Disclaimer: I do not own Victorious or Harry Potter, the former belongs to Dan and Nickelodeon, the latter to J. K. Rowling. This is a collab done with BloodyJesus, we're just working together to make this the best story possible.

Chapter 3: Party to the West!

A step later, and Tori was drenched in sweat. Trina was used to the feeling now, and allowed her sister to take some breaths. The music conservatory was quite popular and it was the one place both girls had always felt safe at; Trina's pain attacks seemed to diminish to the sound of music . . . once the youngest had her belly under control, her sister gave her a huge hug. Tori couldn't help it, she smiled; right then, she wasn't worried about getting in trouble, since getting grounded was a small price for her sister's happiness. Trina was hopping when they walked to the front door, as they had appeared by some green that surrounded the place.

"Come on Tori!" Trina began pulling at her sister's arm as they crossed the threshold. "We're almost there!"

Trina pulled her skinny sister, climbing the stairway of the conservatory by jumping 2 steps at once, really excited to finally get to the party, not realizing that Tori tripped over and was barely able to keep from hitting herself trying to keep up with Trina's speed.

When they finally arrived to the entrance of the birthday hall; Tori managing to survive without further pains than the rug burn, which was gone, they realized two things:

Number 1: The hall was huge, beautiful and elegant; they were amazed by every single detail of it, and number 2: the party wasn't as big as they expected, there were only seven people there besides the two of them, one man, four boys and two girls. One girl was sullen, like all the time, near a big table with presents, a cage with a black kitty inside it (it was mewing pitifully, clearly upset at being caged), and a birthday cake. The other girl was Cat Valentine, the one who invited them to the party; her long, straight, red velvet hair and gleaming brown eyes made her easy to recognize. The girl was entertained with a huge, pink balloon shaped like a unicorn, and she was playing with it, giggling.

This meant that the other girl, the sullen one, could only be the West girl; neither Trina nor Tori knew her name. She had wavy black hair and uncanny blue-green eyes, pale enough to make them wonder if she was sick. Besides her was a sinister looking man, who told her something in a cold and deadly tone. Suddenly, the girl snapped back and an argument arose between father and daughter. Tori took that chance to sneak by and leave the present; it wasn't fancy, just a pair of red scissors. Cat had said she liked those . . .

On the other side of the room, the boys were looking at the instruments with intensity, and they became quiet and uncomfortable due to the discussion between the father and daughter. Beck was among them; it was generally well known how he was friends with the West child, and also that he was cool and obviously younger than he seemed. Trina and Tori slowly walked towards them, since the Oliver boy was an interest of Treen, but someone stopped them before they could make themselves invisible.

"Yay!" Certain redhead giggled and hugged Tori and Trina. "The Vega sisters showed up!"

When Cat pronounced the word Vega, Mr. West abruptly ended the discussion with his daughter and glared at Trina and Tori. The girls didn't walk back, just stared at him and a weird smile appeared on the man's face; seeing the smile, his daughter stepped on his left foot with the heel of her boot and walked towards Tori and Trina.

"So you're the Vega sisters, huh?" The birthday girl asked, looking at them; they were shocked to see she had a piercing in her left eyebrow. "I've never seen either of you in public before."

"Yeah," the youngest frowned a bit, but feeling the need of being honest, "my sister was a little . . . sick. It seems that excitement made her worse so we could only come to sing . . ."

"I see . . ." Piercing eyes went to the eldest sibling, her look thoughtful; she ignored her father's outrage at the low blow from her, "anyways, I'm Jade West. Welcome to the mess only I can make, at my own birthday party."

"Thank you for inviting us," Trina said excitedly, she was smiling, "I really appreciate it."

Jade smiled ironically, snorting a bit and the redhead began bouncing; it was clear that she was being sarcastic with the word 'birthday'. "It's yours if you want."

"Aww, come on Jadey —"

"Don't call me that!" She demanded of the redhead, fuming, "I have told you many times, no parties!"

"Jade," a big, pale hand took hold of her shoulder, "if you don't like it, then we should leave."

"Like hell!" She replied bitterly, "make your disappearing act already!"

"See here —" He began with an exhale, but she kicked his shin and jumped out of reach; he fell.

"If you won't, I will!" With that said, she turned around and suddenly, wasn't there anymore.

"Awww, she won't teach me that trick!" Cat pouted, then eep-ed and hid behind the girls as the man shot her a look; he then left the room, but obviously not the conservatory. "Her father is scary . . ."

"When did this child learn to Apparate?" He muttered as he left with a frown, and the sisters looked at each other.

"Her father?" The youngest of the Latinas shuddered.

"Yes," the pouting redhead repeated, "he's . . . Jade says: a real creep. I think so too, he's really creepy."

"Uhhh, yeah, I think Jade means something else," Tori muttered, obviously unheard.

