Chapter 2

Side Effects

November 1979

There was a gentle knock on the door, and I glanced at the clock on the wall. She was five minutes late. Then again, she did have James with her so she did pretty well to arrive as early as she did. Still…to be safe.

I juggled a barely sleeping child in one arm and held my wand ready in the other. I silently approached the door and peered through the tiny hole. I saw a beaming Lily as a grinning James kissed her cheek. Satisfied I put my wand away and reached for the door knob.

It wouldn't turn.

"You have to ask the question, Kate," James said.

I sighed and rolled my eyes. Of course he had charmed the door not to open unless I asked a question.

"That phrase alone proves you're my brother, James. If you were a Death Eater, I'd be dead already."

"Precisely. Now ask the question or we leave and you never get to come out of there."

"James, stop being such a toe-rag," Lily said.

That was definitely them, but I knew James wouldn't let up. So I asked my question.

"Who was dad's favorite son?"

"Sirius Black," James replied.

The door knob gave a little click as it turned and I swung it forward. I greeted Lily and James each with a kiss and a one armed hug.

"You really need to ask a question every time one of us visits, Kate. We could have been imposters," James insisted.

"It's nice to see you too," I replied.

Jonathan started fussing, so I bounced him on my shoulder.

"Aww, don't fuss little one," Lily cooed. Then she held out her arms. "May I?"

"Oh please." I passed him over and shook out my arm. "Here, take this too. He ate not too long ago, so consider yourself warned."

Lily cooed and bounced Jonathan, and in no time she had him gurgling and slobbering all over her, a true sign of his affection.

"Well, look at that, Lils; you're a natural. You'll have no trouble at all with ours," James said.

"James!" Lily scolded.

My eyes darted between the two in confusion.

"I told you, you had to be delicate about this. I had a whole speech planned and you've just ruined it."

"Wait, what's going on?" I asked. Lily looked a little sheepish as she bounced Jonathan, but James was smirking broadly.

"Oh!" My eyes widened with a sudden understanding. "Lily, are you…"

Lily nodded slightly. "You're going to be an Aunt."

I was amazed and so very, very happy. "This is perfect! Now Jonathan can have a brother to grow up with!"

"You're not upset then?"

"I told you she wouldn't be, Lils," James said confidently.

"And rob you of this feeling?" I asked. "Never! Look, I…I know I was delicate before, but having Jonathan has changed everything. You'll understand when you hold your baby for the first time. There's nothing greater."

I wept joyfully as I gave them each a great hug.

"Now, tell me," I continued. "Has the morning sickness started?"

Lily groaned. "God, yes."

I smiled. "Well I have good news…it does pass. A few weeks of misery and then the real fun begins…the bloating, the heartburn, tender breasts, body aches, swollen feet…"

"Merlin, Kate! You make it all sound so…" James began, but Lily and I both cast him a look that shut him up instantly.

"But that too passes, and you realize in the end that it was all worth it."

Lily smiled as she held Jonathan up and kissed his forehead.

"I can hardly wait," she said.

XXX

24 June 1995

There were angry, shouting voices that drew me from a sleep I desperately wanted to go back to. My whole body ached and my head felt like it was deep underwater; and immense pressure was pushing in on both sides. I opened my heavy eye lids slowly, and found that I was in the hospital wing. The curtains were mostly drawn, but Jonathan was standing at the open end looking towards the door.

A door slammed and the voices that followed were softer but more urgent. A short while later, a set of feet retreated away from me and the door opened and closed again. People were slowly leaving. If I wanted to know what was going on I'd have to act soon. So I pushed myself up with a groan and the room began to spin.

"Mum!" Jonathan said as he stepped back into the curtained space.

The curtains beside the bed were soon thrown back. I caught a brief glimpse of Harry lying in the bed nest to mine, Molly's red hair, and Dumbledore's stern look before a giant black dog jumped into my lap and assaulted my face with his tongue.

"Down boy! Down!" Molly swatted at the dog as she rushed to my side.

"Ugh! Padfoot, I really wasn't looking for a dog bath," I said as I pushed him down.

"Miss Potter, how are you feeling?" Dumbledore asked.

I didn't answer immediately as I continued to scratch Padfoot behind the ear. A soft hush fell over everyone as they realized he had called me Potter and not Porter. I slowly looked up and met his steely gaze.

"Like I've been hit with the Cruciatus and had a wall collapse on me," I answered with a half shrug. "So, you know, nothing new."

I could feel Jonathan's eyes on me, and I knew he wanted to ask me to explain. I didn't give them the chance to however.

"That was Fudge I heard slamming the door, wasn't it?" I asked.

"Indeed it was," Dumbledore replied.

I already knew by everyone's grim looks what must had happened.

