You gotta stand for something/ or you'll fall for anything/ fall for anything/ 'Cause they'll bring you down, down, down- Fall for Anything: The Script

Ignorance is not a virtue, Miss Bell. And information is always highly valued by the Dark Lord, as someone close to you knows well.

As someone close to you knows well.

As someone close to you knows well.

As someone close to you knows well.

"Stop thinking about what Dolohov said Katie."

Katie looked up. Fred was watching her. She wondered how long he'd been staring at her absently doodle question marks over the back of an old receipt.

"What?"

"You heard." His voice was steady, but as he reached over and took her hand, she could see his own shaking slightly. "Kate, Dolohov was trying to fuck with you. He was just playing with you."

She shook her head stubbornly. "No. You didn't hear him."

"Katie..." he didn't know what to say, so he sighed instead.

"You don't believe me."

"I believe you, I don't believe Dolohov." He countered.

Katie leaned forward. "Look, Fred, trust me. There was something in the way he said it. There's a traitor."

"But who?"

It had been two weeks since Dolohov had tortured and nearly killed Katie. Physically, she was starting to get back to normal. In other ways...she wasn't.

"I don't know!" Kate sounded frustrated and close to tears. Fred held her hand tighter.

"Kate," he said gently "think about it. It doesn't make sense for him to tell you seriously, to warn you."

"He was gloating."

"But why would he tell you? He'd know that you'd be on the lookout, that you'd be extra careful."

"He thought I'd die."

"But he let you live-"

"But-"

"Katie, Dolohov didn't give a damn if you lived or died." He felt brutal saying the words, but she had to understand. "He wanted some information, and when you couldn't give it to him, he played with you. He tortured you, and messed with your head, and left you for dead, not caring either way."

She yanked her hands away. "So you're not even going to think about the possibility?"

"It will send me crazy." He said frankly "I want to trust in my friends."

She forced her chair back, scraping it against the floor, and stalked out of the room, pausing only at the door frame. "The Potters wanted to trust in their friends too."


"You okay Fred?" George looked concerned.

Fred glanced up and something that had never happened before, happened- he checked before confiding in his twin.

He shook himself mentally. Much as he hated to admit it, Katie's paranoia and Dolohov's words were getting to him. Even as he explained to George, he wondered if Alicia, or Lee, or Angelina was crouched behind the door, eavesdropping.

As he saw his brother's face change, he realised how masterful Dolohov had been in planting a seed of doubt in Katie. Like a germ it was spreading, from Katie, to himself, to George. He could see it ahead, a chain of mistrust- would George share his fears with Alicia? Would Alicia confide in Angelina, would Angelina pass it on to Lee, would Lee let something slip to Oliver? He saw how it would unfold, and grow, feeding on the destruction of old friendships. He could see the obsession within Katie beginning to form- would she destroy their friendships alone?

He got to his feet. "I have to see Katie." He said firmly, striding to the door and wrenching it open. He paused. Lee was walking down the stairs, having clearly just passed the door. Had he been listening?

He turned "Don't- say anything to anyone else." He said uncomfortably.

This should not be happening.

He twisted and arrived outside Alicia's house, where Katie had been staying while she recovered and waited to see if her flat was habitable. He hammered on the door.

"Come on, come on, open up." He muttered under his breath.

Alicia answered. He chatted, politely but distantly, for a few minutes, then headed to the room that Katie had taken over. He had to talk to her. He had to make her see.

"Katie!" he burst into the room and came to an abrupt halt. There were scraps of paper all over her bed. He wouldn't have thought anything of it, but for the guilty look on her face.

"What're you doing?" he asked suspiciously.

"Just sorting some stuff out." She wasn't convincing. He didn't believe her. He picked one of the pieces of parchment up.

"Oliver Gregory Wood. Never go to his house- hiding something? Dated Rosie Parkinson for a year- Slytherin family and connections? Isn't seen for days at a time. Known to be very protective of his mother (only family.) –trying to keep her safe? Katie- what the hell is this?" he demanded.

She flushed. "Nothing."

"Alicia Louise Spinnet- George's girlfriend, obviously in his confidence- has access to the Order, information, the Weasley's via her relationship with G, was there at the night of Bill's wedding, plus the New Year Party- Katie!" He was appalled. "Are you trying to keep tabs on our friends?"

"There's a traitor!" she insisted, though her cheeks were hot, an uncomfortable, shameful scarlet.

"No!" Fred crumpled the paper and threw it across the room. "You're clutching at straws with these feeble accusations, and you're driving yourself mad."

He expected her to go on the defensive. He expected her to flare up. He expected her to insist that there was at least a grain of truth in Dolohov's words.

He did not expect her to crumble.

She slumped onto the bed, as if all her strength had suddenly been sapped from her. "I know- I know." She sobbed. "I can't help it Fred, I can't get his words from my mind."

He was by her in a split second, half holding, half shaking her. "Don't fall for it Katie. You know what Dumbledore said. We have to stay strong together. You know what he's trying to do. Don't let them take your friends from you Katie. You'll end up with nothing."

'

A/N Guys, thank you all for the reviews! I've been terrible at answering them individually, and I feel bad about it! But THANK YOU :)