The Diary

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Chapter 24*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Magic Broomstick Ride*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

~Kali's Room~

Harry stood facing the door as Kali changed into the quidditch gear Harry had found.

"You can turn around now." And he did. "So who was that girl at the table? The one who didn't talk at all," she asked as she tugged at the sleeves of the jumper.

"My sister Rose, I don't think we get along very well."

"Why do you say that?" Kali picked up a leg brace and began trying to put it on.

"Her first words to me were 'Morning dork.'" He watched while she struggled with the brace. Chuckling to himself at the scene. "Let me help you."

"I don't need your help Potter. I am smart. I can do this."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," she answered as she tried to snap a strap in place, "By the way your sister doesn't hate you or anything. Dork could just be a term of affection between you and her, a way to say 'I love you' without actually saying it."

"You think so?"

"Yeah... EEEEEHHHH."

"Going to let me help you now?"

"Yes," Kali answered sullenly.

~Outside~

"Finally, Mister and Misses 'I take forever,'" cried an overly exasperated James.

"Er, sorry. I couldn't find my arm brace... thingys, so I asked Harry to help me."

The group looked at her confused and she began to cower under the attention. "She isn't feeling very well at the moment. We were hoping that some flying might do the trick," Harry explained or lied, however you would like to view it.

"Whatever," Rose said tiredly, "Let's get this show on the road."

"Alright," James spoke, "I say Potters versus..." Kali cringed inwardly hoping he wouldn't say Riddle. "Lupins. What do you say Moony?"

Kali sighed in relief as her dad agreed to the teams. Her dad and James would be the keepers and TJ and Harry would be the chasers, which left Rose as the opposing seeker. *Ok, remember what Madam Hooch said. Hold the broom firmly, bend knees and push.* Nothing happened. *Up... ok ok push.*She had closed her eyes this time and hoped it would work. Slowly she began to peak and found herself several feet off the ground. The sudden realization startled her a bit and nearly made her fall off. *Yes! It worked... ok line up with TJ and wait till the game starts. God, I hope I remember everything Draco use to babble endlessly about.* Kali glanced up at Rose who glared back. *I don't think she likes me very much. I wonder why... maybe it's because I am dating Harry.* The broom twisted a little throwing her slightly off balance. *Whoa, almost lost it there. Ok, I am the seeker, I should be looking for the... Harry is doing nicely... no must look for the snitch. Uh oh... Rose went in for a dive. Um, how do I make the broom go down?* She nudged the broom down and it sped down in a dive. In a panic she pressed her body to the broom's shaft as it went faster. *Oh god, I'm going to die.* She was closing the distance between herself and Rose when the snitch veered up. She jerked the handle out of instinct and flipped a vertical 180 in midair. *Sick... going to be sick. How does Harry do this?* She closed her eyes as the broom followed the path to the snitch. After a few seconds Kali opened them again and didn't see the snitch. *Where's the bloody gold thingy* She slowed the broom down, after many attempts.

She clutched her stomach as it rumbled at her in anger when she saw movement in front of her. She squinted her eyes and saw Rose heading directly at her at top speed. Like a deer in headlights Kali didn't move. She was frozen. Then she saw it, the snitch heading straight for her. She held out her hand to catch it. It flew into her waiting hand but the balls momentum took her by surprise. The small ball pulled her arm back and sent her backwards. Her other hand attempted to get a firmer grasp on the handle but all the sweat caused her to lose it. With a shriek she plummeted to the ground which lay forty or so feet below. She closed her eyes and mumbled a hope when she stopped falling. Ever so cautiously she peeked one eye open and saw red, literally. Kali opened the other eye and, to her relief, she was staring a red jumper. "Are you alright Kali? I saw you fall and..."

"I'm alright Harry," she said in a whisper quiet voice as they descended to the ground, "Just got a bit surprised is all."

"Are you sure?" he asked as he touched the ground.

"Right as rain."

"Kali you ok?"

Harry placed her on the ground and steadied her. "Just fine TJ."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes dad, I guess I need a little more practice, eh?" she laughed lightly.

"A little?" James sputtered, "What happened up there Kali? That's the worst I've seen you play since... before you went to Hogwarts."

"Well I..."

Harry placed his hands on her shoulders. "I think I should escort Kali back to her room. That fall must have given her a dreadful fright." He turned her around without another word and led her to the room and shut the door. "Kali are you sure you're bad at flying, because you performed smashingly."

"I am very sure. It was like the broom knew what to do. Then Rose basically herded the snitch right at me. I just got luck is all."

"It's a good thing."

"They still think I did horribly."

"But just think of what they would have thought if the broom didn't know what to do."

"Valid point." She sat on the bed and laid back. "So how are we going to improve my quidditch skill? We could be here for a long time."

"Private practices of course." Kali propped herself on her elbows and gave him a questioning look. "I'll just say everyone else was distracting us."

"You do realize that it makes it sound like we are going to do unsavory things."

