I do not own any Harry Potter Characters.
Chapter 14:
The following month Katie divided her time equally, starting her day she trained with the Holyhead Harpies, then she either spent time with Evelyn or she would go to Spintwitches to help her dad. She often found herself getting lost in her work, and with each broom she got better and better. It also was helping her relationship with her dad, often staying up late in the shop with him while they both worked. Katie was no longer living with him, having moved out of his home at the beginning of the month, the Holyhead Harpies had provided her with a charming loft.
Katie found herself standing outside of her grandparent's home, a place she thought she'd never return to. The real-estate company told her that they were not having any luck selling the place, claiming it was haunted. She had spent all morning and most of the afternoon training, instead of heading to the shop with her dad she came here to see if there was anything she could do about the house.
The shutters outside the home were swinging in the winds of the storm. The windows were dark and filled with shadows that played tricks on her eyes. A shiver ran through her as she walked through the front door. Katie flipped on the light switch several times with no luck, the power must have gone out with the storm. "Lumos" Katie whispered as the edge of her wand lit up in a silvery blue light, illuminating the room around her.
On the inside there was no dirt, and not even a smidgeon of dust. Just empty room after empty room with random pieces of furniture covered with a white cloth. Lightning flashed, illuminating the hallway. Katie took a long breath, trying to settle down her nerves. Silent and smooth like a fox, she moved down the hall, her wand raised and ready.
Another flash of lighting illuminated the hall, as she made her way up the stairway to the second floor. An old antique mirror stood at the end of the hall just outside Katie's grandparents' room. She crept to the edge of the mirror, peering in. A loud thud could be heard from downstairs, startling Katie.
Whipping her head around she held her breathe waiting to hear another noise. After a few moments she looked back at the mirror startled when she saw a dark shadow run past her. She screamed as she turned to look behind her, only to be met with an empty hallway and silence. Frantically she looked about the room, almost jumping out of her skin when the front door opened with a loud creak.
"Katie are you here? Are you okay?" She heard Evelyn yell from downstairs.
Letting out the breath she hadn't even realized she had been holding. "I'm up here!" She yelled back making her way down the staircase. "What are you doing here? I thought you had a date tonight."
"I didn't like the idea of you coming here alone, figured I'd stop by and see if I could help."
"Well, I just saw whatever it was a moment ago. Figured I'd place some Skurge Charms to frighten any spirits, as well as poltergeists." Katie went around the house placing charms in every room, she could feel the energy dissipating from the house. They made their way to the last room, her grandparents' bedroom. The air felt thicker, and she felt a strong shift of energy crackle through the room when she stepped inside.
"Did you feel that?" She asked her voice tight.
"No, nothing" Evelyn looked at her confused.
She made her way across the room, to the wall across from where the empty bed was placed. Running her fingers along the wall, she let out a gasp when a crackle of electricity zapped her hand. She stumbled back a few steps Evelyn helping her keep balance. A déjà vu feeling washed over her, recalling a dream she had. There was a door here in one of her most recent dreams. "Alohomora" Katie chanted with her wand raised. Nothing happened. Trying as many spells as she could think of, she still remained unsuccessful.
"You think somethings behind there?" Evelyn questioned after a few moments of silence.
"I'm not sure, I had a dream there was a door here." Katie explained, realizing how silly it sounded. With a sigh she turned from the empty wall.
They spent a few more hours in the home unsure of what to do next. "We should probably head out; we did all that we could for now" Evelyn commented, walking towards the front door.
"I think I'm going to stay for a bit." Katie didn't want to give up yet, needing this house to sell to close that chapter of her life.
"I'm not leaving you alone, not with all the reports of missing witches and wizards. You shouldn't have even come here by yourself; you know better than that." Evelyn scolded her shaking a finger to extenuate her point. Katie felt a chill run down her spine, suddenly feeling very afraid to be alone in the house by herself.
Lately there had been several reports of missing people in the wizarding community, mostly from muggle families. Not even the pure-blooded families were safe, as many had gone missing as well with not even a trace of a body. It had started happening just after the battle of the Department of Mysteries. Hermione had done her best to fill Katie in on what had occurred, and Katie told her next time to owl her so that she could help as well.
