This is the first chapter of 'The First Year'. This story is the sequel to 'The Final Year'. It's a real great story so I hope you all will read it before you read this one, I personally reckon it rocks! Oh yeah, there are three authors contributing to this story, it's a sort of round robin thing, these authors are myself, pretty.little.happy.princess, aka Katherine, Pinocchio, aka Ellie, and beachbabe12, aka Emma.
I really hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoy writing it!
Mwa Mwa Love
Katherine!
Chapter One
It seemed like an eternity that they stared intently into the kitchen window, when in reality it was only a few seconds.
"No, this isn't happening, I won't let it!" Remus yelled as he pulled his wand out from the seam of his pants. He rushed towards the front door and began to cast random water dispersing spells in all directions.
As everyone looked on helplessly Ellie sat on the ground with her head hung low into her hands. Emma looked at Kat with a sympathetic smile, and then slowly ambled towards Ellie. She put her arms around Ellie and gently spoke words of comfort to her. Ellie flung her arms around Emma and closed her eyes, wishing she could turn back the clock.
"It's ok, Matt is ok. Remus and James are trying to get inside. Don't cry girl; please don't cry. Be strong! Matty could never stand it when you cried." Emma whispered comfortingly.
Although this comment was supposed to comfort her, it only made her feel worse "He hated it when I called him Matty."
Emma held Ellie in her arms and tried not to let the pushing of her pregnant belly against her hurt.
James had just broken through the barrier that was stopping them from reaching Matt and he began to turn on every tap that he saw, though he found this extremely challenging, as the heat of the flames was overwhelming.
"Moony get yourself over here now!" James yelled as he coughed into his handkerchief. Remus struggled through the flames to get to James.
"Hold on James, I've got an idea" Remus yelled to James. He looked at him with intrigue in his eyes then stopped walking. Remus raised his wand and performed a silent charm. At this James stopped feeling the heat from the flames.
"Good work Remus, now lets find Matt, and hurry!" James yelled hoping that Remus had heard him. James both nodded in recognition, and then they hurried around the kitchen hoping to get a glimpse of Matt. What felt like fifteen minutes past and they still hadn't found him, until James tripped over something. He looked down at his feet and saw Matt lying unconscious on the ground; his skin was burnt and charred horribly from the flames. James raised his wand, and performed the flame charm. Once James saw Matt he grabbed his hand and quickly apparated both himself and Matt out of the burning kitchen with Remus following quickly behind.
Outside the house a loud pop was heard just as James and Remus arrived with Matt's body. All of the spectators looked on as they all prayed that Matt would start to breathe again. Ellie ran over to Matt's side and grabbed his torso, she pulled it towards her, and said desperately, "Please don't be dead, please Matt I need you."
When Remus heard this he was shocked, and extremely confused, but he wouldn't confront Ellie, not now. He couldn't.
James was holding Lily in his arms as she wept; and strangely enough he was finding it hard to hold back tears himself. Sirius was on the ground with Emma, and Kat stood alone silently mourning.
Within minutes the fire brigade arrived, and so did a lot of ministry officials, and healers from St Mungo's.
One of the healers attempted in vain to revive Matt, but it was too late. Matt was gone forever, and nothing anyone did could bring him back.
It was late at night in the girls' dormitory and only two girls were still awake, Lily and Kat. Lily had decided to spend her last night in Hogwarts in her old dorm, as she had lived there for six years before she moved into the head's dorm. She was busy planning the Graduation ceremony, and Kat was writing in her diary.
Dear Diary,
It's really strange because lately everything seems to have a pattern, I mean like a numbers pattern. This time it's the number two. It's been two days since Matt's death, its two hours till his funeral, and that goes for two hours. I've been in love twice this year, and I've had my heart broken twice. Two is the number of times I have cried in the last two hours, and two of my closest friends are sleeping. Oh and two is the number of times that I have done IT in the last two weeks.
There is a definite pattern there. However, I still don't understand why Matt should have died. He was a wizard; he should have been able to save himself, especially when a wizard's true power doesn't lie in their wand, but in their heart... I need an answer, and I don't think I can be truly satisfied until I know why it happened. Like he came into my life, only to leave so soon, and I had only just started to really get to know him. It just confuses me.
Kat stopped, and felt someone come up behind her and hug her. She turned around. It was Ellie. Ellie whispered to Kat, "It wasn't anyone's fault, especially not yours."
"I know, but he was…" Kat replied saying.
"Yeah, I know, but remember what you always said to me when I got down about my parents." Ellie said, and then stopped as Kat interrupted her.
