WOO BondSlave and I have internet at the apartment! :D ...And our wireless network's name is Hogwarts. How epic am I? xD Definitely one of my better decisions... *grin*
A'ight, on with this update! Oh goodness, all of your reviewers (including Mum!)—we love you all so much! 3 Thank you all for your kind words and wonderful reviews :3 Thanks to Pocky and Domo, saratheotaku, Nizuna Fujieda, and run4life (MEGAAAN I LOVE YOU)! You are all wonderful. :) Heh, we're glad you enjoyed that last madness-filled chapter XD That was one of the first chapters we'd planned out, and we had a lot of fun writing it. ^.^
Now onto the next chapter! Enjoy! (And be sure to keep checking the UnderdogAngel blog for updates!) Have a beautiful day, lovelies!
-II. Fifth Year Starts-
In which thing start getting complicated.
King's Cross Station—more specifically, Platform 9 ¾—was bustling with people. Kids of all ages roamed back and forth as they gathered their things and said farewell to their families and parents as they boarded the Hogwarts Express that puffed white smoke up and over the platform. Severus inhaled deeply and looked up at the large red and black train that would take him away from the world he considered a prison and to the world he belonged in. He was glad to be going back, even if he couldn't call Hogwarts a home. It was at least better than his real home.
Severus dragged his battered old trunk across the platform, weaving through the crowd and, every so often, bumping into people with empty, muttered apologies. He had almost made it to the train when, with a flash of fiery red, a girl launched herself at him and knocked him slightly off-balance. He teetered slightly, his arm automatically going around the girl's middle.
"Severus!"
"Lily," he greeted with a smile.
She was beaming. His smile grew slightly. She'd grown taller over the summer break. Her hair was longer, fuller. She looked so much more grown up. His ears burned slightly but were hidden, thankfully, by his long black hair.
"Oh, Severus, I am so glad to see you! I was so bummed when we didn't get to hang during break," she said with a pout, looking up at him through thick lashes. "Where were you?"
"I spent sometime with the Malfoys," he stated truthfully as they turned and headed to the train.
"The Malfoys?" she said, not bothering to hide her disapproval. "Oh, Severus, I wish you wouldn't hang out with that boy. He's a bad egg. He's a horrible influence," she stated. She hadn't released his arm. They walked arm in arm up the platform and onto the train.
"He's not that bad Lily. He's been there when no one else was." He looked at her. "Besides you," he added with a slight apologetic nod.
She huffed, but offered a smile. "Well, forget about him. Let's sit together. I want to hear about your summer and how you're doing." And with that, she took his hand and dragged him off down the rows of compartments.
Back out on the platform stood Alisha, watching the two walk off together. Her expression grew grim as she watched them enter the train. She bowed her head and tugged at her trunk. Albert hooted softly from his cage atop the trunk. She weaved through the crowd, dodging nervous first-years and obnoxious second-years.
She'd grown up a lot, she noted, since her first year. (Was she ever really that short?) Alisha was an average-sized girl of 5'7 ½ with a thick hour-glass shape that was usually hidden beneath her robes. Her hair had been cut and dyed. Her bangs swept across her face, short on one end and long on the other. Long strands of hair fell around her face, falling to just below her chin, while growing shorter and shorter as they went towards the back of her head. The hair in the back was spiked up and out. She wore a pair of blue metal-rimmed glasses that hid her hazel grin eyes.
She was dressed in skinny jeans with knee-high heeled leather boots and a long-sleeved black shirt with the Slytherin crest sewn onto it. A beaded bracelet adorned her wand hand, and silver and black hoop earrings dangled from her ears. She'd grown up a lot over the summer and learned more about herself. She knew it would be an interesting year.
Alisha hopped onto the train and made her way along the compartments. She paused outside of one compartments, gazing in. On the other side of the glass sat Lily and Severus. He was speaking, waving his hands with a smile—obviously describing something Lily found hilarious. Alisha felt her heart tighten in her chest as she watched them bask in each other's happiness. She'd known Severus for five years and had barely gotten him to tutor her in potions, and even that he did begrudgingly. It hurt. It hurt to like someone who obviously had no time or feelings for you.
