*~* Chapter Twelve: Mistletoe and Mystery *~*
"Grandma got run over by a reindeer . . . walking home from our house Christmas Eve . . . you can say there's no such thing as Santa . . . but as for me and Grandpa, we believe." KayKay sang, strumming her guitar as her fellow Gryffindors hurried around the Common Room getting their things together at the last minute.
Keeping her friends in the Christmas spirit with silly country Christmas songs was a dirty job, but someone had to do it . . .
She laughed. Yeah right. She loved this!
She started another.
"Pleee-eeease Daddy, don't get drunk this Christmas! I don't wanna' see my Mamma cry . . . Pleee-eease—"
"What are you doing?" Harry laughed, walking up behind her and setting down his trunk.
"Putting everyone into a Christmassy mood." KayKay said defiantly.
"That's one way of putting it." Harry said, looking around the Common Room and then at KayKay.
"Oh really? What's another?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Making everyone question your sanity." He replied, leaning against the back of another chair nonchalantly.
"Oh? Then what would you suggest, Saint Nick?" KayKay sounded angry, but a look at the twinkle in her eyes could assure anyone that it was all in the spirit of fun.
"I don't know . . . something a bit more contemporary, maybe? You know, like "Here We Come a-Caroling" and "Jingle Bells"?"
KayKay looked thoughtful for a moment, and then strummed a single chord before starting to sing.
"Here we come a-caroling among the leaves so green . . ."
Harry joined, ". . . And here we come a-wandering so glad to be— hey, why'd you stop singing?"
KayKay didn't answer, but replied with a question, "Harry, have you had any music lessons over the course of your life?"
"No, why—oh, yeah I know my voice isn't that great, I'll stop singing if—"
"Stop singing? Are you insane? Harry, you have like, the best baritone voice I've ever heard!" KayKay exclaimed.
"I . . . what?"
"If you've never taken a lesson, then you're some kind of prodigy!"
Harry laughed. "Prodigy? I think you're just deaf. I've sung before, and it's not very pleasant."
"Maybe you had a late puberty?" KayKay suggested with a smile that told how ridiculous she thought the idea was. "Come on, let's sing it again!"
Harry hadn't wanted to, but once KayKay started he felt himself get pulled into the music.
"Here we come a-caroling among the leaves so green, and here we come a-wandering so glad to be seen.
Love and joy come to you, and to you glad Christmas too, and God bless you and send you a happy New Year. May he send you a happy New Year.
We are not just beggars who go from door to door, but we are neighbor's children whom you have seen before.
Love and joy come to you, and to you glad Christmas too, and God bless you and send you a happy New Year. May he send you a happy New Year."
By the time they'd finished, many other members of Gryffindor House had joined in. She was just about to start into "Deck the Halls" when the class bell rang, informing everyone that it was time to catch the carriages to the train station. There was a flurry of movement and an increase in volume as people turned and talked to their friends while grabbing and lugging their things out of the portrait hole. KayKay hugged her friends goodbye and watched silently as the common room slowly emptied around her. Once all the noise had diminished, she sat down quietly and strummed at her guitar. Remus would come get her once all the protective charms around Hogwarts were reinforced. Until then, she had a long wait ahead of her.
"Lul-lay Thou little tiny child," she sang softly, "Bye, bye lul-ly lul-lay"
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
"Hum-dee-dum-dee-hmmm-hmmm-hmmm-hmmm" KayKay stopped, straightened a red bow adorning the pine garland she and Remus had hung along the banister. "Fa-la-la-la-la la-la-la-la."
She heard the kitchen timer ding, and she scurried back down the stairs and into the kitchen, sliding in her socks on the hardwood floor with a "whee!"
"Goodness Kayleigh, if you're so excited now, I can just imagine you tomorrow on Christmas!" Remus laughed as she danced over to the oven and pulled out a baking sheet of gingerbread cookies. The bells she'd tied in her hair with ribbons were jingling merrily, and her cheeks were rosy with excitement. This was to be, without a doubt, the best Christmas ever.
Well, maybe not ever, but so far.
"I'm so excited! This Christmas is going to be wonderful, I can feel it!" KayKay exclaimed, fanning the cookies absentmindedly with an oven mitt as she opened the icebox and pulled out some milk.
"Speaking of tomorrow," Remus said as KayKay poured the milk into two glasses and handed one to Remus with a cookie, "I have something I need to tell you."
KayKay stopped mid-bite. Remus sounded serious.
"Is everything okay? Nothing's . . . happened, has it?" She asked quickly.
"Oh, no! It's just that we're going to be having a few neighbors over for dinner tomorrow. I know I should have asked you about it first since this is somewhat like your first real Christmas in ten years, but these people were always very nice to me around the Holidays, and I thought that since my home has more than just me now, I could repay their kindness. You don't mind, do you Kayleigh?"
KayKay normally wouldn't, of course, but she was still a bit jealous and saddened by the news that she'd have to share her uncle during their first Christmas together. Still, she couldn't tell him that yes, she did mind.
