"I bet it was aliens."
"Why would aliens want Jana? They could've abducted me instead. I could've taught them how to play Quidditch. I'm really good at Quidditch."
"No you're not!"
"I am too!"
"She probably ran away. All of her stuff's gone too."
"Why do the teachers think she's still in the school? The aliens would've taken her back to their planet by now."
"Will you shut up about the aliens? They don't exist!"
"Yeah, well, Muggles say magic doesn't exist either!"
"You're impossible!"
"You're impossible!"
"Stop it!"
"Stop it!"

"Will you all please be quiet? I would like to get some sleep tonight," Stacy begged sleepily. It was nearly one in the morning and her friends refused to stop chattering.
"Aw, we're sorry, Stace," Ben said apologetically. "If Courtney would stop talking I'd like to go to sleep too."
"Me?" Courtney shrieked. "You're the one who won't stop talking. You and Wendy."
Wendy glowered tiredly at her. "Fine. I know when I'm not wanted." She picked her sleeping bag up and stormed across the Great Hall. Greg and Steven followed her seconds later.
"Where'd everyone go?" Peter asked as he opened his eyes. He had managed to fall asleep for a little while.
Stacy yawned and rolled over in her sleeping bag. The teachers had ordered everyone to spend the night in the Great Hall while they searched for Jana. Many of the students were still awake despite the frequent warnings from the prefects to go to bed.
The door to the Great Hall swung open for about the sixth time that hour and Professor Granger stepped in. Stacy watched as she walked over to Joan Prickle. They talked for about a minute before Professor Granger started to leave. Stacy jumped up and followed her outside the Great Hall.
"Stacy!" She cried in surprise when Stacy caught up with her. "What are you doing out here? Shouldn't you be asleep?"
"I couldn't sleep. It's too noisy in there," Stacy replied. "Is there anything I can do to help?"
Hermione shook her head. "The best thing you can do now is wait with the rest of the students. We're almost done anyway. There are only a few tunnels left to search now."
"Y-you haven't found her yet?" Stacy stammered. Her eyes widened slightly. 'Of course they haven't found her. Someone would have told everyone if they found her.' She scolded herself.
Her teacher's head shook again. "It appears she's gone. She isn't the castle anywhere. Neither are her belongings."
"There has to be something I can do!" Stacy insisted.
"There isn't. Go to bed now. It's late."
"But, Jana's my friend. You'll let me know if I can help, right?" Stacy pleaded.
Professor Granger's face softened and she smiled. "Of course. Now go to sleep!"
Stacy yawned and walked back into the Great Hall. 'Professor Granger 's right.' Stacy thought. 'There's nothing I can do. At least not tonight.'

The sun shone brightly Saturday morning. Stacy stuck her head out of the window in her dormitory. She loved seeing the sun. It reminded her of home. Except for the mounds of snow everywhere.
Things were back to normal now. The Hufflepuffs were still mourning the loss of one of their peers, but everyone else seemed to instantly forget about Jana's disappearance in favor of the Gryffindor/Ravenclaw Quidditch match that afternoon. The game had been postponed three times because of the weather, but was finally scheduled for that day. Hagrid could be seen clearing the Quidditch field and the two teams were practicing flying at opposite ends.
Stacy moved away from the window and collapsed on her bed. Courtney was spinning around their room and singing a made up song:

Today's the day
Rachel's going to pay
For being bad
She'll be sad
'Cause she is icky
And her hands are sticky
No one will be her friend
By the game's end
Keith will win
She will- um she will sin

