a/n: okay! So here's the next chapter, I've only read through it once because I really wanted to get this up before I forgot (I meant to get it up last night, and the night before that too) so if there's a few mistakes, I'm sorry! Anyways, enjoy the chapter!
Disclaimer (I forgot about this last time): anything you may recognize is property of J.K. I only wish I was the genius that she is!
Chapter Two: Dinner For Seven
Friday came all too soon for me, but definitely not for Kelly, she was practically bouncing off the walls, which was quite a feat considering that she's 20 and in her second year of college (she's getting her medical degree) and is hardly excited by anything bar summer holidays and no homework.
It was five o'clock on the dot and Kelly was rushing from room to room, cleaning like there was a fire behind her (though I told her repeatedly not to bother, they wouldn't care if the house had a few newspapers on the seat, honestly). After running through the living room five times, seeing me sitting on the couch, she snapped. Her eyes narrowed and she perched her hands on her hips, lips pursing.
"Why aren't you ready?" she asked stiffly.
"I am re-" I started.
"You aren't even showered, honestly, go upstairs and take a shower! And put on something a little nicer, maybe that pink sundress that I got you last year for Christmas!" I nearly choked on the cookie that I was trying, unsuccessfully, to eat. Kelly always forgot that I happened to hate the color pink, and wouldn't be caught seen dead in a dress, but she was taking none of that.
Finally, just to get her out of my hair I ran upstairs and jumped into the shower, letting the heat pound out the knots in my muscles that I hadn't even noticed before now. It seemed like only minutes later when Kelly was calling up to me that I had five minutes and I swore, stumbling into the first t-shirt and pair of jeans I saw, running my fingers through my hair as I put on mascara and eyeliner with one hand. The doorbell rung and I swore again when it made me jab myself in the eye. Overall it didn't look too bad, and there was nothing I could do about the wet hair so I ran down the stairs, pulling open the door. Albus and Rose grinned at me, while James hung back a bit, raising an eyebrow at my wet hair and lack of attention to my outfit.
"What are you wearing?" Kelly demanded from behind me, I winced and answered without turning to her.
"Um, jeans and a shirt?"
"Go change!" she demanded, luckily just then mom walked in.
"Kelly leave your sister alone, and that dress was pretty awful, that color really didn't suit her." Albus snickered and I swatted at him half-heartedly.
"You wore a dress?" James asked incredulously.
"No. I didn't." I said, he rolled his eyes and shoved his hands into his pockets, pushing past Albus and Rose to get into the house.
"Aren't you going to invite us in, Sunny?" he said, looking around.
"Well, I would, but seeing as you've already made yourself at home," I muttered as he flopped down onto the couch.
"Can I call you Sunny?" Kelly asked eagerly.
"If you want me to kill you," I said nonchalantly, "feet off the table, James," Kelly pouted and slipped back into the kitchen.
"I'm Summer's mom, if you hadn't already guessed," mom said happily, wiping her hands off on her apron. Then she held out her hand. With a half smile James stood and walked over.
"James Potter, year above Summer, and Albus' brother," he said, shaking her hand, "it's a pleasure to meet you, you have a lovely home." Albus, Rose, and I started at him in surprise, when mom turned to look at Albus he shot me a wink. Of course.
Introductions didn't take long and mom waved us out of the house so Kelly and her could finish up preparations for dinner.
"Go have fun," mom said, smiling and waving goodbye.
"Your mom seems nice," Albus said and Rose nodded, looping her arm with mine.
"And your sister has an awfully nice arse," James said with a smirk, I shot him a glare but he ignored me. I took them on a walk through our neighborhood and we made small talk, while James managed to comment about Kelly's arse three times and generally make the conversation awkward for all of us.
"Tell me again why Kelly and your mom wanted him to come?" Rose murmured into my ear. I chuckled and shook my head.
"No clue," I said and she laughed too, eventually, as the sun sank lower and lower into the sky, I suggested we head back and nobody argued, the walk back was quiet and the air was growing colder and colder. I shivered and Albus flashed me a look, then slung an arm over my shoulder. Finally the house came into view and we dashed up the steps and I swung open the door, Kelly was lounging on the couch with the TV on to a wizarding quidditch match. One of the teams scored and she cheered loudly.
"Ireland's up!" she called to my mom in the other room.
"I didn't know your sister was a quidditch fan," James said, looking at me. Well, since we don't really talk, that not surprising, prat. I thought, glaring at him as he went to take a seat next to her.
"Kelly, turn off the TV! Dinner's ready!" mom called from the kitchen, a quick glance inside showed that she was setting out plates, one empty one as always, waiting on the placemat, ready to be served. Kelly groaned but complied and grabbed a serving of the chicken on rice that my mom had made, then dished herself a larger than necessary scoop of sauce. We went down the line and when we were all sitting I eyed the empty plate that sat next to my mom sadly.
"No dad?" I asked, my voice soft. Something strange flashed over James' face but it was gone before I could pin it down. Mom shook her head and started cutting her chicken. The mood of dinner was somber for a minute until Kelly smiled mischievously at me.
