"WHO?" Oliver demanded, swinging around and facing Katie. "Tell me it's a
joke. You cannot be serious."
Katie rolled her eyes.
"See, I knew I shouldn't have told you. But no, I thought, Oliver is my friend, he deserves to know. He'll understand!"
"He's on a rival team, Katie!" Oliver said through gritted teeth. "The Captain of the team we're about to play!"
"Paris! Talk to him!" Katie said to Paris who was minding her own.
"Me?" She replied, smiling at Oliver sweetly. His expression didn't soften. "Come on Oliver, what's the big deal?" Paris said soothingly, like she used to when he got extra stressed over Quidditch, mainly due to the twins not turning up or something.
"I agree with Oliver. It's like spitting on your own team Katie," Fred said unhelpfully.
"Oh shut up! I like Roger and he likes me. End of story," Katie said stubbornly, folding her arms. Paris wanted to laugh. Instead she caught Angelina's eye and winked at her.
"Y'know," Alicia said, who was normally quite quiet. "Roger is a Beater, isn't he? Well if he's seeing Katie, he'll hardly want to aim a Bludger at her, will he?"
Paris could almost see Oliver's mind calculating what Alicia had just said.
"That's right! Good Alicia! Chasers, pass the Quaffle to Katie alot. If she wants to date the rivals then she can do the hard work!" Oliver said, happier but still unforgiving. Katie didn't care, she grinned at Paris, Angelina and Alicia who all grinned back.
Since the Halloween Ball, Katie had received much attention from various housed Hogwarts boys. It was the first time Katie had really shone, usually she had her hair in a plait, and was soaked and muddy from Quidditch practice. But now she started to take care of her appearance and Paris noticed the tiny tinge of make up on Katie's face.
"Come on then," Oliver said gruffly, checking the clock. He was very agitated today, what with playing Ravenclaw who were very good, Katie dating Roger and Paris playing in her state.
"Are you sure you'll be alright?" Oliver said, when Paris came and stood next to him at the doors.
"Yes. I'll be fine, it's a clear day, Ravenclaw aren't dirty players and I've put a spell on myself anyway. Stop worrying," Paris reassured. Oliver didn't want Paris to play today or any other time for that matter. Paris sure as hell wasn't having that.
The doors opened and the noise hit them. The sky was a murky colour and threatening to rain but clear enough. Oliver led his team out to meet Ravenclaw and Madam Hooch.
Katie smiled shyly at Roger, who smiled back. Oliver didn't look too impressed at all.
"Captains, shake please," Madam Hooch said. Roger out-stretched his hand and Oliver shook it briskly. "Team, shake please."
Paris shook hands with the Ravenclaw Seeker, Cho Chang. Paris did not like Cho very much even though she tried. She was a very cold and uninviting person who seemed to always be wearing a scowl, much like Pansy.
Madam Hooch blew her whistle and the teams rose into the sky. Paris burst into the changing rooms, getting away from the deafening roars of the crowd. She was tired and dirty but happier than she had been in a long time.
Following behind were the rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, all screaming and shouting with each other.
"Did you see that goal I scored? The last one? My best yet I should imagine!" Angelina was shouting to anyone who would listen.
"Did you see that Bludger that just missed Paris? Davies has gotten way better over the summer," Fred said to George as he chucked his Beaters bat onto the bench and almost took the head off a small owl with a letter attached to it's leg.
"Merlin! Paris, I almost killed Nelly there! What's she doing here?" Fred shouted to Paris as Nelly hooted unhappily at Fred.
"Nelly?" Paris said, scanning the room for her owl. "Nelly!"
Paris rushed over to her and untied the letter. She almost forgot to give her Owl the treat she had promised her earlier.
"Is it from your Mum?" Oliver asked.
"I don't know," Paris replied truthfully. It was a Muggle letter because it was in an envelope with a stamp on it. Paris opened it and took out an expensive looking piece of paper. She unfolded it and read the first line.
"From the desk of Arrietty Knightley - Morrietty," Paris read aloud. "It's from bloody Arrietty!"
"Arrietty Spaghetti!" Fred and George said together. Even though Paris was horrified at the fact her sister had written to her, she couldn't help smiling at Fred and George. They always used to call her Arrietty Spaghetti and Arrietty hated it with a vengeance.
"Your sister?" Katie asked, confused.
"Yeah," Paris replied, re-reading the name. "Arrietty Knightley - Morrietty," She repeated. "She's married!"
