*~* Chapter Six: Unwanted Advances *~*

"Hey, no classes until the afternoon!" Ron exclaimed happily upon reading his schedule the next morning. His face fell, "Ugh, but then it's Transfiguration with the Slytherins."

"Well, good for you." Harry replied glumly, reading his own list of classes. "Hermione and I have N.E.W.T. Potions first thing every Monday and Thursday."

"N.E.W.T? Hey, that's right!" Ron exclaimed, scanning the paper again. "No more Potions for me!"

He then jumped up and started a victory dance.

"No more slimy tea-chers! No more slimy tea-chers! No more—"

"Huzzah" Hermione said blandly, pulling Ron back into his seat.

"Well it's with Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw too, not just Slytherin. Must not be many Sixth Years with N.E.W.T. Potions." Harry was halfway through tucking his schedule into his bag when he brightened suddenly.

"Hey!"—Ron and Hermione stared at him—"Now Malfoy and Snape can pick on the Hufflepuff pansies, rather than us!"

"Harry!" Hermione admonished, but Ron just shook his head.

"I doubt it, mate."

Harry slumped, recognizing defeat.

"Good morning!"

Harry, Ron, and Hermione all looked up as Megan plopped down in an empty seat next to Ron. She looked, in all aspects, far too happy.

"Ugh, it's too early in the morning for you to be so cheery."

"It's too early in the week for you to be so cheery!" Harry added to Ron's statement.

"Oh you're just sore because you have Potions!" she retorted, childishly sticking a tongue out at Harry.

"I hate it when you do that mind-reading thing."

Harry was rewarded by Megan tossing a roll at his head.

"Now stop it!" she exclaimed. Then leaning in closer she whispered, "Okay. I checked, and the full moon is on the twenty-eighth. Hermione, do we need any ingredients for the potion that we haven't got yet?"

"No, we're set to go. So then, the new moon would be on the fifteenth?

Megan nodded.

"Good." Hermione continued, "Harry, can you use your map to find us somewhere good to brew the potion? If you can't find a place before the fifteenth, I suppose we can use Moaning Myrtle's bathroom . . ."

Harry opened his mouth to say that he would do anything to avoid brewing the potion Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, but Ron cut in.

"The fifteenth? I thought this whole potion revolved around the full moon."

"Ugh, Ron, stop talking with your mouth full of food!" Hermione looked thoroughly disgusted. "It simmers from one moon to the next, but we do have to mix it first, don't we?"

Ron appeared sheepish, but said nothing. The next voice that spoke came as a surprise to all parties.

"So, what are we doing here, then?"

Ron jumped as Cocoa, his pet Caranax, jumped up onto the table and grabbed a piece of toast.*

"We are going to Potions," Harry replied, standing up as he looked at his watch, "while you and Ron go back to Gryffindor Tower and write up a layout for Quidditch tryouts."

"Quidditch?" The small animal had an expression of repulsion on her face as she looked after Ron. Then very suddenly she jumped off of the table and trotted after him saying, "Hey that's great! Quidditch is a brilliant sport. I have never heard somebody go, 'Hey wanna' watch some Quidditch?' just to have the other person say, 'No, I don't like Quidditch,' Quidditch is great, and in fact, do you know what I said to Hedwig just the other day . . . ?"

Cocoa's commentary died out as Ron got out of earshot. Harry and Hermione then proceeded down towards the dungeons for Potions, and Megan headed to Divination.

Hermione was a ways ahead of Harry so she had already gotten into the classroom when someone in a shadowy corner grabbed Harry's tie and pulled him into the darkness to join them.

"So . . ." a female voice said softly, "You are the famous Harry Potter. Oh yes, I've heard all about you."

"And you," Harry coughed, fingering his collar to loosen his tie again, "are Madison Jacobs."

He remembered it striking him as odd to have someone go to a new boarding school just because they'd moved. Honestly, they could simply go to the school in the fall, come back in the summer! It wasn't a daily commute . . .

"And you even remember my name! Why, I should probably feel honored . . . and Determan was so assured that you only had eyes for her!"

Harry froze.

"KayKay? You know her?"

Madison laughed malevolently, placing a hand on his arm in a would-be friendly gesture, had it not been for the way she looked at him.

