Chapter Two: Much Ado

'Okay, well, Chase is in her...seventh year...that means she's taking her N.E.W.T.S., damn! I can't take those! I don't even know if I can do magic! I might be in Chase's body, but I have my brain, which means I have my soul, which means I'm a muggle at heart, which means I might not be able to do magic!'

I was at it again, practically giving myself another spaz attack. Glancing around I made sure everyone was listening intently to professor McGonagall's lecture. Sure enough the faces in the room were all staring at her. Picking up my wand to try and test my ability, another thought struck me. The wand in my hand belonged to Chase. It was hand-turned from solid oak with a red cedar handle. At 12 ½ inches, it was magically enhanced with a phoenix feather. It was best for defense against the Dark Arts, healing, and love charms. Not a bad wand by any standards.

However, my own was quite different. Not that I actually owned one. But I did have one picked out for myself. Ebony with a holly handle, it was also 12 ½ inches long and boasted the essence of a griffin feather. According to Alivan's: It represents strength and generates unsurpassed magical energy. The Holly in the handle is the symbol of life, vitality and immortality and is perfect for use in spoken spells.

These wands were so different from each other I was almost scared to try hers out. But there of course was only one sure way to know if I could actually do magic. And as we all know, magical ability is a requirement at a school that teaches it. So, rolling up the sleeves of my robes, I thanked the stars I was in the back of the classroom and again picked up the wand.

'The wand chooses the wizard…' I thought to myself, before giving a slight flick of the wrist and forcefully whispering "Wingardium Leviosa!" at my quill. To my horror, it actually started to rise, bobbing here and there not two feet in front of me. Terrified of being caught and a bit in shock, I snatched it up from the air without delay.

Sitting back in my chair, I sighed, daring to glance over at Oliver who was across the isle from me, busy taking notes. Obviously he was right handed…

My thoughts drifted back to our chat on the way to class. He'd turned at the door to the Great Hall and smiled as I quickened my pace to catch up with him. We'd soon fallen in step with one another and he'd started up conversation. I wasn't concerned to acknowledge that I'd felt genuinely special at that moment. The quidditch captain was showing me attention and from what the girls had been gossiping about, he did it often. Often enough to make them jealous at least. The benefits of this were starting to show themselves more and more.

A smirk found its way across my face and I looked over at him again. It was then that my smile ebbed away. I looked down at my open notebook, staring at the blank pages.

Chase was seventeen. So was Oliver. And according to my story they were set to sleep together during Christmas break. I…I couldn't do that. Not yet. Chase may have been 17, but I was 15 and I barely knew Oliver. And while I figured sex couldn't be all that hard to say no to, it was a major thing in the story. Almost the major thing.

I looked over at Oliver again, a cheerless look now replacing the formerly exuberant one. I had until December to get close to my team captain and decide if I could feel something real for him.

What was it with these people and essays? I had an essay to write for History of Magic, another for Transfiguration and another for Arithmancy. Unfortunately essays were not a strong point of mine. I may have been a passionate writer, but anything non fictional and you could count me out. Thankfully, supper in the Great Hall came before homework. So after dropping my things off in the tower, I hurried back down to the ground floor and the hall. As you can imagine the path to the Gryffindor tower was becoming very familiar to me by now. However something very exasperating kept slowing me down where ever I went. People I didn't know were calling out my name and saying 'hello'. First of all, of course I didn't even bloody well know any of them and second I didn't have time to say 'hello' back to them all because I barely knew where I was going. Poor Oliver had to accompany me everywhere, but some how I think he was used to it. Truly it never seemed to bother him, and I had the sneaking hunch that it was routine.

Arithmancy wasn't nearly as hard as everyone complained it was. Math had never been a strong point of mine, but this was rather enjoyable and I didn't know how anyone couldn't like a class in which you learned so much. Then again, like I said, I should be in Ravenclaw. At least then I'd just be another nerd instead of, like, the only one.

Sighing I sat down once more at the Gryffindor table, this time beside Mr. Wood instead of across from him. He smiled at me as I took my seat and, being in a much better mood than this morning I was able to actually return the gesture. Then it hit me…we had quidditch practice that night. Freak! How was I supposed to do all those essays, and perform for two hours? There was no way I was missing practice (heh, first time on a broom, this should be interesting). But I couldn't shirk my work the first day I was there! This was something I'd been wanting so desperately for so long, I was determined to be dedicated. I'd just have to find a way to do it all.

Being together at the table with the rest of the house like this at dinner was a really nice feeling. It was just somehow really bonding, as hippy as that sounded.

Looking up I noticed Lee Jordan. I'd always figured him to be a cool enough kid. Friends with the Weasley twins and official commentator at all the school quidditch matches. Little by little I recognized and placed more people sitting at our table. Being a Gryffindor wasn't so bad really…not so much pressure as usual…nice, normal people for a change…I was learning to like it very fast.

"So, how was your day?" I asked the boy sitting just beside me. Wood smiled at me as if I were telling a joke.