"He's not going to make this easy for us, is he? He probably thinks Harry made everything up, because what fame obsessed boy wouldn't? Never mind the fact that another innocent boy is dead or that Moody went mental."

"Ah," Dumbledore held up a finger. "Correct on all accounts but the last. It wasn't Alastor Moody; it was an imposter. Barty Crouch Jr."

"Well that makes more sense. And the real Mad-Eye?"

"In bed recovering, just there, I believe." Dumbledore pointed to a curtained enclosed bed across the aisle from me. I looked to where he pointed and nodded. The simple motion made the room summersault, and I grabbed my head in an attempt to steady it.

"As you should be, Miss Potter."

"I want to help," I said weakly. "What can I do?"

"You have already done it. You kept Harry safe. We will talk more once you have fully recovered. But first, I think it time two of our number meet face to face."

Then Dumbledore looked directly at Padfoot and said, "Sirius, if you will please."

There was a slight pause before Sirius shifted and Snape sneered.

"What is he doing here?" Snape hissed with a nasty snarl.

"He is here at my invitation," Dumbledore replied. "As are you, Severus. I trust you both. It is time for you to lay aside your old differences and trust each other."

I didn't think it at all likely that the two of them would ever trust one another. Dumbledore too seemed to realize this.

"I will settle for a lack of open hostility. You will shake hands. You are on the same side now. Time is short, and unless the few of us who know the truth stand united there is no hope for any of us."

With a great reluctance they shook hands and quickly let go.

"That will do. Now, Fudge's attitude changes everything. We must move swiftly. Sirius, I need you to leave at once. Alert the old crowd and lay low at Lupin's for now. I will contact the two of you there."

Sirius nodded but turned to look at me. He was hesitant to leave me in my state.

"I'll be fine, Sirius," I said with less conviction that I would have liked. "You're the one the ministry is after right now, so you be careful."

"As careful as I always am." He smirked.

"No! Be as careful as I usually am."

"Moony and I will be in contact soon."

There was a moment of silence between us, in which both of us refused to say goodbye. Then he transformed once more and headed for the door. In the meantime, Dumbledore had given orders to Snape and he left as well.

After they left, Dumbledore only stayed around long enough to tell Harry and me that we should both get some rest. I waited for Harry to lay back in bed before doing so myself. My head wasn't long on the pillow before darkness slowly took over once more, this time in the welcomed form of sleep.

XXX

I stayed under observation in the hospital wing for a few days. The dizziness lasted for nearly two days and Poppy refused to let me leave until I could walk the length of the hospital wing without swaying.

Moody-Crouch had hit me with the Cruciatus Curse. Though I was knocked unconscious by the collapsing shelf, my body remained under the curse until Dumbledore released me. None of us really knew how long that had been. As such there were a few unforeseen side effects. A part from the dizziness and the overall aching (my shoulder had been dislocated from my seizing and the position in which I landed) there were a few mental things too. Most noticeable was the spacing out. I could be in the middle of a conversation with Poppy and then completely lose my train of thought. It was both annoying and disheartening.

Another concerning side effect, was my inability to maintain the illusion. The curse had disrupted the illusion so when I awoke in hospital I was actually Kate, not Katherine. I was so disoriented at the time that I didn't even notice the change. It was a struggle to reapply the illusion, and even more of a struggle to maintain it.

None of this really changed anything though. I would have suffered the Cruciatus a hundred times over if it meant protecting Harry.

On the day I was finally released, I was called into Dumbledore's office. Moody-Moody was there waiting for me with his wand drawn. Moody's wand in my face startled me enough to make the illusion drop.

"As I informed you, Alastor, Professor Porter has no ill intent," Dumbledore said calmly. "Now please, put down your wand."

Mad-Eye held his wand steady at my chest, refusing to yield. I knew I could never reach mine in time. My heart hammered in my chest. The blood ringing in my ears made me feel dizzy.

"It's a trick, Albus," Mad-Eye insisted. "She's supposed to be dead."

Dumbledore sighed. "Miss Potter, would you so kindly show Alastor here, that you are indeed who you say you are?"

My leopard form was the only way I knew how to prove to Moody that I was Kate Potter. The problem was, I didn't know if I could concentrate enough to transform. I felt like I was going to be sick all over Dumbledore's office. If I couldn't clear my head enough to put the illusion back in place, how could I pull off the transformation successfully?

"I…I don't think I can, Professor," I said weakly.

I was getting dizzier by the moment and my lungs were beginning to restrict. I dropped to my knees as the walls began to cave in on me.

"Miss Potter? Alastor, put that away!" Dumbledore commanded in a tone that even Mad-Eye wouldn't defy. "Miss Potter? Miss Potter…"

"I…I…"

I had to stop this. I had to be stronger than what I was. I searched my mind desperately for that sense of calm. I tried thinking of anything I could to relax. The moments were all fleeting; I couldn't grab onto them.