Harry shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "So? We're not going to be doing them so what does it matter?"

"Your logic astounds me sometimes," Kali commented dryly.

"Thank you."

"I don't know if you should be thankful. I think it was more of an insult than compliment."

"I'll take what I can get."

~Outside After Dinner~

"I can't believe they are letting us practice by ourselves at night, especially after coming in late last night. Thank goodness our dads are so laid back. We didn't even get punished at all," Kali babbled as she kept pace with Harry as she hefted her broom higher to prevent dragging.

"I wasn't worried."

"Bollocks, you were shaking in your shoes when Lily was telling James about us coming home late."

"Was not."

"Was too... If you don't let me win then I'll hex you."

"Is this how you always win arguments?"

"Not all the time but you're more stubborn than most."

"Thank you."

"That wasn't..."

"A compliment I know, but I'll take what I can get."

Kali rolled her eyes. "So, how is this going to work?"

"Basics first." Harry straddled his Firebolt and gestured for Kali to join him. Kali placed her broomstick on the ground, but still looked at Harry hesitantly. "Come on Kali, I won't bite."

"I dunno Harry. Are you sure that thing can support the both of us?"

Harry laughed a bit, "I'm sure, now come on. I promised everyone that we'd be done by eight." He reached out his hand and waited. He didn't have to wait for long before she took it and joined him on the broom. She sat in front of him and he wrapped his arms around her and placed his hands over hers. "Ready?" She nodded slowly and he kicked off. "Kali, you are going to have to open your eyes to fly."

She opened her blue eyes and gasped. She stared wide eyed at everything around them as they flew. "It's so beautiful... there are so many stars."

"What are you smiling at?"

"Harry, have you ever seen Aladdin, the Disney movie that came out a couple of years ago."

"Probably not, the Dursleys rarely took me out."

"It's a good movie."

"What made you think about it?"

"This reminds me of the magic carpet ride. It was a whole musical number." Laughingly Kali began to sing, "Unbelievable sights, indescribable feelings, soaring, tumbling, freewheeling through an endless diamond sky. A whole new world."

"Don't you dare close your eyes."

"So you have seen it."

"Once, the Dursleys all went to dinner and left me alone, so I watched it."

"Very sneaky of you Mister Potter."

"What can I say?" He shrugged. "I like to live dangerously."

~End Flashback~

Our laughter rang throughout the night as Harry taught me the 'art of flying' as he liked to call it. I swear he loves flying more than me... but he'll never admit it of course. Over the course of the week I learned how to fly and the basics of being a seeker. I was still no where close to Harry's caliber but at least I started to look like I could actually play.

We were enjoying ourselves immensely. We never got to experience things like having mothers and siblings. It was fun. Best of all Harry never found out about my granddad and soon we were going to go back to school. Everything was working out perfectly. That is till the morning before we were to leave.

~End Diary~

"Thomas I think we should take a break," Rhiannon yawned as she put the book down. "My throat is parched and it's well past dinner, but we can sneak to the kitchen."

"I agree," Will said as he stretched, "What do you say Thomas?"

"Let's eat!"

~Leaky Cauldron~

In the far shadowy corner of the pub sat Harry Potter, alone, sipping a warm butterbeer.

"Potter, you better have a good excuse to call a meeting with me."

"Take a seat Malfoy... can't have that broomstick slide out of your arse now can we?"

"Touché, Potter." The waitress came around and took Draco's order. "So why am I here?"

Harry slid a folder in front of the silver-blonde man. "Explain this."

He opened it and began skimming it out loud. "Covington, Kay Raidah... 35... London... attended Hogwarts '91-'98... Death Eater... Azkaban... released..." Draco looked up at Harry. "I assume you would like me to explain my comment." Harry nodded and Draco shut the folder. "Kay is the lady you've been seeing isn't it? What do you know about her?" Harry continued to stare daggers at his school time nemesis. "Not much, eh? Well, she was in Slytherin house and was actually a friend of Kali's up until she joined Voldemort's little band of Death Eaters. When Kali found out she was crushed and severed all ties."

"Get to the point Draco. Why is she a suspect?"

"As you know, Covington wasn't captured, per se. Oh, thank you," he said to the waitress. He took a swig of butterbeer before continuing. "She turned herself in, along with several Death Eaters that she had captured. When I questioned the Death Eaters they were as confused as I was. They kept saying that Covington was one of the most loyal followers and then one day she became a turncoat."

"Interesting."

"No, the interesting part is what they said next."

"Which was?"

"Her 'changes,' as they put it, happened sometime in November, just after Kali died."

"So, are you saying that she had something to do with Kali's death and it had a profound impact on her?"

"Perhaps."

"Well, what did she say during her interview?"

"I knew Covington during Hogwarts... had quite a crush on you. She was very jealous when you started dating Kali. It might've been the thing to push her to the dark side."

"Get on with it."