"Sin?" Stacy asked in confusion.
Courtney nodded as she spun causing her curls to bounce around hysterically. Suddenly, she tripped over Julie's shoes and fell onto Stacy's bed giggling.
"Is it time for the game yet?" Courtney asked eagerly.
Stacy glanced at her watch. "No, but it's almost time for lunch."
Courtney jumped up happily and pulled Stacy with her. "Then, let's go. The sooner we eat, the sooner the game will start, right?" Stacy just stared at her. "Come on!"
The two girls ran downstairs and found Ben and Peter playing a game of chess in the corner. Peter was winning for once, much to Ben's despair.
"We're going to go eat lunch," Stacy told them. "Are you going soon?"
"Once our game's over," Peter replied. Ben didn't seem to notice their arrival. He was too busy concentrating on his next move.
"Which will be any second, if you move there," Courtney whispered to Peter.
Ben, realizing he'd lost, moved to an open space which allowed Peter to move and win the game. Stacy felt sorry for Ben. He looked miserable. It was the first game he'd lost all year.
"Good! You're done!" Courtney cried. "Now, can we please go eat? I don't want to miss the game."
"The game doesn't start for an hour," Ben stated. He looked confused at seeing Courtney act so hyper. "And, how much sugar did you add to your cereal this morning?"
Courtney giggled. "I don't know! I'm just so happy!"
Stacy couldn't help laughing too when she saw the boys' expressions. They looked genuinely frightened of Courtney.
Courtney grabbed Stacy's arms and started spinning around again. Stacy laughed and let her friend spin her around too which just scared the boys even more.
After a minute of spinning, Courtney let go of Stacy's arms and ran out of the tower with her friends trailing behind her. They ate a brief lunch before joining the majority of the school in the stands by the Quidditch field. Courtney continued bouncing even as she sat down. Everyone in their row of the bleachers kept glaring at her, but she didn't seem to notice. She was too excited at the idea of her sister being beaten by her own boyfriend.
Stacy leaned forward eagerly as the game started. It was now the fourth Quidditch match she had been to and she could finally understand the concept of the sport. The game started interestingly as the Gryffindor Chasers immediately seized control of the Quaffle and scored ten points. Courtney and Ben jumped up and down screaming while Stacy and Peter simply clapped politely. Stacy couldn't help thinking Courtney would be a good cheerleader- if the school had cheerleaders.
"Hey guys," Greg said sadly as he walked over and sat with them.
"What's wrong?" Courtney asked. The excitement in her eyes was replaced by concern.
Greg shrugged a little. "I guess I'm just worried about Jana. I can't understand what happened to her."
"She probably went home," Peter stated. "Has anyone contacted her parents?"
"Professor Dumbledore sent them an Owl this morning," Greg replied. "Her mother just got here. They took her up to our house. She was so hysterical, I had to leave. I just don't see why Jana would run away like this."
"Maybe she didn't run away," Ben suggested. "Maybe she was abduc-"
"Don't you dare start up with the aliens thing again!" Courtney cried.
Stacy stared at her feet guiltily. She felt bad for not telling her friends what she knew. It felt like all she did was keep things from them. She glanced around the stands, trying to focus on something else. All of the Ravenclaws and Gryffindors were there. A large group of Slytherins were sitting toward the far end. They weren't cheering for either team, but kept yelling insults at the Gryffindors. Stacy noted that neither Justin or Carrie were with them. Greg was the only Hufflepuff Stacy could see. She guessed they were all still in their tower.
"Who do you want to win?" Stacy asked Greg in hope of changing the subject.
Greg shrugged again. "Doesn't really matter, does it? Gryffindor, I guess."
"We better win!" Courtney said. "I'd rather die than see Rachel win!"
"Go Ravenclaw!" Ben yelled jokingly. Courtney smacked the back of his head and he winced in pain.
"Why do you hate your sister so much?" Greg asked.
"Don't get her started!" Ben cried, earning himself another smack in the back of his head.
"Rachel's the biggest pain you can imagine. She's always bossing me around and being mean. And-" Courtney stopped talking abruptly and started choking. Stacy hit her friend on the back until she coughed up the Golden Snitch into her hand!
Within seconds, Rachel and Keith were hovering over the group with the arms out ready the catch the Snitch when Courtney let go of it.
"Court!" Rachel pleaded. "Give me the Snitch! Please!"
"You want Gryffindor to win, don't you?" Keith asked her.
Courtney glared at her sister and let the Snitch go in Keith's direction without a moment of thought. Everyone on the Gryffindor side of the stands cheered loudly as Keith flew down to the ground clutching the Snitch tightly in his hands. The Ravenclaw captain tried frantically to convince Madam Hooch that was a foul and the game wasn't over. Finally, she agreed and the game resumed. Except for one problem. Ravenclaw was now without a Seeker.
"Courtney, maybe you should go talk to Rachel," Peter suggested.
"Why?" Courtney asked in surprise.
Peter pointed to a spot behind the bleachers. Stacy could see Rachel sitting on a rock there crying.
Courtney shrugged. "Why bother? She'll just yell at me or something."
"Courtney," Stacy said gently. "I think you hurt her feelings. You should say something nice to her." Stacy made sure to emphasize the word 'nice'.
"Fine," Courtney sighed. She stood up and pushed her way through the crowd standing up to watch the game.
"Who else hopes they kill each other?" Ben asked. This time it was Stacy who smacked the back of his head.