She tried to imagine these neighbors. Probably kind elderly people, to offer Remus some friendship during a lonely time of the year. And he did just say "dinner", didn't he? She'd still have most of the day with him.
"Sure, no problem," she tried to say it in an offhand voice. "Is there anything I can help with for dinner?"
"Cordon Bleu, maybe?" Remus said. He laughed at the look on KayKay's face. "No, Kayleigh, everything is planned. Just don't eat all of the cookies."
"Mmmm, but it's sooo hard not to!" she said, taking another cookie and biting into it with an expression of bliss and ecstasy.
"Then I'll remove some of the temptation," Remus said, grabbing another cookie with a grin.
* * * * *
KayKay sprung up from the couch at the sound of a knock on the front door. Straightening the platter of cookies on the coffee table and smoothing her shimmering green dress robe, KayKay hurried down the hall to answer it.
Christmas morning had been fabulous. KayKay felt the Christmas morning itinerary begin to take root in her life again . . . get up early, race to wake up the rest of the family, go downstairs in pajamas and sit around the tree with a radio of Christmas specials playing while gifts were traded and chatter ensued. Cocoa stopped in, surprising Remus quite a bit, but didn't stay long. She said she was visiting every one of KayKay's friends, muttering something about how "A common post owl would never be so considerate"
In the afternoon, Remus and KayKay went outside and built a snowman. How long had it been since she'd made a snowman? She wasn't sure. Not since at least five or six years ago, very possibly more.
Simple pleasures. Simple things she'd taken for granted when she was younger.
Still, even though having a good Christmas with a loving uncle was wonderful, she felt a small loneliness. The pang of homesickness for her family that she has hardened herself to when she'd lost them came again against her will upon getting back into the tradition of Christmas.
What would she say to them if she had the chance, if she had only a minute? Would she finally tell her big brother how much she looked up to him? Would she tell her father how brave she wanted to be, just like him? She wasn't sure. It didn't matter. She was still happy. That was how they'd have wanted it.
Placing her most welcoming smile on her face, KayKay turned the doorknob and pulled the door open, saying, "Merry Christmas . . ." Her voice dropped as she looked at the face on the other side of the doorway with surprise.
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
"What are you doing here?" Harry and KayKay asked at the same time. KayKay rolled her eyes and exclaimed over her shoulder, "Remus!" as Harry was saying, "Sirius!"
The two guardians had wide grins of amusement at how they'd hoodwinked the two.
"You made it sound like you were inviting two . . . old people!" KayKay said.
"Oh, thank you" Harry said sarcastically. "Nice to know I'm so attractive."
"Tell you what," Sirius said with a laugh, "let's continue this inside, eh?"
"Oh, of course!" KayKay said with a small jump. She stepped aside to allow Harry and Sirius to come out of the cold. Harry unbuttoned his cloak and shook some snow out of his hair. KayKay reached out to take his cloak from him, having already taken Sirius', but Harry shook his head and walked with her when she shrugged and led the way to the porch.
"Wow, is this your room?" Harry asked as KayKay set the cloak down on a chair. The room was strung with tiny colored Christmas lights, much like the Muggle kind, except that these seemed to shimmer magically and they weren't hindered by an electrical cord. A small toy train followed tracks on the floor that wound around the room, under a table, past a window, and beneath a hammock.
"Yep" KayKay confirmed, sitting in the hammock. "Meet my bed."
She patted the hammock with approval, then stood up and joined Harry near the window where he was looking out at the falling snowflakes and letting the Christmas music playing from radio wash over him.
"You seem really pensive tonight," she said softly, placing a hand on his shoulder and startling him out of his thoughts. He looked at her briefly before pulling her closer and bidding her to look out the window.
"Look KayKay," he said. "Look at the snow. Look at the room. Look at the house. Your house. Look down there a ways . . . look at my house. Listen." They both stood in silence for a few moments and listened to the crackling of the fire in the living room, the laughter of their guardians.
"Look! Look at you, at me, at us!" he took her hand and turned her to face him.
"It's what we both always wanted. A place that really is home. A place we really are loved. Just look at it KayKay!" he spun her as if they were dancing and placed his hands softly on her shoulders. "Isn't it amazing? Sometimes I wonder if it's even real" he breathed.
KayKay looked up at him slowly, inhaled deeply, and let her breath out slowly, and Harry had to catch his breath. It was crazy, silly even, but to him she'd never seemed so beautiful as that moment when she looked up at him with a shred of insecurity masked mostly be peaceful bliss.
"You're right." She said softly. "I sometimes am afraid I'm just asleep. I mean, I have a place I call home—my home . . . I have friends and family to love . . . it's the same sort of thing dreams are made out of." Harry hugged her close.
"See? I told you we'd find those two lovebirds back here!" a voice laughed from the door of the porch, making Harry and KayKay jump.
Standing at the doorway was two boys. One he knew already, Chad. But the other one, the one who had spoken, he didn't know.