"You can say that again," Trina turned to Tori then, "seems like you're not the only one with this 'apparate' thingy . . ."

"Ohhh, you can?" She jumped about eagerly, "please teach me!"

"Um, my mum said I shouldn't," the youngest sibling replied, "and I'm not sure he would like it."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that," Cat waved her hand as if dismissing Mr. West, "he hates us all."

"Why do you say that?" For someone who lived in her head (their mother had allowed them to invite the redhead from time to time), she seemed rather perceptive on such occasions.

"He was angry since we arrived, and he has been glaring at us all since we were making some magic tricks to cheer up Jade," Cat shuddered again, and suddenly, the boys began making music. "I invited a lot of people, but I guess they saw him and left."

"Or are really scared of him to even show up," Jade remarked, irked, appearing out of nowhere, "bunch of spineless fools . . . I mean even Cat stayed! And she practically wets her pants when she sees him! Oh, I don't think I caught your names."

She began leading them towards the stage, where the boys kept it up. Cat began bouncing, and telling her the girls' name as the moved, not that the pale girl looked remotely interested.

"I assume, you know Beck," she remarked, and the girls watched as the positions were being disputed until the one in the keyboard, said something, and everyone else followed. "The one who wanted the guitar and lead, is Reginald."

"Oh, we have some potential hot stuff!" The boy who was now sitting at the drums said, then growled and made a cat gesture, winking.

"That's the reason why you ain't lead man!" The boy in dreadlock remarked. "You'll scare the ladies! My name," he played a playful tune on the piano, "is André Harris."

"Hey Rob, say something to defend me!" The drummer demanded of the bass player, who cringed. "I really doubt he has backbone, J . . . it's his third pair of pants, and I think he only has another pair . . ."

"That's Robert, Robbie for short," she motioned between the drummer and his brother, "don't let looks fool you, they're twin brothers; Jews, to top it all."

"Hey!" They both cried in mild indignation, but she waved their words away.

"Boys, these are Tori and Trina," each girl raised their hands as their names were said, "the elusive Vega sisters."

"I sometimes see you guys from the window of my room," Trina said with a soft pout, then grinned with a light blush at Beck, "you're an amazing skater."

"Thanks," he shrugged, but his smile was grateful, "since I can't sing for my life, Jade, how about joining us?"

Trina looked a little disappointed, and noticed the way he extended his hand and helped the girl to the stage. She felt a strange surge of jealousy. The girl said something to the boys, and they began playing a song. It was obviously a cover, but the way the pale girl sang with feeling and passion; Freak Like Me by Halestorm. Once the song was done, they left the stage, and began performing magic tricks. Tori noticed that on the window, the strange cat with spectacles was watching them, as though intrigued.

"Robbie, don't try it again," his brother warned.

"But Rex, I did it before!" He sounded as excited as a five-year-old. "I can so pull it off again!

"For this trick, all I need is a pitcher of milk," Cat cutely appeared, dressed like a pink bunny, "take into account that it's, in fact, full of milk! And now . . ."

He stretched his pants and began pouring milk in it. The trick was that the milk disappeared and nobody (but the magician), knew where it went. It failed miserably, and the boy left there, crying in misery as his brother sighed and took out a pair of pants from his brother's bag.

"My magic," Beck began with a flourish; he had a vest over his polo shirt, and no gloves, "for the one whose birthday is today; this is my gift."

Out of thin air, he produced a rose, and presented it to Jade, who had a soft look on her perpetually scowling features. Everyone clapped. He bowed, then, while Jade held it, he passed his hand by it, and it slowly froze. Everyone held their breaths and were awed by the display; he hadn't covered the rose while it froze. The pale girl was awed then, and gave him a tender smile; he grinned.

"And to our newcomers!" He gestured to the Latinas, and produced a daisy, for Tori, and a lily for Trina.

André did a card trick, which was pretty cool; he asked everyone to pick a card from a normal deck of cards, shuffled, then threw them to the sky. The ones that landed face up were the cards that each had picked, and when they picked them, a tarot card appeared behind it. He was quite applauded, and next, Rex did a 'cut the assistant', and since Cat fled right then (they didn't see where she went) he picked Robbie. The boy ended up bleeding a little, but not cut in half. They had fun.

"You girls know any tricks?" Jade asked the Vega sisters as she began preparing her stage.

"My sis can do that vanishing act," Trina replied smugly, even though she had been prohibited from trying magic tricks herself. Tori gasped. "Come on, Tor, stand in your chair."

"Wha . . ?" But being used to doing as her older sister requested, she did so without thought; she was pushed from the chair.

"Do it Tori!" She thought she heard Treen say, but it sounded so far away . . . shouldn't she have landed already? Using fear as a catalyst, she felt as though she landed somewhere, or rather someone. "Yes! See?"

"So . . . sorry," the youngest Latina stuttered, clinging onto the body that held her, bridal style.

