*~* Chapter Three: Drills and Chills *~*
"Where the hell were you?" KayKay was greeted as she entered her house around midday.
"I was . . . I was . . ." KayKay floundered, taken aback at Joe's unexpected explosion.
"Off enjoying yourself while we worked, were you? You make me sick." The man sneered as he took KayKay painfully by the arm and dragged her down the hall. He pushed her forcefully into the living room, causing her to stumble and fall back against the couch.
"It was my sixteenth birthday!" KayKay exclaimed, covering her fear with anger. Truth be told, she'd expected as much as she and Emily traveled home.
"You say that as if it's an excuse." Joe spat, pacing the room angrily, "Because of your selfishness, Sue and I had to get up at all hours of the night when Timothy started crying. Who did you expect to take care of him when he woke up? He certainly couldn't take care of himself!"
KayKay groaned inwardly. Timothy. One of the reasons that her return to Minnesota had been far from enjoyable. Timothy. Her cousin's newborn baby boy.
Timothy. The bouncing baby brat that KayKay's cousin made her take care of at any given moment. The only thing that had made her do it was knowing that the little baby wasn't responsible for his mother's stinginess.
But KayKay had to wonder why they decided to have a child if they weren't prepared to take care of it. What kind of parents were they? Leaving the fate of their son to a teenager . . .
All these thoughts flew through KayKay's head at alarming rate, and so barely a moment had passed before KayKay had countered, "Well, heaven forbid that you should have to take care of your own son. Let's hope you treat him better than you treat me."
"Don't take that tone of voice with me, young lady! You are in no position to—"
"I don't think that going somewhere with a friend on my sixteenth birthday qualifies as selfish!" KayKay exclaimed, jumping up defiantly to stand and face her foe. "Every summer I come home. I help take care of the housekeeping, the meals, the yard work, and I take on a summer job. Having one summer day without work in practically ten years is not selfish. It seems to me that you are the selfish one!"
As soon as the words escaped her mouth, KayKay knew she had gone too far. For most teenagers, this would hardly be considered an argument with their parents. But in this household . . . it was a full-blown war. Neither of the two would be backing down now . . . KayKay had both her pride and years of humble meekness to compensate for, and Joe had to defend his authority.
KayKay however, expecting him to defend his authority some way besides grabbing her guitar from her hand, didn't react in time to counteract the next thing that happened.
It was only when she saw and heard the splintering of wood against the armchair that KayKay's shocked state was shattered, shattered by a cry of rage.
"Joe!"
Unsummoned, a power fueled by furiousity blew Joe off of his feet and into the wall behind him. KayKay stumbled back as if she'd been struck, the anger vanishing almost as quickly as it had come, and being replaced by fear.
"Joe . . ." she stammered, circling behind the couch as if having it between them would help her, "Joe I swear, I didn't mean it . . ."
Her worries weren't lightened when the man stood up slowly, growling as he did so.
"Joe, please, I'm sorry, I didn't . . . I didn't try to . . . it was an accident!" KayKay continued in anxiety, her voice jumping an octave. Her furious cousin-in-law was not subdued, however, and was quickly closing the distance between them, the couch being KayKay's only current protection.
KayKay decided to try her luck at making a run for it. Joe, obviously anticipating this move, was not caught off guard and cut off her escape, grabbing her tightly by the arm. KayKay closed her eyes as his hand flew, and even though she was prepared, the impact of the back of his hand against her face still made her head jerk back painfully. The taste of iron flooded her mouth as she bit the inside of her cheek.
"You cursed little wench," Joe hissed, his face a few inches from KayKay's. She was completely at his mercy now, his iron grip near impossible to escape. "I suppose you think you're clever, don't you?"
"No, really, I—"
"Don't talk back to me!" Joe shouted in her face, striking her again, "You've been treated too lightly and I think it's high-time that you learn some respect!"
