Chapter Five
It was to tumultaneous applause when Kay lifted the still muttering hat from her head and scurried over to the loudly cheering table. Her grey eyes swept the bench, before finally choosing a place at the end of the table, where not many were sitting. It was never in her nature to like being in crowds, but as she sat down, a scruffy haired boy stuck out his hand.
"Hi!" he whispered eagerly, as the clapping died down, "I'm Jasper!"
"I'm sure you are," Kay looked doubtfully at the hand, before shaking it quickly once, then turning round in her seat to watch Chime. She was on tenterhooks, waiting for her name to be read out, but just as the blond teacher opened his mouth-
"You're Kaytlin right?"
"No!" Kay clenched her cheek with her teeth in frustration. Chime was nervously approaching the Hat, and she hadn't heard the name! It had sounded something like Pam Reely or something. She stared at what she could see of her face in disbelief. How could someone like Chime ever be called Pam???
"You ARE called Kaytlin, thats what Proffesor Longbottom said! Liar liar pants on fire!"
Kay felt like punching him. "For your information, my name is NOT Kaytlin, for Merlins sake!" she snarled, but never once took her eyes off Chime. She was frowning, as though concentrating very hard on something, and her lips were moving slightly, but Kay couldn't make out what she was saying.
"You're silly."
Kay unglued her eyes from Chime, and slowly turned her head to look at the boy properly. He had a soppy kind of smirk on his face, an irritating expression of, "I know something you don't know!" which wound her up big time.
"Are you," she growled through clenched jaws, "For real?" her eyes were narrowed to slits, and her hands were set firmliy on the table before her, leaning forwards slightly. It was a pose that struck fear into the hearts of many opponents, but either this boy just hadn't noticed or he was too stupid to be affected. His grin got wider.
"I said," he snickered, mirroring her, "That you're silly, silly, silly!"
"You little-!"
"GRYFFINDOR!"
An explosion of cheering set up around her, making her start out of her skin. Whipping round she saw Chime get up from the stool, smiling broadly and making her way towards her, long inky curtain of hair swishing out behind her. She seemed to be acheiving rather more enthusiastic clapping from a few boys, whos heads turned to follow her progress up the hall. She barely seemed to notice however, and ran slightly to get to Kay.
"Alright Kaytlin?" she teased gently as she sat next to her. Kay glared coldly at her.
"If you're going to call me that then you can go sit somewhere else."
"Joke! Merlin. I think its a nice name, though, quite pretty."
"Well I don't. People call me Kay if they call me anything."
"I don't. I call you Scorch!"
"And I call you Kaytlin!"
Chime threw the boy a startled glance, then looked at Kay, who looked ready to kill. "Who're you?" she asked bluntly, raising her eyebrows.
"Jasper," replied the boy proudly, leaning back in his chair.
"Jasper who?"
"Jasper It's None Of Your Buisness."
"Oh, charming," remarked Kay drily, turning away from him. An unusual hush had fallen over most of the student population, and a thin, stern looking woman had climbed to her feet. Her grey white hair had been raked back into the tightest bun imaginable, and her piercing eyes seemed to laser straight through them all.
"Welcome to yet another year at Hogwarts!" she stated crisply, but a flash of warmth seemed to sound through her voice, and her eyes softened as she raised them, looking up to the enchanted ceiling, "For those of you who don't know, I am Professor McGonagal, Headmistress. Before we begin our feast, I must say, to what most of you will know off by heart, a few start of term notices. The forest in the grounds is strictly forbidden-" here Kay exchanged a glance with Chime, "and Argus Filch would like me to announce the following items have been banned from the corridors: Canary Creams in any shape or form, Sticky- back puddles, Movable footprints, Laser Lollypops, and Exploding Knuts. The list, as always can be found stuck to our caretakers door if any of you feel the urge to check it. It now consists, I should presume of some 5,250 items..." here the Professor had the tiniest hint of rolling her eyes, "That will be all. Oh, no, one more thing. Due to the confusion of most of our first year students last year, I will be introducing your heads of years. Please pay attention carefully, first years."
With that she swept round, motioning with her hands for several people to stand, and at once four teachers stood up from what Kay presumed was the staff table.
"It's her!" Kay faintly heard Chime breathe, and without asking she knew who the 'her' was. In a technicolour wave the woman who had shown them in rose upwards, brushing back her waist length, purple ringlets.
