Several days passed and the school term's start was closing. Catie weren't too happy about it but at least she could bury herself in schoolwork and her gymnastic training would start again, she had been practising during the summer so she wouldn't be out of shape. The training with the boys' grandfather helped, he helped her not only with martial arts also with her gymnastic training. Catie were up at three am as she had woken up from a nightmare. She silently went and took a shower, now when it was so early in the morning it didn't matter how long she stood in the shower. Catie came out of the shower and brushed her hair, she looked into the mirror at her reflection and sighed. It felt like it wasn't her that was looking back at her, that it was someone else. Catie left the bathroom and went to get dressed; the clock was now four am. It wasn't unusual that her showers took one hour. She put on her dark blue jeans and white long sleeved t-shirt. She let her hair rest on her shoulders as it dried. It only took longer time for the hair to dry if it was braided. While she waited for everyone else to wake up she took her writing pad and started writing. She always wrote while she was waiting for something or didn't have anything to do, just to keep herself busy.
Soon enough she heard someone walking down the stairs. She knew it was the boys' father Sam Douglas. She walked out to meet him in the kitchen.
"Good morning Mr. Douglas" she greeted in the kitchen, Mr. Douglas was reading the newspaper.
"Good morning Catie, up early again?"
"As usual" Catie answered. "Does scrambled eggs and toast sound okay?"
"Sounds great" Mr. Douglas said sounding hungry. Catie started with the scrambled eggs and put some bread in the toaster. Mr. Douglas put the paper down. "Catie"
"Yes, Mr. Douglas?"
"I know that you're always up early, sometimes three in the morning" Mr. Douglas started, "why are you up so early?" he sounded concerned.
"Nightmares" Catie answered shortly continuing with the breakfast.
"Nightmares" Mr. Douglas repeated. "Why haven't you come to us about them?"
"They aren't that bad, besides, I know that the boys gets annoyed when I'm occupying the bathroom in the morning"
"You should sleep more," he said.
"I'm not tired, now, did you want breakfast or not?"
Mr. Douglas sighed and went back to his paper. Mrs. Douglas soon came down and into the kitchen. She was on her way to make some coffee when she saw Catie already had made it.
At noon Catie was outside, the boys were inside the house and their father were at work while their mother was at the mall. Catie gracefully bent backwards and put her hands on the ground and kicking with her feet so she brought them over her and put them down at the ground and straitened her body so she stood up properly.
An elder man walked down the street seeming to look for something, he looked a little lost. Catie saw him and walked up to him.
"Excuse me sir," she said politely, the man turned to her, "are you looking for someone?"
"Oh, yes. I'm looking for a Catie Green. Do you know her?" the man looked at her through his glasses his eyes twinkling.
"Yes I do, is it something special you want with her?"
"I have a special announcement to her" he said, "Do you know where I can find her?"
"You already have, I'm Catie Green" Catie said.
Catie invited the man, whose name was Albus Dumbledore, and they sat in the living room. Mrs. Douglas came home and Catie excused herself to talk with her.
"Mrs. Douglas, there's a man in the living room that's called Albus Dumbledore, he says he's from some school and he would like to talk to you and Mr. Douglas" Catie informed.
"Oh, all right" Mrs. Douglas went out to the living room and saw the elder man. "Hi, are you Mr. Dumbledore?"
"Yes"
"Hi, I'm Jessica Douglas" she extended her hand and he shook it, "Catie told me you wanted to talk about something."
"Oh, yes. You see," he said and they sat down, including Catie, "Catie is a really special girl. Are you aware of her special skill?"
"She has many skills, is there any in particular?"
"Her magical skill"
"Magical skill?" Mrs. Douglas asked confused. Her gaze fell on Catie that seemed to be thinking.
"I see that this can be hard to believe, but it is all true"
"Could you explain further?" Mrs. Douglas asked.
"Well, when Catie was born she received a special skill. Of what I have heard she used it when she was a little child but as she became older she used more and more less. At the end she didn't use it at all, which was actually good for her when she could be in much danger. I suppose she pretty much forgot about this skill, which was probably good otherwise someone had come and taken her memory away."
"Someone like yourself?"
"No, no. Her mother" at the words Catie slightly came out of her thoughts as she listened but she was still in deep thought. "I do know that you are not her mother, though you're the closest she got as a mother"
Mrs. Douglas looked at Catie whom had diverted her gaze to out the window.
