This one is a bit longer, and more happens. Enjoy ^_^

Chapter 3

Invisible

First year passes uneventfully. I top all my classes, and have no friends apart from Albus, Scorpious and Katie. The four of us have become extremely close. Well, Albus, Katie and I have. Scorpious always seems kind of distant, which is a pity, because I like hanging out with him. No-one else pays any attention to me, which suits me perfectly. I'm not one for attention; flying under the radar is more my thing. Clauda, Serrah and Miah leave me alone. I often see them casting strange looks in my direction, but as long as they don't say anything, I'm not fussed. This pattern is repeated in second year, third year, and most of fourth. I do well in all my subjects, and Mum and Dad are really proud of me. Summers are fun, too. It's good to be home, but I do miss Katie and Scorpious (although any effort to talk about the young Malfoy only results in glares from both Albus's father and mine, before our mothers hurriedly change the topic). I am always happy when the first of September rolls around, because I can go back to Hogwarts, and resume my role of Invisible Girl. I have even learned to live in the suffocating green-ness of my room. If I stay outside or in the library for as long as I can each day, I only have to go back to the dungeons to sleep, making the cold walls and silver and green everything slightly more bearable.

But all good things have to come to an end, and before I know it the peaceful world I have created for myself at Hogwarts is spinning out of control. And it's all thanks to Katie Walsh.

Yawning, I stretch my legs out in front of me and tilt my face upwards to get the full benefit of the afternoon sun. It's been a long winter, and I am glad to finally be able to be outside again. Reading beside the lake is my favourite pastime, but that's a bit hard when it's snowing or hailing. This is the first day in a long time that it's been warm enough to be outside without a jumper, and, looking around, I can see that I'm not the only one taking advantage of the weather. Many of my fellow fourth years are also enjoying this lazy Sunday afternoon. I can see Serrah Zabini and Miah Goyle comparing how pale they have become over winter. I can see Jordie Tyler asleep under a tree with a book on her face. Some first years seem to be playing some sort of game around her. Squinting to get a closer look, I realise with a chuckle that they are seeing how close they can get to her without her noticing. I hope for the sake of their lives that she is fast asleep and doesn't wake up anytime soon. Jordie has a nasty temper, one that has earned her the nickname "Dragon" from students and staff alike.

I can see the Ravenclaw twins, Tom and Jess Lethbridge, climbing trees. Well, Jess is climbing. Tom is standing at the bottom trying to reason with her to come down. Jess is a little bit, shall we say, special, and Tom is very protective of her. He stays with her all the time, and does everything for her that she can't do for herself. No-one messes with Tom Lethbridge's sister and gets away with it.

I can see Clauda Finnigan sunbathing, her robes arranged around her to show as much of her smooth golden legs as possible. How she managed to get a tan in the middle of winter is beyond me, but the boys that are hovering around her aren't complaining. Lazily, Clauda reaches out a hand and ruffles the head of a sixth year boy, messing up his hair and giggling shrilly at some joke that probably wasn't even funny. The boy leans over and pokes her in the ribs, causing her to squeal. He begins to tickle her, then the other boys join in and soon it becomes full on tickle-torture. Rolling my eyes at Clauda's shrieks and helpless giggles, I shade my eyes against the sun and scan the grounds for the only person I actually want to see right now. I know Albus is serving a detention with Professor Lovegood for smashing a whole shelf of teacups in the Divination room, and will most likely be polishing crystal balls and listening to tales of nargles and crumple-horned snorkacks. I feel sorry for him. Katie is on the Summer Ball committee, and she is tied up comparing ideas for colour-schemes and arguing about the flavour of punch that will be served. Booorriiiiingg! That leaves Scorp. I would have loved a chance to hang out with him just the two of us, but he is nowhere in sight. I can't even catch the glint of his blonde locks against the sun anywhere around the lake. He must be inside. Feeling slightly depressed, I return to my book. No one speaks to me or even takes a second glance in my direction. Who would notice an Invisible Girl?

After a couple of hours of sun and solitude, I am about ready to return to the castle (to the library, of course), when Katie rushes up to me, breathless with excitement. I move over slightly because I have somehow managed to end up sitting in her spot, and she is looking at the ground beside me pointedly. We hang out here under this tree so often we have particular places to sit. Albus and Scorpious often join us, and they have places in our "seating plan" too. Katie made it up one day while she was in one of her more obsessive moods. I don't mind because I like to be organised, and the boys don't mind because I'm pretty sure both of them have a crush on her, although neither of them will admit it. I wouldn't blame them though, Katie is very pretty, and a personality as bubbly as hers would be captivating to any guy.

Today Katz has her hair in a messy bunch on top of her head, held in place with chopsticks that she has clearly bewitched somehow. There is no possible way they would be able to tame her thick curls into one bun otherwise. Her eyes are shining and she is obviously bursting to tell me something.

"ROSE! GUESS WHAT!" she screeches, throwing herself down onto the ground. I cover my ears in a dramatic motion, as though her voice has reached super-sonic frequency. Which it pretty much has. When she speaks again she tones it down. Slightly. "Ineverthoughtthiswouldhappen butI'vebeendreamingaboutitforages soyoucanguesshowsurprisediwa swhenheaskedme.."

I hold up my hand, stemming her flow of words. "Katz, at normal speed, please? I don't happen to have my gibberish translator on me."

Katie grins and tries again. "Well, you know the Summer Ball that's coming up? Well it's more of a party really, but the teachers call it a ball because, well, it sounds more professional, doesn't it? But anyway, it's bound to be fun either way…"

I shake my head at her excited ramblings. "Katie," I tell her. "I am fully aware of this Summer Ball party thingy. You are on the committee and have never missed an opportunity to describe every little detail discussed at every single meeting. Now, can you please tell me what has made you so excited?"

"Guess who just asked me to go with him?" she squeaks.

"Jason?" I ask unthinkingly. Katie scowls and wrinkles her funny little turned-up button nose. Jason Black, in the year above us, was the object of both Katie's and my obsession for a good part of third year. When he got wind of the fact we both thought he was amazing, he decided to try dating us. Both of us. At the same time. As you can probably imagine, Katz and I were both FURIOUS when we found out, and we had a huge fight and didn't speak to each other for weeks. We're friends again now, but neither of us has spoken of – or to – Jason Black in a long time. "Sorry" I say. "That wasn't funny. I take that back. I'm never going to guess, so just tell me. Who invited you?"

At the mention of her new date, Katie brightens. "Scorpious Malfoy, of course!" She giggles. "He was really nervous and kept fumbling over his words, but eventually he got it out, and I was so shocked! In a good way of course, but I had never expected it and…" Katie chatters away excitedly in an irritating, chirpy voice, but I'm no longer listening. Scorpious asked her to the dance. Scorpious Malfoy asked Katie Walsh to the dance. I should be happy for her. I am happy for her. But why her? Why not Josie-Lee or Lauren? Why not Serrah or Alicia? Why Katie? And why do I care? Scorpious Malfoy is just a boy that I happen to be friends with. Nothing more than that. I have thought about it before, and decided I don't like him. Not like that. I don't like any guy just yet. Boys are too much work, Jason proved that. And I have always had a sneaking suspicion that Scorp had a thing for Katz. Heck, I wanted him to ask her out. So what is this feeling in the pit of my stomach, making me angry at the world, angry at Scorpious, making me sick of the sight of my best friend, and the sound of her voice? With a start, I realise it's jealousy.

I'm getting to the diary soon, I swear. Review please! :D