A Little Christmas Time Fun (Kat)

[luvs2dance]

Brooke carefully glanced around, making sure that no one was watching. She had found the statue that she and Katie had used when running away from a nasty Slytherin. She tapped its left leg and right eye, as she had seen Katie do, and watched as it revealed the secret passageway.

"Come on," she whispered to Kat and she carefully climbed down the stairs. Realizing how dark it was she muttered, "Lumos," and gave them some light.

[kat]

Kat watched as Brooke tapped a witch’s statue and remembered the movement, when the wish of need to go to Hogwarts would rise.

Brooke disappeared into the passageway and Kat waited a couple of seconds, so Brooke would have time to move out of the way, before Kat followed.
Kat whispered ‘Lumos’ to her wand and tucked it into her pocket, so she could see where she was going, before climbing into the passageway as well.

“Have you used this passage earlier as well? And where will we end up at Hogsmeade?” Kat asked as they reached level ground and could start walking.

[luvs2dance]

Brooke started walking down the dusty passageway. It sure looked like it hadn't been used in ages.

"I've kind of used it. I was running away from a Slytherin, long story, but we never really ended up going to Hogsmeade. I think it ends up at Honeydukes. That's what Katie said at least and I think she's used it before."

She continued walking until the passage ended. There was a ladder there, which Brooke climbed up and found the loose piece of wood. She pushed it up and slid it across the floor a little ways before climbing out.

"Yeah, Kat, I think this is Honeydukes. So, um where do you want to go?"

[kat]

Kat followed Brooke until they reached the end of the passageway and extinguished her wand.

Kat looked around Honeydukes and eyed the different candies on display.
“I really have to come back here sometimes! My brother would give away an arm to see this place – he has an enormous sweet tooth,” Kat grabbed some chocolate frogs and paid for them, then turned smiling and offered one to Brooke opening one for herself.

“Where to go, now that’s the question?” Kat thought loudly looking around, “How about we drop by Zonko’s for a moment? If you don’t mind. Or do the WEasley twins have a shop here too – I don’t really recall. And a butterbeer from Three Broomsticks later perhaps?”<br>
Kat smiled and tilted her head as she stepped out of Honeydukes: ”How about we start off to somewhere and see what catches our interest?”<br>

[luvs2dance]

Brooke nodded. "That's sounds good. Zonko's, then the Three Broomsticks, then . . . somewhere else, then on our way back we can pick up a bunch of candy from Honeyduke's."

Brooke leaned over and gathered her hair together to pull into a ponytail and started walking down the road.

"Zonko's is this way. It's a really cool store. Loads of stuff in there. I should know seeing as I live right across the street from there. So what exactly are you looking for?"

[kat]

“Really? I didn’t know you live at Hogsmeade,” Kat was a little surprised by this.

“What am I looking for? Well, it’s my brothers birthday soon, so maybe something for him. I am sending him the acid pops, that melt away your tongue as well,” Kat smirked and stretched a little while walking on next to Brooke, ”And maybe some supplies for myself at school. I don’t mind getting pranked, if it’s humorous, but I always repay the ‘favor’.”<br>
Kat looked at the window display of Zonko’s and smiled: “Do you prefer this shop or the Weasley twins?”<br>Kat bit into her lower lip again, as she thought: “But whatever I’m buying for my brother it has to be small enough to not break the house. We can use the excuse of setting up firework in the house only ones and we live in the Muggle world.”<br>

[luvs2dance]

"Yeah," Brooke said, turning to the apartments onthe other side of the street, "I live there, third floor three to the right. We just moved in a little while back. You see, I live with my godmother, and she's an auror and she traveled all over the world and she took me with her. Not that I had much of another choice, because there was no one for her to leave me with."

Brooke looked up at her apartment for a moment longer before turning back around to face Zonko's.

"Actually, I haven't ever been to the Weasley's shop. It's probably the only joke shop in Europe that I haven't been to. But, anyway, how old is your brother?"