"Professor Longbottom, head of Gryffindor house." The blond teacher who had captured Kay and Chime in the grounds nodded his head, friendly blue eyes roving over the huge sea of heads. Kay raised her eyebrows at him, not sure whether to clap or what, but the headmistress moved on quickly.
"Professor Snape, head of Slytherin house." A dark haired, sallow skinned man gave no response, but his calculating black eyes seem to give an answer all to themselves. Briefly, Kay stared over at him. His long, pale fingers were flexing in and out of balls, and he surveyed them all with haughty distaste. Momentarily, his eyes flickered over on to her. He gazed at her for a moment, the look on his face oddly closed and blank. Then he looked away.
"Professor Arineland. head of Hufflepuff house." A plump, merry looking woman gave a cheerful wave, looking seriously over happy, Kay decided. Perhaps she got high a lot.
"And last but not least, head of Ravenclaw house...", here the rainbow woman put her head on one side in acknowledgement,"Professor Lovegood! Now, try to remember this won't you? With that out the way, let the feast begin!"
And with a sudden snap that made Kay jump (though she would never admit it) the magnificent platters before them were filled with succulent looking food. A hot, steamy smell rose off them and filled the air, and after having had nothing but sweets all day even Kay had to admit it was delicious.
People began chattering almost at once, and Kay, gnawing on a drumstick listening rather than joined in. Certainly there was a lot to listen to, one girl with cream coloured braids in the year above her was excitedly telling anyone who would listen that she was dating 'George' now, and a pair of brown haired boys dived straight into a joke telling contest. Basically, it was making Kay feel sick to the stomach.
'Urugh! Just how quaint and corny is this place?' she thought, trying hastily to stop listening as Braid girl began describing just how good a kisser George was, and the Joke boys latest crap joke (Doctor, Doctor, I feel like a spoon! Well lie on the edge of your bed and don't stir.) To her suprise, Chime gave a snort of laughter.
"What?" she asked defensively as Kay looked incredulously at her, "It was funny!"
"You think weird muggle jokes like that are funny? God, my mum comes out with ones like them all the time!"
"I know a better joke than that!"
Both girls stopped and slowly looked over the table, to where a big, soppy face was smirking at them.
"Good for you!" snapped Kay, "Now go tell someone who gives a damn!" Chime nudged her.
"What?"
"Hasn't anyone ever taught you the subtle art of tact!"
"Chime, he is annoying. Annoying people like that do not get tact. What about this do you not understand!"
Chime only sighed and shook her head, then went back to eating. The boy called Jasper seemed to have got bored and was now pestering the joke boys. Looking round, Kay surveyed the place around her, glaring at anyone who looked back at her. Hardly anyone did, they were all too busy swopping stories, the whole Hall an excited chatting mass.
Her eyelids drooped. It had been a long day. After stifleing a yawn with difficulty, she slumped down in her seat, for once too full to eat anything more. A total sense of comfort descended upon her, for once in her life she felt totally secure, warm and comfortable. Everything at home seemed so far away here. Insignificant.
Someone prodded her arm. "Hey, Scorch," Chime's voice said as though from very far away, "Come on, McGonnagal just said we can go!"
Trudging out the enormous doors after her anxious friend, Kay turned and took another long look at the Great Hall. At the staff table she could see Professor Lovegood and Longbottom having what looked like quite a row, though both were keeping it quiet so the other Professors wouldn't hear. Kay frowned. Professor Lovegood was looking really quite upset, tugging furiously on his sleeve, and Professor Longbottom agaitated.
"Scorch! What are you looking at? Lets go!"
Shaking her head and accepting that it had nothing to do with her, Kay turned and ran after Chime's retreating back, still wondering...
It looked like Hogwarts held more mysteries than even 'Hogwarts, A History' told her about.
0o0o0o0o0o0
Bleh, sorry about the crappy chapter. Also sorry about the late update. If you are a reader of Why confess to You? I'm so sorry for not being able to update that! My laptop is being a twat and refusing to connect to the internet again. I've got it all written up, so the moment the i net connection works again I can update! Anyway, review pretty please. And if you think this story sucked then go read 'Out of Blood and Flesh' by Rockabilly. I'm telling you , that story is bloody brilliant and it is NOT RECIEVING THE ATTENTION IT DESERVES. It does not contain slash in case you were wondering. When you review this story just tell me you are going to at least read it. Cheers!
