A/N: ST here. Not much to say. Just thanks to mystic-tear-drops and lo22 and I'm sorry if some of the speech is hard to understand or wrong, we tried out best.

EDIT

8-3-06

I didn't realize that in this chapter we mentioned Cedric is Chaser. We do realize that he is a Seeker, but for the purpose of our story he needs to be a Chaser. Sorry for any confusion we may have caused.

EDIT

7-6-07

ST here, so I didn't realize I was contradicting myself. Cedric isn't a chaser; he's a keeper, like in the books. He's just offering to give Chika some help. Sorry for (once again) confusing people.

Chapter 5: The First Day: Part Two (Chika)

Chika's eyes snapped open. She didn't know why: it was early, her dorm mates were still asleep, and she hadn't been having any odd dreams. She laid in her bed and closed her eyes, already knowing sleep would not come to her, and sighed. In one big movement, she threw her covers off and stood up. Standing on the cold dorm room floor, she quickly decided that a hot shower was a good idea.

She walked to the end of her bed and opened her trunk. Digging around, she pulled out a pair of jeans and a dark blue shirt with sparkles and the words "Night Sky" written in white. Going into the bathroom, she turned on the shower. Pulling off her pajamas, she stepped into it.

What to do today. I don't think we start classes till Monday. Well I suppose that I could go explore. Yeah that's it. I'll go see what I can find outside. Chika rinsed her hair and turned off the faucet. Stepping out of the shower, she pulled on her clothes.

After dropping her pajamas in her room and grabbing her cloak, she headed out of Gryffindor tower. Looking around as she headed down the hall, Chika eventually found her way to the front doors. She opened them and stepped out into the cold morning air.

She looked towards the Quidditch pitch and saw many small black dots moving around. Strange time for Quidditch practice. Chika mentally shrugged her shoulders and headed in the opposite direction. As she continued to walk, she saw a small hut in the distance growing larger and larger.

Coming closer, she noticed a garden with many large pumpkins in it. She went closer, smiling as she looked as them and reached out to touch one.

"Hey! Stay away from ther'," the large man from the previous night called to her. She jumped at the sound of his voice.

"Sorry. I didn't know."

"It's a'right. Thos' are poisnos."

"Oh, really?" Chika asked. She bent forward for a closer look.

"Yep, but I'm feedin' 'em to the Blood Sucken' Rats."

"Blood Sucking Rats eat poisonous pumpkins?"

"No, I got 'ter git rid of 'em. Can't 'ave Blood Suken' Rats about, now can ya'?" Chika nodded and looked back at the pumpkins.

"Wat ya doin' out tiss early?"

"Oh, I'm just exploring the grounds. I'd better get going. Places to go, things to see." She started to walk away.

"Beware of ta lake and forest. Dangrus they 'r."

"Thanks…I think." She wandered over to the castle doors. She checked her watch and realized it was time for breakfast. Making her way back into the Great Hall, Chika heard her name being called.

"Oi! Chika! Over here!" Chika looked toward the source of the voice and saw Fred, George, and another boy she didn't know all waving her over. She walked over and sat at the table next to the boy.

"Chika, this is Lee Jordan," he nodded his head in greeting, "and we want to talk to you about something."

"What?" she asked.

"We were wondering," George started.

"If it wasn't too much trouble," Fred continued.

"Maybe you could distract Ron and Hermione for us?" asked Lee.

"Why would I need to distract them?" Chika looked at all of them.

"Cause. We want to test some of our merchandise."

"What merchandise?" Chika asked, confused.

"We're," Fred motioned between him and George, "starting a joke shop."

"Really?" Chika was genuinely excited. It sounded like a really cool idea.

"Yeah, but our only problem is that we want to test some of our products on a wider rang of people," George interrupted Fred.

"Just to see if they affect anyone differently."

"But," Fred said firmly, "Hermione has banned testing. So that's why we need your help."

"But how can she ban testing?" Chika asked.

"Because she a prefect." Chika frowned.

"Prefect?"

"Yeah prefect. You don't know about prefects?" Lee looked surprised.

"Um….no?" Chika looked at all their surprised faces.

"Well, prefects are the most annoying," George said.

"Irritating people," Lee interrupted.

"And they can get you in trouble with teachers," said Fred.

"And Ron and Hermione are Gryffindor prefects?"

"Yep," Fred said happily.

"Well, I can try and distract them," Chika said, "As long as no one gets hurt."

"We'll try our best," said George as the three stood up, "Well, we have much to do, so we'll see you later."

"Yeah, bye Chika," Fred said.

