The Yashnid Household

"But no. Sorry, Selia, but I don't want to."

Selia was silent. She just stared at him. "I can't say I'm not relieved," She said carefully. "But I'm a little offended. And sad, as well. You don't like me enough? Or are you going to say you respect me too much, like we're in a soap opera?"

"I don't know. We haven't even finished school, for that matter."

"So? Plenty of other people do it much earlier than our age. Personally, I really don't care. I was just expecting you to be more enthusiastic."

"... Oh." Jake frowned. "THANKS FOR THE CONDOMS, SELIA!" He said loudly, and hugged Selia. His family stopped talking and stared at the two of them.

Selia looked frozen. "Your whole family is staring!" She hissed, turning bright red.

"So? Let them stare. Who cares what they think."

"They're your family." Selia muttered. "I give up. I can't make you self-conscious."

"So they're my family! The worst they can do is yell at me! And hit me with canes!"

"And kill me! Your grandpa is like the king of karate! He'll murder me in my sleep!"

"Nah, the worst he can do to you is... well, deprive you of seeing me but that won't ever work since we're going to Hogwarts." He smiled mellowly.

Selia crossed her arms. "Are you going to move out after Hogwarts? Get a place and everything?"

"... I don't want toooo." he groaned. "I don't want to get a job and work and live in my own house and have to clean and cook and make my bed and wake up early and go to work and I just really don't want to. So I think I'm going to make myself fail this year so I get to be held back."

"Jake." Selia said in a reproachful tone. "You cannot just stay in school forever. I'm sorry, but it doesn't work that way. You're going to have to.." She stopped talking, thinking to herself. "What if we made a deal?" She said abruptly.

"Oh, what kind of deal?"

"I could live with you. Then I wouldn't have to buy my own house, and have more money for the things I want. And then I could cook, and clean things, and make your bed. And work at Honeydukes. So the money I earn wouldn't have to go towards getting a house, it would go straight towards the store fund. And you might be happier with having to live away from your parents."

"Selia, we shouldn't plan so early, though... I mean, what if something wrong happens?"

"You're right. What if a nuclear war broke out?" Selia said. "Well, maybe I'm thinking a little too large-scale. What if we got into a huge fight and broke up and tried to kill each other?" She paused. "That's still a little morbid."

Jake sighed. "But still, this whole plan makes me just want to skip through school. I mean, it's going to be so depressing after this."

"I know. Think of all the people that died. They're not continuing their education.. It's just cruel to sit and learn, and not remember anything that happened."

"Yeah. Hey, Selia, what if we just started now? You know, what you said? We find a small apartment- with the money from what you're going to sell. We'll take a quarter, leave the rest for your sister and dad! Then we'll start from there. I mean, we don't have anything to loose- in a way, we're just gaining even more. Plus, you want to open a bakery, right? You're on your own for that, so it's not like anybody is going to be interviewing you or anything."

Selia looked down at her feet, thinking. "I really don't think I need the NEWTS anyways. I'm on board." She grinned at him. "Let's go shopping for an apartment this week. Something around Hogsmeade. I'll call Honeydukes and ask for the job now.. Let's do it!" Selia hugged him.

He frowned. "It's Christmas, Selia. We can't just LEAVE."

"Well after New Year's then. When everyone's not doing anything because they're hung over."

"My family doesn't drink!"