I do not own any Harry Potter Characters.
Chapter 10:
He couldn't breathe. There's no way, right? Pushing his body forward, he ran in the direction of the screams, pulling his wand out. His heart was hammering through every inch of his body by the time he reached the clearing.
Katie was laying on her back, her red jacket contrasting the glittering white snow. A small crowd of kids were huddled around her, and a book propped open next to her, close to her hand. The pages were fluttering in the wind, wrapped in a brown cloth, and hanging out of the book was a black necklace.
Marcus was only a few feet away from her, he was so close. His body halted in horror as she was hauled along the snow by an invisible force. Soon her limbs were limply dragging through the snow as she was being viciously tossed from side to side. The crowd of people gasped in horror, as they observed. Abruptly her body was lifted thirty feet in the air, her arms straightened out on either side of her. Her head hurled backwards with an eerie glazed look in her eyes and her mouth opened wide. He tried to make out the words coming from her mouth, only to realize in horror she was silently screaming.
It felt like an eternity until her body was hurled down to the ground, back first, with a sickening crack. Her body began convulsing and thrashing, Katie's head tipping back as she sobbed in quiet unheard agony. Before Marcus could close the distance between them, a deep voice broke his thoughts.
"Don't get any closer!" Hagrid's voice boomed. The crowd stood still, only turning their heads to look at the professor. "Get back all of you." With hurried heavy steps the giant-sized man approached Katie, lifting her up into his arms effortlessly. Her snow-covered body was no longer seizing, but she remained cold, her body lifeless.
Marcus looked up as Hagrid was walking away with Katie in his arms. Taking off, he decided that she was better without him. Terrible things happened to her when he was around.
Katie was brought to St. Mungo's hospital where she remained in a coma for six months, her body desperately attempting to recover. When she awoke the doctors told her that she had broken her spine in several places but was healing. She knew this could be a career ending injury in the Quidditch world.
Katie spent the whole summer at her father's, towards the end after tons of physical therapy she was finally out of her wheelchair.
Unfortunately there was still no word from Marcus, but thankfully the same could be said about Angelina and Alicia. Evelyn and her father had been there for her though. Evelyn had slept over Katie's fathers house for a month straight when Katie was first released.
When it was time for Katie to return to school, she had decided to transfer. Returning to Ilvermorny, Katie had not tried out for Quidditch that year. The captain of her old team approached her after class one day. Telling her that she made the reserve team and was expected to at least show up to practices and game days.
So that's what Katie did, and as the year went on her confidence grew bit by bit, and finally she found herself getting on her broom. It took her months before she was flying around without jerking wildly. After each day she would have to spend hours soaking in medicinal waters to recover.
By the time the final game of the year came, her captain told her she was starting. Katie not wanting to disappoint her teammates played a tough game. Since her injury Katie's play style had changed, she was more cautious, more aware of her surroundings. When a Bludger came her way Katie would avoid it effortlessly. She had scored a reasonable number of points, but really succeeded in getting the Quaffle away from the other team and getting it to her teammates.
Katie had a scout approach her that day, requesting that she come to the professional Quidditch admissions celebration. This was an opportunity for teams to make their pitches to players, and recruit. The scout had been from the Holyhead Harpies, the all-female Quidditch team.
When the school year ended, the admissions celebration was coming up. Evelyn was doing her best to encourage her friend. "Katie if you don't want to play then don't, but this better not be because you want to avoid Marcus . You can't keep letting him hold you back, he's clearly moved on." She supported the statement by throwing the daily prophet towards her, the headline reading 'Has Falmouth Falcons Flint found the one?' The picture underneath was of Marcus holding a beautiful brunette's hand as they were entering the Falmouth Falcon stadium
The night of the celebration Katie got dressed, in a strapless, pale-blue dress of semi-embroidered fabric which emphasized her narrow waist, while hugging her hips and just slightly flaring out at the bottom. The back of the dress was risqué, given how low it dipped. Her golden hair ran down her back in loose waves.
Evelyn had kindly accepted Katie's offer to be her date, her dress was long sleeved, a midnight blue, and it twirled just above her knees, silver hid amongst the cobalt along with beautiful silver stitching.
"Oh no, your best friends are here." Evelyn whispered to Katie sarcastically. Katie looked up and sure enough Angelina and Alicia were heading in their direction.
Their eyes were clearly fixed on Katie. "Katie, can we speak to you alone?" Alicia questioned glaring at Evelyn. Meanwhile, Katie began picked at an invisible fleck of lint on her dress, not wanting to make eye contact.
Evelyn swallowed her laugh. "Whatever you have to say to Katie, you can say it in front of me." Evelyn spat.
"Fine. We think Evelyn jinxed Alicia" Angelina snapped. Alicia shot Evelyn a sharp look.
"You're going to blame the one person who's always been there for me." Katie was angry. "Coming from the two girls who lied to me and almost got me killed in the same year. You both have some nerve."
Alicia's mouth opened. Then closed. As if debating her next words. "Katie please just listen to us; we did a spell…"
Before Alicia could continue, Evelyn cut her off. "I think Katie has heard enough." With a low laugh, she looped her arm with Katie's, and steered them in the opposite direction. Alicia's shoulders sagged a little.
"Thank you" Katie whispered, fighting back her emotions. Some friends they were.
"That's what I'm here for." Evelyn said leaning her head on Katie's shoulder as they briskly walked through the ballroom.
