Chapter 2: Stay Together for the Kids

Chapter 2: Anger Hurts my Ears

Their anger hurts my ears
Been running strong for seven years
rather than fix the problems, they never
solve them
It makes no sense at all

-'Stay Together for the Kids' by Blink 182-

***

Karista sat on the edge of the bed, her eyes brimming with tears. The night that had come and gone reverberated in her mind, making her hold her head in her hands. It was horribly painful, spindling itself up her spine and making dry, raking sobs rise from her chest. Raquel's words stung her, and it would be something that she would never forget…

Raquel's high-heeled shoes clicked across the wooden floor of the study, showing an anger that was barely concealed. Her hands were balled up into tight fists that turned her knuckles white. Karista was about to say how scary that she looked yet thought better of it. She knew Raquel's temper all to well.

"Where do you get off saying that you don't belong in New York, Karista? You were born here," Raquel said angrily, sitting down heavily in a nearby armchair. The fire licked angrily at the grate and Karista couldn't seem to turn her gaze away from it.

"Raquel, I really wish you would shut your hole—"

"Listen to you! You even sound like a friggin English-woman! And yet you refuse to come back to New York. If I didn't know any better, I would say that you were under Imperius," Raquel fumed while standing from her seat and pacing in front of the fire. Karista slapped a hand over her face and groaned. But this motion only provided more fuel for Raquel's flame. "And you decide to sit there and laugh about it."

"I am not laughing, Raquel. I just think you are being an idiot," Karista said quietly, resting her hands in her lap and staring quizzically at Raquel.

"Then why won't you come back here?"

Raquel paused her raving and looked sternly over at Karista, who flinched involuntarily.

"Because…"

"Because of Harry, right? It's not you-know-who who is keeping you there, is it? It's Harry."

"That is part of it," Karista said meagerly. Raquel turned away from Karista, shoving her hands into the pockets of her jeans and stomping towards the window.

"I can't believe you, Karista. Your almost two-year relationship with 'the boy who lived' is more important than one that has lasted for seven years? Are you really that shallow?"

Raquel's words had struck a chord with Karista. But Raquel wasn't about to give in. She turned away from the window, her gaze pleading silently with Karista. "You can't go back…you just can't…something might happen—"

"Then let it. See if you care. Obviously you know only enough about me to keep your school 'gossip column' going. Raquel, I thought that I explained it to you. The Prophecy—"

"THAT PROPHECY DOESN'T EXIST!" Raquel shrieked, picking up a pillow from the sofa and flinging it at Karista. "You know as well as I do that only true seers get 'prophecies'. You are terrible at Divination, and you know it."

But Raquel's last words were stopped suddenly by the glass chandelier, which was vibrating above their heads. Karista's red face was screwed up in anger and her hands were clenched tightly at her sides. "Raquel, one more word…"

"You can't go back to London, Karista. If you value our friendship, you won't go."

Karista gazed at Raquel before turning on her heel and marching out the door, slamming it shut behind her. It was only then that Karista let the tears fall. "I'm sorry, Raquel."

***

"Raquel, are you going to say good-bye?" asked Mrs. Enidon, Raquel's mother. Raquel stood off to the side, her arms folded across her chest and a miffed look on her face. Karista hugged Mr. and Mrs. Enidon along with Raquel's little brother Joshua before turning to face Raquel.

"Well Raquel," Karista began, yet Raquel held up her hand. The airport was growing quieter, and the Enidon's must have known something was going to happen, because they quickly moved away.

"Karista, I don't care. I really don't. You want to go back to London? Fine. I am not going to stop you. You just be sure to tell Harry that I really appreciate his interference in our friendship," Raquel spat, gesturing her hands wildly in front of her. "Oh, and don't bother writing…I don't want to hear about it when it all comes crumbling away."

Karista, needless to say, stood in shock. Somewhere in the beginning of Raquel's rant, she had dropped her luggage to the floor. The tears were beginning to well up behind her eyes, yet she was determined not to let Raquel see her cry.

"Very well then, Raquel," Karista whispered, before groping for her bags and nodding towards the Enidon's, who watched her leave with somber expressions on their faces. The gate disappeared from view and Karista immediately walked up the aisle until reaching first class. After stowing her luggage and flopping heavily into her seat, Karista let the tears flow.

I don't know why, but this is the only way to do it, Karista thought as plane began its ascent into the air. Cut off everyone, and it will be less painful; that's right…The plane finally reached the clouds as the sun began to reach the top of the sky.

***

The Portkey that was taking her from the airport to Hogwarts was an old shoe; something that made Karista smile, for the first time in eight hours (Her departure from the airport was delayed because the Ministry didn't have the Portkey there on time). The flight had been long and relentless, along with the occasional turbulence. But as Karista looked up at the many turrets and columns of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, she was surprised to find that she didn't feel welcome in the slightest. Yet she kept on up the long, gravely path that lead up to the main entrance. But as soon as she made it to the steps, she was startled out of her reverie by a large, dark wolf pouncing on her chest.

She yelled out her protest before falling to the ground with a painful thud, her suitcases dropping to the ground and sending their contents into the dirt. The wolf was standing on top of her, its tongue hanging out of its mouth and a dazedly and seemingly happy expression on its face. But before Karista could even think, she had turned into a panther. With a ferocious roar and a swipe of her paws, the wolf disappeared. And instead, sat Harry.

"Karista!" he exclaimed, although a worried look had appeared on his face. Karista changed back also. Instead of looking pleased to see him, she was livid with anger. In the doorway to the school stood Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Vanessa, the Marauders, Lily, Julia and Amaia. Karista, who was sitting in a pile of mud and with her hair strewn about, stood up jerkily.