"Well, tell me about yourself," Kelly asked, twirling a piece of her golden hair around her finger, looking eagerly from James to Albus to Rose and then back to James.
"Well, I met Summer on the Hogwart Express first year. Albus and I were looking for a compartment and..." Rose was saying, I remembered that day.
Smoke filled the air as soon as I pushed through the barrier (Professor McGonagall had mentioned how to get onto Platform 9 ¾ when she visited us). Kelly gaped around and my mom was smiling widely at the huge train ahead of us. My trolley bumped over the floor and there were voices everywhere.
"It's amazing," Kelly breathed, staring around with wide eyes. And it truly was amazing, it was still sinking in that I was a witch, going to Hogwarts, the best school of witchcraft and wizardry that there was. Cymatilis, a snowy owl I had gotten on my first trip to Diagon Alley, blinked sleepily at me.
"You only have a few minutes, you better be heading onto the train!" mom said, giving me a hug, "Send your sister and I letters! Every week! We love you!" Kelly nodded, joining the hug.
My stomach lurched as I stepped onto the train. What if I didn't do well? What if nobody liked me? What if I didn't like anybody else?
Traveling down the length of the train I stepped into an empty compartment, lugging my trunk in, smiling widely, worries forgotten momentarily as I saw mom and Kelly through the window, still waving madly at the train. They had been so excited when I got my owl and Professor McGonagall had showed up shortly afterwards. Suddenly, the door slid open and a boy's head peeked in. He had messy black hair that stuck up a bit in the back and bright green eyes framed with glasses.
"Do you mind? Everywhere else is full," the boy said. I shook my head, turning to look out the window again. He stepped inside and a girl with curly red hair followed him in.
"My name is Rose," the girl, Rose, said, "and is your hair naturally that color?"
"Mine is Summer, and yeah, it is" I replied, pulling on one of my long curls. My hair wasn't quite brown or blonde or red. Rather it was a mix, with some strands of orange, a silvery-blonde color, and something almost pink for good measure.
"I'm Albus," said the boy, I smiled at him and kept pulling at my hair. The compartment was quiet for a moment before Albus and Rose started talking about something called Quidditch.
"What's Quidditch?" I asked, and a slow smile spread over Albus' face.
"Oh, now you've got him," Rose said with a smile. Albus then went on to explain to me how there were seven players a team. Two beaters, three chasers, one keeper, and one seeker. He explained the purpose of the four balls, the Quaffle, the Bludgers (there were two), and the Snitch.
Soon Rose was telling tales of books she had read and classes she was eventually hoping to take that her mom had taken when she was her age. They also told me about the four houses, how Hufflepuff was kind hearted, Ravenclaw studious and witty, Gryffindor brave and strong, and Slytherin sneaky and clever.
"I hope I'm in Gryffindor!" Albus said, and Rose nodded.
"Though I don't think Hufflepuff sounds that bad, does it?" I half-asked, staring at them. Rose shook her head.
"Not at all, I just wouldn't want to be in Slytherin," she shuddered, "Dad's always telling me that there isn't a wizard who went bad that wasn't in Slytherin." Albus looked troubled and she put a hand on his shoulder. "You know James was just messing with you, right?" she said soothingly.
"James is my older brother," Albus said as way of explanation, "he's a second year."
"And a complete prat," Rose added under her breath.
Rose had launched into a run down of Hogwarts Quidditch games and classes. Then Albus told of his job as seeker and what you had to do to play it. James interrupted various times to inject his own opinions. I heard the quiet click of the front door but everyone else was laughing at something they'd said. Quietly, I stood up and walked into the hallway where my dad was slipping out of his jacket.
"Dad," I said with a smile, giving him a hug.
"Summer? Where'd you go off to?" Albus called from the other room.
"I didn't know we were having guests over," dad said with a tired smile, "if I had I would've tried to get home earlier." I was a little stung that he wouldn't try to get home earlier if it was just us, and not only from that, but I had told him, multiple times. With a sigh, I shook my head, it wasn't really his fault, there was just a lot on his plate at work. Kelly poked her head out and a smile lit up her face.
"Dad!" she exclaimed, and came over to join the hug. I snuck out from under her arm and ran back into the kitchen. Despite myself, I was smiling while I filled the empty plate with food. The rest of the night passes in a blur of chatting and laughing, after Albus and the other went home for the night my dad turned to me with a small smile.
"That James, he likes you," he said, raising an eyebrow. I had to keep myself from bursting into laughter by biting my lip.
"No, we aren't even really friends. We hardly ever talk, plus, he's a huge prat," I said, Kelly scoffed from behind me.
"Something tells me that isn't entirely his fault," she said, walking towards me, "knowing you, you can be very..." she paused, searching for the right word.
"Intimidating?" my dad offered, he put a hand on my shoulder, "from what I saw, he seems like a decent bloke. I don't know what he's done before to make you think poorly of him but, guys, we can be stupid, give him a chance, Summer." I scoffed but didn't say anything. I would never like James, he was an arrogant toerag, and anyways, Kelly and my dad were crazy if they thought he like me. It was just ridiculous, beyond ridiculous, it was absurd.