You're lucky, Lily, she thought to herself, trying not to be bitter.
;;;;;
Kelsey smiled widely at the Hogwarts Express, her European owl, Samson, hooting softly in his cage. Finally, summer had ended and it was time to return to Hogwarts. Not that she didn't enjoy the time with her family, but it was the goodbyes at the train station that always did her in. Or, at least, her mother. Her mother was terrible at these goodbyes, you see, even after doing it four times already. She still worried about her daughter, naturally, but Kelsey thought that twenty minutes of going over a checklist they'd been going over for a week was just too much. Her father and brother were much more obliging, insisting that Mrs. Edwards was going to make Kelsey late for her train. And, after that, she would wave and run off through the brick wall that took her to Platform 9 ¾. When she got there, a man who worked on the train helped her get her trunk on board, and she thanked him profusely.
She'd grown some, but she was still short—about five-foot four. For her height, though, she had quite long legs (and arms) that she didn't really know what to do with. She was past the stage where, from behind, people mistook her for a young boy, and had actually started looking like a young woman. She had some slight curves, but she knew her robes would hide them completely. She was just so small! And we're talking small. She ate just as much as (if not more than) the next girl, but her high metabolism kept her weight right around eighty-five pounds. She was small.
Her hair was a bit longer now—long enough to touch her shoulders. Her streak was still there, as bold and bright as ever, as were her bangs—a straight line crossing her forehead. If it was possible, her blonde highlights had become even blonder over the break, though she knew they would dull down some during the fall and winter.
She wore denim shorts that hit just at the middle of her thighs; black knee-high, lace-up sneakers; and a short-sleeved blue V-neck shirt with the Ravenclaw crest sewn onto the pocket on the left side. She wore blue and black striped fingerless gloves on her hands, and on her right wrist, over her glove, was a silver watch, the face of the clock set on the inside of her wrist. There was a silver ring on her right ring finger (she used to wear it on her left, as shown by the faint tan lines on her finger, but, over the summer, many people had asked her if she was married, so she'd switched hands), and she wore a small silver star hanging on a simple silver chain around her neck. Round, white gold, stud earrings were stuck in her ears, almost completely hidden by her hair.
She turned around in a circle, seeing if any of her friends were on the platform. Her eyes lit up (and her heart may have skipped a beat or two) when she saw a familiar face down the platform. He was helping a first-year boy get his trunk onto the train. She smiled and started weaving her way over to him. When she got closer, she raised one hand in the air, cupped the other around her mouth, and called, "Remus!"
Remus looked up at the sound of his name, and smiled when he saw her waving. He jumped down from the train, the first-year he'd been helping thanked him, and he turned just in time to see Kelsey collide with him, throwing her arms around his middle.
"It's so good to see you!" she said.
He smiled, blushing slightly and chuckling as he hugged her back. "It's good to see you, too." She stepped back and he looked at her. "I think you grew."
"I did indeed!" she said proudly. Then she fake-pouted. "But everyone's still taller than me! Especially you! What are you, six feet tall?"
He laughed. "Nearly five-foot ten, thank you. And not everyone! Peter's about your height! Maybe a little taller..."
"That doesn't count. He's always been short," she insisted.
"If you say so," he said with a smile.
"Now, now, can't leave the two of you alone for a moment, can we?" Sirius asked, grinning as he and James approached.
Kelsey shook her head, blushing a little. "Hello, James, Sirius, nice to see you as well."
"You know you're happy to see us, Edwards," James said, smirking and tugging on her streak (which had started to turn a faint black color).
The four looked up as the train whistle blew.
"Well, that's enough of the 'hello's," James said. He grabbed Kelsey's arm and easily threw her up into the train.
Kelsey landed on board with a soft thud (which had followed the yelping sound she'd made when James had thrown her). "I could've gotten on myself, James!" she snapped.
"Brilliant, James!" Sirius said, laughing.
"Yeah, right genius, mate," Remus said dryly as James and Sirius followed him onto the train. He extended a hand down to Kelsey, asking, "Are you alright?"
She took his hand and stood up, nodding. "Yes, I'm fine. Just didn't see that coming, that's all."