"Matt! Chad!" KayKay exclaimed, running and giving ecstatic hugs to first the new guy . . . Matt, and then Chad. "What are you two doing here?"
"Like we'd miss the party?" Chad laughed, "Not on your life!" He looked past KayKay and strode into room. "Harry! Been a while, man!"
"Well, I know Chad and you, of course . . . or at least, I'd hope so . . . but may I meet the elusive Harry?" Matt asked, looking past KayKay and taking a few steps in, towards the rest of the entourage.
"Oh! Of . . . of course." KayKay said. Why was she blushing? "Matt, this is Harry. Harry, Matt. He helped a lot with the trial, and quite a lot of me being alive is to his credit, since he looked after me over the summer . . . which I didn't know about and thus started thinking he was a stalker," she said, emphasizing the last part. "He's the one that inadvertently freaked you out when you messaged me and . . ." she looked Matt up and down, "and he's wearing a cowboy hat. Matt, why are you wearing that crazy thing?"
"Oh, I forgot! I should take it off, huh? Let's see, coat rack, coat rack, coat rack . . ." he muttered, looking around, "Ah!" he plopped it onto KayKay's head. "Coat rack."
"Har har" KayKay deadpanned, tipping the brim up so she could see. "You're a laugh and a half, Matt."
Harry would probably be mad if it was someone else KayKay was joking around with, but he knew that any feelings Matt had had for KayKay were part of the past. If they weren't, Harry couldn't see any sign of them through his words of actions—he treated KayKay the way an old family friend would.
Besides, he could read KayKay plainly and she clearly harbored no feelings for Matt. What they were doing wasn't really flirting, it was more like . . . like a friendly rivalry.
"Hey, do you over-energized adolescents want to eat or what?" Sirius asked, poking his head into the room.
"Need I remind you that you were the one jumping on my bed to wake me up this morning?" Harry retorted with a laugh as the four teens herded towards the door.
"I was teaching you how it's done, you amateur." Sirius said, sticking out his tongue at Harry as they shuffled around the table and sat down to the wonderful Christmas meal.
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~* ~ * ~ * ~* ~ *
Everyone was sitting in the living room and talking happily. Hermione and Megan had showed up shortly after dinner had ended, and KayKay realized (with a bit of shame) that most of this was for her. And she had been reluctant to share her uncle on Christmas!
"Sirius!" Harry called across the room, "What are you doing?"
Sirius, who had been pointing his wand at the ceiling and murmuring something, dropped it quickly and replied, "Nothing!"
He may have been more convincing if he hadn't been wearing a mischievous grin.
"He's digressing to one of his more popular Christmas pranks." Remus answered for his friend. "Magical mistletoe"
There was an outbreak of laughter from all the adolescents.
"You mean the kind that moves around the room during the night?" Matt asked.
Sirius nodded. "Only the best."
"Now the question is, how does Matt know about mistletoe pranks?" KayKay said, clutching her abdomen as she laughed.
"And also, what will happen when it moves over Sirius and Remus?" Megan added.
All the teen boys looked at each other and quickly stepped apart, grabbing the arm of the closest girl.
"Get off of me!" KayKay exclaimed, shaking them off, much to the amusement of Sirius and Remus.
"Shame we thought of that ahead of time. But we knew it wouldn't be much fun for two guys to be trapped under the mistletoe." Sirius said.
The boys all sighed with visible relief and granted KayKay her personal bubble once more. She used her newfound freedom to walk over to the record player sitting in the corner and put on a Christmas album. "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" soon filled the room.
"Shall we dance?" Harry offered almost immediately. KayKay accepted, and soon Chad and Megan joined. Seeing that they were the only two people their age left, Hermione and Matt danced, and KayKay was pleased to overhear them talking quite comfortably before too long.
"So, he's the guy who wrote me that letter?" Harry asked KayKay after a bit, nodding at Matt.
"Well . . . yes." KayKay answered. "I think he had a crush on me, but it seems to have passed." She answered.
She actually wasn't sure. She almost was, but every now and then she'd catch him looking at her.
"Yeah, I think so too. And if your boyfriend is fine with him, you know there's nothing to be suspicious of," Harry agreed, looking at Matt out of the corner of his eye. He looked back at KayKay and changed the subject.
"So, was your Christmas morning as enjoyable as you dreamed?"
"Even more so" KayKay answered with a smile. "It was great! It just had the . . . Christmas feeling to it, you know? Hard to explain." She thought though, by Harry's lack of confusion, that he knew what she meant. "And you?"
"Perfect, of course." Harry replied. "But I think Sirius was even more excited about it than I was."
KayKay laughed. "Did he really jump on your bed?"
"Believe it or not, yes! He—"
"Excuse me. Mind if I cut in?"
The song had switched over to "Winter Wonderland", and Matt was waiting politely for a prospective dance. KayKay looked at Harry, who nodded to signify that he was fine with it.
"I'll go dance with Hermione," Harry said, leaving as KayKay took Matt's hands.
"Well, it's been a while." KayKay said. "Two months? So, how's life?"