"Know her? Oh assuredly so, Harry. Or wait . . . would that be better phrased 'knew' her? She'd have been abashed to see you now. She was so certain of your feelings for her . . . but one so obviously not in mourning . . . well, misjudgment in character is a common fault, the poor girl couldn't have known . . . but since you seem so very aloof about it all, perhaps I'll . . . see you again?"

Without another word, Madison slipped out of the shadows and into the classroom. She had sounded very casual about all she had said, but the implications . . . especially at the end of her speech . . . were all too clear.

So she knew KayKay . . . but she made it sound like something bad had happened to her. Had it? Or was she playing games?

Harry entered the classroom and sat next to Hermione, ignoring her curious looks. What reason would Madison have to toy with something of the sort . . . she spoke of KayKay in a simple way, as if in passing, like she knew her, was friendly with her, but not close to her.

He glanced across the room at Madison, who was looking at him in return. Her eyes were suggestive, and what they were suggesting was more than "Hi, I just met you, maybe we can talk again sometime."

Harry was slightly disturbed by the unwanted advance. He never thought he'd be grateful for a Potions class dedicated to taking notes, but here it was, and he was quite relived to not have an opportunity to look up from his paper.

* ~ * ~ * ~* ~ * ~ * ~* ~ * ~ *

KayKay got out of her desk and swung her bookbag over her shoulder, joining the herd of students clustering at the door.

Okay then. One N.E.W.T. class down, only . . . she looked at her schedule and groaned inwardly, three to go today. I should have gone to bed earlier last night!

Well, it was too late for that now. She'd just have to be a zombie the rest of the day and try to sleep more that night.

She consulted her schedule once more.

"All right then. Next stop, Transfiguration."

She transferred her books to one arm as she hitched her bag higher on her shoulder, setting her course for the North wing of the school. She'd barely started off when someone tapped her on the shoulder and asked, "Excuse me, but you wouldn't happen to know where I could find KayKay Determan, would you?"

KayKay turned to reply.

"Yes, I'm—ohmygod!"

Her books fell to the floor as she clapped her hands over her mouth to refrain from a cry of surprise.

"I tend to get that reaction." The boy said calmly leaning a shoulder against the wall and twirling a flower casually. "You'd think that people were shocked to see me."

KayKay lowered her hands slowly and sputtered, "You . . . you . . ."

"Yes, me, me. I have a name you know."

"What are you doing here?!" KayKay asked furiously.

"I would that it would be all too obvious," Matt replied, standing straight again, "I'm learning magic, isn't everyone?"

"You're not supposed to be here!" KayKay insisted stubbornly. "You're supposed to be at some nice, normal, Muggle school with Muggle teenagers somewhere far, far away from my thoughts and sights!"

"Well, so much for a warm reception." He said, not allowing KayKay's anger to dissuade him. "You seemed so very social in the summertime."

"Well, that was before certain parties made unwanted advances." KayKay snapped, bending to gather her books again. Without another word, she turned sharply and began to walk away.

"Hey wait, don't be like that!" Matt exclaimed, jogging to catch up with her and walking backwards in front of her so he could continue talking with her. "Listen, I know I was too forward last time, but honestly. Can you blame a guy?"

"Yes. You're trying to charm me. It won't work." KayKay stated.

"Maybe not, but can I still apologize and inform you that I'd like to start over?"

"You may."

Matt smiled, appearing satisfied with this. He tucked the hibiscus flower he'd been carrying over one of KayKay's ears, giving her reason to smile as she felt a thrilling, swooping sensation in her stomach.

"Now I'm terribly sorry milady, but I simply must get to Magical Government with my fellow Desirlamordens. Mayhap I shall see you at dinner?"

"Yeah, sure." KayKay replied before he dashed away to his class and she to her own, taking the flower out of her hair and putting it in her bag as she went.

He was strange, no doubt, but he was plenty friendly for KayKay's way of thinking.

* * * * *

"Why, hello there, stranger."

"Oh hey!" Kay said, looking over her shoulder at dinner to see Matt standing behind her. "Chad, this is Matt. Matt, Chad. Matt and I . . . Matt mostly . . . bumped into each other over the summer."

Chad, seated across the table from KayKay, looked up from Quidditch Through the Ages nodded a hello at Matt, which Matt returned before looking at KayKay again.

