Chapter 28

Return to Hogwarts

8 May 1977

Finally! Mum and Dad were letting me return to Hogwarts. The three of us apparated to just outside the gates with my trunk on Sunday afternoon. Hagrid met us, and he threw my trunk over his shoulder like it weighed nothing at all. Dad wanted to walk with me all the way back to the castle, but fortunately Mum and Hagrid were able to convince him that I would be perfectly safe walking with Hagrid. After a hug and a kiss from each of them, I set off towards the castle.

Along the way, the large gamekeeper told me all about his new boar-hound pup he'd bought off of some wizard in the Hog's Head. He also told me of all the trouble that James and Sirius had managed to get into in just the week since I'd escaped. It's like they were trying to make up for the time I was missing.

As we got closer to the castle, there were more and more students on the grounds enjoying the warm air. Suddenly there was a loud screech that slightly resembled my name. I didn't have time to register where it came from before I was slapped in the face with a bush of hair and a pair of arms wrapped tightly around me. Though slightly startled at first, I quickly returned the hug.

"Ruth….you're squeezing me too tight," I said into her hair.

"Sorry. Sorry, I'm just so glad you're back," she squealed before letting me go.

When she stepped back, I could see that Janice was there too along with the other girls from our group.

"Welcome back, Kate," Janice said as she gave me a hug.

I took a moment to hug all the girls and receive their welcome. Far ahead of us, Hagrid had continued walking to the castle with my trunk. Ruth was bouncing where she stood and I knew she was eager to tell me something.

"Please, Ruth, tell me before you explode."

"They caught 'em!"

"What? Who?" At first I thought she meant Dolohov, but how would she know about him yet?

"Mulciber and Rosier, they were behind all the attacks. Dumbledore caught them!"

"Apparently, Dumbledore called them both into his office Friday and Rosier spilled everything! Of course he tried to put it all on Mulciber, though, said the whole thing his idea," Janice explained.

"I bet Dumbledore didn't fall prey to that," I said.

"Of course not! The word is that they've been expelled, but none of the Professor will say. They haven't been seen since though."

"We have to celebrate!" Ruth said. "Next week is the last Hogsmeade weekend. We could all go together!"

I didn't respond to Ruth because at that moment my attention was diverted as Remus approached. Janice caught my line of sight.

"Actually, Ruth, I think Kate may be busy that weekend," Janice said.

Ruth quickly looked back at Remus. "Ohhh… Do you think he'll ask you to Hogsmeade?"

I shared a smile with Janice before she grabbed the young Hufflepuff by the arm. "Come on; let's give them a little privacy so he can."

Ruth broke away from Janice however, and threw he arms around my neck again. "I'm so happy you're back."

"Believe me; no one is happier than I am. If I had to miss another week of school, I don't know if I'd ever catch up."

"School?" Sirius groaned. "You haven't even made it into the castle and you're already worried about school?"

I ignored Sirius' complaints and let my fingers entwine with Remus'. I stood on my toes and gave him a quick peck on the lips. This spurred more groaning, but this time it was from James.

"Alright," he said. "If this is really going to be a thing between you two, we have to establish some ground rules."

It was my turn to groan. "No. No rules, James. It was your rules that almost prevented this from happening."

"Fine, then we won't call them rules. We'll call them mutual agreements."

We began making our way towards the castle as James went on.

"Mutual Agreement Number One: there will be no lovey-dovey, mushy-gushy talk from either one of you. I don't want to hear it."

"James, you're being ridiculous," Lily said with a sigh.

"Mutual Agreement Number Two: (and this one is absolutely vital)…There will be no snogging…"

"James!" Lily and I scolded together.

"…Around me. You didn't let me finish. There will be no snogging around me."

"Us. He means 'us,'" Sirius said pointing to the both of them.

"Right, us. No snogging…whatsoever…around us."

"Fine, then perhaps you should hold on to this," Remus said as he shoved the piece of seemingly blank parchment into James' chest. Lily eyed it curiously; she had not yet been informed of the map.

Remus continued with a smirk, "So you know what passages to avoid."

"That's bold!" I exclaimed. He laughed.

"Do you object?"

I could feel my cheeks burn. "Not at all." I leaned up and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Oi! That's a violation of Mutual Agreement Number Two!" James exclaimed.

"What? That was hardly a kiss, let alone a 'snog,'" Lily said.

"Besides, James," I said. "You've never been one to abide by the rules, so why should I?"

"They're not rules. They're Mutual Agreements." He turned to Lily as we came into the entrance hall. "So are you saying if I gave you a quick kiss on the cheek, then it would hardly be a kiss at all?"

"Try it and see what happens," she threatened. James seemed to actually be considering the relative risks when Professor McGonagall called out.

"Miss Potter! I do hope you don't believe your circumstance warrants a free pass in my class."

"Not at all, Professor. Of course it doesn't. What do I need to do to make up the lessons I missed?"

"I think an essay will suffice. Two rolls of parchment," she said in a manner of seriousness, to which both James and Sirius voiced complaints on my behalf.

"You can't be serious, Professor!"

"You do realize she was held captive by a demented lunatic for five weeks!"

I ignored them. "What's the topic? 'Real World Applications of Transfiguration?'"

