A/N: YES! I know what I said last time. But sometimes I just really need to talk to you guys. Impart some much needed information. So how about this? We'll limit it to those times, OK?

On with the much needed information.

For those of you reading Family Ties, a word of warning. That story will be temporarily discontinued. I have tried working on two stories at once. It don't work, folks. And this really needs to go up first. I might do that occasional preview, but that's about it.

The author apologizes profusely.

As for Q&A, I will continue that. Folks, if you don't like it, don't read it. (But your missing good stuff, I'm telling you. I drop lots of hints here. Kinda like a text version of 'Where's Waldo?'.) But I was taught good manners, and I will continue to answer questions and thank those who took time to review. However, compromise is also a good thing, so I will only show reviews if a question was ask.

And,

as always,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Well, actually, it is mine. The characters, the plot, the story layout, and hours of work. Of course, anything even vaguely related to Harry Potter, is not. But the rest, all mine.

CHAPTER TWO: QUESTIONS WITHOUT ANSWERS

Katlin eagerly paced about the house as she waited for the sounds of the small roadster coming up the drive.

She hadn't wanted to leave Orion and the five children, but she also knew she had had no choice. Orion would have to report the attack, which meant calling in the Ministry. Her presence there would only have served to confuse an already uncertain issue.

She thought over things as she continued pacing about like a tiger in a cage. A great many of the same questions the Aurors of the Ministry were likely trying to answer were running through her own mind. Who were the people attacking the house? Why in Magic's name were they attacking children? They hadn't been Deatheaters, but why had they done all they could to make it look that way to anyone coming on the scene? Why? What was the point?

And the children. Katlin found her thoughts turning more and more to the five little faces that had looked up at her as she bolted through the doorway and into the house amid spells being fired behind her. The oldest boy, no more than in his early teens, stood holding a wand pointed directly at her. She had stopped short, then quickly set herself on appearing and sounding as non-threatening as possible. She had lowered her own wand, explained as rapidly as she could that she wasn't one of the ones attacking the house, and that she was there to try and get them out safely.

Thankfully, the children had believed her, having seen the ones outside attacking her as well as she came through the door, and followed.

But what had happened to them? What would the Ministry do with them? Where were their parents?

The questions continued to run through Katlin's mind when she finally heard the roadster pulling up the drive.

Katlin greeted her husband with a flurry of questions as soon as he came in the house. What had happened? What had the Ministry found out? Who were the people attacking the house? Had they found the children's parents?

Orion finally laid a finger firmly over Katlin's lips to stop the onslaught of questions.

"If you would give me a second, Love," he stated in a soft but firm voice, "I can answer a few of those questions."

Katlin stood in silent anticipation.

"We're not sure who the attackers were." Orion started. "They took the injured with them when they left, so there was no one to question. And they left darned little evidence behind. We're trying to track a few magical signatures. Maybe something will come of that. We'll have to wait and see."

"What about the children?" Katlin asked quickly. "Did you find their parents?"

Orion grew very quiet as he diverted his eyes from his wife's eager face to the floor.

"Orion?"

"I said they didn't leave any evidence." He replied softly. "They did leave one thing." He slowly turned back to Katlin. "They left the bodies of the children's parents out in the woods."

"They killed them?" Katlin asked, her face paling at the thought. She had killed plenty in her life. It was the nature of who and what she was. But never like this. Never so brutally. And she had never set herself against a child as those gathered around the house had done.

"It's more than that." Orion added in the same quiet tone. "Katlin, they killed them in the manner of the Deatheaters. From what I saw, everything they did was done in such a manner as to implicate your people as much as possible."

"Then they came ill prepared." Katlin spat back, quickly taking to pacing the foyer again. "Nothing about that attack implicates my people. It was cowardly and despicable. Attacking children?! The Deatheaters have more regard than that. More dignity! We do not attack harmless children!"

Orion turned slowly as he followed her progress around the foyer area. "Those children weren't so harmless, if you'll remember." He stated in a flat tone.

"It still served no purpose." Katlin replied. "The whole act was senseless."

"Well, senseless or not, the Ministry is labeling it as the work of the Deatheaters."

"What!?" Katlin cried in disbelief.

"They have no evidence to the contrary, Katlin." Orion quickly pointed out. "To them, it carried all the signatures of the Deatheaters MO."