"I was wondering if you'd like to go with a walk with me before it gets dark outside." He invited.

"Oh! Well, all right." KayKay said, standing up and extracting her long legs from underneath the table. I'll see you back in the Dorm Library, 'kay Chad?"

"Nooo problem" he replied, drawing out the word distractedly as he turned a page and kept reading. KayKay rolled her eyes and walked with Matt out of the Dining Hall.

The sun was not yet touching the horizon when KayKay and Matt stepped in to the warm, fresh air. KayKay wondered for a moment if she should say something, but Matt spoke first.

"You know, I felt really bad after Valleyfair. I could tell that what I did made you . . . I don't know, panic I suppose. You know, you're not like most girls."

KayKay gave him a "look".

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means . . . oh no, I didn't mean it in a bad way! I mean, most girls try so hard for a guy's approval, it seems. It's like they have no shame in totally throwing themselves at men."

"Disgusting is what it is." KayKay muttered. Matt grinned.

"See but you have standards. Most girls don't care either way, but you don't flaunt yourself like most of them do. It's actually more attractive than a girl who does anything she can to get a guy."

KayKay couldn't think of anything to say, so she just looked down, stuffing her hands in her pockets and letting her hair hide her blushing face.

I may be on the verge of a scientific breakthrough! "What Guys REALLY Like: A Girl With Standards" Ha! I'll get a Nobel Prize for finally figuring out male psychology!

So guys were attracted to girls with standards, not girls that threw themselves at them. Perhaps that was why Harry was unyielding in his pursuit to win her back after their fight? Because she wouldn't let herself be used like a puppet?

Stupid, stupid, stupid! What did you have to go and think about Harry for? You're here and he's there, remember? You . . . you . . .

"Something wrong?" Matt asked, looking at her face which had gone from rosy to white.

"No, I'm fine. Really" she added when she saw Matt's skeptical gaze. "Just . . . thinking, is all."

Matt nodded, then suddenly walked over to a plant and picked a flower. When he turned and gave it to KayKay, she joked, "Two flowers in one day? Won't there be trouble for you depleting the school's flower supply?"

"Nah," he said, walking again, "Hibiscus flowers only bloom on the plant for one day. If anything, I'm doing the school a favor."

KayKay nodded, looking at the flower with a small smile. It had white petals that tuned magenta near the center, very pretty.

"So, how was your summer after the Fourth?" KayKay asked.

"Oh, it was all right. I was pretty busy, being a techie for Garth Brooks. You wouldn't believe how many concerts that man did in two months!"

"You mean you were around for more than just the one show?!" KayKay exclaimed in disbelief. Matt nodded.

"My dad's company contracts some of his albums, so I was given a great opportunity over the summer. Probably won't happen again, but it was a great experience."

KayKay stopped and leaned against the trunk of a palm tree. "I officially hate you."

"Oh? That easily?" Matt teased. "Why now, of all times?"

"Because I'm too jealous for words."

After they'd both had a good laugh at this, KayKay spoke again.

"Well, my summer was as eventful as yours, I'm sure, but certainly not as fun. Seriously, boot camp isn't all it's cracked up to be. However, a General who sneers 'goodnight, ladies' is actually humorous when the people he's talking to really are ladies."

"Boot camp?" Matt echoed.

"Yeah."

"Boot camp."

"Yes! Boot camp!"

Matt shook his head.

"Crazy." He stopped and looked KayKay briefly in the eyes.

"I'm sorry about your cousins. It must be hard to go through something like that and having to find a new home again."

KayKay nodded sadly.

"Sue wasn't what you'd call a maternal type, but . . ." KayKay stopped mid-sentence and shifted her weight away from the tree, standing straight.

"How did you know about my cousins?" she demanded, regret in her eyes fleeing to be replaced by anger and suspicion. Matt looked like a deer caught in the headlights of a car.

"I . . . I read it in the newspaper," Matt stammered. He looked guilty, like he'd just let something slip that would mean trouble for him later.

"How could you have? They never put my name or my cousin's down. And on that matter entirely, how did you know I didn't still live with my parents?"

"I . . . I . . ."

