XII

KATIE AWAKENS

She would have liked to say that from the day where she gazed at the big snake to the day that she was finally awake, she had remembered it all. But the thing was quite disconcerting, as, chiefly above all, she remembered being urgent to call for Professor McGonagall.

It felt like a mere blink to her, and soon Madam Pomfrey and Professor Snape were there to calm her and to explain, and to tell about another tale of Harry Potter's escape.

She could not believe in what they were telling her. It took her looking at the frail figure of Ginny Weasley, a few beds away, to finally process what had happened on that day.

At one moment her world was falling apart: with The Cod being taken away, with Leanne possibly having to go to France, with her having to go to the USA, with Harry and Ron staking their life to a chance meeting in the forest in the dark of night, with suddenly being paralysed by gazing at a gigantic snake, of great height, and of great might.

And the rest she knew only by what people would tell, and soon Katie Bell learned of a tale quite absurd—which she only believed because it was from Leanne and The Cod she'd heard: a tale about Harry, who went down to the Chamber like a knight, who fought a basilisk, sword to gaping maul, and had come out of it alive, even after a near-fatal bite. She had learned of Lockhart's vile attempt to deter Harry and Ron's quest, and looked at his form with contempt, as the man looked blankly up to the ceiling, before the Hit-Wizards came to have him in arrest.

Harry visited her one time. And looked at her with a stare full of guilt, but full of joy. Katie stared back, scarcely believing that it was that boy that had managed to whack that gigantic snake; with a phoenix companion, with an old hat, with a silver sword and with a whole lot bravery at that.

And the prat treated it like it was another Wednesday afternoon!

Oh, she so wanted to hit that brat! Hit him until his face swelled up into a balloon, to see if it would drag some sense back on that blockhead. The odds of him just looking up for a single moment or less and just dropping dead filled Katie with dread.

But he was alive, and came out of the whole thing as a hero in the end. Granted: he was still dummy as hell—I mean, who would've went with Lockhart to the Chamber?

But he was Katie Bell's favourite dummy, and for now they were all alive and well. And the whole school could finally breathe at last, no longer troubled by tales of bigoted wizards from the past and their gigantic killing machines for a pet. And the trivial and the silly prevailed once again, and students once again began to fret: but not because of strange attacks or something of the sort, but now by the enormous stacks of content to study in a very short while.

Which only helped the smile on their faces, when Prof. Dumbledore returned and assured all the school, that because of the impact of the attacks, they would—this year—break their own rule, as it would be too cruel to hand out exams after such a heavy ordeal.

And Katie was one of the loudest to squeal and to jump with her whole house, and the whole school. And man, wasn't it just cool to be at Hogwarts!

And laughter and joy and happiness and cheer prevailed once again—and there wasn't a single unhappy student as they prepared themselves for the journey on the train.

But before we finally close the year, some loose ends require a mend: that of The Cod's little school-changing drama, and that of Katie's new little friend—or two little friends to be more precise, but that's already a spoiler, but, meh, who cares; things are now just that wonderfully nice.

The Cod had apparently a great improvement over his trembling ever since Katie had been paralysed by that giant snake. Now there was barely a shake on them, and in him there was a new kind of attitude. Leanne may have noticed perhaps, but to Katie, who hadn't seen the changes gradually, readily saw them—it was like day and night: before The Cod was subdued, more quiet; now something in him seemed to pop, and he turned back to that same old riot, and putting a stop on whatever seemed to trouble him. Which is perhaps why he finally stretched his little fin like a new man or a new fish, and put a new plan of his into motion, and into action.

He had to get out of that whole Durmstrang deal—he had to get out of that whole ordeal. It was only The Cod now, because Katie's parents had backed out on their suggestions, and the Beauxbatons representative hadn't even deigned himself to answer the Beasleys's questions. And even though Katie believed Mr Loweland would back out of that thing had The Cod asked it flat-out, our dear fishy friend didn't believe in things halfway-done, which left us with that fun scene of that little chat with Hogwarts favourite resident bat.

Professor Snape sported on that day his always fabulous robes in black and grey (I think he only had those pair of clothes by the way) and a rather charming facial expression, of aneurysm and barely contained aggression.

Granted, The Cod wasn't so bad at Potions, but he was flawed in the eyes of the bat, for such dangerous notions: of wearing red and gold and for daring to smile in that cold and mouldy hell of a classroom cell.

But things did go quite well, and they even saw Professor Snape snort, who was more than willing to write The Cod a very fantastic and not-quite-so-short recommendation to put on his report to Headmaster Karkaroff. He made sure to include in his prose just a bit of ornamentation, lest he think that was something a bit off.

And though the kids would never know, as Professor Snape would never let it show, he was kind of impressed with the craftiness of the trio, and kind of liked the opportunity to just write a letter aglow that made Karkaroff and world know of his very own personal dread: about just how much of a dunderhead truly were his students.

