward to join her on the other side of the archway.

"I'm only joking, you doing okay?" she asked.

Jessica took an inhale of breath and her shoulders tensed. She couldn't say everything that was on her mind, especially to Ginny. How could she tell her about the visions she had been having, and how one of them was of her brother's potential death?

"Honestly, I don't know," she said as she breathed out, "Everything is going to be different now isn't it."

Ginny comfortingly placed her hand on Jessica's shoulder. "No of course not, just because you've been sorted into a different house doesn't mean that we're going to think of you any differently."

Jessica didn't quite believe her on that. She turned to Ginny and leaned against the wall.

"Then why did none of you stay to talk to me after the feast?"

She had waited until the last possible moment to leave the Great Hall last night. She kept looking over at the Gryffindor table whenever she could, trying to make contact with at least one of them. She watched Fred and George holding court with the first years, Ron helping himself to his third helping of pudding, and Ginny making a napkin fly like a bird. If it wasn't for Crabbe and Goyle eating enough for two people each, she would've had to have gone back to the common room hours before any of them decided to move. Eventually, Hermione and Ron got up to take the first years to their common room and Crabbe and Goyle finished eating. Jessica thought that would have been the moment they would have come to talk to her, but she ended up disappointed. No one came to speak to her. None of them even looked her way.

"We were all pretty shocked Jess," said Ginny apologetically, "you know we were expecting a different result, we didn't know what to say."

Jessica sighed, she too was expecting a different result. "Well yeah, I think I got that."

"Come on join us for breakfast," said Ginny in an effort to cheer her up, "I know everyone would want to see you."

Jessica appreciated her attempt and she linked her arms with hers, ready to forgive. "You sure that's allowed? I'm not going to be set on fire as soon as I cross enemy lines?"

"No," Ginny chuckled as they started heading down the corridor, "you're safe...unless Seamus is there because then I really can't guarantee you won't be harmed by his pyrotechnics."

***

Ginny and Jessica walked into the Great Hall where only a few students were currently eating breakfast. Jessica glanced over to the Slytherin table to check that none of them were awake yet, and luckily the table was nearly empty. Ginny walked her to the centre of the Gryffindor table where Ron, Harry, and Hermione were already sitting in deep conversation, Harry angrily stabbing his sausage and shoving it into his mouth. 

"Seamus was well out of order mate," said Ron as they approached.

"Yeah, but you didn't see the others rushing to disagree with him did you?" Harry moaned between bites.