The Chaser and the Keeper (A HP Next Gen Story)

11 ► A Surprise in Diagon Alley

The sweltering August sun beat down on the Wood family as they made their way through Diagon Alley. All three of the kids would be back at Hogwarts in a little over two weeks and it was time to buy all the things on their lists.

“Savannah, you need new robes,” Stephanie stated.

“I think I’d rather not get pins stabbed into me at this hour,” Savannah argued, “I’m going to Flourish and Blotts.”

“I’ll join you!” Kristen exclaimed, grabbing her sister and rushing towards the book store.

“I guess we’re going book shopping,” Andrew stated unenthusiastically. He had never been a big fan of reading like his sisters were.

By the time Andrew and his parents entered, Kristen and Savannah were already scanning the book shelves for interesting books. Savannah was in the ‘New Releases’ section while Kristen was looking through the ‘Muggle’ section. His sisters would always be bookworms.

***

“You have got to see this,” Savannah stated, as she started dragging Kristen towards the ‘New Releases’ section located in the front of the store.

Kristen desperately tried to continue the large pile of books she had in her arms as she was forced to the front of the store.

“What is so important that you had to drag me over here?” Kristen asked, annoyed at her sister.

“Someone wrote a book about you.”

Kristen almost laughed. Why would someone want to write a book about her?

“You’re joking,” Kristen said, “I know this Summer has been slow on news, but not that slow.”

Savannah picked up a book and handed it to her sister. The cover read, “Potter and Wood, the two families that started one of the biggest rivalries Hogwarts has ever seen. By Olivia Skeeter.” Kristen’s jaw dropped. Olivia Skeeter was known for writing gossip and other rather non important things. Of course she would be the only person to write something like that.

“Skeeter didn’t write it about me; she wrote it about our family and the Potter’s,” Kristen corrected.

“It’s mostly about you and James though,” Savannah stated, “The inside flap really only talks about how you and James hate each other which caused the rivalry to be so big. Besides, if you look at the front cover, James and you are the only ones pictured.”

Kristen looked back down at the book. Sure enough, her sister had been right. On the cover was a picture of her and James going back and forth between glaring at each other and glaring at the photographer. She remembered the picture being taken. Skeeter had written an article about Kristen and James being made quidditch captain at the beginning of their fifth year. She had insisted on pulling them out of Charms on the first day of school, which had really irritated Kristen.

“What book are you looking at?” Andrew asked as he approached.

“This new book that Skeeter wrote about Kristen and James,” Savannah replied, handing another copy to Andrew.

Andrew quickly looked at the title of the book and groaned.

“It’s bad enough that my twin sister and my best friend hate each other. Why did Skeeter have to write a book about it?” Andrew asked before stalking off.

Kristen took the book, along with the huge pile of other books, over to the counter to pay for them. She wanted to see what this book talked about. She agreed with Andrew though; she wished that no one had written a book about her. People would surely be talking about it when they got back to school. Besides, if Olivia Skeeter had written it, there had to be some fake stuff in it.

***

James sat in his room, bored out of his mind. Being grounded really sucked. He hadn’t been able to leave the house all summer. He wasn’t even allowed to go into his backyard and fly his broom. Instead, James had been stuck reading boring books and watching boring muggle shows on the television.

Currently, James was home alone. The rest of the family had gone to Diagon Alley to pick up the school supplies. He wasn’t even allowed to get out of the house to pick up his own school supplies. James was really tempted to just go outside and fly for a little while, but he had no idea when his family would get home. If his parents found out that he had disobeyed them, he would have been in so much trouble. It was better just to stay inside and be bored.

All of a sudden, Lily bounded into his room.

“What do you want Lily?” James asked annoyed.

“Olivia Skeeter wrote a book about you and Kristen,” Lily replied, setting the book on his bed.

James quickly read the title and swore under his breath. Of course someone as popular as Olivia Skeeter would write a book about how much he and Kristen hated each other. It was the world’s revenge on him for being so stupid during the last quidditch game. Now every witch and wizard in the country would read it and think he was a total ass.

“I personally think the two of you would be quite good together,” Lily randomly stated.

James laughed at this. Lily was always quite random, but never before had she said something this ridiculous. He and Kristen hated each other. Why in Merlin’s name would she even think of something as unlikely as that?

“I’m going to give you a list of reasons of why it is never going to happen: 1- I hate her. 2- She hates me. 3- I don’t want to constantly be shown up. 4- Andrew would kill me, and I value my life and friendship quite a bit,” James explained.

“I think I know you well enough to realize that you really like a challenge. Yes, all those girls you snog in broom closets are going to keep you content for now, but sooner or later you’ll realize that you want more. That you want a challenge,” Lily argued, “Kristen Wood is the ultimate challenge. She’s smart and she is the only one who can beat you at quidditch. Besides, there is always the challenge of getting her. Sooner or later, I think she’s going to be too interesting for you to resist.”

With that, Lily left the room. She had left the book on the bed. James wondered if his sister had a point. Kristen had always been a challenge to him. He’d found it a bit exhilarating to compete with her at times. She was Kristen Wood though, his best friend’s twin sister and the girl he’d hated and annoyed for the past six years. Lily couldn’t be right. Besides, she was only thirteen. She really had no idea why certain people fell for each other. She didn’t know how Kristen and he worked better than he did. Lily had to be wrong. Didn’t she?