* * * * *
KayKay sat silently on her makeshift bed in the attic, tears of regret sliding down her cheeks as she carefully cradled her guitar, one of her most cherished possessions . . . now in pieces. It had been among the few things that she had left of her deceased family, killed when she was but seven years old, and now it was destroyed.
Tasting a new flow of blood on her lips, KayKay wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, doing a slight double-take when she saw the great amount of fresh blood on her hand. Standing slowly, for much of her body ached, she crossed the small living area to her mirror and noticed she had a nosebleed.
"Big surprise" she muttered, searching for something to stem the flow of blood. "I wouldn't be shocked if it was broken . . ."
Locating a box of tissues, KayKay pulled out a handful and pressed them to her nose.
"I can't believe this . . . no, actually, I can. What I can't believe is that Dumbledore thought that living here was better for me than staying with Remus . . ." she said herself as she picked up the remnants of the guitar and put them in her school trunk.
What was it Dumbledore had said again? Oh yes. " Despite what either of you think, things are best the way they are . . ." who was he kidding? Staying with a man who needed Wolfsbane potions once a month was far safer than staying here . . . unless by "safer" people actually meant "more likely to give you a concussion" . . .
KayKay flopped back onto her bed with a sigh and buried her face into her pillow, forgetting about her bleeding nose.
Why did bad things have to happen to good people? KayKay admitted that she had her bad points . . . but she tried, really tried, and that was more than could be said about many people she knew. Ron most certainly didn't deserve to be taunted because of his family's financial state . . . while they were rather wild, the Wesley's were friendly too. And Hermione . . . so nice, so helpful . . . yet made fun of just because her parents weren't magical. And Megan . . . she was a great friend, yet she had no family at all. Much like Harry. He always helped others, stayed away from trouble, yet he was put in the care of cruel guardians as well . . . although after Sirius's trial, much of that could change. If Sirius was free, Harry still wouldn't have the family every kid deserved, but he'd be far better off. KayKay momentarily wondered when Sirius's trail was set for and how it would all turn out.
Yes, so many nice people she knew had a horrible time . . . and it was the cruel people, the people who had everything, that made sure of it.
It just wasn't fair! But then, who ever said life was fair? Truthfully, it wasn't. It never was.
Which was only proved further as KayKay heard her door creak open.
"Hey," KayKay heard her cousin Sue's voice say softly, "mind if I come in?"
KayKay was in such a state of shock at being addressed so kindly that she quickly answered, "Yeah, sure"
"Oh Kayleigh!" Sue admonished, pulling her pillow away and handing her a box of tissues in its place. "Please try to be a bit civilized!"
As KayKay numbly took some more tissues, she briefly wondered if she was asleep. For as long as she remembered, Sue had never called her "Kayleigh". The idea of her being in a slumber was quickly vanquished, however, when she felt the sharp pain that shot up her arms when she moved.
"And for goodness sakes girl, you tip your head forward, not back!" her cousin continued in exasperation, pushing KayKay's head into the proper position. "Honestly, didn't you ever learn that?"
"Not really, considering that I'm only given a bloody nose here, and normally the two of you don't care how I treat it either way" KayKay replied, her icy tone spoiled somewhat by the nasal quality of her voice due to a blood-saturated nose.
The look on Sue's face turned to one of anger. "Why you—"
She halted herself and took a deep breath. The frosty smile she now donned didn't fool KayKay one bit.
"Listen, I know that you must feel somewhat . . . overwhelmed this summer. Which is why I took the initiative to sign you up for an activity that should last you until that stupid— I mean, until that special school of yours begins again."
"You're kidding"
"Why, not at all. It's a magical camp for teenage girls. Said to build character as well." Sue continued, her smile taking on a sly quality as she handed KayKay a brochure.
KayKay took the small informative packet but was too shocked to notice the expression on her cousin's face. The very idea of Sue doing something like this for her was amazing in and of itself. Plus, it was a magical camp. KayKay had to admit, that was a consideration she never would have expected . . .
Until, of course, she saw the name of the camp.
