Yet another installment of the epic that is this story! o0true0o: Thanks!
RemusGuurl: Hope you like this chappie! Sunnyflower2205: Normal is a lovely
word, that's exactly what I was hoping for! Kat6528: Katie is denying it
all so I will too! You'll just have to wait and see! Gryffindor Quidditch
Gal: I always pictured Marcus as rather cruel, eh well. Thanks, I knew I
would mess that up. Correction everyone: Charlie's the one they talk about,
the one with the dragons, not Bill. Wiccan-One14: Glad you enjoy it!
I'm telling you right now: every time I read over my earlier chapters, I find stupid mistakes, so sorry about them! I'm a horrible proof reader.
And, since I haven't reminded you of a disclaimer since the first chapter, here we go: I am not J.K. Rowling. I didn't create these characters, but the plot line's mine. Gracias!
*********************************************
Ch. 6 - Quidditch
After that September passed relatively smoothly, with the exception of mounting piles of homework. Katie spent almost every night filling out some piece of homework in preparation for N.E.W.T.s the following year, even though it was very early in the year. Despite this, Katie was almost too excited for the start of October, which meant only one thing: Quidditch practice.
"Ready for Quidditch, Kate?" Oliver said cheerfully one Thursday.
"Are you joking? Of course!" Katie said just as cheerfully.
"Good, there's a meeting tonight in the locker rooms, so can you tell Alicia and Angelina?"
"Ok, see you tonight!"
That evening when Katie arrived, Oliver was the only one there. He was looking almost completely opposite his earlier cheerfulness: he was nervous, almost sullen, and appeared to actually be sweating.
"You ok, Oliver?" Katie asked softly.
He visibly jumped. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Just nervous. I've got the pep talk to complete before practice starts, and it's just..." He sighed. "Well, you know, this is my last year and all that, and if I can't win the Cup for us this year..."
"Don't worry," Katie said sympathetically, placing a hand on the tall Quidditch player's shoulder. "We'll cream 'em this time, I swear."
Before Oliver could say anything else, Fred and George appeared. The moment was officially lost. After a few more minutes, the entire team had assembled, and Oliver started his speech.
"This is our last chance - my last chance - to win the Quidditch Cup. I'll be leaving at the end of the year. I'll never get another shot at it." He paused for a moment, and Katie actually awful for him. "Gryffindor hasn't won for seven years now. Okay, we've had the worst luck in the world - injuries - then the tournament getting called off last year... But we also know we've got the best - ruddy - team - in - the - school," he said, punching a fist into his other hand. No one could miss that manic glint in his eye.
"We've got three superb chasers." Katie actually blushed as he said this.
"We've got two unbeatable beaters."
"Stop it, Oliver, you're embarrassing us," the Weasleys said together, pretending to blush. Katie hoped no one had noticed her own real blush.
"And we've got a seeker who has never failed to win us a match!" Oliver glared furiously at Harry, who half-nodded. "And me," he concluded.
"You're very good too, Oliver," George said immediately.
"Spanking good keeper," Fred continued, complete with a lovely hand gesture.
"The point is," Oliver continued, ignoring Fred, "The Quidditch Cup should have had our name on it these last two years. Ever since Harry joined the team, I thought the thing was in the bag. But we haven't got it, and this year's the last chance we'll get to finally see our name on the thing..."
Katie wanted to say something encouraging, but she didn't know what would cheer poor Oliver up. "Oliver, this year's our year," Fred supplied as though reading her mind.
"We'll do it, Oliver!" Alicia added.
"Definitely," Harry's soft voice rang out. Katie smiled. Yes, this would be a pleasant Quidditch season.
***********************
It didn't feel so pleasant after the first week. Three days of practice had never really been that horrible, but then again Katie had never been eating less than she did now. She had never felt this weak after practice before. 'I'll have to start eating again,' she decided. 'If I don't, how can we win the Quidditch Cup?'
So the following morning, Katie headed down to the Great Hall with as much determination as she could muster. She WOULD eat a full breakfast today, and it would make her feel energized and ready!
