Disclaimer: I only own what did not previously come from the wonderful mind of Ms. Rowling

This story begins, as many do with the arrival of a letter

This story begins, as many do with the arrival of a letter. This letters destination was a seemingly quaint cottage nestled among trees on the western outskirts of Ottery St. Catchpole. It didn't come by the postman but rather by owl. This was for the best as there was no direct path leading to the cottage and the postman would have surely gotten lost. The owl, large and brown like all the basic delivery owls from the Owl Post Office, swooped onto an enlarged window sill and tapped impatiently on the glass.

"Katie-Bear!" A shout echoed through the halls of the cottage (which, proving appearances to be deceiving was about twice the size it looked from the outside). "Owl for you!"

Katie Bell shook her head at her father's use of her childhood nickname and slid off her bed. A 7th year student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, she was currently home on Summer Break. Sadly it wasn't a relaxing break. Her family had taken a tour of magical medieval castles for the first month but when her Hogwarts letter arrived; the fun of summer was officially ruined. Several of her N.E.W.T. classes had sent lists with texts that had to be read prior to the semester as well as assignments. N.E.W.T.s were extremely demanding and save for a few stolen moments Katie had spent the rest of her break in her old bedroom studying furiously, writing scroll after scroll and basically losing her mind. She had come to the conclusion within the first 2 weeks that this is why so many wizards and witches were nutty: they had gone insane from torture of N.E.W.T.s.

She hopped down the oak stairs into the kitchen where he father, adorned in navy robes sat at the table. He worked for the ministry in the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes as a member of the Muggle-Worthy Excuse Committee. He had begun there during Voldemort's regime when the need explanation of magical incidents to muggles was at its highest.

"Here Katie-Bear, it looks official. That's a ministry seal if I'm not mistaken." He gave her a mock look of disapproval. "Just what have you gotten yourself into this time?"

Playing along, she grinned. "Sorry Dad, can't tell you. I'd have to send Obliviators after you if I did. I'm pretty sure Mum would be more that a little upset when she found out."

"Yes, well at least I would have a decent excuse for when I forgot her birthday," he replied solemnly.

Katie laughed and broke open the large wax seal. It was written in large, flowing script.

Dear Miss Bell,

We would like to congratulate you on your acceptance as an intern for the Department of Magical Games and Sports during the upcoming summer.

Your application showed us a young witch of intelligence and great promise. Your references were excellent and cited you as being "a fine witch, with pluck and determination."

You are to report to the British and Irish Quidditch League Headquarters on June the fifteenth of next year.

Please take care to review the enclosed materials including regulations, schedules and preparation work.

We await your response of acceptance.

Lester Pumbley

Secretary of Recruitment Affairs

Department of Magical Games and Sports

"YES!!" Katie exclaimed, dancing around in little circles. "I got it! I got the internship! And from there it only a quick step to a job at headquarters and of course right around the corner is the promotion to Head Match Organizer and that is a sure shot to head of the ENTIRE department!!" She danced happily to her father who embraced her.

"Well I'm very proud of you dear. Just, um, bring your head a bit below the clouds. The ministry is a very competitive place, especially in games and sports. Something to do with an obsession for winning that ex-quidditch players never seem to lose." He glanced at his daughter and laughed. "Which is why I'm sure you'll be head in no time!"

Katie could barely contain herself. A position at the Department of Magical Games and Sports was something she had always wanted. As was a position on a professional Quidditch team, but what young Cup-winning Chaser doesn't? In fact she already had dates lined up to try-out for various reserve teams, but she knew her parent's wouldn't accept not having a back-up plan. She came from an over-achieving family and based on the successes of he older siblings, she had quite a bit to live up to. Her brother Alex was a beater for the Tutshill Tornados, her sister Lydia secured a position as the international affairs reporter for The Prophet and her brother Paul had a rising business with a school friend doing magical advertising. Her first year at Hogwarts had been filled with nonstop comparisons to her siblings and though she loved her family the only comparison she ever really appreciated was that to Alex and his natural sports ability. The constant praising of Lydia's beauty and Paul's academic prowess quickly grew old.