Mooncheese xxx
It was to tumultaneous applause when Kay lifted the still muttering hat from her head and scurried over to the loudly cheering table. Her grey eyes swept the bench, before finally choosing a place at the end of the table, where not many were sitting. It was never in her nature to like being in crowds, but as she sat down, a scruffy haired boy stuck out his hand.
"Hi!" he whispered eagerly, as the clapping died down, "I'm Jasper!"
"I'm sure you are," Kay looked doubtfully at the hand, before shaking it quickly once, then turning round in her seat to watch Chime. She was on tenterhooks, waiting for her name to be read out, but just as the blond teacher opened his mouth-
"You're Kaytlin right?"
"No!" Kay clenched her cheek with her teeth in frustration. Chime was nervously approaching the Hat, and she hadn't heard the name! It had sounded something like Pam Reely or something. She stared at what she could see of her face in disbelief. How could someone like Chime ever be called Pam???
"You ARE called Kaytlin, thats what Proffesor Longbottom said! Liar liar pants on fire!"
Kay felt like punching him. "For your information, my name is NOT Kaytlin, for Merlins sake!" she snarled, but never once took her eyes off Chime. She was frowning, as though concentrating very hard on something, and her lips were moving slightly, but Kay couldn't make out what she was saying.
"You're silly."
Kay unglued her eyes from Chime, and slowly turned her head to look at the boy properly. He had a soppy kind of smirk on his face, an irritating expression of, "I know something you don't know!" which wound her up big time.
"Are you," she growled through clenched jaws, "For real?" her eyes were narrowed to slits, and her hands were set firmliy on the table before her, leaning forwards slightly. It was a pose that struck fear into the hearts of many opponents, but either this boy just hadn't noticed or he was too stupid to be affected. His grin got wider.
"I said," he snickered, mirroring her, "That you're silly, silly, silly!"
"You little-!"
"GRYFFINDOR!"
An explosion of cheering set up around her, making her start out of her skin. Whipping round she saw Chime get up from the stool, smiling broadly and making her way towards her, long inky curtain of hair swishing out behind her. She seemed to be acheiving rather more enthusiastic clapping from a few boys, whos heads turned to follow her progress up the hall. She barely seemed to notice however, and ran slightly to get to Kay.
"Alright Kaytlin?" she teased gently as she sat next to her. Kay glared coldly at her.
"If you're going to call me that then you can go sit somewhere else."
"Joke! Merlin. I think its a nice name, though, quite pretty."
"Well I don't. People call me Kay if they call me anything."
"I don't. I call you Scorch!"
"And I call you Kaytlin!"
Chime threw the boy a startled glance, then looked at Kay, who looked ready to kill. "Who're you?" she asked bluntly, raising her eyebrows.
"Jasper," replied the boy proudly, leaning back in his chair.
"Jasper who?"
"Jasper It's None Of Your Buisness."
"Oh, charming," remarked Kay drily, turning away from him. An unusual hush had fallen over most of the student population, and a thin, stern looking woman had climbed to her feet. Her grey white hair had been raked back into the tightest bun imaginable, and her piercing eyes seemed to laser straight through them all.
"Welcome to yet another year at Hogwarts!" she stated crisply, but a flash of warmth seemed to sound through her voice, and her eyes softened as she raised them, looking up to the enchanted ceiling, "For those of you who don't know, I am Professor McGonagal, Headmistress. Before we begin our feast, I must say, to what most of you will know off by heart, a few start of term notices. The forest in the grounds is strictly forbidden-" here Kay exchanged a glance with Chime, "and Argus Filch would like me to announce the following items have been banned from the corridors: Canary Creams in any shape or form, Sticky- back puddles, Movable footprints, Laser Lollypops, and Exploding Knuts. The list, as always can be found stuck to our caretakers door if any of you feel the urge to check it. It now consists, I should presume of some 5,250 items..." here the Professor had the tiniest hint of rolling her eyes, "That will be all. Oh, no, one more thing. Due to the confusion of most of our first year students last year, I will be introducing your heads of years. Please pay attention carefully, first years."
With that she swept round, motioning with her hands for several people to stand, and at once four teachers stood up from what Kay presumed was the staff table.
"It's her!" Kay faintly heard Chime breathe, and without asking she knew who the 'her' was. In a technicolour wave the woman who had shown them in rose upwards, brushing back her waist length, purple ringlets.
