Life Down at the Quidditch Pitch

Chapter Thirteen

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"Bloody hell," Oliver muttered under his breath as the door opened. His heart was in his throat and he swore that for a moment it stopped beating.

"Be more bleeding careful will you?" someone shouted, stepping in the door. It was Angelina, and she had her hands on her hips, giving the two of them accusatory stares. "Alicia could have just ripped the curtains open and what if you'd been bare arse naked to the world?

"We weren't naked, and how did you know?" Katie asked.

"You don't wear Puddlemere United argyle socks." Angelina raised an eyebrow at the two of them. "Oliver's foot was sticking out of the curtain."

"Is anyone in the common room?" Katie was peering out the door.

"It's empty, but if you don't worry we'll be late for Potions...so change..." It was then that Angelina looked directly at Oliver. "How is he going to get to his office? Won't it be a bit obvious if he's wearing his pajamas?"

Katie looked at him, cocking her head to the side, taking him in, robe and all. He felt a blush creep up his neck. He'd never had a girl stare at him in his pajamas let alone two of them appraising him so frankly. He felt so... so naked.

"You just change behind the curtain, Katie," Angelina instructed. Katie slid behind the curtain on her bed then she closed it. Angelina looked at Oliver again; she was biting her lower lip. "Hold on, let me run and get something."

Angelina left the room and Oliver was left with the soft sounds of Katie getting dressed. It was odd, listening to a girl get dressed. She kept tutting and pulling on clothing and there was the sound of elastic on her skin. Good Merlin, he needed to get away from her.

He gulped and sat on the nearest bed but quickly stood back up when he realized there was a pair of pink knickers laying on the bed for the world to see. This was odd, being in a girl's dorm.

"Almost dressed Kate?" he asked. Katie stuck her head out of the curtain and smiled at him.

"Yes."

Good, Oliver thought. This was completely uncomfortable. Katie stepped out from behind the curtain, wearing only her skirt and white oxford. She didn't look rushed at all in that instant, she looked calm and relaxed though Oliver was sure that Snape would flay her alive if she wasn't on time for his class.

She put on her socks and Oliver had to tear his eyes away from her legs; her skirt was creeping up and he felt slightly pervy looking at her. She walked past him, getting her Gryffindor jumper to wear over her oxford.

"Help me with my tie. Angelina usually does." She held out the tie. He put it around her neck and began fixing it for her. He resisted the temptation to lean down and kiss her; after all Angelina was about to arrive. Instead he bit his lip and tied the tie for her.

"There you go."

"Six years and I still can't tie the thing." She grinned at him.

"Put these on." Turning he saw Angelina holding out a pair of standard issue Hogwart's trousers and a white oxford. He raised an eyebrow.

"Stole them from Fred, might be a bit odd fitting, but just throw them on. We need to get to Potions."

He stood on Katie's bed and pulled the curtains shut. He put on the clothing, the pants were too short and too big in the waist and the shirt was huge, when he came from behind the curtain. Angelina and Katie took a look at him and began laughing hysterically.

"Where's the flood?" Angelina teased.

"Shut up," Oliver said as they left the room.

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"Where are your friends?" Dean asked. Alicia looked up to see the tall black boy sliding in to a seat next to her at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall.

"Angelina went up to wake Katie again, Fred, George, and Lee are always late on Potion's mornings," Alicia replied, returning to her breakfast.

"Ah, say you haven't seen Wood?" Dean asked. "Harry and I were hoping to look over a play with him that we created last night, but he wasn't in his office."

"Did you check the Pitch? He might be out flying."

"Didn't think of that..."

"Yes well you play Quidditch with someone for three years and you'll know their idiosyncrasies really quick," Alicia said, drinking out her goblet.

"I'm sure," Dean said, grabbing kippers from the nearby plate.

"Just like Angelina wakes up earlier than the rest of the team on game days and Katie wakes up last, however Katie will always be more alert than Angelina," Alicia explained. "Fred always starts the jokes and George always ends them, but on game day its reverse. Harry won't ever eat, no matter how much food you offer him."

"And you?" Dean asked.

Alicia grinned thinking of exactly how Lee would calm her down on game mornings. "Well I really don't think that you want to know all about that."

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"You need to be more careful," Angelina said once they passed the Great Hall on their way to Potions.

"Yes Mum," Katie said rolling her eyes.

"Seriously. If you keep doing what you're doing, no one is going to want to date you."

"Doing what you're doing? What are you talking about?"

"First of all there was the fling with Roger Davies during fourth year."

"Didn't we agree to never talk about that again? That was temporary insanity."

"Apologies, but that's not the point, then there was the flirting madness with Connor Macdermott during the beginning of fifth year, didn't you snog him?"

"Before I incriminate myself, what is this about?"

"Just trying to prove a point."

"Yes, I snogged Connor," Katie admitted.

"Then there was whatever happened with you and George last year. You know, you never did tell me what actually happened."

