Freaks: Year One

A Close One

"So why were you there?" Jasper asked Harry, sitting at a table, that was outside of the small restaurant.

"We were just on a walk, and looking around at the shops." Harry said. "We heard the explosion, and ran to see what it was, and I saw you."

Jasper nodded, and took a bite of the pizza they were having. His brothers were along the table, and Harry's mother was at the counter ordering something. Jasper was still shaken up. He had heard that some pureblood wizards, like the Slytherins didn't like people like him, but he didn't realise they would go as far to threaten, and attempt to kidnap – especially not one of his brothers. What was the wizard's goal anyway? Was hurting defenceless muggles a game to him? He thought the Ministry had this under control. That is what Tutman said...unless these were just the regular blood purists as he heard others call wizards, and witches who believe in blood purity, and believed that since they were pureblood, they were better than everyone else. Maybe they weren't those types of wizards that the Ministry was after as they didn't want to kill, but then again that wizard did want to do something, and Jasper knew it wasn't good. He just hoped they had gotten really unlucky, and they wouldn't run into someone like that ever again. He did want to talk to Harry about it as well, but he didn't want to scare his brothers anymore then they already were. His brothers just thought these were the run of the mill shady people, everyone had those, their dad was one of them, but Jasper didn't want to tell them that some wizards, and witches thought that they should be killed.

But that was in the past, not everyone thinks like that. Jasper thought. Only those ones. Only the one you had a run in with, and, only the Slytherins at school, not everyone thinks like that, the wizard government has it under control. They have to.

"So..." Toby said slowly, wanting to try to move on from the events of what had just happened. He looked over to Harry. "You're one of Jasper's friends?"

Harry nodded. "Yes! My name is Harry. I room with him."

"So you're a Pufflepod or something?" Ethan asked.

Harry laughed. "No, a Hufflepuff."

"That is quite a name." Ethan murmured, taking a bite from his slice of pizza.

"I agree." Harry said. "It is kind of funny."

"You're the one who hates flying?" Toby remembered Jasper mentioned someone he knew didn't like the flying class they had.

Harry looked over to Jasper. "You told them?" Jasper nodded. "Yes...I am."

Ethan shook his head. "You can fly, like actually fly, and you're scared?" He stared at Harry. "You're lucky you even can fly. Face your fear, you coward."

Jasper turned to Ethan. "Ethan!"

"What?" Ethan asked, putting his hands up. "Flying sounds awesome...fine, I mean it sounds fine." He went back to his pizza.

"Maybe you can?" Harry offered.

Ethan looked up quickly. "What do you mean I can!?"

"Well..." Harry said slowly. "I don't think you need to be magical to fly, you just need a flying broom."

"I don't have my own broom Harry." Jasper said.

"I do!" Harry told them.

Jasper stared at him. "You don't even fly, the first class you thought you were going to die, and you were only an inch off the ground." Ethan spit out his drink, laughing, and Jasper quickly grabbed napkins to clean it up.

Harry's mum finally sat down, and overheard this. "Are you really that scared of flying?"

Harry looked to his mum quickly. "Um, no."