"Life's . . . pretty good, I'd have to say. O'Connor has finally settled down . . . she was in a rage after your trial, did you know? Only thing that kept me from scouring pots the rest of my days was the magical restrictions that accompany a court trial. She couldn't take it out on me, so kids were getting weeks of detention for being a minute late to class."
"Not really!" KayKay gasped. "Oh, for the love of Pete!"
"Pete? Who is this 'Pete'? Not Harry?" Matt joked, raising an eyebrow.
"Matt!"
"Okay, okay, I know. I'm glad you've found your place, even though O'Connor isn't." Matt looked over at Harry dancing with Hermione, the both of them laughing at themselves, and he commented, "Harry is very lucky. But from what I've seen," he turned back to KayKay, "you both deserve each other. And by the way, you look very . . . nice"
"Thanks." She smiled. Matt stopped dancing. She looked at him inquisitively, and was about to say something when he beat her to it.
"Why'd you stop?"
"Stop? I didn't stop, you stopped!"
"No, I—" they both froze, and then slowly looked up.
The mistletoe had magicked itself over their heads, and it must have also been enchanted to trap people under it.
KayKay yelped and tried to jump back a pace, but the magic wouldn't let her. From where they sat Remus and Sirius were laughing hysterically, and Harry seemed to be struggling to keep a straight face.
"Oh, come on you guys! Don't do this to me . . . no offense!" she added hastily, throwing a glance at Matt, who held up his hands in a careless gesture.
"None taken."
"Aw, come on! Harry? Please?" she requested with a forced smile of sweetness. Harry grinned and crossed his arms over his chest, shaking his head. It soon became very clear to KayKay that she wasn't going to get any help from even her boyfriend. Sighing, she turned her face so Matt could kiss her on the cheek.
"Nuh-uh," Sirius spoke up. "On the lips. That's the only way it'll work."
"You know what? You're enjoying this far too much!" KayKay said with a slight grin at the friendly banter. Still, with a roll of her eyes, she faced Matt.
"Don't worry. I don't bite, and the weirdness isn't contagious," he joked, lightening the mood slightly. KayKay shrugged and nodded her head, clearly showing that she was ready.
Matt cradled her chin and tilted her head up gently. KayKay closed her eyes as he drew closer and gave her a very short kiss. It didn't carry any emotion of longing, it just a friendly kiss, but KayKay blushed all the same when they pulled apart and everyone clapped.
"Okay, different activity!" KayKay yelled over them, waving her arms in attempt to get them to shut up.
"Oh, come on KayKay, it's part of the season!" Harry said with a laugh. "Be a sport."
"I am not talking to you," KayKay said, turning away so her amusement at the look of shock on Harry's face wouldn't be apparent.
"KayKay? KayKay—oh, come on!" he said when KayKay didn't reply. He probably thought she was giving him the cold shoulder, but really she was trying not to laugh.
"Hey! What are you doing?" KayKay asked as Harry grabbed her hand and pulled her with him.
"I thought you weren't talking to me." He said with a smirk, leading her under the mistletoe.
KayKay laughed finally as Harry put an arm around her waist, dipped her, and gave her kiss to compensate for her embarrassment.
"Better?" he asked when the kiss had ended.
"Yes."
"Oh, you two are sooo cute together!" Matt exclaimed, jumping and clapping his hands.
"Oh my gosh, Matt! I figured it out!" KayKay said in feigned shock, "You're gay!"
"Like, so totally duh!" He giggled, coughed, and then continued. "You guys, like have to let me know once you get engaged!"
"That's a big step," KayKay said, playing along.
"I wasn't aware we were that serious." Harry agreed.
"Oh, of course you are!" Matt exclaimed, studying his fingernails.
"Oh, if you say so then." Harry said seriously. He took KayKay's right hand in both of his and got down on one knee. "Miss KayKay, will you do myself and this gay cowboy the great honor of marrying me?"
"Oh, Harry darling, if the gay cowboy commands it, then I suppose I must!" she put the back of her hand to her forehead dramatically.
"Yay! This is so happy! Ooh, we need to get some Little Debbie's Snacks to celebrate!" Matt continued with his funny act. He laughed and said "Little Debbie. Hee hee, it makes me feel giddy all over! Oh, this is so exciting! Who's going to be your maid of honor?"
He pointed to himself and mouthed "Me".
"Oh, but it shall be so hard to choose!" KayKay said. "I'll have to pick Mo."
"Moe? Who's Moe?"
KayKay pointed to the girls and Matt as she counted off, "Eeny, meeny, miney, mo!"
"Yay!" Matt said, jumping up and down and clapping again. "I'm thinking . . . Mauve. Or Faded Salmon. What do you think?"
By this point, everyone in the room was laughing hysterically, with the exception of Harry, who was digging in his robe pockets.
"Harry, what are you looking . . ." KayKay froze when Harry pulled a small box out of his robes. It was black velvet tied with a red ribbon, and Harry held out for her to take, saying, "Merry Christmas."
