Kat followed Joss into breakfast the following morning. Her 2 cats followed behind her Scully was looking dead proud, and strutted along dutifully by Kats leg. Mulder skulked in at a distance behind as if he was sulking about something, but still couldn't miss some food. Kat herself was looking very tired, and strangely enough, was purring!

They sat down to breakfast. "Umm I fancy a nice warm freshly killed mouse for breakfast," Kat purrs. She suddenly realised what she has just said. She looked around in the hope that no one heard, but there are a few people looking at her. She looked at Joss.

Joss looked back at her. Her throat chokes up because while her mind says 'gross' her mouth repeatedly says 'that sounds delicious!'. And she could almost taste the warm blood between her teeth as she would eat the mouse...'YUCK' Her mind yelled at her.

"I've never done that sort of magic for so long. I guess this must be an after effect. Did you know that you are purring over that toast?"

Chewing toast to get the mouse sensation away she looked at Kat with crumpled eyebrows.

Kat looked at Scully who was frantically trying to get onto the table and into Kat's cup of tea. Kat put the cup on the floor. "I didn't fancy it too much she say's to Joss. Looks like Scully has a craving for tea."

Kat looked at Joss. "So what did you make of all that? I want to know what was in that Cauldron, and what are those Spiders doing. Do you suppose Madison knows anymore? Maybe we should talk to her, after all she went into the forest."

Kat pondered the adventure from last night. "Well, I guess it's Hogsmeade day today. Maybe we can catch her over a butterbeer."

Today was the great day! Students were shuffling knuts into their pockets to buy butterbeer or other stuff, excited chatter and plans were heard throughout the castle - but some students seemed to be very quiet.

There was Madison, who was allowed to leave Madam Pomfrey's sanctuary but still seemed shaken by effects of a spell. Then there was Morticia, who had not been seen much the past few days and who preferred to stay in the Slytherin common room or, when it was crowded, sat on the Quidditch grounds. She avoided having to talk to people since most of them seemed to want to make fun of her fainting in front of the class, and most of all she avoided Marvo and Yvette. She had been getting daily owls from home and wrote back long letters.

"I don't think I'm going to Hogsmeade today", she told Ceridwyn during breakfast, "I just don't feel like it. I think I'll stay here instead and try to get that Potions homework done, you can copy it when you come back."

Ceridwyn looked at Morticia, with a sad glint in her eye, "Ok, but it won't be the same without you! I'll bring you back some chocolate frogs, and a bottle of butter beer, k? "

Marvo wandered into the breakfast hall, looking slightly tired and rubbing his eyes. He saw Kat and Joss at the Ravenclaw table, but quickly looked away. As he walked past the Slytherins table he over heard Morticia's remark about not going to Hogsmeade. "Oh really 'Tish? you not going to Hogsmeade?.... Nor am I."

He did not wait for a response, but continued to the Gryffindor table, sat, and with a slight smile on his face started on his first plate of bacon.

Morticia grimaced. "Seems I might be going after all", she sighs and throws a glance at Marvo. "But then, I'm expecting a very important message..."

Marvo turned to whichever Gryffindor was sitting next to him, and between mouthfuls of bacon whispered to him. "Of course, I AM going to Hogsmeade, I just don't want her sulking around the school on her own, and I hope the treat of being here alone with me will be enough to make her change her mind."

Then someone came through the doors and sat down on the Slytherin table. He said "Hi all it's Peesemould your happy Slytherin here, I've just come back from holiday in India to see my Grandparents. So then what's been going on?"

Kat brushed past someone headed towards the Slytherin table. She muttered "Where do all these Slytherins come from? I'm sure the sorting hat must have got something wrong that year!"

Morticia called from the distance to Peesemould. "Hi! We're just about to leave for Hogsmeade! Are you coming too?"

Peesemould replied "Yeah, I think I will come, it sounds fun!" he pauses and then says "When are we going?"

"Soon," said Morticia. "After we’ve finished breakfast.

