AN/ Dedicated to Authoressinhiding, for being a very faithful reader and reviewer and giving me plenty of help along the way! You rock my socks right off my feet and into the washer! Wow, I have the weirdest compliments...
On to the chapter!
I rolled out of bed made and sure my hair was secured properly. I glanced over at the clock in the darkness. It was 4:55 am. I was on time for once. I pulled on my light jacket and jogged out of my room and down the hall of our Scottish home to my brother Kent's room. I yanked open the door, pulled his pillow off of his bed and proceeded to whack him with it.
"Wake up, it's time for Quidditch!" I bellowed emphasizing my words with more pillow blows, "Come on, you lazy bum!"
"Morning Katie," Kent muttered drowsily, "I'll be out in a second."
"You'd better be," I warned. I was almost to the stairs when I got a sudden idea. Oliver liked to train with us, right? Well, how many unpleasant ways could I wake him up at 5:00 in the morning?
I grabbed a bucket from the cleaning closet and went into the guest bathroom in the other wing. I filled it to the brim with freezing cold water and lugged it down the hall. I opened Oliver's door, praying it wouldn't creak and wake him up before I could. It didn't, today was my lucky day! I hoisted the bucket up and ready to pour when...
"Bell, what are you doing?" Oliver asked from behind me, "5:00 training, right?"
I jumped something like 20 feet into the air and spilt the water all over myself. I was drenched from head to toe and hadn't managed to get Oliver wet at all. I guess it wasn't my lucky day after all.
"Bloody Hell, what are you doing up?" I spluttered, "You're supposed to be there!" I gestured wildly to the bed.
I chucked the bucket to him and ran out of the house not bothering to change out of my clothes before training. I knew I'd get all sweaty and the water would probably feel good anyways. I was just a tad cold outside in my sophees, tank top, and soaked light jacket, but I'd be moving in a minute so I didn't worry about it. Oliver followed me out of the house, still laughing at me while I opened the broom shed and grabbed my broom, which I had put away the night before, Kent's broom and Oliver's broom, which I chucked at him, not politely hand it to him, not even gently tossed it to him, but chucked at him.
Without saying a word I tossed my broom to the side and took off running. Kent soon joined me as I went by the door to the house and kept pace with me and Oliver trailed behind us. We did three laps of our yard, which is huge by the way, and then flew three laps. Then we ran two more laps and up into the woods where our pitch was located. Here I ran two more laps and flew about six more while Kent stretched. When he had finished stretching I stretched quickly and pulled out our box of Quidditch balls. I pulled out the Quaffle and started tossing it around a little bit. Then Kent and I started trying to score on Oliver.
"Wood, you're supposed to block them!" I cried as yet another of my shots got passed him.
"You're not supposed to score on your own Keeper," Oliver muttered in reply.
"Katie, leave him alone, not everyone can block your shots," Kent soothed, playing peacemaker.
"Yeah, fine." I said letting it go. I scored on Oliver one more time and then landed. I opened the box of Quidditch balls and pulled out the tiny golden Snitch.
"Katie, what are you doing?" Kent asked me, starting to get fed up with Oliver and my fighting.
"I'm going to practice being a Seeker. That's what I used to play and you never know when Harry's going to be off saving the world and I have to play his position," I replied, referring to that horrible flattening we received from Ravenclaw because our team gave up.
"Yeah, you may want to practice because you sucked." Oliver taunted, now he was just picking fights.
"Yeah, well at least I didn't suck at my own position," I retorted cruelly.
"That's it you two!" Kent bellowed, "I'm tired of your constant bickering, you're worse than Katie and I ever were, and she's my sister! Stop talking altogether if you must, but just shut up!"
"Fine by me," I agreed icily.
"Who says I was planning to talk to her anyways?" Oliver asked just as coldly.
"Argh!" Kent slammed the Quaffle into the box and grabbed the snitch from my hand, shoved it into the box and locked the box. Then he put it away and strode annoyed towards the house.
