Arthur’s note: I apologize for this chapter’s lack of action, but it was necessary to set up future events. I’ll dedicate this one to TiffanyTews for commenting on my last chapter.
For once I was right. Good things were happening. Unfortunately, the bad almost outweighed the good. The bad news: Umbridge, the toad-woman who’d been a judge at my trial, was going to be the new Ministry-appointed defense against the dark arts teacher. Gag. Good news: In retaliation for her presence, Dumbledore felt the need to increase the school’s defense. Moony and Padfoot were going to be teachers at Hogwarts!! Whoop, whoop, dance for joy!
Remus would be teaching history of magic and Sirius would be teaching care of magical creatures (Hagrid would be assisting him. The half-giant was sad to temporarily lose his job but understood the necessity of it).
So I was going to get to go to Hogwarts! Excitement! I was on the phone within milliseconds of the conversation, telling Kayla and Damon every detail.
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It’s not that Damon’s parents didn’t love him—he was sure that they cared about him—but he wasn’t used to them wanting to socialize with him. Their idea of showing affection involved credit cards and shiny objects. So when both of his parents sat him down in the living room for a talk, he knew something was wrong.
On the surface, Damon’s family had everything. A huge house, servants, stuff. They were purebloods, and Damon attended a private pure-blood only school (not by choice of course).The last time they’d had a family talk was when his parents saw Rika on the news and demanded to know why he’d been hanging out with an illegal creature. That’d been a fun conversation.
“Damon sweetie,” his mother started, clicking her perfectly manicured nails against the table nervously, “we have some news, you’re not going to like…”
“You see son,” his father took over, “it’s not that we hate muggle-borns or anything…But there is a war out there. Neutrality at this point is impossible, we have to take a side.”
Oh Merlin, no. This couldn’t be going in the direction his sinking stomach told him it was.
“We have to do what’s best for this family. And we think our best option may be to join the other purebloods.”
“Please tell me you did not just say that dad.”
His mum sighed. “Look sweetie, the purebloods are going to win. They have the money, the power, the political connections—we can’t risk going against them. We’re not going to become death eaters or anything! Just…when it comes down to it, we’re picking the winning side.”
Damon shook his head. “No. I’m not siding with those sickos.”
“Just think about this carefully son—“
He glared at his dad. “There’s nothing to think about. The lines between right and wrong might sometimes blur, but some things never change. Mass genocide is one of those things.” He stood and left the room. His parents let him go. They didn’t say anything, but his choices were limited to two options: side with his parents or run. His parents would join you-know-who. Death eaters would swarm the house. To stay while under the Light’s allegiance would be suicide. Besides, he was also worried over Rika.He didn’t like the idea of her living in the same vicinity as the Toad-woman. He called Kayla, and the two began to plan.
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Dumbledore looked over the two letters in his hand curiously. One was from a Mr. Damon La’mar and the other from a Miss. Kayla Bates. They were almost polar opposites of each other.
Damon wrote long sentences, explaining his situation as a ‘blood traitor.’ His argument was rational saying that not only would joining Hogwarts save his life, but that he would be a good addition to the Light’s cause. He included several outstanding test scores to back up this claim.
Kayla wrote in short, sporadic sentences, making an emotional appeal. She too described the danger she was in and how she’d be a fierce fighter, promising to fight ‘till death and then some.’
Both commented on Rika, saying how as proper friends, they couldn’t let her face the dozens of prejudiced students at Hogwarts alone.
Dumbledore smiled, handing the letters off to the other Order members. Most shared his amused expression; never before had a magic student written to ask permission to attend Hogwarts.
“I think,” Dumbledore said grandly, “We should invite the children to spend the remainder of the Summer here.”
Well that got some opposition. Most members were opposed, but as Sirius pointed out, “The Dark Lord most likely already knows who every member of the Order is and probably suspects where we’re meeting—he just can’t get to it. Those kids can’t do any damage.”