"The Animagus." Her lip twitched as though she was suppressing a smile. "I want explicit detail of the whole process of how one becomes an Animagus, from start to finish. If you so desire, you may also include the real world applications of such…exceptional talent… that is required in order for a transformation to be a success."

I, on the other hand, was not suppressing my smile. "Would you also like me to include the numerous benefits of being an Animagus of the feline variety versus, say a canine?"

"Such an analysis would be welcomed and appreciated. I look forward to reading your insights."

"Professor?" I called as she began walking away. "You didn't say when you wanted the assignment turned in."

"Whenever it is complete, Miss Potter, will do."

James didn't even try to muffle his swear once she was out of earshot.

"Did she just put one over on us?" Sirius asked, gobsmacked.

"Actually, I don't think she did," Remus said. "I think she really wants Kate to write that essay."

"I think Kate really wants to write the essay," Peter grumbled.

"Numerous benefits of being a feline versus a canine? What's that all about?" Sirius went on as we began meandering around the castle.

"Face it, Sirius, cats are better," I said. "How many times have you had fleas?"

Sirius and I went back and forth arguing about which was better, the cat or the dog, until Peter pointed out something rather unexpectedly.

"You do realize that the wolf is a canine?"

My eyes turned to Remus who seemed somewhat offended by the snide and rudely spoken remark.

"Yes, but the wolf is the superior canine, much like the leopard is the superior feline."

"You might want to leave that out of the essay," Lily said with a laugh.

We stopped unknowingly by the astronomy tower. They continued to laugh and mess around, but I drifted into a silent trance as I studied the door. I recalled the panic that had overtaken me the last time I was there. Not only had I not climbed the tower since the attack, but I had avoided that area of the castle all together.

"Kate? What are you doing?"

I looked back at James, slightly confused. I had moved towards the door without realizing it. Then I looked to Remus.

"I have to do it," I said. He nodded his head.

I looked to the others; they didn't say anything. Though I think Peter was about to when Sirius quickly smacked the back of his head. I turned back to the door. I opened it and braced myself for the stench that would follow.

My eyes flew open! It wasn't there. The stench of evil was gone! I began to climb, slowly, stepping over the vanishing step. My pace quickened until at last I was running up to the top. I burst through the door; the force sent my long hair whipping over my shoulder. I turned around the viewing deck in a small circle. The sun was still bright so you couldn't see any stars, but that didn't matter at the moment. I turned back to the door just as the others made their way up. My hands were covering my mouth as I sobbed quietly. My crying soon turned to laughter.

"I'm sorry…I just…"

"It's alright," Remus said as he came over. His hands snaked around me as he pulled me to his chest. "You don't have to explain anything." Then he leaned close to my ear and whispered, "I'm proud of you."

After a while we joined the others where they leaned against the outer wall. We stared out over the grounds in a peaceful silence. We could see some of the younger students out practicing spells, though it was hard to tell what spell or even how young they were.

"Everything is going to be different now, isn't it? I mean, you can almost feel it in the air," Lily said softly.

"Yes," I replied. "But that doesn't mean things won't be just as good."

"Better even," Sirius said.

"Yes better," James agreed. "We'll make them that way."

We were silent for a bit, enjoying the view, before I spoke again. "He's still out there…my father…Dolohov. He escaped before they could get him to Azkaban."

"I'm sure they'll find him, Kate," Remus said.

"Yeah, but if they don't then we will," James said.

"And he would have wished Dumbledore found him first," Sirius added.

"I think I'm going to join Dumbledore's group next year, after we leave Hogwarts. I'd join sooner if he'd let us, or if Dad would for that matter," I said.

"What is it called again?" Lily asked.

"The Order of the Phoenix."

"That's kind of a weird name isn't it?" Peter asked.

"They could call themselves 'Dumbledore's Army' and I'd still join," James said.

"As long as they're fighting Voldemort…"

"Ugh, don't say his name," Peter grumbled.

"I will say his name," I insisted. "I won't give him power over me."

"Spoken like a Potter," James said.

"More like a stubborn cat," Sirius suggested.

"I think it's a bit of both," Remus said.

"Did you just call me stubborn?" I asked.

"I wouldn't love you if you were anything less than what you are."

My insides burned and my cheeks flushed.

"That's a violation of…"

"Look a star!" Lily cut across James. "It's the first star of the night."

I looked around and she was right. The sun was beginning to set and the stars were making their appearance. Suddenly Lily started reciting a poem.

"Starlight, star bight, first star I see tonight, wish I may, wish I might, have this wish I wish tonight."

We were all staring at her by the time she finished. Her eyes were pinched shut and her face was scrunched up.

"What?" Her cheeks turned bright red. "It's an old nursery rhyme my gran used to say to me every night."

"It's…"

"I love it!" I exclaimed, cutting off whatever joke Sirius was about to make. Then I too looked back to the star and repeated Lily's words, and made a wish of my own.

I wished that no matter how much things changed, that no matter what scars life left behind, that we would always have each other.

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"Wait!" I suddenly exclaimed, causing everyone to jump back from the wall and look at me. "Do you know what this means?"

They all looked confused.

"I can finally use the new telescope Mum bought me."

The End

(of part 1)

The story continues with Perfect Illusion