Another chapter for all of those who dare to read it, but let me warn you, I have decided that there is a disfunctional family that needs to be saved before this fic can continue on.
This must be solved!
The year ended awakwardly for the entire school, even for their foreign guests. Their summer would start with, according to both Harry and Dumbledore, the return of the dark lord. Almost every student shuddered at the thought of Lord Voldemort's return, and made them wonder about the years ahead.
The train ride home was a quiet one. Tense, but quiet nonetheless.
Even before the announcement was made that the dark lord had supposedly murdered Cedric Diggory and would have done the same to Harry, Katie had been acting oddly, as if she were guilty about something. But what could she possibly have to be guilty about?
She blushed at remembering what happened, but her bright blue gaze remained fixed on the countryside which was blurred as the train hurridly passed the scenery.
The Weasley twins had wandered off as the train began to slow down, something about messing with Ron and congratulating Harry for his victory and the Tri Wizard Tournament. Even when the two identical boys had been in the compartment, it had been unbarably silent, each teen silent for his or her own reason.
Angelina crossed her arms and let out a dramatic sigh, "Guys, I'm bored! Entertain me." She looked from Alicia to Lee to Katie, then back again, waiting for one of them to jump and do a funny dance, or start up some striking conversation that wasn't dead depressing.
Alicia and Katie rolled their eyes, but Lee actually started up conversation, "So, have any plans for the summer? Other than ultimate boredom and ultimate humiliation to some degree?"
"Of course, I just don't know what they are yet," confessed Angelina, grinning, and leaning back in her seat.
After a while the other two girls joined in on the conversation, bringing a little bit more life into the compartment, at least until the train came to a stop. As they unloaded from the Hogwarts Express, they noticed that everyone was a lot more cheerful, and they must have been able to distract themselves from what they had heard before departing from Hogwarts. Not that they could be blamed or anything, I'm sure if you knew that the evilest person on the face of the earth came back to, oh I don't know, kill everyone, you would want to try and not think about it all the time.
Lee smiled and kissed Katie on the cheek as they parted ways, bidding her to have a good summer, and to make sure she owled him at least one time so he would know he wasn't completely forgotten. Katie smiled and nodded at her instructions.
As she made her way to her father, Katie was tugged back by Alicia, who fixed her with a stern look, "You did something with Oliver, didn't you?" Katie tried to pull out of her friend's grip and continue toward her father, who was conversing with some little old witch. Alicia pulled her back. "What happened?"
Katie was finally able to pull away from Alicia, but she didn't leave, instead she stood her ground and sighed, "It was nothing, ok? Nothing happened."
"You're lying."
"So what if I am? I just don't feel like talking about Wood right now, alright?" Katie turned around and stalked off with a small huff.
Alicia noticed how Katie had called her beloved captain plain old 'Wood,' and that never happened unless she was upset about something. And that something was defaintely Oliver Wood, but what?
Katie curled up into a ball as she lay on her bed, and heaved a large sigh. With another sigh, she turned over and grabbed a stuffed dragon and hugged it close to her chest. "You'll never confuse me, will you Chester?" She asked the toy dragon silently, giving it an extra tight squeeze, causing the toy to let a high pitched squeak.
Nodding and turning over once more, Katie frowned thoughtfully, "I didn't think so. You were always my favorite for a reason." She kissed the stuffed dragon on the head, which began to turn three shades of red, but she barely even noticed, as she snuggled up with it and drifted to a fairly uncomfortable sleep.
Mrs. Bell had been at the doorway of Katie's room, listening to her daughter's depressed state. She had never heard what had happened to upset her daughter so much, but she knew when a love issue presented itself. After Katie had fallen asleep, Mrs. Bell gently closed the door and ventured downstairs to her husband's study.
"No! No! No! I've told you a thousand times already that this is a non-negotable issue. Indian Administration can't understand that much, then translate it for them! I will not pass this motion and what I say goes!" Mr. Bell was yelling angrily at the fireplace there. In the fireplace was the head of one of the many wizards that worked for him.
The wizard nodded quickly, "Yes sir, Mr. Bell. I'll get right on it. I'll stay up all night if I have to. Sorry to have wasted your time, sir." With that said, and a small pop, the head of the wizard vanished and the fire died down until it was completely out.
Mr. Bell muttered under his breath as he returned to his desk, which greeted him with papers practically mounting to the ceiling, and swaying dangerously. It took him a moment longer to notice that his wife was standing there, a small grin of amusement playing on her face. "I tell the Indian Prince that we cannot possibly allow the people to use flying carpets in the European area, and do they listen? I tell them time and time again--" He stopped short and shook his head before collapsing into his chair and rubbing the temples of his forehead.
"I'm here to talk about Katie. You know, our daughter?" The last statement had been dripping with sarcasm. "I'm really worried about her, darling, and I think it would be best for the both of you, if we went on a little family trip together."