"… Mr Loweland is enthusiastic, mixing ingredients with barely a thought and with energetic glee—"

"… rarely has the opportunity to meet standards, unimpressive as they might be—"

"… he would be a great addition to Durmstrang's ranks, which would especially aid in his great ambition, held back by a particularly Brittanic specimen known as the Potioneers Safety Comission—"

Katie, Leanne and The Cod laughed as they read through their copy of the letter. Professor Snape had seemingly 'forgot' to charm it against that—but that was for the better, as they now were quite assured that The Cod's enrolment in Durmstrang just became the furthest thing from secured.

And they were right, of course, when on a night or two after they had sent it, Mr Loweland wrote to The Cod, describing a most odd and most peculiar letter from Mr Karkaroff.

And things were never better for our little crew.

There was also the story of Katie's two little friends—that is, her new two little friends.

When Ginny looked at Katie, she was tearful and so very sad, and it broke Katie's heart so her like that, so cute and small but so unhappy. Ginny had the gall to beg for her forgiveness, would you believe that?

"Did you purposefully sick that thing onto me?"

"Not purposefully, but—"

"Did you ever intentionally go for the kill just for that little thrill?"

"Never, I couldn't remember almost anything. But I promise I will—"

"Not even Mrs Norris? Didn't you wish that thing was paralysed?"

"No!" said Ginny, scandalised, her face flushed with anger and shame, looking like a little flame—all red and stuff.

Katie grinned at the girl, and patted her on the head, to which she just let out a huff.

"Boi, and I thought you were cool! Don't let the school put you down, Ginny. You did nothing wrong, and if any clown tries to say otherwise, I'll sick Leanne and the fish on them until they become more wise, okay?"

Ginny looked at her with a teary gaze, and then, to Katie's surprise, launched onto her. Our dearest protagonist would in time learn how to deal with that whole Weasley craze, but for now everything was swell for our medium-sized Katie Bell.

And then blondie appeared on the door, gazing timidly at the scene, and Katie, perhaps affected by Ginny's emotional state, just thought it was all very cute and very great, because now she would collect another little bean.

Luna Lovegood was very confused about it all. She had come just to give Ginny some flowers and a get well card, or maybe even give her some advice to not let the Wrackspurts crawl in her ear, but she was so surprised by what happened that she hadn't even the time to raise her guard and so was swept by that strange girl—but oh, Luna found out she was a dear!

Granted, Luna and Ginny had been playmates sometime in the past, but with Pandora's tragic death, and them not being housemates, they hadn't the opportunity to remember that—but now, at last, because of that pretty blonde girl, they finally had an opportunity to repair that.

And so, much sooner in this tale, there it began the great friendship of Ginny and Luna, this time not so frail and not paced as slowly (like a snail!)—rather, it seemed that it was just what Ginny needed, after her immense trial; and Luna could now be seen in the corridors and the halls, much more than before, with a joyful smile rather than her usual guarded expression.

And it was all because of a little Golden Witch's obsession with cute things and friendships without strings attached.

But it should be noted her new friends more than matched for Katie's little meddlesomeness. Why, it had been Luna, whose mind was especially geared for a kind of wholesomeness, who had the idea: to give The Grey Lady a gift!

And Katie went swift to Leanne, who talked to Patil and Brown about where to buy these kinds of things, and soon Katie had in her hands a crown, made of polished metal and some beautiful kind of blue stone, with a little eaglet etched in bronze and swans dancing along the metalwork.

And so she tracked the ghost, and gifted it to her in a pillow. A beautiful artwork for a beautiful princess—a humble gift for Katie's saviour on that day. The Grey Lady maintained a polite impassive face as Katie came and went away, and Katie thought that the whole thing was a bit silly, and the gift a bit frilly—it couldn't be so expensive, really; and she even had to fish for sickles and nickles on her coin purse! But Luna told her not to feel down, because:

"I may not know many things, but I can recognise a Princess without her crown"

And so Katie would know only in a few years or so, about a special set of rooms in the Ravenclaw tower, that one day served to stash brooms, but that was now known by being very carefully guarded by a ghost of impressive power.

And in that room, where one would hope to find a broom, there wasn't, but there was: a pretty crown on a blue pillow—that a ghost came to look and to admire from time to time, and its form would glow: a little more white, a little more pearl.

And so, Katie Bell's third year ended, and she looked forward to the next, but there was something bugging her on that back of her mind. And what could be that?

Well, it seemed there was someone in a bit of a hugging debt.

And she looked at Harry from afar, who waved at her, with the arm that now bore that 'battle-scar' and Katie was surprised at the red on her face.

Growing up was hard, but there were some things she was beginning to place.

And she intended to collect that indebted hug—but for now, she just made a shrug and waved back at that ugly mug.

Notes:

"Boi": a nickname for a friend

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