Hello! I have to apologize for the delay, but I had a lot of things going on. I hope you like this chapter, despite being smaller...but I'll update sooner this time!
I want to give a thank you for those who started following and who favorited, thank you!
I must give another thank you to my dear reviewers: xxxMadameMysteryxxx, FiliandKili'sGirl18, BloodyTink and anonymous guest. thank you!
Note: English is not my first language.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything, only my OC characters. The rights go to Tolkien, Rowling and Peter Jackson.
Chapter 11
After dinner, like promised, Balin, Dwalin, Fili, Kíli and Thorin, joined Katrin at the king's private room. They all seated on multiples chairs that had been arranged for them. At the center there was a table that Katrin created with magic. There, she had placed some photo albums, several little boxes and the book Hogwarts, a History, among other things.
"Excited to know about Hogwarts? You should!" with a little grin, Katrin started to show the album regarding the photos of her Hogwarts years as a student. "You all can see the photos, that's what those images are called. Well, listen now…" she made a pause to give suspense feeling. "Hogwarts was created by a group of four wizards, Helga Hufflepff, Rowena Ravenclaw, Godric Gryffindor and Salazar Slytherin. Together they built a school where magical children could learn how to control their powers. The location it's hidden, and it's forbidden for non-magical people. Those without magic are what we call muggles; but it happens, that a lot of wizards are born into muggle families, and that's natural because of marriages between them." Balin and Dwalin were looking at her photos with a lot of interest, while Fili and Kili were looking to a book of quidditch with amazed eyes. Thorin was the only one who was quietly listening to her with a soft expression. "Are you all listening to me?" Balin and Dwalin nodded their heads. Fili closed the book with a quick movement, making one of the paintings yell.
"Continue" Thorin gave her a permission look with a smile.
"Each one of the wizards founded a house within the castle to receive those students who would suit them best. Gryffindor treasured: bravery, nerve, chivalry, courage, daring, strength of will, just, honor and courteous. Slytherin valued: resourcefulness, cunning, ambition, leadership qualities, self-preservation, determination, cleverness, fraternity, and power. Ravenclaw esteemed: intelligence, wit, wisdom, creativity, originality, individuality and acceptance. Hufflepuff valued: dedication, hard Work, fair play, patience, kindness, tolerance, unafraid of toil, and loyalty. The majority of my mother's family is from Ravenclaw". Katrin felt like she was giving a monologue.
"And you?" Dwalin asked.
"I'm from Hufflepuff, but sometimes I feel like I should have been sorted to Ravenclaw, because I love to learn new things".
"Sorted? By who?" Kili asked with curious eyes.
"By a very special hat that is put on your head and then reads your mind, and after analyzing your personality, he sorts the students to one of the four houses. That was how I was sorted to Hufflepuff" Katrin explained with a kind smile.
"Whoa! That's certainly amazing and creepy!" Kili smiled with excitement, while the others looked at her with admiration.
"As a student, you only go home during holidays. I only saw my parents during Christmas and summer, the rest of the time I've spent at Hogwarts. Whenever I got home, I would run to my father's work room, where he worked on his jewelries. I loved to go there and study, while he worked his designs" Balin gave her a soft smile. "My mom, as a healer, was always at her potions room, working and studying new healing potions and spells. Since little, she taught me a lot about healing and potions. Actually, my first well succeeded spell was a healing spell "Katrin smiled with the memory. "I was nine, it was two months after our friend, Mr. Ollivanders gave me my wand. Actually, it was a secret, because, legally wizards are supposed to have their first wand when they turn eleven. It was my father who convinced my mother to let me start learning magic before Hogwarts."
"That seems like something he would do" Dwalin laughed with delight "Where is your little brother or sister?" Katrin immediately looked down with a sad complexion. Dwalin was pointing to a photo where her mother was pregnant with Katrin at her side.
"Well…I was five, and my parents were delighted because they were going to have another child…but, my mother was infected with a serious goblin fever, due to the contact with a sick baby at the hospital. They didn't know what that baby had, and unfortunately my mother was infected. A few days later, the baby on her belly died. My parents were heartbroken for a long time, but after months and months of crying, everything return to normal and we never talked about that ever again. My mother felt very guilty about the baby's death, but my father helped her regain her smile again. Mother was very strong, for me, she told me at the time. I don't want to imagine what my parents suffered; to lose a child must be one of the most horrible things". Dwalin sighed feeling guilty; now the mood was sad and cold, even Thorin's nephews were serious. Balin passed his fingers on the picture and exhaled with sadness.
"I shouldn't have asked".
"No, it's ok. I avoid thinking of that; I don't like to remember that time".
"Aye, the death of children is always something horrible and no parent should know that kind of suffering" Balin nodded. "But tell us more, happier things I hope" he tried to smile.
"Yes, tell us why you choose to be an auror" Thorin encouraged.
"Well, since I was little, I have always admired my uncle Kian, he was an auror. I thought he was a hero, catching the bad wizards and witches, saving people. So, when I turned eleven, he saw my interest and started to give me books of Defense Against the Dark Arts. He even tutored me over the summer. That was furious when he found out. He didn't want me doing dangerous things. But as the time passed, the Dark Lord returned to terrorize our people. It's ironic, because after that, my father started to support my choice" Katrin giggled a little. "Hufflepuffs are not known as aurors, but we sure do have a talent and bravery. People think that only Gryffindors go to the Auror Academy, but that's incorrect." She added.
"Oh I see" Dwalin seemed to meditate for a moment "but tomorrow, we'll start with the sword lessons!" Katrin agreed with her head.