The night before The Holy Head Harpies announced the new chaser of the team, she found herself getting ready to go out to dinner with Brenton. He had owled her a few days earlier wanting to celebrate. He had been asking her out for weeks now, but Katie had declined until now.
Evelyn was with her, helping her pick out an outfit. Katie stepped out from the bathroom in a white long sleeved cotton dress that stopped just above her knees, she wanted to look sexy for her date, but not easy. "Don't you have anything else?" Evelyn questioned her after Katie did a spin to show the dress off. Evelyn stood up from the bed and walked over to Katie's closet, scouring her collection of clothing. "I'm glad you are finally moving on from that asshole."
Katie sighed, picking at the fabric of the dress. "I mean I have to; I don't have a choice unless Harry Potter can defeat You-know-who, and Marcus is set free."
Evelyn looked up at Katie. "I wouldn't hold your breath; for one Marcus has already broken your heart way too many times to be healthy, and secondly I don't have much faith in a fifteen-year-old boy defeating a seventy-year-old dark lord." Evelyn continued to go through the closet.
"It's not just him though there's a bunch of us who don't think it's right that muggles are being treated so poorly."
"It's dangerous having muggles perform magic, even dangerous for half-bloods as well. They either can't control their magic and end up hurting people, or risk outing the wizarding communities because they don't know the laws."
Katie chewed on the inside of her cheek. Evelyn had grown up in America like Katie, where muggles did not have the same rights as they did in England. Being raised in that environment as well Katie understood, she had felt the same way until she met Hermione, a girl born from two muggle parents, but was so incredibly gifted. "That's why we should find them and educate them…"
"How about this one?" Evelyn cut her off, muffled as she was deep in Katie's closet going through boxes. Coming out of the closet Evelyn handed her one of Katie's Grandmothers dresses. Katie had donated mostly all her grandparents clothing except for a few dresses. This one had been one of her favorites, she remembered her grandmother only wearing it once though. The sleeves of the dress were vaguely of a gypsy cut, all done in brilliant reds, and shades of soft pink flecked with white that seemed to ripple of the own volition. The skirt consisted of ruffled tiers of a darker burnt red satin that ended in a hem above the ankle.
"You don't think that's too much?" Katie asked twisting some of the satin fabric between her fingers.
"It's perfect, wear your hair down but keep that attitude high"
The restaurant had been decorated in hues of silver and glacier blue, with ribbons of silk suspended from the ceiling and decorative glass ornaments hanging between. Making the room appear as a winter dream. Brenton was already waiting inside the exclusive dining room, only frequented by the elite of the Wizarding Community. Most of the tables were occupied, the patrons' fine garments and jewels sparkling in the dim light. They sat across from each other at a small table in the corner of the restaurant, close enough that Katie could smell whatever find cologne he wore - an elegant, tantalizing blend of tobacco and cinnamon. They had spent the night chatting about assorted topics, from Quidditch to his home life growing up. While waiting for dessert, Brenton looked at her and gently twined her fingers with his before raising her hand to his lips. Giving her a soft, slow kiss that tore through her. He murmured onto her skin. "So, I must ask. What are my chances for a third date?"
He propped himself over the edge of the table, trapping her to the spot with his gaze. "Honestly, I'm just not quite sure that I'm ready to date again." Katie admitted. She had been prepared for this question and countless others, relating to Marcus.
"I'm assuming this has to do with Flint?" He looked at her- truly looked at her, as if he had never seen her until now. "Just because you miss someone" he said, and then his eyes shifted to the window behind her. "It doesn't mean you should go back to them." He went on, "sometimes you have to just keep missing them until one day you realize that you don't, and that you deserve better." He gave her a half smile, and it was realer than any expression she'd seen him give tonight. "Only when we recognize that we deserve more, will be able to find someone who is truly worthy of our time." Someone else might have missed it but she recognized the glimmer of bitterness in his words.
She took a steadying breath and looking him in the eye. It was time. Time for her to move on. "He was my first love; it will take time for me to fully move on. I just want to be honest with you" Katie knew that it was going to be hard to move on from Marcus. She had loved him, through all the separations, all the chaos, he had snuck into her soul and claimed it as his own, never to be forgotten. He made her feel things she never even thought she could, he made her laugh and cry, yell, and shout. Most of all he made her feel alive when they were together. But would love always going to be like this, so passionate yet so painful?
