I do not own any Harry Potter Characters.
Chapter 15:
Katie awoke to her alarm clock going off, picking it she fumbled with the buttons to turn it off. Setting it back down next to her picture frame of Angelina, Alicia and Katie dressed in their Quidditch gear in their fourth year. It felt good to have the photo back on her nightstand.
It had been a long time since Katie had felt this excited. By the time Katie got to the field she was three hours early, wanting to get as much time as she could before practice.
Smiling to herself with a ludicrous grin, she steadied herself on the broom. Kicking off the ground, she soared off, almost having to hold the broom back to go a normal speed. When she felt comfortable enough, she began surging around the pitch in large circles going as fast as the broom was capable. It was phenomenal.
When practice rolled around Katie felt exceptionally comfortable with her new broom. Heading into the locker room she put on her Grey and white training gear, it wasn't as heavily padded as their competition ones. When she got to the pitch most of the other players were chatting on the grass, while a few others were already on their brooms passing a Quaffle.
Katie noticed Marcus chatting with Mack Clifford their captain on the grass, so she opted to join James, Albert, Brian and Lucius. Flying up to them, James quickly spotted her new broom. "Look at you, with your new Firebolt, now you can keep up with the big boys." James teased her, as he showed off his own, it was older but maintained properly.
Katie laughed, saying "Yeah, hopefully the speed can get me away from Lamb's fucking deadly Bludgers."
All three laughed. "You took it like a champ though." Lucius offered.
Brian being the instigator that he always is, couldn't resist asking Katie. "So I hear you're single now, any interest in rekindling your relationship with Flint?"
"Davies." Marcus called out to him with a glare. "Mind your own business"
"What? I didn't do anything!" Brian called out to Marcus.
Soon the Captain, started the practice, running them through drills. The first tactic they practiced was to have every chaser attempt the Porskoff ploy, where a chaser would fly above the formation with the Quaffle to get the other teams to go after them, then the chaser throws the Quaffle directly down at another chaser who would now be free to get away.
When the practice switched to a scrimmage, Katie was teamed up with Lucius and Marcus, playing against Jerry, Carran, and James. The opposing team took an early lead, while Katie's team struggled to coordinate properly. At 60 to 110 their team losing, and Marcus called for a break. Flying over to Lucius, Marcus exchanged heated words with the chaser. When he finished, he flew over to Katie, saying "Listen I get you don't like me, but I at least need your cooperation, pay attention to our signals for the next play. You missed two plays in the last five minutes. You need get your head back in the game, Bell."
Katie knew he was right, she needed to pay more attention to her teammates. Marcus's speech helped turn the tide, catching up with the other team and passing them, 180 to 130. Adam was doing his best to try and hit Katie, but with her new broom she was harder to catch.
No matter how well Katie did in practice the captain would still not give her a starting position. The Falmouth Falcons ended up losing the last two games, and all Katie could do was watch from the sidelines.
The final game of the season, Marcus and the Captain got in an intense argument over a play. Mack refused to back down or even listen to Marcus's ideas. Which resulted in them losing the finals for that season.
Katie had a week off until summer practice started early in June. When it did there was a big announcement from the Coach stating they had a new Team Captain. Marcus.
Training shifted from then on, instead of switching teammates, everyone was set in certain teams. Reserve team had three chasers and the starting team had three chasers. He told them, that if even one starting team member couldn't make a game, then the whole starting team would be benched. He wanted chasers that exclusively collaborated with each other, that way they would work together perfectly. It was a smart move, but Katie felt defeated when she was put on the reserve team with James and Carren.
A week into the new training schedule Katie couldn't hold back anymore. She was good enough to be a starter and she wanted that spot. Katie showed up four hours early to practice, running through drills on the empty pitch. Marcus was the first to arrive hours later. Deciding that it couldn't wait anymore she flew down to the ground, Katie scowled as she walked up to him. "Flint, we both know I'm better than Halloran, why am I still a reserve?" Katie was fuming.
He observed her before he spoke, "Yes, you are better than Halloran, but he's more of a team player."
"How is he more of a team player then me?" This was bullshit. He studied her beneath his thick dark eyebrows.