"And another thing! How did you know what last name to tell Garth Brooks at that concert? I never told you my last name, but somehow, he knew it! Care to explain that to me?"

KayKay's eyes were blazing now, like she was unexplainably overcome with an awesome fury.

"If you tell me that you found this out by . . . by somehow accessing school records or something, I'm going to be very, very disturbed. Stalkers aren't treated with respect in my book!"

Matt didn't speak, just stood with his mouth opening and closing like a stupefied goldfish. KayKay "hmphed" in disgust and stalked away, trying to shake off the violated feeling slowly creeping over her. Those were things that Chad himself, one of KayKay's closest friends hadn't found out until the previous night! She was sure that even her friends overseas didn't yet know exactly what had happened over the summer, yet here was a stranger knowing her last name without her even saying it? It was simply too freaky for KayKay to bear.

Considering she was already on edge, it was no surprise that she shrieked when a familiar face suddenly popped up in front of her and greeted, "Hello!"

"Cocoa!" KayKay exclaimed, leaning against a stone pillar with a hand on her chest. "What are you doing here?"

Her heart was beating rapidly, and she was trying to take deep breaths to calm herself.

"Coming to see you Mistress, naturally!" the Caranax replied, sitting down and wagging her tail lightly.

"Well, it's just a big old reunion of lost faces today, isn't it?" KayKay said somewhat snappishly. "I swear, everyone is trying to give me a heart attack! Is that the whole purpose?"

"Oh, most certainly not, Mistress! In fact, I don't believe Master Ronald knows I'm here. Waking owners at three in the morning is not as wise as it seems."

"I take it you speak from experience?" KayKay asked, deciding her pulse was steady enough to walk again.

"But of course!" Cocoa trotted alongside KayKay. "Oddly enough, he was really quite annoyed. It is not my fault that when I heard that ghoul above his bedroom for the first time I thought his life was in danger!"

"No, definitely not" KayKay agreed, "but won't Ron realize you're gone?"

"I doubt it," Cocoa replied. "I'm normally off somewhere or another at Hogwarts. If I still make a stop at the Gryffindor Table during a meal every few days, he'll be fine."

"Thank God," KayKay said, very relieved to have a companion not deeply engrossed in the up and coming Quidditch Season. Then she thought of something.

"Cocoa, why did you come here? I mean, why is it that you felt a need to see me?"

"Ah, Mistress." Cocoa looked sadly at the ground, "It is a bad thing. Master Ronald and his friends . . . that would be, Harry, Hermione, and Megan . . . they are most dreadfully worried about you . . . at times they fear you are dead or worse."

"What?! They said that they think I died?"

"Oh, never. They wouldn't think of saying it. But you can tell that it crosses their minds—that is to say, I can tell. Another Caranax perk."

"But . . . oh! Because no names were mentioned after the attack! They probably think that since it was such a selective attack . . ."

"And since it said two adults and a 'youth' . . ."

"So that's it, isn't it? Oh, and I bet Harry never got the letters!" KayKay exclaimed as she put her palm against the door of Bravenheart Dorm so the wood could recognize her and unlock the charm resistant door. "Of course he didn't, the General confiscated all of them!"

There was a click as mechanisms inside the door drew back, and KayKay turned the knob.

Bravenheart Dorms were very nice. The "Common Room" was more of a miniature library, with comfortable reading chairs and plenty of desks for homework. There was no fireplace . . . the warmth was unnecessary, and anyone who needed to floo someplace simply used the Headmistress' office. Still, there was a couch or two (blue, that being the Team color) and some game tables for a few rounds of checkers, chess, or poker (which every student denied playing when questioned by the administration.)

They were still working on getting a pool table.

KayKay flopped into one of the reading chairs and started pulling textbooks and paper out of her bookbag.

"Whatcha' doing?" Cocoa asked, jumping up onto the armrest.

"Homework." KayKay answered simply, flipping through the book.

"What? First day of school and you already have homework?"

"Yes."

"How rude" Cocoa sniffed.

KayKay ignored her and unscrewed the cover from a bottle of ink. She'd been scratching away with her quill for five minutes when she froze suddenly. She looked up at Cocoa slowly.

"What? Why'd you stop? Why are you looking at me like that?" the caranax asked quickly, appearing thoroughly uncomfortable under KayKay's eyes.