[kat]

“You haven’t been to the Weasley shop? I absolutely love their stuff,” Kat exclaimed and eyed the window Brooke pointed to, “I guess it must be nice to life at Hogsmeade. Your god-mother is an auror – interesting profession you know. Not quite something I would prefer though.”<br>
Kat shook her head and smiled as Brooke asked about his brother: “Jake? He’s 22 and actually he is my half-brother. Our father was a widower with him, before my mother married our father and they had me.”<br>
Kat’s eyes turned to distance and a hint of sadness crept into her voice as she continued: ”Our parents died when I was 8 and Jake who is my only relative started to take care of me when he had barely turned 19. He used our family-fortune our parents left us and opened his own company. He was successful and the company is quite wide-spread know and it writes programmes to many companies.”<br>
Kat shrugged the sadness off her and smiled: ”I could go on about my brother for hours – we are real close. And he spoiled me rotten basically. We argue about tons of stuff, but it’s more well-natured teasing than real fights. One of the last bigger ones we had was when I wanted a tattoo. We argued about it for a week, but in the end he came with me and arranged for the tattoo to get done.”<br>
Kat stared off in space with a soft smile playing on her lips, before snapping out of it suddenly when someone started to laugh farther away.
“And now that I’m bored you to death – what about you? Any other family or friends that are so close they already count as family?” Kat smiled and made a quick twirl with her hands reached out, “Don’t let me bore you to death with my babbling.”<br>

[luvs2dance]

Brooke stepped into Zonko's and beckoned for Kat to follow her inside.

"Well," she said as she started down one of the joke shop's rows, "not really. I don't have that much family. There's my godmother Rachel and her mother . . . well her mother doesn't really count. Rachel isn't too fond of her so I don't see her much, but she owls me from time to time. Um, my mom's parents died a while back, but I was never really close to them. So, that makes one I guess. Well, actually I'm pretty close to James and Natalie. They live in New York, in the states you know, and Natalie was a good friend of Rachel and my mother. James is her son. We lived in an apartment next to theirs when we lived in New York."

Brooke picked up a deck of Exploding Snap and examined it. She had lost her other one and she could use a new one.

"I know a lot of people all around the world, but I was never 'family close' to very many of them," Brooke said, pausing before adding the last part, "I don't really have any family."

[kat]

Kat followed Brooke into and listened as Brooke told her about her family while exploring a deck of Exploding Snap.

“New York is a lovely place,” Kat agreed with her, “It is a little over-populated – yes, and wasn’t my personal favorite, but it was quite alright.”<br>
Kat picked up some curious looking purple box to see what was in it while continuing: “I have my brother as family and our dog and the kitten I bought for Jake for Christmas as well now. And it wouldn’t be home without our horses – Winddancer is mine. I guess Jimmy and Tamela – Jimmy takes care of the stable and Tamela cleans the house – are somewhat family too, as they have been with us since we bought the house and they live in a small house at the edge of our property.”<br>
Kat shrugged and placed the box bad nodding towards the deck Brooke was examining: “You gone buy it? I still don’t really know how to play Exploding Snap, but that looks like a good enough deck?”<br>

[luvs2dance]

Brooke looked over the deck skeptically.

"Yeah, I suppose it's good enough. I can teach you to play sometime, if you want."

She glanced up to the front of the store and saw that the line was incredibly long. Brooke wrinkled her nose. She didn't really want to stand in that long line just for a stupid deck of cards. Maybe it would die down.

"So," she said, starting down another row, "what should we get for your brother? I think I saw some self shuffling cards over there by the decks of Exploding Snap."

She continued down the row looking from item to item, occasionally picking one up and examining it.

"I guess there's no harm in these non-explodable luminous balloons or that belch powder. Whatever you think he would like the best."

She walk down the aisle a few steps before adding, "Tell me about yourself. Hobbies, likes, pet peeves, you know, stuff like that. I really don't know too much about you."

[kat]