"Well, now that we're all safely on board," James said, smirking, "let's go find a compartment. C'mon."
Kelsey glanced at Remus, and Remus just rolled his eyes. Kelsey laughed softly and followed James and Sirius down the car to find a compartment.
Kelsey stopped when they passed one compartment. She saw Severus sitting inside, talking and laughing with Lily Evans, a Gryffindor in their year that had been friends with Severus for many years. (And that James had been pining over since first year.) Her heart dropped into her stomach, and she wondered if Alisha had seen.
"What ch'you lookin' at?" James asked, stepping back and following Kelsey's gaze. "Oy, what's Snivelly doing talking to Evans?" he wondered aloud, not even trying to hide the disapproval (disgust?) in his voice.
Kelsey quickly shook her head. "It's none of our concenern," she said, and pushed James away and back forward to follow Remus and Sirius.
The group then found Alisha sitting alone in a compartment, looking out the window sadly. Kelsey said she was going to sit with her, but that none of the rest of them had to. James and Sirius said, "Okay!" and were about to leave, when Remus grabbed them by their shirt collars and pulled them back, saying that, no, they would all be sitting together. James and Sirius sighed, but didn't argue.
Kelsey slid back the compartment door, and Alisha looked up. Some of the sadness in her eyes drifted away as she smiled at her friend. "Kelsey!" she cried happily, jumping up from her seat to tackle her friend in a hug.
Kelsey hugged her back, smiling widely.
Alisha stepped back and patted her on the head. "Aw...you're still so small..."
Kelsey gave her a look. As if Alisha hadn't seen her nearly every day that summer and didn't know she was still short. "So I hear." She smiled. "Mind if we join you?"
She sighed. "Do James and Sirius have to?"
Kelsey shrugged a little and said, "Remus insisted that they stay."
Alisha turned back to her seat. "Fine. But sit next to me before either of them do. I am not going all the way to Hogwarts sitting next to James."
"Again."
"Yes, again."
;;;;;
The train ride to Hogwarts went well. The five of them laughed, joked, and played Exploding Snaps while sharing their summer adventures. Peter would pop in and out occasionally, but was constantly disappearing to who knew where. Alisha and Remus played wizard chess for a while, Alisha losing horribly due to one mistake or another that she would only catch after it was done and too late to fix. Kelsey continued to beat James and Sirius at Exploding Snaps until the snack cart wheeled up, and then all of them nearly lunged forward to buy their favorite sweets.
By the time the sun began to go down, the car was filled with empty pumpkin pasty wrappers, as well as empty boxes of Berty Bott's Every Flavor Beans and liquorish wands. Torn-open Chocolate Frog boxes littered the floor between the wrappers at their feet.
Alisha looked at the cards of famous wizards and witches she'd gotten while nibbling on the head of a chocolate frog—one she'd kindly let get its only good jump in.
They'd all listened to James and Sirius talk about their time in London shopping around in muggle shops, and a close run-in with the police—a story that had both Kelsey and Alisha snapping at them about being young men, that they should be more responsible wizards, and laws and other things that they knew the two boys wouldn't listen to. Remus gave a brief summary of his summer, which, according to him, had been rather dull.
After a while, talk died down, and Alisha pulled a book from her bag and leaned back against the seat reading. Sirius and James were playing wizard chess, and Remus was sitting across from Kelsey, nibbling on a liquorish wand.
"So Kelsey, how was your summer?" Remus asked.
Kelsey looked up—she'd been writing and doodling in a notebook—and blinked. "Uh, pretty good," she said, closing the notebook and thinking over her summer break. "Spent a lot of time with my family. Spent some time with my friends. Me and Alisha hung out with some of our muggle friends. It was really nice, really, since we hardly get to see them."
Remus frowned. "Isn't there one other girl who's a witch?"
"Yeah, but she's attending Beauxbatons Academy."
;;;;;
"We don't get to see her very often, so that was nice," Kelsey continued. "But...yeah." She laughed softly. "It doesn't seem like we did a lot, but it was fun, so I'm satisfied."
Remus laughed softly as well. "I'm glad."
She smiled. "I think I'm almost more excited about coming back to Hogwarts. But then what else is new?"
