A loud trumpet blasted in Harry's ear. Harry sat straight up, breathing heavily, and it wasn't just because of the latest dream on Voldemort.
"WHO'S DEAD!" Ron yelled, sitting straight up.
"I should take that offensively!"
Harry turned to his left. In between himself and Ron could only be Jacob. Jacob was a young ghost, compared to the ghosts at Hogwarts. By the looks of him, Harry guessed him to be no older than twenty. He had on a baseball-style cap advertising Puddlemere United that covered his scruffy hair. He seemed to have found a liking to jeans as he was wearing jeans, a jean jacket that almost concealed the shirt underneath, and jean-looking shoes with two stripes. The trumpet was loose in his left hand.
"H… he… morning, Jacob," Ron said through a yawn.
"Which of you is Harry and which of you is Ron?" Jacob asked.
"I'm Harry," Harry said, slowly getting out of bed.
"Oh, then it is for you that I also bring a message," Jacob said, floating over to Harry.
"What?" Harry asked sleepily. "Alex, can we get some lights?"
Lights flickered on as Jacob spoke. "For the both of you, today you shall be eating in the common room. Food is already there. After that, Elyse shall be taking Ron to the field and Harry, you will go down to the Food Room."
Before either of them could ask why the difference, Jacob had flown through the wall and was gone.
Ron looked thoughtful as he and Harry put on T-shirts and shorts, which had been laid out for them. "I bet he knows about every secret passage in this place."
"Probably does," Harry agreed.
"Think he'd show us around?" Ron asked.
"Doubt it," Harry said. "But maybe he would. He seems nice enough."
Harry and Ron finished changing clothes and went next door, where Elyse, Heather, and Hermione were already eating.
"Where's Kate?" Harry asked.
"I dunno," Elyse said. "Wasn't there when we woke up."
Harry looked suddenly alarmed, but Heather interrupted his thoughts.
"Don't worry. Alex would tell us if she was off the premises and it wasn't by her free will."
Harry's fears still weren't abolished, but he and Ron sat down to eat eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, and French toast sticks. Elyse, Heather, and Hermione resumed their conversation that Harry and Ron's arrival had interrupted about the upcoming day's work. Harry paid little attention, but remained watching the open door for any sign of Katie. By the time he finished breakfast, there had been none.
"Harry, it's fine," Heather said. "I promise. Now get down to the Food Room."
Harry went back to his room and prayed dearly that Katie would be down there. He jumped on the carpet three times and was off, down the tunnels, turning left and right at every moment, somehow Harry's feet staying connected the moving rug.
Harry made a sudden drop down, moved forward a few feet, then popped back up in the middle of the Food Room.
Harry looked around. The table was piled with papers filled with Katie's handwriting, diagrams, charts, and typed instructions. The single leather chair around the table wasn't facing Harry, concealing the person behind it.
"So, Harry," Katie said, turning the chair around. She was dressed in a T-shirt and shorts like he was, yet somehow looking cool, collected, and ready to go. "I remember you saying you didn't think training would be that difficult. I've decided to make sure I prove you wrong on that one. Tell me, do you believe that your girlfriend and your worst nightmare can be the same person?"
Harry tried not to smile at the coolness in her voice, as though she were trying to be intimidating. "No."
Katie smiled and leaned forward in her chair with a look on her face that made her look rather daunting and reckless. "Let me show you just how mistaken you are."
THE END!