“For my brother? Well I’ll send him some blood candies and the acid ones as well as some Bertie Bott’s every flavor beans,” Kat mused eyeing the self shuffling cards, “I can’t send him self shuffling cards though. He was the one who taught me to cheat in card-games when I was a kid and do cheat you’ll have to be able to deal yourself. It’s surprising how many business deals are closed over a game of poker.”<br>
Kat grinned wickedly: “I’m probably a rare girl, as my brother started teaching card-games me when I was three and by the age of 5 I could play most games there are. And by the time I was 8 – I could cheat as a professional.”<br>
Kat sighed and closed her eyes: “Well, let’s do it the old fashioned way then.” Without looking Kat reached out her hand and randomly grabbed 5 items from the shelves, throwing them into a shopping basket. Then she examined the things she brought and shrugged: “Well, guess that’s good enough. He can browse the Weasley shop at Diagon if he wants something special.”<br>
Kat eyed the long line, but wasn’t really fazed by it – she wasn’t in any hurry.
“About me – that’s a wide question,” Kat bit into her lower lip and thought about it.
”Well, I live with my brother – Jake. We traveled around the world for 2 years and go to vacations where ever we desire at summers still, so guess I have seen the world as it comes. I picked up quite some languages on the road and I’m fluent in about 6 languages. We never stayed in one place for more than a couple of months though, so I have many good acquaintances all over the world, but not very many close friends.”<br>
“We bought a house – or a small mansion actually – about a year back and now live there. The house is huge but we also have a couple hundred acres of forest and a lake on our property as well as a private stable of our own with 8 horses, including the one I own,” Kat’s smiled remembering her huge black stallion.

“My horse is called Winddancer. He is 80% Arabian and has quite the temper to show as well, although he is a beaty and he is fast,” Kat brushed her jaw with a grimace, “I bought him when he was about a year and was beaten by some guy when he was about a year old. It took me 9 months to tame him and let me ride him and during that time he broke my arm, leg, jaw, I had 2 concussions and countless bruises. But now he is tamed and the best horses I’ve ever ridden. Still won’t tolerate anyone else around him though, except for Jimmy – the guy who takes care of the horses – for grooming and giving food, when I’m not around.”<br>
“And then there’s the kitten I give my brother as a Christmas gift and our dog. A huge cross-breed between a huskie and a shepherd, who is so big that he reaches my waist,” Kat shrugged and noticing that the line had disappeared paid for her stuff, “For hobbies – dunno, I do much. I read every day before going to sleep, used to take piano and guitar lessons as well as dancing. I have learned shooting and knife-throwing as well as etiquette. And I have a brown-belt in Karate. I ride, skate, swim. Jog every morning.”<br>
Kat didn’t really know what else to tell so she just smiled: “You are welcomed to drop by sometimes – there’s enough room in the house. And can bring a friend or two, until the number stays under 10. Then you can see what my life is like. But tell me about yourself. I have blabbed on long enough.”<br>

[luvs2dance]

Brooke listened to Kat and payed for her cards once the line had dyed down.

"Me, well, I don't know too many card games. Exploding Snap is probably the limit on that. But anyway, my mum died when I was about five and that's when I went to live with my godmother. Rachel is American and at the time she was only eighteen I think. Anyway, she went through her auror training in New York City, so we were there for three years. Once she was finished with her training she became international and so we moved around from place to place. We stayed mainly in Paris, Moscow, Bejing, Rome, Caracas, Toronto, and Cairo. So I picked up quite a few languages myself. I'm fluent in English, French, Spanish, and Russian and I can speak Arabic and Chinese, but I can't write or read either of those two. Too many complicated symbols. Then we were back in New York for another year. After I turned eleven we started renting the flat in Hogsmeade because Rachel figured my mum would have wanted me to go to Hogwarts like she did."

Brooke stepped back outside and pulled her cloak closer in the cold.

"School mostly comes easily for me. I do have quite a few problems with potions, though and I'm not much better at herbology. I'm twelve years old, my birthday is October 12, and I guess I'm probably a tomboy. I have a pet owl named Gabby. That's a whole story in itself though. The owl just kind of flew in my window the day I got my Hogwarts letter. It had a note with it telling me congratulations for getting into Hogwarts and to have a good year. No one signed it though. So, yeah, kind of weird. Anyway, back to school. My best subject is Defense Against the Dark Arts. And Katie Davenport is my pranking partner. I love pranks. Do you know her?"

Brooke thought for a moment. Was she leaving out anything? Ah, yes. Hobbies.

"As for my hobbies, I like to dance. I really like hip hop, but the other's are okay too I suppose. I like to read big thick mind boggling novels. I know, I don't really seem that type of person. I also play piano and I write sometimes. I used to ride horses, but I don't as much anymore. So, yeah that's pretty much my life. Not too interesting. Really boring. Geez! I want something to happen. Something big! Do you ever feel like that?"