"To move on, there is a school for those with a magical skill. Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry."
"You mean I'm a-" Catie spoke up as she stood up.
"Yes" he turned to her and looked at her with friendly eyes, "you're a witch, Catie"
"But they don't exist. Do they?" Catie looked at Mrs. Douglas but it seemed, as she couldn't get any help from there at the moment. "I mean, sure there were witch trials though they only killed innocent women on the stake. But they don't exist now"
"Many witches made it through the trials alive and gave birth to new witches, and now there are many like you."
"You mean-"
"The school is for only witches and wizards. Every teacher is either a witch or a wizard."
"I can't believe this" Catie sat down again.
"I haven't only come to take you to Hogwarts to let your powers grow, it is also your protection"
"Protection from what?" Mrs. Douglas asked and Catie looked just as quizzical.
"Something from Catie's past and they are on their way to find you, your mother" he looked at Catie, "want you as soon as possible come to Hogwarts"
"You know my mother?" Catie asked.
"Not personally, I have never met her, but she sent me a letter several years ago and told me about you and wanted you to go to Hogwarts when you became old enough, though the first years starts when they're eleven, and you are thirteen am I right?"
"Going to be"
"Yes, so you are supposed to be in the third year." He stood up and seemed to be thinking, "It can be a lot of work since you need to learn the basics also."
"But what about my training, I can't quit it. I need my training" Catie said now standing up again. "I've practised so much this summer to stay in shape and grandpa helped me a lot I don't want that to go to waste. And what about Nike? I can't abandon him, he needs me, as well as Sarah and John and Rupert and all the others"
"We really need to think about this" Mrs. Douglas said, "and I need to talk to my husband"
"Oh yes of course. I can come by in two days and see if you have reached a decision." Mrs. Douglas and Catie followed him to the door and said goodbye. After that Catie went to her room and Mrs. Douglas went to the kitchen.
Mr. and Mrs. Douglas talked a lot about the decision about Catie going to Hogwarts the night to the second day Catie heard them talking about it and she knocked on the door to Mr. Douglas office and stepped in.
"Are you talking about the decision?" she asked and they nodded.
"Catie, this is a big decision. We need to know a little bit more about this school"
"I've talked to Nike and the others- and they think I should go, they're happy for me for this opportunity"
"Did you tell them about the magic part?" Mr. Douglas asked.
"No, I couldn't." Catie looked up at them, "you seem to take this very calmly"
"Well, it's a little different from our side, you are the one with the powers"
"Still it's also your decision"
"I should go" Catie answered. "I mean, I don't want to put anyone in danger. And maybe it would be good with an environment change. Besides, I would like to know something about the magic thing. It's not like I know anything about it."
"Are you sure you want to go?" Mrs. Douglas asked.
Catie took a deep breath quickly thinking over her decision, she wanted to know more about her powers but she didn't want to leave the family or her friends, especially Nike. "Yes" she breathed out.
"Well, we can't stop you, but promise us a few things" Mr. Douglas said.
"What?" Catie waited to hear what they wanted her to promise.
"That you will write to us and tell us how it is there. And ell us if there's anything that bothers you" Mrs. Douglas said.
"Anything?"
"Anything"
"You know I don't break any promises" Catie said trying to get away from promising that though by the looks hey were giving her told her that she wouldn't get away, "all right, but with some exceptions right? You can't know everything that's going on there"
"All right, with a few exceptions, but, only a few" Mrs. Douglas said then went over to Catie and hugged her. "You have fun there okay? And make sure to study"
"I will" Catie smiled, it was nice that someone cared. Mr. Douglas also hugged her.
"If
anyone is bugging you in anyway, tell us okay?"
"Isn't it
supposed to be the boys that says that?"
Mr. Douglas chuckled as well as his wife. "Go to bed, you'll need your rest"
"Okay, good night Mr. and Mrs. Douglas"
"Catie" Mr. Douglas said as Catie was on her way out the door, "when are you going to start calling us by our forenames?"
"It's just courtesy" Catie gave them an innocent look. "Well, good night. Sam and Jessica" they looked pleased and she slipped out of the room but before she closed the door she said just loud enough for them to hear, "Mr. and Mrs. Douglas"
With smiles the parents shook their heads but soon started to get ready for bed themselves.
