Kate welcomed the pebbles of warm water caressing her skin as she stood under the enchanted shower head, lost in her thoughts. Water was always one of the few things that were able to calm her down. Almost as if it were washing away all of her frustrations and worries. Taking a deep breath, Kate asked the water to dissolve all thoughts and emotions tied to Kathryn and Chris, a technique she learned from her grandmother years prior. She envisioned the water trickling down her body, taking with them the inflamed emotions from her encounter with Kathryn and the resurfaced memories of Chris and dissolving them into a calming melody.

Kate sighed, leaning her head against the cold ceramic tiles as the hot steam from the shower caressed her cheek in a comforting manner. She could hear the chatter of her friends in their shared room, and she longed to be as happy and carefree as they were. She cast her gaze down upon the bruises that danced across her skin, the frown on her face deepening as she studied her handy work. What's wrong with me. . .

A loud bang of the bathroom door slamming against the wall scattered Kate's thoughts, and she jumped, quickly trying to cover herself with her hands. "Katelyn Maris! Get your skinny ass out of that shower right this instant," a loud voice yelled, and Kate let out an exasperated sigh, letting her head fall back against the tiled wall of the bathroom as she turned off the water. Immediately the warmth that had once caressed her skin disappeared, leaving her defenseless to the cold that now pricked at her olive skin.

She turned to look at her best friend, raising an eyebrow at the strong-boned woman standing in the doorway, Clyo and her twin sister Helen were laughing in the background. She was about five foot two and hand long, pale brown hair that was full of tousled ringlets that Teddy liked so much. And it was just as so because she could never get a comb through it without half a gallon of conditioner anyway. Half the time she never even tried. Her hands rested on her hips in the way a mother would who was about to scold her child. The only difference between Tilly and a mother was her Led Zeppelin t-shirt, bright purple unicorn pyjama pants, and fluffy neon pink bunny slippers.

Kate flicked her glassy opal-grey eyes to the fluffy crimson towel sitting on the sink before focusing back on her friend, hoping to get the message across. Dirt brown eyes continued to stare into opal-grey ones, apparently not getting the message. Kate flicked her eyes to the towel a few more times, still not getting her point across, and Kate pursed her lips. "Tilly. . ."

"Yes?"

Kate continued to stare at her friend, the now cold water dripping from her long reddish-brown hair causing her to shiver, and a flash of understanding shot across Tilly's eyes. She handed Kate the towel.

"Took you long enough."

"Shut up."

Kate wrapped herself in the fluffy towel and stepped out of the shower. She once again stared at Tilly as the witch continued to stand in the doorway with no intention of leaving. "Well, I'm out."

Tilly rolled her eyes before turning and slamming the door behind her. Kate chuckled as she quickly dried herself off and changed into her pyjamas. She picked up her thirteen-inch willow wood wand with a phoenix feather core and cast a quick drying spell upon her hair. Her brownish-red strands fell about her face in messy waves, and she picked up her glasses from the marble counter, her contacts locked away in their case for tomorrow.

Kate unlocked the bathroom door and stepped into the Gryffindor girls dorms, going over to her bed and immediately jumping under the covers. She sighed in content at the warmth returning to her body and cuddled into her pillow.

"Bitch."

Kate ignored Tilly's comment as she felt a soft thud at the edge of her bed and the almost inaudible pitter patter of feet coming closer to her. Kate smiled as the rough tongue of her Kneazle, Reyes, licked her face in greeting and she eyed the mythical beast in amusement. His fur was as black as night, covered in what looked like a galaxy of silver stars, and its teeth were the colour of the moon and as sharp as knives. His eyes were swirls of gold so bright and deep they looked to be that of the sun. That of royalty. Hence his name Reyes, which is the Spanish translation of King.

Kate pulled aside her comforter and Reyes immediately cuddled into her, curling into a ball of black fluff against her Green Day t-shirt.

"I swear you love that beast more than you love actual people."

Kate looked up and smiled innocently. "I don't know what you're talking about." She replied as she kissed Reyes on the head, closing her eyes and cuddling her feline friend. Tilly glared at her, trying to act pissed off but couldn't hide the small smile forming on her lips. Helen, who was already sitting in her bed with her almost white hair tied up into a bun as she read one of her many magazines, couldn't help but laugh at the exchange.

Soft whispers could be heard from where Helen's bed was located, and Kate opened an eye, expecting to see the two witches gossiping about the coming schools and the handsome "lads" from abroad but was greeted with an empty room. Kate picked up her head and looked towards the bathroom where Clyo was currently changing. The other two witches were nowhere to be found.

Realisation dawned on Kate to late as the sound of Tilly yelling 'DOGPILE' echoed about the small room. Reyes let out a yowl of terror at the sight of Tilly and Helen jumping upon his witch, and he jumped out of harm's way, leave Kate for once to fend for herself. Kate let out a groan of pain upon impact, Tilly and Helen laughing like hyenas as she did. "Fuck. . .you. . ." She wheezed, trying her hardest to be able to suck in a decent sized breath before she passed out from lack of oxygen.

"I would prefer Edmund Tonks do the honours, my dear Kitty." Tilly said smartly, poking Kate's cheek as she did. Kate rolled her eyes.

"The names not Kitty." Kate snipped, finally able to get an arm free and pushed Tilly off of her, inhaling as much oxygen as she could. Tilly scoffed. "It's Kate."

She rolled over at the perfect moment, catching Helen in the act of mimicking her most stated line in all her time at Hogwarts. The witch froze, her hand puppet's mouth hanging open as Kate stared at her before quickley flinging her pillow at Helen as the fifth year tried to dive for cover. The pillow nailed her in the back of the head.

"Why are you up here anyway?" Kate asked Tilly as she Acio'd her pillow from Helen's clutches, hugging it to her cest. "Shouldn't you be back at the Hufflepuff common room by now?"

"I do what I want. I'm punk rock."

"No, you're not!" A muffled voice yelled, and Tilly whipped her head towards the bathroom. She glared at Clyo who, at the moment, had her toothbrush hanging out of her mouth as she laughed at Tilly. Kate and Helen couldn't help but join in, and Tilly rolled her eyes before starting to laugh herself.

"I hate to say it, but it's getting late so you should probably go. . ." Kate yawned, and Tilly rolled her eyes.

"And what if I don't?" Tilly raised an eyebrow challenging at Kate who in return, stared at Tilly with a dull look. "Alright, fine Miss Prefect. I see how it is." She turned, swishing her hips as she sauntered to the door to the girls' dorm room. "Night bitches! Love ya!"

"Night Tilly!" The three chorused before falling into a fit of giggles.