This whole thing was embarrassing.  Getting in trouble enough to change seats was no big deal – Joel was never surprised by that, even though, for some reason, he was always the one told to change seats, and not Tucker . . . he suspected it was an anti-Slytherin bias on the part of the professors.  But the giggling and the gossip, and then Hadley’s mortification as she told him about how they were supposedly destined to fall madly in love or whatever . . . all of that part was embarrassing to the point of being very awkward.  Was it really so bad for him to try to make a little joke out of it?  Was he supposed to take it very seriously, or ignore what she said?  He had no idea, and Joel raked his fingers through is hair, leaning back in his chair as he looked towards the door where she’d hurried out.  His brother caught his eye.  

Tucker was giving him that What the hell did you do? look.  Joel returned with a What the hell?  I didn’t do anything! look and Tucker gave him his Like hell you didn’t do anything look, which was followed by Joel’s Shut the hell up! look.  This exchange of robust intelligence was interrupted by the appearance of Flitwick’s face in Joel’s line of vision, inquiring as to whether Joel felt the need to say something.   

“No, sir,” he said quickly, and then, “Yes, sir, I mean, well . . .” Joel trailed off tilting his head to see the doorway again.  The only way Hadley could have made him feel worse was if she’d started bawling, and Joel couldn’t help the nagging fear that she’d run off to do just that.  He very much liked the idea of taking advantage of the distance she’d put between them to let her chill out until she could be more reasonable instead of an oversensitive basket case.  But . . . here she’d just told him something very awkward and he’d gotten her all upset.  Even though he couldn’t imagine what else he ought to have said to her in response, he still felt bad in the worst of ways.  

“Erm . . . excuse me,” Joel said to Flitwick, who was still standing expectantly before him.  Joel rose from his chair, and slid out toward the door.  “I’ll be right back!” he called over his shoulder.  He could hear the professor’s calm admonishment as he left: “Detention, Mr. Watkins.”  Joel scowled as he let the door bang behind him and stood a moment to see where Hadley had gone.  

“Oi! Hadley!” he called as he caught sight of her slipping around a corner.  He jogged down the corridor after her, and swung around the corner to face her.  “Hadley,” he repeated when he had her, though he paused, unsure at this point, of what he intended to actually say to her.  “What’s the deal?” he asked.  “I mean, I was just kidding, right?  You knew that.  I mean, what else was I supposed to say?”


JOEL WATKINS