"H-Harry . . . w-what . . .?"
Everyone had stopped laughing now and were watching as KayKay slowly took the box and untied the ribbon.
"It's . . . a promise ring," Harry explained as KayKay opened the box and gasped. "Because someday . . . you know, if we 're still together . . . and if we still love each other as much as we do now . . . and if you do me the honor . . . maybe . . . someday . . ."
KayKay's hand shook as she looked at the ring inside. It was a simple silver band, but on the outside were engraved Latin words . . . "Iuro a stella" . . .
" 'Swear by the stars' " KayKay whispered, looking at it. She was no longer aware of the audience watching she and Harry as she crouched down so they'd be at the same eye-level.
"Yes. On your first day back, remember I . . . I swore by every star that . . ."
" . . . That Forever would come." KayKay finished, still looking at the ring. "Harry, I . . ."
"You don't have to. If you don't want keep the ring—"
"Harry, shhh. Of course I want to keep it. I wouldn't refuse it for anything." KayKay's voice was almost at a whisper.
Harry grinned with such joy and relief that it melted KayKay's heart. "May I . . .?"
"Of course!" KayKay replied, holding out her left hand as Harry slid the ring onto her ring finger. The rest of the room's occupants burst into applause, and KayKay and Harry jumped, having forgotten about them. Harry laughed self-consciously as he stood up, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand.
"I had planned on a somewhat . . . different setting, but the time seemed appropriate." Harry apologized with a crooked grin.
"Jeez Harry, I didn't mean it seriously," Matt said, losing the gay act and walking over to them, "But congratulations, man!" he shook hands with Harry and gave KayKay a hug.
"Matt, we're not engaged." KayKay laughed. "Just . . . um . . . it's like the step wearing a guy's class ring and moving in together or something."
"But you'll let me know if you ever are engaged?"
"Yes Matt."
"Even if I'm not invited to the wedding?"
"Yes Matt."
"But I would be, wouldn't I?"
"Yes, Matt!"
"Okay, just checking." He laughed.
"Well, a gift like that makes any others nearly obsolete," Remus said, crossing the room and putting a hand on KayKay's shoulder, "but I do have one more gift for you. Why don't you take a peek into your room?" He nodded towards the porch.
Followed by everyone, KayKay walked to her room. Sitting on the floor next to the miniature Christmas tree she'd set up was a large box with shiny green wrapping paper and a large red bow. Looking again over her shoulder, all of her fellow adolescents looked curious, while Sirius and Remus looked excited.
KayKay kneeled down and easily pulled the cover off, gasping in surprise and delight when she saw what was inside.
"Puppy!"
"You know what I want for Christmas, Uncle Remmy? More than anything else in whole wide world?"
"No I don't, but I can bet that you'll tell me, Kayleigh!"
"I wanna' puppy. Like this one." The just-barely-seven KayKay held up her stuffed toy of a Golden Retriever. "I really, really want one. I'd name it Casey." She looked up at her uncle's face, squirming a bit in his lap. "D'you think Santa's gonna' bring me one? I musta' wrotten a million billion letters."
"Three" her older sister contradicted from the other side of the room.
"Nuh-uh!" KayKay said, "I wrote him one every day since K-Mart started selling those Christmas things."
"Which means she's been sending them since September," she heard her mother whisper to her uncle as she walked past with a wreath for the door.
"Do ya' think I'll get a puppy from Santa?" KayKay asked him again.
"I'm sure of it, Kayleigh"
The small doggy of soft golden fluff wagged her tail and stood on her hind legs, using the top edge of the box as a brace for her front paws. As KayKay lifted her out, the puppy wriggled, trying to lick her nose.
"Casey" KayKay whispered as she read the puppy's identification tags. "Oh Remus, thank you!"
"Now all I need is a Santa hat, right?" he asked as KayKay hugged him ecstatically.
Everyone else was bewildered.
KayKay nuzzled the sweet puppy. "Remus, can she come to Hogwarts with me? Please? Please, please, pleeease?"
"I don't see why not." He answered with a shrug.
"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!" KayKay paused a moment, then added another for good measure, "Thank you!"
Chad bent down and put the red bow from the box onto Casey's collar, then pulled a tennis ball out of his pocket and threw it for her. Everyone laughed as the puppy tore off after it, paws slipping against the wooden floor.
KayKay had been right. It was the best Christmas ever . . . well, for now.
* * * * *
"Bye! Thanks you guys, for everything."
"It was a great way to spend Christmas. Much more entertaining than staring at the blue walls of our dorm." Chad said, stepping near the fireplace in preparation to Floo.
"Don't complain, our dorm is orange" Matt said, shuddering. "It's everywhere. Absolutely sickening."
"Oh, Matt, don't forget your hat." KayKay stopped, then snorted. "Matt, hat. I'm the next Dr. Seuss." She held it out for him, but he shook his head.
"Nah" he replied, pretending to be gay again, "you can keep it. It doesn't match my ensemble." He smoothed out his shirt, then looked at Chad with a smile. "Hey, Handsome"
Chad punched his shoulder. "Now you're getting too gay. Let up a bit."