"You were with me the whole day"- he took a swig of pumpkin juice, then swallowed and said, "You should know."

"Hmm, I suppose I was, wasn't I…" I smiled, "Thanks for that by the way. I've been rather disoriented lately. I think I sniffed up the fumes from a memory potion I was working on for homework and it's starting to get to me."

'Yes!' I thought to myself, 'I can still pull a good lie, hopefully my nerves were just shot this morning.'

"Must be, Angelina was telling me earlier in the hall that you asked her how to tie your tie this morning." He eyed me playfully.

"Well, it's complicated. We don't wear uniforms to school at Brinkley Hall." Technically this could be true if I said it was. I'd invented Brinkley Hall (which had been Chase's old school in America) when writing my story. Therefore if I so desired there to be no real dress code there, there didn't need to be.

"So after a month and a half you just up and decide to forget how to do your tie, hmm?"

My eyes widened a bit and I looked at him with a humorously challenging stare, cocking my head to the side to show I was being sardonic.

"Perhaps I need lessons." I suggested.

"That might be a good idea. Ask McGonagall if you can sign up for uniform tutoring." He chuckled.

"Oh you think you're funny do you? It's not like you can really talk, you've got me tutoring you in two subjects if I remember correctly." I hoped I was remembering correctly.

He settled down and went back to his soup, trying to think of something to say back. I was relieved at being right. Chase was good at Runes and Charms, Oliver wasn't so. Another way they'd become close. And I had to say it was hard not to get close with this guy, he was very friendly and I was enjoying our flirting sessions more than I thought I might.

"Yeah, see. Just go back to your soup you big bully."

He downed another spoonful before sitting back up and looking at me funny.

"What?" I asked in mid reach for a dinner roll.

"You've been oddly playful all day…" he said distantly. Then it was like he'd shook himself back to reality, "Oh well, guess you're just hyper, eh?"

"I wish I was hyper," I grimaced, "I'm really tired. It's been a long day."

"Oh no, don't say that. We still have practice tonight and I will work you in if it kills you."

My shoulders sank and the rest of me seemed to get lower in my seat. Chase was on the reserve team for the moment. There wasn't much reason for her to be on the actual house team really, no open spaces (yet). But she was definitely good enough to at least be on the reserve team and in my opinion that was something in Gryffindor. Quidditch was a strong point of hers. Another thing I was dreading. I'd never been good at sports and the only position I had any experience with what so ever was keeper. I always played goalie or defense line in soccer games. But field and scorer? Don't think so…I was gunna look so pathetic on that broom tonight. Even more so because Chase had been a star player, captain of her team at Brinkley Hall. A funny thing was starting to happen though. I was starting to wonder how Chase did it all: star quidditch player, ideal grades, amazing personality, and a social butterfly. It was everything I'd been fighting not be all my life: perfect. But how could I have written one of my character's like this? It was just not possible, what had I been smoking?

Later that afternoon as we all got ready for practice in the locker room; I was desperately trying to figure out how to get my gear on right. Looking around hopelessly, I timidly started over to Oliver. My legs were getting stiffer as I walked nearer to him and saw he was clad in tan breeches as he leaned over, doing up his shin guards. Swallowing nervously I soon got a hold of the fact that I was in front of him. He looked up and smiled.

"Hello Chase." He now stood up and got out his team sweater from the open locker in front of him. I did my best to give a non-chalant smile.

"Um, Oliver…?" My voice was dormant. I didn't want to do this, I wanted to go back up to my dorm, shut the curtains and think. Think where I was safe and warm and it wasn't so chilly outside, and I didn't have to pretend that I was outgoing. Where no one could see me, back to where no one noticed me, back to where I was just another face in the endless crowd. Was I homesick?

"Chase? You wanted me?" His voice pulled me back to earth. His words however, threatened to send me back into orbit. You wanted me?

'Yeah, right now, in your dorm.' I thought to myself, a real smile now plastered across my face. If my friends could only see me now…

"Umm, yah, I need some help doing up my robes."

His brown eyes now looked confused, and he wasn't playing around.

"Look Chase, about that memory thing, maybe you should visit the infirmary…?" he asked, doing up his fore arm guards. I sighed dramatically, staring at him with big eyes and a pleading, helpless look. He was cracking, I could tell.

"All I'm saying," he threw on his scarlet robes. "Is that it might be more serious than you think. I fell off my broom once when I was a younger, insisted it was nothing and stuck out the rest of the game. Later that night it turned out I had broken wrist. We won the game though." He assured me. My eyes couldn't help but roll for a moment.

"Look, I'm fine, would you just help me so we can get out on the pitch?" It was his turn to sigh as he picked up his wand, glanced up at me for a second and then spoke-

"Devincio!" I recognized it as the same spell Alicia had performed this morning. Setting it to memory, I suddenly got an idea. Taking my own wand from the pocket of my khaki slacks, I pointed it at my broom which was resting in the corner by my locker.