The others weren't clapping, mainly because they were waiting for certain West to go on a tirade; Jade was never one for touchy feeling others, except her baby brother and mum, but that was family. There was the rare occasion and the tolerant occasion, the former being Beck, the latter Cat, but someone she just met? They expected the girl to land on her back after the most un-ceremonial drop. But the pale girl was holding the other, although the scowl was evident. Apparently, she was whispering something.

"Take a deep breath, regain your sense of direction," she urged, "you've done this before, probably puked that first time but, if you've practiced, you can control your body."

The caramel body had been trembling, but soon regained her sense of self. Muttering her thanks, she was helped to standing position and then gestured for her to take a sit. Trina took her sister in a loving embrace and apologized softly. Ignoring the stares, Jade got ready; she was dressed very much like Beck, only that she did have black leather gloves on. From the table that held all their props, she picked a single and lonely hat; it was too big for a person to wear.

"Ladies, and Gents," she began, throwing the hat towards Rex, who just came in with his brother, who was sniffling, "as you'll be seeing, there's nothing inside that hat."

Everyone began making sure this was so, Trina more thoroughly than she should, while Tori did a simple inspection. They looked among themselves, nodding and murmuring excitedly. It would seem that it was Jade's first time performing a trick in front of them all.

"Now that you know with satisfaction and have seen with your own eyes," she received the hat back from Tori, "I believe it's fair to warn you, this trick is not to be attempted by others."

"Jade! I've been searching everywhere for you!" Her father exclaimed, frowning. "And what are you doing?! Your mother and I have told you enough about mocking magic with such basic trickery!"

"Ah, but father dear," she replied, pushing her arm shoulder deep into the hat; the kids' breath hitched, "this is no trickery . . .

"Now then," she began slowly pulling her arm out, staring at her father with cold eyes, "I've never been able to take a rabbit out of a hat . . . Rather, I've only been able to pull a cat out of it. There are, of course, exceptions, as today."

Cat appeared, meowing like a cat even though she still had her bunny ears.

"Drop that . . . thing this instant!" Her father demanded in outrage, even though someone began clapping and soon, everyone else was clapping; meaning her friends, which made the pale girl smile. Placing her redheaded friend down, she noticed that everyone else was ushered away by one mad, Mr. West.

"Now Rhyolus, I believe you should give her credit for quite an spectacular trick . . ." The voice came from the table were the presents and cake were. "Quite a lovely party, too bad it's rather . . . empty . . ."

"It's not a trick," the pale teen said, scowl gracing her features; she walked up to the woman, although her father obviously didn't want her too, "and I believe a present of mine seems rather pleased in your lap."

"Ah, a cat has never liked confinement," the woman remarked, passing the black cat to its rightful owner; it rested in the girl's shoulder, "Rhyolus, please, it's unseemingly to gawk."

The children turned and snickered at the grown man; he grew more furious. But Tori was too busy staring at the woman to noticed how mad the adult was. Shocked, she turned to her sister, who began moving her.

"Trina, she looks like the spectacled cat that was outside our house!" The youngest girl said in awe.

"What?!" Her sister frowned and stopped, looking at her sister, "what are you talking about Tor —"

"That she looked like that cat!"

"Minerva, I don't approve of you showing up unannounced at my daughter's party," he spat, interrupting the girl's bickering, "now, if you have a letter to deliver, I suggest you do it now or —"

"Rhyolus Magnus —" The woman began with outrage but the daughter in question placed herself between the woman and her father, expression fierce, forcing the man to stop and interrupting the stranger who stopped her father.

"Well, I believe this is my party, and since the woman I invited was forbidden from coming," she snarled, taking hold of the kitty to prevent it from falling, "I would like for Minerva to stay."

"You cannot —" He began roaring but she kicked his shin then made him fall by stomping on his remaining foot.

"She definitely has your temper, Rhyolus," the woman tut-ted, shaking her head, "I would recommend you all to eat the cake soon."

"Meh," Jade remarked, taking the cake, which was shaped like a pumpkin, and placed it in another empty table, "so what do we call you, Minerva?"

"Don't talk to her," her father said through gritted teeth.

"Well, I'm here to make sure you all received your letters, formally," she began, looking serious.

"Letters?" They muttered, while Mr. West paled.

"You may call me, Professor McGonagall." The woman said seriously, adjusting her glasses, and watching with amusement as the kids began picking chunks of the cake and eating. "In regards to your letters . . ."

Eight bundles of feathers came pouring through the windows, and the man screamed in aggravation, but the sound was lost to the hoots of the owls, and the hiss of a single cat; the birds had a hard time landing when they heard the sound, and the one which was flapping out of control crash-landed on the cake. Once they saw this (the other birds landed besides the presents) all the children groaned sadly; Jade craned her pierced brow, clearly not sorry to see the sweet go.