A MONTH HAS PASSED, and Jamie has already grown tired of school, which is saying something because he definitely would rather be here than at the Manor. Now approaching late October, the Slytherin was just ready for a long nap, which he never seems to be able to get. The longer his father is walking free, hiding in plain sight, more people are growing 'scared' of Jamie, they whisper as he walks past, he pretends not to hear.
"I bet he knows where his father is."
"Don't get too close to him! I heard crazy is a family thing."
"I bet he turns out like his father."
"It's sad, really, I feel so bad for him. He must be so conflicted."
"First Hogsmeade weekend is almost here!" Pansy Parkinson practically sang as she checked the bulletin board, brushing back some of her short, dark brown hair and clinging onto Draco's arm, blinking up at him with a dazed smile. Jamie rolled his eyes at the sight, he really shouldn't be so irritated with the girl who fawned over his cousin so much, he just found it weird how she'd trail after him like a lost puppy when he clearly didn't show any interest.
He knows it's wrong to dislike her. She's just a girl who had a crush, she's just a girl with high hopes, she's just a girl who is only setting herself up for heartbreak. She's just a girl. With that thought he almost pitied her. Almost. Maybe he just didn't like her because he was jealous of how easily she could find someone who she is already committed to, of course he probably wouldn't accept a girlfriend, he wouldn't even accept a simple friend, little less an romantic partner.
"We should go together, don't you think so?" Pansy continued, wide eyes pleading and lips pouted.
"I. . ." Draco trailed off, looking to Jamie for conformation, he knew Jamie did not like her, and if the older boy said no, then so would he. He trusted Jamie.
Jamie was tempted to shake his is head, but then again, this was Draco's life, if he wanted to have fun, then whose to say he shouldn't just because he happened to not like Draco's friend. He nodded his head.
"Yeah, definitely." Draco told her.
Pansy let out a squeal of excitement and Goyle, who was sitting next to Jamie on the couch, let out a quite sigh of disappointment. "I hate it when she does that," he said, rubbing his ear. "She's been doing that since she was five."
When time came for the trip it was dark and cloudy, and Jamie had half a mind to stay in bed, buried under layers of covers, safe from outside view. The cold wind would definitely chill his bones, and his toes would most likely go numb, and he would be walking around lots of other eager students with their lot, laughing and talking excitedly as they passed from shop to shop.
But he really wanted chocolate and he was tired of asking Professor Lupin for some. It was odd, the amount of chocolate Professor Lupin had stashed away, it didn't make any sense as to why someone would possibly have that much chocolate, but Jamie only gave Lupin a weird look and didn't say anything outloud. He hated asking for things, but there was a couple times the dementors got too close for comfort and Jamie was left shivering on the floor, huddling in on himself as he tried to shake off the overall feeling of depression. Lupin had always been the one to find him after these mini attacks, inviting him to his office for a cup of tea and some chocolate, and now Jamie is convinced that the Professor had asked the paintings to inform him if anything bad happened to him.
So, even if his father was on the lose, and dementors were lurking about, keeping an awfully close eye on him, he still thinks chocolate is worth the risk of death.
Rolling out of bed he quickly got dressed, throwing on an older, slightly faded, royal blue sweater, simple black trousers, his Slytherin scarf, and a beanie to keep his ears warm. Shoving his money into his pockets, he exited his room and into the empty common room, most kids were on the trip already. He didn't have to worry about giving Snape his permission form, having already done that, so he took to walking out the front steps of Hogwarts and strolling down the path idly.
Crossing his arms, he rubbed his palms over his biceps, it was definitely chilly, but that was to be expected by someone who did not bring a jacket, the wind stung his cheeks and made his eyes water, and if not for his need for chocolate, he would have already turned around and forgot about going out in the first place. Goose flesh broke over his skin, his teeth chattered and his breath was visible, but the walk was worth it once he actually reached Honeydukes. He pushed open the doors and was impressed by the assortments of different candy, all varing from color to shape to size to smell. Oh the smell was so sickly sweet it could make one dizzy.
One might look at Jamie and never peg him as a young man with a sweet tooth. They'd be dead wrong.
He was originally planning on heading to Three Broomsticks for a steaming cup of butterbeer to warm him back up, but it seems almost everyone had that idea was well, and the place was packed, so he decided to push it off for later and actually do what he came for. Get chocolate.
Neville and Luke were the only other students in the shop, near the blood-flavored lollipops and the pureblood was trying to coax his halfblood friend into trying the treat, but he didn't seem all that eager.
"Trust me, it's not what it sounds like."
"I do trust you, with my life, but really now? It literally says 'blood-flavored' what else could it be?"
"Cherry."
Jamie turned away from the two and decided to block out their conversation.
