Midnight Memories: A Katie Bell Story
Chapter 1
Katie bolted upright in her dormitory bed with a loud gasp. She was covered from head to toe in a cold sweat, body shaking, heart racing, and hyperventilating. Why was this all happening? Why couldn't all these bad memories bury themselves? Why did they have to come back? She was much happier before the flood of 'forgotten' memories returned. Why did they have to come back? She was not fooling herself with these questions though, she knew exactly why it was happening and, unfortunately, that it was not going to be ending anytime soon. It was entirely his fault…
Two weeks earlier…
Katie Bell was in a carriage on her way back to Hogwarts for her sixth year. She sat on the carriage listening to her friends, and teammates, Alicia and Angelina feverishly discussing whose professional quidditch team was better. Katie knew better than to interrupt in those conversations. She herself did not have a favorite team, she just appreciated good quidditch; she was a fan of the game.
Katie was excited as she always was for the start of term feast. Not only was she happy to see all her friends again, but she was starving also, only having eaten a couple chocolate frogs on the train. As they walked into the Great Hall, Katie could practically hear her stomach growl above the rumbling of the excited students. As she listened to the Sorting Hat's newest song (she always did love the fact that it sang a different song every year) she got a hard poke in the ribs by Angelina on her right. "Oi!" Katie exclaimed just a bit too loud, getting glances from other house tables and a few scared looking first years. She hung her head in embarrassment. "Now is there a reason you had to make me make an ass of myself before the feast even begins? You know I like to wait until the food is here at least." Katie said with a smile on her face, she did have a habit of getting people's unwanted attention. Not a very helpful talent, if you ask her.
Angelina silently pointed up at the staff table and gave her trademark double eyebrow raise. Katie knew she must have spotted a 'good looking' guy, but Katie did not know how any of the teachers could be good looking, they were far too old. Reluctantly, Katie glanced up at the staff table and immediately noticed a new teacher that Angelina must have been pointing out. He had slightly wavy soft looking brown hair that hung down sloppily to his chin which he had tucked behind his ear. He was talking to Professor Flitwick, but as soon as he looked up Katie was hit with a sudden feeling of illness. Katie was not completely sure what the feeling was, but passed it off as being overly hungry.
The first years were all sorted into their houses in alphabetical order; Katie was not entirely paying attention, but was shaking her legs and practically bargaining her soul away for some food. Finally, Dumbledore got up to give his start of term speech, the usual forest is off limits and 'be good' stuff. Then he introduced the newest staff member, a brand new professor from the Ministry, Tristan Darcy, he would be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts. Professor Darcy stood up and waved at the student body and there was an audible giggle from female students from every table, including Alicia and Angelina. Katie got the same ill feeling and when the food finally appeared on the table Katie could hardly get herself to eat any food, she mostly just pushed the food around with her fork. What was going on? Katie loved eating, why was she not hungry anymore? Maybe she was coming down with some illness.
After dinner Katie, Alicia, Angelina, Fred and George Weasly, and Lee Jordan made their way up to the Gryffindor common room. They sat around a table talking and making jokes, catching up on their summer holiday experiences. Fred and George shared with the rest of the group some new joke shop inventions that they had come up with over the summer, mostly sweets to help students get out of classes; other than the twins' new venture no one else had much to share. After a few hours the crowd in the common room began to thin.
"I think I'm going to get going up to bed. It's getting late." Alicia announced to the group looking over at Angelina and Katie.
"Yeah, I'm coming too, and so is Katie." Angelina added.
Katie had a confused look on her face, "I am?" she mockingly scratched her head, "Funny, I don't remember deciding that." Katie loved doing this to Angelina who treated her like her own daughter at times, it just made Katie laugh to see Angelina act all motherly.
"Oh get off it, we all know you need your sleep or you'll never get up in the morning. Plus, you have double Potions and double Defense tomorrow." Angelina said in a semi-defensive tone.
Katie rolled her eyes, "Alright MOM, but why did you have to remind me how dreadful tomorrow's going to be?" she said sounding exasperated.
"Well, let's just go up then." Alicia chimed in.
"Night you lot… and don't even think about skipping your first day of classes, no matter how dreadful." Angelina said to Fred, George, and Lee.
"Well, then, I guess I won't be needing these, guys, thanks anyway." Katie said throwing some sweets onto the table with a wink at Fred who had slipped them to her under the table earlier.
"Well, we tried mate, maybe next week." Fred replied with a wink.
"Night!" George and Lee said as the girls made there way up the stairs to their rooms.
Alicia and Angelina stepped into their room on the second floor of the tower and parted ways with Katie whose room was one floor above them. Katie quietly stepped into her room, all of her roommates were already asleep and she did not want to disturb them. She changed into her pajamas, climbed into her bed, drew her curtains shut, and pushed a lock of hair from her eyes before laying her head down. When she closed her eyes, though, all she could think about was this feeling in the pit of her stomach. She wished she could just feel better.