She continued with her explanation about her life in her world. She showed them more photos, but this time with her other family members. Balin and Dwalin were once again lost in the pictures, while Thorin opened the book about Hogwarts. It seemed that the common language in Middle Earth was the same as English in her world. Maybe there was a specific reason for that? Fili and Kili were asking about what she did for fun when she was a child. They were amazed to know that she wasn't a prankster like them. Katrin told them about the Weasley twins, the biggest pranksters she ever knew. Their eyes glowed with excitement when she mentioned them, so she explained about their inventions. Maybe she would share some Weasley treats later.
Her uncles seemed much happier now, that she had showed more pictures about their lost brother. Their eyes turned watery when she gave them a box full of jewels made by Brandin.
"Child…this is…" Balin was lost at words as he embraced the box. Fili and Kili made an inside joke about it, but Thorin gave them a furious glare. "Brandin's work…thank you for bringing it" Dwalin opened the box and hold a neckless with great care.
"Thank you, Katrin" Dwalin smiled with gratitude. "This means a lot to us".
.
.
Later that night, when all went to their rooms, Katrin took her wand and start searching for Thorin's chambers. With the "Four-Point" spell, she walked her way between the corridors of the castle. Half an hour later, she discovered that the entrance to his room was actually connected to the king's private room. The door was at a corner, near the huge window and was wooden thick. Katrin knocked a few times and waited. After a while the door was opened. Thorin seemed surprised to see her at that late hour.
"Hello".
"What are you doing here?" he asked with his deep voice. Katrin gasped.
"Well, I have to check on your wounds" she answered with her arguing voice, as if she was stating something very obvious.
"They have healed, there's nothing to see" Thorin was stubborn and didn't let her enter. "And it's not proper for you to enter my quarters at this hour of the night. The other door was closed and yet you entered. How did you found where was my room?" he demanded with authority.
"Firstly, I found it thanks to my magic. Secondly, I didn't anything improper to be ashamed of!" Thorin shook his head.
"Do you always solve everything by using magic?" Katrin blushed feeling guilt with his words. "Now that you're here, you should start living without magic" Katrin frowned with anger "I mean, try not to resort to magic all the times" Thorin tried to soften his words, lnowing that she would be mad.
"I'm a witch, and we use magic to do everything and there's nothing wrong with that!" there, she was annoyed again. Thorin sighed, trying to be more patient.
"That's not what I meant! I'm only saying that now that you're here, you should learn to do the little things without magic. I don't mean to offend you, Katrin, on the contrary, thanks to your magic, I was spared from certain death" Thorin smiled and Katrin murmured something again. "Don't be mad with me" he smirked with a playful look on his eyes, making her blush. Fortunately, there wasn't light enough to show the color on her face. Thorin appeared to be much younger when he smiled like that, giving him a playful look.
"Then let me check your injuries. I just want to make sure they have healed properly" Thorin agreed and push her inside, closing the door beyond her. His room was bigger than hers, with a big bed, a desk with a chair, a big fireplace and another door, which she imagined to be a bathroom. There was a big carpet that seemed made of bear's fur. He was the king so it was expected that his room was bigger than others.
"Could you take your shirt off?" Thorin raised his eyebrow with another smirk "I mean to see your wounds!" his laugh echoed through the room. When he took his shirt off, showing his great physic, Katrin stopped breathing for a moment, only admiring. Her heart was beating very fast, and feeling that she shouldn't stare so intensely. Thorin gave her an enigmatic smile, with a mix of pride.
Next, breaking the contact with the blue eyes, she started examining the place of his wounds; they were purple and with pink marks now. She pressed her fingers to see if he felt pain, trying to act normal on that circumstance.
"Katrin, if seeing me shirtless was your intent, you should have said so" Thorin smirked provoking her. He couldn't resist teasing her in that situation; it was irresistible to see her face becoming redder by the second. She didn't reply to his tease, instead she pinched him on the arm. "There's no need to be violent".
"I'm serious here!" Katrin tried to remain serious and not lose focus. "Does it hurt when I touch here? Be honest!" she pressed his right side between the ribs.
"A little, but that's nothing to worry about…" Katrin took a vial of potion from her sachet.
"Here, drink this, it will help you heal internally" she put the flask on his hands. "Drink it".
"If you think I should then I will" Thorin accepted the potion and drank it all, despite the horrible flavor. "It tastes horrible!".
"I know, now drink this to ease the flavor" Katrin handed him a piece of chocolate milk.
"This is chocolate…" Thorin smiled upon seeing the delicious looking brown piece.
"Of course, genius! Now, eat it all, it's my favorite…" for the first time, Katrin smiled without blushing. "And you may put the shirt on again".
"Oh, are you sure?" he received slap on his left shoulder. "Of course, my lady Katrin" with a bow he dressed his shirt again.
"You like to tease me…" Katrin said while putting her wand in her leather holster.
"I do" For a moment, Thorin only looked her in the eyes, observing the olive green glowing with the light of the fireplace, and the little freckles on her nose. Her hair had a reddish golden tone. His hand landed on her shoulder, making her tremble as she didn't expect the gesture. "Thank you for taking good care of me" he gave her genuine smile. Not a smirk like he used to, but a real smile and full of gratitude.
"It was nothing. Its part of my job as an auror" Katrin smiled in return, feeling a little embarrassed.
"It was not your duty to protect and save me" Thorin said with a serious expression, but with eyes full of appreciation.
"It kind of was. You are the king, so I must protect you in every way I can" Katrin said softly in a low voice, avoiding is eyes which were starting to disturb her.
"Thank you then... but now, I'll take you to your chambers, and that's not an option" his voice had an authority tone.
"If you must…" and they followed out of his room. Thorin prayed that nobody would see them, or a sea of gossip would start.
and there it is, I hope it was entertaining! Let me know what you thought about the moment with Thorin. Do you think it was too much? He seemed almost too nice, didn't he? Please review =)
Nice Egan
xxx
