Kathryn Winchester and the Goblet of Fire
by Lady Dawson
Chapter Six: Onto the Hogwarts Express
The last weeks of summer finally drew to a close and there was a feeling of autumn slowly descending upon them. As Kat packed up all of her belongings and placed them in her new trunk for her first day at a new school, she couldn't help but feel excited, despite the situation that had caused her to come here, to be going to Hogwarts. Her father had talked about it constantly and it had left her with an extreme desire to go there, rather that Lerion.
Faith certainly seemed happier than usual as they were readying to go to school—but maybe that was just because once they were there, she wouldn't have to put up with either of their brothers once they were at the school. Kat would bet all of the money in her inheritance that Matt was going to be going into Slytherin with Gil. From what she had heard, it seemed perfect for both of her brothers.
When the morning finally came for them to board the Hogwarts Express, Kat was already up and ready before the sun had really started to shine, checking everything to make sure that it was in her trunk before she got dressed and headed down to breakfast, then double and triple-checked her trunk before they were ready to go.
"You'd better be in Gryffindor," Faith said severely as they climbed on the Knight bus to get from the manor to King's Cross Station. "I swear, if you're not, then I'm never speaking to you again."
"Really? Then who are you going to talk to next summer?" Kat wanted to know, giving her a smug smile. Faith's accusing smile vanished and she scowled, choosing to look out the window instead, watching the streets of London zooming by. Kat had looked out at first, but it had soon made her sick and she chose to just look around at the passengers instead.
"All right, maybe not just Gryffindor," Faith finally said when they were minutes away from King's Cross, "but if you do end up in Slytherin, then I swear I will disown you."
Kat shivered at the thought. "No worries, Faith. Dad told me about that place and I'm not even going to consider going in there, no matter what the Sorting Hat says. Not even for a minute."
Faith looked happy to hear that. "Good. Jeez, what is taking so long?" she complained as she craned her neck to see around her and ended up falling on the floor, flat on her face. Hearing laughter coming from behind them, Kat glanced around to see her brothers hanging in their seats, grinning mercilessly at Faith's fall.
"Can it, you two," Faith grumbled as she accepted Kat's help in guiding her back to her seat. "Remind me to ask Fred and George for some help getting revenge on those two when we get to school."
"Somehow, I don't think you're going to have any problems in getting them to do anything," Kat murmured as they—at last—came to a stop at King's Cross and she gratefully got off, stepping down off of the bus as she entered the London train station for the first time in her life.
"We'll take the boys up ahead," Rose said over her shoulder at the twins. "You two follow after."
"Whatever, Mom," Faith said flippantly as they walked ahead of them before disappearing into a wall between Platforms 9 and 10. "All right, I'm going to explain this really quick, okay? To get to the platform, just walk between the walls of Platforms 9 and 10."
Kat looked at her doubtfully. "I think you're pulling my leg," she said sceptically, looking at the two platforms. "But all right."
"Would I pull your leg?"
"Yes."
Faith frowned, considering, but nodded in conceded defeat as she broke into a run, pushing the trolley ahead of her before she vanished into the wall, leaving Kat alone in the train station.
"Well, here goes nothing," Kat whispered as she ran right after her sister, disappearing through it and reappearing on the opposite side, revealing Platform 9 ¾, with a great scarlet train gleaming at her happily as she stood there for a minute, awestruck.
All around her, witches and wizards were saying goodbye to their parents. Kat saw a few people that she recognised from the World Cup, including the Weasleys with the other two that they'd had with them, Harry and Hermione.
Kat caught up with her sister as they boarded the train just as the train whistle blew and it began to move. Gil and Matt immediately took off to join some of their slimy Slytherin friends, leaving the twins alone.
"Listen, Kat, I promised Fred and George that I'd catch up with them, so do you mind if I see you later?" Faith asked. Kat opened her mouth to protest, but Faith was already dragging her trunk down the corridor, leaving Kat alone in the passageway.
"Oh, sure, Faith, no problem, I'll be fine on my own," Kat muttered as she started dragging her trunk down the tiny aisle, trying to find an empty place to sit, but all of them were full and all of them eyed the new girl suspiciously before continuing on with their conversations. Kat started to despair when the voice of her saviour caught her ear.
"Kat?"
She looked around to find Cedric Diggory standing behind her, looking happy to see her. "I was wondering if I was going to see you," he said with a smile as she stopped, looking back at him. "What are you doing?"
"Trying to find somewhere to sit," she said weakly. "Faith went off somewhere and . . . kind of left me alone."
"Sounds like her," he said dryly. Kat made a face, but knew he was right. After all, Cedric did know Faith probably a bit better than she did, since he had known her since she had started school here and Kat had only met her about a month back. "Come on, get in here. There's plenty of room."
Kat let out a relieved sigh, despite the way that her heart was racing in her chest as she dragged her trunk in with her and, with Cedric's help, navigated it onto the holsters above them.
Cedric looked around at the three other students that were in the compartment with them. "Everybody, this is Kat Winchester," he introduced. "She's transferring here this year, fourth-year. Kat, this is Elaine McKinsey, Dean Reynolds, and Andy Campbell."
"Hi," Kat said shyly as they all exchanged their hellos. "Nice to meet you."
"Judging from the accent, you must be from the States," Elaine said. Kat nodded. "How exciting! What brings you to this part of the world?"