Catie walked up the stairs with her usual quiet steps. She knocked on the boy's door.
"It's Luna" she said, Luna was her ninja name though unlike the boys' names she had a last name to it LionHeart. None of the boys or their grandpa knew where she had gotten the name only Catie knew.
"C'mon in" she heard Colt say and she went inside.
"Hi" she said and went to sit down at Rocky's bed.
"Is something wrong?"
"No. It's just-" Catie didn't know how to tell them that she was leaving. "I don't know how to say this"
"It's okay, we're here" Rocky said and put his arm around her. She gave him an appreciative look.
"Well, you know that man that was on the sidewalk a few days ago?"
"Yeah" the three boys said.
"He was actually looking for me."
"For you? Why?" Colt interrupted.
"Colt, hush, let her finish" Rocky said.
"He comes from a school, boarding school actually, and they have accepted me to start there. Believe me, I don't want to leave you guys"
"But?"
"But" Catie paused, "I want to go" after those words she waited, waited for the protests and them saying that she couldn't go and leave them behind. Catie had closed her eyes in a wince waiting, but the protests never came. She opened her eyes and looked at them, "aren't you going to protest?" she asked. Colt stood up and sat down on the bed on Catie's other side and put his arm around her too.
"Catie, we're happy for you. Of course you can go, it's a great opportunity for you" Colt said.
"We're not going to stand in your way" Rocky said.
"We're not?" Tum Tum asked.
"No Tum Tum, we're not"
"I promise I'll write you guys" Catie said, "and if I find any candy I will send some to you Tum," she gave him a smile, Tum Tum's eyes lit up, "and to you" Catie said looking at Rocky and Colt.
"We're gonna miss you" Colt said.
"I'm gonna miss you too" she said giving Rocky and Colt a hug at the same time.
"When are you leaving?" Rocky asked.
"I'll find out tomorrow," Catie said. "Can I sleep in here tonight?"
"Sure" the boys said.
"Okay, I'll be right back" Catie said and left the room.
"I'm really gonna miss her" Colt said sadly.
"So am I. When are you gonna tell her you have a crush on her?"
"I wi- wait!" Colt caught himself, but too late his two brothers were already laughing, "I don't have a crush on her," he denied. "She's just a friend"
"Yeah right Colt, I'm surprised that she hasn't noticed yet," Rocky said. "She usually knows everything going on around here."
"Well, she hasn't been herself and you know that" Colt said and Rocky did know as well as Tum Tum.
"We better get ready for bed" Rocky said actually referring to Tum Tum that needed to brush his teeth once again since he had been eating candy.
When Catie came back she sat down on the floor but Rocky motioned her to him so she sat down beside him on his bed. He whispered something to her and she nodded. The lights where out and they all laid down to sleep. Catie laid down beside Rocky facing him, both waiting for the others to fall asleep.
After about an hour Rocky whispered.
"So"
"You wanted to talk, what's on your mind?"
"Ju-"
"lie" Catie finished when he cut himself off. She noticed that he was afraid of something, "it's okay Rocky. It's okay"
"You sure? I don't want to upset you or something"
"Rocky, I don't mind. I like talking to you, besides, when Julie and I were alone after we had met you, you were practically all she talked about"
"She did?"
"Yes, I knew she liked you from the moment she laid eyes on you. Now, what was it about Julie?"
"I was wondering, why-" Rocky cut himself off unsure that he should ask the question he was about to ask. He knew Catie probably would deny it but he had to ask.
"It's okay Rocky" Catie gave him a reassuring smile and caressed his cheek.
"Why are you blaming yourself for her death, it was an accident" he said in a rush.
"It was an accident, and I'm not blaming myself. It just happened and we have to accept it"
"Then why don't you accept it?" Catie was a little surprised over the question but Rocky continued, "I can hear you talking at night, I hear you saying you're sorry and that you start to sing but then stops abruptly and start saying you're sorry again. Why can't you sing? Julie told me that you had made a pact, and you're not the one to break a promise."
"I know. You have many questions Rocky, some of them aren't the time to answer now, and some can't be answered. But as soon as I know, you're the first to know"
"Really?"
"Really" Catie assured. "Now, let's get some sleep"
Rocky agreed and they soon fell asleep.