"Because they want it to." Katlin hissed back. "Because we are convenient to the Ministry. Someone is attacked? Oh, blame it on the Deatheaters, because surely they were involved in something this erratic and senseless."

"Just the same, Love..."

"Didn't you say anything to them?" Katlin snapped at him. "You were there. You saw that it wasn't the work of the Deatheaters."

Orion paused for a moment, his expression shifting to a hard stare. "That's 'business', Katlin." He replied. "And we have rules about that."

"How is that 'business'?"

"I normally go around defending the Deatheaters?" He asked. "And how would I know this wasn't a random Deatheater attack? The only way I knew that was because you told me."

"You know the Deatheaters, Orion. You know how we operate. You knew this wasn't us. You didn't need me to tell you."

Orion slowly shook his head. "There are too many similarities, Katlin. These people did their homework. They made it look like your people."

"Then they should have studied more. Because any fool can see this isn't the work of any Deatheaters."

"Any fool on the inside. You knew there wasn't an attack planned tonight. Tell me that wasn't your first assurance those weren't your people."

Katlin fell silent. True, without that knowledge, it might have taken her a bit longer to sort things out.

"It still is far too obviously not us." She replied in a slightly less heated voice. "Surely the Ministry will come to realize that."

Orion shrugged. "Maybe. Hopefully, to tell you the truth."

Katlin looked up at her husband.

"They need to realize there's someone else out there." He answered her questioning stare. "Someone who, for whatever reason, is engaging in these attacks and trying to implicate the Deatheaters. Whatever their reasons, they need to be found and stopped."

Katlin studied him for a moment. "You have some idea, don't you?" She ask. "Who this other 'someone' is."

Orion paused, then shook his head. "Not me. Orin. He says we're still on that fraction in the north and they've been getting restless again. He didn't say anything directly, you know Orin, but he dropped enough hints at the inquiry over the attack that that was where he thought the Ministry should be looking."

"Will they listen to him?"

Orion shrugged. "Orin is viewed by the Ministry with a slightly jaded eye and a whole lot of caution. They don't like to upset him, but that doesn't stop them from viewing him as something of a loose cannon."

Katlin sighed as she rested her forehead against her hand for a moment.

"What about the children?" She asked softly. "What will happen to them now?"

"They're in the Ministry's hands for now. They'll want to question them. Get what information they can from them, and then they'll likely turn them over to the proper agency to be placed with other families."

"How comforting." Katlin stated flatly. "Get what information they can from them, then dump them on someone else's doorstep."

The Ministry is not an adoption agency, Katlin." Orion pointed out. "It's better for the children if that matter is left to the people trained to deal with the situation."

Katlin sighed quietly, then shook her head. "It's been a long night." She replied quietly. "I'm going to bed."

"Katlin." Orion called to her as she climbed the stairs.

Katlin stopped and turned back to him.

"We did everything we could tonight. For everyone." He reminded her.

"And how unfortunately for 'everyone' that it also stopped with us." She replied, then turned and headed up the stairs.

--------------------------------------

Orion came to bed later to find Katlin sitting against a pile of pillows staring absently at the wall opposite the foot of the bed. He crawled into bed next to her without so much as the smallest sign that she even noticed him there.

"Love?" Orion prompted.

But Katlin continued to stare absently at the wall.

Orion nudged her slightly in the arm. "Katlin?"

Katlin snapped out of her thoughts and turned to him as though she had just realized he was there.

"What?" She said, quickly clearing her thoughts as she gave him a small smile. "Oh. I'm sorry, Orion. Just thinking about things."

"Things?" Orion asked.

"Hmmm." She answered with a slight nod.

Orion gave her a knowing smile. "How many things?" He asked.

Katlin paused as she caught his smile, then answered it with one of her own. "Five." She answered quietly, turning back to the wall.

Orion found her hand under the covers and raised it to his lips as he gave it a gentle kiss. "Love, they'll be all right."

"How can they be?" Katlin replied forlornly, again staring at the wall. "Did you see that little girl? She was terrified."

"And she has her siblings with her."

"For how long?"

Orion sighed quietly. "They'll try to place them all together, Katlin."

Katlin gave a derisive snort. "And how likely is that, Orion? Five children? Who will want all five of them? And the older ones? Children are like puppies. Everyone wants them when they're young and cute, but no one wants the older ones. Just like no one wants older children."

