Sunlight streamed in through the window and landed on the one occupant in the room. A groan emitted from under the covers and a wand poked out. Sparks flew out and the curtains were drawn closed.
"Whoever opens those bloody curtains every morning is asking for a world of pain," grumbled an irritated voice.
The covers were pulled off by a clever black cat to reveal a young tired witch. She opened her eyes and glared down at the cat.
"Stop, Smokey. I'm up already," groaned the witch.
She climbed out of bed and padded over to her trunk. She pulled out some muggle clothing and got dressed. Then she walked into the bathroom and brushed her hair until all of the tangles were out. Her soft, brown hair that flowed down a little past her shoulders had their small curl at the end as usual.
"At least it doesn't stay in bed hair mode for long," mumbled the witch.
Walking out of the bathroom, the witch grabbed her backpack and said her farewell to her feline companion. She walked down the dorm steps and out of the portrait leading to the Phoenix dorms. The four houses at Salem Witch were Phoenix, Basilisk, Crup, and Kneazle. Each one having their different location and portrait entrance.
"Hey Katie!" hollered a friendly voice.
She turned around and smiled when she saw her friend running down the stairs to catch up with her. His backpack was haphazardly slung over one shoulder and slapping roughly against his back. He stopped on the step beside her.
"Did ya sleep well, Katie?" asked the boy.
"Just fine. How 'bout you, Sam?" inquired Katie.
"Perfectly great. Listen, I have Quidditch practice in ten but I was wondering if you would meet me in the library later. I need help with my Charms essay," said Sam.
"Is noon okay?" asked Katie.
"Perfect. I'll see you then."
Sam rushed down the stairs and out of sight. Katie sighed as she walked down the stairs. Light was pouring in through all of the windows and it made the old castle seem like a church almost. Even though Katie had never set foot in a church in all of her life.
She decided that today was a good day to go outside and read. When she came to the entrance hall, she spotted one of her friends.
"Hey Di!" shouted Katie.
The young girl turned her head to look at Katie. Upon spotting Katie, the girl snorted and turned away. Katie stopped in mid-step with a frown on her face. Had one of her best friends just snuffed her? She had to be mistaken. She went down the rest of the stairs and jogged over to her friend.
"Didn't you hear me calling you, Diana?" questioned Katie.
"I heard you, Katherine," sneered Diana.
"Excuse me!" exclaimed Katie with surprise on her face.
Everyone knew that the only people that really called her Katherine was her parents and that was when they were giving her a warning.
"Yes, I called you Katherine. I'm sick of your perfect grades booting me down to third in
line. Why don't you just go off to some gifted school?" snarled Diana.
Katie stared at her friend in astonishment. The usually shy and quiet Diana was actually being quiet nasty this morning.
"Why go after me? Malony the third is in first in Transfig. Why not go after his head?" quizzed Katie.
"Because you're the first in Potions, Charms, and Care of Magical Creatures. Ethan is only first in Transfiguration. The only thing I'm first in is bloody History of Magic," angrily growled Diana.
"Because you take really great notes and do a lot of extra credit. I only do the extra credit in that class if I need to," defended Katie.
"Just get away from me, Connor!" shouted Diana.
Katie swept past her friend and outside. She shook her head as she walked outside to the cool, refreshing wind. Katie sat down against her favorite tree and began thinking rather than reading.
"What is up with Di? She's normally not that mean or loud. It was like she really hated me," murmured Katie.
Katie took a book out of her backpack and began reading it, putting the whole Diana situation to the back of her head. A shadow fell over her, effectively blocking the light. Katie gazed up into familiar sapphire-blue eyes.
"If you don't mind, move. I'm reading, Malony," softly growled Katie.
"Sure. I don't mind moving," said the boy.
He moved but only to sit down next to her. She looked at him closely from behind her book, wondering what he was up to.
"What are you doing?" asked Katie.
"Just sitting against a tree next to my arch nemesis and enjoying the lovely breeze this fine August morning," simply stated Ethan.
Katie put her book down and stared at him. He was acting way too nice for her liking and she wanted to find out why.
"What in bloody hell is wrong with you?" asked Katie.
"Nothing."
"For you, I find that very hard to believe. Now why don't yo-," Ethan interrupted her by kissing her on the lips.
Katie pushed him away and slapped him hard across the face. She grabbed her stuff and stood up. Ethan lay on the ground with his hand over the spot where Katie had slapped him.
"I don't know what the bloody hell is going on but do that again and I will send you limping to the infirmary," growled Katie before storming away.
So far her morning was turning very ugly. First, she had a fight with one of her best friends and then her arch nemesis had the nerve to kiss her. Just thinking about that made Katie want to hurl as she rushed up to the Phoenix dorms to wash her teeth. By the time she was done, it was almost noon. She quickly rushed to the library where she found Sam sitting at a table with his essay and open charms book in front of him.
"Sorry I'm a little late. Had a row with Malony and had to go brush my teeth," explained Katie.
"Brush your teeth? What'd he do? Kiss you?" chuckled Sam.
