18 January 2010
Monday, 5:00 pm

Frank and Jack were pouring over their latest assignments from Professors Jowd and Trishna.  Frank was usually a very capable student but here at Hogwarts it just hadn't been like his school back home, able to get work done in class and have loads of time to mess around after.  It was like their professors knew they lived at school and were trapped here with nothing better to do but study!

"What'd you put for the last one?" Frank asked Jack, leaning forward.  He wasn't cheating or anything, just checking.  Professor Jowd liked it when they cited their sources. 

Frank and Jack hadn't been hanging out much since Hogwarts classes had started up again - they weren't in the same house and there was always lots going on.  But Frank hand't forgotten about what he'd heard about Jack's family.  That over the holidays, his dad had murdered his mum.  But no one would talk about it; all he knew was that people were saying Jack had been acting weird, but that no one could blame him.

"I've got that bit from Batilda Bagshot..." he muttered as he tried to read Jack's parchment upside down.  "Oh, that one's wrong."  He reached out to point to another answer on Jack's sheet.

"Should be 1919."

Jack was finally able to have time to spend with Frank. Since returning to Hogwarts, things have been real busy and dramatic. He hasn't had too much time to hang out with some of his friends. Although The duo were doing homework, it was at least spending time together.

Frank and Jack kept on exchanging answers for some time. Although Jack was not a RavenClaw, he was still smart. After some time Jack felt the need to talk about the elephant in the room.

He placed his quill down," Do you believe in everything that everyone is saying about me? I'm not insane or crazy ya know. I just wish that this whole thing would blow over," This week had been better for Jack. He's become more stable and has had fewer flashbacks. He glanced back  to Frank's homework," The answer is C."

Frank hadn't expected Jack to bring up what happened.  He'd seen him crying in class before, and the other girls from Oulton Broad had been quite protective of him, making sure no one bothered him or talked bad about Jack.  But that hadn't stopped even well-meaning friends from talking and trying to figure it out.  Some people were saying Jack saw the whole thing happen.  Other people were saying that Jack's dad had used an Unforgivable Curse and that Jack's mum had died defending him, but that sounded more like the story of Harry Potter than of reality...  And Frank had definitely heard from at least a few people that you didn't see your mother get murdered and just be hunky dory after - it drove you mad and that Jack would never be quite right again.

So for a moment, Frank didn't know what to say.  But then he shrugged.  "Actually, I don't believe everything since someone's been saying you killed your mum and it's a cover up.  That's not possible, so no.  I don't believe everything.  I only believe what I read in the Daily Prophet," he said, feeling like that was a good enough source to get his facts from.

"I don't think you're crazy, either.  It just... takes time."  He shrugged again as he double-checked his answer.  Jack had said C, but Frank had A down.  He furrowed his brow and flipped back through to his notes.  As he read through again, he kept talking quietly.

"I think other people will forget," he added.  "Eventually, they won't care.  But I think probably you always will care."

Jack saw an error in Frank's homework," Trust me  it's C" He glanced through his book. "The Daily prophet sugar coated it all. I heard a thud" Now Jack flashing back, but this time explaining it all instead of freezing up.

"Dad never came out of the room last night, must have fallen asleep I thought. Around 11:30pm she had to drag me to my room and give me a nice little story about what's been going on while I was gone, followed by a soft lullaby. I was almost ready to fall asleep when I heard yelling from down the hall. My parents didn't usually yell that much so I began to get worried. I didn't hear what was going on, just muffled yelling."