The time reached for about two when Catie saw Dumbledore outside walking down the sidewalk. She went outside and greeted him and they went inside. Mr. and Mrs. Douglas sat in the living room, Mr. Douglas introduced himself and they sat down.
"Can you tell us more about this school?" Mrs. Douglas asked.
"Well, yes of course. There are four houses…" he continued to tell about Hogwarts. Though Catie stepped out for a while when she saw a friend of hers outside and seemed to want to talk to her since she was waving her over. When Catie came back she had missed some information but she was going to get filled in later.
"So, when am I leaving?" Catie asked.
"You are coming?" Dumbledore looked slightly surprised.
"Obviously" Catie said in a sigh.
"Well, the train leaves at the first of September at King's Cross station in London"
"London?" Catie sighed. "Can I bring anything that's my own?" Catie asked.
"That usually depends on what you are bringing"
"A flute, for example"
"All right" Dumbledore agreed.
As the days went of the week and the first of September was approaching, Catie had packed her bag with some extra things. She had two days before she was going to Hogwarts and she decided she needed to play a game of street puck. She told them where she was going, laced up her blades and started her way towards South Central where the group of boys she usually played with played.
Turning the last corner she saw a group of boys playing puck. She could quickly point out Russ Tyler and his brother James. They were both black, could seem very tough and have bad attitudes but they were really nice boys.
"Hey Knucklepuck!" Catie called and caught Russ' attention. Russ had a special shot of his own which he called Knucklepuck, hence the nickname Catie gave him. It was hard to accurate but it droved the goalies crazy. It was a really cool shot.
"Hey Catie!" Russ called back catching the other boys' attention. They were happy to see her again. Catie came into the area and was greeted warmly by the boys by hugs, high fives, hitting fists for example.
"Where's Estafio?" Catie wanted to know when she didn't see him.
"He couldn't come" James said.
"We have to get him, I'm not leaving without saying goodbye to him" Catie said. "I'm not gonna see you in a while and I want to make sure everyone is okay"
"Where are you going?" Russ asked.
"I'm going to a boarding school in England. Really annoying."
"England? When are you coming back?" James asked.
"I don't know, I'm not sure. But I probably will be back for the summer"
"We're gonna miss you over here, man." One of the boys said.
"I'm gonna miss you guys too" Catie said.
"I'm gonna get 'Stafio" one of the boys offered and hurried to get the boy.
"C'mon let's play some puck!" James said and they cheered.
They quickly got into a game, Catie played as she used to just having fun with her friends.
Then someone pushed her towards the fence that surrounded the ground they were playing at and she quickly spun around avoiding the check and the boy went strait into the fence himself.
"Ow! How do you do that?"
"Hey, it's not like I want to get checked" Catie said and helped him up before resuming to the game.
"Haven't you learned Catie can do that? She always does that" Russ said to the guy.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah" the guy said and continued the game.
They continued playing and having fun. Catie really had fun it was about time she had some fun for a change.
Soon enough Estafio came and Catie greeted him with a hug.
"What is it that I've heard about you going to a boarding school in England?"
"It's not by choice. I have to go"
"Hey, just write us okay?"
"I will."
"Now come on. Let's play some puck with the boys"
Catie smiled and they joined the game. Russ passed the puck to her and she went towards the trashcan they were using as a goal. Catie spun around James, then Estafio, split the D and put the puck in the can. They cheered.
Russ took the puck and skated up to the middle of the court, tipped the puck up on the edge and hit the puck. His knuckle puck. It rose and lowered during it's time to hit the bottom of the trashcan making a goal. There was cheering again.
They just played around and joked with each other and showed off, they just laughed at it. They didn't know about the pair of eyes looking at them amused over how one could have so much fun with a game of puck. The older man smiled.
Catie laced of her blades and suddenly made a somersault backwards. The boys whooped. Catie smiled and decided to have a little bit more fun and back flipped two times then somersaulted over James and Estafio. Catie laughed at their face expressions, she hadn't done that before. Sure she had saved a window for what seemed a million times when her sister had tried the game and sent the puck too high, Catie had always somersaulted to get high enough to catch the puck though she always hurt her feet when she landed but she didn't say anything.
Catie laced her blades back onto her feet and skated around a little. When she turned she noticed the old man who was watching them, she smiled and waved to him. Dumbledore smiled back with a twinkle in his eye.