"Bye!" Lee followed the other two out.

Chika picked up a sausage and began to eat breakfast. She looked about at all the people. Looking across the hall, she saw the Hufflepuff table and noticed the many yellow clad people that all seemed to have their heads bent together and be deep in discussion. They seemed to all agree on something, and they broke apart, heading in opposite directions.

Chika smiled when she realized the one who didn't move was Cedric. His eyes swept the hall and when he met hers, he grinned. She looked down shyly and when she raised her eyes again, he was still looking at her, smiling. All of sudden a person sat down across from her, obstructing her view.

"Morning, Chika," Harry said. Chika realized that it was Harry and Hermione that had sat across from her and that Ron now sat next to her.

"Morning guys." She smiled as Ron picked up his fork and started to eat his eggs.

"Where were you this morning?" Hermione asked as she reached for the orange juice.

"Oh, I got up early and went exploring."

"Really?" Ron said through a mouthful of eggs, "See anything interesting?" Chika shrugged. Just then there was a ruckus up above. Hundreds of owls flew all over the Great Hall. A barn owl landed in front of Hermione and handed her a paper. She paid the owl and buried herself behind the paper. Chika smiled as Harry and Ron both rolled their eyes. Another owl landed in front of Chika.

"Hey, Jarna, what have you got for me, girl?" Chika removed the letter from the leg of the great horned owl, and the owl helped herself to some bacon. Chika looked at the letter and recognized the hand writing. It's from Jake. She smiled and tucked the letter into her robes.

"Not going to open it?" Harry asked.

"I'll open it later," Chika watched Jarna fly off to go sleep in the owlery.

"Hey Harry!" Angelina said as she came up to the table, "I just wanted to tell you that Quidditch tryouts are going to be Monday during 2nd hour, alright? I want the whole team to be there, so we can find some people who fit in."

"Yeah, that sounds good," Harry smiled, "That means I get to miss the second half of potions!" Chika smiled as Angelina continued to tell Harry exactly what she wanted him to do at tryouts. Thinking about the letter in her pocket, she decided to go down to the lake to read it. Chika stood and started to leave.

"Are you going outside?" Hermione had come out from behind her paper.

"Yeah, I thought I'd go explore some more." She smiled and they all said goodbye. Chika made her way out of the Great Hall and through the front doors, heading for the lake. When she got to the shore, she found a nice spot under a tree and sat down. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the letter. Taking a deep breathe, she opened it.

Dear Cheek,

Hey! How's it going? I know, I know, it's not even the second day of school. But I had to write you. You're all the way across the ocean after all. So, how's school? How's Europe? How's England? Have you met any cute British girls? And if you have, can you introduce me? Well, anyway, I miss you, and I can't wait for school to start here. I keep thinking about going over to your house just to see if you might, by some miracle, be there. Once school starts, all I'll have to write you about will be homework this and football that. By the way, don't you ever get tired of me always complaining to you? If you do, I can stop. Anyway, I gotta go. Mom wants to go back-to-school shopping. So write me when you get this.

See ya,

Jake

Chika re-read the letter for a 2nd then a 3rd time. She sighed inwardly. I really wish I could tell him more about Hogwarts. I mean, he knows it's a boarding school in England, but other then that, nothing. Being a witch is so irritating sometimes. Chika continued to rant in her head until she heard someone talking to her.

"Chika?" She looked up and saw Cedric standing above her.

"Sorry," she said, "off in my own world." Cedric chuckled a bit.

"Is it all right if I sit?" he asked.

"Oh, yeah, sure." Chika smiled as he sat down next to her. He looked out over the water and started to talk

"I saw you this morning, at breakfast," he said, playing with some grass he had pulled up from the ground.

"Oh, really?" Chika asked nervously.

"Yeah, I was kind of hoping to go over and ask you if you were planning on trying out for Quidditch. But Harry and them came over and sat down. I figured you wouldn't have wanted me to come over while they were there." He looked at her out of the corner of his eyes.

"It would have been alright, that is, unless they hate you." She laughed a bit.

"No, they don't hate me. Actually, Harry saved my life last year, during the Tri-Wizard Tournament," Cedric's face hardened a bit and he threw the fistful of grass he had.

"All I ever heard was that you and Harry disappeared during the third task and then reappeared some hours later, bloody, clutching the cup," Chika looked over at him.

"I really don't want to talk about that night," he said darkly.

"Alright." The two of them sat in an uncomfortable silence for a few moments.

"So," Chika said, "Why do you care if I try out for Quidditch or not?" Cedric smiled; obviously relieved she had changed the subject.