Oliver followed him and I flopped backwards into the grass and just lay there until Mum called that it was time for breakfast. Then I went running to the house, eager for some sausage and pancakes.
After breakfast I took a shower and curled my hair with my Muggle curling iron. Sometimes it was good to be half-blooded. Then I went for a walk in our vast backyard. I walked down the path to the lake and sat on the end of the dock with my feet trailing in the water. It was very relaxing and my mind began to wander.
Oliver and I were sitting by the lake at Hogwarts. I was staring out at the giant squid and watching the kids swimming happily. Oliver was looking at me but I was oblivious to it. Suddenly he spoke.
"Katie, you are the reason I get up in the morning. You are the sun to my moon. You're the yin to my yang. You are the sunshine in my day and the moonlight in my night. I love you. I always have and I always will..." Oliver told me.
Then the scene faded and came back to the very spot where I was sitting.
I was a lot older and I was in the most beautiful wedding dress I had ever seen. My hands were clasped in Oliver's and all my family was there. Oliver's niece Ali was dressed in a lavender dress and held a bouquet in her hands. She was the only one of his family that I recognized.
"You may kiss the bride," a man's voice said.
It was Oliver's and my wedding.
"Wow, that was weird," I exclaimed as I snapped out of my stupor. It wasn't a normal daydream. No, it was almost like I was really seeing it.
I got up quickly from my seat and hurried back to my house freaked out by my daydream. I decided to eat lunch and then change and make sure everything was ready for my friends' arrival.
As soon as I had finished lunch I went upstairs to get three rooms ready for my guests.
For the twins' room, I picked the corner room with the trellis outside the window and where you could climb out onto the roof. It was done in a red and gold theme, perfect for any Gryffindor. They had a bathroom, rather large closet, and two double beds on opposite walls.
Alicia's room was done in shades of purple and blue and had a balcony with a swing on it. Her huge bed had mosquito netting around it and about a billion pillows covered the top of the bed. On the opposite wall was a large fireplace with two chairs in front of it. Her bathroom was opalescent lavender and had a huge tub on a dais in the center of the room with stairs leading up it. The shower was one with all four sides made of frosted glass with flower patterns. The towels were the same shade of lavender as the walls and they were just about as soft and fluffy as possible.
Angelina's room was done completely in various shade of light green. She had a bed that rivaled Alicia's in size but wasn't covered in nearly as many pillows and was devoid of the mosquito netting. There was a couch at the foot of her bed and a large TV mounted on the wall it was facing. She had no balcony but the view from her window was the second best view in the house. It looked right out over the lake and was set perfect for watching the sunset. Her bathroom was mint green with towels that matched the walls and were as fluffy as Alicia's. The tub was set in the corner and was square and the shower had a curtain all the way around it.
After I was certain that everything was ready I went and changed. I had been correct in my prediction that I would manage to spill something on myself at lunch. I quickly put on my pleated jean skirt, red tank top that had a monkey swinging from a tree, and my white tennis shoes. I wore my bathing suit underneath it because I planned to take my normal moonlit swim that night after dinner.
I glanced at the clock on my wall. It was now 3:25. I went downstairs and found my mother in her study working on something for her job as ambassador to the American Ministry of Magic.
"Mum," I said, not wanting to disturb her, "I'm going to get Alicia, Angelina and the twins now."
"Okay Katherine Ann, the floo powder is where it always is. Use the fireplace in your father's study. He's working at the office today," my mother replied, "Is Oliver going with you?"
"No," I replied, "I haven't seen him since breakfast. I think he's working on plays or something."
"The only thing that boy ever thinks about is Quidditch," Mum sighed as I left her office, "He's a bad influence on you Katherine Ann. Don't forget the important things."
"I won't Mum," I assured as I shut the door to her study and went into the room across the hall.
