Chapter Two

Katie's POV

Rhia's mouth drops open so quickly it's a wonder that she doesn't fracture her jaw. A look of what can only be described as insulting shock crosses her face.

'This is Albus?!'

Al, bless him, looks rather bewildered by it all. Poor guy, he was probably trying to forget about the fan club letters and now he's actually face to face with an obsessive girl.

'Yep, that's my name,' he says, watching Rhia nervously. I don't blame him; the term man-eater was designed with my sister in mind.

Rhia's eyes shoot between the two of us, looking more and more confused, 'but he's so… and you're so…'

'I'm so what?' I snap. Rhia's constant digs on my appearance don't half piss me off- we look practically the same for God's sake!

'Oh come on, Katie, when was the last time you wore make up?'

As far as I'm aware, I'm wearing make-up right now. Admittedly not the orange coloured gunk which Rhia trowels on her face, but I've got a bit of mascara and tinted moisturiser on.

Ignoring her, I turn to Albus and wrap my arms around him. He hugs me back enthusiastically.

'I've missed you!' I exclaim.

Okay, I know it's only been a week but the only company I've had in that time has been Rhia.

'Me too,' he grins down at me as we pull away from each other.

'Have you grown again?' I ask; even in the few days since I last saw him, he seems to have gotten taller.

From behind me, Rhia scoffs and, in doing so, reminds me that she's still standing there.

'I thought you were meeting Kyle,' I say pointedly.

'Yeah, yeah, he'll be here in a minute,' she says dismissively, her eyes still on Al.

I can't help but giggle slightly. This must be the first time that Rhia has ever expressed an interest in a bloke only to have him completely ignore her in return. In fact, this must also be the first time in which a guy has turned up on the doorstep looking for me, not her.

Let's just say I'm a bit of an amateur in the dating game.

'I came to check that you were okay,' says Al, casting a warning glance at Rhia, 'Scorpius said you were having a tough time.'

I shrug, 'I'm alright. Are you going to stay for a bit?'

The prospect of probably the only friend I'll see for the summer leaving after only five minutes is quite painful.

'Yeah of course. What do you want to do?'

I glance at Rhia, who is still looking at Al with a glazed expression, 'We could go into town?'

'Yes, let's do that,' says Al hastily, looking rather relieved.

'Bye, Rhia,' I say sweetly.

She glares at me for a moment and then her face breaks into a sickening smile as she focuses on something behind me.

'Hi Kyle!'

A short, teenage boy of around seventeen- evidently Rhia's latest victim- is strolling up the driveway with his hands in the pockets of his tracksuit and some loud music blaring at of his phone.

'Hey, babes,' he says, winking at Rhia and kissing her rather enthusiastically.

Oh dear God.

I exchange a look with Al, who can't seem to restrain himself and bursts out laughing. The happy couple break apart and Kyle turns to Al with an annoyed look on his face.

'Got a problem mate?' he asks, in an unnecessarily aggressive tone of voice.

'Nope,' says Al calmly, not looking remotely fazed even when Kyle takes a step towards him.

I muffle a giggle at the sight; Al must be half a foot taller than him.

'Oh he's not worth it, Kyle,' sighs Rhia dramatically, taking her boyfriend's arm and pulling him into the house, 'they're just a couple of freaks!'

And with that venomous goodbye, she slams the door in our faces.

'Well isn't she lovely,' laughs Al, raising his eyebrows.

'Don't even go there.'

'So, how are we going to get into town?'

Now it's my turn to raise my eyebrows, 'Albus, you are aware that you are a wizard aren't you?'

'Oh yeah…'

Sighing and laughing at the same time, I grip his arm tightly and picture the little town that's about half an hour away from my house.

A minute later and we reappear down a rather unappealing looking back street, cluttered with rubbish bins.

'Katie if you wanted some alone time with me, you could have just asked.'

'Your jokes don't get any funnier, Albus.'

'So, is your family really that bad?' asks Al ten minutes later when we're sitting in a coffee shop having a drink.

'You saw my sister.'

He wrinkles his nose, 'yeah she was pretty horrific. Your parents can't be as bad though.'

Oh how naïve he is. Al has arguably the best parents in the world, so I suppose it's understandable that he can't picture anyone having a bad relationship with their mum and dad.

I can't think of anything to say, so I look down at the table and take a sip of my coffee. A warm hand is suddenly on top of mine, stroking my palm.

'Thanks,' I say thickly.

Oh God, do not cry now. Do not cry now!

'Are you okay?' he asks quietly.

I nod, 'yeah I'm fine. I'm just fed up of having to pretend to be normal around my family.'

'You are normal.'

I raise an eyebrow and he laughs, 'well maybe not, but that's not because you're a witch, it's because you're just a bit crazy.'

I can't help but chuckle, 'thanks Al, you're such a charmer, you know that?'

'I try,' he winks.

'So, how is the fan club?' I ask, wanting to change the topic to anything but my disastrous family life.