They played for a fun couple of hours more before Catie decided it was time to get back to the house. She hugged everyone and said goodbye before speeding off home.
"It was really fun, you should have seen the looks on Estafio and James' faces it was priceless" Catie was telling the Douglas family about her day in South Central. Catie ate her food with appetite which surprised them a little, she usually didn't eat much and now she ate everything that was on her plate. Catie thanked for the dinner and excused herself and went to her room.
Soon Colt and Rocky knocked on her door and she let them in. They sat down on her bed.
"Are you okay?" Rocky asked.
"I'm fine, why?"
"You ate" Colt said.
Catie chuckled, "I didn't eat lunch so I was hungry" she said.
"You'll promise to write us, all right?" Rocky said.
"Of course I will" Catie said sitting down between them and hugged them.
"If anyone bugs you or anything, tell us"
Catie laughed, "that's exactly what your dad said when they had come to a decision about me leaving for this school"
"Yeah, but I bet we're better fighters than him" Colt said and they laughed.
"That reminds me" Catie said, stood up and went to her bookshelf and took out a photo album. Then she sat down again between the boys. "Now when we're talking about ninja, remember when we were at grandpa's and I was going to hit that board?" the boys nodded, "well, look" she opened a page and it showed a photo of her in front of grandpa's cabin clutching her right hand in pain. She had hit a board unfortunately she hit slightly wrong and the board hadn't broke instead it were just a crack in it and Catie hand was hurting a lot. Catie couldn't help laughing remembering, she had laughed then too just after the picture had been taken. Rocky and Colt laughed too, mostly at the face expression she had in the picture.
"You were wondering how we did it, you thought that board was unbreakable until Colt hit it, though you only said it was because you had made that crack in it" Rocky said.
"But I had made a crack in it and boards do break easier then."
"Well, at least you figured it out later" Colt said.
"Yeah, thanks to you" Catie said and turned the page. There was a picture of her and Colt, he had picked her up and spun her around just teasing her. But Catie laughed she had just been startled of suddenly not having ground under her feet. On the other page there was one of Rocky kicking high.
"I have to admit that was a good picture" Rocky said. Catie playfully shoved him and turned the page.
There was a picture of Catie standing on her hands, Catie chuckled remembering that she had fell down strait on her back right after the picture was taken. The other picture was of her and Rocky, she was helping him to dance and they smiled having fun.
"I'm sorry about the toe squashing thing" Rocky apologized.
Catie laughed, "hey, at least I don't have to worry about my toes getting squashed since you're a much better dancer now"
The next picture was of Julie and Catie, they were lying in a heap laughing. The picture next to it had all the boys joined the heap and they all laughed.
"How did that heap start anyway?" Colt wondered.
"I accidentally tripped Julie, we just laughed, and then you came and tripped over us as well as Rocky, but I think Tum just jumped in" Catie said.
They sat and looked at the pictures until they came to the last picture which Catie had taken of them. Colt stood farthest to the left with his cap on backwards and a stray of hair came out of the hole in front, he had a light blue shirt on. Rocky was the second to the left he also had his cap on backwards he had a checkered shirt. Grandpa was standing to the right of the picture and he had his dark sweater and a baggy hat on. Tum Tum was standing between grandpa and Rocky practically only his head showing. His dark hair wasn't covered with a cap though and he had a blue and grey striped shirt on.
Catie smiled at the picture, it was a good one of the boys and their grandfather. Colt and Rocky said goodnight to Catie and left the room. Catie got ready for bed and fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.
Catie awoke with a start. She looked at her alarm clock, well, what was supposed to be her alarm clock. She reached over and fiddled in the dark after her watch, then since she was tired she just remembered that she could turn the light on. After letting her eyes adjust she took her watch and read 2.59. Catie sighed, another very short sleep, well, nap.
Catie yawned and stood up tiredly walking over to her desk and put down her watch. She saw the large pile of loose pages full with words on both sides. She picked up one and read:
She awoke with a start, she looked at her alarm clock then remembered that it had been smashed into pieces. Not even thinking of turning on the lights she fiddled in the dark to find her watch. Soon enough she found it and used the moonlight too see what it read, 2.59. She sighed another short "nap". She could see fairly well in the dark and saw a pile of loose pages and picked one up to start reading.
