*Note from the author: This is a very short chapter - sorry about that! But don't worry, I have the entire story completed I'm just editing and playing with format on this site. Would you rather have it all at once or a chapter or two a day? I have no idea what I'm doing honestly. Also, let me know if there is anything anyone wants explained, I'd love to have feedback as this is my first ever fanfiction.
Disclaimer: Again I sadly own none of this.
Warning: This chapter does elude to violence and rape, though it is not described. Please be aware that this story does have an M rating for a reason!
Chapter 2 – Into the Black
The five Order members quickly apparated to Dumbledore Hill which had been so cleverly coined by the youngest Dumbledore when she was five. Dumbledore manor was designed to look like a small castle that was complete with turrets and ramparts. On the outside it seemed towering and foreboding but strangely welcoming. Unlike the Weasley home located just down the hill, Dumbledore Manor had exact measurements and everything had a spot. All the turrets were the same size, located an exact distance away from each other. The front gardens had plants of all colors, meticulously groomed to perfection, giving off a pleasant smell into the air and making the stone castle cheerful on a regular day.
Severus had only visited the home a few times and only while on Order missions. He knew that the Dumbledores had an impressive library that he had wished to explore but never had reason to step into. It was also rumored that Wulfric had built Katerina her own Potions laboratory that rivaled his own at Hogwarts. Apparently encouraging young witches and wizards to engage in activities that could result in an agonizing death was not just for the Headmaster, it ran in the family.
Today the house was no longer welcoming and cheerful. Now it seemed dark and menacing, the tall towers glooming over the garden which had seemingly lost its beautiful colors. Severus looked up into the night sky and swore.
"No," whispered Remus, who was standing behind Severus and holding onto the arm of a teary eyed Nymphadora.
Moving through the clouds above the Dumbledore residence was the Dark Mark. Severus gave a glance to Albus who surprisingly had a blank face as he took everything around them in. Severus knew that look. Albus was covering his emotions using occlumency. Severus did it himself when facing the Dark Lord or was required to commit something unpleasant.
"We go in quietly," Albus commanded, "Find Wulf, Julia and Kat. Contain any Death Eaters that may still be lurking about."
The other four nodded and slowly followed Albus up the path, wands held ready to fight. It appeared that the front door was completely blown off its hinges. Stepping over the threshold, Severus took in the damage. The entranceway floor was covered in dust and scorched but everything else remained as before. Albus decided to split them up in order to find the family quicker. Tonks, Remus, and Arthur took the upstairs floors. Albus and Severus stayed on the ground floor. Albus went to the right through a large archway that Severus knew led to the kitchen and study rooms. Severus began on the left in the library.
He gave a small gasp when he opened the doors to the massive room – it could almost revival the library at Hogwarts. He wished that he was there for a happier reason so that he could take his time to look at the treasure trove of books but sadly that was not the case. Sighing he continued on his mission to find the family. Swiftly determining that there was no one in the library hiding amongst the volumes, Severus made his way to the closed double doors that led to the main sitting room. He had to push on the doors hard to get them to move and he soon discovered that there was a body blocking the entrance. Wulfric Dumbledores' cold, staring eyes looked back up at him. Severus quickly produced a Patronus to bring the others to the room. Across to his left, he discovered Julia, her slender body thrown against the wall her eyes also open with a lifeless gaze. Then he heard it, the smallest moan, so slight that at first he thought he was hearing things. Looking to the opposite doors of the room was a bloody, misshapen mound that took him a while to comprehend that he was looking at Katerina. The young girl had her arms and legs bound; her snow white hair tangled and matted to her head with blood.
Rushing to her side, he heard as the others joined him, Tonks dropping to her knees crying, while Remus held her. Albus came over to Severus, still occluding his emotions to stay strong. "Is she alive?"
"I believe so, but not by much," Severus said as he started to run basic diagnostics on Katerina. "It is amazing that she is breathing, we need to get her help as soon as possible." Looking at her, Severus was confused as to why they used a spell to contain her arms but used rope to contain her legs. Taking a closer look, he felt as his dinner threatened to return, "Merlin, that's not rope," he whispered. They hadn't used rope to bind her legs that was her underwear he was looking at. Bloodied, matted, ripped underwear. And there was blood running down her leg from underneath the pale yellow summer dress that Katerina was wearing. Those fiends have broken her. Severus thought, hatred burning strong in his stomach.
"Severus and Arthur, go back to the burrow and get Kingsley, he should be there by that point. Tell Minnie to meet me at St. Mungos. Tonks and Remus, I need you to stay here and guard the…"Albus' voice broke and he struggled to continue, "guard my family until the Aurors get here." Albus very gently picked his granddaughter off the floor and carefully carried her to the fireplace, threw in floo powder and walked through, "St. Mungos." and with that the Headmaster disappeared.