"He was your first love. But I intend to be your last. However long it takes." The sound of his voice was enough to make her skin warm up, but the look in his eyes as he said it, the curve of that godly mouth, which sent chills through her body. His eyes lingered on her for a moment before he lifted his glass in a toast. "Katie you are so beautiful, and intelligent, you are definitely girlfriend material."
When Katie returned to her loft that night Evelyn was waiting for her. "So, tell me everything." Evelyn asked with a grin. Katie made her way into the kitchen heating up a kettle to make herself some tea.
"I don't know Evelyn; I think he's the one. He is perfect, solid, and yes definitely the one." Katie headed to her room shouting over her shoulder as she went. "Let me go change and we can continue this."
When Katie returned, she noticed that Evelyn had stopped smiling. "Are you okay?" She questioned her friend.
Evelyn nodded slowly and paused. "So, you know this after one date? Must have been an amazing date."
Katie gave her an easy smile, as she poured her kettle into a mug. "Prompt arrival, amazing food, impeccable dresser, and great company. Need I say more?" She continued with the busy work of making her tea. Dipping her spoon into the tea, she tasted it, and then proceeded to dump in a mountain of sugar.
"What about Flint?" Why was everyone asking her that? Katie stirred the sugar into her tea, focusing on that instead of the look on her friend's face.
"I mean it still hurts, but I'll get over it." There were questions in Evelyn's eyes - questions that Katie had no intention of answering, at least not right now. Despite all the bad that he had done, Katie couldn't help that she was still in love with him.
Katie stood on the edge of the Quidditch pitch, a chill of wind ruffling her hair. Her breath caught. They had just announced the new chaser on the team and unfortunately, Katie's training hadn't been enough. She had only made the reserve team. Her shoulders slumped in defeat.
Months past and Katie did her best to continue training every day, after practices she would stay on the pitch for hours, until the stadium closed. She no longer went to Spintwitches after practice, knowing she needed to put her all into getting better if she ever wanted to get off the reserve spot. She did her best to make sure she still spent time with Evelyn, and even Brenton. A few weeks after their second date, Brenton had asked her to attend one of his matches, Oliver had been more then surprised to see her after. Eyeing her curiously when she left, hand in hand with the beater.
Today was her day. The new chaser of the team had broken her wrist during the last match and was going to be out for one game. The coach had asked Katie to fill in. This was her chance to prove to her team that she was an asset. The game was against the Montrose Magpies, and it wasn't going to be an easy one. The team had the best record in League history, winning League cup thirty-two times, and even the European cup twice.
Katie started the match off strong, scoring several points within the first ten minutes of the game. The opposing beater was now targeting her directly, even if she didn't have the Quaffle. Katie dipped underneath a chaser from the Montrose Magpies who held the Quaffle, smacking it out of his hands with the tail end of her broom. Diving down to where the Quaffle was dropping, she swiped it into her hands and soared across the field.
Scoring yet another goal for her team, Katie lifted her fist in the air in triumph. Her skull snapped forward when she felt a direct blow to the back of her head. The broom bucked at the sudden movement, and she whirled around in the sky doing her best to keep hold of the broom. Only to wind up crashing hard into the goal post, her broom gave out and she started to drop. The crowd around her was muffled, all she could hear was the wind whipping at her face as she descended. Her stomach dropped as she lost altitude, just before she reached the ground, she shook her head and grasped the broom tightly. The ground was approaching fast, and Katie pulled up at the last second, her boots brushing just barely against the grass.
The crowd cheered around her, and she bolted back up to get back into the game. Only briefly stopping to rub her fingers through the back of her now wet and sodden hair, glancing at her fingers that were drenched in blood. Katie didn't let that stop her as she continued to play. By the time, the game was over Katie's team was victorious. Her team surrounded her, lifting both her arms up in victory despite her reeking of old blood, the back of her robe stiff with it.
"Bell, my office now." The coach called out to her. It was the day after the game, and Katie was getting ready for practice despite her injuries. Katie walked into the office, passing her fellow teammates through the locker room. When Katie reached the door the coach turned to her, "close the door behind you." Katie nodded, doing as she was told she sunk into the chair that sat in front of the coach's desk. "I just want to say that you played an amazing game last night." Katie swallowed. Unsure of where this was going.