"That's because I'm still having nightmares about it." Angelina gave her a look and Katie sighed. She lowered her voice. "It's called comfort. The end of last year was horrid."

"I know." They were silent, for a moment. Katie dared to think that she had stopped rehashing Katie's love life, but it wasn't to be so. "Now Oliver."

"So? Just because I'm not like you or Alicia doesn't mean anything. I just don't want to settle down with just one person, is that such bad thing?

"No, but what I'm trying to tell you that all you've ever done is have flings with various guys. It doesn't look good."

"So are you trying to tell me that I'm some kind of roving slut?" Katie stopped dead in her tracks, hurt by what her friend was implying.

"Of course not! But the rest of the school doesn't know that, they see that you've been with quite a few guys and they end up drawing their own conclusions."

Katie was horrifed. "So the entire school thinks I'm the local bicycle? Is that what you're saying? Look Angelina, just because I haven't been seriously involved with anyone does not mean that I should be branded some sort of harlot!"

"Katie! Dammit, just listen to me."

"No," Katie glared at her best friend. How dare she insult her like this! "I'm not listening to this shit again, what I do is what I do! It's no concern of yours!"

Katie and Angelina were now glaring at each other. "Katie, this is mad! Just don't do anything stupid, that's all I'm saying!"

"I know exactly what you're saying!"

"Quit putting words in my mouth!"

"I'm going to put something in it if you don't shut it."

Angelina didn't say anything for a full minute; Katie just glared at her, not believing her friend. "Just...never mind, apparently you're not going to listen to a damn word I say, so just forget it." Angelina walked away, Katie took a deep shaky breath and closed her eyes. This was not exactly how she wanted to start her day.

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When Angelina and Katie arrived in Potions, Alicia didn't need anyone to tell her that something had happened between them. Katie had purposely sat on the other side of the twins, opting to sit next to George rather than at her normal place on the other side of Fred so she could lean over and talk to Angelina. Angelina kept stabbing the caterpillars that she was supposed to be cutting up with her knife. Alicia looked between them; Katie had her faced scrunched up in a hurt expression. Angelina gave away nothing, which was a switch.

When the bell rang, Katie fled the Potion's class. The rest of them walked to the Great Hall, silence falling over them. Usually Angelina was giggling; Katie was fuming about something, but there was no noise this time.

Alicia sat down at the table; Katie was still nowhere to be seen. She slid next to Lee. It was amazing, no one knew what happened, but it had affected all of them. They ate in an eerie silence. The giggles from Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown sounded unusual and unwelcome. Alicia stirred her mash around on her plate as she looked over at Angelina.

Angelina was staring up at the ceiling.

"What exactly is going on?"

Alicia looked up to see Harry, Ron, and Dean looking at her.

"What are you talking about?"

"Who died?" Dean asked.

"A friendship, I think," Alicia replied. "But I'm not sure how."

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Katie slumped on her bed and pulled her knees up to her chest. She closed her eyes against the tears that were threatening to spill . Why couldn't Angelina have just stayed out of it and kept her annoying opinions to herself? Why did she have to put her nose in something that didn't concern her?

Why was it a big deal if she wasn't serious about anyone? So she snogged a few guys, so she'd never really dated anyone, so what if she wasn't a virgin? Neither was Alicia, but did Angelina rag on her about it? No of course not, because Alicia was Alicia and Katie was Katie, she always got the short end of the stick. First her mum died , and then she started getting this weird vibe from Oliver, now there was this big blow up with Angelina.

She sighed; there was no use feeling sorry for herself. Maybe she would fly around the Pitch a few times, which would at least make her feel better for a while, maybe clear her head.

She threw on her Quidditch gear, grabbed her Cleansweep 7, and headed out of the dormitory. However she was nearly knocked flat on her bum by someone rushing up the stairs.

"You've had an urgent owl sent to Dumbledore's office." She looked up to see Hermione Granger standing above her. Katie raised an eyebrow and followed Hermione to the Headmaster's office; she'd never been here before. Hermione said the password and they went up to the office.

"Miss Granger, if you'll leave me alone for a second with Miss Bell." Dumbledore was smiling at her.

Katie heard Hermione leave as she sat down in a chair across from the Headmaster. His office was amazing, but Dumbledore began speaking before she got a good chance to look around.

"There's been an owl from your grandmother."

"Grandmum doesn't send owls," Katie replied, confused.

"There's a witch in the village who was kind enough to send it for her. I thought it best that I have you read it up here."

Kate,

Darling, I hate to share this news with you like this but it must be done, and I figured this was quickest way. Pet, your father has hired a wizard lawyer, one of the best, Lucius Malfoy. There is more disturbing news on that subject, which I can't bear to tell you this way. But don't fret, I've also found an incredibly good wizard lawyer, with Professor Dumbledore's help of course. His name is Norman Wedeinbaum, he was the Potter's lawyer before they passed. I will owl you soon, and please dear do not worry about Em and Drew, I will do what I can to protect them.

I heard you played well against Hufflepuff, keep practising. Emma and Andrew say hello and send their love.