Then, from a memory tucked far away, came a sky full of stars. It wasn't really a sky though, but a room that could show me any sky I wished to see. I could feel his fingers entwining with mine and I turned my head to the side. A pair of soft green eyes were staring back at me.

"It's alright, Kate. You can do this," he said.

I squeezed his hand and focused. The vision of a leopard filled my eyes. Slowly my bones began to slide into place; my skin grew thicker and my hair shorter. As my hands curled into paws my breathing steadied. The sky and the stars slowly receded, but his face and his presence remained.

When the transformation was complete, I turned my yellow eyes up to Dumbledore and Mad-Eye. The latter finally put away his wand. I lingered for a moment as Leo until I could be certain that I wouldn't freak out once returning.

"Are you satisfied, Alastor?" Dumbledore asked. "Professor Porter is our very own Kate Potter."

"I…" Mad-Eye faltered. "Why?"

I changed back and re-applied the illusion. "You just witnessed why. My little family reunion in sixth year left me with claustrophobia and panic attacks."

"I never noticed anything of concern."

"That's because it wasn't an issue while I was active in the Order. It wasn't until I got pregnant and Remus and I…fell apart, that James insisted I leave the war and go into hiding. I couldn't dodge the killing curse with a broken heart and a swollen womb. But being confined, even in a roomy Muggle flat, didn't suit me well. Katherine Porter and my clandestine trips out were the only ways I managed to survive."

"Well…it's a brilliant bit of charm work."

"And completely useless for spying. I can't generate multiple faces, only the one. And it took me years to perfect this one."

There was a slight pause before I asked, "How did you know?"

Mad-Eye's normal eye flickered towards Dumbledore while his magical one stayed on me. Then he leaned towards me and pointed towards said eye.

"This allows me to detect certain magical charms. It can see through invisibility cloaks, and around you I detect an aura of concealment.

"An aura of concealment? What does that mean?"

"I can see that there is some magic of concealment at play around you, something hiding what you truly are. And now that I know what the truth is, I can see through it."

I thought about what he said for a moment and nodded.

"And your eye…does it work the same for any who wear it, or is it only for you?"

"The eye works regardless of the user, though the user may not always comprehend."

Now I understood why Dumbledore had wanted to see me.

"So Crouch… he would have seen this aura too?"

They both nodded.

"And if he figured it out…if he pieced it together, then he…"

I stood up suddenly to pace and took a few deep breaths.

"Do we…do we know if he figured it out?" I asked. "I mean there's a chance he didn't, right? I—I didn't really know Crouch well, only as a Slytherin in passing, but he—he wasn't very clever, was he? A bit mad even, in the end especially. Right?"

"He was clever enough to elude his father and throw off the Imperious Curse," Mad-Eye said.

I felt my stomach drop a little. "But even if he figured it out, there's no guarantee that he told anyone. Do we even know if he was in contact with anyone while he was here? Maybe he wasn't."

"We know that he was in contact with Voldemort by means of Peter Pettigrew," Dumbledore stated matter-of-factly.

"How? How can you be sure of that?"

"He was informed on Crouch's escape. He was told he'd come here to warn me."

"So there are records then?"

"No," said Mad-Eye. "Crouch was good. He destroyed any correspondences he received. And," he cut across me. "We have already sent a team of Aurors to the Crouch residence, but the files there were all burned as well."

"But we… we still don't know…if he figured me out. We still don't know."

"No, we do not," Dumbledore said. "But it is a possibility you must consider. If he discovered who you are, he may have informed Peter."

"And Pete could find out where I live easily enough. I mean, he lived in Ron's pocket for three years. And Sirius…Sirius is convinced that if Pete found me he'd…he'd want to hurt me."

"Sirius Black?" Mad-Eye asked.

"Yes, Sirius Black. He's not the mad mass murderer everyone thinks he is. Turns out it was really…P-Peter…"

An almost overwhelming sensation of nausea rushed over me. I sat abruptly and placed my head in my hands breathing in through my nose and out through my mouth. It was a technique I learned while pregnant and suffering from morning sickness.

The possibility that Peter may know of my illusion was startling and frightening. I didn't want to think Peter was capable of hurting me or Jonathan, and yet he had betrayed James and Lily to Voldemort and he was responsible for ending Cedric Diggory's life. Cedric, who was only two years older than Jonathan.

I wasn't sure what to do with this new information, but I knew, that for now at least, I couldn't return home to Privet Drive.

Well, there you go. Hope you enjoyed it. Where will Katherine and Jonathan go if they can't go home? Thanks for all the alerts and reviews so far! I love 'em!