"Cocoa . . . will you please, please do something for me?" KayKay ventured carefully.

"That depends . . ." Cocoa replied slowly and cautiously.

"Well . . . will you deliver a letter to Harry for me? Please?"

"Deliver a letter?" Cocoa echoed KayKay. Then, louder, "Deliver a letter?! Am I suddenly demoted to a common post owl?!"

"No, Cocoa, of course not, but please, just deliver one letter for me? Just one?" KayKay pleaded quietly, aware of the looks she was attracting from her fellow students.

"Most certainly not! I'm not going to lower myself to the same standers as those of . . . of . . . of Pigwidgeon or Hedwig!" Cocoa was positively livid. "I hold Hedwig in the highest respect, but you can't truly expect me to do her same work. I'm a Counsel Caranax, not a Delivery Caranax! In fact, there isn't such a thing as Delivery Caranaxis, because we don't do mail calls!"

"Please Cocoa? Just one? One is all I ask. Consider it . . . passing a note between friends."

"My answer is no." Cocoa sat back on her haunches, "And that's final."

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

"Tell me again how many weeks we've been in school now?"

"One," Hermione replied, spreading marmalade on her toast. Harry groaned and let his head drop to the breakfast table with a fairly loud bang.

"Potions is catching up to you, eh mate?" Ron grinned, piling sausages onto his plate. Harry muttered something back that was illegible, but his tone was one of annoyance. Ron was about to ask if Harry could "Repeat that, just a little louder?" when Cocoa jumped onto the table.

"Mmph-hmmm!" She set the piece of paper in her mouth down on Harry's head.

"Mail call!" she repeated. "I have been reduced to the workings of a common owl. No offense, Hedwig." She added quickly upon seeing the snowy owl ruffle her feathers at the insult.

"Well who's it from? They could have borrowed a school owl." Ron said. Cocoa looked at him as if he was thick.

"My mistress is schooled overseas, and owls don't fly overseas, not even—"

"It's from KayKay?!" Harry exclaimed, head flying up as he grabbed for the letter and tore it open in record time. He immediately started reading, oblivious to the fact that he had tipped over a pitcher of orange juice in his haste and that it was now dripping into his lap. Nothing was more important than the letter right now, and that anxious necessity to continue reading only grew larger as he got further.

September 9

Dear Harry,

Cocoa had told me of the snippets of conversation she's heard, and it seems that you guys have no idea what happened over my summer, so let me explain—no, there's not enough room. Let me summarize.

After I'd escaped my cousins for a bit of fun on my birthday, they got rather mad and Sue decided to retaliate by sending me to "General Norwood's Boot Camp for Incurably Criminal Witches". . . Sounds a bit like whatever odd boarding school you said the Dursleys told people you go to. I wonder if they've read the pamphlet.

As I was saying, I was sent to Boot Camp. I'm sure by now you've at least noticed Jacobs . . . Madison Jacobs, that is . . . I tried to send some letters to you guys, but it turns out the General was screening all the mail that went out. But watch out for the girl, she's never up to any good.

Well, suddenly around mid-August, my headmistress showed up at the camp and demanded my early release. I really had no idea what was going on (a little naïve, aren't I?) until she actually came out and told me a week later when she finally saw it fit that she speak with me.

Needless to say I went bit berserk, insisting that I had to see Dumbledore and trying to get a hold of the Floo Powder, which resulted in something akin to a wrestling match between the two of us. I'm proud to say that were it not for the fact that she's only in her mid-twenties and thus at the prime of her health she would never have managed to get the powder away from me and make me sit down again.

I ended up destroying my room afterwards anyhow. Water flooding off of a balcony is actually an interesting sight.

But to get back on track, I'm now in a mess of trouble. Since my cousins and their baby were killed, I again have no home, and the social workers are having an absolute hay day arranging a "nice, good orphanage" for me once the summer break begins. Everybody thinks I'm delusional when I tell them that Remus is my uncle. One guy actually tried to make me see a psychologist. I screamed in his face and threw the paper back at him in shreds.

I hope that his boss docked his pay for not even being able to control a teenager.

Be that as it may, I'm still stuck here with oblivious ministry members, a fellow student who seriously knows way too much about my life (is he a stalker???), and of course, Chad.

