Jimmy

Chapter 4: The Prince and the Pauper

"Okay, okay, settle down!" Ms. Stites called over the noise in the room. "Yes, yes, I know there's sleet outside, but we do need to get started." The hubbub finally subsided. "Thank you. Now, I trust you all did your homework. Who would like to recite the four times-table?"

As usual, Janey's hand was the first in the air.

"Janey, let's let someone else answer for once," Ms. Stites smiled. The class tittered. Janey put her hand down, embarrassed. "Does anyone else know the answer?"

Harry glanced around the room, reluctant to call attention to himself, but since no one else seemed to be answering Harry finally put his hand up.

"Harry?" Ms. Stites called. Everyone just stared at him.

Harry stood up and started. He spoke smoothly and rhythmically, and when he reached four times twelve is forty-eight he kept going to four times thirteen is fifty-two, four times fourteen is fifty-six, four times fifteen is sixty, four times...

"I'm most impressed, Harry, but you were supposed to stop at four times twelve," Ms. Stites said. The class tittered again. Harry blushed and took his seat, mortified.

Janey leaned across the aisle as Ms. Stites turned and began writing on the board. She patted his hand on the desktop. "I thought it was amazing," she whispered. Harry felt a lot better.

~~~

Janey and Becky had met Mr. Dursley and somehow--Harry would never understand how--convinced him to allow Harry to accompany them Trick-or-Treating. Becky was going as a witch, Janey as a fairy princess. But when Harry arrived that evening--it was actually nice--he was wearing khaki pants and a blue shirt.

"Jimmy, where's your costume?" Becky asked, looking up and down.

"I don't have one," Harry answered.

"Mum?" Janey called back to her mother. "Where do we keep those old drapes I had in my room?"

Twenty minutes later, Harry had a dark blue cape, a cardboard crown (hastily spray-painted gold), and a curtain-rod, toilet-paper-tube sword.

"Thank you very much, ma'am," Harry said gratefully.

"Oh, no trouble at all, dear," Janey's mother told him with a smile, handing him a plastic bag. "Now you three have fun, and make sure you don't eat anything you get until your parents check it out and make sure it's okay."

"All right, Mum. Bye," Janey said, pushing Harry and Becky out the door.

The three of them circled the neighbourhood. Harry was actually enjoying himself until they rounded a corner and found themselves face-to-face with Dudley's gang.

"Oh, no," Harry whispered. He and Janey turned to leave, but Dudley stepped forward first.

"Well, well, well. Getting above ourselves, now, aren't we, Potter?" he sang out delightedly. "A prince?"

"No, Dudley," Harry said promptly. "I'm the pauper. I changed places with the prince so he could get a taste of being able to do what he wanted for once."

Dudley frowned. "I don't know what you're talking about. Give me that."

He snatched Harry's bag of candy from him. Harry, who had known all along he'd have to surrender the bag when he got home anyway, let him have it. Janey and Becky, however, were furious.

"You can't do that!" Becky snapped. "That's stealing!"

"Oh, yeah?" Dudley said menacingly.

"Yeah!" Janey said bravely. "So give it back right now or else!"

Dudley advanced on her threateningly and snatched her bag of candy. She grabbed for it, but he pushed her over.

Harry was angry. Just because Dudley knew he got Harry's bag was no excuse for him to take Janey's--and then to push her over!

"Yeeowch!"

Something had hit Dudley on the head hard. He dropped both Janey's and Harry's bags. Harry grabbed them quickly, helped Janey up, and gave her bag back to her. Then the three of them ran like the wind.

Once they felt they were safe, they slowed down.

"I shouldn't have brought The Prince and the Pauper up," Harry berated himself.

"Why not?" Becky asked.

"Because Dudley didn't understand it. Any time I say something Dudley doesn't understand, someone usually gets hurt."

Janey squeezed his hand slightly. "Why'd you let him have your bag?"

"I'll have to give it to him when I get home anyway. I figured it didn't matter if he got it now."

The girls stopped suddenly, and Harry stopped as well. "What do you mean?" Janey asked finally.

Harry shrugged. "I'm not allowed to have treats of any kind. I have to give them to Dudley because he's special and I'm not."

"That's not true!" Janey said firmly. "You are special and Dudley isn't. The difference between you and Dudley is that you're special and Dudley's spoiled."

Harry smiled a little. "Thanks, Janey."