"Married? To someone with a last name of Morrietty! Arrietty Spaghetti Morrietty! No wonder she kept the Knightley, to break it up. You have no idea how much I'd love to see her again, especially with that last name!" George cried, grinning. Paris smiled and went back to reading the letter. It wasn't very long but Paris got angrier and angrier as she went on.
"What did it say?" Oliver asked when Paris finished. Paris sat down on the bench and held the letter up for all to see. Everyone gathered in and began reading:
From the desk of Arrietty Knightley - Morrietty.
To my estranged younger sister Paris,
I cannot express how lucky it was that I happened to be home the day that dreadful bird delivered your letter. Mummy would've had such a shock had she read your long and rather boring letter of your life since the age of eleven. (I happened to notice your spelling isn't what it should be - we told you that freak school wasn't going to help your future.)
I see you've been very busy - I hardly understood a thing you were rambling about but 'pregnant' rang loud and clear. I'm not surprised at all, you never were going to amount to much anyway, always running wild with those red headed children. Not lady like at all.
Do not write to Mummy or Dad again. They haven't spoken of you for seven years and aren't about to start. I don't particularly relish writing back to you but you can't just expect us to come running because you've gotten yourself sprung. Someone needed to tell you and unfortunately it had to be me.
We've been fine without you. I'm almost a qualified doctor (I even helped deliver Romeo Beckham) and I've a wonderful husband and a baby of my own named Jared. We don't need you Paris so get the message and stay away. If you send that Owl again, I'll feed it to my dog.
Yours, Arrietty Knightley - Morrietty.
When everyone finished reading, there was a silence.
"What a total and utter cow!" Angelina said angrily.
"See she hasn't changed, the ever lovely Arrietty," Fred said sarcastically, sitting down opposite Paris. Angelina sunk down next to him, speechless.
"I'm sorry," Oliver said quietly and sat down next to Paris.
"Don't," Paris replied. "Just don't."
No-one really knew what to say for a long time. What could they say?
"Spaghetti used to have the hugest crush on Charlie," Fred said suddenly, grinning widely. Paris looked up, slightly confused.
"Charlie Weasley?" Alicia asked.
"Yeah, she always flirted with him but Charlie wouldn't have any of it. Good times," George reminisced. Paris began laughing quite loudly.
"Can you, rem - remember the time she wrote, wrote Charlie that poem?" Paris said between gasps for breath as she was laughing so much. Fred and George roared with laughter whilst Angelina, Katie, Alicia and Oliver watched in confusion.
"I'd totally forgotten!" Fred roared, wiping tears from his eyes. "Thanks Par, I needed that!"
"HUH?" Angelina, Katie, Alicia and Oliver said together which made Fred, George and Paris laugh harder.
They explained the poem to them and told them all the old memories they could remember of their childhood. Soon, the changing room was howling with laughter and the letter lay forgotten. "What in the name of all things magical is a Romeo Beckham!?" Marino shrieked, momentarily looking away from the letter and to Paris.
"A baby I think. He's the son of a famous Muggle couple," Paris explained lightly. She was cuddled up with Oliver on a big arm chair opposite Marino, who was reading the letter in Gryffindor common room. Fred and George were on the carpet floor, playing chess.
Marino continued reading until she had finished.
"She is one mean bitch," She said after a few minutes of thinking. "I can just see my darling twin sisters being like her when they're older."
"How old are they?" Oliver asked.
"Seven. Sapphire and Opal, the little gems of my mother and father's eye. They make me want to gag with their little sickly voices. They're absolute cows to me and kids at their school but they never do it in front of their teachers or parents. Most brats are masterminds like that," Marino said, finishing with a sigh.
"Don't worry Rini, you can move out soon," Paris said with a smile.
"True. Hey, I guess me and you won't be moving in together anymore," Marino said with a sly smile. Paris had completely forgotten she and Marino were supposed to move in together.
"Oh Marino, I," Paris began but Marino held up her hand.
"I'm just teasing. Anyway, I might not want to move in with you now. I've got Percy after-all," She said. Paris and Oliver looked at Marino, willing one another to laugh. After a minute, they all broke out into giggles.
"I think I'll go to bed. Leave you two love birds to it. Come on you pair," Marino added, nudging George in the ribs.
"Merlin! Woman, you just made me lose!" George cried while Fred laughed.
