Post by Justin McDowell on Aug 4, 2011 15:47:40 GMT -8
Following Detention.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
6:30 p.m.
The walk from Professor Conleth's office to the Hufflepuff Common Room in the dungeons was a blur. At points, Justin was so distracted that when he'd "come to," he'd feel almost like he was floating, moving by some other's will besides his own. He was on autopilot, his mind clouded with heavy thoughts--worry about the letter, worry about whether or not Conleth had figured it out in some mystical, mind-reading way or somehow realizing the meaning of the letter and the discreetness of it, thoughts of what exactly to do for Lissa on Monday, worry some professor might force the truth out of him if he missed a class to see her, thoughts on how exactly to raise money to do what had come to mind during the detention....
So, it was with minimal awareness that he let himself into his common room and walked over and plopped down on the couch, his arms crossing as he stared across the room, not even aware of it if he was staring at someone. There had to be some way to deal with this. There had to be some way to get her out of the mess she was in without getting either of them in too much trouble--not that he wouldn't risk everything to get her out of her situation, if he had to. Heck, he'd give up school and flee the country, if for some reason he had to take her and run because the situation escalated that fast. He was legally an adult at this point. They couldn't trace his magic anymore like they could've when he was sixteen. The Trace had expired a couple months ago now.
Maybe he could find some way to raise money, but how? What could he sell? What talent did he have to offer? Maybe he was funny enough to be a comedian for some person's private little party on some end of campus out of sight and out of mind of professors? Or do some sort of display at such an event? No way. That would be impossible. He wasn't that funny, was he? And the display thing could just gain him more detentions. (Then again, all the more reason to leave the school early, right?) Maybe people liked his pranks enough, though, that they'd want something right before the holidays? He could come up with something subtle enough that people wouldn't mark it as having his "signature" to it, maybe even throw in one of the Gryffindor's signature fireworks or something, right? He'd need money for that, believably enough. But how would he set up and raise the money? If a professor walked by, they would have to disband immediately. Ugh. Too much thought. But there had to be a way! But how...?