He rolls his eyes dramatically, 'don't even ask. I've been getting letters every morning. I don't see why they're so attracted to me.'

I look at him for a moment, and take in the emerald eyes and messy hair. He's wrong; I can definitely see the appeal.

Oh dear God. Stop thinking right this minute!

We spend the next hour in the café, chatting and laughing so much I completely forget about Rhia and my parents who are probably waiting for me back at home. When the owner starts hovering around us, we decide it may be time to leave, so we spend the next hour or so wondering around the town.

'You've seriously never been to a cinema?' I ask incredulously as Al points out the large multiplex.

'Nope,' he says, shaking his head, 'am I missing out?'

'Yeah!' I yell enthusiastically, causing him to take a step back, 'Films are amazing.'

As much as I hate being home during the holidays, I do enjoy the chance to catch up with all the movies I've missed while I've been at Hogwarts. Let's just say it's my not-so-guilty pleasure.

'You'll have to take me sometime,' he says.

'Yeah,' I say absent-mindedly, 'my first date was to the cinema. I was nine- it didn't last very long.'

Silence.

I glance at Al, having expected him to laugh at my childhood romances.

Oh shit.

Did I just use the 'd' word? Did I just imply that if the two of us went to the cinema then it would be a date?

'Not that I meant it would be a date, if we went,' I stutter hurriedly.

'Oh no, I know,' says Al equally as quickly.

We fall into a rather uncomfortable silence.

Talk about awkward.

'So, what time are you parents expecting you back?' asks Al after a moment, clearly trying to break the tension.

'Well they didn't know I was going out,' I admit, 'they were at work when you called round. I don't go out much usually, you see.'

I sigh, realising just how sad that makes me sound- and just how true it is. The summer holidays are usually hell for me. No friends or magic for almost two months and only Rhia for company.

'We should probably head back,' I say reluctantly; if I had my way I'd demand Al take me back to his house and let me stay for the rest of the summer. Somehow I don't think my parents would be too happy about that.

'I'll come and see you again,' promises Al quickly, 'tomorrow if you want.'

'Thanks,' I say, smiling at him.

I take his arm and picture the little street my house sits on. A moment later and we're both there, standing a few houses along from my home.

'What are you doing?' I ask, as Al follows me in the direction of my house.

'Walking you to your door,' he says, pointing towards the dusky, evening sky, 'it's dark.'

'It's not exactly dark,' I laugh, but I link my arm with his and let him led me up to my house anyway.

'So, are you done being chauvinistic?' I laugh as we reach my driveway.

'Don't pretend you didn't like being escorted home,' he winks, 'anyway I'd better-'

'Katherine Adams, get in this house right away!'

Oh shit.

My mother has opened the front door and is storming down the drive, looking furious. Beside me, I see Al raise his eyebrows in surprise.

Oh yeah, my entire family are psychos, not just Rhia.

'Where have you been?' demands Mum, glaring at Al as well as me.

'She was out with me,' interjects Al before I can say anything, 'I came round to see her and asked if she wanted to go out. It's my fault not hers.'

'I don't care,' she snaps, 'Katherine, I want you inside right this minute!'

With that, she turns on her heel and stomps back into the house. I notice Rhia has been watching the scene from her bedroom window; bet she loved that, I think bitterly.

'I'd better go,' I say to Al, wanting more than anything to either go with him or ask him to stay with me.

Oh, yeah that'd go down great with the parents.

He looks at me with those amazing eyes full of concern, 'I promise I'll write to you and come and see you again, Katie. Are you going to be okay?'

I nod, but before I can say anything, he pulls me into a hug, wrapping his arms tightly around me. We stay like this for a couple of minutes, until I break away.

'See you soon,' I say, and hurry into the house, leaving Al standing on the doorstep looking as though he's unsure whether or not to run after me.

I shut the front door behind me and turn towards the lounge, where I can hear my parents having a furious conversation with one another.

Here we go.

I stomp into the room irritably and find them sitting in armchairs, my mother looking furious and my father looking a tiny bit nervous.

'What were you doing?' demands Mum as soon as she sees me.

'I was out with a friend,' I snap. God these two are messed up; normal parents are pleased when their child is out socialising.

'We've told you before that we don't want other magic people' (she whispers this as though it's an expletive) 'around here.'

'So I'm supposed to stay cooped up in the house all summer?' I demand, glaring at her.

'Don't look at me like that, Katherine! And, yes, because we don't want people finding out, do we?'

She glares at my father when she uses the word 'we', evidently hoping for some back-up. Dad, however, merely sinks further into his seat and ignores her.

Wimp.

'I couldn't give a shit if people found out I'm a witch.'

Mum gasps and clutches her hands to her mouth, 'don't you dare use such language!'

I roll my eyes and, having decided I'm fed up of this conversation, turn around and stomp up the stairs.

'You're not going out again, Katherine!' she shouts after me, 'mark my words!'

Melodramatic much?