"What do you want?" Rachel demanded as her sister sat down next to her. She rubbed her eyes hoping it would stop her tears.
Courtney sighed again. "I'm sorry," She mumbled.
"Why are you sorry?" Rachel growled. "Just because you like my boyfriend better than me- that's no reason to be sorry."
"Do you always have to be such a jerk?" Courtney cried. "What have I ever done to you? Except exist."
Rachel stared at her sister a moment. "What do you mean? You don't bother me."
"I don't?" Courtney looked surprised.
"Well, I mean you're pretty much a living model of the annoying little sister cliché, but you *are* my little sister."
"I'm not little," Courtney said stubbornly. "You just think I am."
Rachel gave her a small smile. "I guess not. It's just you remind me way too much of myself five years ago."
"Don't say that!" Courtney exclaimed in a semi-horrified voice despite the smile creeping onto her face.
"Do you really like Keith more than me?" Rachel asked teasingly. "Maybe I should keep and eye on you two."
Courtney pretended to gag. "I don't like guys who insist on putting their tongue down my throat."
"He didn't insist. I wanted him to," Rachel replied with a twinkle in her eyes.
"Eww!" Courtney screeched. "You're so weird!"
Rachel rolled her eyes. "You'll understand in five years."
"Yeah, right. Sure I will."
"Are they still playing?" Rachel asked. She glanced toward the field just as Keith dove toward the ground and caught the Snitch. She sighed. "Oh well. Looks you like you guys are going to win the House Cup this year."
"Really?" Courtney asked happily.
Rachel nodded. "You're in first place now."
"Hey, Rachel," Courtney said as they walked around the bleachers to the crowd gathering on the Quidditch field. "If I don't bother you, why were you trying to turn my hair green?

Sunday afternoon seemed especially quiet in comparison to the excitement following the Quidditch game on Saturday. And, with many of the students in Hogsmeade, the first years were practically the only ones left in the Gryffindor common room.
"Rachel was actually pretty cool about it," Courtney told her friends for the thousandth time. "She even even promised to buy me some candy today."
"Really?" Ben asked in a high-pitched voice. "That is, like, sooo cool!" He pretended to toss his hair.
"Shut up!" Courtney exclaimed defensively.
"I think it's great," Stacy stated. "So, you're not mad at her anymore?"
"Not now anyway," Courtney answered. "I will be soon though."
"Why?" Peter asked curiously.
Courtney grinned. "Well, we never get along for very long." She sighed. "I'll be mad at her again in no time. Aren't siblings the best?"
"Weird," Peter remarked. "I guess I should be happy I'm an only child."
"I wish I was one," Ben spoke up. "My sister gets on my nerves all the time when I'm home."
"You have a sister?" Stacy asked. She couldn't remember Ben ever mentioning having one.
Ben nodded. "Her name's Kathleen. She'll be here next year. That'll make my life so much fun."
"My cousin's going to come here next year too," Stacy stated. She sighed miserably at the thought of going to the same school as Elizabeth.
"Stacy!" Jane Martin cried as she ran into the room. She threw her arms around Stacy. "I am so sorry! I can't imagine how you're feeling now!"
"Why?" Stacy asked. "What's wrong?"
"Y-you don't know?" Jane asked. She pushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear nervously.
Stacy's eye widened. "Know what?"
Jane pulled an American entertainment magazine out of her robe pocket and handed it to her. Stacy felt her eyes get bigger.

THE SPLIT THAT SHOCKED AMERICA
See inside, for ALL the details on Tom and Natalie's seperation, what their closest friends have to say, and who will most likely win custody of their daughter Stacy.

To Be Continued...

Author's Notes:
Sorry, that was probably the worse chapter yet. I know how I'm going to end this, but I have to come up with something to write about until then. I was planning for Stacy's parents to seperate eventually, so I just decided to do that now.
This one was also kind of short. The next one will hopefully be better and longer.
While I'm apologizing for everything I can think of, I should say I'm sorry for spelling/grammar mistakes.
And, once again I must say PLEASE REVIEW!!! It's great when people do that. It only takes two seconds. No flames, though. But, reviews are great! =)
- Hope