The next morning, Jake had awoken much earlier than he usually did. It was five o'clock in the morning and he felt stiff. His sleeping position hadn't been the most elegant one, his entire left forearm from the elbow to his fingertips was numb from where he slept on it. He stretched and he felt his spine pop and crack in a few places. He swung his feet over the edge of the bed and got to his feet, stumbling a bit. He went ahead and got dressed in some pajamas, deciding to get dressed more properly after his haircut later from Molly.
He put on his eye-patch and exited the room and made his way down to the kitchen, yawning as he descended the stairs. He passed the wall where Mrs. Black used to be and entered the kitchen soon after. He saw Molly, Arthur, Sirius, Lupin, and Tonks in there at the table, "Morning, Jake," Lupin said to him.
He rubbed his eye and waved lightly, "Morning..." he slowly paced his way over to the table and sat down at the end of the table, leaving no chairs on his left. He grabbed a piece of toast, some jelly to spread on it, and a muffin, then got himself a glass of milk.
"Sleep well?" Tonks asked him, yawning afterwards. He looked at her and only just realized her hair was blonde and curly.
"I got about four hours of sleep... that's an hour less than my average," he shrugged and took a bite of his muffin.
"Do you have nights like that while in Hogwarts?" Molly asked him.
"Most nights..." he said after swallowing, "sometimes I'm lucky enough to get six," he joked, and only Sirius really laughed.
"Do you know the cause of it?" Molly asked, concerned for him.
"I'm just awake too late and I get up too early," he finished off his muffin and turned his attention to his milk, getting a drink of it before starting on his toast and jelly.
He tuned out their conversation until the door opened again and it was Harry who entered, "Mor-" Tonks paused to yawn, "-ning, Harry, did you at least sleep well?"
"Yeah," Harry said in a neutral tone.
"I've be-" she let out another shuddering yawn, "-en up all night... come and sit down."
She pulled up a chair, knocking over the one beside it in the process, "What do you want, Harry?" Molly asked as he sat down, "Muffins? Porridge? Kippers? Bacon and Eggs? Toast?"
"Just - Just toast, thanks," Harry said and Molly put some toast on a plate, setting it in front of him.
Lupin turned back to Tonks, "What were you saying about Scrimgeour?"
"Oh... yeah... well, we need to be a bit more careful, he's been asking Kingsley and me funny questions," she said.
Jake had to resist the urge to correct her grammar. He looked at Harry, and he could see the anxiety practically oozing off of him. Jake hadn't been to the Ministry since just after he arrived in Great Britain.
When he thought about it, he wasn't even legally in Britain as he never registered with the British Government for citizenship. He would have to change that after he left Hogwarts. Or whatever Country he'd live in with Hermione. He'd go wherever she did, because he loved her.
"The hearing's on my floor, in Amelia Bones' office," he refocused on the conversation and heard Arthur say to Harry, "She's the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and she'll be the one questioning you."
"Amelia Bones is okay, Harry," Tonks said, "She's fair, she'll hear you out."
Harry nodded.
"Don't lose your temper," Sirius said abruptly, "Be polite, stick to the facts, and be cool about it."
Harry nodded again.
"The Law is on your side," Lupin said quietly, "even underage Witches and Wizards are allowed to use magic in life-threatening situations."
"Doesn't it ever lie flat!?" Jake heard Molly ask. He turned to look and saw that she was trying to comb Harry's hair down.
Harry shook his head, flinging a bit of water from the comb everywhere, "I think we'll go, now," Arthur said after checking his watch, "We're a bit early, but I think you'll be better off there than hanging around here."
"Okay," Harry said, dropping his half-eaten toast onto the plate and standing to his feet.
"You'll be alright, Harry," Tonks said.
"Good luck, I'm sure it will be fine," Lupin said with a smile.
"And if it's not," Sirius said in a grim tone, "I'll see to Amelia Bones for you..."
Harry smiled weakly and looked at Jake, who placed a hand on his shoulder, "See you when you're off the hook."
Harry nodded and went to leave with Arthur, but not before Molly hugged him, "We've all got our fingers crossed."
