Chapter I
"Kara...c'mere." I went over to the window where Ceri beckoned me.
"Look out there. Isn't it beautiful?" I gazed out the window to the silvery-white world as we sped along.
"Indeed it is. It's always beautiful."
"Yeah, but it never ceases to amaze me."
"I know what you mean..." I sat down and hugged my knees to my chest, leaning my forehead against the cold glass. Ceri and I were the only two in the compartment. We liked it that way. We liked to be alone, except if we were in the company of eachother. Then we were fine.
"Kara..." she murmured.
"Hmm?"
"Do you want to be going back?"
"Yes. Why?"
"Oh, I don't know. I think I'd rather stay home."
"Why?"
She shrugged. "Not sure. I just feel better at home."
"You just don't like school?"
"No, I love school, it's just...." She paused.
"What? Why don't you want to go back?"
She sighed and shrugged. "No reason. Just a momentary thought. It'll pass. You know I've been kinda down since..."
I nodded. "Understandable."
"Don't worry about it Kara, alright?"
I nodded. The peace was interrupted by loud footsteps and laughing coming down the corridor. I jumped as a boy was pushed against our compartment door. A guy with mahogany-brown eyes laughed as he turned and smiled at me. He slid the door open and popped his head in.
"Sorry 'bout that." He grinned apologetically.
"It's okay." I said softly. He smiled and glanced at Ceri, then back at me as he closed the door and continued down the corridor.
"Who was that?" Ceri asked.
"Oliver Wood."
"He would be..."
"Gryffindor Quidditch Captain."
"Oh..." I looked at her. She didn't know who he was? I didn't think she was that much of a nobody.
"I thought you knew who he was."
She shook her head.
"Oh, I'd seen him before, but I didn't know who he was."
I nodded and looked at my watch.
"Better put on our robes. We're getting close."
We both pulled our robes, sweaters and ties from our bags and put it all on. The blue of our Ravenclaw ties brought out the deep blue of my eyes and made Ceri's grey eyes misty blue. Once I had them on, I started putting things back in my bag.
"Lemme see your brush for a sec please, Kara."
I handed her the brush and she ran it through her long, straw blonde hair.
"Are you glad to be going back?" She asked me as she pulled the yellow strands mingling with the black from the brush. I nodded.
"Why?"
"Because I like it. It's exciting. You never know what's going to happen next."
"Nothing's happened."
"Yes it has. You just don't know it because you're buried in the library or under your blankets with a book."
She sighed. "I know...I just don't like people."
"I'm a people."
She smiled. "You know what I mean."
I laughed and nodded, folding my sweater and putting it in my bag.
"Kara, I'm glad you're my friend. I love you."
I smiled at her. "I'm glad you're my friend too, Ceri. You're my best friend." I hugged her.
"Love you too, doll."
I sighed as I flopped on my old bed, one leg underneath me. I smiled as I looked around.
"It's so good to be home." I said softly. Ceri walked in.
"The fire's going in the common room. Want to come down?"
"Sure." I said, grabbing my book from the bedside table and following her down the stairs to the common room. We both squeezed into the big armchair in the corner and read. We knew the whispers about us would start again, but we really didn't care. After a while, I looked up from my book and glanced around the room. There were lots of people in groups, catching up on the news. I smiled. It had only been a few weeks of vacation, but everybody had lots of things to tell.
"I'm going back upstairs, Kara." Ceri said, shutting her book and standing up. "Okay. 'Night, then."
"Good night." She said, walking up the stairs. I went back to my book and was lost to the rest of the room. I found myself shivering and moved to a chair nearer the fire. Two people were on the floor in front of the fire playing chess and I noticed one of them was Cho Chang. She looked up as I sat down and smiled a little. I smiled back and watched them play. Cho was definitely winning, though her opponent, a first year, didn't notice. I smiled to myself as Cho's queen beheaded her opponent's and put the king in checkmate. The boy sighed in defeat and pulled out his wand, fixing his pieces.
"I've beaten you how many times before, Taylor? And you still keep coming back for more."
"I'll beat you someday, Cho. Just you wait."
"Sure, whatever." She smiled and stood up, sitting next to me.
"Good book?"
I nodded.
"How was your vacation?"
"Wonderful. Ceri and I went to Iceland."
"Wow! And you didn't invite me?" She pouted.
"Sorry...besides, I thought you were going to visit relatives in China?"
She grinned widely. "We did, and I met the cutest boy. You wouldn't believe." "Oh? What's his name?"
"Rei. Oh my god, I'm melting just thinking about him." She put her hands to her throat and sighed, staring into the fire. I laughed at her.
"What about Cedric?"
She scowled. "That git can drown himself for all I care."
"Why?"
"He's cheated on me with some girl from Hufflepuff."
"Well, it is his house."
"That doesn't make it right!" she shrieked. "I'm a hell of a lot prettier than she is! He just made out with her so she wouldn't go out with someone else."
I laughed to myself. I knew that within a week, the two of them would be back together.
"So what about you?"
"Me?" I said incredulously. "Me?"
She laughed at my sarcasm.
"Yes, you. You, the beautiful and mysterious Karayan Tyne."
"Who, me?" She laughed.
"You need more self-confidence, Kara. You're beautiful and intelligent. You're just not outgoing enough."
"I have plenty of self confidence. I just..." I stopped. I didn't know. "I'm not sure, I just don't need a guy."
"Don't tell me there isn't anyone you like."
"Not really..."
"Don't you find anyone attractive?" I thought for a moment. There was someone.
"Tell meee...!" she squealed.
"Well, yes..." I blushed.
"Who? Tell me who."
I hesitated.
"Karaaaa..."
"Uh-uh." I shook my head. Her face fell.
"Oh, please?" I shook my head harder and snapped my book shut. She grabbed my hand.
"Tell me!"
"No."
"Will you tell if I guess?" I stayed silent.
"Vincent?"
Silence.
"Erik?"
More silence.
"Sam? Will? Zack? Oh, come on, Kara. Just tell me." She begged. I shook my head and pulled my hand away.
"Goodnight, Cho."
She begged and whined. I laughed at her and ran up the stairs to my room. I would never tell anyone whom I liked.