Shattered, Chapter Three
A week had come and gone and Katie had received no news from Flint or anything of his so called people. This thought had driven through her mind every minute of everyday since the time period had expired. Now, four days, 6 hours and 37 minutes later, Katie Bell was pissed. Pissed with Marcus Flint for not contacting but even more pissed for the fact that all those years ago he had decided to ruin her life. With a growl she pulled herself off the couch on which she had spent the morning scanning through the Wanted-Adds, only to have the feeling that Flint was silently mocking her with the add that he had placed in the Daily Prophet looking for employees.
Storming towards the door she pulled an old, warm robe over shoulders, wishing that she had the money to buy a new one. The robe in question was two years out of fashion and the last thing she had been able to buy since in the past she had spent so much on quidditch supplies. Let the bastard see how poor I am, Katie thought to herself as she rushed out of the door, bag in hand, heading for Diagon Alley.
She moved through the streets, crowded with witches and wizards who bustled past her, attempting to finish their shopping.
Katie weaved through the crowds and towards QQEquipment. When she reached the building she saw how far the store had progressed in lets say. 11 days, 6 hours and 29 minutes. The windows were boxed in from the back, creating a showcase of the upcoming store and its merchandise. The doors were slightly open, encouraging people to come in and look around and a large sign just below the billboard for QQEquipment advertised the date of the grand opening.
Katie made her way up the stairs to the front door of the store, stopping occasionally to gaze at the premium quidditch equipment, although it was it was almost impossible to get a look at the latest Firebolt since so many young quidditch players were crowded around it.
Finally she pushed the front door fully open and got a look at the store. She took a deep breath, gazing around in awe. In the centre of the store was a mini quidditch pitch to try out new brooms and around it were brooms for every position. Robes from every English team, as well as the National teams for England, Scotland and Ireland decked the ceiling and banners representing different national teams hung off the railings of the second floor.
"Excuse me," a young witch asked, tapping Katie's shoulder, "we're not open yet."
Katie jumped, startled before turning to look at the witch. "I'm sorry," she began, "but I'm looking for Marcus Flint. Do you know where I can find him?"
"Oh," the woman said, looking aspirated, "what did he do now?"
Katie looked at the woman confused before answering, "I applied for a job over a week ago and he's gotten back to me. I was wondering if he could tell me in person whether or not I got the job."
"Ow," she replied, "well, if you follow me, I can check for you. Marcus hasn't gotten through all the resumes yet though, so he might be done with yours yet."
Katie shrugged as the woman gestured for Katie to follow her into the back of the store. Leading Katie into a little office the woman started to shuffle through the paperwork on the desk, finding a stack of resumes and applications. "What did you say your name was?" the woman asked.
"Katie Bell."
The woman nodded before pulling out Katie's resume and quickly skimmed it over. "Well, Miss Bell," the woman said, "Marcus hasn't gotten to your resume yet but he isn't the only person who's hiring."
"Oh, who else does it?"
The woman laughed, "Why me, of course! And I'm always a good judge of first impressions and you impressed me. So, you got the job!"
"Oh, thank you so much!" Katie gushed and threw her arms around the woman, hugging her. "But I don't even know your name!"
The woman opened her mouth to tell her when a familiar voice called, "Marta! Where are you?"
The woman turned around and called, "We're in here!"
Katie heard the footsteps as Marcus approached the room and took a deep breath, hoping he didn't fire her the moment he realized she had been hired.
"Marta, have you had the time to go through those resumes?" Marcus was asking when his voice trailed off, his eyes on Katie. "What's she doing here?"
Marta smiled and replied, "I just hired her."
"Well then, you can fire her as well," Marcus replied coldly.
Marta, unlike most people, did not back down. Her eyes hardened and she took a step towards Flint. "Marcus, I own half of this company and I can decide the people we hire. So don't threaten me. I might be shorter than you, but always remember, I am your older sister."
