"I heard she slept with both of them, and they don't even know it yet."
"And did you see her at breakfast? She was practically falling out of her top…"
"Definitely the new Hogwarts Whore."
"Probably why she joined quidditch. To see blokes in the locker room."
"Parvati must be ashamed she's in Gryffindor…"
I stopped abruptly, turning to stare at the two Ravenclaws who had just passed us. Were they talking about me? They looked at me, exchanged glances, and then looked away quickly. I was shocked.
"Kates, what's the matter?" asked Angelina, dropping Alicia's letter from Oliver to her side.
"Did I just hear that right?" Alicia frowned. The happy bubble that was inside of her a few seconds ago seemed to be deflating.
"Yeah," I said. "I think you did."
"What just happened?" Angelina asked, confused.
I folded my arms tightly across my chest. "I just got called the Hogwarts Whore," I said, with a fake smile on my face.
"What?"
"Yeah," I said, still smiling sweetly.
"Hey!" Ange shouted. "Hey, you two!"
The two Ravenclaws turned around, pretending to be surprised.
"Hey, if you've got something to say to my friend here, why don't you come say it to her face?" Ange said, stepping forward and looking rather intimidating. The smug looks on the girls' faces disappeared as Ange got closer, and they stepped decidedly closer together as she towered over the pair of them.
They looked slightly frightened. "We didn't say anything," one said, turning to her friend. "We don't even know you."
"Like hell you don't!" Ange shouted back, striding toward them. Their eyes got as big as saucers. Alicia was just standing there, so it was up to me to grab her and pull her back.
"Come on," I said. "No big deal."
"No big deal?" Ange asked. "Katie, since when do you not stand up for yourself?"
"If these girls say they don't know me, they don't," I said, glowering at the pair of them. "They must have found out that I play quidditch and that I had problems with my clothes at breakfast this morning from someone else."
They looked extremely uncomfortable. One stepped forward.
"Well I know it's none of our business," she said pointedly, "But shagging both of the Weasley twins seems a little unnecessary."
"You know what's unnecessary?" Ange said menacingly, "Idiots like you who don't have lives of their own so they have to talk about other people! And for your information, Katie hasn't shagged anyone in this castle, unlike you two who are probably begging for it from anyone that will take you!"
They both glanced at each other and then at us. "Whatever," they said, and disappeared around the corner, though looking slightly shaken.
"Ange…" I said, warningly.
"What?!" she exploded. "You expect me just to stand here while they slander my best friend??"
"It's not important," I said, annoyed. "People are going to start to talk anyway. It was bound to happen. Fred and George…well, everyone knows them. It's not like it's going to go away. Besides, I don't see anyone else leading on more than one bloke at the same time."
"Jessica Finch-Fletchley is," Alicia pointed out.
I roll my eyes. "I don't care about Jessica Finch-Fletchley. And of course she is…If my little brother was turned to stone in his second year, I'd exploit the story, too, and use it to get blokes."
Alicia grinned, and Ange smirked.
"Life would be easier without the male sex," Angelina stated.
"Agreed," I said, whole-heartedly.
Alicia was silent.
"Alicia!" Angelina shouted.
"Sorry," she mutters. "It's just…I sort of like men…"
"Or one man," I teased, putting the accusation about shagging the twins in the back of my mind.
Alicia blushed.
XxX
Lunch was uneventful. George had managed to grow his eyebrow back, which was relieving, but at the same time not so much. I had rather hoped it would be a permanent development, which would make it easier to choose Fred. Not that I'm shallow, or anything…
Ange and Lee still weren't speaking. In fact, Lee spent most of his time down at the table brought in for Beuxbatons students, which Ange kept glaring at darkly. Alicia was showing the twins her letter, and while she did so, Fred slipped his hand underneath the table and placed it on my thigh. I tried to stop myself from grinning.
XxX
We had Divination after lunch. All of us had kept the class, though none of us needed it for our career goals. In fact, as I was training to go into magi-journalism, nothing seemed to be further form what I needed. Ange wanted to play quidditch, Alicia was planning on going into Wizard-Muggle relations, Lee into professional quidditch commentating, and the twins wanted nothing more than to own and run their own joke shop. But we kept Divination for the simple fact that it entertained us, especially on Mondays.
During Monday's class hour, Trelawney had us get out our crystal orbs and "gaze into the beyond" to divine our circumstances for the upcoming week. It was delightful. The lads sat at one table, and Ange, Alicia, and I sat at another and we would have competitions to see which group could come up with the most outrageous and pathetic predictions. For example, last week on Tuesday, I was supposed to have gotten run over by a herd of stampeding Hippogriffs while on my way to collect my winnings earned from my success as MVP of the Witch's Quidditch League of Britain and Ireland. It didn't happen, but I still got full points.
This week, however, I didn't feel much like sitting in the cold drafty tower and punching out bogus predictions. I still had the Ravenclaws' words echoing from the back of my mind. I wasn't sure why it bothered me so much. I had heard people talk about my reputation before; why should it annoy me now? Was it because I actually cared for Fred and George? The other blokes I date are spur of the moment attractions, fleeting, and they come and go like Ange's ability to be kind. Anyway I guess I was kind of moody because it came as a complete shock when George lobbed a wadded up piece of parchment at me, which bounced off my forehead.