"Patience, Potter, is a virtue. And here I thought you were perfect and all, so virtuous."

"Malfoy," Harry growled.

"Well, to make a long story short."

"Too late."

"Covington wasn't the same as I remembered her. Hell, I don't even think she remembers what she was like back at Hogwarts."

"Come again?"

"She has amnesia Potter. Couldn't remember a bloody thing before November."

"Kali's death."

"Exactly, and before you ask, the amnesia wasn't caused by a spell. It is one hundred percent caused by natural causes."

"That doesn't mean she killed her."

"But it is very suspicious, Potter. Amnesia and becoming a turncoat after Kali's death? That is a pretty big coincidence." He stood up and threw a sickle on the table. "I best be going. Ginny is probably waiting for me and Potter?"

"Yes?"

"I'd watch my back around her. You never know what she is capable of."

"Thank you, Malfoy," he said through gritted teeth.

"No problem Harry," he smirked.

~Lupin Manor~

"How are you holding up Moony?" Sirius Black asked as he patted his friend on the back.

Remus watched his friend take the seat to his right. "Good, I am just a tad stressed at the moment. How are you doing tonight?"

"Good."

"And Sara?"

"Happy as always."

"Padfoot, are you two ever going to marry?"

"No, we like everything the way it is."

"To each his own."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No."

"Moony, you should talk about it. Kali is alive..."

The werewolf lifted his hand to halt his friend. "I don't want to jinx it."

Sirius sighed and sank further into his chair as the two old friends sat and stared into the fire in silence.

~Hogwarts, Kitchen~

"So Tom, do you believe any of this business, alternate realities and such?" Rhiannon asked as she waved a celery stick in the air.

Thomas took a bit of his chicken. "I don't know Rhi. I never did before, but my mum said it can happen. She's experienced it with my dad. I have to believe that this book isn't a lie."

"B... yof... are...bind... rusting... it," Will said with a mouthful of food.

"That's disgusting Will. Now repeat what you just said after you swallow."

"I said Rhiannon," Will said, "But you are blindly trusting it."

"I am not. I just..."

"You just what?" Rhiannon asked as she took a bite of celery.

"This is the closest I've ever been to my mum. I have to believe that it's real."

"I know, Tom. Let's go back to the Marauder room and continue from where we left off."

~The Diary, flashback~

"Oh, before I forget to mention this, mum and dad are coming over for dinner tonight," Katie said as she sipped her tea.

"Really? I can't wait!" TJ squealed.

"Granddad and Grandmum are coming over?" Kali swallowed nervously.

"Yes, they wanted to see you before you all go back to school."

"I see," Kali answered as she stared at her lunch.

"This is fantastic," beamed James, "Maybe I can talk to him about some of the concerns the Auror department is having."

"James," Lily sighed, "Don't bother him."

"I won't be bothering him. I'll be discussing some concerns with him."

"James..."

"Alright Lily alright."

"Can Harry and I be excused? We still have some homework to do."

"Ok dear, though it better not be Defense homework. Just because I'm your father doesn't mean I will go easy on you."

"I know dad," Kali sighed.

~Kali's Room~

"What was that about Kali?"

"Um Harry... there has been something I've been hiding from you," she said as she paced. "You'll probably want to sit down for this." She stopped pacing and looked at him. "Trust me and sit." He complied and she began to pace again. "Harry, this is really hard for me to talk about, but have you ever wondered why I had a vision of Voldemort? Why my eyes turn red when I am mad? Why it seems like I am talking to an invisible person at times? Why I know things about things I shouldn't... like the Order."

"Because you're a seer."

"But I'm not Harry." She stopped her pacing and sat next to him. She sighed and looked up into his green eyes. "I'm an heir, Harry, a true heir."

"True heir of what?"

"Promise you won't hate me?"

Taken back by Kali's unusual question, he smiled reassuringly. "Of course I won't hate you," he said as he pulled her into a hug. "It's not like you are the heir of Voldemort."

Kali jerked away from his embrace and stared up at him with glassy sapphire eyes. "What if I was? What if... what if Voldemort... Tom Marvolo Riddle was my grandfather and I was a true heir of Slytherin like he is."

He stared at her for a moment before putting on a stoic face. "Kali, that's not funny."

"No, it's not, but it's true." Harry ran his hands through his hair and stared at his feet while Kali watched him. "Harry, please say something."

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"Because, I was afraid you were going to hate me... I guess," she whispered.

"I don't hate you. I'm just mad."

"Are you going to be able to face him?"

"Face who?"

"Riddle, my granddad."

"I don't know Kali, but I guess we'll find out." They sat in uncomfortable silence again, but it didn't last. Harry stood up and paced nervously for a second. "I'm going to go out and fly for awhile."

"If you give me a second I can go with you."

"No, I want to go alone."

"Are you sure Harry?"

"Very."

He walked out of the room and closed the door behind. Kali collapsed onto the soft bedding and sighed, "I don't think he took that very well."