Dear readers, I apologize in advance, both for how short this chapter is
and what's in it. I know you didn't want this to happen, but it had to, I'm
afraid. I've got nothing to do tonight so I'm starting right into the next
chapter, which I assure you will be longer than this one. I'm currently
missing the third book, so I have to figure out when the first Quidditch
game is before I can continue, unfortunately. Ok, let's move on.
Woody'sWickedWitch: Great try, but nah, lol. Professional scatterbrain: I know, and soon you will too... muahahahahaha... Sunnyflower2005: I'm sorry, but this chapter pretty much lets it all out, at least for Katie. I suppose I could say that, but it's hard to judge. Let's see how you like it!
************************************
Ch. 7 - Sirius Black and the Halloween Feast
The Halloween feast that year was one of the worst Katie had ever experienced. Fred and George were with Dean Thomas planning various tricks, Oliver was smart enough to go sit with Percy on the opposite end of the Gryffindor table, and Alicia and Angelina had sat with some of the younger students, who didn't realize that the two of them were still rather drunk. This left Katie completely and totally alone.
Oliver snogging her best friend would not leave Katie's mind. Mindlessly she ate, everything from candy-coated fruits to sweet pies to anything else she could find. She didn't notice the noise around her, or the entertainment provided by the ghosts. She did notice that everyone was filing out of the Hall, though, and went with the crowd of Gryffindors up to the portrait of the Fat Lady, where everyone suddenly stopped. Finally her trance was broken when silence fell over the students in front of house entrance and Professor Dumbledore made his way through the clogged hallway.
The portrait of the Fat Lady had been slashed, and tatters were strewn about the floor underneath it. The Fat Lady herself was gone.
"We need to find her," Dumbledore told the teachers who had arrived: Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape, and Professor Lupin. "Professor McGonagall, please go to Mr. Filch at once and tell him to search every painting in the castle for the Fat Lady."
"You'll be lucky!" a cackling voice called, and Katie immediately recognized it as coming from Peeves.
"What do you mean, Peeves?" Dumbledore asked very calmly, and Peeves seemed to lose a bit of his energy.
"Ashamed, Your Headship, sir. Doesn't want to be seen. She's a horrible mess. Saw her running through the landscape up on the fourth floor, sir, dodging between trees. Crying something dreadful... Poor thing."
"Did she say who did it?"
"Oh yes, Professorhead. He got very angry when she wouldn't let him in, you see." The poltergeist flipped over and looked at Dumbledore between his legs. "Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black."
A gasp went through the crowd, and Katie automatically looked around as though she would see Sirius hiding behind one of the statues. Dumbledore sent the mass of Gryffindors back to the Great Hall, and soon the other houses had joined them as well, looking confused.
"The teachers and I need to conduct a thorough search of the castle," Professor Dumbledore said while McGonagall and Flitwick briskly closed the doors. "I'm afraid that, for your own safety, you will have to spend the night here. I want the prefects to stand guard over the entrances to the hall and I am leaving the Head Boy and Girl in charge. Any disturbance should be reported to me immediately," he told Percy, who puffed up like a balloon. "Send word with one of the ghosts. ...Oh yes, you'll be needing... sleeping bags!"
With a casual wave of the wand, he had made the four huge tables stand themselves up against a wall, and immediately hundreds of squashy purple sleeping bags appeared.
"Sleep well," the headmaster finished, and left, closing the door behind him.
"What happened?" a Ravenclaw asked, coming up to Katie.
"Sirius Black tried to get in to our common room, but the Fat Lady wouldn't let him, so he slashed her portrait to pieces," Katie told her.
"Oh, wow..." She immediately turned to tell her friends.
"Everyone into their sleeping bags!" Percy was shouting. "Come on, now, no more talking! Lights out in ten minutes!"
Katie picked up a sleeping bag and immediately headed to a corner far away from her friends. She was just settling down when Oliver suddenly appeared next to her.
"Go away," she muttered moodily, but Oliver put a hand over her mouth.
"Quiet! Marcus Flint is trying to find you. He said something about detention..." Oliver studied her for a moment before continuing, "I don't know what this is about, but I do know that whatever would happen if Flint were to find you isn't going to happen while I'm here. Bloody hell, here he comes. Hide!"
Katie snuggled deep into her sleeping bag and listened as heavy footsteps approached.
"Who you hiding under there, eh, Wood?" Flint asked.
"No one of your concern," Oliver replied coolly.
"Well, we'll see about that."
There was a scuffle, and Wood's gruff voice: "I'll use my wand if I have to! I know more hexes is my little finger than you would ever know."