Mr. Bell was already shaking his head and waving off the idea, "Honestly, I haven't got the time to go on little outtings. The ministry is really getting to me this year, and if anyone is going to keep them straight after this whole You Know Who fiasco, it certainly won't be Fudge." He shook his head, "No, no, I must stay here and get as much work done as possible, including all these special assignments I've--"
"Our daughter is in her room everday talking to stuffed animals, refusing to read her mail, barely eats, you haven't had a decent conversation with her or me, for that matter, since summer began, and you're going to increase your blood pressure if you keep up with this ridiculous work load!" Mrs. Bell snapped finally, her lips in a tight, thin line. "This ends now!" She stamped her foot on the marble flooring, glaring daggers at her husband. "Pack your things we leave tomorrow!"
Mr. Bell didn't dare argue with his wife, instead he sighed and nodded. When the lady of the house left the room, Mr. Bell smiled to himself and shook his head, "I knew I married her for a reason."
The next day, the three Bells were off on some unplanned vacation to a small village in France.
"Mum," Katie said, looking over the vast countryside, where nothing but miles of grass awaited them. "I may not be too good at this whole vacation planning thing, but aren't vacations usually--" she shrugged as she looked for the proper word, "luxurious?"
Mrs. Bell smiled widely at her daughter, "This isn't a pleasure trip, my dear. This family is a wreck, and I thought getting away from England would do us all a bit of good." She placed her hands on her hips and nodded proudly, breathing in the frsh scent of--
Katie coughed as the scent of cow manuer overtook her, "Mum! We're middle of nowhere and--"
"I never thought we'd be back here again," Katie's father muttered, shaking his head and grinning slightly. Katie looked from her mother to her father, then back again. Were they both completely insane? An old farming village, wreaking with the stench of farm animals was not exactly what Katie would call a vacation. It was pure torture!
Katie watched as her parents seemed to drift back into a completely different time, probably a time before they were married. It took the two adults a moment to realize that their daughter was absolutely clueless (and the readers for that matter) about the signifigance of this dreaded and smelly place.
"This is where your father proposed to me," Mrs. Bell said silently, sighing a bit, as if caught in a dream.
A look of pure an utter confusion crossed her face, "On a smelly old farm?"
"Actually," Mr. Bell interjected gently, "your mother lived here for a spell of time, with her grandparents, before she went off to Hogwarts and moved with her aunt and uncle."
Katie had never heard much of her mother's past before Hogwarts, she looked from her mother to her father. Something told her they would be speaking a lot about how they fell in love and all that jazz. Looking over the farm land she would be staying at for a time and sighed. Right now, love was the last thing she wanted to hear about.
"Oi! Cynthia! Is that you?" Called a rough male voice from the little wooden house at the very center of the land. He was tall, well built man, with strands of grey running through his hair and beard. He waved a large hand in the air and called out to the Bell family once again. "Is that Robert with you? And who's that skinny little thing?"
Katie felt herself blushing at being called out so plainly. She looked over at her parents, the only question playing aross her face was, Who's this guy?
A moment later, the large man was introduced as Katie's Uncle Drew. After he worked for the ministry for a couple of years, he had apparently took over the farm that had once belonged their grandparents. Though it didn't look like it, he made a fortune for working the farm year after year.
The three Bells were welcomed warmly into the house where Katie met the rest of the family on her mother's side. Her Uncle Drew had three children, the two boys were both under the age of ten, but the girl, Michelle, was a year older than Katie. At first, everyone was gathered into the main room of the farm house, where they spent hours catching up on the happenings and other such things.
"--leaving me at the alter. I'm standing there, trembling like the dolt I looked like that day, in my robes while Aunt Gertrude is bawling her eyes out and Unlcle Herbert was running around with his wand, aiming his wand at everyone, threatening to hex them into twenty years if they didn't find Evette right at that moment." Drew laughed and joked about his second marraige, in which he had been left standing at the alter.
Mrs. Bell nodded wisely, crossing her arms, "I always told you about her, didn't I Drew? You should have listened to me."
"No one ever listens to their little sister," Mr. Bell came to Drew's defense, laughing merrily, but smiling an apology to his wife, "I'm sorry Cynthia, but it's true. Always has been always will be."
Rolling her eyes, Mrs. Bell nudged her husband and looked back to her older brother, "So what after that? I know you must have fallen in love again. You have those two lovely little boys under your care," she jerked her head to the eight year old Winston, who was playing a game of exploding snap with the six year old Sean.
Michelle and Katie were at the other end of the room, sometimes listening to their parents, sometimes watching the two little boys play a slightly altered version of exploding snaps, and somtimes talking amongst themselves. When they began to speak again, they spoke about what to do for the next day.
"So, what do you do around here for fun?" Katie found herself asking, trying her hardest not to sound rude.
Michelle shook her head and grinned, "Well, usually, dad has me help out around the farm, but since you're here, I will probably be able to get out of it and go shopping." When Katie cocked her head to one side, she exploded with silent laughter, "You're in France, Katie, makers of the finest wizarding products in the world. It would be economic suicide not to place a shopping plaza in every corner of the place."
Grinning, Katie nodded, "You have a point. So, tomorrow you'll show me the sights and I can finally do some real french shopping? Sounds like a wonderful plan!"
