𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐋𝐄𝐒 𝐂𝐑𝐔𝐌𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 (OC x OC)

[002] Chapter 16

Betty

I would rather kiss Ron's rat's ass than ask anyone what they got for Christmas. And I mean that literally.

Ron holds his rat up in the air toward my face and I slowly step away. This causes Katelyn to laugh. I stick my tongue out at her.

"What's wrong?" Ron asks, tauntingly, "I thought that you said you'd rather kiss Scabbers than ask me what I got for Christmas!"

"I said rather, stupid! Not that I want to!" I jump on the Hufflepuff table and jump off the other side to get away from the wretched rodent.

"Dramatic!" Katelyn calls out.

All of our bickering stops at the sound of the Great Hall doors opening, including the sound of other bickering. Of course they're arguing. They always argue. It's a daily thing at this point.

Makayla is looking annoyed as always, and you can never tell how Louis is feeling in these situations. You suspect him to be just as annoyed as she is, but instead, his eyes are softer and his body is less tense.

After last year, I think that the Slytherins that helped us stop Voldemort from getting the Sorcerer's stone completely forgot about the people that actually requested them for help. Of course, they still speak with Ann, but no one else. Makayla speaks with Harry from time to time, but only when she's forced to. (Though, I heard that she speaks with only some of the others when their group decides to have a party in the Slytherin common room.)

We watch them walk down the hall to their seats at the Slytherin table, though there is no one but them, Harry, Ron, Katelyn, and I here. Makayla seems to notice our staring, specifically mine, seeing as I'm the closest to them.

"What are you looking at, Scamander?"

"Nothing. I was just distracted by the abrupt entrance you both chose to make."

She rolls her eyes. Sometimes I think that's the only thing she knows how to do: roll her eyes.

"Right, then!" Harry breaks the awkwardness of the silence, "We might as well clear out." By we, he only means our group.

Note from Makayla: I think that was quite obvious.

We nod and I jump back over the table, walking out of the Great Hall with the three of them. The doors of the Great Hall close behind us and we decide to go to the Hufflepuff common room.

Cedric Diggory, a third year, is laughing with his friends. He glances over to us and nods in acknowledgement of us all, then returns to his conversation. Cedric has friends in his own house, but his most favorable friend is Makayla Malfoy, believe it or not.

You may believe that Jordyn and Annelise are her best friends, but Cedric is her true best friend. Opposites attract, I guess. Cedric can be nice at times, but he does often have an attitude much like Makayla, just a little bit less severe.

The group of us sit around a circular table to the side of the common room. Katelyn grabs her notebooks out of her bag, slamming them onto the table. She loves to do things as dramatically as possible. Reminds me of the Malfoys.

Note from Makayla: ... Hey.

Note from Nora: Shut the fuck up, you dumb bitch.

I watch as she flips through one of the notebooks and grabs a quill, writing down a letter addressed to father. She's been waiting to send her letter home for months. It's harder to send letters to father during the school year, seeing as he travels for his books, but during the Christmas season, he's always in New York City in the United States. He always stays at the same hotel, and addresses never change, so it's easily memorizable.

A branch of leaves from a plant pot that hovers above us smacks me atop the head after drifting off the brim of the pot. I smack it away and the branch hangs from the yellow pot.

I glance around the room, catching the eye of the sun, who sends its glare into my eyes. Ow. That's rude.

The sun lightens the room most of the day, which is why there is truly no reason for lights at all in the common room. Why be in the common room when it's dark? You're supposed to be asleep. At least that's the logic I get from it.

Katelyn is abnormally focused on her letter to father. I suppose that she's talking about how annoying Louis and Makayla have been this year, or I'm just speaking from my own heart instead of hers. Which–now that I think about it–I probably am. Katelyn doesn't produce any kind of disliking towards others, even the most annoying and violent–even the dark lord.

She's tried for many years to stop giving her love to those who seem to not deserve it, but no matter how hard she tries, her love for others won't budge. I believe that's the whole reason why she's so special to us all. She feels unconditional love–for everyone. That's the kind of love everyone fears. That's the kind of love that is most beautiful: unconditional.

Despite the depiction of the recent events at Hogwarts last year with Voldemort, she's somehow found a way to keep a smile on her face. When you look at her, you can tell that she isn't faking it either. She is truly happy where she is, no matter what events are happening around her. She is a great example of adaptation. When something abnormal happens, she adapts to it–she learns and becomes more fierce to the topic.

People ask me why I still express so much care and positivity toward her despite the idea that she is the favorite child of our family, but my answer is always the same thing: she's the reason I do. She gives me great motivation to do great things and to be kind all because of her inability to control her excessive amount of it. Katelyn is extraordinary and she inspires me, so, positivity it is!

I know I'll never be as good at it as she is, but she gives me the power to try, and I believe that the idea of that is motivation enough.

Cedric and his friends go out into a large burst of laughter again as Katelyn finishes her letter. She smiles as she writes, 'Yours, Katelyn,' at the end of the page, folding it up and setting it in her bag. The owls will be here tomorrow morning, which is entirely in the way of her sleep schedule, so I plan on sending it for her, along with my letters to mother and father. It's the least I could do.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione all return to their assigned common room later on once it reaches dusk, knowing that Filch usually wanders the halls, looking for anyone suspicious a few minutes after. He's been doing it more ever since Mrs. Norris got petrified by whatever it is Makayla set loose.

Note from Makayla: It wasn't me, dumbass.

This school year is something I sense won't be much different from the previous. Mrs. Norris being petrified only means one thing, and that thing is that we are going to have another crazy ride at Hogwarts, and it's unlikely for it to be pretty. Last year didn't kill Voldemort. I doubt this year will either.