"Are you going to be ok to stay here?" Arthur asked Tonks and Remus, who both sadly nodded,
"Let's get going Severus."
Severus glanced again at the bodies of Wulfric and Julia, wishing they had moved faster or that they had gotten the call sooner. Severus was also worried about the fact that he had not been clued in on this mission from the Dark Lord. Why had the Dark Lord not told him of this attack? Did he suspect Severus? Was this going to be a common occurrence? Thinking about the horrible turn of events that had just occurred, Severus apparated with Arthur back to HQ trying to prepare himself once again to deal with breaking the bad news.
As Severus and Arthur walked through the front door, Severus could hear all of the people downstairs in the kitchen. Apparently everyone was waiting up for the news. Walking into the kitchen, he saw that everyone was as they had left them, only being joined by Alastor Moody and Kingsley Shacklebolt. At once, everyone began talking and asking questions.
"Is she ok?"
"What happened?
"Where is everyone else?"
"Are they ok?"
"Be quiet!" Severus yelled. The room became deathly still. "Kingsley, we need Aurors at Dumbledore Hill immediately. Minerva, you must meet Albus at St. Mungos." However, his statement made more people talk.
"Why Aurors?"
"What happened?"
"IS SHE OK?"
"Severus," Minerva quietly said, "please tell me what happened? Is my family ok?"
"I'm so sorry Minerva," Severus whispered, but all could hear him. Molly was the first to start crying, and then Ginny and Hermione followed. Potter was growing madder but it was Fred Weasley that demanded answers.
"Dad, what did you find?" Fred demanded, "You need to tell us. What happened?"
Looking lost for how to say it, Arthur exhaled, "When we got there, the Dark Mark was over the house," multiple gasps, followed by Molly crying louder, "Minnie I'm so sorry, Wulfric and Julia are dead."
Minerva closed her eyes and swayed for a moment before quieting asking, "What of Kat?"
"Katerina is alive, but just barely," Severus explained, "She has been badly beaten, Albus has taken her to St. Mungos'."
"Will she live?" Fred asked through tears. His twin had already made his way over to him and put his hand on his shoulder, staring stonily at the man speaking.
"Honestly, I don't know," Severus said, "But she is a strong young girl, if anyone can survive this, she will. Minnie, come with me, we must meet Albus."
Many hours later, Severus returned to headquarters to update the Order and hopefully get a few hours rest before he was called by the Dark Lord. He knew that he would be called soon. Walking into the kitchen he met was met with Black, Lupin and the Weasley parents who were still awake. They barely gave him a glance before looking back to their drinks. Molly got up and got Severus a cup of tea and some biscuits. Severus thanked her and looked to the others.
"Will Katerina live?" Sirius asked, worried about the fate of his great-niece. Severus always found that story interesting of how Sirius' twin sister had gone back in time while pregnant and had gotten stuck. It resulted in Sirius' niece being the same age as him and his sister being twenty years his senior, at least she was until the Dark Lord had her murdered.
"The healers believe so, but they will not know for sure until she wakes up," Severus said.
"What did they do to her?"
"You don't want to know."
"Yes I do bat," Black growled, "Unlike you, I actually care about my family. Tell me what happened to my niece."
"Katerina was subjected to the Cruciatus Curse for hours, she had three broken ribs, both hands broken and twisted, and she was…" Severus stopped, unable to say the word, "violated against her will."
"They raped her?" Black screamed, throwing his mug against the far wall. "A child?!"
"Padfoot, be quiet!" Lupin said, "We don't want to wake everyone up. Kat is a strong young girl, and she has a strong group of friends and supporters. We will make sure that she gets through this."
Everyone became quiet again, all wondering how the youngest Dumbledore would pull through her world coming to an end. Molly looked up first as they all heard a quiet sound coming from the other side of the door. Arthur got up and opened the door, where a crying Fred Weasley stood. Severus was stunned when he collapsed against his father and just sobbed, not saying a word. He had never seen the normally cheerful teenager completely lose it like this before. Molly got up and wrapped her arms around the boy and slowly walked him back upstairs. Arthur came back to the table and sat, looking at his hands.
"Hermione figured it out," he started, "why Fred could hear her cry out. Soulmates. Katerina and Fred are soulmates that have started the Soulmate Bond. Apparently they've been dating for a few months and had felt their magic swell the first time they kissed. Tonight her soul cried out to his," with that Arthur finally broke down and cried.
Soulmates? Severus thought, but then how did I hear her?