"Katlin, leave this with the people trained to deal with it."

"They won't all be placed together, Orion. They'll split them up."

"Katlin..."

"If only we knew someone who could take them. Take all five of them together."

"You have someone specific in mind?"

Katlin turned eagerly to him. "What about your brother?"

"Sirius?" Orion gave a short laugh. "Katlin, Sirius just got settled into the idea of one child. I really don't think he's ready for six."

"Then what about your parents?"

"My parents? The same two people who haven't been home since they got Sirius and I out of the house due to their rather busy social schedule now? Those parents? Oh, yes, I can see that now. 'Mum. Dad. Happy retirement. Here's five more for you to raise. All under the age of eighteen. Have fun.'"

"Well?" Katlin asked hopefully.

"Katlin, why is it so important to you that you be the one to personally find these kids a home? They have agencies for that."

"Overburdened agencies who often don't really care. Just as long as they get rid of the children, Orion."

"They do the best they can."

"I just want...I want to find them a good home, Orion."

"A good home? Katlin, now you're making them sound like puppies."

"You know what I mean." Katlin answered firmly. "Just...think of what they've been through. What if they are split up? What if...what if they give them to muggles, Orion?"

"They won't go to muggles. They're too old. They'll be placed with a proper wizarding family."

"One can hope."

"They will."

Katlin sighed quietly and turned her attention back to the wall.

Orion sat watching her for a few moments. "It really bothers you that much?" He asked finally.

Katlin turned her attention to the sheets as she folded her hands over them, tightly clasp together. "I know what it is to lose your parents as a young child, Orion. I remember how frightened I was. Not knowing what was going to happen to me. If it hadn't been for Voldemort, I don't know how I would have survived. How I would have dealt with things. It was so much help having someone there. Someone who cared. Who looked after me. Who knew what to do, even if at times it was just to listen. Someone who made me feel safe again."

Orion sighed as he scooted down in the bed and pulled the covers up around him. "Love, they'll be all right. Now please, can we try to get some sleep? I have to be in early tomorrow."

Katlin turned to him. "You didn't mention anything about going in early."

"I forgot." Orion replied, rolling over in the bed. "Meeting. Probably boring. Hopefully short."

Katlin sighed again as she reached over and shut off the light. Scooting down in the bed, she now turned her attention from the wall to the ceiling, eventually falling asleep to Orion's persistent snores.

Q&A

CelticHeiressFiona:

Awesome chapter!! Well, they do get things done quickly. All five in one swoop. Hmm. Kidding, but really it was great for Katlin to face her fear like that, even if she is deathly afraid of it still. Again, great chapter!

An awesome undertaking to be sure. To go from a carefree, childfree, livingfree lifestyle to suddenly having to get up at dawn to make sure everyone's off to their proper location by eight and doing head counts on weekends is going to be a serious change. Not to mention someone having to go from a small, sleek roadster to a minivan.

She showed a tremendous amount of character, Dear. But honestly, what else could she have done? When you consider what she was given, her fear balanced against something that she treasured above her own life (a child), there really was only one choice for her.

Silverfox:

Hm ... Is anybody taking bets on how much longer until posting fic will be forbidden on this site yet? As far as I'm concerned I'm not going to edit my files especially for I'll continue to post the same content here as on every other site. considers creating additional identity to transfer author alert subscriptions to
Of course I remember Orin Bale! What a question!
Glad to see you back. :)

Well, I don't know about you, but my bookie has me in for fifty bucks, three years!

Well, what can I say? You gotz balls, Dear. Maybe one day I will be backed into such a nameless, faceless corner of anonymousness that I will look for another site. Or I can grasp onto one last shred of hope that FFN will see the error in this and rescind their strangle hold on their authors a little bit.

Well, I'm never really sure about secondary characters, Dear. And he didn't have the role in Family Relations that he will in Family Ties. In fact, readers haven't even seen the half of Mr. Black's enigmatic boss. As I continue to develop his character, Orin is rapidly slipping into second place as my favorite character (Of course, no one can take first place away from Bo.).

Thank you, Dear, and nice to have you back for this story. Always love returning readers!

Heksie:

Thank you, Dear. Let's hope it continues.

All reviews are as of 11/18/2007.

And remember;

'Because I said so' is a perfectly good reason.