"Get up those stairs now. It's beddy byes time for little boys!" Marino said in a sing song voice. The twins did not look pleased but they did what they were told, Marino followed behind them making sure they went.
"How'd she do that?" Oliver asked, bewildered.
"I dunno, I wonder that myself. She got Percy to do all sorts after just a few days of going out with him," Paris replied. Oliver sighed.
"I think I know then."
"No, it's not that. Percy's lucky Marino will even kiss him. Marino's got too much to gain to give herself up that easily," Paris explained sagely. Oliver sighed again, girls were weird.
"I want to ask you something anyway," Oliver said, putting Marino out of his head.
"What?" Paris replied, pushing some hair from her eyes so she could look at Oliver better.
"About when we leave school. What're we going to do? I mean the boy will be here, won't he? Are you going to go back to the Burrow? I'm not sure how this'll work," Oliver began mumbling.
"We'll have to get a house," Paris said simply.
"With what? Toenails? I don't have any money Paris. It's what's been worrying me since I found out. I can't buy you stuff like a house, I can't support you or anything!" Oliver began getting louder and louder.
"Oliver! Shut up! Don't worry, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Things will work out. I'm sure We can stay with Molly, I'll get a job or something. Don't worry," Paris said soothingly.
"You will not get a job!" Oliver said before he could stop himself. Paris gave him a hard look.
"Oh?"
"I mean," Oliver stammered. "Of course you can get a job, but I meant I'll get a job to help set us up. You'll want to be at home, with the baby, won't you?" Oliver said, regretting every word.
"You great big prat," Paris laughed and kissed Oliver quickly on the lips. "Don't you ever change, ok?"
Oliver nodded, feeling slightly pleased with himself but not really knowing why.
"I think we need to tell our families too," Paris added quietly. Oliver's heart sunk, he didn't particularly relish the thought of writing to his mother and telling her he got his girlfriend pregnant.
"Yeah, I know," Oliver said grimly. "What joy that will be."
"I'm not really sure how Molly and Arthur will take it. I mean, I really don't know. Technically I'm not theirs but in many ways I am. I hope they understand," Paris said, cuddling closer to Oliver and feeling his fleecy jumper on her face.
"Everything will work out. Just like you said," Oliver replied, kissing the top of Paris' head lightly.
"Yeah," Paris replied sleepily. "We'll do it tomorrow."
Katie rolled her eyes.
"See, I knew I shouldn't have told you. But no, I thought, Oliver is my friend, he deserves to know. He'll understand!"
"He's on a rival team, Katie!" Oliver said through gritted teeth. "The Captain of the team we're about to play!"
"Paris! Talk to him!" Katie said to Paris who was minding her own.
"Me?" She replied, smiling at Oliver sweetly. His expression didn't soften. "Come on Oliver, what's the big deal?" Paris said soothingly, like she used to when he got extra stressed over Quidditch, mainly due to the twins not turning up or something.
"I agree with Oliver. It's like spitting on your own team Katie," Fred said unhelpfully.
"Oh shut up! I like Roger and he likes me. End of story," Katie said stubbornly, folding her arms. Paris wanted to laugh. Instead she caught Angelina's eye and winked at her.
"Y'know," Alicia said, who was normally quite quiet. "Roger is a Beater, isn't he? Well if he's seeing Katie, he'll hardly want to aim a Bludger at her, will he?"
Paris could almost see Oliver's mind calculating what Alicia had just said.
"That's right! Good Alicia! Chasers, pass the Quaffle to Katie alot. If she wants to date the rivals then she can do the hard work!" Oliver said, happier but still unforgiving. Katie didn't care, she grinned at Paris, Angelina and Alicia who all grinned back.
Since the Halloween Ball, Katie had received much attention from various housed Hogwarts boys. It was the first time Katie had really shone, usually she had her hair in a plait, and was soaked and muddy from Quidditch practice. But now she started to take care of her appearance and Paris noticed the tiny tinge of make up on Katie's face.
"Come on then," Oliver said gruffly, checking the clock. He was very agitated today, what with playing Ravenclaw who were very good, Katie dating Roger and Paris playing in her state.
"Are you sure you'll be alright?" Oliver said, when Paris came and stood next to him at the doors.
"Yes. I'll be fine, it's a clear day, Ravenclaw aren't dirty players and I've put a spell on myself anyway. Stop worrying," Paris reassured. Oliver didn't want Paris to play today or any other time for that matter. Paris sure as hell wasn't having that.