"Right... well, guess I'm off..." Harry smiled meekly and walked with Arthur out of the kitchen.
"I hope he'll be alright..." Molly said despondently as she sat back down.
"He'll be just fine, Molly, don't worry," Remus said.
"I know, it's just-" she stopped and looked around before stopping on Jake, "do you want me to cut your hair now, dear?"
"If you want to," Jake said quietly, standing up after she did.
He followed her out of the kitchen and up the stairs to the next floor. She led him into a bathroom and motioned for him to sit down. He took off his eye-patch and this was actually the first time Molly got a good look at his closed left eye. It looked fine except for the fact there was no eye behind the closed eyelids. He sat down and she got to work, "Jake-"
"I want to apologize for how I acted on the day I got here..." he cut her off.
She stopped cutting his hair and leaned to her left a bit, "Apologize?"
"When we were being told what information the Order had... I wasn't the nicest to you," he didn't look over at her as she was on his left, "but I must ask that you try to see it from my perspective... or Hermione's, or Ron's, or even Harry's, Voldemort coming back to power will affect all of us, and in the event you adults aren't able to keep us safe, we need to know what you know. I need to know what you know, if I don't... Hermione..."
"You care for her a lot... she is your best friend after all, and I know what it's like... losing my best friend, that is..." Molly began cutting his hair again, "back when You-Know-Who was at power before Harry stopped him, I had a best friend, her name was Ethylene Hargrave. She was a Muggleborn, Gryffindor like I was... used to work at Saint Mungo's... she loved helping people, whether they were Muggle, Witch, Wizard, or Magical Creature... that also is what ultimately led to her death... a man who was wounded turned out to be a Death Eater... she healed him up, and then he killed her... it was only when the Dark Mark was discovered above her home that I knew what had happened..." Molly didn't shed a single tear, but she didn't have to for Jake to hear the emotion behind her voice. She missed her friend greatly, and it was clear she never quite got over the pain, "It's why I try so hard to keep anyone not of age or still in Hogwarts uninformed, because if you don't know the horrors of what's going on... I hope that you can remain safe."
"I can see why, Mrs. Weasley, I do, but I hope you can see why I need to know... to keep my own best friend safe..." Jake closed his right eye and they both fell into silence until his hair was cut short enough for his liking. "Thank you, Mrs. Weasley, truly."
"No problem, dear. I think I'm going to go make a cup of tea, you want one?" She offered.
"Yeah, I think a cup of tea would be great," he said and walked back down to the kitchen.
*******
Jake was sitting in his room on his bed an hour or two later, reading over one of Merlin's Books about Advanced Alchemy when someone knocked on his door, "It's open," he said and Hermione entered his room, closing the door behind her.
"Hey," she said, causing him to look at her, "nice hair... it enhances your... attractiveness..." she said, walking up to him, "your desirability even..." Hermione sat up beside him and got close to his ear to whisper to him, "your sex appeal..."
Jake had watched her every move the second she spoke to him, but when she sat beside him, he turned his head, which allowed her to whisper in his ear, but he had a devious thought, one that would really rile her up, "You think the trial is started yet?"
She sat back and deadpanned at him, "Way to kill the mood."
"Someone had to, before we got busy doing something and forgot you left the door unlocked," he smirked, "I love you, Hermione, but there's no need to get people talking about something that's not officially between us."
"I know..." she sighed, "I just - I wanted to have a bit of fun teasing you, making you... aroused, but then you ruined the mood..." she sat up against the backboard of his bed, "it should've already started, yes. And quite honestly, since there was no evidence of wrongdoing on Harry's part, it should be over soon."
"That's what I was thinking..." he trailed off and went back to reading.
Hermione looked over, but saw blank pages, "Is that one of Merlin's personally written books?"
"You figured that because you couldn't read it, but I clearly can?" He asked, smirking.
"Yes, not that hard to figure out since you already told me the books existed," she smiled and rested her head on his shoulder.
They were all in the kitchen a while later when Harry and Arthur returned, and Harry had just explained what all had happened in the hearing, "I knew it!" Ron yelled, punching the air, "You always get away with stuff!"