Elizabeth who was sitting nearby smiled at this remark. She had figured this is what Marvo was up to. She couldn't imagine him passing up a trip to Hogsmeade and she was glad that Morticia wasn't going to cut herself off from the mixed group outing. Still if any move was to be made towards co-operation it would have to come from that quarter. Events seemed to be moving on. Exchanging some banter with fellow students, she went to get ready for the visit.

Kat also overheard Mavro’s comment and grinned. ‘Almost sounds like he actually likes her,’ she thought. She looks over to where Morticia is sat. ‘Maybe she knows something,’ she thinks. ‘After I've finished these sausages and beans,’ she purrs to herself.

Glueclaws who was sleeping under Morticia's chair got up and walked over to Kat, eyeing her suspiciously. "Mioooww?" he queried with a sceptical expression, but what Kat heard is "Now, silly girl, what have YOU been playing with?"

Kat jumped. ‘Ooh that isn't nice,’ she thinks. "What's it to you dumb cat?" she said. Unfortunately what those sat round her hear is a cat hissing noise.

Scully looked up from the mug of tea she was drinking and glowered at Glueclaws. "Leave my mistress alone." She hissed and waved a threatening claw at Glueclaws.

Being able to see with cat eyes, Kat saw Glueclaws smirk in a very Morticia-like way. He sniffed at Scully, whispering "I would take better care of your human if I were you", and then walked back to Morticia and lay down under the chair again.

The owls entered and started delivering their letters. A beautiful eagle owl flew to Morticia and pecked her cheek affectionately. "Hello, Ikarus!" Morticia beamed. "How are you? How's France? Here, help yourself!" She offered the owl some ham, untied the message at Ikarus's foot and read it eagerly. "It's from Morgaine!" she explained as a fellow Slytherin asked her. "You know, my twin."

Marvo almost choked on a piece of bacon when he overheard that Morticia's twin may some time come to Hogwarts! He regained his composer and looked to see who else was at the table.

Ceridwyn whispered to Morticia, so that no one can hear, "What have your parents been saying? You're getting all these owls, you're being so quiet and removed. Are you okay?"

Morticia smiled broadly. "I told them Yvette is here and how difficult things are this year, and I told Morgaine and Nathan. And just today Morgaine wrote me that maybe she'll transfer to Hogwarts to back me up! You know, she's been having trouble at Beauxbatons anyway... but it's not for sure yet. But the fact alone that she's thinking about it... Anyway, let's go to Hogsmeade and have some butterbeer. What was I thinking? Not going? On my first-ever Hogsmeade-trip? Hah! Silly me!"

She grabbed Ceridwyn's arm, laughed and dragged her along to where the other students are already gathering.

Whatever is written in that message, it sure cheered Morticia up, and after breakfast she hurried towards the common room to grab some money and set off to Hogsmeade with the others.

Marvo watched Morticia from the corner of his eye.

When leaving breakfast, Morticia noticed him. "What is he staring at me for?" she muttered to her Slytherin friends. "Hasn't he had enough of this teasing me and all? Silly boy!" She walked past Marvo and prepared to go to Hogsmeade.

Marvo looked somewhat shocked as Morticia walked away. He whispered to himself, "I was just thinking your hair looks nice today"

Yvette was too far away to hear this, and she contented herself by mashing all of the food on her plate into one big glob. Her appetite was gone and she hadn't seen Oz for at least four days...

But there he was, looping lazily and almost falling asleep as he dropped three envelopes onto her plate. She smiled to him and he took a piece of toast from someone else's plate and followed the other owls out.

She gingerly pulled the envelopes out of the mess and wiped them off with her napkin. Opening one, she found a letter from her sister, who was at the moment attending Beuxbatons in her fifth year. The second was from her next door neighbours, whom she hated and had no idea why they'd written to her.

And the third...it was more a package than an envelope. With widening eyes, she hoped it wasn't what she thought it was. A Howler.

"Shoot." She growled, picking it up and running as fast as she could out into the hallway. She continued to run with it even as it started shrieking at her, and with a sinking heart she knew what it was going to say.