" 'General Norwood's Boot Camp for Incurably Criminal Witches' ?" KayKay exclaimed furiously, jumping to her feet. "You have got to be kidding!" The very idea of being sent to a boot camp . . . it wasn't like KayKay was a juvenile delinquent!
"Pack your school things" Sue replied loftily, cleverly avoiding the interrogation, "You'll be going straight from camp to school. You'll leave tomorrow."
"Tomorrow? But I have a job that starts on Friday! If I don't even get a chance to explain the situation to them, they'll never hire me again!" KayKay half yelled, half whined as she threw the brochure down on her bed.
"Tough" Sue replied as she stood smoothly and glided to the doorway.
"You can't do this to me!" KayKay protested. Sue paused halfway out the door and turned back.
"Just watch me," she said in self-satisfaction. As the door slammed behind her, KayKay fell back onto her bed in dismay.
Just look at what you've done now, Dumbledore, KayKay thought angrily, Just look at what you've done!
* * * * *
KayKay spent the remainder of her day sulking in her room. After having flipped through the brochure, she was more certain than ever that this camp would be utter drudgery. From the looks of it, the military area covered a vast type of terrain in a small area— forest, mountain, tundra, desert, plain and bog— although KayKay was at a loss to what area of the world would host so many different environments. It could of course be done using a considerable amount of magic, but that would be hard to conceal from muggles. The only place of possibility that came to KayKay's mind was somewhere in Antarctica that was void of scientific research laboratories.
Either way, KayKay still felt that this General Norwood had far too much time on his hands.
And on that branch entirely, what was he even a General of? As far as she knew, Aurors were the standing "army" of the magical world, and they didn't use titles such as Private, Lieutenant, and General. That would have to mean that General Norwood made his career of working with muggles. On his front cover, there was a small postscript that read 'Magic and discipline to conform young witches of quality'. If he really was a muggle general, that would make him a downright hypocrite.
Unless, of course, "General" was just being used to male him look good to the irrational people like Sue who were looking to whip their charges into shape.
In that case, he'd be an imposter and therefore in treason with the government.
Or it could be a different case entirely. He could actually be a member of a wizard army not related with the government, but being something of a cult or dark organization.
So Norwood was a hypocrite, imposter, or mercenary.
How comforting.
* * * * *
"Name?"
"Uh . . . Kayleigh Determan?" KayKay replied to the brawny man looking down at her as she craned her neck to look at the list on the clipboard he was carrying. Feeling his glare, she looked up nervously to see a scowl on the man's face.
"I said, NAME!" he barked, so suddenly that KayKay jumped back and stood rigid.
"Kayleigh Determan" she replied quickly, looking more through the man than at him. Still, she didn't fail to see him raise his eyebrow as if expecting more.
"Sir." She added.
The man . . . or boy, rather, because he didn't appear much older than KayKay . . . seemed to snort silently, and an amused smile was visible in the twinkling of his eyes.
"Blood?" he inquired simply in extreme contrast to his last order. This only served to confuse KayKay more . . . not only the question, but how he asked it. Perhaps he wasn't so high up to order others around, and was just playing with KayKay.
"Blood?" KayKay echoed.
"Blood! Pure, half, muggle, what?" he exclaimed impatiently. KayKay's first instinct was to recoil, but she thought better of it. She wasn't sure why, but she had a need to prove herself just as tough as this guy.
"Muggle!" she shouted back just as forcefully, "Although I fail to see why it matters!"
The emotion on the young soldier's face was not indignant, as KayKay had expected. Instead, it had a bit of something like admiration and a teasing demeanor.
What followed seemed to be something similar to a staring match, the difference being that it was a test of bravery and worth, not glare.
"Gender!"
"Female!"
"Date of birth!"
"July fourth, 1982!"
"Home state or province!"
"Minnesota, United States!"
"Magic School!"
"Escondito in California, except last year it was Hogwarts of England!"
The interrogation appeared to be over, and KayKay and the boy glared at one another, the effect somewhat ruined when he winked.