One can guess how that went. Katie sat down, piled eggs, pancakes, and bacon onto her plate, and ate... an apple. Actually, she only ate half the apple. Seeing the grease covering the bacon, the butter slathered over the pancakes, and the salt drenched on the eggs, she couldn't imagine eating anything, not even a whole apple. She sat at the table a total of five minutes before leaping up and nearly sprinting out.
Alicia caught her in the hall. "What the hell's wrong, Katie?" she asked incredulously.
Katie took a few deep breaths to calm herself down. Her throat was burning at the mere thought of the fat she could have ingested. "I... I didn't feel well is all. I think I ate something bad last night or something."
"Hogwarts food? Bad? How is that possible?"
"Oh, no, Hogwarts food isn't bad!" Katie said quickly. "My stomach's just upset."
"Oh..." Leesh looked confused, and Katie felt pretty bad. "Well then, go see Madam Pomfrey. I bet she can give you something to take care of it."
"Yeah, I think I'll do that. Thanks, Leesh!" Katie said, and jogged off in Madam Pomfrey's general direction. About half-way there she doubled back and headed to the common room. Fortunately, everyone she needed to care about was still at breakfast. She settled herself in a chair in the corner and closed her eyes, sighing heavily.
'You can't make yourself eat,' a voice began in her head. 'That's a bad thing, Katie! You were supposed to always be in control with your eating! You've lost control!'
'No, wait,' another voice interjected. 'You haven't lost control at all! Your breakfast is only telling you that your body agrees with the no-fat idea. And think of how awesome you look now! What about Oliver?'
'What about Oliver?' the first voice demanded. 'You can't let him down by being too weak to play Quidditch.'
'You're not. It's the first week, you're going to be tired. Pop some vitamin pills, boost your energy a little. Madam Pomfrey will give you some, no worries there.'
'No worries? No worries!' the voice was nearly hysterical. 'This can hurt you!'
'No, it CAN'T! Think about it, Katie, right now you're the thinnest, prettiest you've ever been, and it can only get better! Anyway, if you really start getting into trouble, they've got clinics for this sort of thing. You don't have to worry a bit!'
Katie was beginning to side with this voice. She didn't want to gain any more pounds. She didn't want to look fat.
'Katie, you can't be serious... Think about it a bit,' the first voice said weakly.
"Shut up," Katie mumbled, and headed out of the common room and out to Madam Pomfrey. There she asked for a few vitamin pills, and Pomfrey happily supplied.
"You're a little thin, aren't you, miss Bell? Would you like to come in for a check-up?" the nurse asked before Katie left.
The girl laughed. "No, that's ok, I've always been on the thin side. Thanks anyway!"
"Ok... have a nice day, miss Bell." Katie smiled privately as she left. So, people were noticing. It was actually starting to work.
***************************
A week or so later, Katie entered the common room to find that Alicia and Angelina were dancing about and high-five-ing everyone they came near. Katie dodged when they got near her, asking, "What's going on?"
"First Hogsmeade trip of the year!" Lina said excitedly. "Finally, I've been waiting so long!"
"Is it on Halloween?" Katie asked, checking the board. "Great! I do need a new broom cleaning kit..."
Alicia's mouth dropped open. "A - a broom cleaning kit? What about Honeydukes? When's the last time you've tasted all their delicious sweets, last year?"
Katie forced a smile. She could remember when she'd go into Honeydukes with her pockets clinking and come out with not a sound. She missed that. "Oh yeah, nearly forgot! Can't wait for Honeydukes!" 'I won't get the stuff with the fat in it, just hard candies. No fat, no worries, right?'
"I'm so excited! This is almost as good as winning a Quidditch match!" Angelina continued jovially. "Did I tell you my Uncle Jerrod lives there? He's always so happy when I visit!"
"Yes, Lina, you've told us at least twice every year since I've known you," Leesh said with a sigh.
"Even before we started going to Hogsmeade," Katie added. Despite her happiness at the thought of going to Hogsmeade at the end of October, a headache was beginning to set in, and the common room was far too loud a place at the moment. Thanks Merlin it wasn't a Quidditch night.