"You show up hours before practice to train by yourself, whereas Halloran stays after practice with everyone else. No matter how good you are, he has more practice and training with the team. Want a starter position? Become a part of the team." He explained. She knew deep down he was right, shifting on her feet uncomfortably.
So, when practice ended at five pm she stayed on the pitch, even though her body ached. Katie had been training since five in the morning. By the time ten that night rolled around, she was seventeen hours into practice. What was left of the team finally called it quits.
Limping to the locker room, only just making it to the shower. With her legs no longer able to support her she sat down, lathering her hair and washing her body. Finishing, she leaned back against the tile wall. Letting the steam and warm water relax her body. Closing her eyes, she listened to the falling water.
"Bell" "Bell" "Katie?" Her eyes opened, finding herself still sitting in the shower. "You alive in there?" She heard Marcus ask from the door. Katie shifted on the floor; her tailbone was aching from sitting too long.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Katie shouted back. She went to stand up, but her legs had no strength. "Fuck."
"Do you need help?" Marcus asked. Heat rose to her cheeks, imagining him finding her like this.
"No, go away." She could do this, she could. She just needed to get her towel, and her spare clothing, which sat on a bench just outside of the stall she was in. Taking a steadying breath she grabbed the towel rack, using that to stand up shakily, with one hand she reached out turning the shower off.
She looked towards the bench. It was only three steps; she could do this. Her first step was questionable at best, the second step her leg gave out and the third step she fell. "Fuck." Katie cursed.
"Sounds like you need help" Marcus called out.
"No" Katie shouted frustrated, crawling onto the bench, using her upper body strength. She dried off and slowly got dressed. Now she needed to get to the door. Katie wished she weren't so bad at apparating, she could just be in her bed right now. Sitting there for quite a while, she debated her options.
"Are you planning on sleeping in there or do you need help?" She heard him call out.
She sucked on her lower lip for a moment. "Can you send someone else in?"
"Everyone is gone, unless you want me to call a janitor." When she didn't reply he called out again "I'm coming in." He waited for her to protest, when she didn't, he walked in. Spotting Katie sitting on a bench, hair soaked, and her body covered in bruises. All assorted colors and sizes, stretching across her skin. Her face was cast down, avoiding his gaze. "So, what's going on? You've been in here for over two hours."
Had she really fallen asleep for that long? She kept her eyes down, refusing to make eye contact. "None of your business."
"What are you waiting for then?" Marcus's insufferable grin returned.
Katie remained silent for a while before muttering, "my legs are sore from clutching the broom all day." He thought for a moment. Then he grabbed her bag, throwing the strap over his shoulder and across his body.
Katie was surprised that he hadn't made a smug comment. He bent down, scooping her into his arms. His intoxicating familiar smell enveloped her. "What's your address" he asked. When she remained silent, he let out a groan, "Apparating would take me a second to take you home, I can bring you to the Floo but chances of you standing properly, don't sound likely." Katie knew he was right.
They arrived outside her house, walking up the porch he set her down on the bench. Katie told him where the house key was in her bag. After finding it, he opened the door and set the bag inside. Walking back over to her, he picked her up again. When he got inside, he used his foot to kick the door shut behind him, then he waited for her to tell him where to go. "It's that room" she said pointing to the door. He walked over silently, setting her down on the bed, "Goodnight, Bell. I'll lock the front door." She glanced up at him, but he disappeared before she could reply.
Katie no longer came to practice early, taking Marcus's advice she stayed later to practice with the rest of the starting team. Time flew by and June was close to being over. Practice had been grueling that day, Katie didn't get out until late.
By eleven she was home, heading to her room, she changed Capone's water dish and set out some fish for him. He hooted happily.
Katie laid down on her bed, before reaching to turn off the light on her nightstand, only to stop suddenly and withdraw her hand. The photograph that sat on her nightstand was facing away from the bed, not towards it.
In the darkness, her house that once felt safe now felt terrifying. The way the vanity mirror reflected her backyard light through the curtains, the sight of her closet door left slightly ajar. Katie found little comfort, in the dark.
Getting up from her bed she snatched her wand from atop of her dresser, creeping to the door that lead to her living room, quietly, listening. Her wand clutched tightly to her side.