"That everyone has their time."
"And it was Matt's time, I know he was young, but Kat we will remember how he lived, not how he died. Now let's get changed and head down to the great hall with Lily and Emma." Ellie said comfortingly.
Within twenty minutes they were all ready. Emma was wearing a beautiful red pencil skirt, and a black Victorian styled blouse that fluttered beautifully over her stomach, and black doc martens. Lily wore black straight-legged pants with a polka dot green shirt, her Hogwarts cape, and joggers. Ellie wore a tiara on her head, a black pencil skirt, a red v-neck top and leopard skin ballet flats. Kat wore skinny-legged jeans, bunny slippers, a white top and fairy wings.
As they all walked out and saw each other's outfits they couldn't help but laugh.
Then, as a group they headed down to the Great Hall.
In the boys dormitory the room was silent, all except for Peter's cringing as he pulled on his leather pants.
Sirius looked over to Peter, and began to laugh, "man, and I thought what I have to wear was ridiculous." At this they all laughed, then quieted down quickly when they all felt the empty space that Matt's presence filled.
"Guys, don't call me a sissy, but I kind of miss him." James quietly said.
"Me too." Sirius added as he bowed his head low. Remus didn't say anything.
Peter then broke the silence by saying, "I don't know how I'll live without him."
The marauder's all looked at him strangely until Sirius let out a loud chuckle, pat Peter on the back and said, "Mate, you've got no chance with the ladies cause, you're a homosexual."(I have nothing against gays, one of my friends is, so don't take this as offensive.)
Almost the entire population of the school was at the memorial service, which was being lead by James, Ellie, Sirius and Kat. As the four of them stood up an eerie silence filed the Great Hall, well, except for the small giggles at the outfits of choice.
Sirius and Ellie looked extremely stunned at how many people were at the service, as it wasn't compulsory. Then they both looked over to James and Kat who were already in place by the podium.
James tapped his finger lightly on wand, and his voice was projected to the audience.
"Thank you all for coming today in honor of our friend Matt." James said, he then handed his wand over to Sirius and he spoke, "Matt was a good bloke. He was honest, true, and was a loyal friend. Today we honor him because he taught us all so much." Sirius then handed the wand to Ellie who spoke. "Matt was about the best friend I could have ever asked for, he listened, he laughed, and he didn't judge. Today we honor him because he was Matt." After this she handed the wand to Kat who then spoke, "Matt influenced all of us, and so many ways. Matt told me that no matter what he will always be with me. So today we honor Matt, not by grieving, but by celebrating him. We do this by showing what he has given us. You may think it is disrespecting him to be wearing these silly costumes, but there is a good reason for it, it is because Matt once told us that he believes mourning is stupid, he believed we shouldn't dwell on what is past, we should celebrate the good things that person has shown and given to us."
Many speeches and lengthy silences followed this, though none were quite as heartfelt. For the power of their words echoed through everybody's minds, for they had all lost a friend.
On the very last day of the school year everyone's trunks were packed, and their dorms tidied.
"Guess what?" Emma said to them as she sat cross-legged on the rug.
"What?" Remus asked.
"Well I just got a letter from my Father and he said the house is all fixed, and we can move in tonight!" Emma said joyously.
"Yeah, that's real great." Ellie said smiling.
"I can't believe that this is officially the last day that we will be classified as Hogwarts students." Lily said happily.
"Yeah fully." Sirius added. Everyone looked at him queerly.
"I think I'm just going to enjoy this next fortnight." Lily said as she stretched her arms.
"Oh yeah, I almost forgot about how the results don't come till two weeks after the term ends." James said in reply.
"I no, I hope my results are just splendid!" Sirius said queerly. Everyone laughed again as this was Sirius's second non heterosexual moment.
While they all laughed at Sirius's queerness Kat spoke "Well we better get out to the main entrance hall, we leave in officially…" she stopped and looked at her watch, "Twenty two minutes."
As they all gathered in the entrance hall to depart Kat accidentally smashed into her ex-boyfriend Sam and spilt her mocha latte all over his jeans.
"Oh shit! Sorry Sam." Kat said apologetically as she attempted to wipe up the mess that was all over Sam.
"Don't worry, it's alright, you better go join your friends." Sam said as he dried his jeans with a drying spell.
"Ok, but I am sorry." Kat said, but as she walked off Sam grabbed her hand, and pulled it around to him. "You're wearing my ring." He said in almost a whisper.
"Um, well err yeh, it um looked good with my err outfit…" Kat said quickly.