"YVETTE MONCLERE!?!? WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING, TALKING TO A

LAGRAND!!!! THEY ARE DIRT AND YOU ARE NOT TO ADDRESS THAT GIRL EVER!

YOU HEAR ME? EVER! I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO-" The voice that was so magnified was suddenly cut off as Yvette swiped at it with her wand, mumbling words under her breath. The spell had suddenly come to her, and she continued running until she reached the fat lady's painting. It wasn't so much that SHE was embarrassed...no, it was much more than that. She'd probably embarrassed Morticia even more, and even SHE could realize that...the girl had just fainted in calls...she didn't need more! Her cheeks were reddening as she sat in the middle of the hallway and she covered her face with her hands, wand and Howler lying beside her.

What Yvette had received was fairly evident to those left in the Great Hall especially as the sound of the Howler made itself heard

Marvo turned to Elizabeth, "Families huh? Maybe someone should go and see if she's OK."

"Yes, I was already thinking of doing that. Let things settle a few minutes just in case it's a long one. I hope she still want to come out. I wonder how they found out?"

Elizabeth was clutching her own envelope delivered by a family owl and was anxious to read it but preferred to wait until she was alone... just in case.

Madison groggily stepped out of the portrait hole, nearly crashing into Yvette. "Are you going to Hogsmeade?" Then she noticed the Howler. "Hey, what's wrong? Are you in trouble?"

Elizabeth arrived a few moments later, "Yvette? Are you OK? The Howler, sounded rough...." She noticed Madison.

Madison shrugged. "I don't know, but I need a little time off. I'm trying to get Yvette here to go to Hogsmeade with me. We both need it." She gave Yvette a tired smile. "Come on, whaddya say? We could kick back with some butterbeer and browse the joke shop."

Yvette picked up the howler and started trying to shred it into little pieces. "I thought I was going...now I dunno." She said in a monotone, sighing. "Well, see, my mom's mad at me, that's all. And she's never sent me a Howler before, so it was kind of a...er...surprise."

Madison smiled weakly at her. "Hey, don't worry about it. She's your mom. She still loves you, despite whatever it is she's mad at. She'll get over it." Then she thought. "You know, I'm going to Hogsmeade. You should go too. Sounds like we both need a little fun today...Take our minds off our troubles for a while."

"Despite it though the trip should be good. Take your mind off things. It's a long time until the next Hogsmeade visit." Elizabeth brandished her own letter at the other girls. "Just received this. Give me a couple minutes I might be feeling somewhat differently. I think I'll open it in private though."

Madison shrugged. "I don't know, but I need a little time off. I'm trying to get Yvette here to go to Hogsmeade with me. We both need it." She gave Yvette a tired smile. "Come on, whaddya say? We could kick back with some butterbeer and browse the joke shop."

"Yeah, come Yvette. We really need this. Marvo is still in the Hall. Trying to earwig on what's happening with the Slytherin group no doubt. I'm just going to get my cloak and hurry him up so he doesn't get left behind. My letter can wait until later - if it is a Howler, I don't want my day spoiled. I've never had butter beer before! I'm really looking forward to it and to do some shopping." Said Elizabeth.

Elizabeth came back to the Hall with her outdoor cloak to see where Marvo has got to. "You're a slow eater this morning, Marvo. If you don't get a move on you'll miss the trip - unless that's what you want?"

Marvo hadn't quite realized how much time had passed and filled her in on the 'twin situation'. "Well, that should be interesting, if it happens. Yvette seems pretty upset. I don't understand this sort of thing. Morticia seems to have real problems with you too but that seems more to do with your teasing and baiting her."

Marvo, finishing his last bit of bacon (a house elf tapping it's toe waiting) looked up at Elizabeth. "Sorry Lizzy, just done." He stood and a black envelope fell from his lap. He quickly picked it up and put it in his robe. "I'll be back in a moment, just get my cloak." He rushes out to the common room.

Madison and Yvette were still in the hall in front of the portrait when Marvo rushed by. "Hi Marvo!" Madison greeted. "What's the hurry? Are you going to Hogsmeade today?"

