Run || Harry Potter FF

xix || fights

I stopped and looked up. Harry motioned for me to continue and I did, even though I really didn't want to. "So I got angry. And I pulled out my gun like an idiot. I can't believe I--anyway, next thing I know I'm lying on the ground here. George must've brought me here and then went back for the guns and Jackson. And-and--"

"And then they shot him," Neville finished.

I didn't say anything. I was so upset with myself for being so weak. I let those men get to me and now George and Jackson were suffering the consequences. I barely noticed when Hermione sat down on the bed next to me. Her hand rested on my shoulder. "Listen, don't beat yourself up about it. They're okay. And we have the guns. Nobody's mad about it."

I looked up at her to find a reassuring smile. Slowly I lifted my head to the rest of them and everyone aside from Harry mimicked her expression. It looked like everyone except Harry had forgiven the incident. For the last few days, he seemed to really have a problem with me. Maybe I should ask him about it...

"Layla?!" I heard a familiar voice yell. I was certain it was Jackson, so without hesitation I left the group of wizards and headed for him.

He was sat up in bed, eyes wider than I'd ever seen them. "Jackson, I am so sorry," I blurted out, wrapping my arms around him in a hug.

He pushed me back to look at my face. "What happened? You were there and then-then you were gone. And then they started shooting and-and--Where am I?" The words came out in one breath, his eyes still full moons.

I didn't know where to start. I waited a few seconds, half hoping that the others would come around the corner and explain it to him instead. "Maybe I should start from the beginning." His brows furrowed but he didn't object, so I continued. "About a week ago I was at work and someone came into the shop... At first I thought he was on drugs but then these other guys came in too... And then they started using--" I hesitated, "magic."

Jackson laughed. "Yeah, okay. Go on."

I ignored his disbelief. It would be gone soon enough. "There's a whole other world out there, Jackson. And they're at war. Some of them think that they're better than us. They call us muggles because we can't do magic. The most evil wizard of them all started gathering up and enslaving us. They took my parents, Jackson," my voice broke. I took a deep breath to keep from crying. "I knew I had to get them back so I decided to help them out with the war. But they wanted me to teach them how to shoot so that they could take the other wizards by surprise. That's why I came to you. And then I lost my temper and George brought me here. By the time he went back for you..."

"You think I'm stupid?" he said, his tone changing abruptly. "You expect me to believe this shit? What happened, Layla? Tell me the fucking truth." He spit the words out harshly. I flinched away.

"She's telling the fucking truth." I looked up to see George. His wand was out, pointed at Jackson. That wild look in his eyes that I saw from time to time had returned. "You want me to tell you about magic, Jackson? I swear it won't be as nice as the speech you just had."

"Yeah, mate. I want you to tell me about magic," Jackson said, standing up.

"Guys--"I interjected.

"Expulso," George said through gritted teeth. The pillow on Jackson's bed exploded suddenly. Jackson's eyes grew wide again and his mouth fell open. "That tell you what you need to know? Next time you talk to her like that," he got close to Jackson and put his finger in his face. "I'll use that spell on you." With that George stalked off.

I stood there, unsure what to do. Should I go after George and thank him for sticking up for me? Jackson fell onto the bed behind him, defeated. Instead of going with my first instinct, I sat down next to him. I understood why he got so angry. He thought I was making a fool of him. "Listen, I know how hard it is to have your reality crumple to pieces. I was in your position not too long ago. Only Death Eaters were trying to kill me..."

He turned his eyes toward me and examined my face for a few seconds. He sighed loudly and sat up. "I'm sorry..."

"It's okay, Jackson. It's really not a big deal. Sorry I brought you into this. Also, sorry for accidentally getting you shot." I smiled sheepishly.

He looked down at his hands. "He the one who got you into this, Lay?"

"No, no. His name was Draco. He left before we made camp here..." After the words left my mouth, I realized how much I missed Draco's presence. I wished he would come back.

"I think I need some more rest." His eyes didn't leave his hands. I understood.

I grabbed the pillow from George's bed and gave it to him. "Since yours exploded." He thanked me and laid down once more.

I took this as my opportunity to go find George. When I walked through the tent, I found that everyone was looking at me. Surely they had heard the confrontation. I was embarrassed even if I hadn't done anything.

George was outside, sitting by a tree with his head in his hands. I sat down next to him. The leaves crunched beneath me. "Thanks for sticking up for me back there."

He lifted his head and looked at me. "Did he talk to you like that when you were together?"

I shook my head as a breeze flew in. "No, he's never talked to me like that before. He was just confused, George. It really isn't a big deal."

He scoffed. "Isn't a big deal? You can't let people treat you like that. No wonder you liked Malfoy so much."

I rolled my eyes. "Draco never talked to me like that either. I'm no pushover. Sometimes people just lose it for a second. You should know that. You almost blew Jackson up!"

He unwillingly left laughter slip from his lips. "That would have been pretty awesome. I could have used way worse."

My curiosity revved up. "What's the worst thing you could do to someone. With magic, I mean."

He looked at me with no humor in his eyes. "What do you think happened to my brother?"

My heart fell. "Oh." Of course there was a spell that killed. Why wouldn't there be? The revelation made me feel unsafe.

"There was something good that came out of today though," George said, staring ahead.

"What's that?"

"We got the guns. Training starts tomorrow."