Chapter 12 - Remembering the Beginning
Nobody's POV
"What the bloody hell did you do that for, Wood! You didn't even mean it!"
he cursed to himself.
"What kind of a friend are you, Wood?" Obviously a horrible one.
Banging his head against the streak less glass window, tears silently fell from his
eyes down his flustered face. It took quite a bit for Oliver to cry. He hadn't shed a
tear in six years when his infant brother died of drowning.
"I – AM – SUCH – A – BLOODY – IDIOT!" he thundered, sliding to the
ground. He curled himself into a ball, hugging himself tightly, rocking gently back
and forth. Oliver knew that Katie wasn't at all in any way a sleazy person. He
knew she wouldn't deliberately hurt anyone, let alone a best friend! His anger
and jealousy had gotten in the way. Again.
The tear-shedding boy sighed, wiping his face with his sleeve and running a shaking
hand through his hair. What am I going to do? THINK!
Well, the best thing would be to apologize, you dumbnut.
No shit.
She must think I'm a monster. I am.
He stood up and began walking back to the class. Walking to my doom, more like it.
He would have to make it up to her. He didn't deserve her. Oliver knew that.
He treated his best friend, the only one he could really trust, like a piece of trash.
I know I don't deserve her. Hell, I would hate myself if I were her! But I have
to try. Goddamnit, I have to try.
As soon as she was out of the hall, Katie broke out into a fast run. Running away
again, hey Bell? For once, she wasn't arguing with herself.
Running and pushing through people with her hair astray and tears flooding her eyes,
she didn't care. She could hear mutters and murmurs all around her, flooding her thoughts.
"What has gotten into her?"
"What is her problem?"
"What happened?"
She didn't care.
All she could think about was the conversation. Or whatever it could be called.
I don't know you anymore, Katie… I don't know what do think of you…
Did he really mean that?
She stopped suddenly, and looked around to see where she ended up.
"Fortuna Major!" she gasped at the Fat Lady, slightly bending over to catch her
breath.
"Are you alright my dear?" the Fat Lady inquired, gazing down at the tear streaked
girl through her beady eyes. But she wasn't paying the least bit attention to the Fat
Lady. Quickly she crawled through the passageway to the Gryffindor Common Room.
"How very rude indeed! Children these days are so preoccupied with themselves!"
retorted the Fat Lady.
Crash! Into a bright red head she ran into.
"Sorry, Ron," she murmured, stumbling for a second. Fumbling with her robes, she
ran off toward the girls' staircase.
"Katie! Wait! What happened!" he called out after her. No answer. Ron shook his head,
bewildered by the female race. As usual.
Finally up the stairs, Katie shut the door to her dormitory behind her. Open the
bed curtains, jump into bed. Forget the harsh stares and cruel words. Forget the pain.
Shut the door. Let on one in. Shut them out. Lock them out.
Tears overflowing, body shaking, palms sweaty, Katie was eventually swept into a
world of darkness not unlike her own.
"SCREW THE BLOODY TARANTULA!"
Angelina was very mad. She was having a bad day.
"Ange, please! Calm down!" said Fred soothingly, rubbing her shoulders in a
sad attempt to calm Angelina down.
"Don't you tell me to calm down, Frederick Taylor Weasley!" she roared, swatting
his hands away from her. It was quite possible that she could be heard throughout
the Great Hall and entire First Floor.
"And you, Lee, I am really not in the mood to hear about the going-ons on your
tarantula. As much as I'm sure it's 'adventures' are exciting, I really don't think anyone
wants to hear about it!" she yelled. Lee shrank back in his seat, suddenly very afraid of
this atrociously angry girl sitting across from him.
"Aw, Ange – "
"Don't you aw Ange me! I swear Fred, you bloody – "
But she was quite cut off from Fred as a pair of lips pressed bruisingly against hers,
effectively shutting her up. When he finally pulled back, Ange sat straight in a daze, silent.
Everyone burst into laughter and snickers at the once speechless Angelina Johnson.
Everyone consisted of Angelina, Fred, George, Alicia and Lee, to be exact. The other
two usuals were not to be found.
"By the way, where are Oliver and Katie? Having their own fun, eh?" asked a snickering Lee.
"Katie mentioned something about meeting Oliver somewhere during lunch, which
would be now. I think it is finally the day when Ollie dear is going to express his undying
love for Katie," replied Alicia, taking a sip of George's pumpkin juice and grinning at George.
But George wasn't looking at her.
He and Fred exchanged worried glances to each other from across the table.
Alicia, having seen this, spoke up.
"Alright, what did you two do now, lock them in a broom closet together? How original,"
she snorted.
"Well, I dunno about them meeting each other, but they definitely won't be discussing
their love for each other," sighed Fred.
"What? What do you mean?" questioned Angelina, now out of her daze. Nosy, Nosy girl.
Fred shook his head, obviously letting George handle this conversation for now. He cleared his throat.