"What the hell was that, Harry?" she seethed, clutching at her lower back which had unfortunately made contact with a rock. Harry stood up also, his mouth moving open and shut like a goldfish.

"Yeah, Harry. What was that?" Lily asked, her arms folded across her chest and eyes darting between Sirius, James and Harry. Harry blushed, while James and Sirius began whispering a nonsense tune.

"I just…thought…"

"Just…just leave me alone right now, Harry," Karista said quietly before jamming the contents of her bags back into their original places and setting off towards Gryffindor tower. Harry, slightly bewildered by Karista's behavior, shrugged before heading up the steps of the school.

"I think we need to have a little chat, James," Lily whispered harshly as James groaned.

***

"What happened?" Harry asked his father as James left the bedroom. James, who was a rather bright shade of pink at the moment, merely shook his head and started off towards the Great Hall. Harry stopped, turned around, and headed back towards the entrance to Gryffindor tower. From what he could gather, Karista was probably in her room unpacking. But judging by her behavior earlier, Harry was questioning visiting her. Curiosity won, however, and Harry headed up the stairs to the Girls' Dormitory. When he finally reached the top and knocked on the door to the seventh year's dorm, Harry was surprised to not receive an reply from within.

But soon the soft padding of feet could be heard on the other side, and soon Karista's voice, muffled by the door, could be heard. "Who is it?"

Harry was even more surprised to hear that it sounded as if Karista was crying. He didn't reply immediately, instead thinking about what he was going to say.

"It's Harry."

He could hear a small 'tut', before the padding of feet drifted away from him. The door still wasn't unlocked and open, which made him slightly mad. After drawing his wand from the front pocket of his jeans, Harry pointed it at the doorknob and whispered, 'alohomora'. The lock clicked and Harry opened the door. Karista was sitting on her bed, wide eyed and with tearstains on her cheeks.

"Tell me what is wrong or I'll hex you," Harry said, feigning an attempt to look angry. Karista looked wearily up at him before slumping her shoulders.

"I really don't want to talk about it," she whispered before flopping back on her bed and hiding her head under her pillow. Harry crossed the room in a few quick strides and sat on the edge of the bed, gently pushing her feet to make room. Karista poked her head out while wiping some of the tears out of her eyes.

"You can tell me, you know," Harry said, pleading with his eyes for an answer. She just shook her head and buried her head in her pillow. "Karista—"

"Go away, Harry," she said, her voice muffled through the pillow.

"But Karista—"

"I said GO AWAY!" she yelled, sitting upright and punching the comforter for emphasis. Harry, stunned by her behavior, left immediately. After glancing back at the door, Harry slumped his shoulders and jogged out the portrait hole.

***

The gray mist swirled around her, and Karista felt as though it were déjà vu. Off in the distance, a dark shape materialized and began to walk towards her. The quiet was only disturbed by a solid clunk, which kept coming nearer and nearer to her. Finally, the figure stopped and the mist parted, revealing an old woman with a staff clutched tightly in her hand.

"So, my child. You have summoned me," Amanuet, the old woman said. Her voice was soft, yet still carried a strength Karista knew no one to possess.

"I'm sorry, but I don't recall summoning—"

"Dear, you have every ounce of magical power ever created in the magical world within your veins—you can summon more than just me."

Karista stopped to think for a moment before a thought struck her.

"What do you mean by that? I can summon other Gods?"

Amanuet chuckled while lightly shaking her head. "Child, I thought that you understood that back during your sixth year. You can leave your body in your sleep. Conjuring spirits is easy compared to all that you can do."

Karista stood in the mist, her eyes and mouth wide with shock. Her brain was numb for a second before she laughed. "I can't do that…you're just poking me in the leg with that staff of yours."

Amanuet's face became stern and Karista felt her insides melt from fear. "Okay…okay, so maybe I can do that."

"Right you are, child."

Amanuet turned away from Karista and started to walk away. But the mist left a pathway behind Amanuet and Karista felt compelled to follow her. Not long after they began walking, Amanuet stopped, pointing towards an opening in the clouds that Karista had just noticed hovering above their heads…and what she saw made her heart stop.

***

Copyright 2001 KA Flower, Author Extraordinaire

Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns the people and places…I own Karista, Julia, Amaia, Vanessa, Raquel, The Enidons, Callidus, some chick named Jolene as well as the dream.

All reviews and flames welcome

Author's note: I apologize for it taking so long to put this chapter up. Originally it was eight magnificent chapters…that was until my computer crashed and took everything with it. Not even the backup disc worked. But all that is over with now, and I am moving on with the story, although it is coming along rather slowly. I would like to thank the Kiddies (hahaha) at HPC who were marvelous throughout my recovery (I was benched during the season because of a stress fracture in my right shin) and for keeping my story in the top few slots. Special thanks goes to Arcarum, who emailed me her story to get beta'd by me which I thouroughly enjoyed --Lyda Clunas, who helped me w/ recovering my files by sending me 'Redemption' and 'The Old Crowd', as well as offering me an intelligent conversation.

Coming Next: Voldemort, Darkened Days, Julia Black (?) -- More 'Prophecies' by the mysterious Amanuet and something very, very big happens in the near future.

Do not fret, for a cliff hanger is not the worse thing that can happen…

**Coming December 2001: 'Full of Grace' and 'The Old Crowd'…two original Harry Potter fics from the creator of 'Redemption' and 'The Sorceress of Fire' series**