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“...What. The fuck. Was that?” Jay growled, slowly turning as the last of the pink sparks from the failed spell disappeared. Penny quickly dug her wand into her robes, curling her hands behind her back, and dropping her eyes to the ground, “Uh… nothing?”.
“Yeah. Nothing.”.
Penny never noticed Jay’s slouch before. Not until now, as he stood up straight, towering over her. His voice was cool and smooth, but the fire tattooed around his lower body was rising rapidly, the flames curling higher and higher as Jay’s head tilted ever so slightly.
“Especially not that love charm we learned just today. The one Flitwick explicitly told us not to use. Because it was immoral, manipulative, and downright creepy. Especially not that.”. Penny closed her eyes, tilting her head up to smile at Jay, “Well, in my defense-”.
“IN YOUR DEFENSE!?” Jay roared, and Penny’s eyes shot open, and she took a step back instinctively.
“WHAT COULD POSSIBLY DEFEND THAT SHIT? ARE YOU FUCKING INSANE?” Jay’s voice echoed in the small room, and Penny took another step back, stammering.
“Well, I just… I heard about everything… everything that was happening today, and… and I knew that…”
“Knew what, Penny?” Jay’s volume lowered, but the fury in his voice didn’t change, “That I had a girlfriend? Who I loved very much? And was going to spend Valentine’s with? Like I’ve told you for the past four days? Something like that?”.
“I… well, I did know that… but I just… I wanted you to at least try-”.
“TRY?” Jay’s dagger flew into his hands, and the flames of his tattoo rose further, now nearly at his chest, “TRY WHAT? CHEATING? RUINING EVERYTHING I’VE WORKED SO HARD TO HAVE WITH THE GIRL I LOVE?”.
“WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU, PENNY?”
Straightening her back in indignance, Penny gave an accusatory point to Jay, her own voice rising in anger as she retorted, “You never gave anyone else a chance! From day one, you were obsessed with that Snyde girl. I just wanted to show you how happy you could be if you gave someone else a chance, instead of some rat-haired, unpleasant, heartless bi-”.
“DEPULSO!”.
Jay’s wand had snapped into his hand, and the spell knocked Penny clean off her feet, blasting her into a wall of the Artifact Room, knocking shelves loose and scattering trinkets and parchment everywhere. Drawing in a slow breath, Jay stowed his wand, slowly walking across the room, and kneeling down to lock eyes with Penny.
“Merula Snyde… is a hundred times the person you are, Penny Haywood.” Jay snarled, his voice uncharacteristically low and even.
“Stay away from me, and stay away from her. If I ever, ever, catch wind of you trying something like this again…”. Jay’s dagger dug into the wall next to Penny’s head, and he leaned in close, dropping his voice further and baring his teeth.
“I’ll show you exactly what I can do with this blade.”.
And with that, he stood, and he left. After all, he had a date with the girl he loved.
He didn't have time for this.