"I've got a little bit of a headache, so I think I'll go up to my dormitory. See you guys later, k?" Katie asked after a few moments.
"Ok, hope you feel better," Alicia said. Katie headed up to her dorm, just missing one of the Weasley's diving for a cat chasing after a scrawny, sickly-looking rat.
**********************
'APPLEBY ARROWS: The northern English team was founded in 1812. Its robes are pale blue...' Katie had read that those two sentences four times so far. She couldn't concentrate on her book. It was later that evening, and though she'd tried, she hadn't been able to get to sleep. So as soon as the other girls had fallen asleep, she'd lit a candle and picked out something to read.
Suddenly Katie looked up sharply and saw an old snowy owl tapping on her window. She sighed. It was Mum's owl.
"Quiet, you," she whispered at Twit, who had begun hooting. He hooted once more and stopped to watch as Katie opened the window, letting a cold draft enter, and brought the snowy owl in. "Hello, Erno. Be quiet!" Alicia stirred as Erno hooted even louder than Twit, but didn't wake up. Katie put Erno in Twit's cage, let Twit go fly around outside while Erno was resting, and opened her mother's letter.
'Hi honey, thought I'd write you to see how Hogwarts has been. Sorry for owling so late! Dave told me about Diagon Alley. Listen, Katie, Dave isn't trying to replace Isaac in any way. He's just trying to be the best step- father possible, ok? Cut him a little slack. So how's Quidditch? Have you started practice yet? Tell me when your first Quidditch game is and I'll see if I can come. Love you, Mum.'
Well, at least Mum was trying to be friendly. Of course, Katie wasn't mad at her mum; the only person she currently loathed was Step-dad Dave. Oh, and Marcus Flint. But she didn't need to worry about him at the moment.
'Hello Mum, Hogwarts is good. We're getting a lot of homework, but I'm doing pretty ok. Quidditch practice started a week ago, and we practice three days a week. Oliver's all worked up about the Quidditch Cup but I've got a feeling we're going to win this year. I don't know when the first game is, but come! Don't bring Dave. Love, Katie.'
*********************
Finally October 31st came. Katie woke up early to the sounds of her friends bouncing around, dressing especially nice for their Hogsmeade trip. Lina kept blabbering on about Uncle Jerrod, while Alicia would not stop talking about all the sweets they would have at Honeydukes, and how everyone had to keep on their guard because Fred and George would have lots of new tricks from Jonko's Joke Shop. Katie couldn't help but feel their happiness as she showered and dressed and headed down to the Entrance Hall.
"Yes, yes, Katie Bell. Go on then," Filch muttered. There was a bit of a wait as he argued almost desperately with the Weasley twins, saying that this year they weren't on the list, but finally they were admitted through and the six friends headed down off to Hogsmeade.
It was even better than Katie remembered it. Witches and wizards of all shapes and sizes were milling around, talking lightly with each other and the mass of Hogwarts students arriving. It was an especially cold day, so Oliver suggested heading to Three Broomsticks first for a round of butterbeers.
"Getting drunk already, eh?" an old witch who was always at the Three Broomsticks laughed. Fred and George happily clanked mugs with the witch and she turned back to her food.
After the Three Broomsticks, the six split into two groups. Angelina and Alicia wanted to see Honeydukes, but Katie was keen on Zonko's. So she headed there with Fred and George, and Oliver followed the other girls to the sweet shot.
Zonko's was packed with Hogwarts students, and the owner couldn't look more pleased at seeing the Weasley twins. They spent most of their money of tricks and jokes, and Katie, having nothing better to do, used up quite a few galleons there as well.
"Planning on joining the cult, Kate?" Fred asked as they walked out.
"We could always use a hand with Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes," George continued. Katie had known about their plans ever since they'd first thought them up, and they were always asking her to help.
"That's alright, I think I'll stick with a few random tricks here and there, not enough to label me as a jokester," she replied casually.