"Professor Longbottom, head of Gryffindor house." The blond teacher who had captured Kay and Chime in the grounds nodded his head, friendly blue eyes roving over the huge sea of heads. Kay raised her eyebrows at him, not sure whether to clap or what, but the headmistress moved on quickly.
"Professor Snape, head of Slytherin house." A dark haired, sallow skinned man gave no response, but his calculating black eyes seem to give an answer all to themselves. Briefly, Kay stared over at him. His long, pale fingers were flexing in and out of balls, and he surveyed them all with haughty distaste. Momentarily, his eyes flickered over on to her. He gazed at her for a moment, the look on his face oddly closed and blank. Then he looked away.
"Professor Arineland. head of Hufflepuff house." A plump, merry looking woman gave a cheerful wave, looking seriously over happy, Kay decided. Perhaps she got high a lot.
"And last but not least, head of Ravenclaw house...", here the rainbow woman put her head on one side in acknowledgement,"Professor Lovegood! Now, try to remember this won't you? With that out the way, let the feast begin!"
And with a sudden snap that made Kay jump (though she would never admit it) the magnificent platters before them were filled with succulent looking food. A hot, steamy smell rose off them and filled the air, and after having had nothing but sweets all day even Kay had to admit it was delicious.
People began chattering almost at once, and Kay, gnawing on a drumstick listening rather than joined in. Certainly there was a lot to listen to, one girl with cream coloured braids in the year above her was excitedly telling anyone who would listen that she was dating 'George' now, and a pair of brown haired boys dived straight into a joke telling contest. Basically, it was making Kay feel sick to the stomach.
'Urugh! Just how quaint and corny is this place?' she thought, trying hastily to stop listening as Braid girl began describing just how good a kisser George was, and the Joke boys latest crap joke (Doctor, Doctor, I feel like a spoon! Well lie on the edge of your bed and don't stir.) To her suprise, Chime gave a snort of laughter.
"What?" she asked defensively as Kay looked incredulously at her, "It was funny!"
"You think weird muggle jokes like that are funny? God, my mum comes out with ones like them all the time!"
"I know a better joke than that!"
Both girls stopped and slowly looked over the table, to where a big, soppy face was smirking at them.
"Good for you!" snapped Kay, "Now go tell someone who gives a damn!" Chime nudged her.
"What?"
"Hasn't anyone ever taught you the subtle art of tact!"
"Chime, he is annoying. Annoying people like that do not get tact. What about this do you not understand!"
Chime only sighed and shook her head, then went back to eating. The boy called Jasper seemed to have got bored and was now pestering the joke boys. Looking round, Kay surveyed the place around her, glaring at anyone who looked back at her. Hardly anyone did, they were all too busy swopping stories, the whole Hall an excited chatting mass.
Her eyelids drooped. It had been a long day. After stifleing a yawn with difficulty, she slumped down in her seat, for once too full to eat anything more. A total sense of comfort descended upon her, for once in her life she felt totally secure, warm and comfortable. Everything at home seemed so far away here. Insignificant.
Someone prodded her arm. "Hey, Scorch," Chime's voice said as though from very far away, "Come on, McGonnagal just said we can go!"
Trudging out the enormous doors after her anxious friend, Kay turned and took another long look at the Great Hall. At the staff table she could see Professor Lovegood and Longbottom having what looked like quite a row, though both were keeping it quiet so the other Professors wouldn't hear. Kay frowned. Professor Lovegood was looking really quite upset, tugging furiously on his sleeve, and Professor Longbottom agaitated.
"Scorch! What are you looking at? Lets go!"
Shaking her head and accepting that it had nothing to do with her, Kay turned and ran after Chime's retreating back, still wondering...
It looked like Hogwarts held more mysteries than even 'Hogwarts, A History' told her about.
0o0o0o0o0o0
Bleh, sorry about the crappy chapter. Also sorry about the late update. If you are a reader of Why confess to You? I'm so sorry for not being able to update that! My laptop is being a twat and refusing to connect to the internet again. I've got it all written up, so the moment the i net connection works again I can update! Anyway, review pretty please. And if you think this story sucked then go read 'Out of Blood and Flesh' by Rockabilly. I'm telling you , that story is bloody brilliant and it is NOT RECIEVING THE ATTENTION IT DESERVES. It does not contain slash in case you were wondering. When you review this story just tell me you are going to at least read it. Cheers!
Mooncheese xxx