There was always so many options when it came to Honeydukes, shelves upon shelves of any sweet imaginable. Creamy chunks of nougat, shimmering pink squares of coconut ice, honey-coloured toffees; hundreds of different kinds of chocolate in neat rows; there was a large barrel of Every Flavour Beans, and another of Fizzing Whizzbees, levitating sherbet balls, along yet another wall were ‘Special Effects’ sweets: Drooble’s Best Blowing Gum, the strange, splintery Toothflossing Stringmints, tiny black Pepper Imps, Ice Mice, peppermint creams shaped like toads, fragile sugar-spun quills and exploding bonbons.
It was a wonderland for him.
Grabbing a few sugar quills he moved onto the levitating sherbet balls, grabbing a good few of those, he always did like the sour taste even if he did prefer sweet, but once he got to the shelves of just chocolate was whenever he started to grab at random, making sure to get as many as he could without dropping them, he had to store up for the time being, you could never be sure when the next Hogsmeade trip was going to happen.
"Blood Hell," he heard from behind him, "are you going to eat all of that by yourself?"
He turned to see Ron Weasley standing there, pink cheeks and messy hair from the cold air that stabbed you like frozen pins, his eyes were full of confusion and wonder, behind him was Hermione Granger, who smiled at him in greeting, her hair was ever so frizzy but that did not put a damper on her mood, they both were glowing, clearly excited that they were able to explore such a place. But there was one thing missing.
"Potter not sneak out with you?" He asked, ignoring Ron's original question, and shifted his arms which were overflowing with candy.
"Of course not! He shouldn't be out at times like this and neither should you, honestly, it's not at all safe." Hermione frowned, tilting her rosy coloured nose up at the very idea of it.
"Harry'll be fine!" Ron protested. "He's Harry for Merlin's sake!"
The two glared at eachother and Jamie took a step back, just wanting to get away but Ron turned to look at him in confusion.
"Going so soon?"
"What, you want me to stay?"
"I — no, well, I mean, yes but no, um."
"Save your breath, Weasley," Jamie sighed, "I was about to pay and leave anyways."
"Oh, okay." Ron shrugged, a light frown tugging on his lips. "We were just getting Harry some stuff from here, ya'know, since he couldn't have came. . ."
"What are you getting him?" Jamie turned to the aisles of candy, thinking about his first time trying each and every one of them.
"As much as we both can afford in candy," Hermione shrugged.
"I suggest the Black Pepper Imps, oh and here," he placed all his items onto a shelf and dug into his pocket, pulling out a few coins he knows will help them, "here." He dropped the coins onto Ron's palm. Without waiting for a response he swooped up his candy and made a beeline for the counter, leaving a dumbfounded Ron who gapped after his retreating figure.
He had the extra money, so why not share it? Why just let it lay in his pocket, going to waste?
He paid and quickly left, ignoring Ron's shout for him and dodging his outstretched hand that tried to grab his arm, as he stepped out into the chill winter air it was like a slap to the face, but he didn't waste another second and made way back to the Hogwarts castle. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Pansy spinning gracefully on the frozen ice in the middle of the street, Draco standing to the side, worry in his blue eyes, arms stretched out in case he needed to catch her if she slipped, both were smiling and looked happy and for once in Jamie's life he did not hate Pansy Parkinson.
And all because she made Draco happy.
"I can't work him out," Ron frowned, looking at the money in his hand before peeking out the window to see Jamie's retreating form.
"Well, it's not that hard, honestly Ronald." Hermione sighed. He turned to look at her, nose scrunched in confusion, glaring at her know-it-all voice. "He's a nice guy, you just can't accept that because of your big head. Not all Slytherins have to be bad."
"Everyone I've meet is, Moine, you know how they are. You've meet Malfoy-"
"Exactly," Hermione cut him off, "he's not Malfoy. He's Jamie. Now, I want you to think back for me, has any other Slytherin gave us as much crap as Malfoy? Or any for that matter?"
Ron thought about it before shaking his head in defeat, fully knowing Hermione was about to rant to him.
But maybe she had a point this time, he has to admit silently. As Hermione went onto her 'teacher mode' he looked down at the money in his hand, it usually wouldn't have meant anything, but for someone who thought Slytherins did not have a single good bone in their body, it made Ron rethink everything George and Fred has ever told him.
Author's note!
10-28-20
Ron is starting to accept Jamie, even though Jamie doesn't want him to ( he secretly wants people to, though ) he is starting to think for himself and shed the mindset he got from Fred and George ( I still can't believe they boo'd when a first year got sorted into Slytherin. )
Also, this chapter in unedited, like literally all of them, if you see a mistake that's why.
Well, thank you for reading, stay safe!
:)