They didn't notice that everyone else was staring at them too.
"Here's your uniform, your knapsack, and your dog tags. Wear them at all times" he ordered, handing her a pile of clothing, backpack, and two metal identification plates on a metal chain. "Proceed through that gate," he pointed to an opening in the tall chain-link fence, "and they will tell you what to do.
"And, by the way," he added in an undertone, putting a hand on her shoulder the stop her in passing, "while I think you have great potential as an Auror, It may be best not to speak to the General like that."
He then gave a mock-salute, which KayKay returned. When she turned away and dropped her hand, she hid a wince, still feeling the place he had rested his hand on her shoulder.
What was the problem with guys her age?
* * * * *
"Take any . . . necessaries out of your trunk, put them in your knapsack, then put the trunk on that table over there" a strict, elderly woman ordered to KayKay and the two girls that had gone through the gate at the same time as her. "The camp provides paper and owls to deliver letters to family overseas, food and jewelry is strictly forbidden, as are cosmetics. That should narrow your choices considerably. When you are finished, proceed to the lavatories and get into uniform."
The gaunt woman then turned sharply on her heel and marched away, presumably to inform more new arrivals of their instructions. KayKay busied herself in putting a few items into her knapsack quickly. She had her hand on top of the trunk to close it when she looked at her scrapbook from Hermione and paused. There was no rule the woman mentioned about not having photos of family . . . and her friends were like family to her.
She glanced again at her already full knapsack. Surely she could find a way to fit one more thing . . .
. . . Especially seeing how it was charmed to hold items much larger than its size, as KayKay discovered upon shoving the leather photo album in with ease.
Just like Mary Poppin's carpet bag, she thought to herself, zipping it up and shouldering it.
Looking around, she saw the other girls already halfway down the path. Hurrying to catch up with them, KayKay struck up casual conversation.
"Hey, my name is Kayleigh, but you might as well call me KayKay. What are your names?"
"Well, somebody is perky. Where's the cheerleading squad, preppy?" the first girl sneered. She had golden blonde hair streaked with dusty brown lowlights and her crystal blue eyes glittered with malice as she looked at KayKay. This would-be bratty girl undoubtedly looked down on most girls, but as both she and KayKay were somewhat tall for their age, the two looked eye-to-eye. Still, the girl gave the pretense of staring down by the lofty and confident way she carried herself.
"Well, you'll excuse me for making a half-attempt at being polite" KayKay replied, her gaze turning dark. "I'll remember next time that pleasantries are a waste of time in the case of classy savages such as yourself."
"Ay, I like that one," the second girl chuckled to the first, "the lass has a worse bite than ye do!"
The first girl glared at the dark-haired Scott briefly before looking back at KayKay and grabbing hold of the dog tags dangling from her neck.
As she was jerked towards her by means of the necklace, KayKay exclaimed, "What do you think you're doing!?"
The girl didn't answer, simply read the tag quickly before looking at KayKay with a sneer again, one eyebrow raised.
"So, you're a mudblood . . ." She said quietly with an air of superiority. The girl swung the dog tags back so they whipped around KayKay's neck, and left with a laugh of scorn.
The second girl looked after her a moment before looking back to KayKay.
"Name is Melody, ye can call me Mel if ye like. Don't mind Madison, the lass is ruddy wicked if ye ask me. By the way, yer accent sounds English, ye from those parts?"
"No, I just was an exchange student there last year. I normally live in the United Sates, but I suppose I picked up a bit of an accent when I was there." KayKay answered Melody.
She nodded slowly, then said quite suddenly, "I'd suggest against ye talking friendly too much. Ye'll find most the rest of us won't take too kindly teh it."
With this piece of information, Melody hurried down the path, and all KayKay could do was sigh and follow.
It was going to be a long summer.
* * * * *
"Up twenty three, up twenty four, come on Privates, keep with the pace!"
