10th August cont'd
George spoke my address and within seconds I was rolling onto the floor of my parents' abandoned house. The place was a mess. I could see the front door lying open, yet I still felt the need to tip-toe around. My body was on high alert as I made my way towards the sitting room and saw the ball of hair lying on the wooden floor. My hair that had been ripped from my head. Both Fred and George still standing on either side of me, placed a comforting arm around my waist. I followed the multiple sets of muddy footprints to one of the storerooms which had been cordoned off by police tape which said 'CRIME SCENE DO NOT CROSS'. As I looked beyond the tape my knees gave way. I saw the pool of blood on the floor and the splatters on the wall. In the far corner I saw what looked like a garden shelving unit which held a length of rope, several pairs of handcuffs, a whip, a selection of knives, a hammer and some nails. I gulped.
Fred helped me up again, "Blimey." He spoke in barely a whisper, scratching the back of his neck. I looked up at George who looked like he had frozen in time. His eyes were fixed on the bloody mess on the uneven floor. They had been for at least five minutes.
"Georgie," I spoke calmly, putting my hands on his cheeks and lowering his blank-expression face so that he would look directly into my eyes, "look at me - I'm fine. I'm alive!"
If he hadn't of snapped out of it at that point I swear I would have kissed him.
"It just- You- Nearly died- I-"
"You helped save my life!" I wrapped my arms around him, he returned the gesture, with one hand in my hair and his chin resting on top of my head. It was then I realised how much taller he had grown over the summer.
"You know me, Gallant George." He joked, yet he still looked a little dazed, "it just brought it all back for me, I'm sorry…"
"There's no need for you to be sorry. I'm the one who should be sorry for putting you in that awful position… Now let's go f**k shit up." I grabbed the hall table lamp and smashed it on the floor.
The expressions in both Fred and George appeared completely dumbstruck.
"Well, come on then!" I lifted one of mum's ornaments and chucked it at the wall, shattering it to a million pieces. Fred lifted a glass bowl full of floral confetti stuff and flung it like a Frisbee, the sound it made as it hit the floor was delightful. I handed George a vase, raised my eyebrows at him, daring him to throw it, "Imagine you're chucking it at my parent's faces, that'll help." George threw the vase with all his might at the wall behind us and the ceramic was destroyed well beyond repair, "How did that feel?" I smiled.
"Brilliant." The twins both answered.
"Do either of you, by any chance know how to pick locks?" I asked after I had conquered walking up the stairs and directed the twins to the mysterious locked room that has both ignited my imagination and haunted my dreams.
"I thought you'd never ask." Fred took a gizmo out of his pocket and got straight to work. Fred was picking the lock whilst George had his ear up to the door, listening for a click.
I took a step back and admired them working together.
Click.
"Oh my goodness."
"Would you like to do the honours, Madam?" Fred and George both bowed to the side, gesturing for me to open the door.
Quite shakily, I placed my hand out in front of me and touched the cold metallic handle. I watched my hands struggle as I pulled it open. The room was pitch black. I felt around the wall for a switch and light flooded the tiny room.
"It's empty." Fred sounded disappointed.
"Look at the dust marks on the floor." I pointed, "There was something here, they must have taken it before they left. Something they didn't want anyone to see..." They risked emptying this room for fear of what it contained, I thought to myself. I reckoned that my parents had enough secrets to hide and would need a much bigger room.
"Katy?" George stepped into the room, got onto his knees and poked at one of the floorboards, "There's something stuck here."
The three of us were soon piled into the room that was barely a metre and a half wide. George had seen what he described as a piece of paper that was wedged between two floorboards. I knew there were only a handful of things that could be done in this situation, luckily the method that was most destructive was closest to hand. I ran out of the room and into mum and dads where I grabbed the toolbox that sat under their bed and hurried back with a chisel and a mallet. "These, boys are muggle tools." I gave them both a cunning look and began bashing the chisel with the mallet on the wooden floor, weakening the area around the nails enough to pull them out with the hammer. Fred then rather impressively snapped the board in two and George released the piece of paper and handed it to me.
"That's not a piece of paper. That's a photograph." A little girl no older than one-year-old was staring at the camera with her dark brown eyes and short, dark brown curly hair wearing a pink knitted dress.
"Katy, look at you." George pouted as he looked over my shoulder at the photo.
Fred snorted, "Adorable, truly." He got a swift dig in the ribs for that comment, "What happened?" And another dig for that, too.
The curious thing about the photo is that it had been ripped in half. I checked under the floorboard to see if there was anything else hiding down there, but there was nothing but the half-a-photograph of me that I was left holding. I sat in the room I had so desperately desired to know the contents of and got the tiniest of snapshots. Did mum and dad keep some of my baby stuff? Was it just old photographs and memories? Or was it stuff they were meaning to clear out?
