Disclaimer: See Chapter 8
Chapter Nine is heeeeerrrreeeee.
A few days later, a half-dozen owls, bearing two letters and two long thin packages, were seen flying in formation over the lake toward Hogwarts. The Patil twins' parents had sent them the very first of the newest line of Japanese brooms, supposed to be able to beat out even a Nimbus Two Thousand. Some of the Gryffindor girls oohed and aahed as Parvati Patil showed the brochures of her new broomstick: a Kobayashi-maru.
Later that day, in the library, Kiki was trying to read a deadly dull volume on astrological divination when she overheard a couple of other girls complain about "those Paki showoffs".
This caught Kiki's ear. She didn't know the Patil twins particularly well, but she could still be happy for what they thought was their good fortune. Kiki, after all, knew something about brooms and flying. These strange English witches seemed to think that the broom did all the work.
The speaker went on: "Their dad makes a bit of money doing whatever he does; runs a coin launderette, I think." Another girl giggled at that. "So they think they're better than anyone else with their new Jap brooms."
The other girl spoke up. "All I know is, I've had a chance to fly the Nimbus Two Thousand and One, and there's none other for me."
"How'd you manage that?"
"Malfoy's dad bought a whole set for the Slytherin Quidditch team. If you ask me, these aren't your usual factory brooms. I think he may have had a little extra enchantment put on them."
"But the first match of the season is weeks away! How will we know which broom is better?"
"I've been thinking about a race. And I don't mean a few laps around the Quidditch field. Across the lake and back, maybe a couple of obstacles thrown in. One way or another, I want to pin their little brown ears back."
So this wasn't about brooms at all, Kiki thought. She put studying out of her mind as she went to find out who the girls were.
She wasn't surprised to see that one was Millicent Bulstrode, who was only second year but had already built a reputation as the bully among the Slytherin girls. She didn't know the other, but thought she was from Ravenclaw, where Parvati's sister Padma lived.
They sensed Kiki's presence and looked up from their conversation. Kiki simply said, "Let's make this race really interesting. I want to get in on it."
Millicent stood up; not a wise move. Millicent usually intimidated other girls her age by being slightly taller and broader, but it didn't work this time, since Kiki was two years older and several inches taller. Still, she wasn't going to back down. "So what'll you be flying?"
"My own broom. My mother made it."
At this, the other girls burst out laughing. The idea of anything as antique as a homemade broom competing against a factory model was totally absurd. Millicent pulled herself together long enough to ask, "What model is that again? Oh yes, El Euro-Trasho."
Kiki couldn't help what happened next. She grabbed Millicent's collar, actually pulling her off the floor. "Let's just settle this right now!"
"Oh no you won't!" Madam Pince, the librarian, came over and started herding all three of them to the exit. She gave Kiki's ear an extra-tight squeeze. "I might have known you'd try to start a brawl; Hogwarts girls are better than that. Whatever it is you ruffians plan to do, you won't do it in here!" And she pushed them out into the bustling corridor.
Kiki and Millicent still glared at each other. Millicent finally found her voice: "Sunday at noon by the lake."
"It'll be a pleasure." Kiki stormed off.
"You don't think she could beat you, do you?" the other girl asked.
"On a homemade broom? Are you kidding me?" Still, Millicent thought, it never hurts to take precautions.
***
Read. . . And. . . Review. . .
Chapter Nine is heeeeerrrreeeee.
A few days later, a half-dozen owls, bearing two letters and two long thin packages, were seen flying in formation over the lake toward Hogwarts. The Patil twins' parents had sent them the very first of the newest line of Japanese brooms, supposed to be able to beat out even a Nimbus Two Thousand. Some of the Gryffindor girls oohed and aahed as Parvati Patil showed the brochures of her new broomstick: a Kobayashi-maru.
Later that day, in the library, Kiki was trying to read a deadly dull volume on astrological divination when she overheard a couple of other girls complain about "those Paki showoffs".
This caught Kiki's ear. She didn't know the Patil twins particularly well, but she could still be happy for what they thought was their good fortune. Kiki, after all, knew something about brooms and flying. These strange English witches seemed to think that the broom did all the work.
The speaker went on: "Their dad makes a bit of money doing whatever he does; runs a coin launderette, I think." Another girl giggled at that. "So they think they're better than anyone else with their new Jap brooms."
The other girl spoke up. "All I know is, I've had a chance to fly the Nimbus Two Thousand and One, and there's none other for me."
"How'd you manage that?"
"Malfoy's dad bought a whole set for the Slytherin Quidditch team. If you ask me, these aren't your usual factory brooms. I think he may have had a little extra enchantment put on them."
"But the first match of the season is weeks away! How will we know which broom is better?"
"I've been thinking about a race. And I don't mean a few laps around the Quidditch field. Across the lake and back, maybe a couple of obstacles thrown in. One way or another, I want to pin their little brown ears back."
So this wasn't about brooms at all, Kiki thought. She put studying out of her mind as she went to find out who the girls were.
She wasn't surprised to see that one was Millicent Bulstrode, who was only second year but had already built a reputation as the bully among the Slytherin girls. She didn't know the other, but thought she was from Ravenclaw, where Parvati's sister Padma lived.
They sensed Kiki's presence and looked up from their conversation. Kiki simply said, "Let's make this race really interesting. I want to get in on it."
Millicent stood up; not a wise move. Millicent usually intimidated other girls her age by being slightly taller and broader, but it didn't work this time, since Kiki was two years older and several inches taller. Still, she wasn't going to back down. "So what'll you be flying?"
"My own broom. My mother made it."
At this, the other girls burst out laughing. The idea of anything as antique as a homemade broom competing against a factory model was totally absurd. Millicent pulled herself together long enough to ask, "What model is that again? Oh yes, El Euro-Trasho."
Kiki couldn't help what happened next. She grabbed Millicent's collar, actually pulling her off the floor. "Let's just settle this right now!"
"Oh no you won't!" Madam Pince, the librarian, came over and started herding all three of them to the exit. She gave Kiki's ear an extra-tight squeeze. "I might have known you'd try to start a brawl; Hogwarts girls are better than that. Whatever it is you ruffians plan to do, you won't do it in here!" And she pushed them out into the bustling corridor.
Kiki and Millicent still glared at each other. Millicent finally found her voice: "Sunday at noon by the lake."
"It'll be a pleasure." Kiki stormed off.
"You don't think she could beat you, do you?" the other girl asked.
"On a homemade broom? Are you kidding me?" Still, Millicent thought, it never hurts to take precautions.
***
Read. . . And. . . Review. . .