When she poked her head out of the door, she saw something slam down on her head out of her peripheral vision. Katie hit the ground, dropping her wand. It was kicked across the floor by large black boots. Whoever it was grabbed a clump of Katie's hair, dragging her out into the living room. She screamed, trying to claw at the attacker's hands as best as she could.
The person dragging her threw her across the floor, violently. Clumps of her hair ripping out in the process. She was hit again across the face, her vision clouded. She could only make out dark figures in masks. Death Eaters about five of them.
Her front door opened, a figure in red walked towards Katie. Tears streaked down her face, in excruciating pain. "Let's get this over with quick." Evelyn said.
Katie cried out as her hand was cut open with a blade, blood pouring all over her wooden floors. The Death Eater hauled her from the ground, taking her bloodied hand and placing it on the ebony mirror. The glass shifted into a soft purple no longer casting a reflection, "Let's deal with you first." Evelyn turned to Katie.
Grabbing Katie's wand, she snapped it into several pieces pocketing the remains. "Diffindio" Evelyn said. Katie felt pain in her leg, looking down there was a deep cut in her thigh, slicing through her jeans. Blood began gushing out. "You'll be dead soon enough." Evelyn laughed before they all disappeared into the mirror, leaving Katie to bleed out.
Katie was frantic, she needed to stop the blood, it was her femoral artery, she could die in seconds. "Cauterizo." Katie chanted holding her hands above her leg, as she repeated the words the wound began to stitch itself together. When her leg was healed, she stood up shakily dizzy from the blood loss. Placing her bloodied hand onto the mirror it changed back to purple. Katie walked through.
It was pitch black. Placing her hands in front of her she searched for a wall. Anything. When her fingertips met with the cool stone, a chill ran through her spine. It couldn't be. She listened. Not hearing anyone, she cast a Lumos spell to see the room. The stone hallway lit up, it was the place from her nightmares. Extinguishing her Lumos, Katie followed the twisting passage by touch alone. She had walked through this place so many times she had it memorized. Katie carefully made her way down the stairs.
When she hit the last step, an uneasy feeling hit her stomach. Reaching for the wooden door, she cracked the door slightly peering through, only to spot Evelyn and Death Eaters off to the side of the large room.
"Only a couple more minutes and we can go" Evelyn said to the Death Eaters.
Katie silently crept into the room, she could make it to the hallway without them noticing. Only if she stayed low and was absolutely quiet. Katie began to crawl towards the open door. When she was far enough into the hallway she got up, scanning as many doors as she could. Then she saw it.
The colossal door that held the beast. Just as she reached it Evelyn walked into the hallway followed by the Death Eaters. They saw her.
Without thinking she grabbed the handle, hauling it all the way open and hiding behind the door. A load roar filled the stone hallway, the whole room rumbling. It took slow powerful steps outside of the room. "Run" Evelyn screamed trying to make her way back through the door they had just left. Only then did Katie look around the door to see a massive Graphorn hot on their heels chasing them into the larger chamber.
Katie sprinted down the hallway, closing the door and trapping them in with the beast. Screams… horrifying, traumatizing… ear shattering screams. She needed to find the exit… so she ran, until she reached the end of the hallway. Walking through the final door she found herself standing just outside the Gryffindor wing.
What the hell.
Her grandfather must have used this when she had been in school. The mirror only opened with her blood, her family blood. Katie looked behind her and saw the same ebony mirror she had found her self standing in-front of when she was still in school. She wondered how many times she had walked through it; enough that she had nightmares about it.
Katie was fuming, "Confringo" casting a powerful blast that hit the mirror, shattering it into millions of pieces. Then hundreds of footsteps, the whole Gryffindor wing evacuating, heading away from where Katie stood. Perplexed, she followed them down to the courtyard, where all the students and teachers were lined up. Albus Dumbledore lay on the ground in the middle of everyone, unmoving.
The Ministry of Magic soon released a statement, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was back.
"Harry Potter Undesirable #1" the headlines read a few weeks later. "Ministry Seeks Education Reform" "Mudblood's and The Danger They Pose" "Purebloods the Perfect Society" "When Muggles Attack" Half bloods were being brought in front of The Ministry of Magic, their wands confiscated and arrested.