KayKay failed to see how doing umpteen pushups would help her be better at magic. However, that was how everything at camp had been. Barely any magic work, but a bombardment of physical work. Just earlier that day, they'd gone up to the bluffs to do stepping aerobics . . . stepping aerobics! Like it was some sort of fitness gym, not a boot camp. Climbing the bluffs was the least of her worries though . . . they had trudging through swamps, marching in formation, and going over obstacle courses worthy of the National Guard.
Gritting her teeth, KayKay ignored the burning sensation spreading from her arms to her abdomen and thought to herself, A hundred and five . . . three hundred and thirteen . . .
It was much more gratifying if she counted what it felt like, not what it was.
KayKay used some of her precious energy to glance over at Madison. She hid a smirk at the snobbish girl's obvious struggle.
KayKay knew she was being a brat, but she couldn't help it! The pureblood was worthy of Slytherin as far as she was concerned. From what she'd found out in her first three weeks of camp, Madison was from the East Coast . . . her parents were millionaires, as she constantly seemed to flaunt inconspicuously, and the girl was simply a spoiled brat because of it . . . you know the type. The kind that always wants the best, but despite having everything, they treat the world as their enemy. Simply put, she was a rebel without a cause. Her parents, being fed up with the girl's attitude, decided to send her to boot camp while they took their summer vacation . . . aboard the family yacht, as Madison constantly complained missing out on.
"Atten-tion!"
KayKay was snapped quickly from her vagrant thoughts as the rest of the group stood up, giving General Norwood —a tall man with graying hair— full attention.
"At ease. You have thirty minutes for dinner. Go."
The girls didn't need further invitation. The majority departed immediately for the mess hall, but KayKay split from the group, going to the falconry barn. The only time girls were given to write letters was during mealtimes, so most simply chose not to. But KayKay had saved a roll from lunch in the pocket of her uniform and she desperately needed contact with the outside world, so she decided to be one of those select few.
Opening a door on creaky hinges, she slipped inside the musty barn. It was so out of place in this area of strict regulations and procedures that KayKay felt as if she was stepping into a new world.
Instead of being greeted by the soft hooting of many owls, there was simply the silence of falcons in the rafters. KayKay assumed it was an Army thing. She pulled a chair up to a simple desk and took a piece of the boot camp's letterhead paper, brushing the end of the hawk feather against her chin as she considered who to write to.
Not Joe and Sue, certainly. Megan, while a good choice, couldn't get mail. For some reason, owls never seemed to find the place. She therefore doubted a large bird of prey could either. Ron she didn't know as closely as the others, and she was unsure of what reaction Hermione's parents, dentists, would have upon seeing such an unfamiliar bird swoop into their sitting room. Harry . . . well, he would be an all right choice, she supposed . . . but his Aunt and Uncle may not take kindly to a Falcon either. Remus— no, no, no, although she trusted him, she didn't want a mistake with his transformations to cause an injured bird or missing letter. She'd barely met Sirius, so . . .
Harry it was. Who knew, maybe he was already in Sirius' care by now. And if he
wasn't . . . well, she chose not to think about that.
Dipping her quill into the blue inkwell, she carefully began.
July 28
Dear Harry.
I'm not sure if my first letter even reached you or not, or if you replied. You see, a few days after I sent it, my cousin sent me off to . . . camp.
Boot camp.
JEEZ, you'd think I was a FELON or something! A girl simply goes and has a BIT of fun with her friend on her sixteenth birthday, and her guardian signs her up for "General Norwood's Boot Camp for Criminal Teenage girls", blah, blah, blah . . . ruddy Norwood.
I'm sorry, I'm done ranting. I'm wondering: How are you? When is Sirius' trial? If it's already passed, how'd it go? Oh I hope it goes (went) good!
Harry . . . will you do something for me?
Tell Remus that I'm—
No. Don't tell Remus. He can't really do much, and I don't want him to worry. In fact, I don't want YOU to worry either, but I had to have contact with SOMEONE outside of this crazy place. Eeny-meeny-miney-mo, tag, you're it!
