When the Prefects led the first years out of the Hall, Kathryn was
among them. Draco caught up to her and whispered something that made her
laugh. Draco looked offended. Then she said something that made him smile
slyly.
~*~*~*~
Back in the Gryffindor common room, Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat in their usual corner.
"She's in my dorm room this year," Hermione was complaining. "Why can't she room with the sixth years?"
"Well, you could always find out something embarrassing about her and blackmail the entire Malfoy family," Fred suggested as he and George came over.
"Yeah, but that requires actually watching her," George pointed out.
"She's not that bad," defended Harry, not knowing why, "at least not yet."
"Yet being the key word," Ron grumbled.
Hermione sighed. "She's going to make this year miserable."
"Let's just give her the benefit of the doubt for now," suggested Harry.
"Harry Potter, I'm surprised at you," scolded Hermione. "To think you would be supporting a Malfoy."
"Yeah, you feeling okay?" George asked putting his hand on Harry's forehead. Harry shook him off and gave up his argument. Why was he defending a Malfoy anyway?
"So where's the dark lady now?" Fred asked looking around the room. "I don't see her anywhere."
"In the dorm. The curtains are drawn around her bed, but there's a light coming from inside," said Hermione.
"She's probably coming up with some sort of hex," Ron scoffed.
"Actually," came a sharp, clear voice, "I was writing a letter to my parents." They all turned to see Kathryn standing a few feet away.
"Uh-hunh," Ron voiced skeptically. "If you were just writing an innocent letter, then why weren't you out here writing it?"
"I never said it was innocent." They looked at her in fright. "I'm joking!" she giggled. "I would write it out here, but you people aren't exactly friendly," she gave them a mock smile.
"Well, what about Harry?" Hermione asked.
"Yeah," agreed Fred," Harry invited you to sit with them."
"He's a Potter, I would expect nothing less of him, but speaking about you guys in general. Besides, if I eat with you guys my cousin would think me a traitor."
"He's you're cousin!" they chorused.
"Yeah, how'd you think we were related?"
"We thought you were an older sister," answered Ron.
"Hell No! Thank God we're just cousins! He's a spoiled brat that can't stand up for himself. He really is a disgrace to the family." They couldn't believe what they were hearing! Draco's own family was mocking him! "Just don't tell him I said any of this or I could very well be in for it. In addition, I would make your lives miserable, not just at Hogwarts, but all of it."
"Is that a threat?" George asked getting annoyed with her tone.
"Does it sound like one?"
"You talk funny."
Kathryn imitated a bad British accent, "You don't talk any better." Everyone except George and Kathryn cracked up. Kathryn wore a smug smile and George was red with embarrassment. "What's the matter, Weasely? Your face matches your hair."
Fred tried to explain his brother's behavior, but couldn't because he was laughing too hard.
"You two are so used to being the practical jokers, you can't handle it when someone chooses you as the joke."
"No, normally we laugh right along with it, we just aren't used to Americans," Fred said now that the laughter had died down.
"Well, don't get used to me. Other than class we probably won't see much of each other."
"But I thought you were taking fifth year classes," Hermione pointed out.
"What a bright girl!" Kathryn said sarcastically. Hermione blushed. "I'm in the seventh year Transfiguration class. I should be out of Transfiguration and have a private Tudor, but I left the school in America before the year was over."
"You got kicked out," voiced Ron.
"No, I mean I left. My uncle doesn't think the school is good for anything other than Transfiguration. So, he insisted I be taken out and tutored for the remainder of the last year. My parents agreed.
"If I'd stayed I would be out of Transfiguration all together and have a private Tudor, as I said before."
"So you're a Transfiguration mastermind," George smiled.
"Basically."
"What can you do?"
"I could change you into a dog, but you'd be stuck like that until I figure out how to change people back into people."
"You did that to someone!"
"Only my professor who can change himself back if need-be. I guess he likes being a dog because last I heard he was being pampered by some rich muggle family."
"How do you know he can change back?" asked Hermione.
"Because he has. He just can't change himself back into a dog. He's normally a bird."
"This is one of your American professors?" Ron asked.
"Yep! He really is a strange individual."
"George is right," Ron said. "You do talk funny."
"You're a nice kid, don't make me hurt you."
"Wait," said Harry. "I've never heard of an American Wizarding School."
"Not many have," Kathryn said. "There is only one and like Hogwarts, it's out in the middle of nowhere. I don't think anyone living knows the exact location of it."
"What's it called?" Ron asked.
"Westminstor School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
"Does it have houses like Hogwarts?" asked Hermione, now a little interested.
"You know, I would love to tell you all about it this very minute, but I have a conference with some of the teachers before breakfast. I'm going to bed." She turned and walked off towards the girls' dorms.
The group didn't speak until she was out of sight. "She does seem a bit snobby," Hermione observed.
"Kind of like you," Ron teased.
"How bad do you think she wants to be in Slytherin?" asked Harry.
"Well, she'll be able to see them plenty. We have Potions and Charms with them this year," declared Hermione.