They both chuckled.
Kelsey glanced over at Alisha, who was still reading her book. She'd sensed something off about her since the minute they'd walked into the car. She opened her notebook again and scribbled out a message on the paper. She poked Alisha in the shoulder and pointed to her notebook page.
Hey, you okay?
Alisha sighed softly and pulled out her own pencil. She wrote on the notebook page, Been better. Tell you at the castle, okay?
Kelsey nodded and went back to doodling. She worried about Alisha sometimes. She often thought that, with her kind heart, she might've been more at home in another house. And then there were times when she was again reminded that Alisha was a Slytherin through-and-through. She worried nonetheless, especially after seeing Severus and Lily earlier. She'd been thinking that Alisha was starting to have some feelings for Severus, but Alisha had never said anything, so Kelsey kept quiet about it. But, if she did in fact have feelings for Severus, and she'd seen Lily with him, she knew that it would've hurt her deeply.
For most of her life, Kelsey had convinced herself that she was no one special—just herself. She was fine with that. She didn't want to be like the popular girls, with guys tripping after them and always asking them out (and then possibly hiding out in broom closests and storage rooms, if you follow that train of thought). She liked having friends—muggle or magical, it didn't matter. Over the past two years, she'd even stopped thinking of Remus as a werewolf. He was just Remus—her friend who happened to turn into a werewolf once a month.
Anyway, she'd always thought Alisha was a beautiful person. She was spunky and kind and hard-working, if not sometimes scary. She knew her friend didn't believe her, but she still saw her that way nonetheless. And to see her friend so down and seemingly so hurt, it hurt Kelsey. The worry was turning her streak a darker yellow color as she tried to focus on her doodles.
Just until we get to the castle. Things will be alright once we get to Hogwarts. Things always get better after we get off the train.
;;;;;
Once the sun was down and the castle lights were in sight, everyone in the compartment began gathering up their trash and pulling out their school robes, putting them on over their clothes.
Alisha had released Albert earlier and knew that he was already at Hogwarts. She grabbed his cage and tucked it under her arm while tugging her trunk off of the rack. "Man, I can't wait to see the sorting," she said with a smile. She got off on remembering how frightening the sorting had been, and admired the little ones experiencing the fear. They had no idea how great it would be afterwards.
"I just can't wait for the food," Sirius stated as his stomach gave a loud growl.
Kelsey, who'd just gotten her robe over her head, gave him an exasperated look. "You ate all that junk food! How can you be starving already?" She patted her own stomach. "I'm only kinda in the mood for mashed potatoes." She gave her stomach an inquisitive poke.
Alisha, who wasn't really at all hungry, had to put her two cents in, since she'd already gathered all of her stuff and couldn't get out till the others headed out. "Yeah, but it's not Subway."
Remus snorted and laughed and Kelsey grinned.
Sirius and James blinked in confusion. "Subway?"
Alisha rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Never mind, you two."
As the five teens filed off of the train, Alisha paused to help a first-year girl with her trunk. The girl looked twitchy and nervous. She heard a booming voice calling for all of the first-years and glanced over her shoulder.
"Don't worry," Alisha said, putting her hand on the first-year's shoulder and leading her along the path to the towering figure holding up a lamp light. She bent down. "That's Hagrid, the grounds-keeper. He's scary-looking, but he's really just a big teddy bear," she said with a smile before sending the first-year off. She then trotted to join the others, who'd caught a carriage that would take them to the school. "Thanks for waiting!" she called as she climbed up and sat down next to Sirius.
Once their carriage pulled up to the front steps of the castle, they all jumped down and headed up the steps. Students were filing around them in a sea of black and loud chatter.
A Slytherin boy with bright green haired trotted up passed them before turning. "HEY, SPINNERS!" he called.
Alisha blinked and glanced up.
"CATCH!"
Alisha gasped as a ball of ice cold water shot from the boy's wand and hit her square in the face. She gasped again and spit out water, gazing at the boy in mild shock.
"Hey, get out of here, you slimy little git!" James snapped.
Sirius had pulled his wand, but the boy had turned and started running away.