"I'm captain and keeper on the Hufflepuff team," he said proudly, "and I know Gryffindor needs a new chaser and keeper this year."

"I was considering trying out for chaser," Chika said, "I'm not that good, though."

"I'm sure your fine," Cedric said, "and besides, you're Harry's friend, and I'm sure he'll put in a good word for you with Angelina." Chika shrugged casting her eyes out over the water once more.

"What's wrong?" Cedric asked, worried.

"It's just," Chika sighed, "if I'm going to do something, I want to do it because I'm good at it, not because I made good friends." She angrily threw some grass into the water.

"I'm sorry," Cedric said after a few moments silence, "I just meant that- all I was thinking was-" He fell into silence, unable to say anything. Chika suddenly sighed.

"I'm sorry, Cedric. You didn't do anything. It's just: I've had some bad experiences with stuff like that, ok?" Cedric looked at her for a moment, searching her face for something, and then his face softened.

"Yeah, it's ok. Hey, I have an idea," his face lit up, "Gryffindor tryouts are Monday, right?" Chika nodded.

"Then you and I can practice today, I can help you get ready!" He looked so happy that Chika had no choice but to say,

"Sure. Let's go." Cedric beamed even more.

"Alright, I'll meet you in pitch in twenty minutes?" Chika nodded and Cedric stood and raced off, waving to her. Chika sat for a few more moments before rising and heading back to Gryffindor Tower. Once she was through the portrait hole, she went straight to the girl's staircase.

"Chika!" Hermione called, coming towards her, "You left before you got your schedule this morning." She moved beside Chika and handed her the schedule.

"Thanks," Chika muttered hastily making her way up the stairs. Hermione followed her.

"Where are you going in such a hurry?" They entered their dorm room and Chika started digging through her trunk.

"No where important. I'm just meeting someone," Hermione bit her lip, "What?" Chika straightened, her Comet 260 in her hand, and looked at Hermione.

"Well, Harry and Ron are going down to the Quidditch pitch to get ready for Monday, tryouts, you know. Anyway, I'm not much for Quidditch and I could really use someone else there to talk to, I'm going to be pretty bored." Chika shuddered inwardly when Hermione said that Ron and Harry would be out on the field. Aw shnap. Now they'll see my horrible playing abilities.

"I really wish I could go with you Hermione," more then you know, "But, I'm meeting Cedric at the pitch and he's helping me get ready for Monday." She tensed a bit, waiting for Hermione to be really surprised that she played.

"Wait… you're going to be flying too? That's cool! Ron and Harry have both been hoping that you were into Quidditch. They talk about it non-stop." Chika smiled. "But why are you meeting Cedric?"

"Me and him were talking down by the lake, and he agreed to help me prepare." Chika smiled a bit more.

"Alright," Hermione moved to the door, "We'd better get going then. We've got a lot to do." Chika followed Hermione out of the room and through the castle to the grounds. As they approached the pitch, Chika started to feel very nervous. After all, Ron and Harry were about to see how horrible she was, and they were bound to tell the rest of the team and-

Stop it Chika! You are a good player. Every decent wizard that has ever seen you fly says you have talent! Especially that Quidditch coach that visited Beauxbatons last year. So get over it and go fly!

Hermione and Chika entered the pitch. Cedric, Ron, and Harry were all standing in the center of the field. They waved her over, and she joined them.

"Alright," Harry said, "we're going to play two a side, if that's all right?" Chika nodded, as did the rest.

"Why didn't you tell us you played?" Ron asked as they mounted their brooms.

"I don't really. Not much anyway." The four all rose into the air, Ron carrying the Quaffle.

"It's going to be Cedric and Chika vs. Ron and Me, ok?" Everyone nodded and the game began. Ron threw the Quaffle into the air, and Cedric grabbed it, immediately passing it to Chika. Avoiding Harry's hand, she caught it and headed towards the goal.

Throwing the Quaffle through, Ron grabbed it as it fell and headed towards the opposite goal. After 30 minutes of play, the four players flew down to the ground.

"That was pretty good, guys," Cedric said, "and Chika, you're really not that bad."

"Yeah," Ron agreed, "Where'd you learn to fly like that?"

"Uh, here and there." Hermione joined the group on the field.

"Am I the only one who's the least bit upset about tomorrow's schedule?" she asked.

"Why? What's on it?" Chika looked over at her.

"Well, it's not going to be fun. Double Potions with the Slytherins first thing." Ron, Harry, and Chika all groaned.

"That sucks," Cedric agreed, "I have double Transfiguration first." They all laughed a bit and headed back towards the castle.