The couch looked up at Katie her face blank. "The Falmouth Falcons paid for your transfer to their team." Katie's eye's widened, she didn't know how to process this current information.
"I decline" Katie said swiftly.
"I'm sorry but you really don't have a choice, it's in your contract." Shit.
Katie made her way down the snow swept city of Hogsmeade. It was early November and despite the slick sidewalks and slush cobblestone streets, Hogsmeade was just as lively that afternoon as it was at the peak of summer.
Still, Katie wished more than anything for summertime. The wet streets had completely soaked the hem of her pants. It was so frigid that not even her thick wool jacket could keep the chill out of her bones. She was walking down the street with Brenton, keeping as close to him as possible with his long strides. They had spent the day shopping, even stopping in to try and see her father at Spintwitches. He had been on his lunch break and unfortunately Katie didn't want to wait given how cold it was and the fact that her now-sodden pants were making her uncomfortable.
Katie walked alongside him down the street, her side nearly pressed against his. "Let's take the Floo and head back to your place" Brenton suggested as his smile spread.
After arriving at her place, Katie went to her room and changed into some dry clothing. Opening the door to the living room, Katie saw Brenton standing frozen before the fireplace, as if he'd been in the middle of pacing.
"What's going through your head?" Katie asked slipping inside the room.
He folded his arms across his chest, his blue dress shirt unbuttoned at the collar. His lips tugged upward, but his face remained solemn. "When were you going to tell me about the transfer? I read it in the Quidditch Daily this morning."
She wondered how long he had been holding that back, he had seemed a little off today, but Katie hadn't put too much thought into it until now. Katie gave him a sheepish smile. "I wasn't sure how you'd take it, me being on a team with my ex and all." She explained awkwardly sitting on her couch.
He took a step toward her. "I would only care if you were still in love with him."
Was she still in love with Marcus? She knew that the love they shared was strong, strong enough that she still felt echoes of it even now. But it was over. It had to be over. He had broken her heart way too many times. She needed to move on. But there was so much history between them. In the way he said he name. When they were together, there was a current that ran between them, like an electrical charge.
"I don't love him anymore" she said her words barely more than a whisper. But it was the way she said, him – that told Brenton otherwise. Katie knew that it wasn't true. She couldn't just stop loving him. You cannot just stop loving someone especially after all the words and promises of forever. After all the memories. You either love someone or you never did in the first place.
"You deserve someone who is not only grateful to have you but will also be eager to take any and every consequence just to be with you." Brenton explained kneeling down in front of Katie. He lifted his head but still held her hand, his thumb caressing small circles into her skin. She felt the tears stream down her face but made no attempt to wipe them away. Katie was surprised with how accurate that statement was.
He placed a hand on her knee their eyes connecting, Katie could feel a spark of electricity. Just maybe if she were lucky enough, she would be able to fall in love with someone else. "Katie close your eyes." This time she listened right away. "Forget everything and focus on my voice." Her body relaxed as he ran his fingers through her hair. "You are the most beautiful, smart, and loving woman I have ever met. You just need to turn off all the pain everyone has ever caused you and everything will be okay. You need to move on, for yourself."
Katie opened her eyes after a moment, confidence building inside her. She promised to herself, that she would not be weak, or helpless again. She would not and could not be broken again. She would become a different person, with a new mindset, a new outlook, a new soul. The girl who had once cared too much at times about everything and everyone, would no longer. If she had to be on Marcus's team then it would be on her terms not his. He would not get any satisfaction out of her again.
Katie dreamt. She was walking through her grandparents' house again. She didn't have her wand this time to light her way. Arriving to her grandparents' room she saw the stone doorway just as she always did in her dreams. The door opened suddenly on its own, tempting her to enter. She made her way down the long, secret passage. The passage twisted through the dark, and Katie found herself descending a narrow set of stairs. For a reason she couldn't think of, she walked as quietly as possible. Just when she was getting tired of walking the stairs ended, arriving at a lone wooden door.
Without a sound the door opened, no light emitted from the room. Taking a step forward she found herself tripping on something, and staggered in. Katie looked around the room willing her eyes to adjust to the lack of light. Almost crying aloud when she saw her, Evelyn. She was on the other side of the room, her body abruptly slammed against the wall by an invisible force. Evelyn was crying, begging for her life.