Yvette finally relented, smiling slightly. "I could use some butterbeer." The smile was gone. "And maybe I'll buy an exploding envelope for my Mom."

Madison blinked. "Uh...that's the spirit. Or hey, maybe you could send her a toilet seat."

There was a chuckle behind them. Egreen, who had not been present at breakfast, and had been as distant as ever these last few days. He seemed to find their comment amusing.

Madison smiled. "Hopefully, I don't wander off and turn up in the Forest again. And I heard the Three Broomsticks serves up some really good butterbeer. I haven't had any since we left the States."

"Yes", said Egreen, "but you can't get butterbeer in the states can you? Its all this Butterbeer Lite rubbish"

"Would you like to send her a dried newt" smiled Egreen innocently. Egreen seemed to be in a strange mood. He was walking funny, and had a greenish tint to him, or maybe it was just the bags under his eyes.

Kat was lurking close by quite by accident. She looked at Egreen.

"Egreen what have you been doing? You haven't been in that forest, have you? You look all gooey like that mixture in the cauldron." Kat gasps. She hadn't meant to say that. She also wonders if the voice of the man in the woods was Egreen’s.

After making a comment like that Kat realised that she would be interrogated if she stayed here much longer. She rushed off to collect her money to go to Hogsmeade. She was feeling a little happier this morning, even if she did have some strange after effects. She waited outside the common room for the other Ravenclaws and then made her way towards Hogsmeade with the other milling students.

Morticia came along with some Slytherin friends, all of them chatting excitedly about Hogsmeade. When she saw Madison, Yvette and the other girls standing there, Morticia left the huddle. "Hey, Maddie," she said with a shy smile, "how are you? Are you okay?" She looked at Yvette, but to everyone's surprise, did not mention the Howler at all, nor did she try to tease or insult Yvette.

Madison smiled back at her, relieved that she didn't mention the Howler. "I'm doing okay," she replied. "A butterbeer and something from Honeydukes should make me feel even better. We'll see you at Hogsmeade!" she called as Morticia rushed back to her friends.

Yvette stared at Morticia's retreating back. She wasn't sure that had happened...but back to reality she came, and she grinned at Madison. "Let's go to Zonko's first, before the rush. I've been saving up for months!"

Elizabeth was very excited about the trip. This was the first time that she had been on such a trip without some form of close supervision and the sense of freedom was exhilarating.

True there were a number of teachers accompanying them but they seemed more interested in talking among themselves than watching the students. She looked forward to her first taste of butter beer and hoped to find some interesting shops in the village in which to spend her allowance.

As she walked she fingered the letter that she had stuffed into her pocket without reading. She had recognized the seal as her father's but wanted the chance to read it without being overlooked by anyone else, especially Marvo, who appeared to have his nose in everything these days.

Winifred emerged from the Slytherin Common Room ready to go to Hogsmeade. She noticed Morticia and Ceridwyn and joined them. "I hope we leave soon. I have knuts burning a hole in my pocket. Are all the others coming?"

Morticia rushed back from Madison and some other girls she had talked to. "Sure, I'm here. Should we wait for Egreen? Do you think he'll come at all? Maybe he'll study..."

"Hello, Morticia." Egreen’s looked a bit better now. He was walking a lot straighter and looking less green. "You look nice" Oops! Egreen went bright pink. "er, right, what shall we do in Hogsmeade?"

Morticia giggled and blushed. "Uhm - I don't know. I think we should just go and see, it's our first time there after all... but I really need Chocolate Frogs."

"Wait for me!" called Arivel, running up the corridor toward the group of Slytherins. She slowed down on approaching them. "Whew! Sorry I'm late! I was going over some Quidditch plays in the common room and totally lost track of time! Let's go! I'm dying to get my hands on some of the stuff in Honeydukes!"

"Hey, I want to go have a look at the Shrieking Shack, anyone want to come with? I too need some chocolate frogs Morticia." Ceridwyn leaned in closely, so that only Morticia and the other Slytherins could hear, "You know, you could give Marvo a roach cluster, hehe." Ceridwyn smiled.