"Well, I think we should get to bed. We have Potions right after breakfast," suggested Harry. The group said good night to each other and went to their dorms.
~*~*~*~
Back in the Gryffindor common room, Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat in their usual corner.
"She's in my dorm room this year," Hermione was complaining. "Why can't she room with the sixth years?"
"Well, you could always find out something embarrassing about her and blackmail the entire Malfoy family," Fred suggested as he and George came over.
"Yeah, but that requires actually watching her," George pointed out.
"She's not that bad," defended Harry, not knowing why, "at least not yet."
"Yet being the key word," Ron grumbled.
Hermione sighed. "She's going to make this year miserable."
"Let's just give her the benefit of the doubt for now," suggested Harry.
"Harry Potter, I'm surprised at you," scolded Hermione. "To think you would be supporting a Malfoy."
"Yeah, you feeling okay?" George asked putting his hand on Harry's forehead. Harry shook him off and gave up his argument. Why was he defending a Malfoy anyway?
"So where's the dark lady now?" Fred asked looking around the room. "I don't see her anywhere."
"In the dorm. The curtains are drawn around her bed, but there's a light coming from inside," said Hermione.
"She's probably coming up with some sort of hex," Ron scoffed.
"Actually," came a sharp, clear voice, "I was writing a letter to my parents." They all turned to see Kathryn standing a few feet away.
"Uh-hunh," Ron voiced skeptically. "If you were just writing an innocent letter, then why weren't you out here writing it?"
"I never said it was innocent." They looked at her in fright. "I'm joking!" she giggled. "I would write it out here, but you people aren't exactly friendly," she gave them a mock smile.
"Well, what about Harry?" Hermione asked.
"Yeah," agreed Fred," Harry invited you to sit with them."
"He's a Potter, I would expect nothing less of him, but speaking about you guys in general. Besides, if I eat with you guys my cousin would think me a traitor."
"He's you're cousin!" they chorused.
"Yeah, how'd you think we were related?"
"We thought you were an older sister," answered Ron.
"Hell No! Thank God we're just cousins! He's a spoiled brat that can't stand up for himself. He really is a disgrace to the family." They couldn't believe what they were hearing! Draco's own family was mocking him! "Just don't tell him I said any of this or I could very well be in for it. In addition, I would make your lives miserable, not just at Hogwarts, but all of it."
"Is that a threat?" George asked getting annoyed with her tone.
"Does it sound like one?"
"You talk funny."
Kathryn imitated a bad British accent, "You don't talk any better." Everyone except George and Kathryn cracked up. Kathryn wore a smug smile and George was red with embarrassment. "What's the matter, Weasely? Your face matches your hair."
Fred tried to explain his brother's behavior, but couldn't because he was laughing too hard.
"You two are so used to being the practical jokers, you can't handle it when someone chooses you as the joke."
"No, normally we laugh right along with it, we just aren't used to Americans," Fred said now that the laughter had died down.
"Well, don't get used to me. Other than class we probably won't see much of each other."
"But I thought you were taking fifth year classes," Hermione pointed out.
"What a bright girl!" Kathryn said sarcastically. Hermione blushed. "I'm in the seventh year Transfiguration class. I should be out of Transfiguration and have a private Tudor, but I left the school in America before the year was over."
"You got kicked out," voiced Ron.
"No, I mean I left. My uncle doesn't think the school is good for anything other than Transfiguration. So, he insisted I be taken out and tutored for the remainder of the last year. My parents agreed.
"If I'd stayed I would be out of Transfiguration all together and have a private Tudor, as I said before."
"So you're a Transfiguration mastermind," George smiled.
"Basically."
"What can you do?"
"I could change you into a dog, but you'd be stuck like that until I figure out how to change people back into people."
"You did that to someone!"
"Only my professor who can change himself back if need-be. I guess he likes being a dog because last I heard he was being pampered by some rich muggle family."
"How do you know he can change back?" asked Hermione.
"Because he has. He just can't change himself back into a dog. He's normally a bird."
"This is one of your American professors?" Ron asked.
"Yep! He really is a strange individual."
"George is right," Ron said. "You do talk funny."
"You're a nice kid, don't make me hurt you."
"Wait," said Harry. "I've never heard of an American Wizarding School."
"Not many have," Kathryn said. "There is only one and like Hogwarts, it's out in the middle of nowhere. I don't think anyone living knows the exact location of it."
"What's it called?" Ron asked.
"Westminstor School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
"Does it have houses like Hogwarts?" asked Hermione, now a little interested.
"You know, I would love to tell you all about it this very minute, but I have a conference with some of the teachers before breakfast. I'm going to bed." She turned and walked off towards the girls' dorms.
The group didn't speak until she was out of sight. "She does seem a bit snobby," Hermione observed.
"Kind of like you," Ron teased.
"How bad do you think she wants to be in Slytherin?" asked Harry.
"Well, she'll be able to see them plenty. We have Potions and Charms with them this year," declared Hermione.
"Well, I think we should get to bed. We have Potions right after breakfast," suggested Harry. The group said good night to each other and went to their dorms.