Hi!! Wow, great response from everyone!! This chapter had me stumped for a moment or two, but I think it came out wonderfully, considering that pet- sitting my grandparent's new dog as I wrote the majority of it.
Magistrix Mundi: Yes, the idea and concept of Watching is entirely my own imagination, but I had no idea it would escalate to this point. I thought it up about two in the morning during a huge sleepover with about nine of my friends, henna, and lots of popcorn. And yes, I did get the idea for Licoln's Watcher from that story about the girl.
Eve Granger: Thanks!!
Aryn: I'm adding this note on Wednesday, right before you return!!!!!!!!!!!! The fact that I haven't gotten a chance to finish before now should say something as to what they have me doing at that stupid camp!!!
Chapter Three: Friends, Qudditch, and Tough Questions
"Karma! Get you butt down here before you miss the train!!!" My mum could yell really loudly if she wanted, I suddenly remembered early morning on September 1st.
I rolled (literally) out of bed and on to the floor. My cat Devika, had learned by now not to wait right next to the bed for me, due to the many times I had rolled on top of her. She crawled on top of me now, licking my nose.
"I'm up, okay?" I grumbled, trying to push her off. "I'm up!" I yelled to my mum. She promptly stopped yelling.
I pulled on the first articles of clothing I could find. That's how I ended up in a pair of jeans older that I was, a summer dress with blue and red convertible all over it, and a pair of sneakers as old as the jeans.
I raced down stairs, where my trunk was already in the trunk. My mother handed me a sweatshirt and bagel, yelling about how I can't wear a dress with straps that thin in September. I jumped into the car, biting into the bagel and fastening the seat belt at the same time. Seeing as I lived in London, it's not like we were on the road for hours. But traffic was horrible, even by London's standards.
I arrived at the same time Hermione did. "Karma!!" I heard her yell as I climbed out of the car.
"Hey!" I called, walking up to her. I noticed that she was alone. "Where are the boys??"
"That's the thing." She frowned. "We arrived together, but when I stopped to find you, they wandered off somewhere."
"Why did you need to talk to me?" I asked.
"Well, I need to ask you a huge favor. I need you to just sit for a moment while ask you a question."
This caught my attention. Hermione Granger, asking me a question?? I knew what it had to be about. She had figured it out.
"Okay." I finally answered. "When?"
"As soon as possible." She quickly murmured. "Just say goodbye to your parents and follow me."
Normally I hate being ordered around. But there was urgency in her voice I had never heard before. I said goodbye to Mum and Dad (Mum telling me the whole time not to dress like this again until July) and followed her into an empty compartment. She whipped out her wand and performed a soundproofing charm all the way around.
"I know that you know about the Order, and the DA, and all that other important stuff, and I also know that because of the whole Watcher thing, you can't tell me that you know." She started.
She would have continued if I hadn't interrupted. "How do you know I'm a Wa- "I stopped as a small jolt of pain reached my spine. A Watcher is forbidden to tell anyone that he/she is one. They can figure it out on their own, but I'm not allowed to so much as confirm their findings.
Hermione sighed. "It's just a matter of putting two and two together. You seem to know an awful lot about Harry that I don't even know, and he's never met you. It was either that, or he is so bad at Occlumency that he can't feel you at all. And obviously that's not true. So it must have been the Watcher theory. But I have one question."
"Why didn't I stop Harry from going to the Department of Mysteries?" I guessed.
"No." She shocked me. "I know that you had no control over that. I was just wondering why you don't get to know Harry. Wouldn't it make you job easier??"
I frowned. I knew she was right, but it would... complicate things at the same time. I knew so much about him already that I felt I already knew him. But at the same time, all I knew was facts. It was a fact that he had an aunt left as his only family. It was a fact that he was born July 31st. It was a fact that the only ice cream he would eat with rainbow sprinkles was peppermint stick. But I had no idea of his opinion on anything. Opinions and thoughts were entirely different from facts.
"Just let me introduce you to him. If you want nothing to do with him after a while, then leave. I'm sure his feelings won't be hurt."
I glanced out the window. We had been moving for quite a while now, and we were rushing past countryside. "Fine." I said, turning back towards her. "But if it gets weird, I'm out."
"Well, come on then." She opened the door, and headed down the aisle. I followed.
We were halfway down the train when I felt the compartment door next to me open and someone stepping right into me. Whoever the person was and I ended up on the floor.
"Ow." I said, more out of shock than pain, when I opened my eyes.
It was Harry. "I'm sorry. I was looking for-"
"For me, hopefully." Hermione said, backtracking and finding us. "Harry, this is Lisa Turpin, but don't call her that, or she'll flip out."
"What should I call her?" He asked, standing, then bending down to help me.
"Just call me Karma." I said, taking his hand. He pulled me up and led me into the compartment.
"This is Ron and Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom and Luna. Lovegood. Ron, Ginny, Neville, Luna, this is Karma Turpin."
"Hi." They all said simultaneously. Then they returned to what must have been a heated argument.
"There is no way that the Canons are going to win the Cup." Ginny directed towards her brother.
"And the Kestrals can?" Ron asked
"Yeah." Luna said. "They can!"
I raised my eyebrows. "That the same Luna Lovegood from last year?"
"Amazingly, yes." Harry said, sitting down.
"Oh, hi Karma." Luna looked up when I said her name. "What are you doing here? Where's Mandy?"
"Oh, I haven't found her yet." I said, referring to my best friend. It was true. Mandy had been mysteriously missing.
"Hey, you're Beater for Ravenclaw, aren't you??" Ron looked up at me, studying me appraisingly.
"Yes." I said slowly. "You're the Gryffindor Keeper, aren't you?" I left it at that, not wanting to rub in the fact that he had a horrendous record. The fact that they had chosen him made me wonder who had turned up for try- outs, and how bad they had been.
The poor boy seemed to know where I was going with my comment, because his ears turned pink. I turned my attention to his sister.
"And you replaced Harry, didn't you?" I questioned. I had an excuse for knowing this stuff. Rodger Davis had drilled into our heads that the line up had changed. Weasley instead of Potter, Sloper and Kirke instead of Weasley and Weasley. Just plain pathetic, the Beaters. Everyone criticized Roger for putting me, a girl who looked like should could sooner make the earth stop turning that hit a bludger with anything resembling accuracy, on the team, but Sloper and Kirke were Gryffindor's biggest blunder since... well, I have no idea when. Ginny was good, though. Nearly as good as Harry.
"Yes." She said, giving me an odd semi-glare. "But now that Harry's back on the team, I'm going to try for Chaser."
"Your ban's been lifted?" I asked. I already knew this, of course, but it was good to look shocked, so that no one else suspected anything.
"Yeah." He grinned. "Apparently, the ban had been placed by an incompetent Inquisitor, so it was considered void. Fred and George's too."
"That's great." I smiled. "So, are Sloper and Kirke still on the team?"
"You wish." Ron said. "We're going to find someone halfway decent to replace them."
"Thank Krishna." I muttered. "They hardly presented a challenge."
"You just want us to go easy one you." Harry said.
I raised an eyebrow at him. He looked down, blushing. "All I can say in response to that- I'm even risking sounding clichéd here- is bring it on."
Such a cliche ending, I know- but oh well! Now, y'all should be grown up enough to hit the review button... please??? I'll give you coffee/vanilla swirl ice cream!!!!! Oh, just think about the cafine, I love cafine!!!!