I thank all of you who reviewed my story!

Update: I got sick with a sinus infection, causing me to miss school. It really stinks the pills I have to take look like horse pills; at least they remind me of them. So I got an unofficial holiday from school due to my illness and my temperature. Actually I haven't been to school in nine days, well once the weekend is over that is. Then my mom decided to go get all my books yesterday since school was cancelled and make me catch up, but no one knows my work. Until my Latin Teacher called to talk to me and ruined it, but hey. On a better note I get to go skiing Sunday, wait that means I have to wake up earlier than normal.

Life's Gifts

Chapter 11: Sinister

Katie woke up to the singing of Alicia in the shower, as Alicia wailed she sat up and groggily looked around. "Lica, do we have to hear that song over and over. We all know pop music is sorely overrated."

Angelina just to irk Katie started to sing along with Alicia and as their voices rose, the more out of key they got. Finally they finished the song. Seeing Katie's relief they decidedly broke into another pop song. Until Katie finally stomped out of the room trailing her clothes with her, slamming the door she stomped down the hall.

Once she reached the commons room she looked around and then noticed Fred and George. "Boys, can I borrow your room to change Alicia and Angelina decided it was time to break out the pop songs."

"Sure, but be careful, the other two are somewhere upstairs." Fred said and then added, "We'll walk you up to protect you from any harm." Taking her elbow he took it and started to walk up the stairs, taking her with him. Finally reaching the door of the room he knocked and hollered, "You have thirty seconds to get decent before we bring a lady in."

Katie laughed as the door opened and Lee poked his head out. "Oh, well Miss Katie, come on in." Holding the door open she got looks from others in the hall, Fred and George started walking down towards them purposefully.

"Lee, can I borrow the bathroom, or is Oliver in there?" The pretty blonde asked tilting her head to look up at Lee.

"The bathroom is yours my dear." Lee said as he peered down the hall to watch Fred and George yell at the onlookers who seemed to think Katie was selling herself.

"Do they think I am whoring or something?" Katie asked as she looked before she walked straight to the bathroom and locked the door.

"Evidently," Lee's voice came as he walked back into the room. "Oliver, time to wake up you have to get dressed, but you can't use the bathroom because Katie is getting dressed in there."

Katie grinned as she pulled on the Adidas track pants along with the form-fitting scooped neck white tee-shirt. Then she slipped her feet into the Strikers she had brought with her. Pulling out her wand she made a motion and her hair pulled itself up. Then she made a couple other flicks and her make-up was done. Not that she normally wore it, but if everyone needed to think she actually liked Cedric.

"Katie, if you don't hurry up, you'll miss breakfast." George said.

Opening the door she walked out and linked her arm through George's, "Well, then lets go."

Oliver started openly as she walked by as did several others; Katie inwardly smiled at all the attention she was getting. As the walked into the dining room the stares increased. Cedric walked up and took her from George as the gang and Cedric sat down at a table.

"So, girls when did the sing-along end?" Katie asked, smiling across the table at them.

"Right after you left but Ange and I stopped. Then we had a question, you came in awfully late last night, where were you?" Alicia asked sweetly.

"Well, I was in the owlery making sure, Artemis is okay. You know how unsocial she is and I was hesitant about bringing her here, but leaving her with Dave and Cade was a worse idea." Katie smirked as she grinned at Alicia. Then she noticed Oliver's unhappiness. "Something wrong Wood, you look like your favorite pet died."

"Oh, it did." A voice said from right behind Katie's back. "I am quite sure of that."

"Brooke, why do you mettle. It isn't very becoming; in fact if you stopped you could become a beautiful person. Or did your parents raise you to try to steal other people's money to. After all my parents did rather well on the Wizarding Stock Market, yours didn't. Currently I am making more than your parents do in a year and I don't have to do anything, but live my life." Katie looked at the girl her face twisting.

Brooke looking shocked handed her a letter, "My parents sent this for you. Oh, one more thing that show-jumper you used to own, I bought him. Why did you sell him again, he is a beautiful animal, better than your current one."

Katie took the letter and at the mention of her show-jumper smiled, "Civilian broke his leg, the people I sold him to wanted a companion horse and since he could never jump again it was the right thing to do. Cari is transforming into the perfect show-jumper, I have no clue what you are talking about. But if you call my stables I do have a horse you could show. Gabe is a dream boat but he doesn't have much drive." With that she turned back to her meal, when Brooke's footsteps were gone she opened the letter:

Katie,

Brooke told us she saw you again, I am so glad the two of you get along. Katie, you and Brooke are the best of friend I am sure. When you come to live with us I am sure you two will be like sisters. After all you almost were. Then again your parents wanted so much for us to raise you, but the Woods have done an acceptable job. Over the summer we are trying for guardianship again. This time we will not fail, we have a way to make sure of that. We will gain your money and everything you own rest assured my dear. Now that you are approaching the bottom I would put the letter down, it will burst into flame as soon as you finsh it.

Love,

Mrs. Jayne Park-Laine

True to form the letter burst into flame causing Katie to lean back in surprise. In fact she leaned back so far she would have fallen of the bench if it weren't for Cedric catching her and taking her elbow.

"Katie, we will be late for class if we don't hurry up." Angelina said taking her away from Cedric.

"What was that all about?" Alicia said as the three of them walked into the potions room.

"The Park-Laines are at it again. They are suing for guardianship this coming summer." Katie said.

"What was the whole deal with the horses?" Angelina added.

"Brooke is being an instigator and trying to make me angry by saying she bought my ex-champion Civilian. You remember him, he was a big bay." Katie said as they sat down to listen to Snape rattle on about the newest potion.

There you go. I know it isn't long, but I am a little short of ideas in the creative flow right now.

Ellie