Reluctantly, the others agreed.
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Kayla loved her mum. She really did. Her dad had left before she was old enough to walk, and it’d been just her and her mom from then on.
They fought a lot. All the time in fact. It wasn’t that they were too different to get along; it was actually the opposite. They were so alike that they couldn’t stand each other.
Her mum wasn’t there a lot. She worked late hours. Kayla fended for herself at home, doing whatever she pleased.
But there was love.
Her mum wouldn’t smoke in the house because she worried it would give Kayla asthma. She wouldn’t bring her dates home. There was always food in the cabinets. If she came home and Kayla was crying, she would plop down beside her, throw an arm around her shoulders and say “tell me about all the shit that happened today. Shove it out of your mouth so it doesn’t pollute your heart.”
That’s why despite how much Kayla talked about looking forward to moving out, this was still hard to say.
“Mummy.”
Ms. Bates looked at her daughter through narrowed eyes. Kayla usually only called her that when she wanted something, but the girl’s expression was too solemn for that…
“Yeah?”
“There’s a wizarding war going on.”
Ms. Bates sat up straighter. She was a muggle, but a wizarding war sounded bad. Really bad. “Is there now?”
“Mm-hmm. They’re targeting muggles. And muggle-borns.”
“You mean people like us?”
“Yeah.”
She cursed quietly. “What should we do?”
“You should sit here and do nothing until I figure out what you should do. I’d tell you to leave the country if I thought you had the money.”
“And what are you going to do?”
“For now I’m going to go someplace safe. I’ll figure out from there.”
“Here’s not safe?”
“Trust me, that dinky magic school I go to will be one of the first targets.”
Ms. Bates took a deep breath. “When will I see you again?”
“I don’t know.”
“When are you leaving?”
“Tomorrow.”
Ms. Bates stood, pulling her daughter to her in a tight hug, before grabbing her purse. “Then come on. If this is your last night in town we’re going to have some fun.”
Kayla smiled, following her mum.
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Damon’s parents didn’t question him when he came downstairs with a trunk full of his possessions. His mom made a soft, hiccup-sniffle noise, and gave him a quick hug. His dad gripped him on the shoulder. They watched with dark faces as he walked out. They never attempted to stop him.
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Kayla’s mum hugged her for the fiftieth time that morning. Kayla knew she had to leave now, or she might never be able to. Her stick thin mom would fight to the death for her. If a Death-eater showed up, wanting to attack her baby, she’d go down swinging. And Kayla couldn’t let that happen.
One more hug. One more I love you. One be safe and one don’t do anything stupid.
Then Kayla was out the door. Ms. Bates sat down and cried.
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Mmmmmm. Breakfast time. I sighed happily, sliding down the staircase rail. I was halfway to the kitchen when a familiar scent hit my nose. Two familiar scents. I ran to the kitchen stopping dead in my tracks.
Damon.
And Kayla.
Damon and Kayla.
In the kitchen.
Sipping coffee (Damon) and demolishing pancake piles (Kayla).
Seeing me, they both stood.
“Hiya girlie.” “Hey.”
I screamed something high-pitched an unintelligible, throwing myself at them. They landed on the ground, me on top of them, hugging them.
Kayla made a chocking noise. “Hon I love you too, but I can’t breathe.”
“Don’t care.”
“She’s not kidding” Damon grunted.
“Still don’t care.”
Damon awkwardly pushed himself and Kayla into standing position while I hung uselessly off of them. He grabbed his coffee and Kayla’s pancakes, and dragged us over to the couch, where we fell in a heap. My friends continued eating/drinking as if I weren’t suction-cupped to them.
People watched us from the kitchen a little wide-eyed but smiling. Sirius chuckled. “Aren’t you gonna introduce us to your friend mate?”
“Thidlld eml dmelnn nme thkdl ss kalylalk,” I said into Damon’s shoulder. He patted my head.
“Mm-hmm. We sure are.”