"They were bound to clear you!" Hermione yelled, hugging him tightly.
"There was no case against you, that much was obvious, you were going to get cleared," Jake said with a smirk.
"Most everyone seems quite relieved, even though they knew I'd get off," Harry said as Hermione let him go, also smirking.
Molly was busy wiping her face on her apron, and Fred, George, and Ginny were doing a kind of war dance going in a small circle to a chant that went, " He got off, he got off, he got off -"
"That's enough, settle down!" Arthur shouted, but he too was smiling, "Listen, Sirius, Lucius Malfoy was at the Ministry-"
"What?" Sirius asked sharply.
" He got off, he got off, he got off -"
"Be quiet, you three!" Arthur yelled, "Yes, we saw him talking to Fudge on level nine, then they went up to Fudge's Office together. Dumbledore ought to know."
"Absolutely," Sirius said, "We'll tell him, don't worry."
"Well, I'd better get going," Arthur said, going back to the exit, "there's a vomiting toilet in Bethnal Green waiting for me. Molly, I'll be late, I'm covering for Tonks, but Kingsley might be dropping for dinner-"
" He got off, he got off, he got off -"
"That's enough - Fred - George - Ginny!" Molly yelled as Arthur left the kitchen, "Harry dear, come and sit down, have some lunch, you hardly ate breakfast..."
Ron sat beside Harry, and Hermione and Jake sat across from them, all three smiling at him, glad that he was cleared of any wrongdoing, " 'Course, once Dumbledore turned up on your side, there was no way they were going to convict you," Ron said happily, now dishing great mounds of mashed potatoes onto everyone's plates.
"Yeah, he swung it for me," Harry said, but Jake could tell he wanted to say more.
He suddenly clapped his hand to his forehead, "What's up?" Hermione asked, looking alarmed.
"Scar..." Harry mumbled, "it's nothing... happens frequently now that... Voldemort's back."
Ron cringed at the name usage. Fred, George, and Ginny were still doing their war dance and war chant, "Well, I bet Dumbledore turns up this evening to celebrate with us, you know?"
"I don't think he'll be able to, Ron," Molly said, setting a huge plate of Roast Chick down in front of them, "He's really busy at the moment."
" HE GOT OFF, HE GOT OFF, HE GOT OFF -"
"SHUT UP!" Molly roared at them.
*******
Their Hogwarts letters hadn't arrived yet, and it was already the final day of Summer break, so they had to arrive today, or else it meant they'd all been expelled and no one told them. When Jake said that, Hermione went wide-eyed and looked like she was going to faint, "Don't say that!" She yelled at Breakfast.
Jake was now up in his room, feeding Chloe, who had arrived only four weeks ago, "I still can't understand what you were doing for four weeks ... if you found a Male Raven, we might have a problem on our hands."
She cawwed at him, almost angrily, but still accepted the food he was handing her.
"Booklists have arrived!" Ron yelled and set Jake's down on his dresser next to the door.
Jake tossed the rest of Chloe's food to her, which she began ravaging on the floor of her cage. He went over and opened the letter, which had two pieces of parchment; one containing the books and the other containing the usual letter saying Term started September First, " The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 5 ... already finished Grade 7 , and Defensive Magical Theory , by Wilbert Slinkhard? I've read that book... it's absolute shit... out Defense Class... who is our teacher?"
He dropped the envelope to the floor, but instead of falling lightly to the floor, it landed with a dull thud . He looked at the envelope and wondered what he missed in it. He picked the envelope back up and looked inside. His eye went wide and he tore the envelope apart to see another piece of parchment with something attached to it.
To Mr. Jake Kidd
Residence Unknown
Residence Unknown
Residence Unknown
Dear Mr. Kidd,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected to serve as Prefect for Gryffindor House. Your school record shows that you have exhibited quick, logical thinking in stressful situations, the ability to lead others, strong magical prowess, and by being a shining example of the bravery that Gryffindor House has long been lauded for.
We are certain that you will continue to be a model for your peers and will take your new responsibilities seriously. Enclosed please find your Prefects Badge, which should be worn on your school robes at all times. Congratulations!
Sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Head of Gryffindor House
His heart was pounding in his chest. He'd completely forgotten Fifth Year was when Prefect's were chosen. He held the Red and Gold badge in his right hand, looking at it with pride and a smirk, "Yes!" He yelled.
A moment later, Hermione walked into his room, "Jake, did you-" she was about to say, but seeing it in his hand caused her to stop, "You got it!" She ran up to him, almost toppling him over with her embrace she gave him, "You got Prefect like I did! Oh, I just knew you would!"
The arm not holding the badge went around Hermione, "I'm glad I did, I would've been right furious if it had been anyone else. No guy in Gryffindor starting their fifth year but me deserved to be Prefect."
Harry, Ron, Fred, and George came in and saw Hermione embracing Jake, "What's going on?"
"Jake got Prefect! Look!" Hermione pointed to his hand and they saw the badge.
"Nice!" Harry said, walking up to him, "Can I get a look at it?"
"Of course," Jake said and handed it to Harry as Hermione finally let him go.
"I guess if anyone deserved Prefect, it was definitely Jake," Fred said.
"Getting Top Marks in every class like Hermione, who else would've got it?" George asked rhetorically.
Ron seemed less happy about it, but still happy regardless, "Congratulations, mate, really."
Molly appeared at the door, "Ginny said the book lists had come at last - what?" She asked, noticing the atmosphere in the room.
"Jake got Prefect, look," George pointed to the badge in Harry's hand, who promptly handed it back to Jake to avoid confusion.
Molly, as Jake expected, was happy, but not as happy as she would've been had it been Ron. "Oh, how wonderful, Jake! How absolutely wonderful!" She ran up to him and hugged him tightly. She was happy for him, no doubt, but he still knew she wanted it to be Ron. He remembered that Bill, Charlie, and Percy were all Prefects, Fred and George couldn't be bothered with rules, so it was clear that she wanted it to be Ron. Jake would've been quite furious, honestly, if it had been Ron. As far as Jake was concerned, he was the least deserving of it. "Oh, this calls for a feast! I'll get started on it immediately!" Molly said and ran from the room.
"I'm going to Apparate to Diagon Alley to get that book about Defense Theory. I already read it summer of last year, but I burned it when I realized how stupid it was. I can buy everyone their required books while I'm there, save everyone time?" Jake offered to them.
"All I need is that book too, I bought Grade 5 earlier in the Summer, just before coming here to Grimmauld Place," Hermione said, her face turning a light pink.
"All George and I need are that book and Grade 7 ," Fred said.
"Which means all Ginny needs is that book and Grade 4 ?" Harry asked.
"Exactly," George said in confirmation.
"Alright, I'll be back as soon as I can," Jake said and he Apparated out of the building.
Hermione was still in glee from the fact she and Jake were both Prefects. She turned to Harry, "Harry, can I borrow Hedwig?"
"What for?" He asked, cocking an eyebrow.
"I want to tell my mum and dad that I made Prefect... it's - it's something they can understand, you know?" Hermione didn't understand where her sudden nervousness came from. "Even though they are divorced, I know they both will be thrilled about it."
"Yeah, no problem," Harry's voice didn't all of a sudden sound like his own, "take her!"
Hermione gave him a sad look, but she said nothing as she exited the room to go to Harry's and Ron's to get Hedwig. Fred and George apparated out of the room, 'Probably back to their own,' before she left. Harry and Ron followed her out and to their room, but they didn't follow after she gathered Hedwig and left to go write the letter. She knew both of them were upset at not getting Prefect, but did they seriously think they'd get it over Jake? 'They were fooling themselves if they seriously thought they'd get it over him,' She sat down at the desk in her shared room with Ginny and got to writing.
*******
Jake had returned a while later from Diagon Alley with all of the books in tow. "Don't pay me back, none of you. Consider this a one time charitable act," he said upon handing everyone their necessary books.
Ron and Harry didn't look that grateful, but Hermione saw them still try to put up a front to hide their contempt for Jake for getting Prefect over them. "We should start packing, you know? Tomorrow is September 1st and all..." Hermione said to them.