"THAT'S WHAT YOU GET FOR HANGING WITH TYPES!"
Alisha gasped, eyes wide.
"Oh my gosh! Alisha, are you okay?" Kelsey asked frantically.
Alisha wiped at her face and nodded. "Yeah," she said before pulling out her wand and drying off her uniform. She left her hair wet. If she'd dried it, it would have just puffed up and gone poofy.
;;;;;
Kelsey spun around, pulling out her wand and glaring at the green-haired boy. "You're gonna pay for that!" she shouted, raising her wand. She was about to put a hex on the boy, when a hand closed around her wrist. She blinked and looked up.
"He's not worth it," Remus advised, lowering her hand that held her wand.
Kelsey looked at Remus for a moment, and considered ignoring his advice. But, deep down, she knew he was right. She exhaled and lowered her wand, then put it away.
"You were going to use a tickling charm on him, weren't you?" Alisha asked.
Kelsey spun to give her a look, her streak turning amber as she blushed. "I was not!"
Alisha laughed and turned to continue on up the steps. "Sure, Kelsey. Sure..."
Kelsey sighed, shot-down, and followed everyone else up the steps.
"...Were you really going to use a tickling charm?" Remus asked curiously.
She blushed again. "Well, uh... I'll admit, it was the first thing that popped into my mind..."
Remus chuckled. "I thought so."
Once inside, the five separated off to sit at their house tables and to join their fellow Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, and Slytherins. The first-years came in shortly after, and were lead up towards the front end of the room—towards the long table where all the professors and other staff members sat. McGonagall brought out a stool and the old, patched Sorting Hat, then unfurled a long scroll of parchment. The first-years were then called forth one and a time to be sorted into their houses. Each house applauded when a new member was added to their table, and the sorting quickly progressed.
Alisha watched with glee, barely holding in her laughter at the totally terrified looks on the students' faces. They were all getting so worked-up about an event that, for most, lasted about ten seconds. Granted, it determined a lot for their seven years at Hogwarts, but still.
Kelsey, unlike Alisha, wasn't really...laughing at the whole thing. She just sat with a little smile on her face, remembering her own sorting experience. She remembered how the Sorting Hat had called her "bright" and "intuitive." Those things alone might've been enough to place her in Ravenclaw, but, for a brief moment, the Sorting Hat considered placing her in Gryffindor because it said she had a "big heart," and was "kind and generous." Kelsey never understood why it'd said that, but it was nice to hear regardless.
Once the sorting finished, Dumbledore stood and made the usual beginning-of-the-year announcements—the Dark Forest was off-limits, don't go near the Whomping Willow (oops), no wandering the halls after hours (also oops), yadda, yadda, yadda, they knew the drill.
After that, Dumbledore announced that the feast would begin, and mountains of food immediately appeared on the tables. The other students chuckled at the awestruck reactions of the first-years, who'd obviously never eaten a Hogwarts feast before. Everyone quickly dove into the food, loading up the plates in front of them and filling their goblets with either pumpkin juice or water. Kelsey always thought that there was too much food for even all of the Hogwarts students to eat, but it always managed to disappear somehow.
The feast ended a bit later, and the Prefects were instructed to show the first-years to the house dormitories. The second- through seventh-years were free to exit the Great Hall at their leisure, and amble up to their dorms at their own pace.
Kelsey, Alisha, Remus, James, and Sirius were leaving the Great Hall when Kelsey heard a whispered incantation somewhere close by. She didn't have time to react, though, and she suddenly felt herself trip over some invisible rope stretched across her path. She put her hands out to catch herself, scraping the heels of her hands and her elbows on the stone floor.
The rest of the group looked down at her in shock.
"Been walking long, Edwards?" A couple Slytherin boys cackled at the comment as they fled from the Great Hall.
"Bugger off, you prats!" Alisha shouted after them, drawing her wand. "Before I turn you both into toads!"
Kelsey looked after them, a few tears forming in her eyes.
Remus fell to his knees next to her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Kelsey! Are you alright?" he asked, panicking a little.
Kelsey pushed herself up on her knees. "I'm alright." She raised her hands, looking at the blood starting to seep out of the scrapes.
"No, you're not! You're bleeding!" James said.