He just yelled "Hey!" He's reading this over my shoulder and says to tell you all that he said hi.

So, any getaway plans? Keep in mind that I have no Invisibility Cloak, no broomstick, no Marauders Map, no access to the headmistress' office for Floo Powder, no fireplace in the Team Dorm to use for Flooing anyhow, no nearby wizarding village to run to . . .

Oh, and one more thing . . . Madison may be a spoiled brat, but in all her times of antagonizing me she was right about one thing: you never know who is close to Voldemort. Over the summer he probably tried to target the youth to get them onto his side, so there's probably "mini" Death Eaters walking around Hogwarts by now. Don't do anything stupid. I know if I was there right now, you'd be giving me a look that plainly asked, "When do I ever do something stupid?" and the answer is: all the time. So you guys . . . just watch out for yourselves, okay? I've lost my guardians this year, I'm not sure what I'd do if I lost any of my friends.

Sincerely,

KayKay

P.S. I never got a hold of a newspaper . . . how did Sirius' trial go? Well, I hope!

P.P.S. Happy Birthday (a little late but what are you gonna do?)

P.P.P.S. You also may want to start thinking of new ways to communicate. It took me a week to convince Cocoa to deliver even this, and she vows that she'll never do it again.

It looked like she'd written another postscript, but it had been scribbled out to the point of no return.

"What does it say, Harry?" Hermione asked eagerly, peeking over his shoulder. "What's it about?"

Harry held up a hand to silence her before he started.

"It doesn't actually say much, considering how long it is, but we were half right. It was her cousins that Voldemort attacked."

One watching the group could visually see their jaws all drop at this statement. To Harry, it would normally have been comical, but given the circumstances . . .

"It also says that the 'youth' that was killed was her cousin's newborn baby. She wasn't around at the time—"

"Well where was she then?" Megan interrupted.

"I think it was some sort of camp . . . hang on . . ." Harry scanned the letter once more. "Some boot camp for teen witches . . ."

The explosion came from all parties. " 'Boot camp' ?!"

"Yes, and apparently Madison Jacobs was there too. You know, that new girl . . . but anyhow, her Headmistress came and got her early. She didn't have any idea what was happening until the lady told her about a week later. KayKay says that she went a little crazy."

"Her? Oh, never. Not after the way she flipped out on you last year . . ."

A sharp elbow in the ribs from Hermione was all that was needed to make Ron shut up. Harry, seemingly oblivious, continued.

"They started to drag her to Social Workers . . . one actually thought she was delusional and tried to make her go to a psychologist."

"What?!" Megan shrieked, "Are you serious?!"

"Yeah, but that's not the worst of it. Nobody believes that Remus is her uncle. They're all trying to put her in an orphanage."

When Harry had begun reading, a spark of hope had ignited within him. More of her family had died . . . that was bad . . . but it also meant that Remus was quite obviously the best choice as a new guardian.

Not so, he'd discovered.

Not only that, but the way KayKay had written the letter. Yes, it was addressed to him, but it didn't seem to be written to him. At the start of the summer, her letter was a bit more . . . casual, wasn't quite the right word. Relaxed, maybe? This letter had her humorous wit, sure enough, but it lacked the close, personal quality present in what she normally wrote.

Put most simply, it seemed distant. The "Forever and for Always" had been replaced with "Sincerely", and the mannerisms present . . .

"Can I see it Harry?" Megan requested, interrupting his thoughts. Harry handed the letter to her and stood up.

"Come on guys, it's almost time for class."

" . . . So, any getaway plans? . . ."

Harry set to work trying to think one up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*A Caranax is a docile magic creature, closely resembling a Chihuahua. Cocoa was the Caranax that Ron and KayKay had to take care of in Care of Magical Creatures one year prior (students were allowed to keep them at the end of the year, so long as they had a permission form). Caranaxis have special powers: one may have the gift of knowledge, another healing, protection, or in Cocoa's case, counsel. Only Caranaxis with the gift of counsel can speak or, if they prefer, they can speak silently, sending their word's into a witch or wizard's thoughts. This is where the Muggle idea of someone having a conscience comes from.

Me again! (Who else?) Thanks for the reviewage, Spunx182! *big smiles*