Once upstairs, I sprint into my bedroom, shut the door and throw myself onto my bed. The letter from Al is still there, albeit slightly crumpled after I've just launched myself on top of it.

Re-reading his words, I feel my throat tighten slightly.

I miss him so much.

Albus' POV

Even by the time I've gotten home, I'm still debating whether or not to go back to Katie's and bring her to mine. If I were her, I would have just gone to stay with Rose no matter what my parents said; I can only suppose that she doesn't want to deliberately cause arguments.

'Hi, Al,' says Lily as I enter the kitchen. She's sitting at the table with a couple of heavy looking textbooks propped open in front of her.

'You're doing homework already?' I ask incredulously, taking a seat next to her.

'Yep,' she says, not looking at me but focusing on the parchment in front of her. I take a look at the title, which is something very complicated looking. I don't have a chance to ponder Lily's sudden interest in schoolwork, however, because James bounds into the kitchen.

'Evening, Albus Severus, how was the date?'

'Don't call me that!' I snap, being far from in the mood to deal with my annoying brother.

'Interesting,' he says, also taking a seat at the table, 'you got annoyed with me calling you by your full name but you didn't correct me about it being a date.'

'It wasn't a date,' I say quickly, feeling my cheeks redden slightly.

'Well I hope not,' says James, looking at me closely, 'because you look bloody miserable.'

'It's Katie's family,' I sigh, leaning back in my chair, 'I didn't realise how bad they were.'

'What do you mean?'

'Well they hate that she's a witch and they make her life hell because of it. You should have seen her mother- she was practically breathing fire.'

'So get her to come and stay here,' says James, shrugging as though it's the simplest thing in the world.

'Her parents won't let her,' I say glumly.

We all sit in silence for a moment; me worrying about Katie, James looking deep in thought and Lily writing what appears to be a novel-length essay.

'Hello, Al.'

'Oh, hi, Dad,' I say to the figure which has just entered the kitchen, 'I was out with Katie.'

'Yeah, James told me you were. Now I need to talk to you three.'

'Sounds ominous,' says James.

I'm thinking along the same lines; Dad rarely has a serious talk with any of us- that lovely task is usually reserved for Mum.

Ah here she is.

As if sensing a chance to moan at one of her children, Ginny also appears in the kitchen. (I am only joking- I do love her really.)

'Your mother and I are going away this weekend,' says Dad, looking particularly at James, 'we decided you're old enough to be left alone and we're trusting you to be responsible.'

'Are you sure?' says James, sarcastically, 'I mean, I am only eighteen and Al is only seventeen.'

'It's you this is aimed at, James' answers Dad, smiling slightly; he's always been lenient to James' wild behaviour.

'Anyway,' says Mum, cutting across them, 'we're going away on Friday and we'll be back Sunday morning.'

In my head, I'm already planning what I could do during the adult-free weekend. I could have Scorpius, Rose and Katie round for the whole time.

Okay, so my plans are a little tame.

Meanwhile, I can practically hear the cogs in James' brain whirling; and I can guarantee they'll be thinking only one thing:

PARTY!

Sure enough, once Mum and Dad have left the room, he turns to me with an incredibly excited expression, 'Albus, invite everyone in your year, except the Slytherins, and anyone who's cool or hot from the year below. I'll get my team round, and Fred, and everyone who was in my year…'

'And who am I inviting?' asks Lily irritably.

'No one,' says James.

'What? That's so unfair!'

'Don't take this the wrong way, Lils, but I don't want loads of fifteen years olds there. Back me up, Al.'

'I'm staying out of it!' I protest; if the past is anything to go by, Lily will win this argument anyway.

'Lily, you're not inviting loads of fifth years!'

'Oh yes I am!' she says, her eyes blazing dangerously, 'I want to invite Hugo and Dominique, and Louise, Nicki and Zara. Oh, and Ryan.'

'Okay, okay, fine,' says James admitting defeat, 'wait a minute! Who the hell is Ryan?!'

Lily doesn't seem to hear him and returns her attention back to her essay.

I cut across James before he can say anything else, 'James, I'm not going to be here if Katie's not.'

'What?' he yelps, 'but you're the second Potter son. We're like a double act.'

'Okay first of all, since when? And secondly, I'm not going to have a party with all our friends if Katie's stuck at home. It's not fair.'

James looks at me shrewdly for a second, 'you do fancy her.'

'No I don't!' I protest, unsure if I'm telling the truth or not.

'Well convince her to come!' says James in an exasperated voice, 'Tell her parents where to stick it.'

'Yeah I'm sure that'll go down well,' I snap sarcastically.

I resolve to try and get her to come to the party though. The thought of seeing her gives me a strange uplifting feeling that I can't quite pinpoint.

Oh God. For once in his life, James is right.

I fancy my best friend.

Hope you liked the chapter :)

Oh, I promise that at the party they'll be some Albus/ Katie as well as some Rose/ Scorpius.

Thanks for reading so far!

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