Catie's eyes winded, that was pretty much what happened right now, just a minute ago. Though when she thought about it, the same happened every night the only exception was that her alarm clock was broken. But she had even got the time right. This was weird. She went and took a shower, there was no way she was going to go back to sleep after her nightmares. She then shrugged and took out a new page to start writing. She didn't really think much about what she wrote, she just wrote until she couldn't write anymore except if she got interrupted. Catie sat down by her desk and started writing, page after page until she realised that the time was five in the morning. She got up and went to take a shower.
When Catie got out of the shower she got dressed and checked her bag if there was anything she had forgotten. Dumbledore had said that they would get the school supplies in London so she didn't have to worry about that. She put the pages in that she had written in files and then put it in her bag. When she saw the clothes she saw her gymnastic suits, she had several, and slightly smiled. She had had so much fun with the gymnastic, then it just became more work and something to get her mind of things that troubled her. Catie rethought about her clothes and changed into her ninja suit. It was just red, she used it even if she wasn't going to practise ninja it was just comfortable to wear. She put on her sneakers and went outside at the back of the house.
She breathed in the fresh morning air and slowly breathed out. She got to position and started with a few exercises, which she often did with the boys and with those who she had been trained by and with.
She was unaware about the pair of eyes that was watching her from the boys' room. His hazel eyes only watched her doing her exercises then he went down himself to join her.
Colt joined silently when he came down to Catie, Catie just continued concentrating on what she was doing. She suddenly stopped and turned to Colt and hugged him, Colt wrapped his arms around her. She seemed to have something that she hadn't told him, well there was a lot of things she hadn't told him but this was different. Catie hugged him tighter wanting to feel safe in his arms and Colt tightened his arms around her in a protective way and kissed the top of her head.
"It's okay Luna" he whispered. "You're gonna be fine, don't worry."
"I'm gonna miss it here so much"
"We're gonna miss you too" Colt said honestly.
"Can't you come with me?" Catie asked even if she knew it was impossible for them to go with her.
"Catie, you're gonna be fine. We're gonna be right here, you just write us if anything is wrong or anything that's troubling you"
"Yeah, but who would hold you down if you're on your way to jump McGriffon? Or how about getting you guys out from fights? Or what if something happens to you and I'm not here? What if-"
"Catie" Colt interrupted releasing her from his embrace. "You worry too much."
"I just don't want anything bad happen while I'm gone"
"It wont"
"How can you be so sure? Anything can happen without any hint of it happening"
Colt sighed, Catie could be so stubborn at times. "We'll be fine" he assured. "Now, since it's only seven hours before your plane takes off, we need to have a little fun" Colt said right before scooping her up in his arms and flung her over his shoulder, she held on and he walked into the house with her on his back. Catie laughed, it was always fun when he did that.
"Colt, I'm heavy, set me down" she said even if she didn't want him to.
"You heavy? Can't be, you're light as a feather"
"Oh hush" Catie said with a friendly slap. Colt laughed and went to the kitchen where his mother stood.
"Hi mom"
"Good morning Colt, Catie" mrs. Douglas greeted back with a smile, she always thought Catie and Colt had looked cute together.
Colt put Catie down. "What's for breakfast?"
"Pancakes" mrs. Douglas answered.
"Yay!" Catie looked happy. Mrs. Douglas and Colt smiled, Catie still had those childlike excitements, it was amusing.
"Could someone wake Rocky and Tum up?"
"I can" Catie said and run up the stair towards the boys room.
"She's always cute when she does that" Colt said thoughtfully in a chuckle.
"It's really nice of you to stand up for her and be there for her when she needs it Colt. She really needs it right now even if she doesn't admit it."
"Will she be home at Christmas?" Colt asked.
"I don't know, it's her choice if she wants to stay there during the holidays or if she comes home."
"I hope she will" Colt said, he really wished she would.
The seven hours passed quickly, too quickly, and now the Douglas family, Catie and Dumbledore were at the airport and was saying goodbye.
"Take care, all right?" Mr. Douglas said.
"I will"
"Be careful, and make sure to write us when you get there" Mrs. Douglas said as she embraced Catie.
"Don't worry, I will" Catie said and hugged her back.
"We'll see you soon, right?" Rocky asked and playfully hit her shoulder. "And try not to loose your temper as him" Rocky said teasingly meaning Colt. Colt had a short temper and was usually over confident. Catie laughed and hugged him.