That's when Katie froze, there he was. She had noticed him across the room, the mouthwatering asshole. The brunette from the picture was curled under his arm as he chatted to another man on his team. He hadn't noticed her yet. Marcus was in his Falmouth Falcons uniform while the girl on his arm was in a skintight silver dress. She was breath taking, and Katie couldn't help but feel irrelevant.
When Katie thought about Marcus with another girl, all it made her want to do was rip out his hair. By the roots, in bunches if she could manage. "I want to kill him" Katie fumed, bright anger taking over,
Evelyn noticing Katie's glare across the room spotting Marcus. "Best revenge is jealousy." Evelyn encouraged with a laugh.
Katie searched the room quickly trying to see if anyone stood out, when her eyes met the most beautiful man she has ever seen. Not handsome- beautiful and she knew he'd be perfect. He just had to agree. Katie paced over to him, not breaking eye contact. His skin glowed a soft golden, his midnight eyes… Oh Merlin.
She inspected his clothes noticing he was wearing a Puddlemere robe. That's when she really recognized him, he had been on the Puddlemere team for 4 years, he was an incredibly powerful and deadly accurate beater. As if emerging from a daze, Katie shook her head. Giving him a venomously sweet smile, she asked. "Do you have a moment?"
He gave her a slow, sensual smile as he took her in from head to toe. "What can I help you with beautiful?" His eyes sparkled, and his wolfish smile flickered.
"Would you by chance mind helping me make my ex jealous?" She asked mischief in her tone.
He angled his head to the side, then flicked his magnificent dark eyes across the room for a moment before returning to her. He held out his hand, inclining his head. "Dance with me?"
Was there music playing? She couldn't recollect. He pulled her towards the dance floor, their bodies pressed to each other in a slow rhythm. He dropped his head close to her ear, whispering huskily. "Where is he?"
When she nodded in Marcus's direction his eyes lit up with shock. He let out a short whistle "I got my work cut out for me?" Looking back at her he asked in a deep voice. "If I'm going to be your fake boyfriend then I need to at least know your name."
"Katie Bell" her lips curled into a smirk.
"Brenton Allen, it's my pleasure." He pulled her knuckles to his mouth kissing it softly. They spun around the dance floor smoothly, she didn't falter a single step as the faces blurred around them.
He glanced around the room, as if looking for someone. "Are you ready? He's looking this way." He indicated to her; she had almost completely forgotten.
His right-hand tangling in her hair, while his left caressed her bare back. His mouth meeting hers in a heated kiss.
Her heart jumped into a gallop, and Marcus dissolved from her thoughts if only for a moment. He slid his hand around her waist, as she braced one of hers on his arm. When he began to move again, she looked up at him, easing back into a steady rhythm. Everyone around them transforming into mere shadows on the walls. The song came to an end, and Katie was pulled back to reality.
"Thank you" She whispered to him, "I really need to freshen up though." She left before he could say another word, disappearing in the sea of people.
Katie however took an alternate path making her way to the patio. Sitting down on a bench in front of a manicured garden lit with shimmering glass lamps, trying her best to enjoy the warm summer air. Evelyn emerged from the door sitting next to Katie on the bench.
"Well, he certainly looked miserable." Katie stiffened slightly in her chair. "Who's the guy you were tongue wrestling?" Evelyn asked her, laughing softly as she did.
"Brenton Allen, he's the beater for Puddlemere. You didn't recognize him? He's been on the team for four years." Katie asked confused.
"I don't follow Quidditch" Evelyn said absently, her body relaxed, eyes alight.
Katie opened her mouth to object. Evelyn lifted a slender brow and waited. "You went to the World Cup though?" Katie persisted.
"To check out the hot men" Evelyn said with a wolfish smile, picking at her nails. Wouldn't that give her more of a reason to at least know the attractive Quidditch players names?
The night persisted, and Katie ended up turning down the Falmouth Falcons when they approached her for a reserve position. It was rare for them to even offer a spot to a female player. Katie had wondered if they wanted her for publicity's sake, two exes on a team would bring drama, the fans would love that.
The Harpies offered her an opportunity to try out as a starter, they were honest that she had competition as they had accepted three girls including herself and there was only one chaser position open. The other two would end up on the reserve team. Katie had accepted.
When Evelyn headed towards the bathroom, Brenton approached her "I just realized that I haven't told you how beautiful you look tonight." He said with a wink, sitting in the chair next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
"You can cut the act, he's not around to hear" Katie said pursing her lips together, a sly cat's glance in Brenton's direction.
He crossed his legs with a lazy grace. "Not to pry, but it's over between the two of you?" His eyes were hard on her, but – a flicker of amusement gleamed there.
Some small, pathetic part of her wished he hadn't asked that. "Of course." A lie and they both knew it. "Have a goodnight" willing herself to breathe, to blink – to simply look at the moon-bathed room, anything to distract her nerves.
"Wait are you breaking up with me?" Brenton let out a low, wicked chuckle, but Katie wasn't in the mood to laugh anymore.
"And who might this be?" Evelyn questioned when she returned, acting as if Katie hadn't already told her about him.
"Brenton Allen." Brenton said giving a lazy grin over his shoulder.
"It's great to meet you, but we need to get going" Evelyn said nodding her head towards the entryway.
Brenton blinked – as much surprise as he'd show. He took Katie's hands – dry, warm, callused. Squeezing her fingers gently, peering into her face. "I hope you will at least consider a second date with me."
"It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends." ― Albus Dumbledore