Love,

Grandmum Rose

PS: Tell that nice boy Oliver that I say hello as well. He's such a good lad.

"Lucius Malfoy?" Katie demanded.

"I'm afraid so Miss Bell, but I urge you not to worry. Norman is an excellent lawyer, he had the paperwork drawn up for Secret Keeping in nearly two weeks...most lawyers it takes over two months."

Katie looked down at her shoes, she attempted to fight off the tears that had threatened to break through since early this morning, after she'd fought with Angelina. She bit her lip, she was determined not to cry.

"So," Katie said, finally regaining her composure. "This...this Norman bloke, he'll make sure the twins can stay with Grandmum?"

"I hope so Miss Bell." Katie nodded and began to walk out of the door.

"If you need anything, Katie, don't hesitate to come and discuss it with me or any other member of the staff." There was a brief twinkle in his eyes, but Katie ignored it. All she could think about were the Malfoy's. There had to be a reason that they were involved. It was a well-known fact that the Malfoy's didn't do anything unless there was something in it for them.

Katie wondered down to the Pitch, it was the only place she could go and think. She was disappointed to see it full with Slytherins. Slytherins reminded her of Malfoy who reminded her of her brother and sister who reminded her of the fact that her father was a lying cheating bastard.

She found a trunk of a tree and collapsed under it. Alone was where she wanted to be.

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"Has anyone seen Katie?" a worried voice asked loudly. Well, it was loud enough to be heard from the staff table anyway. Oliver looked up to see Alicia looking rather worried. "She didn't come back to the dorm last night." There wasn't a single response from any of the seventh year Gryffindors. They all looked sullen.

Oliver noticed Harry and Dean looking at the rest of the Quidditch team, sharing worried expressions. What was going on?

"The last I saw her was in Dumbledore's office, last night," Hermione Granger said. "She'd had an urgent owl..."

"Katie's had an owl?" Oliver asked, not realizing that it had been out loud. He received some very odd looks from the nearby Hufflepuffs. Looking down into his food, he began to worry. If Alicia and Angelina didn't know where Katie was, then...well he didn't want to think about it.

He finished his breakfast and decided to look for Katie. It was getting late and if no one could find her, well he didn't want to think about that either. He needed to find her now. Missing for twelve hours was never a good sign.He practically ran out the front doors, looking around. Where could she be?

He spotted a red heap beneath a tree close to the Pitch. He ran towards it, praying that it was Katie and she was safe. He'd never felt this worried in his whole life.

He reached the foot of the tree and saw that it was her. And she was breathing.

"Kate," Oliver said breathlessly, rolling her onto her back. She looked up at him blinking. She was dirty and her hair was wet, it had rained last night. He felt relieved that she was alive.

"Are you okay?"

"Fine," she said, sitting up. Her expression was gloomy. "Or as fine as I could be. What time is it?"

"It's 9 am," he replied. "What's wrong?"

Katie smiled at him, but it was an odd smile. It was so blank and void. "My grandmum says hello and that you're a good lad."

"Okay," Oliver replied, puzzled.

She looked up at him, blinking again. "My dad's hired Malfoy's dad to try and get the kids, and apparently there's news worse than that but Grandmum won't tell me..." she began blinking more rapidly and her chin began to waver. Oliver started to pull her close, but she stopped him. "I'm sorry I can't." She got up and ran towards the castle. Oilver just sat there and wondered what exactly had happened.

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Back in the castle, Katie slipped behind a suit of armor. Why had she run from him? Was she that scared of showing him that she, Katie Bell, resident Gryffindor Ice Queen, actually had more emotions besides 'pissed off' and 'really pissed off'?

She hit her head against the wall. When had life become so confusing? A month ago, losing a Quidditch match was her biggest worry.

Last night, she'd been so upset, she'd fallen asleep underneath the tree, and no one had bothered to look for her. She blamed that on Angelina. She'd probably convinced everyone Katie was nothing but a walking orgy ready to happen, and they'd be better off once she was gone.

Katie shook her head, she knew that Angelina wouldn't do that, no matter how angry she was. She rubbed her forehead.

The past day had just been a living hell. She needed a good strong drink, even though it's effects wouldn't last and wouldn't solve her problems. Her father hiring a Malfoy? He truly was an evil bastard. But Katie knew that already. After all, he had walked out on her mum only a month after she'd had the twins. The man was no better than a Malfoy. In fact it would have surprised her if her father had joined up with You-Know-Who and the Death Eaters. Maybe if she was lucky, You-Know-Who would use an Unforgivable on the bastard.

No, she reprimanded herself, that would make me no better than him, wishing curses on him. She sighed. Her thoughts were going in circles and she needed to stop, it wasn't going to lead her anywhere.

She knew what she did need though. She needed to shower and dress and she needed to make it to Herbology. Her stomach rumbled; she'd missed every meal yesterday, and she didn't want to miss another. However, skiving off wasn't an option.

She sighed and hoped that maybe, just maybe she'd have a better day today.