"Well boys, you are now free to explore the rest of the house. You may like Peter's room, and if you want to bash up his games consoles, be my guest." I announced, getting to my feet, putting the photo in my back pocket. I grabbed a suitcase from one of the spare rooms and then headed for my bedroom where I gathered the rest of the things George and Arthur had left behind in the rush to get me to the hospital. I folded all the new clothes my Grandmother had bought me into neat piles, I put the presents I had purchased for my friends in my rucksack. Meanwhile I heard Fred and George making a racket in Peter's room. Between roars of laughter and mini explosions I decided to turn a blind eye or a deaf ear as I packed up my life as I knew it. Next summer I would be living with a different family. I hauled the suitcase to the top of the stairs and returned back into my parents' room.
One thing I dare say am proud of is knowing the combination to my parents' safe in their bedroom- I could have worked it out any way (it is Peter's birthday 28/08). I typed in the numbers and the door clicked open revealing an insane amount of cash. "Thank you Helen. Thank you Richard." I said to myself as I stuffed what must have been four or five thousand pounds into my backpack. I got a post-it note from dad's bedside table and wrote the word 'thanks' with a smiley faceand stuck it to the inside of the door. It's not stealing if you leave a note, right? Besides, I reckon I'm well overdue some compensation.
I searched the rest of the room. There was little of any significance, I just noticed that their passports were gone, both the real copies and their fake ones as well as mum's jewellery box. I checked dad's office which had been emptied as well as mum's downstairs. Let's just say, my parents brought everything incriminating with them.
I was lying there dying and they were covering their backsides.
The last place I went was into the kitchen where I grabbed a large shopping bag and emptied the baked contents out of the freezer. This consisted of all of mine and Granny's bakes over the summer- scones, tray bakes and buns. I also went into the cupboard and smashed all of mum's prized crockery (the set she bought after I accidentally smashed her original set years ago). I took so much pleasure in breaking every single plate individually. I felt like a sociopath as I laughed loudly to myself, feeling intense pleasure from doing all the stuff I wished I could have done when I was younger. I felt fearless. I felt like I was on top of the world. For the first time in my life I felt untouchable.
"Are you quite finished?" Fred and George were standing in the door way as I chucked the last bowl through the window. I didn't actually mean to break the window, the twins just made me jump and I misaimed. Oops.
"Quite." I took a deep breath, like a sigh of relief, I had closure.
I grabbed the last few bits and bobs from around the house that were either mine or would come in handy before asking George to grab my suitcase. I took one last look at the lounge as we stood into the fire. "The Burrow." I spoke with a huge smile on my face.
"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?"
"You'll just have to wait and see what I've brought you." I laughed at the terrified looks on Fred and George's faces as I walked with Molly to cool her off, "They're a bit frozen, but I've brought you scones and a few other sweet treats and… the family recipe book as promised. Enjoy."
Molly was stuck between the emotion of wanting to murder me and hug me, her teeth were gritted as she said, "Oh you."
"You can thank me later." I voiced as Molly stuck her nose into the book. I took the opportunity to sneak out of the room and inform Fred and George that they were both off the hook, "You can also thank me later." I smirked.
11th August
"GOOOOOOD MORNING BIRTHDAY GIRL!" I spoke with such excitement, holding her present in one hand and a tray containing a plate of freshly made pancakes in the other.
Ginny rolled over, placing the pillow on top of her head groaning, "You did not just wake me up." She was mocking me; she knows I'm terrible in the mornings.
"Come on! I made you pancakes" I sat on the side of her bed, "with syrup and a chopped banana because you're a weirdo who likes that sort of thing."
"Pancakes?" she sat up almost immediately with a huge grin on her face, "Thanks!" she took the tray from me, picked up the knife and fork and dug in, "Don't tell mum, but these are really good."
"Your secret is safe with me!" I smiled at her, "Aren't you going to open your present?"
"You bought me a present?" she looked shocked.
I turned on the bed to face her, handing her the wrapped box, "Of course I did! You're one of my best friends!"
Ginny set down the present on her bed and wrapped her arms around me, "I'm glad you feel the same way. Besides, I reckon I'm going to be stuck with you so it's a good thing we get along." She gave me a very daring smile. I shook my head, ignoring the insinuation she was making. She unwrapped the ribbon and then the purple paper which revealed a purple box which she opened to reveal a silver feather necklace. "Oh Kathryn! I LOVE it!" then I got attacked with another hug.
"I'm glad you like it!" I smiled, "So what is the plan for us today, birthday girl?"