"I've got to tell Alicia! Is the fireplace working?" Alicia Spinnet along with Angelina Johnston had remained good friends with Katie after they left school. Alicia was currently employed in the Department of Magical Games and Sports while Angelina was taking time to travel.

"Mmmhhmm," her father replied. "Had someone from the department in to fix it this morning before you were up."

"Great!"

Her father smiled at her proudly. "I'm off to work again. I'll see you tonight. We'll celebrate."

Katie shouted a muffled thanks before dropping Floo powder into the fireplace, stepping in and with a shout disappearing.

"To Katie!" Several bottles of butterbeer and other various drinks were lifted into the air in a toast. Six people sat around the Bell's dinner table, upon which sat a scrumptious looking feast of roast chicken, rosemary potatoes, bright salad, fresh bread, steamed carrots and a tray of fruit tarts tantalizingly on the side. Included in the party were Katie, her parents Anthony and Helena, her brother Alex, and her brother Paul with his longtime girlfriend Susan.

Katie grinned like a maniac as the glasses clanked. Life seemed to be working in her favor these days. She had an amazing family, friends who were true, and it was her final year of school. Despite Hogwarts being a second home and a place where she had spent some of the happiest times of her life (for instance the winning of not one, but 2 Quidditch cups) she was eager to get on into the world.

The noises of silverware hitting plates soon filled the room, adding to the laughter and conversation.

"So Kates, giving up on becoming a pro-Chaser for a life behind a desk? I thought I taught you better?" her brother Alex asked teasingly.

"You know as well as I do, you wouldn't have a career without those people who spend their lives behind desks. You would be just a boy with a broom and a stick."

"Yes, well people happen to love this man with a broom and a stick."

Katie choked on her butterbeer. "I think you meant to say ladies love you. Who is the current high-profile flame? Scrimgeour's niece? Or maybe another Weird Sister?"

"Can't help it can I? And for your information, I'm currently flying my broom solo."

Katie just shook her head. Her oldest brother was in every sense of the phrase, a ladies-man. Tall with light brown hair, the Bell family blue-green eyes and a mischievous grin, it was difficult for witches of a wide range of ages to resist his charms.

Helena Bell cleared her throat. "Not that I don't love hearing about my first-born's exploits, could you two turn the conversation to something that Witch Weekly would be a little less interested in?"

"Hear, hear" prompted Paul. Slightly shorter than his brother, the 3rd-born Bell was more conservative. He was the family business man. Personally Katie couldn't stand him half of the time. She loved him yes, but he really needed to loosen up a bit. Unfortunately his girlfriend Susan wouldn't help with. She was just as wound up as he was.

Katie made a noise as if to argue with her mother but her father stepped in by questioning how this year's Gryffindor Quidditch team would look.

"Eh, not sure. Harry's definitely going to be captain and we'll have to hold try-outs. I guess we'll see."

"Oy, that reminds me" Alex piped up. "I ran into your old captain, Wood during the Lithuanian tourney."

"Really? He's Puddlemere reserve though. I always heard their keeper was kind of a 'I am the keeper and only I will play this position' kind of pratt."

"Yeah but Hatchfield was injured so Wood stepped in. Must say he did quite well. Hatchfield is getting on in years. Wouldn't surprise me if Wood takes over fully within the next few seasons."

Katie grinned fondly at the memory of her old captain. "Is he still as obsessed with winning?"

"God yes. Only went to school with him for a couple years but I still remember him as a 12 year old keeper screaming at me for not getting the bludger that prevented him from saving the goal. But he's a good bloke. Had a couple pints after the last day of matches with him and some other boys from the league. He asked about you and said to say cheers to you." He paused a moment, and wrinkled his forehead in thought. "Though I'm not sure if he was just cheering in general. The night was a bit muddled after a while. I know you were asked about and the word 'cheers' was thrown out there…so I conclude he said to say cheers to you."