"Oh, alright…" Sam replied, he released her hand from his grasp and trotted off.
Kat stood there for a while then impulsively yelled "Wait Sam!" as she hastened towards him. Sam quickly spun around and walked quickly towards her.
"Yes…" He said hopefully as he came face to face with Kat.
"Things sort of got all messed around this past year, especially between you and me." Kat said as she handed Sam a piece of parchment. "That's were im going to be staying, give me a ring, or drop by whenever." And with that she hugged him farewell and slowly walked back towards her friends.
They all boarded the Hogwarts Express for the very last time, and found their usual compartment. The journey to London was quick, and oddly uneventful. When they arrived they stepped off the train, and to there surprise they saw that they platform had undergone a face-lift.
"Oh that would be right! The year we leave is the year they fix up this foundation falling crap shack." James said as he stomped his feet heavily onto the ground.
"Oh, get over it." Lily laughed.
They all pushed their trolleys through the barrier and met Emma's father who had two cars ready to take them to the house.
Emma greeted her dad with a hug and Sirius greeted him with a handshake; after which he walked over to James and Remus and muttered, "Wow that guy has a strong handshake, my hand hurts!"
"All ready to go?" Mr. Rodgers asked, they nodded and mumbled their yes's and then clambered into the two large cars.
They reached the house within twenty minutes and then started pulling out their trunks, the girls had already decided on the rooms earlier that week so they had no issues when it came to the sleeping situation.
Emma set her trunk on the large king size bed and opened it.
"Nice work Em!" Sirius said from the doorway, "Bagging us the biggest bedroom, geez it's like an apartment!"
"Good eh?" Emma said, giving him a hug.
Sirius pulled away and asked Emma, "Yeah, listen Em do you mind if myself and James pop out for a while, there's some guy stuff we've got to do?"
Emma looked slightly suspicious but agreed anyways.
Ellie stood blankly in the kitchen with tears in her eyes, she thought she was alone, but she was wrong. From the corner of the room Remus stood watching her, he couldn't help it; he needed to ask her that question that had been plaguing his mind for quite some time.
Ellie let out a small sniffing noise just as Remus stood beside her.
Ellie jumped, "Oh shit Remus! You scared the living hell out of me."
"Sorry, but it's not as if you don't scare me most of the time." Remus said in reply.
"What!" Ellie yelled.
"I don't know what you're thinking anymore, I just don't know." He said softly.
"Don't be ridiculous Remus, you know me, im your Ellie." She replied as she looked into his eyes.
"Yeah, I no, but I don't know about all this stuff that has been happening lately." Remus said.
"I guess it has been a little funny lately. But how about this, let's start again, let's forget everything and go back to basic's. Remus lets go back to when all we needed was love." Ellie proposed hopefully.
"Ok." Remus said simply as he embraced Ellie.
Kat had decided to go and check out the neighborhood, as she walked past a rickety old house she heard someone call her name. She turned her head around and looked but no one was there. She kept on walking, but now had a creepy feeling running down her spine as if she was being watched. She heard someone yell her name again, she was getting really freaked out so she apparated back to the house.
"Hello…" She yelled as she stood alone in the entrance hall. Nobody replied so she yelled again, and again, but nobody answered.
Kat was very confused; she swore that Emma and Ellie were home when she left, so she walked upstairs and along the corridor. She continued to shout but no one answered. Kat walked into all the other's rooms but nobody was in them, and so she decided she would go unpack her luggage, and set up her furniture.
As she walked though her door way she was startled by Sam.
"Oh Shit, what are you doing in here?" Kat said as she grabbed at her chest.
"You told me to pop in anytime, so I did." He answered, though his voice seemed different.
"Right, yeah but I didn't expect you to actually pop in anytime in the near future." Kat said.
"Oh, sorry then, but how about hug?" He asked again with the strange voice.
"Um ok." Kat agreed, though she was quite wierded out.
He embraced her, and whispered into her ear, "I'm sorry…"
And with one breathe Sam's wand transfigured into a knife, and he plunged the knife into her back. He then disappeared.
Kat dropped to the ground in pain. She had the taste of blood in her mouth, and she could feel the pain from the wound in her back more and more with each passing second. Kat let out a scream of agony. Emma and Ellie heard it from down stairs. They hurried to Kat's room. When they entered they saw her clutching at her back.
"Oh god!" Ellie shrieked.
"We've got to get her to St Mungo's!" Emma screamed.
That's it. The
first chapter of the First Year. Enjoy!
By pretty.little.happy.princess.