My father's study was one of my favorite places in the house. It was red with leather furniture and books lined every inch of wall. He had a large L-shaped desk that cut through the corner of the room and held a computer and many, many, papers. His fireplace was always lit and it gave the room a sense of warmth and love. I glanced at the clock on the wall and grabbed a handful of floo powder. It was now 3:28. I tossed the floo powder on the fire, stepped in and shouted 'Alicia Spinnet's residence, Coastal Sands'!
The green flames around me started to spin. It was a good thing I was used to floo powder because otherwise I probably would have gotten sick or dizzy. Soon the spinning stopped and I stepped into the living room of the Spinnet's house.
"Katie!" Mrs. Spinnet greeted warmly, "It's good to see you again. Alicia's almost ready. Did she tell you that we're going to France next month? We're going to meet some distant relatives and we are very excited."
"Katie!" Alicia exclaimed and hugged me, "I'm just finishing packing. Come on upstairs."
I followed the girl up the stairs and into her room. It was very neat and was colored in various shades of purple satin fabric. Even the walls were satin. The trunk she used for school was on her bed and she was placing various items into it. She looked like she was half-packed.
"I have my clothes, my bathing suits, my shoes, my sunglasses, my pajamas, my suntan lotion, my bath things, my slippers, and my hair things. What else do I need?" she asked.
"Bring your wand." I suggested, "It's best to carry it everywhere. Oh, you'll want to bring your purse."
"Yes, of course," Alicia replied placing the final items into her trunk and closing it, "So, is anyone else coming?"
"Angelina," I replied nonchalantly, I wanted the twins to be a surprise.
"That's good. I found her Potions book in my things," Alicia replied as she took the book from her beside and put it in her trunk before closing it again.
"Yes," I replied sarcastically, "because you know how much she'll be wanting that back."
Alicia laughed and we carried her trunk downstairs. She said good-bye to her family and we threw some floo powder onto the fire, stepped inside the green flames and yelled 'Angelina Johnson's Home, Georgetown'!
As I stepped out into Angelina's living room she sprinted into the room. I lugged Alicia's trunk out of the fireplace and Alicia stepped into the room a second later.
"Katie, Alicia," Angelina exclaimed as she hugged us, "You're… on time!"
"Is that such a surprise?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"No, I'm just not packed yet! Come help me!" Angelina darted out of the room and up the stairs.
Alicia and I called our greetings to Mr. and Mrs. Johnson as we passed them in the kitchen before following Angelina up the stairs. We walked into her messy bedroom which was, in fact, various shades of green. Did I know my friends or what?
Angelina was running around the room tossing things into her trunk and then pulling them out again only to throw them back in a minute later. How she could tell that she had everything was beyond me.
"Okay, that's it," Angelina exclaimed finally, "All I need is my wand and I'm good to go! Where is that pesky thing?"
Angelina started searching her room for the wand which I spotted lying on her bedside table. I picked it up and waved it around.
"Looking for this?" I asked as Alicia sniggered. Angelina whirled around from where she was rooting through various drawers and let out a bark of joy.
"You found it!" Angelina cried, "Let's go!"
After Angelina said good-bye to her parents she bounded over to the fireplace and grabbed a little box from the mantle. She opened it and we each took a small handful of floo powder. Then she closed the box and placed it back on the mantelpiece.
I was about to throw my floo powder onto the flames when Alicia interrupted me, "What do we say?"
"Oh, just say, 'The Burrow'," I replied.
"The Burrow?" Angelina replied skeptically, "That sounds familiar."
"Yeah, it does," Alicia agreed.
I grinned as I tossed my floo powder into the fire and stepped into the flames and shouted 'The Burrow' at the top of my lungs. Fireplaces flashed before my eyes and I finally stopped spinning. I stepped out of the fireplace and into the Weasley's homely looking kitchen.
"Katie!" two redheaded figures threw themselves onto me and I nearly fell back into the fire.
"You're our savior!" Fred shouted.
"We love you more than a fat kid loves cake and ice cream!" George added.