Marcus glared at Marta, swinging his still glaring gaze to Katie before he turned on his heel and walked out the room, Marta's laughing following behind him.
Katie just looked at Marta in shook. It was like a miracle, she thought to herself. Marta turned to her and smiled and Katie realized that she could see some of the resemblance, now that she knew they were related.
"Thanks," Katie told Marta for the second time that day. "I really need this job, so appreciate the fact that you didn't listen to Marcus. He's a difficult person to defy."
Marta laughed, replying, "Well, I can remember him still in diapers and I've always been able to draw my wand faster than he can, so it's all good. Anyways, I don't remember a time I backed down from him and don't want to ever."
"Well, thanks again. I probably should get going before your brother gets back her and decides to kill me for invading his store."
"His store? I own half, you know?"
Katie smiled. "I'll be sure to remember that! Especially when he's trying to fire my ass."
Both women laughed. "I'll owl you when your hours are up, Miss Bell."
"Thank you and call me Katie."
Marta nodded. "Marta Flint," she replied and reached out her hand. Katie smiled and grasped the other woman's hand and they shook before Katie waved goodbye and exited the stop.
Feeling a lot better about herself she started down the road towards the small shop that Fred and George owned in Diagon Alley. Although they had offered her a job, Katie had refused to take it, knowing nothing about gag gifts and practical jokes. In Hogwarts she may have found it funny but now she was far past the age that their constant creations made her laugh. But at the moment, conversing with the Weasley twins seemed in order. She had gotten the better of a Slytherin and she knew the twins would love to hear about this.
Entering the Weasleys' shop, she smiled at Fred how stood behind the counter. "How are you, Fred?" she asked, the smile soon fading from her face as she saw Fred's response.
"She left," Fred said. "Bloody hell! She left!"
Katie looked sadly at her friend, her good mood diminishing. "Oh, Fred. Come here," she told him and pulled him into a hug. "It's going to be ok, you know?"
Fred shook his head. "It isn't. She's not coming back. The other day I saw her with a Slytherin of all the people in this fucking world. A Slytherin!"
"Calm down. She'll be back; she's just confused; that's all."
Fred shook his head, and Katie felt helpless.
"Fred!" a voice called from the other room, "are you alright?" And George Weasley entered the room, and smiling briefly at Katie before turning back to his twin. "Look, Forge, you've got to move on. Obviously the bint wasn't good enough for you."
Katie looked sadly at Fred before hastily saying goodbye. She didn't want to stay and listen to George speak ill of her friend, even though she had hurt Fred. Instead she headed back to apartment to owl the other girl.
Unfortunately, as she was passing the entrance to Knockturn Alley, large hands wrapped around her waist, pulling her slightly into the forbidding alley.
"What do you think you were doing, barging into my store like that?" Marcus' voice rung from behind her right ear. "Now you created friction between me and Marta and believe me, that bitch is a challenge."
"A bigger challenge than Marcus Flint?" Katie asked sarcastically, feinting a fake gasp. "You're giving your position up for a girl?"
Marcus was not amused and pushed her away from him, and she hit a stone wall with a thump and almost fell to her feet. Fortunately she was able to catch herself and turn around to face Flint. "You think you're so great, Flint," she hissed, "but you want to know what? You ruined my life."
Marcus laughed at this. "Really? So was I at that stadium, hiding in the shadows and magically pushed off the broom? The answer is no, Bell. At the time I was in Thailand, tying up some business for my father. Dirty work that was too," he muttered, almost lost in thought. "Made me realize that working for my father was not a good idea; so Bell, how did I ruin your life?"
"In school, you pushed me off my broom and broke my leg for the first time. If I hadn't of been injured in the first place I wouldn't of hurt it permantly. That is why this is all your fault! You owe me Flint!"
Marcus laughed and then started to walk away. "I'll be seeing you at work, Bell," he yelled over his shoulder. "Don't think I'm going to make it easy for you." And then he disappeared, leaving Katie to make her way back to her apartment, fuming the entire way.