Katie glared at him and his face dropped as he began laughing.
"You got to be kidding! You mean, the pureblood Baslikisk prince himself actually kissed you?!" laughed Sam.
"It's not funny! He wasn't acting himself," said Katie.
"What do you mean?" asked Sam.
"He was sort of like Alan. Except for the hyper thing and the fact that Alan wouldn't kiss me even on a double phoenix dare because he knows what would happen if he did," reported Katie.
"Maybe it's something he ate. You know what stuff those stuck-up purebloods can eat sometimes," reminded Sam.
"May I remind you that you are a pureblood and are insulting your own kind?" queried Katie.
"You need not remind me for I do not care. He can take his overly ego pureblooded butt somewhere else. Now are we going to sit here talking about the Basilisk prince or are you going to help me?"
Katie laughed as she sat down and began helping Sam. That night, Katie was quietly eating dinner. Most of the time she would be engaged in a conversation but every once in a while Katie spent her meal time thinking to herself. Her eyes fell on Diana who was sitting farther away from her than usual. The young witch sent her a glare and turned away.
"What is her problem?" mumbled Katie.
Katie glanced around the Great Hall before stopping to look over at the Basilisk table. Sitting in the middle in all his pureblood glory was Ethan Malony. He looked up at her and smiled. Not smirked but smiled. He waved sweetly to her and Katie made a face of disgust before turning around.
"Something is definitely wrong with him," stated Katie.
"Wrong with who?" curiously asked the boy sitting on her left.
Katie stared at her friend and sighed.
"It's nothing, Alan. It's just been one of those days. Diana's mad at me for my top grades and Malony kissed me earlier," replied Katie.
"He did what?! I'll kill him!" exclaimed Alan, immediately jumping up out of his seat.
Katie grabbed part of his shirt and yanked him back into his chair. Any of the students or professors that saw this knew that it was a normal thing. Katie would often tell her problems with a boy to Alan who would get up to go "solve the problem".
"Get down!" ordered Katie as she pulled him down.
"But-," he started.
"No buts, Alan J. Bailey," warned Katie.
"You had to say that," whined Alan.
Katie watched her friend sink down in his seat and immediately felt better. This was a ritual they went through daily and it was something all of her friends had come accustomed to. Alan liked Katie so much that he was willing to listen to just about everything she said. The only time he didn't listen to her was when it came to doing homework.
"It's got to be something in the water," muttered Katie.
"What'd ya say, Kat?" asked the boy sitting behind her at the next table.
"Nothing, Z," answered Katie as she turned around and took a sip of her soda.
"Do you really have to drink that every night? I mean it is a muggle drink," informed Zach.
Katie held up her soda can of Wild Cherry Pepsi innocently. She gave him a look as she took another sip before answering.
"You of all people know that my mom got me to drinking it and that I have it every time at dinner. Orange juice at breakfast, water at lunch, and Wild Cherry Pepsi at dinner. That is how my schedule goes."
"I know. I just wish you would stop drinking that bloody muggle drink!"
"Don't forget. My mom is a muggle."
"As always, sorry. I don't have a thing against muggles. Just the things they create."
Zach had "done battle" with a washer and dryer. Needless to say, he didn't come out of that experience with a smile on his face. After that, he was immediately against everything muggle.
"Whatever, Z."
Dinner went through pretty smoothly and everything was going fine until later that night when Katie was on prefect duty. She had passed down a hallway when she ran into Zach who was the other prefect on duty.
"Hey Z. Find anything interesting?" asked Katie.
"What I find interesting is that I am even remotely friendly to you," sneered Zach.
"Huh?"
What the hell is going on with everyone, thought Katie. First Diana, then Malony and now Zach. Where does it end!
"I'm a pureblood that still has his pride. So get out of my way, half-breed!" snarled Zach as he pushed past her.
Katie's anger boiled up to an all time high as she turned around with her wand aimed at his back.
"Normally I wouldn't do this but no one calls me that and gets away with it. Locomotor Mortis!"
Zach's legs locked together and he was spilled face first on the floor. That was how the fight was started. First it came with spells but then they both just ended up fighting hand-to-hand. This was how Professor Turner found them. He quickly separated them and stared crossly at both students.
"What is going on? You two are prefects not to mention best friends. Who started this fight?" demanded Professor Turner.
"Connor started the fight. She put the leg-locker curse on me when I had my back to her!" explained Zach.
"Is this true, Miss Connor?" asked Professor Turner.
"It is. But he called me a half-breed," growled Katie.
"I'm going to have to take 25 points from each for fighting and assign a detention for tomorrow night. Miss Connor, you resume the prefect shift. Mr. Drew, I suggest you go back to the Kneazle dorms. I'll have another prefect take your shift."
"Yes, sir," they chorused.
Zach left the hallway with Professor Turner as Katie wandered down the hallway. Her head was throbbing painfully and she knew her lip was cut but she didn't care. All she cared about was what was happening to her friends.
Merlin, this has been on crazy Sunday, thought Katie. I'm sure everything will be okay tomorrow.
End of Chapter 2