Kim Shimmers and the Diviner’s Curse
A Harry Potter Fanfic by me (and sequel to Kim Shimmers and the Screech Owl)
(Art not mine, couldn’t find credits. Let me know if you know them!)
This Harry Potter fanfic will be posted, if all goes well, every weekend.
Chapter 13
The Good Ones Will Be Gone
Kim was deep in a trans-like state. Her nose was full with the scent of burning herbs and her mind was drifting elsewhere. She could just feel herself falling. At first it didn’t seem to be anything. Like a dream during deep sleep, nonsense and lost thoughts. But then it started to feel more real. Like she had a body and flesh, and she was really falling. And then—
“Agh! What is all this? What are you doing?” came a presumptuous voice. Kim’s eyes snapped open. Being taken out of her trance was like having the back of her neck yanked upwards to pull her from sleep. Victoria was lowering her hand from where she’d been swatting away smoke, eyes narrow and aimed at Kim.
“Extra credit,” Kim said plainly. “What do you want?”
“You can’t smoke up the dormitory, Kim. You’re lucky I don’t take this strait to Flitwick.”
“It’s just some incense, Victoria. Last time I checked that doesn’t rank up with hired assault.”
Victoria gritted her teeth. She looked like she wanted to say more, but was too afraid. Kim smirked at her. It was in these kinds of situations that Victoria’s true weakness showed. She wasn’t brave. She wasn’t even willing to go against the rules, really. That’s why she always needed others to do her work for her.
“You know you talk a big game, Victoria,” Kim said, tossing the ash out the window and storing the remaining unburnt herbs in her trunk as Strix flapped to land on her shoulder. “I remember you telling me I wouldn’t be so brave without Fred and George with me, or something like that… I’m starting to think you were projecting,” she said with a flick of her brows, her posture embodying the mantra, come and face me one on one as much as possible. But Victoria just stared, a bit wide eyed in return. “Have a nice day,” Kim said with a flash of a smile just before she turned to leave.
She went down to the lunch table and sat with Harry, Ron, and Hermione, satisfied with herself and feeling rather courageous. In the Great hall, word of the Yule Ball had officially caught like flame and was spreading through the chamber, a virus of decorum, nerves, and, hormones.
“Any luck with the visions?” Ron asked as Kim started to eat.
“No,” Kim said, shaking her head, dejected.
“Still?”
“It’s not exactly a walk in the park, Ron. I mean, this isn’t fourth year divination we’re talking about, what was the last thing you pulled out of your ass besides some made up prediction about Mars and impending doom,” she snipped.
“Cheeky,” Ron muttered, grimacing a little.
“All I’m saying is, I’m doing my best.” At this she sighed. She had tried to induce a vision related to the Triwizard Tournament more than once now, and even when he wasn’t being interrupted by Victorioa, it didn’t work. She either got nothing, or random flickers, images with no context that had nothing to do with Harry or anything that Kim could understand.
“It’s alright, Kim. I can just figure out the egg like everyone else,” Harry said.
“Really, it’s what you should do anyway,” Hermione said. “And you should be thinking about it.”
“Come on, Hermione, I’ve got till February the 24th,” Harry said.
“But it might take weeks to work it out! You’re going to look a real idiot if everyone else knows what the next task is and you don’t!”
“Well, I’m going to attempt to hone my divination abilities,” Kim said. “I just don’t know if it’ll work, or how long it’ll take.” As she was talking Fred and George came to either side of her and legged their way in, forcing Ron to scoot over.
“Hey guys,” Kim greeted. They both nodded at her, grabbing plates.
“Ron, can we borrow Pigwidgeon?” George asked.
“No, he’s off delivering a letter. Why?”
“Because George wants to invite him to the ball,” said Fred sarcastically.
“Because we want to send a letter, you stupid great prat,” said George.
“Who d’you two keep writing to, eh?” said Ron.
“Nose out, Ron, or I’ll turn it to a trunk,” Fred said.
“Why are you sending another letter?” Kim muttered to Fred. She assumed all of this was about Bagman, thus the secrecy. “You think it’ll do any good? Considering he never read the last one.”
“Can’t hurt to try,” Fred said.
“How come she’s in on it,” Ron said, almost accusingly.
“Oh, hush,” Kim said, rolling her eyes. Just then the piece of chicken that George was trying to tear free from its larger counterpart produced a large spurt of juice, some of which landed on Kim’s face. She squinted and made a small sound of disgust as George looked at her, seeming both amused and a bit sorry.
“Gross,” she said, looking accusingly at George who was chuckling at her as she wiped the juice away with her napkin. He reached up and grazed her cheek with his thumb, laughter still in his features.
“You, uh, missed,” he muttered, smiling mischievously. Kim froze, momentarily struck still by the thrill of his fingertips against her skin. She then dipped her fingers into her water glass hastily and flicked it at George’s face, making him squint and pull back. They both laughed as he grabbed her hands lightly to stop her from assaulting him with more water. Their eyes met then, facing each other as they were, with him holding her wrists. Suddenly Kim’s heart was stuttering and it wasn’t from laughter. She watched as his expression tightened and then his gaze slid upwards, towards where Fred was sitting behind Kim. He let go of Kim’s hands hastily and turned back to his food, as Kim also tried to do. When she glanced up at Fred though, she couldn’t help but notice his sideways glance, almost looking disappointed, with a nearly undetectable eye role and a shake of his head.