A week had come and gone and Katie had received no news from Flint or anything of his so called people. This thought had driven through her mind every minute of everyday since the time period had expired. Now, four days, 6 hours and 37 minutes later, Katie Bell was pissed. Pissed with Marcus Flint for not contacting but even more pissed for the fact that all those years ago he had decided to ruin her life. With a growl she pulled herself off the couch on which she had spent the morning scanning through the Wanted-Adds, only to have the feeling that Flint was silently mocking her with the add that he had placed in the Daily Prophet looking for employees.
Storming towards the door she pulled an old, warm robe over shoulders, wishing that she had the money to buy a new one. The robe in question was two years out of fashion and the last thing she had been able to buy since in the past she had spent so much on quidditch supplies. Let the bastard see how poor I am, Katie thought to herself as she rushed out of the door, bag in hand, heading for Diagon Alley.
She moved through the streets, crowded with witches and wizards who bustled past her, attempting to finish their shopping.
Katie weaved through the crowds and towards QQEquipment. When she reached the building she saw how far the store had progressed in lets say. 11 days, 6 hours and 29 minutes. The windows were boxed in from the back, creating a showcase of the upcoming store and its merchandise. The doors were slightly open, encouraging people to come in and look around and a large sign just below the billboard for QQEquipment advertised the date of the grand opening.
Katie made her way up the stairs to the front door of the store, stopping occasionally to gaze at the premium quidditch equipment, although it was it was almost impossible to get a look at the latest Firebolt since so many young quidditch players were crowded around it.
Finally she pushed the front door fully open and got a look at the store. She took a deep breath, gazing around in awe. In the centre of the store was a mini quidditch pitch to try out new brooms and around it were brooms for every position. Robes from every English team, as well as the National teams for England, Scotland and Ireland decked the ceiling and banners representing different national teams hung off the railings of the second floor.
"Excuse me," a young witch asked, tapping Katie's shoulder, "we're not open yet."
Katie jumped, startled before turning to look at the witch. "I'm sorry," she began, "but I'm looking for Marcus Flint. Do you know where I can find him?"
"Oh," the woman said, looking aspirated, "what did he do now?"
Katie looked at the woman confused before answering, "I applied for a job over a week ago and he's gotten back to me. I was wondering if he could tell me in person whether or not I got the job."
"Ow," she replied, "well, if you follow me, I can check for you. Marcus hasn't gotten through all the resumes yet though, so he might be done with yours yet."
Katie shrugged as the woman gestured for Katie to follow her into the back of the store. Leading Katie into a little office the woman started to shuffle through the paperwork on the desk, finding a stack of resumes and applications. "What did you say your name was?" the woman asked.
"Katie Bell."
The woman nodded before pulling out Katie's resume and quickly skimmed it over. "Well, Miss Bell," the woman said, "Marcus hasn't gotten to your resume yet but he isn't the only person who's hiring."
"Oh, who else does it?"
The woman laughed, "Why me, of course! And I'm always a good judge of first impressions and you impressed me. So, you got the job!"
"Oh, thank you so much!" Katie gushed and threw her arms around the woman, hugging her. "But I don't even know your name!"
The woman opened her mouth to tell her when a familiar voice called, "Marta! Where are you?"
The woman turned around and called, "We're in here!"
Katie heard the footsteps as Marcus approached the room and took a deep breath, hoping he didn't fire her the moment he realized she had been hired.
"Marta, have you had the time to go through those resumes?" Marcus was asking when his voice trailed off, his eyes on Katie. "What's she doing here?"
Marta smiled and replied, "I just hired her."
"Well then, you can fire her as well," Marcus replied coldly.
Marta, unlike most people, did not back down. Her eyes hardened and she took a step towards Flint. "Marcus, I own half of this company and I can decide the people we hire. So don't threaten me. I might be shorter than you, but always remember, I am your older sister."