"Mum just found out about the cauldron tanks," Fred explained, "We'd be done for if you weren't coming!"
"Boys!" Mrs. Weasley called down the stairs, "I'm not carrying your trunks down these stairs all by myself!"
"Coming Mum," they chorused and ran out of the room to help their mother with the trunks.
I glanced up at the clock on the wall. It was the one that told where everyone was. All the hands pointed to 'home' except for Mr. Weasley's which read 'work'. A minute or so passed and Mrs. Weasley bustled into the kitchen and pulled me into a motherly hug.
"Katie, I'm glad that my sons didn't get you expelled or anything with their shenanigans."
"No," I replied, "I managed to avoid that. I only got a couple of detentions."
"Hey Katie," Ginny greeted me as she walked in and sat down at the table. She was Fred and George's younger sister who was going to be starting Hogwarts this year.
The fireplace turned green and out stepped Angelina with a large trunk. A minute later Alicia stepped out.
"Katie, this isn't your house," Alicia observed.
"Thank you Captain Obvious," I replied as Ginny sniggered.
"Alicia, Angelina, it's so good to see you!" Mrs. Weasley hugged both girls and then turned to Ginny, "Go find out what is taking so long!"
"All right," Ginny muttered as she left the room only to turn a round and come right back in.
"I told you to find your brothers," Mrs. Weasley said.
"I did," Ginny replied gesturing to the doorway where Fred and George appeared, lugging their trunks into the kitchen.
"Let's go Katie!" Fred exclaimed as he turned around. He jumped about three feet in the air when he saw Angelina.
George turned around and saw Alicia. "HI...ALICIA," George spluttered with a slight squeak.
"Hi George," Alicia said smoothly.
Fred's jaw dropped as Angelina smiled at him. He spluttered unintelligently for a moment and finally managed to saw, "Hi Ange."
"Hi Fred," Angelina said with another smile. Ginny and I snickered and even Mrs. Weasley tittered. Both Angelina and Alicia started giggling. Wow, Angelina giggled. Angelina giggled. Angelina giggled! ANGELINA GIGGLED, AT FRED WEASLEY! Fred blushed bright red.
"I swear it's a sign of the apocalypse," I gasped in disbelief, "Did Angelina Johnson just giggle?"
Angelina gave me a patented 'glare of death' while Ginny snorted in laughter. Fred managed to regain his normal poise and George; well, he never had any poise in the first place. So he just stood there next to his twin awkwardly.
"Glad to see you're the normal chipper Katie," Fred commented, "I had wondered what with Oliver in your house."
"Wood and I are no longer talking, at all," I informed him, "There wasn't as much as an icy, 'chuck me the peanut butter,' exchanged. I walked all the way across the kitchen to get it."
"Way to go Katie," George said sarcastically, "That's sticking it to the man."
"Well then, maybe I'll just leave you here," I suggested, "I'm sure Fred wouldn't mind his own room."
"Yeah, you do tend to snore," Fred agreed.
"Did I say something?" George asked innocently, "I'll keep my handsome, kissable, and poised mouth shut."
"George," I said as I clapped him on the back, "you never had any poise and you never will have any poise. Get used to it."
And with that I promptly tripped over my own foot and fell on top of Fred knocking him over so I landed over top of him. I quickly got up and looked down at Fred.
"What are you doing down there? Playing hide and seek? Really Fred, grow up!" And with that statement I grabbed a pinch of floo powder, tossed it into the fire, and stepped into the flames calling, 'Bell Estate, Scotland!'
AN/ I'd really like to thank my new beta, Michelle! You rock like a fat kid in a canoe! I love you more thata fat kid loves cake and ice cream! Now, hopefully, there won't be nearly as many mistakes!
Thanks guys for reading my story and reviewing, AHEM (cough, cough) on a regular basis. Thanks also to my phantom readers, so named for their habit of never reviewing! I would like to hear from you guys too!
Love From,
MotherCrumpet