After a quick visit to Honeydukes and a trip to the Shrieking Shack, it was time to meet up with Oliver and the girls back at the Three Broomsticks. But when they got there, Angelina was talking to Hufflepuff boy, and Leesh and Oliver were nowhere to be found.
"You know what this means..." Fred said jokingly. Katie gave him a death glare, and he looked thoroughly surprised.
"Cripes, Katie, if looks could kill! I know George is desperately in love with Angelina, but you and Oliver? Hmm, have to think about that one..." Fred mumbled.
"Who said my name?" Lina asked, walking up. Katie could tell there was something a little off about her, but she didn't know what.
"No one, you probably just heard something," George said almost too quickly. "Where's Oliver?"
"And Alicia?" Katie added.
"When I left, Alicia was going to the bathroom, I think, but I dunno where Ollie is," Angelina said almost happily.
"Um, Angel, how long have you been here?" George asked. Katie ignored the pet-name to hear Lina's response.
"Since forever!" Lina said with a loud laugh.
"You're drunk," Katie pronounced, sighing.
"Nu-uh!"
"Go check on Alicia in the bathroom, ok?" Fred asked Katie as George led Angelina to a seat.
"Ok." Katie headed to the back, where the bathrooms were, and opened the ladies door. "Alic-" she stopped mid-word, staring, as the door swung closed behind her.
"K-K-K-Katie!" Oliver sputtered, stepping away from Alicia and wiping her lipstick off his face. "I - Eh - You don't-"
"Really, I don't want a half-assed explanation," Katie spat furiously, anger rising quickly in her stomach."
Alicia was staring back and forth from Oliver to Katie, as though just realizing what she'd been doing. She took a step towards her friend and opened her mouth to speak, but Katie cut her off.
"I'd rather not hear it. See you lovebirds at Hogwarts," she growled, retreating from the bathroom and walking numbly back to where Fred, George, and Angelina were sitting.
Fred stood up. "Katie?"
"I'm leaving," Katie said in a voice void of all expression. "Please take my bags back to the castle with you. Thank you." Without another word she sprinted out of the Three Broomsticks and all the way back to Hogwarts.
**************************************************
Uh oh! Why are Alicia and Oliver snogging? And how will Katie cope? Ah, the evilness. Next chapter, the Halloween feast and what ensues. Have a lovely few days!
I'm telling you right now: every time I read over my earlier chapters, I find stupid mistakes, so sorry about them! I'm a horrible proof reader.
And, since I haven't reminded you of a disclaimer since the first chapter, here we go: I am not J.K. Rowling. I didn't create these characters, but the plot line's mine. Gracias!
*********************************************
Ch. 6 - Quidditch
After that September passed relatively smoothly, with the exception of mounting piles of homework. Katie spent almost every night filling out some piece of homework in preparation for N.E.W.T.s the following year, even though it was very early in the year. Despite this, Katie was almost too excited for the start of October, which meant only one thing: Quidditch practice.
"Ready for Quidditch, Kate?" Oliver said cheerfully one Thursday.
"Are you joking? Of course!" Katie said just as cheerfully.
"Good, there's a meeting tonight in the locker rooms, so can you tell Alicia and Angelina?"
"Ok, see you tonight!"
That evening when Katie arrived, Oliver was the only one there. He was looking almost completely opposite his earlier cheerfulness: he was nervous, almost sullen, and appeared to actually be sweating.
"You ok, Oliver?" Katie asked softly.
He visibly jumped. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Just nervous. I've got the pep talk to complete before practice starts, and it's just..." He sighed. "Well, you know, this is my last year and all that, and if I can't win the Cup for us this year..."
"Don't worry," Katie said sympathetically, placing a hand on the tall Quidditch player's shoulder. "We'll cream 'em this time, I swear."
Before Oliver could say anything else, Fred and George appeared. The moment was officially lost. After a few more minutes, the entire team had assembled, and Oliver started his speech.