"Don't worry, I'll make sure the guy attacked me first. I never hit unless I'm hit first, remember?"
Then Catie hugged Tum Tum, "remember the candy all right?" he said.
Catie laughed, "okay, now I'm a candy dealer."
The family chuckled. Colt smiled and hugged Catie, "a gift" he whispered in her ear and put a small box in her hand.
"I'll miss you" Catie whispered, she didn't want to let go of him.
"I'll miss you too. Make sure to write"
"I will" Catie said and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Then a voice announced her flight and she was had to go.
Catie smiled at the family she had lived with for a long time now, and now she had to leave them even if she didn't want to. Leave them for a place she had no idea how things worked, what kind of people lived there, with the exception that they were witches or wizards, how they would treat her.
Catie said one last goodbye and then turned towards the plane and left them watching her retreating back walking beside Dumbledore. Catie looked over her shoulder and her eyes locked with Colt's. She waved to him and he waved back, it seemed as if he was saying something to her but she couldn't see or hear what it was. When Catie turned the corner she faced forward again and boarded the plane. Catie quickly found her seat and sat down, then she remembered the little box Colt had given her and looked at it. It had the colours green, blue, yellow and red. The same colours that they had on their tunics. There was a little note on it, Catie opened it and read:
Just as one strand can be broken, a rope of four strands no enemy can break. Body, Mind, Spirit and Heart, we are completed
Catie smiled, she wondered how it would be without the boys now when she had gotten used to Tum's and Colt's tiffs, Rocky's peacemaking and just everything. They always had so fun together. She remembered the archer tournament she had entered years earlier and right after the ninja tournament where she had met the boys. Well, she had heard something or someone whisper in her mind "in mind, in heart, in body" and she had whispered "in spirit" right before she released her last arrow. She was afraid that she hadn't hit the bulls eye but when the green flag had rose she was stunned and couldn't move. She just stood there not believing it and asked aloud "I won?" and a voice had said "you won" not until then she jumped out of joy, even if she still couldn't believe she had won that tournament yet again.
Catie smiled at the memory. She had been so happy. The ninja tournament had been even more fun, she had made it to the final round and she had to fight the last guy in blue tunic, she had pinned him down to the ground and taken off her hood and mask revealing her brown long hair. Colt, that had been the one that she had pinned down, had no idea that she was a girl until then. You can only guess how much Tum teased him of being beaten by a girl in ninja. But he wasn't supposed to enter the tournament either, but he wanted to show the "guy" that he was better.
Catie looked up and glanced to her left where Dumbledore was seated. He noticed and looked at her with twinkling eyes. Catie smiled politely and shifted back her gaze to the tiny box.
"A gift?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yeah, from Colt" Catie answered. "He hadn't needed to get me a gift" Catie said absentmindedly.
"It's the thought that counts" Dumbledore said.
"I guess so"
"Hogwarts colours" Dumbledore mumbled.
"What do you mean, sir?" Catie asked.
"Gryffindor" he said pointing at the red, "Hufflepuff" he said pointing at the yellow, "Ravenclaw" he said pointing at the blue, "and Slytherin" he said pointing at the green.
"Oh, ok" Catie said, "the houses, wasn't it?"
"Yes" Dumbledore said with a nod.
"Well, it also could be: Luna" she said pointing at the red, "Tum Tum" she said pointing at the yellow, "Colt" she said pointing at the blue, "and Rocky" she pointed at the green. "Four strands of rope"
"Four strands of rope?" Dumbledore looked at her questioning.
"Yes"
"Who is Luna, may I ask?" he pointed at the red so she would know what he was talking about.
"Me" Catie answered. "It's my ninja name."
"It's a pretty name" Dumbledore said.
"Thank you" Catie slightly smiled.
"Aren't you going to open it?" Dumbledore motioned the present.
"Huh?" Catie snapped back from her thoughts, "oh, yes, of course" Catie looked at the box again before opening it. Inside it there was a friendship bracelet in four colours, red, blue, green and yellow. Then she noticed what it stood inside the lid Four strands of rope. Catie chuckled, he couldn't repeat that too many times. She shook her head amused and took out the bracelet to put it on.
Dumbledore helped her tying it around her wrist and she thanked him. The flight then went quickly. Dumbledore had explained some things about Hogwarts and Catie listened, she had to or else she would be completely lost when she got there.