Ugh, Harry, you wouldn't BELIEVE some of the jerks over here. I hate to say that you appear to have some competition . . .
KayKay though for a moment and quickly crossed out the last paragraph. For some reason, it didn't seem like something to put in a letter to a friend . . . a close friend . . . an ex-boyfriend who was a friend . . . whatever he was. KayKay couldn't be sure.
Please, reply as soon as you can. This bird can fly overseas (don't know if that's necessary or not, seeing how I haven't the slightest clue of where continentally I'm even LOCATED) and it will wait for you to write a response to me. Please tell me about something, ANYTHING . . . ramble if you please, just anything to get my mind away from here!
Forever and for Always,
KayKay
* * * * *
"What do you think you're doing, Determan?"
KayKay gasped and dropped her scrapbook. It was a few nights after she had sent a letter off to Harry, and at this time of the night, she hadn't figured anyone would be up.
"Aurgh, turn that flashlight off Jacobs, you're going to blind me!" she exclaimed upon coming face-to-face with Madison's bright flashlight.
"Oh, what a pity that would be, too." Madison sneered from her bunk above KayKay's. "We'd then have a blinded Mudblood walking around camp. More a pity, they'd try to correct the problem before I'd even get a chance to watch you walk off of a cliff somewhere"
"What do you want?" KayKay said in exasperation.
"I see you have a photo album there. Rule number thirteen: you cannot have possession of anything but the essentials. You're going to get it from General Norwood" she said with a smug grin, sliding off of her bunk, flashlight still in KayKay's eyes.
"Oh yeah?" KayKay countered, grabbing Madison's wrist and jerking it so that the flashlight beam was in Madison's face, "Well, rule nine is no getting out of bed after lights out."
"Get your hand off of me!" Madison exclaimed in disgust, yanking her wrist out of KayKay's grasp and pointing a finger of warning at KayKay's face. "You're lucky you're not going to be at Hogwarts this year, or I'd make your life there a living hell."
"What are you talking about? You go to the Salem Magic Academy." KayKay scoffed.
"That's what you think. My family tends to move around a lot, and this year it's Hogwarts for me. Oh, but don't worry, Determan. I'll be sure to take good care of Potter for you." Madison replied with a wicked grin.
"I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about." KayKay replied. She had never told anyone here about Harry, and she was certain Madison was just taking wild stabs at nothing.
"Oh I think you do, Determan." She said forebodingly, holding up KayKay's scrapbook. "I really think you do."
With this piece of sentiment, she tossed the book carelessly onto KayKay's lower bunk and climbed back up to her own, switching her flashlight off as she did so. At least a minute had passed after both girls had gotten into bed before Madison spoke again.
"To bad your precious Potter won't be around to save you when the Death Eaters come, Determan."
"What are you babbling about now, Jacobs?" KayKay groaned, rolling over, "Haven't you shut up yet?"
"I wouldn't be quite so nonchalant if I were you. Haven't you heard? More attacks by the Dark Lord. Killed half a wizard village, as well as two Muggles and their baby. Mudbloods will be next, Determan. Are you really ready to kiss your life goodbye? There are Death Eaters a lot closer to you than you think. You may want to watch your back."
KayKay felt a chill run down her spine. Madison's threat may have been just to scare her, but she was right. Death Eaters were everywhere. They had wives, husbands, children even. Who could say . . . some of the girls sleeping in that very cabin could be children of Death Eaters or even Death Eaters themselves.
Nobody was safe from Voldemort, KayKay realized.
She shivered from fear once more and turned over, trying to get some sleep. So far, all this camp had been about was army drills and late-night chills.
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Hey there everyone, this is yours truly speaking. I just want to say Leah: Thanks bunches for reviewing! Finding motivation to get the chapters up is much easier when you know someone is reading! * big smiles *
I also tentatively request that if you are reading that you review, even if all you say is "Yo". You have no idea how much I'd appreciate it!
Well, until the next chapter is up: Bye!