Immediately, Kat felt a stab as she was reminded, once again, of her father's untimely demise. "My dad was killed," she said after a minute. "And my mom lives here, so . . . I had to come live with her and my sister." She felt someone watching her and when she looked up, she saw Cedric with his eyes fixed upon her, sympathy written in his eyes.
"I'm sorry," Elaine said, jerking Kat's attention away from Cedric. "I shouldn't have asked."
Shaking her head, Kat gave her a reassuring smile. "It's okay, you didn't know," she pointed out.
"Winchester!" Dean suddenly exclaimed, pointing directly at her. "Now I remember where I've seen you at! You're Jack Winchester's kid!" She nodded, grateful for—well, not if for a different topic, but at least one that wasn't quite as painful. "Oh, man, your dad was one of the best Quidditch players of all time! He's one of my favourites!"
Cedric laughed. "Right, because when her dad retired from Quidditch, you were two," he pointed out.
Dean sulked, giving him a look. "Well, that's completely beside the point," he complained. "Shut up, Ced," he added as Cedric grinned. Kat couldn't help but giggle at their antics.
Elaine shook her head at her, giving her a nice smile. "Don't mine them, Kat, they're always like this. I swear, sometimes I think they're sixteen going on seven."
"Hey!" Cedric protested. "I'm seventeen . . . well, next week, anyway," he added in defeat when Elaine gave him a nice smile.
"Your birthday's next week?" Kat asked him.
"Yeah, September 9th," he answered. "Dad should be thrilled when I finally get my Apparation license."
Kat smiled, enjoying herself with the older students—Elaine, Dean, and Andy were all in their sixth-year, with Cedric, but they didn't seem to mind having a younger student with them as the conversation began moving into the World Cup.
"Mum waited too long to buy tickets, which I personally think that she did on purpose," Elaine said miserably, the only one of them that hadn't been to the game. "But we might have a chance at the Quidditch Cup this year."
"We're not having Quidditch this year," Andy said. Kat's head swivelled around to look at the solemn boy sitting by the window with his legs propped up on the opposite seat.
"What?!" Cedric demanded, outraged.
"No Quidditch?" Dean repeated, stunned. Kat could see their reaction; even in Lerion, not having Quidditch would've been a severe disappointment to most of the students.
"Why not?" Kat asked, her curiosity spiking. They wouldn't have cancelled the Quidditch season for no reason.
Andy shrugged. "I don't know. My dad just said that we weren't going to be having it this year when I talked to him about joining the team. Not that I was going to be able to, anyway. You need parental permission to play and he wouldn't give his without a piano dropping on his head."
Cedric looked extremely unhappy to hear this particular piece of information as the grey skies that had been hovering over them all day started to pour at long last.
"No Quidditch," Dean whined, sounding like a little boy in a store that hadn't gotten a toy that he asked for. "A whole year without a single Quidditch match . . . that's just wrong." He looked sullen and disappointed as he leaned against his seat.
"Maybe they've got something else going on," Kat said helpfully. "Something even more exciting."
"Bad choice of words there," Elaine said wryly as Dean's eyes popped open and he sat up straight, staring at her in complete and utter disbelief.
"'Something even more exciting'?" he repeated. "Winchester, there isn't anything more exciting than Quidditch! It's a way of life, it's more than a sport, it's what we thrive on, it's—"
Elaine reached over and clamped a hand over his mouth, preventing any more words from coming out. "Enough, Dean-o," she said chirpily.
Cedric laughed as he watched his friends with twinkling blue-grey eyes as he leaned towards Kat. "You'd think that they were dating, wouldn't you?" he whispered. Kat grinned, hiding her smile behind her hand as Dean and Elaine continued to squabble. "I wouldn't be offended if you took off, with this lot around here."
"Not unless you want me to," Kat told him, suddenly thinking that maybe he was sick of her.
He smiled, causing her heart to jump and her palms suddenly grew very sweaty. "Not for the world."
She blushed at his words, a pleased smile crossing her face as she noticed that the train was finally starting to slow down and she peered towards the window.
"Finally!" Dean said, forgetting his argument with Elaine as he jumped to his feet. "I'm starved!" They had changed into their Hogwarts robes earlier, so all of them got up and started to head towards the front of the train to descend onto the muddy and rainy street.
Kat pulled her robes up around her sandy blonde hair as she looked towards Cedric. "Where I am supposed to go?" she asked desperately. "I'm not exactly a new student, but I—"
"Not sure," Cedric said, looking towards where the first-year students were heading. "Come on, there's Professor Hagrid. He'll probably know." He took her hand and led her over to a giant of a man with a long, shaggy beard. "Professor?" he said politely. "This is Kat Winchester, she's transferring here this year and we're not sure where she's supposed to go."
"Right here," Hagrid said with a smile at her. "She's supposed to go with the other new students. Welcome to Hogwarts, Miss Winchester."
"Thanks," Kat said weakly as Cedric, to her disappointment, let go of her hand.
"I'll see you at the Great Hall, Kat," he said, giving her another smile. "Hopefully, you'll be in Hufflepuff." She gave a small wave as he headed back towards his friends, breaking into a run to climb into one of the carriages.
"Hopefully," she whispered as she stared down at the hand that Cedric had just let go of. I'm never washing this hand ever again, she thought happily as she followed Hagrid and the first-years into the boats, heading to Hogwarts.