Ginny said with a grin, "Today, we are going dress shopping. Mum accidently let it slip that there's going to be an event that requires a dress in Hogwarts this year."
"I've heard about this event as well." The two of us giggled like a bunch of little girls.
"What about this one, mum?" Ginny held up a beautiful emerald green dress.
"You can try it on, dear," Molly was hanging up around six or seven dresses in the changing room, all of which were for Ginny, "What about you, Kathryn, what dresses do you like?"
"Erm…" I swallowed hard. There were so many dresses of different colours and materials and cuts and lengths and it was all getting a little bit overwhelming.
One of the shop assistants must have seen my struggles and took me under her wing, "Let me see what shape you are, dear." I held my t-shirt tight to my body, feeling highly awkward having this stranger stare at me, "You've a small waist, so I would recommend this sort of dress here-" the lady held out of the most hideous monstrosities I think I've seen in my entire life.
"I'm not wearing that."
"Why not?" she was clearly offended, "The brown will complement your hair and eyes perfectly."
"Well, for one, I do not wear brown dresses, two, I do not want to show off that much flesh, and three, that is skin tight." I gave my honest opinion, the dress was quite short, backless and showed off far too much cleavage. I was not about to get bullied into wearing something I wasn't comfortable in.
"What about this one?" she held out a dress covered in feathers.
"Do I look like a bird to you?"
The next dress she held up was a burnt orange colour.
"NO."
"This one?" the dress was full length and bright red with a v-neck.
I nodded that I would try it on, for her benefit more than mine. I continued searching through a rail of dresses to my right, praying that I would find something pretty. "I like this one?" I held a mid-to-light grey coloured dress with sequence decorating the top with a few on the skirt.
The lady looked pleasantly surprised, "So you like the more elegant look, then?" she went into the back corner of the shop and picked out a black lace dress with three-quarter length sleeves. I opted to add that one to the pile. "What about this dusky pink, sweetheart neckline dress?" she suggested.
"That's a really nice dress, Kathryn, you should definitely try it!" Ginny spoke from the changing room where she had a yellow dress on, a pineapple sort of yellow, "Before you say it, I know this one doesn't look right."
I supressed my laughter, "I'm glad you said it, Gin."
"OOOOH." Molly picked out a dark green sparkly dress from the rail. "This one is pretty, what do you think Ginny dear?"
Ginny stuck out her hand and retreated back into the changing room and tried it on. In the time she took, Molly had found me a purple dress with an asymmetric neckline and begged me to try it on so I added it to the pile. When Ginny emerged she was laughing, "Mum, no matter how beautiful this dress is, I'm afraid I don't quite fit into it." Let's just say the dress was designed for a girl with big boobs.
I then decided to try on my selection of dresses. The purple one looked awful, even Molly agreed, it clung in all the wrong places. The pink one made me look like death with my pale complexion but the dress itself looked fine. Next, I tried on the grey sparkle dress. I stood out from behind the curtain ready to show off.
"You look beautiful!" Molly smiled.
I looked down at the intricate detailing of the top of the dress, "I feel like a princess!"
"You should definitely get that one." Ginny was straight to the point.
"I think I'll try on the others before I make any decisions." I felt like I had already made my choice, but I still had the black lace dress and the red one left to try. I put on the red first.
"The red is very bright, I think the other one was nicer." Molly spoke fairly.
I laughed, "I'm glad, because I can't get this one zipped up!"
The last dress was the black one. It also fitted perfectly, "I think we're going to have a bit of a dilemma…" I said from behind the curtain before opening it.
"You look great, Kathryn!" Ginny spoke from the cubical beside me wearing a green and pink dress.
I took a step back to look at her properly, "I think you've just found the dress." I zipped it up fully at the back for her, "Don't you agree Molly?"
"Definitely. But your dress Kathryn…" Molly was staring at me strangely, "You look- You look so like your- you-"
"If I look like my mother I'm taking it off straight away." I turned around and looked at myself in the mirror again. The fact that Molly didn't reply meant that I did indeed look like my mother. How, I had no idea, my hair was curly today, hers is straight (and blonde) and my mum is stick thin, but the look on Molly's face spoke a thousand words. I was not getting that dress.
"I don't think you look like your mother…" Ginny whispered, she had changed back into her normal clothing again.
"Wait a second." I spied a dress towards the front of the store I had missed. Still wearing the black dress, the blue dress came into view. "Wowzah." I was astonished by the beauty of the dress before my eyes.
I jumped up and down for a second in excitement. As I was about to check for my size, Narcissa Malfoy entered the dress shop, "Kathryn?" she questioned, taking a double take at me, "oh my… you look…!"