Surprised, I looked up.
"What's the matter, Katie-did?" He asked, grinning. Fred was beaming at me next to him from the table over.
I yawned. "Nothing," I answered.
Alicia poked me. "Liar," she hissed. I glared at her.
"Some little Ravenclaws called her the Hogwarts Whore," Ange blurted. Typical. I scowled at her.
"Well, now that's a shame," George said, shaking his head.
"Yes," Fred agreed. "Such a pity that after all these years, they can't come up with a better term. Hogwarts Whore…so unoriginal."
"Indeed," said George. "Why not try Gryffindor Whore? The rhyme is much more agreeable…"
"Or even just Gryffin-Whore," Fred pointed out.
I laughed, in spite of myself.
"Come sit by us, Katie-Kate," Fred said. "We'll cheer you up."
"And I think Lee-Lee is sitting is sitting with Danielle From Hell today, anyway," George put in.
"Do you two ever call anyone by their actual name?" Ange asked, suddenly livid again at the thought of Lee with Danielle. She spoke to the twins, but her eyes were roving the classroom, probably making sure Lee and Danielle weren't sharing a pouf.
"NOPE!" They both yelled at the same time.
"Pass the tarot cards and your astrological aura, Angie-Pangie," Fred grinned.
But Angelina didn't hear. She was too busy grinding up her quill with her teeth, while pretending not to gape at Lee. I rolled my eyes.
"Oh, Kaaaatie-Pie!" George yelled, demanding that my attention be turned back to him. A grin spread across my face.
"Yes, twins?" I asked. I'm such a tease.
"Oh, delicious Katie-Pie—"
"Come plot with us ways to die—"
"Come spend some time with your two best friends—"
"And discover how you'll meet your vicious end—"
"Perhaps you'll fall into a deep black hole—"
"Or eat one of our sweets and turn into a mole—"
"Perhaps you'll be drug behind a carriage for a mile—"
"Or get swallowed up by a crocodile—"
"Any way you slice it, it will be quite fun—"
"Because after all, when it's said and done—"
"You'll be cheery, and just a touch cheesy—"
"'CAUSE WE'RE EVERYONE'S FAVORITE WEASLEYS!"
A few people clapped. Angelina rolled her eyes, and Alicia just shook her head. I couldn't help but laugh—and smack both of them upside the head as I plopped myself down on a pouf and moved conveniently between them. A couple girls scoffed, but I ignored it.
A few seconds later, Trelawney wandered in, looking lost as usual. Seriously, does she not think we have her act figured out by now? She's been entering the same mystic way for years now, and not once has she managed to make an accurate prediction. Not that I've seen, anyway. I'd rather hoped her prediction about Jessica Finch-Fletchley dying were true, but it wasn't. Oh well. Can't have everything in life.
The twins were on their best behavior to cheer me up and to outdo one another. When Trelawney approached Fred, telling that his aura was pulsing, and begging him to make a prediction, Fred rolled his eyes in the back of his head, wagged his tongue and collapsed on the floor. George soon followed suit, and the two started rolling around on the ground shouting that Draco Malfoy ate his own bogies. Trelawney explained that since they were identical twins, they had the same brain waves, and were probably experiencing the same other-worldly phenomena. Ange, Alicia, and I had to stifle our laughter. Lee didn't bother; he burst out laughing and got detention. Angelina grinned at this, but the smile soon disappeared from her face as he looked quite pleased that Danielle was attempting to comfort him.
The twins got off the floor, identical grins spread across their faces.
"How was that for cheering up, Kates?" George asked.
"Lovely," I said. "Just lovely."
XxX
Lee caught up to me after Divination, and pulled me aside.
"What?" I asked, watching the girls and Fred and George disappear around a corner.
"Katie, I know what happened before lunch today," he said, looking serious.
I shrugged. "Everyone knows by now," I said. "It's no big deal."
"It is, though," he pressed. "And you know it is."
I frowned. "Lee…" I began, but he cut me off.
"Look, don't say anything to me. If you tell me anything, I'll feel obligated to tell Fred and George. Right now, I'm just going to go on pretending like nothing's happening. But Katie…"
"I know," I said, nodding and sighing. "I've got to make up my mind."
"And do it soon? Before it gets worse? I don't want anyone hurt more than they have to be. And I definitely don't want to hear any more trash talk about you, Kates. I almost punched Warrington today."
"Warrington's talking about me too, now?" I asked incredulously. I sighed.
Lee gave me a hug. "Buck up, Bell," he smiled. "Things could be worse. Fred and George could both hate your guts."
"Ange doesn't hate you…wait…does that mean this things with Danielle is a ploy, or…?"
He shook his head. "No," he said. "I'm giving up on Angelina. I don't care if she meant what she said. A bloke can only take so much, you know? I don't want that kind of relationship. I'm trying to look at other options. I've been so blinded by trying to get Ange that I didn't realize the grass may really BE greener…"
I frowned. "Come on, Lee, you're in love with her. And you have been since the age of eleven. She'll come 'round."
He shrugged. "Maybe. But for now I'm just tired of waiting for her."
I gave him a sad half-smile, and took his arm as we both walked to our next class.
XxX