"This is our last chance - my last chance - to win the Quidditch Cup. I'll be leaving at the end of the year. I'll never get another shot at it." He paused for a moment, and Katie actually awful for him. "Gryffindor hasn't won for seven years now. Okay, we've had the worst luck in the world - injuries - then the tournament getting called off last year... But we also know we've got the best - ruddy - team - in - the - school," he said, punching a fist into his other hand. No one could miss that manic glint in his eye.
"We've got three superb chasers." Katie actually blushed as he said this.
"We've got two unbeatable beaters."
"Stop it, Oliver, you're embarrassing us," the Weasleys said together, pretending to blush. Katie hoped no one had noticed her own real blush.
"And we've got a seeker who has never failed to win us a match!" Oliver glared furiously at Harry, who half-nodded. "And me," he concluded.
"You're very good too, Oliver," George said immediately.
"Spanking good keeper," Fred continued, complete with a lovely hand gesture.
"The point is," Oliver continued, ignoring Fred, "The Quidditch Cup should have had our name on it these last two years. Ever since Harry joined the team, I thought the thing was in the bag. But we haven't got it, and this year's the last chance we'll get to finally see our name on the thing..."
Katie wanted to say something encouraging, but she didn't know what would cheer poor Oliver up. "Oliver, this year's our year," Fred supplied as though reading her mind.
"We'll do it, Oliver!" Alicia added.
"Definitely," Harry's soft voice rang out. Katie smiled. Yes, this would be a pleasant Quidditch season.
***********************
It didn't feel so pleasant after the first week. Three days of practice had never really been that horrible, but then again Katie had never been eating less than she did now. She had never felt this weak after practice before. 'I'll have to start eating again,' she decided. 'If I don't, how can we win the Quidditch Cup?'
So the following morning, Katie headed down to the Great Hall with as much determination as she could muster. She WOULD eat a full breakfast today, and it would make her feel energized and ready!
One can guess how that went. Katie sat down, piled eggs, pancakes, and bacon onto her plate, and ate... an apple. Actually, she only ate half the apple. Seeing the grease covering the bacon, the butter slathered over the pancakes, and the salt drenched on the eggs, she couldn't imagine eating anything, not even a whole apple. She sat at the table a total of five minutes before leaping up and nearly sprinting out.
Alicia caught her in the hall. "What the hell's wrong, Katie?" she asked incredulously.
Katie took a few deep breaths to calm herself down. Her throat was burning at the mere thought of the fat she could have ingested. "I... I didn't feel well is all. I think I ate something bad last night or something."
"Hogwarts food? Bad? How is that possible?"
"Oh, no, Hogwarts food isn't bad!" Katie said quickly. "My stomach's just upset."
"Oh..." Leesh looked confused, and Katie felt pretty bad. "Well then, go see Madam Pomfrey. I bet she can give you something to take care of it."
"Yeah, I think I'll do that. Thanks, Leesh!" Katie said, and jogged off in Madam Pomfrey's general direction. About half-way there she doubled back and headed to the common room. Fortunately, everyone she needed to care about was still at breakfast. She settled herself in a chair in the corner and closed her eyes, sighing heavily.
'You can't make yourself eat,' a voice began in her head. 'That's a bad thing, Katie! You were supposed to always be in control with your eating! You've lost control!'
'No, wait,' another voice interjected. 'You haven't lost control at all! Your breakfast is only telling you that your body agrees with the no-fat idea. And think of how awesome you look now! What about Oliver?'
'What about Oliver?' the first voice demanded. 'You can't let him down by being too weak to play Quidditch.'
'You're not. It's the first week, you're going to be tired. Pop some vitamin pills, boost your energy a little. Madam Pomfrey will give you some, no worries there.'
'No worries? No worries!' the voice was nearly hysterical. 'This can hurt you!'
'No, it CAN'T! Think about it, Katie, right now you're the thinnest, prettiest you've ever been, and it can only get better! Anyway, if you really start getting into trouble, they've got clinics for this sort of thing. You don't have to worry a bit!'
Katie was beginning to side with this voice. She didn't want to gain any more pounds. She didn't want to look fat.
'Katie, you can't be serious... Think about it a bit,' the first voice said weakly.