By now Jack was gone, lost in his flashback, still talking, gazed fixed in one direction"They finally stopped after another few minutes, it was over.  My mother then came in and told me to lock the door. I heard some sort of physical contact and intensified yelling. I went over to my window and tried to open it, it was frozen shut. I was done listening. I whimpered for a second until I heard something being said and a thud on the floor. I grabbed a blunt object in my room...I can't remember what it was, and smashed the window open. I then climbed out while hearing foot steps approach my door. I climbed out with bits of glass creating small cuts in my skin."[1]

His flash back faded to a memory, no longer taking control. His eyes fluttered for a moment, then went back to normal. He glanced at Frank, then back to the homework. "The next answer is B...I could go on but I would prefer not to it gets more hectic." Jack sighed "I'm sorry Frank, I just haven't been able to tell anyone the truth. the REAL truth...now everyone thinks I'm crazy..." HE teared up but quickly wiped them off this face. "What's the answer to 21?"

1.	Yes I took the text from the murder and changed the text from 3rd person to 1st.

Frank was struck silent when he realized Jack was starting to tell him exactly what happened, how the Daily Prophet hadn't got the whole story.  He supposed that was true.  The newspaper never had the details like Wireless shows had - just the facts, just the basics so people got some idea.  He didn't know what to do other than freeze his quill mid-word and listen quietly as Jack's gaze got far away and he recited a tense tale. 

It wasn't gory or scary, but it made Frank feel very sad.  Made him think of when his parents would fight.  Nothing terrible, but it always had upset him.  But now his dad was in Azkaban.  And his mum didn't fight with anyone.  And it was now going to be the same for Jack, except he'd have no parents around at all. 

"Who are you going to live with now?" he asked quietly, mostly forgotten about the answer to number twenty-one.

Jack was surprised by Frank's reaction. Jack though that now it was off his chest, he could move on and everything would go back to "normal."

"Who are you going to live with now?"

Jack did stay with the Hunters over break but he had no idea if their grace would stretch into the next break or even summer. "I...I don't know, but that's my problem, I can take of myself nowadays." Jack wanted to start to change the subject. He said what was needed and was ready to move on.

"So...how has your weeks back been?"

What? Frank couldn't believe that.  Like sure, he'd read all those young adult books where the young wizard lived by his wits in the woods by himself, or the one where the two girls managed to camp for weeks inside the British Museum, or the really sad one about the orphan who survived against all odds during the horrible events of Grindelwald's rise.  That's not what Jack was talking about, was he? Actually living by himself? Taking care of himself?

He ignored Jack's question about his own holidays, which had been odd and tense, being another Christmas without their dad. 

"Wait - what do you mean?  Can you do that? Like live in your house without any adults? I don't know if they'll let you.  How will you get money? You can't even Apparate.  Or use magic out of school."

Frank didn't get it, and he was getting that know-it-all tone to his voice.  The facts didn't make sense and he couldn't know what it felt like to be Jack in this moment.

So with the topic not being ignored Jack could only think of what to say, "Wait - what do you mean?  Can you do that? Like live in your house without any adults? I don't know if they'll let you.  How will you get money? You can't even Apparate.  Or use magic out of school."

Truth was, Jack didn't know what he was going to do; perhaps stay with some friends until he was adopted or brought somewhere else. Heck maybe they'll let his Dad out. Like that would actually happen, but there was always hope.

"I...I don't know really what I'll do..." He shook his head a few times. "Please don't worry about me Frank. I've hit rock bottom already." Jack shrugged "Things can only get better."

Then in a very calm and sorta scratchy but soothing voice Jack whispered,"If I need your help, don't worry I will ask."

Frank didn't feel very much more calm when Jack seemed less than confident about his bold ambition to go it alone, but at least...Frank could relate to that.  He couldn't imagine losing his family like that.  He knew that even if his parents died, he'd at least have his brother.  And his aunt.  And uncle. And grandmother.  Frank had a family.  It didn't sound like Jack really did. 

The Ravenclaw shrugged back, resigned now to accept Jack's insistence that he'd be okay.  Besides, Frank didn't know what to say.  Oh, but yes, he did.  "Maybe the Headmistress can help you," he suggested without any force.  "Or your Head of House."

But he really didn't know.  Already he'd been in conversations with the other Ravenclaw about how much fun it would be to live at Hogwarts all the time, running about when there were no classes and few other students.  Exploring it, finding a room to make their very own.