Katie snorted. "I would have paid to see a group of England's finest Quidditch player completely sloshed yelling 'Cheers to Katie!' Really, it would have made my year."

"Lovely conclusion Alexander. And Katherine, I'm not sure you and a group of England's sloshed finest is a good idea. How is it that both my oldest and my youngest children are so…hopelessly crude?" Their mother gazed sternly them.

"Well mother," Alex stated. "I was a lost cause from the beginning. Lydia was too much of a girl to corrupt and Paul too much of an old man so when little Kates here came along, I knew I had found my protégé, especially when she got into Gryffindor. The blame lies in my hands alone, though I'm quite proud of the work I've done."

At this even their father laughed. Those two had been the only 2 of his children to follow in his steps by going to Gryffindor. Paul and Lydia had taken after their mother and been selected to Ravenclaw. Katie and Alex grinned at each other, their identical blue-green eyes twinkling with mischief.

"Oooo Katie, look at these!" Leanne Mason, another 7th year Gryffindor and best friend extraordinaire called out to her. In Leanne's arms were a set of flowing pale pink dress robes. "Aren't they gorgeous? They would look amazing on you with your coloring. Oh and if we made your hair a bit darker so it's dark brown, we could have the boys drop like flies around you!"

Katie grimaced. "Thanks Lea, but my hair is fine the way it is. Besides, what do I need new dress robes for anyway. The ones I have are fine. And on the plus side, they're not pink."

Leanne shrugged and returned the robes to their place. "Come on then, let's have a drink at the Cauldron. Tommy O'Neal is supposed to be there along with some of his fellow Ravenclaws."

This elicited another grimace from Katie. "Ugh. Tommy is ok, and I'll admit good-lucking, but his friend Simon is a complete, pompous idiot who has a habit of being sleazy. He's like a combination of Paul and Percy Weasley, with a little Marcus Flint thrown in for good measure."

Snickering, Leanne replied, "Well said. Not that you have anything to worry about. No one will mess with Alex Bell's favorite little sister."

Tossing her hair, Katie retorted airily, "Yes, it's wonderful to have connections." Continuing her charade she added. "Let us meander over to the Cauldron and have a couple pitiful underlings pay for some cooling refreshments. I'm positively parched and these new books are killing my back." She stretched painfully. "Ok, seriously, having this many books is ridiculous."

"Oy!! Bell is that you?"

Katie turned as a familiar voice shouted her name. The bright red hair and evil grin linked to that voice caused her to smile madly.

"HA it is you! See George, I told you it was her."

George Weasley stepped out of a doorway. "Well bless Aunt Muriel, it is. Ickle Katiekins!" He walked over and pinched her cheek much in the manner of Katie's great-mother Ruth. "Dear child you've grown up! Fred love, hasn't she grown?"

Sides aching , she swatted George on the back of the head. "Knock it off you pratts. 'S good to see you though. It's been too long. Thought you guys were busy running shop?"

"Oh we are," Fred answered. "That's the nifty thing about owning your own place. You can take lunch whenever you so choose. And obviously we've made an excellent timing judgment. Now we get to escort you two wherever you are going!"

"Merlin save us. We were just heading over to the Leaky Cauldron. Leanne wants to meet up with Tommy O'Neal."

The twins looked apprehensively at Leanne. "A Ravenclaw? Tsk tsk, such a house traitor. But never mind that. We'll join you two. We also need a place to try out a few new candies." Fred winked and linked his arm with Katie and George followed suit with Leanne. The 4 young witches and wizards hurried off to flirt, laugh and drink butterbeer as all young witches and wizards on occasion have the desire to do.

This was how Katie Bell's life had been before her seventh year. Not perfect, but always good. She was smart, funny and far from bad-looking. She had plans, dreams and goals. She was the poster model for the modern young witch.

That was before her 7th year. That year changed everything and the year that followed this it was about as far from what she planned as anything imaginable.

So there you are. My first attempt at an HP story despite being highly involved with HP for way too many years now :) Can't help but love it. Anyway, please review and let me know if you enjoy where its going. Also, I love advice so bring it!

muse