"Erm, well, you see, while we were in Transfiguration, Fred and Katie and I, that
is – yes, you too Lee – Katie was finally telling us of her possibly 'new found' love for
Ollie (or has she loved him all along?), which came as no surprise to us of course. It
was rather funny, really. Somehow we got onto the topic of Katie having humped a
blown-up snowman once and – "
"Katie humped a blown-up snowman once!" interrupted Lee.
"Back to the story please!" exclaimed Angelina, who glared at Lee. Fred nodded.
"Right. Well, after that we, meaning George and I, told dear Katie of how Ollie cares
so deeply for her, we felt like she owed us something. So, we both asked her (very innocently)
for… a kiss. On the lips."
There was silence for a moment or two. George shrugged slightly.
"She knew we didn't mean anything by it. I mean, God knows how long we have treated
her as our little sister that we adore so much, right?"
Everyone nodded. Lee whistled.
"I think I know what this is coming to," he muttered.
"Well, it ah, just so happened that as soon as Katie gave George here a kiss, Oliver
walked right in the bloody door and saw it all. The Full Monty. The Head to Toe.
The Whole World – "
"Okay, we get it!" exclaimed Alicia, who was rubbing her temples. George decided
to pick up from there.
"So, after he ran off, rather girly I might add, Katie jumps out of her seat and runs
after him. The rest, well… who knows?" he finished, shaking his head.
"Oh dear," Angelina murmured.
"Oh dear indeed," Lee echoed.
"So, Oliver thinks that you and Katie are an item now?" Alicia asked abruptly.
"Sadly, yes," George sighed, frowning.
"But, they definitely aren't or anything!" Fred said, giving George a look.
"Thank you", George mouthed back.
"Well, what are we going to do?" Alicia asked, looking around at the others.
"I'm afraid, my dear Alicia – ", George put his arm clumsily around her,
" – that there is nothing we can as of yet." Alicia smiled, quickly melting into
his touch without even realizing it. The other grinned around them.
"Wait a tic. You said this all happened in Transfiguration, which is your third
class, am I right?" questioned Angelina.
"Yes, you would be," replied Fred, frowning. Where was this going?
"It's lunch now. We just finished how fourth class, which means we haven't seen
either Oliver or Katie since our third class," she said slowly as if speaking to a child.
"Oh right!" the twins slapped their foreheads. Everyone stared at each other for a moment.
"Where are they!"
"Howling ant eaters! Should we go find them! Where are they!" Angelina shrieked,
hands frantically waving about.
"Ange. Sit still for a second and think. They are most likely alone. Think," said
Alicia. Lee snickered. The realization was finally dawning on Angelina's face after
a moment.
"Oh right," she sighed. Then she tensed.
"ARE THEY USING PROTECTION!"
This time all of the Great Hall fell silent and stared at Angelina. The twins and Lee
burst into raucous laughter, while Alicia gaped at her in shock. Much shock.
"Angelina Meredith Johnson!" she shrieked.
"Sorry, it was the first thought that came to my mind," she grinned sheepishly.
"Looks like I'm not the only one with the mind in the gutter," snickered Lee.
Angelina glared at him.
"Oi! You two! It's your littler brother calling for you!" Alicia smiled. Fred and
George looked up at Ron running to them.
"Ah, it's Ickle Ronniekins! How are you, my boy?" asked a grinning George.
Various snickers went around the table. When Ron was near them, however,
everyone noticed Ron's serious face and grew quiet.
"What is it Ron?" Angelina asked urgently. Ron looked at her for a moment.
"You women are mental."
"And what was that for, Ronald!" she exclaimed, anger slowly setting in once
again. Fred covered her mouth before she could say another word.
"What is it Ron?" he asked.
"I just saw Katie while I was leaving the Common Room. She ran straight into
me without even knowing it. I tried to stop her to see what was wrong, but she
just ran straight for the girls' stair case. She was crying and shaking and all. She
looked like hell."
Lee let out a low whistle, while Alicia put her head down on the table.
"What the bloody hell did Oliver do to her?" Angelina muttered. Fred sat there,
rubbing his face.
"Oh damn."
Still Nobody's Pov
Why did I say it? Why couldn't I have kept my stupid mouth shut? I could
have controlled my jealousy and anger. (sigh). I am such a fool.
He took a walk on the grounds, needing some time to think. No matter about
Arithmancy right now. Can just tell Professor I was sick or something.
He ended up on the quidditch pitch, standing dead in the center of it. It was one of
his few solaces here. So many memories here. He stood still with his hands in
his pockets, smiling, remembering the day Katie first tried out for the Gryffindor quidditch team…
(Take a trip down Oliver Lane…)
"Name?" asked a muscular red head. Charlie Weasley looked up from a long
list of names at a short, slender blonde haired girl in her second year.
"Why, that would be Katherine Anne Bell," said a smiling Oliver, walking
up to the two. He smiled at Katie, looking her slowly up and down.