"Accio Broom!" With two ginger flicks of my wrist, the broom came soaring over to me. A grin spread over my features and I decided to see how far I could go with this. Raising my wand once more, I opened my mouth to say the spell, but I soon realized I had no idea how to make something close…

"Er, how do I close something again?" I leaned over and asked my team captain. He just looked down at me gravely. I think he felt sorry for me, probably figured I was actually loosing my mind.

"Arcanus."

"Right, Arcanus Compingo!" the locker shut and locked itself, but when I looked back up, Oliver had left. Feeling rather stupid at having just made a fool of myself and realizing I was probably late, my legs began an easy jog out to the pitch. Once down there, we mounted our brooms, which I thankfully didn't have much trouble with; aside from the fact that I was nervous. And then we kicked off. The unexpected way everything hit me so fast scared me a bit at first and I found myself holding onto the worn handle for dear life, barely able to breath. Soon, my eyes were darting downward at the ground which was swiftly getting farther and farther away. Letting out a soft moan of dislike mixed with fear, I leaned forward a bit, zooming off. The reserve team was playing the actual team, so I made my way around, trying to find the quaffle. The light outside was dimming fast because it was 8 o'clock and I realized things would only get harder from here. All I could think was 'thank God Chase didn't need to wear glasses'.

The broom I was riding was my own, or Chase's I suppose, a Twigger 90. The broom itself flew pretty well, but then I'd never flown with out the aid of an airplane before. It definitely took some getting used too, I'll tell ya. However…it was rather exhilarating. Sort of like driving a go-kart. The wind thrashing over your face, a numbing sensation working its way into your arms and hands, a natural high from the speed,-

A shriek left my mouth as a bludger hit the twigs of my broom, spinning me around in at least a dozen circles. Okay so that didn't normally happen when I raced go-karts with my friends…

The lump in my throat was quickly swallowed down and I slanted forward again, trying desperately to get my bearings and fixate the difference between team mates in the sparse light.

By the end of practice I was not only humiliated; I was walking funny as well. Keeping up with the game had been the most difficult thing by far as everything happened so quickly. I'd thought only professionals worked like that but obviously I'd underestimated my team. In any case I was very glad to be back up in my dorm room when it was all over. Lending to the fact that I had three essays to write I'd figured it was best if I wasn't in the common room with everyone else. Getting distracted after all was a specialty of mine and besides; I had so much to think about. Closing the thick scarlet curtains around my four-poster bed, I laid back and rested my heavy head on the pillows.

Piecing together Chase's life was going to be harder than I'd have ever imagined. After all, a life had so many aspects to it…and to make matters worse, Chase was a witch. How could I have been so stupid…? But it was just a story, I never thought, never really believed I'd be here. And even then, it's not like I wanted to be Chase, right? I wanted to be myself. To be in Ravenclaw House and it's not as if I really wanted to deal with quidditch.

Speaking of quidditch…as much as I'd been blushing on the way back to the castle, I was now starting to see the whole practice in a different sort of perspective. It had certainly been an interesting experience. Flying a broom, while rather unstable, was such a rush. Add the actual playing of the game into that and I was turning into out right adrenaline junkie. My hands still felt numb, much the way they would after go kart racing. Speaking of numb, it had been freezing outside! At least the sky was clear; the crisp autumn weather was making sure of that. I'd never seen so many stars, even on a clear night. With no source of light around for miles I suppose that's the effect one sees in her night sky. And speaking of nice sights to look out for…Harry was incredibly attractive this year. Never in my life had I been too old for a boy, I'd always been too young. With adorations like Stuart Townsend, Orlando Bloom and Hugh Dancy there were times when I'd felt like a blatant teeny-bopper. A grimace crossed my face at the thought and I turned my mind back to Mr. Potter. Mmhmm, very easy on the eyes he was. The smile that found its way onto my mouth couldn't be helped and I gave in. But alas…more irony was coming to bite me in the ass, I was 17. Our team seeker was 13, which had to be like…like cradle robbing. A giggle grew from the smile. Me, cradle robbing, what has the world come to?

And then my smile left me, and I suddenly realized how cold these rooms got at night.

The world had come to me being at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I was a witch, I was a fictional character who was rather opposite of myself, even if she was sort of everything I'd always wanted to be, I was flirting rabidly with my own team captain (who seemed to have something to offer that Mr. Potter couldn't) even though that territory seemed to be getting more dangerous by the hour, I was still paranoid, and now I was having impure thoughts about a boy who was four or five years younger than my current self. Albeit he was an incredibly hot boy…but still.

Glancing down at my books, I resolved to get started on my homework and within the hour finished with two of the three essays. The third, which was for Transfiguration, wasn't due for a week and my unwilling mind and tired eyes got the best of me when I shirked it off, deciding to do it tomorrow. Thankfully though, hidden in one of my books, I'd found my class schedule which had thrown me into complete euphoria for a few minutes. The natural high had ended when I realized I had Introduction to Dragon Language as my first class the next day. Christ all mighty, if I was barely holding onto a B in my French class back home, I was doomed now.