The doors opened and the noise hit them. The sky was a murky colour and threatening to rain but clear enough. Oliver led his team out to meet Ravenclaw and Madam Hooch.
Katie smiled shyly at Roger, who smiled back. Oliver didn't look too impressed at all.
"Captains, shake please," Madam Hooch said. Roger out-stretched his hand and Oliver shook it briskly. "Team, shake please."
Paris shook hands with the Ravenclaw Seeker, Cho Chang. Paris did not like Cho very much even though she tried. She was a very cold and uninviting person who seemed to always be wearing a scowl, much like Pansy.
Madam Hooch blew her whistle and the teams rose into the sky. Paris burst into the changing rooms, getting away from the deafening roars of the crowd. She was tired and dirty but happier than she had been in a long time.
Following behind were the rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, all screaming and shouting with each other.
"Did you see that goal I scored? The last one? My best yet I should imagine!" Angelina was shouting to anyone who would listen.
"Did you see that Bludger that just missed Paris? Davies has gotten way better over the summer," Fred said to George as he chucked his Beaters bat onto the bench and almost took the head off a small owl with a letter attached to it's leg.
"Merlin! Paris, I almost killed Nelly there! What's she doing here?" Fred shouted to Paris as Nelly hooted unhappily at Fred.
"Nelly?" Paris said, scanning the room for her owl. "Nelly!"
Paris rushed over to her and untied the letter. She almost forgot to give her Owl the treat she had promised her earlier.
"Is it from your Mum?" Oliver asked.
"I don't know," Paris replied truthfully. It was a Muggle letter because it was in an envelope with a stamp on it. Paris opened it and took out an expensive looking piece of paper. She unfolded it and read the first line.
"From the desk of Arrietty Knightley - Morrietty," Paris read aloud. "It's from bloody Arrietty!"
"Arrietty Spaghetti!" Fred and George said together. Even though Paris was horrified at the fact her sister had written to her, she couldn't help smiling at Fred and George. They always used to call her Arrietty Spaghetti and Arrietty hated it with a vengeance.
"Your sister?" Katie asked, confused.
"Yeah," Paris replied, re-reading the name. "Arrietty Knightley - Morrietty," She repeated. "She's married!"
"Married? To someone with a last name of Morrietty! Arrietty Spaghetti Morrietty! No wonder she kept the Knightley, to break it up. You have no idea how much I'd love to see her again, especially with that last name!" George cried, grinning. Paris smiled and went back to reading the letter. It wasn't very long but Paris got angrier and angrier as she went on.
"What did it say?" Oliver asked when Paris finished. Paris sat down on the bench and held the letter up for all to see. Everyone gathered in and began reading:
From the desk of Arrietty Knightley - Morrietty.
To my estranged younger sister Paris,
I cannot express how lucky it was that I happened to be home the day that dreadful bird delivered your letter. Mummy would've had such a shock had she read your long and rather boring letter of your life since the age of eleven. (I happened to notice your spelling isn't what it should be - we told you that freak school wasn't going to help your future.)
I see you've been very busy - I hardly understood a thing you were rambling about but 'pregnant' rang loud and clear. I'm not surprised at all, you never were going to amount to much anyway, always running wild with those red headed children. Not lady like at all.
Do not write to Mummy or Dad again. They haven't spoken of you for seven years and aren't about to start. I don't particularly relish writing back to you but you can't just expect us to come running because you've gotten yourself sprung. Someone needed to tell you and unfortunately it had to be me.
We've been fine without you. I'm almost a qualified doctor (I even helped deliver Romeo Beckham) and I've a wonderful husband and a baby of my own named Jared. We don't need you Paris so get the message and stay away. If you send that Owl again, I'll feed it to my dog.
Yours, Arrietty Knightley - Morrietty.
When everyone finished reading, there was a silence.
"What a total and utter cow!" Angelina said angrily.
"See she hasn't changed, the ever lovely Arrietty," Fred said sarcastically, sitting down opposite Paris. Angelina sunk down next to him, speechless.
"I'm sorry," Oliver said quietly and sat down next to Paris.
"Don't," Paris replied. "Just don't."
No-one really knew what to say for a long time. What could they say?
"Spaghetti used to have the hugest crush on Charlie," Fred said suddenly, grinning widely. Paris looked up, slightly confused.
"Charlie Weasley?" Alicia asked.
"Yeah, she always flirted with him but Charlie wouldn't have any of it. Good times," George reminisced. Paris began laughing quite loudly.