"Thank you, Oliver – James – Wood," she replied through gritted teeth,
smiling at her best friend of so many years. Oliver flinched at the sound
of his middle name. He always hated when she did that. Reminded him too
much of his mother when she was angry (shudder)
"Alright then, Katherine – "
"Call me Katie."
" – Katie. Here's what you have to do. Get at least 10 goals past Wood,
our keeper here, in less than 15 minutes, and then you're in. For sure," Charlie
said, pointing at Oliver, who, was already on his broom by three of the goal
posts. He waved over at Katie. She took a deep breath, and sat on her broom.
"Okay."
As she flew up, she looked and beamed at Oliver. This would be a piece of
cake for her. He didn't know what was coming.
"Oi, Bell! Just because you're my best friend and all doesn't mean I'm gonna
be easy on you!" Oliver shouted at her, grinning madly. Katie just shook her head.
"I wouldn't have it any other way, Wood!"
"Alright. Ready… and… GO!" yelled Charlie from below, looking upwards
at the keeper and soon-to-be chaser.
Can't go easy on her. Can't go easy on her. Eh, but those mischievous eyes…
Maybe one or two…
In went the first goal, the quaffle wizzing past Oliver, leaving him stumbling.
"Going easy on me, eh Wood?" Katie exclaimed from her broom, smirking.
He shook his head. Damn the woman… er girl.
"Just this one, Bell. Try a little harder, will ya?"
Next goal came in less than twenty seconds, nearly knocking Oliver off
his broom. Once recovered, he stared in bewilderment at the girl.
"Jesus Katie! When did you learn to hit like that!"
She laughed and smirked again, a twinkle in her eyes.
"Looks like I've been holding back a bit on you all these years…
couldn't let your manly pride be ruined all because of me, eh?" Oliver
could only stutter after her, not even noticing the next two goals fly past him.
"Oi! Wood! Snap out of it and get back into the game!" yelled Charlie, who
was glaring at him. Oliver nodded, and shook off most of his thoughts about
Katie. Most of them.
"Alright Bell. No more games. This is the real world. It's only you, me,
these three goal posts, and the quaffle."
Katie narrowed her eyes, throwing the quaffle up in the air, and then
catching it. She did so for a bit. Up and down. Oliver gulped, tugging at
his collar for a second. Does she even know how she affects me!
Apparently not, for she kept doing so without smiling.
"Alright then Wood. Let's play."
On the "game" went, until there were only a few minutes left. A whistle
could be heard.
"Alright you two. Only two more minutes! Make it count!" shouted Charlie,
checking his watch. Katie looked over at Oliver, panting heavily. Oliver
was wiping sweat from his forehead. Gods, she did indeed improve!
"Only tow more goals left," Katie muttered to herself, mentally doing
calculations. She took a deep breath and looked at Oliver for a moment.
His face was unreadable. His face was glistening with sweat. He looked so…
into it all. It almost scare Kate; she had never seen him so intense before.
"Get ready to go down Wood!" she yelled, a smile on her lips. Oliver broke
into a grin.
"We'll just see about that, won't we Bell."
She flew up close, very close to Oliver and the three posts. She aimed the
quaffle towards the left, making Oliver block the left. Wait! She switched
in a flash and threw into the right, playing the oldest trick in the book.
"I am so stupid!" Oliver groaned. Katie gleamed at him. One more go…
She decided to try a new trick of hers. Quickly, she flew a half lap around
the pitch, causing Oliver to stare after her. She swiftly and stealthily flew
right behind one of the huge, towering stands, sudden;y out of Oliver's sight.
Where did she go!
He frantically looked around, searching for a bit of golden-brown hair,
or a broomstick in the air. Nothing.
Silently laughing to herself, Katie quietly flew a bit behind the center goal
post and threw the quaffle in, hitting Oliver on the back as she did so with
the bulky red ball.
"SCORE!" she yelled as he swerved around, astounded. His mouth was
open in a big "O".
"And time! Okay you two, come on down!" exclaimed Charlie. Before Oliver
could say a word, however, Katie grinned at him and flew to the grounds,
running up to Charlie and hugging him tightly. She was in.
(And back to the Wizarding World…)
It was nearing noon now. The sun shone brightly over the grounds, a light breeze
filling the air. Oliver opened his eyes. How the bloody hell did I end up on the
ground! He shook his head and lifted himself off of the ground, pressing his fingers
into the dewy green grass. He laughed aloud as he noticed the fingerprints he left
on the ground.
"Blinking bonkers," he sighed, rubbing his face.
"Okay. Now think Wood. What shall we do to win Katie's friendship back, if I
even deserve it?" he asked aloud. Well, besides apologizing profusely, I am
afraid I have no answers as of yet for you.
"WHY THE EFFING KIDGEONS AM I TALKING TO MYSELF!"
There you go. How was it? Okay? Bad? Wonderfully granspiffulous?
Will have new chapter up soon. I think it may be a shortie though. Gah.
Remember, the more you review, the faster I update!
FIN