Sighing, I forced myself off of them, scooting them over and plopping in between them. “This is Damon, and this is Kayla. I have no clue why on Earth they’re here, but their presence pleases me.”
Kayla snorted. “Glad we could make you happy your highness.”
I smacked her. “So, why exactly are you guys here.”
Damon shook his head. “Long story. We’ll tell you later.”
“Oh, and Rika hon?”
“Yes Kayla dear?”
She pushed me off the couch, landing on top of me and beating me. “HOW THE HELL DARE YOU!!!”
It didn’t really hurt, but I played along. “Ow, Ow! How dare I what!?”
“YOU’VE BEEN LIVING WITH AN ESCAPED CONVICT AND YOU DIDN’T TELL ME!!”
“Ow! But I couldn’t! I was sworn to secrecy!”
“AND THEN YOU GET TEMPORARILY HOSPITALIZED AND ATTACKED BY A CRAZY MAN AND YOU STILL DON’T TELL ME!? HOW THE HELL DO YOU THINK I FELT OPENING THE PAPER AND BAM!! MY BEST FRIEND COVERED IN BANDAGES BEING MANHANDLED BY A CREEPER!!”
I rolled over, pinning her. “Look, I’m sorry, okay! Crap just happens.”
She pouted but calmed down. “Crap you should tell me about.”
“Sorry Kay-kay. I just didn’t want to worry you.” I let go of her arms.
She reached up and hugged me. “I know Ri-ri, I know. And it’s okay.”
“Will you two stop groping on the floor?” Damon asked in a bored tone.
Smiling, I pulled myself up and hugged him too. “Next time you want a hug just say so.”
“I would if I ever felt the desire for a hug. Which I don’t.”
I rolled my eyes, muttering about him being a sourpuss then set about introducing them to my friends (when Kayla met Siri, she practically shouted “So you’re the shower pervert slash Remus’s gay lover!” to which Sirius ran upstairs, muttering dark things).
By the time dinner was finished, I’d gotten over my need to cling continuously to the pair. It was beautiful outside, not quite sunset, so everyone migrated out the door, lying around. I glanced over at Damon and smirked. “Wanna play wizard versus werewolf?”
Damon returned my smirk. “Don’t I always?” he pulled out his wand and began transfiguring rock and trees into obstacles to hide behind and climb over. I shot off into the mess till I was sure Damon had lost sight of me. Damon slowly followed me, wand drawn. The game began.
Damon was allowed to use two hexes on me: a stunning hex and a mild stinging hex that we used to represent the killing curse. I was allowed my natural skills and one stick that functioned as a knife.
Curses flew, I dodged, almost losing several times. And opening. I struck. Damon was on the ground. My stick-knife to his neck, his wand to mine. Just as he got the first syllable out for a stupefy, I slashed across his neck. My win. I rolled off him laughing.
Once again I was getting stares. Must everything I do be so fascinating? Mad eye in particular seemed interesting—he even came over and gave Damon and me some fighting tips.
“Standard Dueling?” Damon asked.
I grimaced. “It’s been a while. Can I have five minutes to practice?”
He shook his head. “You have the quicker reflexes; this will keep us even.”
I walked over to Kayla. She handed me her wand with one hand, and took my hand with the other, giving it a squeeze. I’d met Kayla when I was ten. At eleven, we’d sliced our hands and pressed them together to become blood sisters (not something I recommend). Whenever Kayla wanted ot comfort me, show some emotion, or hand over her wand, she’d always do this. She believed it made the wand work better for me. I don’t know if that’s true or not, but her wand had yet to fail me, so maybe it did.
Damon beat me hands down, but I managed to get in a few good hexes. More tips from Moody. Then time for bed. I ushered Dam and Kay into my room and fell asleep snuggled up to my best friends.
Arthur's note: This chaper just did not want to come out. Stubborn. as. an . ox. Please ease the pain by voting/commenting. *puppy eyes*