1. Harry Potter (Panda's version) -Featuring Janet Hayden - Chapter 35

     Potions ended earlier that Janet have expected and the temperature of the dungeons drooped back to its freezing level when the cauldron fires were put off. Janet quickly cleared her cauldron hoping to get out of the dungeon before she turns into a block of ice. She was stopped by Ernie who was waiting for her at the end of her table when she was on her way out.

     “What?” Janet asked impatiently.

     “You have not told me how you got yourself into detention,” Ernie answered in a bossy tone demanding for Janet’s explanation.

     “Yes, I did,” Janet said defensively. “I was late for class.”

     “And how could you be late for class?” Ernie questioned further with his eyebrows raised.

     This was the first time Janet ever felt annoyed with Ernie, she didn’t like that he kept bringing up an issue that she was not proud to mention about, and he acts as though she was supposed to explain everything to him.

     “I forgot my book so I had to go back to get it and hence, I was late. Are you happy now?” Janet answered impatiently.

     “Oh,” Ernie nodded showing that he had accepted Janet’s explanation.

     Janet ignored his response and stormed pass Ernie out of the dungeons. She stomped three hard steps out from the dungeons out of annoyance from Ernie’s bossiness then something important struck her. “Did he tell his parents, or worse, my parents, about this?” Janet thought and stopped to hesitate whether she should turn back and clarify with Ernie. “On second thought, I’ll just see how it goes when mom and dad asks about this.” As she was still annoyed with Ernie, she decided not to talk to Ernie and stalked off to her common room.

     At dinner, Janet avoided eye contact with Ernie although she noticed that Ernie was trying to get her attention since she settled down at the Ravenclaw table.

     “I think,” Lisa nudged Janet. “Ernie is trying to talk to you.” Lisa told Janet as she too could not help not notice that Ernie’s attention is at the Ravenclaw table.

     “Not interested,” Janet mumbled while munching her pasta and keeping her eyes on her pumpkin juice instead of looking up at Ernie’s direction.

     “What’s up with the both of you?” Lisa asked as she looked at Ernie who has now switched his attention to Lisa since Lisa has noticed him. He is now trying to get Lisa to help him get Janet’s attention by pointing frantically at Janet’s direction. “I think he really wants to talk to you,” Lisa said while nodding at Ernie as a signal that she will help him.

     “I have nothing to say to him,” Janet replied coldly as she helped herself with some soup.

     Lisa looked back at Ernie apologetically, points to Janet and mouthed “She’s busy.” Then quickly look away before Ernie requests anything else. “What did he do? The two of you were still talking during Potions.” Lisa asked.

     “He should be minding his own business. What does my detention has anything to do with him?” Janet grumbled.

     “Well, he cares about you.” Janet snorted. “Hey, you can’t deny the fact that he cares about you. He is concern about everything that is related to you.” Lisa argued.

     “He is a tad overboard, don’t you think so?” Janet complained.

     “Oh? You are talking about Ernie?” Su could not help overhearing Lisa and Janet’s conversation.

     Janet did not respond, the mention of Ernie’s name annoyed her. Lisa nodded on Janet’s behalf.

     At the Hufflepuff table, Ernie was slightly demotivated for dinner because Janet was ignoring him and he didn’t understand why. Ernie slide deep into his thoughts thinking of the reason Janet was ignoring him while absent mindedly stirring his soup.

     Someone nudged Ernie’s shoulder, “Hey.”

     Ernie looked up from his soup, “Oh, hi Cedric.”

     “I couldn’t help noticing that your attention has been lingering…” Cedric pointed vaguely towards the Ravenclaw table and stopped at Janet, “Over there?”

     Ernie did not respond, his eyes followed the direction Cedric was pointing at and watched Janet, hoping that she will look back. However, Janet seems to be determined to look at any direction except the Hufflepuff table.

     “What happened between the two of you? You were still talking after lunch.” Cedric asked curiously.

     “I have no idea. All of a sudden, she is ignoring me. I have not done anything that has upset her.” Ernie said sadly. He obviously did not realise that forcing Janet to talk about her detention is not a matter of concern; in fact, it was annoying, at least for Janet.

     What did you do or said to her today? You will never know that you might have upset her by accident.” Cedric prompted. As much as Ernie looks up to Cedric as his older brother; Cedric cared about Ernie too like his younger brother.

    “Nothing special. I just asked her why she was in detention yesterday. That was the only thing we talked about.” Ernie said, thinking hard if he had said something wrong between the lines.

     Cedric smiled, “I think I know the problem,” he interrupted.

     “Then we talked about you,” Ernie continued before he realized what Cedric has pointed out. “Oh, you know?” Ernie eyed Cedric thinking that Janet was unhappy because they talked about Cedric.

     Cedric understood where Ernie is heading, “Oh no, whatever you are thinking, it’s not me!” Cedric quickly corrected seeing Ernie eying him suspiciously. “Grab a few slices of pie, I’ll tell you when we are in the common room.”

     Ernie quickly grabbed a few pieces of chicken pie, wrapped them in a napkin and followed Cedric off the Hufflepuff table.