"Thanks?" I felt my cheeks redden, the way she was looking at me was very strange. Narcissa quickly back tracked out of the shop again as though nothing had happened. "Alright then, see ya." I waved sarcastically, feeling even more self-conscious in the dress as I hurried to the back of the shop with the next dress to try on. After a couple of minutes, I stepped out of the changing room with a dress that had a lace cream bodice with a navy blue chiffon skirt that came in at my hips accentuating my curves.
"Wow." Both Molly and Ginny spoke together.
Molly looked almost lost for words, "You look so grown up."
"That dress is… you look… stunning." Ginny said after I gave her a twirl.
"It's very pretty, isn't it?" I commented, swishing from side to side, the soft fabric moving with me, "I think I've made my decision." I smiled whilst looking at myself in the mirror, suddenly feeling all the more excited for the ball ahead of us.
"Go on! Show me the dress!" George tackled me as soon as Molly, Ginny and I got back to the burrow.
I held the dress out behind me, "No way."
He then started tickling me. "NO!" I screamed between giggles, "Gerroff Georgie!" I could hardly breathe. He had me pinned down on the floor, laughing my head off, gasping for air. The two of us soon found ourselves staring straight into each other's eyes, George slowly leaned down, he was hungrily staring at my lips.
"Hmm-hmm." It didn't matter who cleared their throat, the two of us completely snapped out of it. George got up off me slowly and we walked with our tails between our legs into two separate areas of the house. I was scundered.
14th August
George and I didn't dare look at each other too much over the past couple of days. It seemed like we had eyes constantly on us. I couldn't even ask George to pass me juice the next morning at breakfast without getting looks from everyone else present.
"Nothing. Nothing's going on." Ginny did her best Northern Irish accent as soon as she got me on my own. "You can't deny it any more, there is something going on."
"We'll see." I smirked, thinking about him.
Today, Fred suggested that we all went over to the orchard to play Quidditch together. I didn't quite know what he had planned, but there was a suspicious smile that I didn't quite trust. I put on a pair of wellies at the back door and made my way across the field. "You are aware I -"
"Don't worry." Fred said, "Here." He handed me a broom, "How come you didn't learn how fly in first year?"
"Neville fell and broke his wrist."
Fred snorted, "Ah, yes. I remember. And that's the day Harry got chosen for the Quidditch team by Wood!"
"The day exactly." we reminisced as we walked. It seemed so long ago! When we arrived in the field I saw George, Ron and Ginny (who was sitting at the side lines).
"Your private flying lesson, Madame." Fred and George spoke simultaneously.
Little did the boys know that Ginny and I stole two brooms from the shed and had been out the previous night just before sunset. She had already taught me how to fly. (Apparently her brothers haven't a clue she knows how to fly- she's been stealing their brooms from a young age. Good on her.) The two of us shared a load of giggles at how wobbly I was at first as I kicked off from the ground. Then I got a hang of turning and landing. Before I knew it, I was catching the Quaffle Ginny was chucking at me and I was flinging it back. By that stage it was getting rather dark and we headed back inside for me to unknowingly get the ultimate beginners challenge today.
I had both Fred and George on either side, willing to prompt and coach. I decided to have some fun, prompted by Ginny who was egging me on. I was going to milk it for all I had.
"I don't think I can do this!" a half-frightened voice escaped me.
George comforted me, "Of course you can, we're both right here!"
"But- But what if I fall?" this was a slight concern of mine, I had seen Harry and Oliver fall in Quidditch matches and I'm not exactly in full health at the moment, not that I let it show.
"I'll catch you."
"Promise?" I made both Fred and George pinky-swear. Ginny was in stitches. I joked that it was exploding laughter candy. Only George understood. Fred reckoned that it would be a good product to make. I suggested using a very powerful cheering charm.
"STOP STALLING AND GET ON THE BROOM!" George gently shoved me, "All you need to do now is kick off from the ground, like this." He demonstrated and then encouraged me to copy.
So I kicked off from the ground at speed and soared up into the air. Ginny tossed the Quaffle to me and I threw it with some strength at the twins, who both looked gobsmacked. I let out an evil laugh before swooping down to steal the ball again before flying high into the sky again. I can't say I was by any means an expert, or good, either but the feeling of having the slight breeze through my hair, the ability to reach new heights and explore the world at a new level was the perfect way to feel happy to be alive.
George flew up to meet me full of awe, "How?!"
"A girl does not share all her secrets." I winked, throwing the Quaffle to him.
"Have you got any more surprises up your sleeve, Katy?"
I couldn't help but smile at how unbelievably cute he was being, "Always."