Remus took her arm and carefully lifted her to her feet. "Come on, we're going to the nurse."
"No, no, I'm fine," Kelsey insisted, trying to smile. "Really, I'll just wash these off, get some bandages, and I'll be good as new." She could already feel bruises forming on her knees as well as her elbows, and did her best to stand upright. She would have no one trying to help her walk.
James, Remus, and Sirius looked at each other, questioning the truth in her words.
Alisha didn't have to question them, and insisted on all of them accompanying Kelsey back to the Ravenclaw dormitory.
"What about taking the first-years to their dorms?" Kelsey asked Remus.
Remus glanced at the new Gryffindors talking to the other Gryffindor prefect. "I'm sure I won't be missed."
It took some more convincing, but Kelsey finally agreed to let them come along.
Kelsey winced a little every time she bent or extended her legs, but continued to insist that she wasn't too badly hurt. And she wasn't. But she was still in pain.
They reached the door to the Ravenclaw common room, and Kelsey answered the riddle the door gave her so that it would open.
"You sure you'll be alright?" Remus asked.
She smiled. "I'm sure. I've had much worse than this, believe me. ...Thank you, though." She gave a slight wave as she stepped through the doorway. "See you all at breakfast!"
They said their scattered "goodnight"s as the door swung closed. The four looked at each other, then turned to walk away.
What is up with these people? Alisha wondered. Suddenly the bullying's starting to get worse... I mean, yeah, they threw cold water at me, but they actually made Kelsey bleed! What is their deal?
"Remus, if it makes you feel any better," James said, "I'm considering directing those gits to the Shrieking Shack the night of the next full moon."
Remus chuckled and shook his head. "As appealing as that sounds, we'd have to take a more subtle approach."
"Subtlety's never been our strong point," Sirius pointed out.
James grinned. "Then we'll just have to think harder, won't we?"
Whatever it was, Alisha already liked the sound of it. Running with the Marauders did have its perks. Like the rare, genius plans.
;;
Kelsey stood in front of the bathroom mirror in a tank top and shorts—her usual pajamas when it was still hot, as it was in the beginning of September—, her streak a dark grey color. She raised her arms and looked at her elbows. They hadn't been bleeding as bad as her palms, but she put bandages on them anyway. Her knees were only bruised, luckily.
She turned on the faucet and cautiously put her hands under the cold water, biting her tongue so she wouldn't make any noise about the pain. She held them under the water for as long as she could, then turned the faucet off and turned to start (gingerly) drying off her hands.
Footsteps approached outside the door, and her heart skipped a beat.
"You'll have to wait a moment," she heard a girl's voice say—one that she recognized as belonging to a Ravenclaw in her year. "Kelsey's cleaning up in there."
"Kelsey?" an unfamiliar voice asked, probably a first-year's. "Oh, she's that girl that got tripped, right?"
"Yeah," the first girl said.
"But why did they do that?" the first-year wondered aloud. "She was so nice to me during dinner—even told me the fastest way to get to the library."
Kelsey placed the girl's voice now. It wasn't unfamiliar. The girl had sat next to her during dinner.
"Didn't you see?" the other girl asked. "She runs around with a Slytherin girl and James Potter's group. ...I guess you could say there are some kids here who disapprove of that. Think she's not loyal to her house."
"...That's stupid."
"Yeah...it is." And the girls walked away.
Kelsey bit her tongue again, blinking back tears as she pulled out a roll of bandages and started wrapping them around her hands. She quickly ran a brush through her hair, cleaned up the things on the counter, and left the bathroom. She took quick steps across the wood floor over to her bed. Once there, she crawled under the blankets without a word, burying her face in her pillow. Her streak turned darker and darker as she blinked back more tears.
The first night back at Hogwarts, and already things were getting screwed up. And she hadn't forgotten about Alisha. She still wanted to know what had been bothering her earlier on the train.
But, right then...it seemed they had other things to worry about.
P.S.: The reference to our friend who goes to Beauxbatons is a real friend of ours! She just spent a year in France as an exchange student, so we decided to have her go to Beauxbatons. ^.^ Hope you enjoyed the chapter! More soon!