"Why does it sound like you're his coach?" KayKay asked, not fully wanting to know.
"Because Mellie Dorin has tagged him as her next victim."
"Ohhh!" Megan and KayKay winced at the same time.
Mellie Dorin was the Seventh Year Hisidance girl who had stalked, dated, and dumped the most guys at Escondito. She flirty to the point where despite her drop-dead-gorgeous-ness, quite a few guys were turned off by her. No guy she'd set her sights on had figured out a way to deter her from her goal, and they eventually gave in just so she'd dump them and leave them alone.
"You poor thing," Megan sympathized. "I know exactly how you feel."
"You do?" Chad asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Well . . . no, I guess I don't, but . . ."
"Maybe someone should teach her a lesson. Maybe someone else should follow her everywhere then dump her." KayKay said slowly.
"But who?" Matt asked. "Only a few guys haven't been subject to her insane fits of desire, and practically all of them would never do it."
"Hmmm, so we need someone we know who hasn't been attained by Mellie yet." Megan said. Everyone was still for a moment and then, slowly, they all turned their heads and looked at Chad.
"What? Why me? Hey! You people should leave me out of your crazy schemes! I . . . I think it's time that I go back to Escondito."
Chad stepped into the flames and made his escape.
"Hey Chad, wait!" Harry yelled after him. "Too late," he sighed. "Well, to all of you guys, Sirius suggested having everyone over to my home tomorrow. If you have swimsuits you might as well bring them—"
"You have a pool?!" KayKay exclaimed. "I'm so there! Rock!"
"Don't worry, I'll tell Chad," Matt said, stepping into the flames. "Bye guys! Merry Christmas!"
"Merry Christmas!" KayKay and Megan said, while Hermione and Harry said, "Happy Christmas!"
Hermione and Megan departed by Floo shortly after, and Harry and Sirius left by way of the front door.
"Thank you sooo much, Uncle Remmy!" KayKay said, hugging Remus. "It was definitely the best Christmas ever!"
"I'm glad you liked it," he said softly, hugging her back. He laughed and said, "Now, off to bed, young lady. It's late, and you have another rendezvous with your friends tomorrow."
KayKay nodded, and picked up Casey from where she was asleep on the rug by the fire.
"Come on, sweetie." She said to the little ball of fluff. "Time to sleep . . . well, time for more sleep, in your case."
She walked into her room just in time to catch a glimpse of a snowy owl swoop out of the window.
"Wow, he sure was patient. Must've sent Hedwig out the moment he got home," she murmured to no one in particular. She set Casey down in her doggie basket and crossed the room to shut the open window.
Must not have latched it when I aired the house of the burnt cookies. Probably didn't take more than a few beak taps to open it.
KayKay flicked on a few more lights so she could read the letter at the same time that Remus was turning off those in the living room and going upstairs. The envelope was sitting on her hammock. "KayKay" was all that was written on it. Flipping it over, KayKay slit the seal and dropped the letter with a gasp as the whole room plunged into darkness, except for the envelope, which was glowing a sinister green.
A glowing green snake of smoke erupted from the letter on the floor with a shower of orange sparks and reared it's head, hissing wildly. KayKay took a few involuntary steps back as it swayed it's head in the air, flicking it's long forked tongue.
It had horrible eyes of red fire, and ebony fangs at least six inches long. It was huge, at least as big around as KayKay was, and quite easily stronger. The strangest thing was that it was supported by air, rather than slithering on the ground.
This made it, if anything, even worse.
KayKay flinched as it circled around her once before going back to where it had been. The snake's tail brushed against her skin as it passed, burning her right arm, but KayKay barely noticed the pain before the snake hissed again and began to slither through the air, leaving squiggly letters of hazy smoke.
" 'CATCH'," KayKay read, " 'ME . . . IF . . . YOU . . .' " Her breath caught in her throat. " 'Catch me if you can' " she whispered, clapping a hand to her mouth in horror. It was just like her dream! But wait . . . did that mean . . .?
The snake, done with it's message, turned upon KayKay and charged towards her, forcing her back to attention. She threw her left arm, the good arm, up in front of her face to protect herself and she clenched her eyes shut in terror when the snake was only a foot away. If she'd had time to shriek, she would've. KayKay braced herself for a burning pain. Or worse.
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
"Hi KayKay! Come on in, everyone else is already here." Harry said, opening the door wide the next morning when KayKay came.
"Thanks Harry," she smiled, but Harry noticed that she looked tired. Her face was pale and washed out, and when she smiled, it didn't reach her eyes like it normally did. But again, they had been up late the night before at her Christmas party. That was probably what it was.
"Come on, Casey." KayKay said, tapping the side of her leg and beckoning her puppy to follow her. Harry noticed when he looked at her hand hat she was still wearing the ring he gave her.
Smiling to himself, Harry closed the door behind her and led the way down to the pool, where the sounds of splashing and laughing could be heard.