Katie,
Sorry if our last meeting was a little awkward for you. Truth be told, it was the same for me as well. I just wanted to apologize for-- Well, you know, and wanted I also wanted to check up on how your summer was going so far. I suppose this is all I really have to say. Oh, I've also recieved an official notice from Puddlemere United. For the time being I'll serve as a reserve keeper and hopefully, after a couple of games, I'll be able to play in the actual matches as a regular, but they still aren't too sure if they want to place such a heavy gamble on a kid. Well, have a good summer, and I hope you write soon.
Sincerely
Oliver
Oliver stared at this note for a moment before he crumpled it up and threw it away, deciding not to send the note to little blonde afterall. He stood up from the desk in his room and sighed a little. He didn't need to look at the mirror to know that his reflection was flipping him off and making other rude hand gestures toward him.
Rubbing the back of his neck, he pulled out his wand and gave it a half-hearted flick, causing his clothes, casually tossed about the room, to instantly make for his opened trunk, lying on the bed. He hadn't been able to master how to get his clothes to fold, but he could have cared less at the moment. Once his trunk was fully loaded, another flick and the trunk shrunk to the size of and fingernail.
He placed the small trunk into his pocket and left the cleared room. Though he could no longer see his reflection he heard it loud and clear, because it was in the very back of his mind. You dolt! You certainly are full of it, aren't you? Just send the bloody letter!
Oliver reached the front desk of the inn and placed the key infront of the inn's owner, "I'll be leaving early, but will be more than happy to pay the price for the entire three weeks."
"Not at all, Mr. Wood," the little witch cooed, batting her eyes at him. She took his key and replaced it to his designated slot, "Will it be safe to assume that you've heard from Puddlemere United?"
A small nod and grin was her only answer. She smiled sweetly at him, "That's simply wonderful for you! I wish you all the luck in world. Now go on and make something of yourself, young man, and don't worry about the payment. Your stay is on the house." She winked at him.
Trying to supress a smile, Oliver nodded, "Thank you, madam, and I will do my best." With a final nod, the Scottish reserve keeper for Puddlemere United turned about and slowly walked out of the inn.
The witch watched the young man leave, and grinned to herself, "If only I was thirty years younger."
"Agnus! Woman get yerself back 'ere now!" Came the voice of the woman's husband.
The witch rolled her eyes, "If only I wasn't married."
"Agnus!" He called once more.
"Alright, you old man! I'm commin'! I'm commin'!"
anjel-gurly11 - Hehe.. You're making me blush.. Stop it! But thanks really, for reading the fic. Thank you even more for enjoying the fic and thank you most for reviewing! Love you lots and here's a cookie!
Maria Casey Wood - I'm glad that this stpry is mind boggling, I can barely keep up with it myself! Personally I dunno who I'm rooting for.. Obviously it's got to be Ollie or Lee, I just haven't really decided yet.. Maybe I will by the end of this fic.. I dunno though, it all depends I guess. Anywho! Thanks a bunch for the review!
Lala - I just thought with this chapter I could make you possibly suffer a little bit more with this chapter. I mean, heh... Why not? It's fun to watch you guys squirm and actually plot for the future, which actually gives me ideas to put in the fic.. hehehehe! You're great! Everyone is really, but I'm glad you enjoyed Oliver talking to ya, and no, not everyone can say that Oliver Wood spoke to them. Heh.. That is a reserved one I suppose, though he talks to me all the time.
TheBrassPotato - I hate AP classes.. Too much work and too hard.. I'm taking English Honors... Amer. History Honors... Economis and Anatomy.. As far as acedemics goes, that's all I need in order to gradute. Hehe.. Anywho.. Glad you're enjoying, glad you're reviewing and I hope you liked this chapter ok, and yes LOVE the pen name.
Goodybad - Ever heard of Instant Star? It's this tv show that plays on the n or whatever and that's how I thought up that little kissy thing, but on the show the guy is a music producer and 21 years old and this girls is 16 years old and she's a client of his and I was running all over the house like OMG OMG OMG and I had somehow, but not exactly, put that in my fic... So that's where the chapter came from. Hehe.. Sorry your mom thinks you may be a little off, but everyone else knows where you're coming from. Hehe..
dreamy-crazygirl - Inu Yasha is an awesome anime, and it's japanese just so ya know, but it isn't my favorite one. My favorite has got to be Prince of Tennis, if you ever get to see that you'll love it. Just add like, four years to the ages of each guys and you'll be absolutely in love. Uhm.. Yeah as to this fic.. Don't feel bad for Katie.. She just has issues that she needs to work out a few things.. Plus, she got to kiss, kind of, the most adorablest person in the fic!
Depth.of.a.Shadow. - Would this classify as more? I hope so, glad you're demanding more as well, because I feel pretty darn wanted right about now. Hehe.. You rock!
Alrighty everyone hope you guys are all enjoying more will be up soon... I hope.. and the fic is almost done! We only have the summer and one more year to go! J.K has NOTHING on me! Bwahahahaha!
Yeah.. I'm crazy..
Later Days
Richi Sama