Name: Katie Bell
Age: Way too young to be subjected to this
Hair: Caught sight of it in the goblet. Lookin' good
Current Mood: Fighting growing, irrational panic. Oh God, oh God, what the hell have I done to deserve this.
Current Location: Great Hall.
I got the Howler that morning. I was sitting at Breakfast, Alicia on one side and Angelina on the other, waiting for the mail. When the scarlet envelope was dropped in front of me, I was so sure it was a mistake. I mean, I know that sounds uppity and egocentric, but I didn't think I'd done anything wrong.
"You better open it," Alicia hissed.
"I could Charm it silent for you," Angelina suggested helpfully.
"Don't!" George shouted, throwing himself over the table and Angelina as if protecting her from a grenade.
"He tried the Silencio Charm last year," Fred muttered through his mouthful of toast. "It only magnifies louder. Left half of Gryffindor deaf for days."
I shakily opened it, completely dumbfounded as to what I'd done to deserve it.
"Katrina Anne Bell!" My Mother's voice shrieked. Holy sweet Flobberworms, was I in deeeeep Mandrake shit. When my mother uses my birth name, I know I'm in serious trouble. When she uses my full name, I'm freaking doomed.
"I just received your report card." I felt anger bubbling up inside me, even underneath all the fear and shame of receiving a Howler first week into the school year. Mind you, Ron received one yesterday, so it's becoming a bit of a routine affair.
But where does my mother get off, lecturing me about my grades? She left school at got married when she was 16! What would she understand; she'd never gone to any magical school. She wasn't even a Muggle – she had the choice, but she chose not to. No sense of adventure, for one thing. But one thing's for certain: I wasn't going down without a fight.
"Way to go mum." I challenge the screaming Howler, "It's only been sitting unopened on the kitchen bench for these last three months. Way to pay attention to your daughter's life!" I yelled back. It actually floated in the air in silence for several moments, astounded I'd answered back.
"I am sorely disappointed in you young lady." It finally offered, picking up where it left off. Please, please don't shout out my grades. I sat stubbornly, crossing my arms and averting my eyes as if she was really standing over me in person.
"You're failing Potions." Dammit. I drowned out her shrieks of protest.
"Unless you're in Slytherin, who doesn't fail that subject?"
"I don't care!" It screeched back.
"I know you don't. You never even show an interest!"
"I'm not having any of this cheek Missy. Ever since you've gone to that school you've been getting it into your head that you're too big for your britches. Hanging out with wrong people no doubt. You're failing Potions, Transfiguration and Herbology."
"Do you even know what those subjects are!" I bellowed back, getting to my feet to face the Howler head on.
"I don't have to know what they are, but I know you're failing them. If I don't see an IMMEDIATE, DRASTIC improvement within this term, you're not playing that silly Quidditch game anymore." Slytherin let out a cheer. And with that little victory the Howler tore itself up, floating down into my hot chocolate. I stormed out of the Great Hall, leaving Alicia, Angelina and the Weasely's sitting in silence, peering morosely at my mug.