"Shut up," Katie mumbled, and headed out of the common room and out to Madam Pomfrey. There she asked for a few vitamin pills, and Pomfrey happily supplied.
"You're a little thin, aren't you, miss Bell? Would you like to come in for a check-up?" the nurse asked before Katie left.
The girl laughed. "No, that's ok, I've always been on the thin side. Thanks anyway!"
"Ok... have a nice day, miss Bell." Katie smiled privately as she left. So, people were noticing. It was actually starting to work.
***************************
A week or so later, Katie entered the common room to find that Alicia and Angelina were dancing about and high-five-ing everyone they came near. Katie dodged when they got near her, asking, "What's going on?"
"First Hogsmeade trip of the year!" Lina said excitedly. "Finally, I've been waiting so long!"
"Is it on Halloween?" Katie asked, checking the board. "Great! I do need a new broom cleaning kit..."
Alicia's mouth dropped open. "A - a broom cleaning kit? What about Honeydukes? When's the last time you've tasted all their delicious sweets, last year?"
Katie forced a smile. She could remember when she'd go into Honeydukes with her pockets clinking and come out with not a sound. She missed that. "Oh yeah, nearly forgot! Can't wait for Honeydukes!" 'I won't get the stuff with the fat in it, just hard candies. No fat, no worries, right?'
"I'm so excited! This is almost as good as winning a Quidditch match!" Angelina continued jovially. "Did I tell you my Uncle Jerrod lives there? He's always so happy when I visit!"
"Yes, Lina, you've told us at least twice every year since I've known you," Leesh said with a sigh.
"Even before we started going to Hogsmeade," Katie added. Despite her happiness at the thought of going to Hogsmeade at the end of October, a headache was beginning to set in, and the common room was far too loud a place at the moment. Thanks Merlin it wasn't a Quidditch night.
"I've got a little bit of a headache, so I think I'll go up to my dormitory. See you guys later, k?" Katie asked after a few moments.
"Ok, hope you feel better," Alicia said. Katie headed up to her dorm, just missing one of the Weasley's diving for a cat chasing after a scrawny, sickly-looking rat.
**********************
'APPLEBY ARROWS: The northern English team was founded in 1812. Its robes are pale blue...' Katie had read that those two sentences four times so far. She couldn't concentrate on her book. It was later that evening, and though she'd tried, she hadn't been able to get to sleep. So as soon as the other girls had fallen asleep, she'd lit a candle and picked out something to read.
Suddenly Katie looked up sharply and saw an old snowy owl tapping on her window. She sighed. It was Mum's owl.
"Quiet, you," she whispered at Twit, who had begun hooting. He hooted once more and stopped to watch as Katie opened the window, letting a cold draft enter, and brought the snowy owl in. "Hello, Erno. Be quiet!" Alicia stirred as Erno hooted even louder than Twit, but didn't wake up. Katie put Erno in Twit's cage, let Twit go fly around outside while Erno was resting, and opened her mother's letter.
'Hi honey, thought I'd write you to see how Hogwarts has been. Sorry for owling so late! Dave told me about Diagon Alley. Listen, Katie, Dave isn't trying to replace Isaac in any way. He's just trying to be the best step- father possible, ok? Cut him a little slack. So how's Quidditch? Have you started practice yet? Tell me when your first Quidditch game is and I'll see if I can come. Love you, Mum.'
Well, at least Mum was trying to be friendly. Of course, Katie wasn't mad at her mum; the only person she currently loathed was Step-dad Dave. Oh, and Marcus Flint. But she didn't need to worry about him at the moment.
'Hello Mum, Hogwarts is good. We're getting a lot of homework, but I'm doing pretty ok. Quidditch practice started a week ago, and we practice three days a week. Oliver's all worked up about the Quidditch Cup but I've got a feeling we're going to win this year. I don't know when the first game is, but come! Don't bring Dave. Love, Katie.'