But  maybe they had to get back to work now.  Frank wasn't great at taking hints, but Jack was being pretty clear now.  He didn't want to talk about it.

"Okay," he said finally, then turned back to his paper.  He dipped his quill in a little pot of Inkless Ink to trace over his incorrect answer so he could fill in a new one, the one Jack had figured out.

Jack smiled at the thought of having some crazy old adults trying to help him. As for now, Frank did help alleviate some of stress in Jack. When the next break came, Jack would most likley stay somewhere local. Where he could finally breath from all the anxiety and stress from people.

He decided to repeat himself only this time it wasn't with the goal to avoid the subject. The words came out as more a of a friendly topic, as if nothing ever happened. Just two boys talking over homework. "So, how has your weeks back been?"

"Good," Frank responded as he carefully carefully drew his quill across his parchment to make a new section for the next part of the homework.  He dipped his quill back in the ink and began copying the next question.  As he looked from book to parchment, he elaborated.

"I'm getting a broom.  We didn't get it yet - have to wait until summer - but then we'll go to Diagon and pick one out.  Used to just use my brother's but it's going to be wicked having a brand new one.  Hoping to get the Blast-Off - the one with the red stock."

It wasn't likely that'd be the one he'd be allowed to choose because it was the newest, best broom and way expensive, but a boy could dream!

"Going to practice all summer and try for Quidditch next year."

Quidditch...this was interesting.

Jack was sitting there, listening to Frank talk about his new broom. Jack always wanted to do Quidditch, but he was too frightened and didn't like the idea of flying things circling him, possibly injuring him.

After hearing about Frank, Jack had a light bulb pop into his mind."I almost forgot." He pulled out a shiny blender. Jack has been lugging this around since break, hoping to find either of the Sellaphix boys. "Give this to your brother will ya?" The object was getting really heavy these past few days and Jack was just relieved o not have to carry it around anymore.

Frank's eyes went big with surprise when Jack (who just moments ago had retold a tale of great horror) opened his bag and pulled out a ... contraption.  It was a muggle device. Frank could tell by the long cord with the plug on the end, but other than that, it looked completely alien.

It clunked on the table and seemed to glare at Frank from within the clear glass chamber.  Frank narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"What is it."

He liked Jack, but he was also in Figaro's house.  It could be a trick. Or something.  "What's it for?"

Jack could only stifle a lough as he saw Franks eyes bulge. Then they narrowed, obviously he didn't know what it was. With Jack having both parents Half-bloods and  them not wanting to loose all connection to the muggle world, they still would use these things. Jack was going to ask his parents over break if he could give it away and would repay but...well now he doesn't need to ask.

"It's a blender...you put some kinds of food in and it comes out as a drink. I've only used it a few times but it's REAL cool." Jack connected the two pieces together,"I don't know the full story but  your brother was screwing around and kicked one of these into a wall. He wanted me to give him one because he owed the kid."

Of course Jack left out the part where he drank a potion that made him crazy and almost get concussed, but trying to impress his friends and doing something dumber than Figaro wasn't usually "impressive."

It was kind of fantastic.  Frank's smile was returning as Jack explained, and he reached out to handle the BLENDER.  "Oh I get it.  It blends it up."

He had to sit up in his chair to reach and pop off the lid and look down.  "How's it work?  Oh.  Little knives."  He reached in to touch a little set of four blades at the bottom.  They looked sharp.  He imagined them coming to life and waving around like tentacles to dice up fruit and whatnot.

On the front there were some buttons and a knob, everything marked with funny words like frappe, and puree, and emulsify.  These muggles had a different way of doing everything.

Frank turned the knob back and forth, but of course nothing happened.  The cord was just laying limply on the table between them.  The story of Figaro and the blender seemed believable enough and Frank had no problem delivering it for when he saw him next - he usually did at dinner. 

"This is cool.  Wish we could try it."  But Frank new that there wasn't a single, solitary plug to be found in all of Hogwarts.