Katie's heart hammered so violently that she felt sick. But her feet wouldn't move, frozen in place like stone. She shouldn't have entered that door, shouldn't have strayed down those stairs. Surely whatever had Evelyn would come for her next. Evelyn let out a long wail, choking, gasping for air, she held onto something as if it held her by the throat.
A howl shook the walls and made Katie's blood run icy. "Katie, help me!" She screamed.
"Run" She heard a distinct voice whisper through the dark.
Katie needed no more encouragement, stumbling up the stairs. She ran so quick that she had little idea of where she was headed. Her stomach rose in her throat as she heard Evelyn scream again, followed by something following her. Katie hurled herself through the doorway at the top of the stairs slamming it behind her. She pressed her back against the door to hold it in place. Something began slamming into the other side of the door, pushing Katie's body forward. The suddenly, blackness. A huge wave of it, slammed down around her.
Katie's eyes opened. She was breathing – hard. She was safe – in her room. Why was she suddenly so prone to bizarre and unpleasant dreams? Katie rolled out of bed writing a letter to Evelyn, unsure of what to say. She needed to warn her friend, right? So, Katie did her best to explain the dream she had and telling her to stay as far from the house as possible.
Training for her new team wouldn't start for a week, which gave her time to move from her loft, back to London. Her team would be providing her with a place to stay, but Katie felt unsure. Hoping that it wasn't the same building that Marcus lived at. If that was the case then she would pay for her own apartment.
Hermione had owled her early that morning saying that she needed another favor from Katie but that it needed to be in person. When Hermione arrived behind The Leaky Cauldron, Katie couldn't help but notice that she seemed stressed and tired, dark circles clearly visible around her eyes. She however was not alone, accompanied by a female with purple hair. They explained that they had increased security and needed to take more drastic measures to insure the wasn't a mole in the Order.
It was another simple task they needed, just another note needed to be delivered. However, Katie had to wait until after several spells were cast to make sure that Katie didn't have any listening devices on her or had any deceptive thoughts before they would give her the information she needed. After the meeting Katie headed back to her loft to grab some more of her things to move. Try as she might Katie couldn't shake the unsettling feeling of being watched.
The dawn was chill and grey as Katie stood in front of the Falmouth Falcon Stadium. She stood there for a moment or two, silent and frozen in place. A gust of wind whipped past her, making the branches of the trees groan, along with causing her robes to billow to one side. Walking up to the front entrance she spotted the one person she didn't want to see. Marcus. He was standing a few feet away, arms crossed blocking the entrance. She walked up to him with a new confidence, head held high. Her face was grim and pale, but her eyes gleamed with slight amusement. Stopping before him.
Marcus couldn't help but shift on his feet, with the silence that had fallen between them. What could he say to get rid of her? "You aren't welcome here." Keep it simple.
"Falmouth Falcon chaser and security guard?" Her voice was cold, it was the kind of cold that couldn't be measured by temperature.
"Unofficial Security guard." He said, "a hard-earned title after many years of terrifying individuals."
"And here I was, thinking you'd make this easy on me." She stated ironically.
"Don't pout. It's not attractive on a woman your age." Marcus clenched his jaw.
Katie smiled, a cruel, cold thing. Clamping down on her retort, she simply said. "Are you done?"
That one caught him off guard, he looked at her then, genuinely looked at her. He had never known a woman who could be so beautiful yet so intense at the same time. "You don't belong on this team." He stated flatly. Something was different about her that he just couldn't place.
A flare of nostrils, a flash of anger in her clever sapphire eyes, her lips thinned. "I'm going inside that building; you have two choices either let me through peacefully or you will have to physically stop me." She had no more interest in talking to him.
He knew all along that the punishment for keeping her safe would be losing her, but he needed to endure it. He knew there was nothing he could say that would repair the rift between them. "I'm twice your size." He barked out a laugh.
He was surprised when she didn't retort. Nothing. Not even a hint of emotion. Her eyes devoid of any sort of reaction. Marcus kept his mouth shut as she shoved past him. His temper burned, so quick that he found himself battling for control. He wasn't mad at her though he was mad at himself. He was the one who caused this.
But it was then that he knew he had lost her. She would never, let him in again.