"Then who's hiding there?"
"My girlfriend, ok? I just can't let my friends see her." A part of Katie's mind that wasn't trembling in fear complimented Wood on his acting.
Flint laughed gruffly, and his steps receded. Katie pulled herself out of the sleeping bag and smiled at Oliver. "Thanks."
"No problem. May I ask... why was he looking for you?"
She sighed. 'I knew it would come to this. Why the hell do I have to tell him? Well, I said I would earlier, so I guess I have to.' "Eh, he's sort of been..." Katie stopped. 'Wait. I don't have to tell him. He snogged my best friend!'
"Been? Been what?" Oliver pressed.
Katie closed her mouth and stared at him. Finally she said, "Why should I tell you? Obviously you've been keeping something from me."
Oliver looked confused. "What? I haven't been keeping anything from you..."
Katie almost laughed but didn't and replied, "No, nothing except for your love for my best friend!"
"What? Oh, that." The Quidditch keeper frowned, staring at the ground. "That's what you're worried about?"
Suddenly the lights went out. Katie jumped ever so slightly, but with the help of the ghosts floating around, quickly adjusted to the dimness. She and Oliver lowered their voices, noting that Percy was across the room.
"Yes, that's what I'm worried about. It's not often I stroll into a ladies' room to find me friend and..." What to call Oliver? "...other friend sucking face."
Oliver sighed and rested his head against the wall he was leaning against. He stared at his hands as he replied. "We - Alicia and I - were just about as drunk as Angelina. She went to the bathroom, and I thought I should probably go too, only Fred and George decided to send me to girls' room instead of the boys', and there was Alicia, sitting there."
"And then, what, you two just ran at each other?"
"No, not at all. I... I think I sat down next to her, and before I knew it we were, you know. I don't know what I was thinking, Katie. I'm sorry." Even in the dark, Katie could tell Oliver knew exactly what he was thinking, but he wasn't going to tell. 'Does he love Alicia? He must, that's the only possible reason. And I thought... Never mind what I thought. I'm stupid.'
"So, are we ok then?"
There was no point in saying no. If Oliver and Alicia were going to fall in love, that was fine with Katie. Suddenly a thought struck her: if Angelina and George paired up, and Oliver and Leesh paired up, that left her and Fred. It wasn't a horrible thought... she supposed...
"Yeah, we're fine."
"Are you going to tell me about Flint?"
Katie paused for a moment. "No. Not tonight, at least."
"Ok, I'll respect that. But you owe me. Promise?"
"Promise. 'Night Oliver."
"'Night, Katie."
**********************
Katie felt absolutely horrid the next morning. Her chat with Oliver had done nothing to improve her mood, and though she once again sat with her friends, Alicia was still avoiding her gaze. On top of that, Black hadn't been caught, so the entire school had slept on the hard ground in purple sleeping bags for absolutely nothing. So during breakfast, all Katie could think about was food. Once again she did something most people like to call binging.
Once it was down, it felt horrible. Grease, butter, and fat sat in her stomach and she couldn't even think about concentrating during Muggle Studies. Finally, only a few moments into class, Katie raised her hand.
"Yes, miss Bell?"
"I'm feeling sick, could I please be excused?"
"Um, alright, miss Bell. Anything I can do?"
"No, but thank you." Katie rose and left the class, feeling many eyes on her. She realized Alicia was watching her especially closely, but when Katie looked at her, she quickly looked away.
The walk to the bathroom was mechanical. Filch's cat Mrs. Norris eyed her suspiciously, but only meowed loudly. After checking to make sure no one else was in the bathroom, Katie locked herself in a stall and paused for a moment. The thought of everything in her stomach was so sickening that it needed very little help to come back up.
Afterwards, Katie's eyes, nose, and mouth were stinging, and she felt horrid, but as she washed her mouth out with water and walked slowly back to class, she reassured herself that that would be the only time she would do that. 'It's damages your mouth and throat, it's bad for you. No more of that.'
"Feeling better, miss Bell?"
"Much," Katie replied. Out of habit she took the seat next to Alicia, who looked vaguely surprised. As the class restarted, Alicia mouthed, "What were you doing?"
"Nothing," Katie mouthed back.
"Do you forgive me?"
Katie nodded. Alicia grinned, and they continued with class.
*****************************************
Well, that settled everything! Not. The next chapter will be longer, and if I can get the first Quidditch match in, things will start clearing up. I don't know how long this story's going to be, but it probably won't be more than maybe ten or fifteen chapters. Does anyone have an ideas as to how to continue with this story? Please, I want to know your ideas!