*********************
Finally October 31st came. Katie woke up early to the sounds of her friends bouncing around, dressing especially nice for their Hogsmeade trip. Lina kept blabbering on about Uncle Jerrod, while Alicia would not stop talking about all the sweets they would have at Honeydukes, and how everyone had to keep on their guard because Fred and George would have lots of new tricks from Jonko's Joke Shop. Katie couldn't help but feel their happiness as she showered and dressed and headed down to the Entrance Hall.
"Yes, yes, Katie Bell. Go on then," Filch muttered. There was a bit of a wait as he argued almost desperately with the Weasley twins, saying that this year they weren't on the list, but finally they were admitted through and the six friends headed down off to Hogsmeade.
It was even better than Katie remembered it. Witches and wizards of all shapes and sizes were milling around, talking lightly with each other and the mass of Hogwarts students arriving. It was an especially cold day, so Oliver suggested heading to Three Broomsticks first for a round of butterbeers.
"Getting drunk already, eh?" an old witch who was always at the Three Broomsticks laughed. Fred and George happily clanked mugs with the witch and she turned back to her food.
After the Three Broomsticks, the six split into two groups. Angelina and Alicia wanted to see Honeydukes, but Katie was keen on Zonko's. So she headed there with Fred and George, and Oliver followed the other girls to the sweet shot.
Zonko's was packed with Hogwarts students, and the owner couldn't look more pleased at seeing the Weasley twins. They spent most of their money of tricks and jokes, and Katie, having nothing better to do, used up quite a few galleons there as well.
"Planning on joining the cult, Kate?" Fred asked as they walked out.
"We could always use a hand with Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes," George continued. Katie had known about their plans ever since they'd first thought them up, and they were always asking her to help.
"That's alright, I think I'll stick with a few random tricks here and there, not enough to label me as a jokester," she replied casually.
After a quick visit to Honeydukes and a trip to the Shrieking Shack, it was time to meet up with Oliver and the girls back at the Three Broomsticks. But when they got there, Angelina was talking to Hufflepuff boy, and Leesh and Oliver were nowhere to be found.
"You know what this means..." Fred said jokingly. Katie gave him a death glare, and he looked thoroughly surprised.
"Cripes, Katie, if looks could kill! I know George is desperately in love with Angelina, but you and Oliver? Hmm, have to think about that one..." Fred mumbled.
"Who said my name?" Lina asked, walking up. Katie could tell there was something a little off about her, but she didn't know what.
"No one, you probably just heard something," George said almost too quickly. "Where's Oliver?"
"And Alicia?" Katie added.
"When I left, Alicia was going to the bathroom, I think, but I dunno where Ollie is," Angelina said almost happily.
"Um, Angel, how long have you been here?" George asked. Katie ignored the pet-name to hear Lina's response.
"Since forever!" Lina said with a loud laugh.
"You're drunk," Katie pronounced, sighing.
"Nu-uh!"
"Go check on Alicia in the bathroom, ok?" Fred asked Katie as George led Angelina to a seat.
"Ok." Katie headed to the back, where the bathrooms were, and opened the ladies door. "Alic-" she stopped mid-word, staring, as the door swung closed behind her.
"K-K-K-Katie!" Oliver sputtered, stepping away from Alicia and wiping her lipstick off his face. "I - Eh - You don't-"
"Really, I don't want a half-assed explanation," Katie spat furiously, anger rising quickly in her stomach."
Alicia was staring back and forth from Oliver to Katie, as though just realizing what she'd been doing. She took a step towards her friend and opened her mouth to speak, but Katie cut her off.
"I'd rather not hear it. See you lovebirds at Hogwarts," she growled, retreating from the bathroom and walking numbly back to where Fred, George, and Angelina were sitting.
Fred stood up. "Katie?"
"I'm leaving," Katie said in a voice void of all expression. "Please take my bags back to the castle with you. Thank you." Without another word she sprinted out of the Three Broomsticks and all the way back to Hogwarts.
**************************************************
Uh oh! Why are Alicia and Oliver snogging? And how will Katie cope? Ah, the evilness. Next chapter, the Halloween feast and what ensues. Have a lovely few days!