"Can you, rem - remember the time she wrote, wrote Charlie that poem?" Paris said between gasps for breath as she was laughing so much. Fred and George roared with laughter whilst Angelina, Katie, Alicia and Oliver watched in confusion.
"I'd totally forgotten!" Fred roared, wiping tears from his eyes. "Thanks Par, I needed that!"
"HUH?" Angelina, Katie, Alicia and Oliver said together which made Fred, George and Paris laugh harder.
They explained the poem to them and told them all the old memories they could remember of their childhood. Soon, the changing room was howling with laughter and the letter lay forgotten. "What in the name of all things magical is a Romeo Beckham!?" Marino shrieked, momentarily looking away from the letter and to Paris.
"A baby I think. He's the son of a famous Muggle couple," Paris explained lightly. She was cuddled up with Oliver on a big arm chair opposite Marino, who was reading the letter in Gryffindor common room. Fred and George were on the carpet floor, playing chess.
Marino continued reading until she had finished.
"She is one mean bitch," She said after a few minutes of thinking. "I can just see my darling twin sisters being like her when they're older."
"How old are they?" Oliver asked.
"Seven. Sapphire and Opal, the little gems of my mother and father's eye. They make me want to gag with their little sickly voices. They're absolute cows to me and kids at their school but they never do it in front of their teachers or parents. Most brats are masterminds like that," Marino said, finishing with a sigh.
"Don't worry Rini, you can move out soon," Paris said with a smile.
"True. Hey, I guess me and you won't be moving in together anymore," Marino said with a sly smile. Paris had completely forgotten she and Marino were supposed to move in together.
"Oh Marino, I," Paris began but Marino held up her hand.
"I'm just teasing. Anyway, I might not want to move in with you now. I've got Percy after-all," She said. Paris and Oliver looked at Marino, willing one another to laugh. After a minute, they all broke out into giggles.
"I think I'll go to bed. Leave you two love birds to it. Come on you pair," Marino added, nudging George in the ribs.
"Merlin! Woman, you just made me lose!" George cried while Fred laughed.
"Get up those stairs now. It's beddy byes time for little boys!" Marino said in a sing song voice. The twins did not look pleased but they did what they were told, Marino followed behind them making sure they went.
"How'd she do that?" Oliver asked, bewildered.
"I dunno, I wonder that myself. She got Percy to do all sorts after just a few days of going out with him," Paris replied. Oliver sighed.
"I think I know then."
"No, it's not that. Percy's lucky Marino will even kiss him. Marino's got too much to gain to give herself up that easily," Paris explained sagely. Oliver sighed again, girls were weird.
"I want to ask you something anyway," Oliver said, putting Marino out of his head.
"What?" Paris replied, pushing some hair from her eyes so she could look at Oliver better.
"About when we leave school. What're we going to do? I mean the boy will be here, won't he? Are you going to go back to the Burrow? I'm not sure how this'll work," Oliver began mumbling.
"We'll have to get a house," Paris said simply.
"With what? Toenails? I don't have any money Paris. It's what's been worrying me since I found out. I can't buy you stuff like a house, I can't support you or anything!" Oliver began getting louder and louder.
"Oliver! Shut up! Don't worry, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Things will work out. I'm sure We can stay with Molly, I'll get a job or something. Don't worry," Paris said soothingly.
"You will not get a job!" Oliver said before he could stop himself. Paris gave him a hard look.
"Oh?"
"I mean," Oliver stammered. "Of course you can get a job, but I meant I'll get a job to help set us up. You'll want to be at home, with the baby, won't you?" Oliver said, regretting every word.
"You great big prat," Paris laughed and kissed Oliver quickly on the lips. "Don't you ever change, ok?"
Oliver nodded, feeling slightly pleased with himself but not really knowing why.
"I think we need to tell our families too," Paris added quietly. Oliver's heart sunk, he didn't particularly relish the thought of writing to his mother and telling her he got his girlfriend pregnant.
"Yeah, I know," Oliver said grimly. "What joy that will be."
"I'm not really sure how Molly and Arthur will take it. I mean, I really don't know. Technically I'm not theirs but in many ways I am. I hope they understand," Paris said, cuddling closer to Oliver and feeling his fleecy jumper on her face.
"Everything will work out. Just like you said," Oliver replied, kissing the top of Paris' head lightly.
"Yeah," Paris replied sleepily. "We'll do it tomorrow."