Marcus glared at Marta, swinging his still glaring gaze to Katie before he turned on his heel and walked out the room, Marta's laughing following behind him.
Katie just looked at Marta in shook. It was like a miracle, she thought to herself. Marta turned to her and smiled and Katie realized that she could see some of the resemblance, now that she knew they were related.
"Thanks," Katie told Marta for the second time that day. "I really need this job, so appreciate the fact that you didn't listen to Marcus. He's a difficult person to defy."
Marta laughed, replying, "Well, I can remember him still in diapers and I've always been able to draw my wand faster than he can, so it's all good. Anyways, I don't remember a time I backed down from him and don't want to ever."
"Well, thanks again. I probably should get going before your brother gets back her and decides to kill me for invading his store."
"His store? I own half, you know?"
Katie smiled. "I'll be sure to remember that! Especially when he's trying to fire my ass."
Both women laughed. "I'll owl you when your hours are up, Miss Bell."
"Thank you and call me Katie."
Marta nodded. "Marta Flint," she replied and reached out her hand. Katie smiled and grasped the other woman's hand and they shook before Katie waved goodbye and exited the stop.
Feeling a lot better about herself she started down the road towards the small shop that Fred and George owned in Diagon Alley. Although they had offered her a job, Katie had refused to take it, knowing nothing about gag gifts and practical jokes. In Hogwarts she may have found it funny but now she was far past the age that their constant creations made her laugh. But at the moment, conversing with the Weasley twins seemed in order. She had gotten the better of a Slytherin and she knew the twins would love to hear about this.
Entering the Weasleys' shop, she smiled at Fred how stood behind the counter. "How are you, Fred?" she asked, the smile soon fading from her face as she saw Fred's response.
"She left," Fred said. "Bloody hell! She left!"
Katie looked sadly at her friend, her good mood diminishing. "Oh, Fred. Come here," she told him and pulled him into a hug. "It's going to be ok, you know?"
Fred shook his head. "It isn't. She's not coming back. The other day I saw her with a Slytherin of all the people in this fucking world. A Slytherin!"
"Calm down. She'll be back; she's just confused; that's all."
Fred shook his head, and Katie felt helpless.
"Fred!" a voice called from the other room, "are you alright?" And George Weasley entered the room, and smiling briefly at Katie before turning back to his twin. "Look, Forge, you've got to move on. Obviously the bint wasn't good enough for you."
Katie looked sadly at Fred before hastily saying goodbye. She didn't want to stay and listen to George speak ill of her friend, even though she had hurt Fred. Instead she headed back to apartment to owl the other girl.
Unfortunately, as she was passing the entrance to Knockturn Alley, large hands wrapped around her waist, pulling her slightly into the forbidding alley.
"What do you think you were doing, barging into my store like that?" Marcus' voice rung from behind her right ear. "Now you created friction between me and Marta and believe me, that bitch is a challenge."
"A bigger challenge than Marcus Flint?" Katie asked sarcastically, feinting a fake gasp. "You're giving your position up for a girl?"
Marcus was not amused and pushed her away from him, and she hit a stone wall with a thump and almost fell to her feet. Fortunately she was able to catch herself and turn around to face Flint. "You think you're so great, Flint," she hissed, "but you want to know what? You ruined my life."
Marcus laughed at this. "Really? So was I at that stadium, hiding in the shadows and magically pushed off the broom? The answer is no, Bell. At the time I was in Thailand, tying up some business for my father. Dirty work that was too," he muttered, almost lost in thought. "Made me realize that working for my father was not a good idea; so Bell, how did I ruin your life?"
"In school, you pushed me off my broom and broke my leg for the first time. If I hadn't of been injured in the first place I wouldn't of hurt it permantly. That is why this is all your fault! You owe me Flint!"
Marcus laughed and then started to walk away. "I'll be seeing you at work, Bell," he yelled over his shoulder. "Don't think I'm going to make it easy for you." And then he disappeared, leaving Katie to make her way back to her apartment, fuming the entire way.