He had decorated the room a bit for Christmas . . . well, if a few strings of lights and Christmas music could be called decorating.
He laughed as Megan and Hermione kicked water at each other from where they were seated on the edge of the pool, growing increasingly more and more violent until Megan decided she'd have enough and just got Hermione wet the easy way—by shoving her in. Hermione grabbed Megan's arm on the way in and pulled her with.
"Bon-ZAIII!" Matt hollered, doing a cannonball into the water and getting the girls even wetter. Chad dove into the deep end of the pool, and Harry slid into he shallow end. Ron was already in the water, sitting on the steps at the shallow end of the pool.
Although her had never seen her go swimming before, Harry expected KayKay to do a fancy dive of some sort, as was normally her style. He was surprised, then, when she didn't even get in, just dangled her legs in the water from the side. She didn't even take her long-sleeved shirt off from over her red swimsuit.
"Come on, KayKay, the water is fabulous!" Megan urged. KayKay simply shook her head politely and coaxed Casey over to her, letting the puppy sit on her lap.
"Come on, KayKay, I told you already that Matt's craziness isn't contagious," Chad said. KayKay just shook her head again.
"KayKay, is something wrong?" Harry asked, paddling over to her. "I thought by your enthusiasm last night that you'd be the first one in."
KayKay bit her lip and shook her head again, looking down at Casey who had already fallen asleep.
"I'm fine," she said softly, stroking Casey's soft fur.
"Wow, if you looked at me when you said that, it would almost be convincing," Harry said sarcastically. KayKay looked up, slowly and deliberately.
"I'm fine." She repeated. She looked down at the puppy on her lap again and changed the subject conspicuously.
"So, how was your . . . um . . . sleep? Any . . . cool dreams?"
Harry gave her an "Oh-please-you-really-think-I'm-going-to-buy-that?" look. "KayKay, what's wrong?"
"Nothing Harry!" KayKay protested. "I told you I was fine. I just don't feel like swimming, is all."
"If you say so . . ."
"I do say so." She told him assertively. "Now, why don't you guys play . . . Marco Polo, or something? Don't let me spoil your fun." She smiled, "I'm good."
"Well . . ." he said slowly, still not believing her, "all right . . ."
Women.
* * * * *
"Pizza! Yes! Hogwarts should serve this stuff fur lunch. Haven't had it since August!" Megan exclaimed, grabbing a slice loaded with gooey cheese and biting into it. "Mmmm, heavenly."
"Hey Chad, didn't anyone ever tell you not to swim on a full stomach?" KayKay yelled before plucking another pepperoni off of her slice of pizza and popping it into her mouth.
"No," he retorted, bouncing once or twice on the diving board. "And I'm not swimming yet. I'm waiting until the diving queen herself is ready to go against me. This time, I'm going to beat you!"
"Hmmm, that's great, where is this diving queen?"
"Jeez, I wonder, KayKay."
"Hey, if you're talking about me, I resign. You win. Clap, clap, clap, insert cheesy prize announcement here." KayKay said blandly, taking another bite of her pizza.
"You can't just resign! What happened to the ever-competitive KayKay Determan?" Chad asked.
"She went away. Far, far away." She answered sarcastically.
"But that's not how it works! I can't be the diving champ unless I beat you!" Chad whined, hopping off of the diving board and running over to the edge of the pool where everyone was standing while eating lunch.
He slipped a bit on the floor and stumbled, knocking into Ron. Ron, who was right up to the edge of the pool, waved his arms wildly to avoid falling in, but failed, causing a loud splash and even louder laughter.
Looking over, Harry realized KayKay was the only one not laughing as Ron slapped the water, pedaling his legs.
"KayKay, what are you doing?" he asked in bewilderment as she threw down her pizza and pulled her shirt off from over her suit in one smooth motion. Without pausing a moment to reply, KayKay dove into the water after Ron. It was then that Harry and the rest of the group realized Ron wasn't joking around.
KayKay ducked underwater and pulled Ron up by wrapping one arm around his waist and using the other to paddle pack to the edge of the large pool. Chad and Matt helped pull him out as KayKay hoisted herself over the edge and knelt next to Ron.
"Lay him flat on his back," she advised as Ron began to sputter and cough water out of his lungs. Harry sagged with relief when he sat up and stopped coughing.
"I'm sorry, Man" Chad said, "I didn't know . . ."
"Yeah, it's not something one generally advertises to the public," Ron said, breathing deeply. He looked over at KayKay. "Thanks"
"Don't mention it," she replied, panting a bit. Ron looked down at her arm.
"Hey, what happened?"
KayKay clutched her left arm (odd, since it was the other one that Ron was indicating) and stretched to grab her shirt, but Harry stopped her, taking hold of her wrist and looking at her right arm. It looked horribly burned, a second-degree at least. His head snapped up to KayKay.
"Oh, so this is what 'fine' means. Haven't you had anyone look at it?"
"Yes, Harry," she said, gently trying to pull her arm away. "I'm not as stupid as a lot of people must think I am."