Brooke sighed and looked around, " So, where to next?"

[kat]

Kat noticed how Brooke pulled her cloak closer to her body against the cold and pulled out her wand, casting a heating charm on her.
“Flitwick taught it to me - it’s an advanced level charm, so it took me a week to get it right, but it’s irreplaceable during my morning jog rounds,” Kat exclaimed with a shrug, tucking her wand back, ”I can take it off, if you want, but if not, it should keep you warm for about 5 hours, give or take half an hour.”<br>
“And I’ll take you up on your offer about teaching me Exploding Snaps,” Kat warned with a twinkle in her eyes.

“About Katie Davenport – I know who she is but we aren’t exactly friends,” Kat shrugged and elaborated, “I am good friends with Dwyane Farrelly, and he and Katie don’t really tolerate each other. Personally I’ve only said hello to Katie – so I don’t know her and won’t judge.”<br>
“And your life doesn’t sound boring,” Kat argued with a smile, “Besides – you have the rest of your life, to turn it out to be something unbelievable exciting and wonderful. But I know what you mean – sometimes you just feel as you’d want to yell at the world to wake up and do something.”<br>
Kat eyed the window display of book-store and raised an eyebrow: “Poe’s poems? First edition? My brother has hunted through half the world, to find a copy like that. Would you mind stepping in for a moment, so I can buy it.”<br>Kat stepped forward without really waiting for an answer and walked over the street.

[luvs2dance]

"Sure," Brooke said, following Kat across the street. She stepped into what looked like a very ancient bookstore.

"You jog in the mornings? I need to start jogging. I haven't in quite a while."

Brooke looked around at some of the books, but she didn't recognize any of the names. They must have been quite old if she had never even heard of them before.

"So this Poe guy. Who is he? And how does your brother know about him?"

[kat]

Kat entered the store and picked up the book, bound into leather and balancing it on her arm, skimmed some other titles on the books, while listening to Brooke’s question: “Well, there was a reason, why I was put into Ravenclaw. I’m rather lazy, but I love to read and can memorize most I can read, as can my brother. We have books from all over the world and have a two-story high library back at home.”<br>Kat pulled out a book on Scandinavian gods and added it on her arm: “Well, Poe was a squib. He wrote novels for muggles mostly, using his knowledge about wizards. He is rather valuated. He wrote both scary-novels and poems. I love his poems more, as Jake prefers his novels. But we also discovered he wrote a book for muggle’s – this one, so we have tried to find it, but have been unsuccessful so far.”<br>
Kat picked up one more book in German about potions to send to Jake and walked to the counter, placing the books there and smiled:” Mr.Rinol.”<br>The store-owner looked at Kat and smiled, kissing her hand. From the three times Kat had been in the store with her brother, they had probably given the store a profit for at least two months. So the store-keeper had every right to beam.
Kat looked at the price-checks and let out a low whistle, seeing that her account went to almost 100 galleons: “You still take checks, right? I want the book about Scandinavian myths and gods to be brought to Hogwarts to me and the rest to my brother. You should still have the address, I presume?”<br>
“Of course, ms.Lurjée, we accept checks from you. Just sign this form and the money will be transferred from your account to mine in Gringotts. It’s a pleasure you are fine and decided to visit us. Maybe I can intrest you in this book about Ancient charms as well?” the store-keeper handed Kat the paper for the cheque and pulled the charm’s book from under the counter.
Kat skimmed the book and added the required 57 galleons to the final count, before signing with an elegant swirl of letters and nodded to mr.Rinaldi, who beamingly accompanied the two girls to the door of the store with best wishes and requests to come back.

“That store gets a lot of it’s profit from me and Jake,” Kat said with a shake of her head to Brooke as they were outside again, “But Jake will be thrilled to see those two books he will receive right now. And yep – I jog in the mornings. Around sunrise or a bit earlier even. I like that time, when all is calm and quiet.”<br>

[luvs2dance]

Brooke snorted, "The day I'm up before sunrise is the day I kiss Snape. I'd like to see your library someday though. That sounds really cool."

Brooke shuffled her feet along in the snow glancing at the many shop windows of Hogsmeade.

"So what are you going to do over Christmas break? You know, I think I'm ready for that Butterbeer. Maybe we could talk it over in the Three Broomsticks."