Katie stood on the Quidditch pitch; the late-afternoon sunlight warmed her face. They were having a meeting about the upcoming changes to the team. Unlike other teams they didn't suffer as badly. Losing only two Chasers, James and Carran, and one of their starting beaters Henry and two reserve beaters. Other teams had suffered way larger loses. Quidditch teams were heavily recruiting, Angelina and Alicia, both making it onto the Holyhead Harpies.
Marcus stood in front of the team. "I know there's been a lot of talk, about us losing so many teammates. We are in the process of making a couple trades with other teams that didn't suffer as badly. Unfortunately, the teams that don't even have seven players are taking top priority. Until then when we scrimmage it will have to be against magical opponents as we don't have enough people. However, I would like to introduce a new member to the team, Adam Fletcher. I'm sure, you've heard of him, he was in the French league on the Agincourt Axes, he will be our starting beater, along with Lamb. The starting lineup for chasers has yet to be announced, today I want myself, Paddon, and Bell running the plays." Katie looked up at him when her name was mentioned. "Okay, let's go." He yelled, everyone got on their brooms taking off.
"Today we are going to practice Sabryn steals, and D'Orazio Dives." Marcus announced, a few people groaned.
They still had a month left of training before the Quidditch league's season would start again. Many things had changed for this year's season of Quidditch. With so many people being arrested, major companies were going out of business.
The Falmouth Falcon had started to lose their investors. The team only recently acquired a new shareholder, so to celebrate they coordinated a trip. They would stay for one night at a hotel, and the following day the team would be interviewed for the Quidditch Daily, and other news groups. The first day of the event they arrived at the hotel, the team was escorted to the meeting room. Where the new shareholder greeted them and gave them a list of questions that would be asked the following morning.
The following morning Katie was doing the last touches on her makeup, when a knock sounded on her hotel room door. Opening it, Marcus stood outside, dressed in his Quidditch gear. Katie's freckled face paled a bit. He handed her a Styrofoam box, and a coffee cup. His brows lowered as his eyes traveled along her body. Cocking his head to the side he greeted her with a quick smile saying "Breakfast." He felt extremely idiotic, and for a moment he debated on whether to run from her room or not.
"Thanks" she said, looking down at the ground.
"We will meet you in the conference room." He smiled roguishly. Marcus remained standing there for a moment longer, examining her, before briskly heading down the hallway.
Katie took a sip of her warm drink, raspberry tea, her favorite. Katie closed the door, sitting down at the small desk, she ate her breakfast. In the silence that followed his departure, a familiar ache filled her chest as she contemplated her Captain.
They were lined up behind a long table that was situated on a stage. The rest of the room was filled with reporters, and camera crews. Katie sat on the end, next to Lucius but four seats away from Marcus. Katie nervously picked at her Quidditch Uniform sleeve while she waited for it to start.
"Welcome everyone, as you all know we have The Falmouth Falcon's team to answer questions about the upcoming season." The announcer then turned to the team and asked. "Do you have anything to say to your fans?"
"Thank you for your support. We are going to do our best in the upcoming season." Marcus said into the microphone in front of him.
"Let's start the question's then" the announcer pointed to a slim, tall man with thinning black hair.
"Flint as the new team captain how do you feel about the roster for this upcoming season?" He asked in a timid voice.
"The most important thing is to have a roster that will get us the greatest number of wins. I've been putting thought into it, but nothing is set in stone for now."
"Next question, you in the front." The announcer walked across the stage, pointing at the next reporter.
"Davie's after this summer you are up to extend your contract with The Falmouth Falcons, are you planning on staying?" A small man with a withered face asked.
"Unfortunately, that hasn't been talked about yet as per an agreement. It will be up for discussion in six months or so." Brian responded curtly his crooked teeth glowing yellow in the light.
"Yes, you." The announcer pointed to a woman with fiery red hair.
"Flint is it true, that you are getting along especially well with your new chaser?" The woman asked, looking between Katie and Marcus. Katie tensed.
"No not really." He said, looking over at Katie, her face colored, but she did not drop his stare, his emerald eyes sparkled with amusement. "But she's a great Quidditch player, and a valuable asset to the team." Katie adverted her gaze back to the crowd.
"You're a little scary sometimes, you know that? Brilliant... but scary." — Ron Weasley