Don't forget to tell friends and stuff about this. I want reviews! R/R or I'll make the directors cancel the next Harry Potter movie!
Woody'sWickedWitch: Great try, but nah, lol. Professional scatterbrain: I know, and soon you will too... muahahahahaha... Sunnyflower2005: I'm sorry, but this chapter pretty much lets it all out, at least for Katie. I suppose I could say that, but it's hard to judge. Let's see how you like it!
************************************
Ch. 7 - Sirius Black and the Halloween Feast
The Halloween feast that year was one of the worst Katie had ever experienced. Fred and George were with Dean Thomas planning various tricks, Oliver was smart enough to go sit with Percy on the opposite end of the Gryffindor table, and Alicia and Angelina had sat with some of the younger students, who didn't realize that the two of them were still rather drunk. This left Katie completely and totally alone.
Oliver snogging her best friend would not leave Katie's mind. Mindlessly she ate, everything from candy-coated fruits to sweet pies to anything else she could find. She didn't notice the noise around her, or the entertainment provided by the ghosts. She did notice that everyone was filing out of the Hall, though, and went with the crowd of Gryffindors up to the portrait of the Fat Lady, where everyone suddenly stopped. Finally her trance was broken when silence fell over the students in front of house entrance and Professor Dumbledore made his way through the clogged hallway.
The portrait of the Fat Lady had been slashed, and tatters were strewn about the floor underneath it. The Fat Lady herself was gone.
"We need to find her," Dumbledore told the teachers who had arrived: Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape, and Professor Lupin. "Professor McGonagall, please go to Mr. Filch at once and tell him to search every painting in the castle for the Fat Lady."
"You'll be lucky!" a cackling voice called, and Katie immediately recognized it as coming from Peeves.
"What do you mean, Peeves?" Dumbledore asked very calmly, and Peeves seemed to lose a bit of his energy.
"Ashamed, Your Headship, sir. Doesn't want to be seen. She's a horrible mess. Saw her running through the landscape up on the fourth floor, sir, dodging between trees. Crying something dreadful... Poor thing."
"Did she say who did it?"
"Oh yes, Professorhead. He got very angry when she wouldn't let him in, you see." The poltergeist flipped over and looked at Dumbledore between his legs. "Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black."
A gasp went through the crowd, and Katie automatically looked around as though she would see Sirius hiding behind one of the statues. Dumbledore sent the mass of Gryffindors back to the Great Hall, and soon the other houses had joined them as well, looking confused.
"The teachers and I need to conduct a thorough search of the castle," Professor Dumbledore said while McGonagall and Flitwick briskly closed the doors. "I'm afraid that, for your own safety, you will have to spend the night here. I want the prefects to stand guard over the entrances to the hall and I am leaving the Head Boy and Girl in charge. Any disturbance should be reported to me immediately," he told Percy, who puffed up like a balloon. "Send word with one of the ghosts. ...Oh yes, you'll be needing... sleeping bags!"
With a casual wave of the wand, he had made the four huge tables stand themselves up against a wall, and immediately hundreds of squashy purple sleeping bags appeared.
"Sleep well," the headmaster finished, and left, closing the door behind him.
"What happened?" a Ravenclaw asked, coming up to Katie.
"Sirius Black tried to get in to our common room, but the Fat Lady wouldn't let him, so he slashed her portrait to pieces," Katie told her.
"Oh, wow..." She immediately turned to tell her friends.
"Everyone into their sleeping bags!" Percy was shouting. "Come on, now, no more talking! Lights out in ten minutes!"
Katie picked up a sleeping bag and immediately headed to a corner far away from her friends. She was just settling down when Oliver suddenly appeared next to her.
"Go away," she muttered moodily, but Oliver put a hand over her mouth.
"Quiet! Marcus Flint is trying to find you. He said something about detention..." Oliver studied her for a moment before continuing, "I don't know what this is about, but I do know that whatever would happen if Flint were to find you isn't going to happen while I'm here. Bloody hell, here he comes. Hide!"
Katie snuggled deep into her sleeping bag and listened as heavy footsteps approached.
"Who you hiding under there, eh, Wood?" Flint asked.
"No one of your concern," Oliver replied coolly.
"Well, we'll see about that."
There was a scuffle, and Wood's gruff voice: "I'll use my wand if I have to! I know more hexes is my little finger than you would ever know."
"Then who's hiding there?"
"My girlfriend, ok? I just can't let my friends see her." A part of Katie's mind that wasn't trembling in fear complimented Wood on his acting.
