Let me explain -- Winter 1994

I scoffed.  "As a rat doesn't count," I pointed out to my father.  "Yeah, Scabbers is really frightening..."  I knew egging him on was not a good thing, but then again, I did not care at all.

I wanted to hit Jetty when he said that, but I did not - would not.  "Jetty, listen to me," i snapped at him.  "I know that our relationship is strained.  But you have to realize that it has to be this way because of Black and Potter.  It's the only way to have peace!"

I sighed and shook my head.  "No, it's not!  I have peace with both Black and Potter.  Black and I are even mates at school, Dad.  Potter and I don't see eye to eye, relaly, but who can blame us?  WE're in rival Houses.  But teh only way to have peace is to end this crap."

I could not believe Jetty.  "You even think about outing this plan and everything I have been striving for, Jetty... so help me," I warned him -- threatened.  I was not going to lose any piece of what I had been working towards.  Lily and Faith, well, they loathed me.  I really did nto care about them.  But I did not have the heart to kill them at first... though, now, they were just dead weight.  I was ready to be done with them.

James, however, I sitll had hope that he would turn around and be the mate I waned him to be.  One that would not make jokes at my expense and tear hte mickey out of me just because I was not the best looking guy out there like they were... or all that talented...

He was threatening me.  My own father was threatening me!  It angered me, but not as much as it frightened me.  I knew he was a prat to his school mates... and obviously I knew what he was capable of because of what he was doing ot James, Lily, Faith, and Evan.  But I also knew that he was smarter than what he let on -- he found a way to keep James and Lily alive when You-Know-Who went after them.  And that was crazy.

I took a deep breath.  "Okay, fine," I said to him quietly.  "I'll stay quiet... for now."  I waned him to know that he was on the edge with me. I was not going ot tolerate much more.

I was relieved. "Yes, that's good, " I said to my son.  "I hope that you will have patience, my son."

I did not like the way that he was speaking to me like I had no idea what was going on or like I was a daft child.  I was smarter than a lot of kids my age -- something dad would have known if he had been around in my life.  "Yeah, whatever," I said to him moodily.

"Jetty, do not speak ot me like that!" I said to him heatedly.  I ahd to ekep my voice down a little bit,t hoguh, so I did not yell.  "Patience is a good thing to have, young man.  and it be best if you learned that quickly."

I stared at my dad.  "Mum taught me quite a few things -- that being one of them.  But she also told me that I should know when I've had enough," I spat at him.  "And I don't think I want to deal with any of this anymore.  I'm going to tell everything that you've told me.  You've basically abused Evan and told him lies!"  Evan and I had ended up becoming mates and I was not going to continue to keep lying to him.  He was actually becoming a very good mates.

I glared at my own son and clenched my fists.  "You will not speak to me like that!" I shouted, moving towards Jetty.  My hands were on Jetty's shoulders so fast that i barely recognized what I did.  I looked down at him and saw that he had a red hand print on his cheek as well.  My fury kept me from caring too much about it.  "You will speak no word of what I've had you doing or what I've shown you.  If you do, so help me, Jetty, no one will find you either."

I was stunned that he had hit me, but at the same time, it did not surprise me one bit.  I was, however, surprised to find him threatening me as much as he was.  I felt hte color drain from my face.  "You would never get away with it," I said to him, but my foice was not that strong.  "Mum and Jada... they would never stop trying to find answers."

I smirked at him.  "Answers that they would never get," I said to hiim darkly.  "So you best tread carefully, Jetty."

"You don't know Mum, then," I said, my voice finding strength again.  "She would figure out it was you easily... Auntie Ember told her that Sirius was innocent.  She knows you're alive out there somewhere... hiding like the coward you are."