"So, Remus knows?"
"Um . . . no" KayKay looked uncomfortable.
"So who did you have check it?" Harry pressed, "And how did you get it?"
"It was checked by the magical medical knowledge of me, myself, and I. Like I said, don't worry! I'm fine. It doesn't even hurt much anymore."
"It still hurts?"
"Harry, please" she pulled her arm away. "Just drop it. I'm a big girl, okay? I tie my own shoes and everything."
She pulled her shirt on, gingerly with her burned arm, but before she got her left arm into the sleeve, Harry saw something that made his heart skip a beat.
KayKay had just finished pulling the shirt over her head when Harry grabbed her uninjured arm and pushed the sleeve up roughly.
"Harry, what are you doing?!" KayKay exclaimed in panic, "Stop it!"
She tried to pull her arm away, but Harry held fast, pushing the sleeve up the rest of the way and staring at her arm in disbelief.
It was just like on the victims; she had a tattoo of snakes shaped to form words, except these ran all the way up her arm and said, "CATCH ME IF YOU CAN".
Disbelief was the first thing Harry felt. Then came shock, denial, and lastly, anger.
"When were you going to tell any of us about this?" He demanded, not aware that everyone else had stepped away from the two, not wanting to get involved in their fight.
"I wasn't—aware—that I—needed to!" KayKay retorted, clenching her teeth as she tried to pull her arm away.
"This isn't just about you anymore! This is about—"
"When did I ever say this was all about me? Harry, let me go and stop treating me like the enemy!"
But what if you are? he thought, All of this started the day you came back. I know you wouldn't do it on purpose . . . but we agreed that whoever it is could be controlled, and last time there was an Heir, it was one of our own . . .
"I mean it, Harry." She growled, still trying to get loose. "Let go of me and think about what you're saying! Or better, say what you're thinking. You're implying the same thing either way, and I know that you know it isn't true."
She was furious. Harry could almost feel the anger lashing out at him, set and ready to burn him if he didn't start treating her like who she was; one of the good guys.
"Sorry," he said softly, letting go of her wrist, "I guess I got a bit carried away."
"A 'bit'? Any further and you'd be in China already," she said with a scowl, rolling her sleeve down again.
"But KayKay, won't you just tell me—"
"Later. I'm going to go home until I'm cooled down to the point at which I no longer want to punch somebody's lights out." She answered, standing up and putting her jeans on over her wet swimsuit. "Come on, Casey."
She picked up her puppy tenderly. Right when the door clicked shut behind her, everyone looked at Harry. There was uncomfortable silence until Ron asked out of the blue, "So is she a swimming teacher or something over the summer?"
"A lifeguard for the YMCA." Megan said.
"Oh," Ron nodded, "good thing."
"Yes," she agreed. "It comes in handy."
Harry rolled his eyes and got up, following after KayKay with a sigh.
"Continue, I'll be back in a minute." He said to everyone as he pushed the door open and jogged after the wet footprints KayKay had left behind. He caught up to her quickly since she was wandering a bit, looking for the door.
"KayKay!" He touched her shoulder and steered her back the way they'd come. "Come on, don't be like this. I know I was a jerk back there, it was just . . . I panicked." He continued slowly, picking his words carefully so she'd be convinced to stay and talk. "I just can't stand the thought of you being hurt."
She batted his hand away, but sagged with a sigh.
"I'm just . . . so sick of explaining things. Shouldn't there be a way we can somehow . . . read each other's minds?"
"You'd think so, wouldn't you? Come on, let's go sit in the library or something. This definitely has something to do with the Heir."
* * * * *
"I just feel so . . . contaminated now. I mean, it feels like I'm connected to the Heir now, like I'm suddenly their ally. It's just . . ." KayKay sighed. "I tried everything. Nothing got rid of it! It must be a spell they invented."
"Ingenious" Harry said. When KayKay looked him oddly, he explained. "You can't trace a spell that you don't know the name of. If they hadn't made one up, they could've been traced. And . . ."
"And that's why Madame Pomfrey didn't recognize the curse on the victims!" KayKay finished. "But what can we do about it? I feel so . . . vulnerable, not being in control of the situation. We're just like everyone else."
"We always were like everyone else. Hey," Harry said when KayKay snorted, "why are you laughing?"
"Sorry Harry, but you've never been like everyone else. You're always the 'gallant hero'," she laughed harder.
"Oh, shove off," he said. "Let's go back to the others."
"Yes," KayKay agreed, "but first, can I get some more aloe for my burn? Ever since it hit that chlorine it's been hurting something fierce."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thank you, Fiery, for the review!!! You were very right . . . I love reviews. Rock.
And you'll notice I found a way to respond *sticks out tongue at Fiery*
35 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS!!! *smiles ecstatically* I told you I was crazy about Christmas. As I speak I am decorating a mini-Christmas tree that I'll try to fit into my locker at school, LOL. That's me all over! Don't y'all love Christmas???
Ummm . . . besides that . . .
REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!
Please???