Flint laughed gruffly, and his steps receded. Katie pulled herself out of the sleeping bag and smiled at Oliver. "Thanks."
"No problem. May I ask... why was he looking for you?"
She sighed. 'I knew it would come to this. Why the hell do I have to tell him? Well, I said I would earlier, so I guess I have to.' "Eh, he's sort of been..." Katie stopped. 'Wait. I don't have to tell him. He snogged my best friend!'
"Been? Been what?" Oliver pressed.
Katie closed her mouth and stared at him. Finally she said, "Why should I tell you? Obviously you've been keeping something from me."
Oliver looked confused. "What? I haven't been keeping anything from you..."
Katie almost laughed but didn't and replied, "No, nothing except for your love for my best friend!"
"What? Oh, that." The Quidditch keeper frowned, staring at the ground. "That's what you're worried about?"
Suddenly the lights went out. Katie jumped ever so slightly, but with the help of the ghosts floating around, quickly adjusted to the dimness. She and Oliver lowered their voices, noting that Percy was across the room.
"Yes, that's what I'm worried about. It's not often I stroll into a ladies' room to find me friend and..." What to call Oliver? "...other friend sucking face."
Oliver sighed and rested his head against the wall he was leaning against. He stared at his hands as he replied. "We - Alicia and I - were just about as drunk as Angelina. She went to the bathroom, and I thought I should probably go too, only Fred and George decided to send me to girls' room instead of the boys', and there was Alicia, sitting there."
"And then, what, you two just ran at each other?"
"No, not at all. I... I think I sat down next to her, and before I knew it we were, you know. I don't know what I was thinking, Katie. I'm sorry." Even in the dark, Katie could tell Oliver knew exactly what he was thinking, but he wasn't going to tell. 'Does he love Alicia? He must, that's the only possible reason. And I thought... Never mind what I thought. I'm stupid.'
"So, are we ok then?"
There was no point in saying no. If Oliver and Alicia were going to fall in love, that was fine with Katie. Suddenly a thought struck her: if Angelina and George paired up, and Oliver and Leesh paired up, that left her and Fred. It wasn't a horrible thought... she supposed...
"Yeah, we're fine."
"Are you going to tell me about Flint?"
Katie paused for a moment. "No. Not tonight, at least."
"Ok, I'll respect that. But you owe me. Promise?"
"Promise. 'Night Oliver."
"'Night, Katie."
**********************
Katie felt absolutely horrid the next morning. Her chat with Oliver had done nothing to improve her mood, and though she once again sat with her friends, Alicia was still avoiding her gaze. On top of that, Black hadn't been caught, so the entire school had slept on the hard ground in purple sleeping bags for absolutely nothing. So during breakfast, all Katie could think about was food. Once again she did something most people like to call binging.
Once it was down, it felt horrible. Grease, butter, and fat sat in her stomach and she couldn't even think about concentrating during Muggle Studies. Finally, only a few moments into class, Katie raised her hand.
"Yes, miss Bell?"
"I'm feeling sick, could I please be excused?"
"Um, alright, miss Bell. Anything I can do?"
"No, but thank you." Katie rose and left the class, feeling many eyes on her. She realized Alicia was watching her especially closely, but when Katie looked at her, she quickly looked away.
The walk to the bathroom was mechanical. Filch's cat Mrs. Norris eyed her suspiciously, but only meowed loudly. After checking to make sure no one else was in the bathroom, Katie locked herself in a stall and paused for a moment. The thought of everything in her stomach was so sickening that it needed very little help to come back up.
Afterwards, Katie's eyes, nose, and mouth were stinging, and she felt horrid, but as she washed her mouth out with water and walked slowly back to class, she reassured herself that that would be the only time she would do that. 'It's damages your mouth and throat, it's bad for you. No more of that.'
"Feeling better, miss Bell?"
"Much," Katie replied. Out of habit she took the seat next to Alicia, who looked vaguely surprised. As the class restarted, Alicia mouthed, "What were you doing?"
"Nothing," Katie mouthed back.
"Do you forgive me?"
Katie nodded. Alicia grinned, and they continued with class.
*****************************************
Well, that settled everything! Not. The next chapter will be longer, and if I can get the first Quidditch match in, things will start clearing up. I don't know how long this story's going to be, but it probably won't be more than maybe ten or fifteen chapters. Does anyone have an ideas as to how to continue with this story? Please, I want to know your ideas!
Don't forget to tell friends and stuff about this. I want reviews! R/R or I'll make the directors cancel the next Harry Potter movie!