"Yeah, you're right," Jake said in agreement.
"Should we be careful, George?" Fred asked his brother.
"With these two as Prefects? We probably should," George agreed.
"Are we going to be?" Fred asked.
"Of course not," they said together and apparated up to their rooms.
Hermione looked at Jake, but he was just shaking his head.
It took them until about six in the evening to get completely packed and ready for tomorrow, minus Jake who always had his stuff in his nearly bottomless pouch. Jake had put his Prefect Badge on the first set of Robes that he was going to be wearing once on the Train, tucked safely in his pouch. When they went downstairs for dinner, there was a scarlet banner over the heavily laden dinner table, which read CONGRATULATIONS HERMIONE AND Jake - NEW PREFECTS.
"I thought we'd have a little party to celebrate you both becoming Prefects," Molly said to them. It was obvious she was trying to be fair to them, Hermione couldn't fault her for that. Sirius, Lupin, Tonks, and Kingsley were already down in the kitchen and had congratulated them.
Alastor Moody walked in after Jake had grabbed himself a Butterbeer, "Alastor, glad to see you again, we are having a little celebration. Jake and Hermione got Prefect," Lupin said from his seat at the table.
"Prefect, eh?" Moody asked in his usual grizzled voice. Jake saw Alastor's Magical Eye look at him, and his normal eye must've been looking at Hermione, "Well, congratulations. Authority Figures always attract trouble, but from what Dumbledore has told me about you," he was talking to Jake, "being able to not even be affected by the Imperius Curse, you'll make a fine Prefect."
Jake couldn't help but smile as he brought the butterbeer from his lips. Arthur entered the kitchen not long after with Bill right behind him, "Well, I think a toast is in order," Sirius said when everyone had a drink in their hands. He raised his goblet, "To Hermione and Jake, the new Gryffindor Prefects!"
Neither of them hid behind modesty if the looks on their faces were anything to go by.
"I was never a Prefect myself," Tonks said as everyone made to get some food. She was wearing her hair a tomato red and it was halfway down her back, "Professor Sprout, Hufflepuff Head of House, said I lacked certain necessary qualities."
"Like what?" Ginny asked.
"Like the ability to behave myself," Tonks said, smirking.
Ginny began to laugh, but Hermione didn't know if she should laugh or not, so she resolved to get a large gulp of butterbeer, much to her regret as she began to choke. She was glad when Jake began hitting her upper back, it helped her to stop coughing.
"What about you, Sirius?" Ginny asked him.
Sirius began to laugh as well, "Oh, no one would've ever made me a Prefect. I spent too much time in detention with James. Lupin was the good boy, he got the Badge."
"I think Dumbledore might've hoped that I would be able to exercise some control over my best friends," Lupin said, "I need scarcely say I failed dismally."
Hermione noticed that at least Harry's mood improved some upon hearing that his dad was never Prefect. Ron still seemed inconsolable, but a package suddenly arrived through the window, "What's this?" Ron asked as it landed in front of him, the delivery owls leaving as quickly as they came.
"Obviously a Broomstick," Ginny said in a droll tone.
Ron immediately tore into the wrapping, "It's a Cleansweep!" His entire demeanor changed as he read the tag around the tail end of the broomstick, " To Ronald Weasley, I hope you enjoy your new broom ... who did this?" Ron looked around the table, but no one's face gave even a hint at getting it for him. His eyes lingered on Jake, but Ron never was good at seeing through a façade.
"Well, go put it in your room then hurry back to eat," Molly said. Once Ron left, she looked at her husband, "You don't think Dumbledore would've...?"
"I doubt it... but anything's possible," Arthur said, taking a drink from his Goblet.
Hermione turned to Jake and whispered, "Did you?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," he said and took a bite of turkey and mashed potatoes.
Hermione looked at him, knowing it was him, but even if she asked Sirius to poke into his mind, Jake was a natural Occlumens, there was no getting into his mind, no matter how hard someone tried. She looked at him and smiled, "That was kind of you," she whispered. He gave no acknowledgement of her saying anything, but all the same, she was proud of him.