(HOGWARTS MYSTERY) Janelle Morgan -- Year 1: The Forbidden Corridor

Chapter 12: Preparing for the Room

Luckily, no one caught us in the corridors after hours that night, not even any of the Hogwarts Ghosts. Even throughout the next day, not one person suspected anything.

That was, until Angie intercepted me in the corridor right after I exited the Charms Classroom with Rowan after our end-of-term exam on Monday.

"Jane!" she called to me when she saw me. "We need to talk."

After telling Rowan to go ahead to Potions without me, I sighed, turning to my prefect, "I know what you're going to say. You're going to ask me about the twenty House Points I lost Gryffindor over the weekend."

"That is a very accurate assumption," Angie nodded, genuinely shocked that I had addressed her in that manner. "Would you mind explaining what happened?"

"Don't you already know?" I asked, puzzled. "Like you said, word travels fast in Hogwarts." Surely, she'd heard by now, seeing as the duel between Merula and I had been talked about almost nonstop all weekend long.

"I do know," Angie said, "but I would still like you to explain."

I sighed again. "I didn't do anything wrong. I was only defending Ben Copper, who was being bullied by Merula Snyde in the Courtyard. I had to stop her."

"So you dueled her?" Angie said in a tone that a mother would use when scolding her child.

"I didn't start it," I said honestly. "She wouldn't let either of us go, especially Ben, so yes, I had to duel her, but only because she was threatening Ben. Nobody else was going to defend him."

Angie nodded understandingly. "I believe you, Jane, but you need to understand that dueling won't solve anyone's problems; it enhances them. There are other ways to stand up to a bully."

You think I don't know that? I wanted to scream at her but didn't. Instead, I sighed, shaking my head shamefully, "I'm sorry. I didn't know what else to do. I was afraid Merula would hurt Ben, especially since he did absolutely nothing to her. I wasn't going to just stand there and watch."

"I wouldn't expect anything less of you..." Angie said with a slight smile. "Which is why I think you'd make an excellent prefect one day. You have a good heart, Jane."

"Thanks," I said, still feeling ashamed. "Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?"

"Not now that it's the end of term," Angie said apologetically. "However, for next term, I suggest that you go to class and focus on your studies. Do everything in your power to earn more House Points."

I frowned, in disbelief that she seemed to only care about that than the safety of my lost brother, but I nodded anyway, saying, "I will."

"I know things have been difficult for you without your brother," she said sympathetically, like she read my mind, "and I know you want him back in your life, but you must stay out of trouble. It's only going to get worse for you if you don't, and I really don't want to see you expelled. I want to help you, Jane, because you're my friend. Promise me you'll be better behaved next term."

I sighed again, feeling that, deep down, I couldn't guarantee that happening—as getting into trouble may be the only way of finding Jacob—but I felt the need to say anyway, "I promise."

Seeing past my little white lie, Angie smiled and said, "Thank you, Jane. Hurry to your next exam now."

I did so, feeling more ashamed than ever.

**********

"There you are, Jane," Rowan said a few minutes later, after I took my seat next to her in the Potions Classroom. "Are you alright?"