Disclaimer: I do not own any of the people or places that belong to the wonderful world of Harry Potter, as they belong to J.K. Rowling. The OC (Katherine and now three others!) is entirely my own.


Chapter 54: Her Mother's Locket

"Free..." The word echoed through Severus' mind. Katherine had buried her hand in the crook of his neck once again, clinging to his person tightly. Unconsciously, Severus rubbed small circles on her lower back as he glanced to the hidden entrance near the furthest wall. Quickly, he stopped his movements and stared wide-eyed at two bodies lying next to the small opening.

"Katherine?" Severus hesitated. "How is it possible that we are sitting here, and yet we are also over there?" Katherine raised her head; her brow furrowed in confusion. She turned towards the entrance and shook her head slightly.

"Sorry, I forgot about those," she muttered, as she lifted herself off of Severus' person and headed to the stilled bodies. "It was Albus' plan to transfigure two bodies into us, so it would make it easier to leave."

"I don't understand," Severus said, carefully hoisting himself up from the dusty floor. "What plan?"

"We're leaving here Severus," Katherine said, as she began levitating the bodies over towards the spot where Severus' unconscious body had laid a few hours before. "Albus promised a new life for us after the war was over. A life that will be peaceful; away from prying eyes of the public."

"I still don't understand," Severus said, as he watched Katherine position the bodies precisely, then aimed her wand at 'his' neck, creating the holes that matched the ones that the snake had made. "What do you mean you and Albus had a plan? You two hated each other, how could you have made plans with him?"

"I will explain later," Katherine said, as she finished the final touches on their fake selves. "But for now we must get moving. They'll come looking for us shortly." Severus looked down at himself. Katherine had produced a small vial of blood and poured it on the fake neck and over the floor and on the fake bodies' cloaks.

He was amazed how identical the bodies looked like their own. His fake self had be positioned on its' back while Katherine's fake body was lying next to his; her arm across his chest as though holding him to her. The real Katherine stood, and then spun quickly with wand raised towards her fake self.

"Avada Kedavra," she hissed. A green light hit the body of the fake Katherine, burning brightly before sinking into it. "It is done. Anyone who comes here, will think I have been killed by a revengeful Death Eater." At those words Severus turned sharply towards her. His brow furrowed, as he began contemplating what she had said.

"As I said, I will explain later," Katherine said, upon seeing his expression. "We must get going. There is one place I want to stop at before we leave."

She hastily walked over to Severus and pulled his body flush to her own; looking up into his dark eyes. A hesitant glint showed through the black, as almost debating to follow her. But the silent plea of her own blue eyes made him relax, and he wrapped his arms around her form.

"Do you trust me?" Katherine whispered. Her lips lingered tantalizing near his own.

"Of course," he whispered back.

"Then don't let go..." Suddenly, Katherine spun both of them on the spot; disapparating them both away from the place where Severus' life had almost been taken away, twice.


As the darkness of the apparation faded, Severus found himself in the same small alley that he had ran to early last summer. He watched as Katherine silently cast an disillusion charm on them both, then proceeded to lead them towards the town square.

The town of Godric's Hollow was quiet and peaceful at five-thirty in the morning. The sun was just beginning to peak over the stone wall of the small church cemetery when they arrived at the kissing gates.

"Katherine?" Severus said, pulling at her arm to stop for a moment. "Why have we come here?" Although he could not see her, he somehow could still feel her eyes upon him. He could almost picture them glistening in the morning sunlight.

"We've come to say goodbye Severus," Katherine said, as she continued forward, pushing open the gate and passing into the graveyard. Once they were both inside the grounds, Katherine cancelled the disillusion charm on them.

He watched her carefully, as she bent down and picked up five small stones. She turned them over in her hand a few times, with a small smile on her face. Finally, she stopped and took four of them in her left hand, while turning towards Severus, holding out her right.

"Hang on to this one, will you?" Katherine asked. Hesitantly, Severus reached out and took the small gray rock from her hand. He could still unshed tears in her eyes once again, as she took out her wand and pointed at the remaining stones.

"Rosae verto," Katherine whispered; suddenly the stones began to shift and change before their eyes. Long green stems with thorns began to sprout from one end, while the other brought forth brilliant blood red petals. Once the shifting had stopped, Katherine had four fresh red roses in her hand. Severus couldn't remember the last time he had seen such a beautiful piece of magic.

Katherine smiled up at him once more, before gently taking Severus' hand and leading him towards the back of the small cemetery. They stopped before three small graves; the first carved out of marble. Katherine carefully bent down, and placed a rose before it; gently brushing her fingers over the letters etched in the marble slate.

"Kendra S. Dumbledore nee Jones
1851- 1899
Wife & Mother

-and Her Daughter-

Ariana Kendra Dumbledore
1885-1899

'Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.'"

"I always wondered what they would be like if they were still with us," Katherine murmered, as she and Severus continued to stare at the grave for a moment longer. "I never even had the chance to know them."

Severus didn't know what to say; his thoughts drifting back to how changed Katherine seemed to be in the last few hours. Katherine shifted over to the next grave, a smaller one, and repeated the same process as with the first one.

"Percival Wulfric Dumbledore
1840-1890
Husband & Father"

She didn't say anything about her grandfather, but Severus had heard the story that the wizard had died in Azkaban. But his eyes widened as they approached the third grave. Severus froze as at the sight of the headstone, while Katherine bent down once again and placed the red rose in front of it.

"Athena Eris Dumbledore nee McGonagall
1925-1972
Daughter, Wife & Mother

' Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil...'"

"Fitting words for a Auror, huh?" Katherine smirked, as she righted herself. She remained quiet for a moment before turning towards Severus, who had kept his frozen state as he remained staring at the grave. "What's the matter Severus?"

"McGonagall?" Severus whispered, turning his head to look at Katherine. "Your mother was a McGonagall?"

"Yes," Katherine smiled sadly. "I'm sorry I never told you." She continued to the next grave and placed the last rose in front of the large black granite stone.

"Saoirse Shuard McGonagall
1890-1948

& His Wife

Hera Ceres McGonagall nee Kappas
1891-1960"

"My mother was a twin," Katherine said quietly, as she rose from the last grave. "Her parents, Saoirse and Hera named my mother after Athena, the Greek goddess of war. Her twin sister was named after the Roman goddess of war..."

"Minerva..." Severus breathed, staring into Katherine's eyes. "Minerva McGonagall is your aunt? Why didn't you ever saying anything?"

"Because Aunt Minerva never really acknowledged our relation," Katherine sighed. She crossed her arms and walked slowly over to a small stone bench beneath a large willow. Severus followed her quietly and sat down beside her.

"When my mother married my father, Aunt Minerva said that she would never acknowledge the marriage," Katherine continued. "She was furious with my mother for marrying Aberforth, saying that he was much too old for her and that she would never be happy with him. They broke off all ties between them just before the wedding.

"Uncle Albus told me that my mother tried to contact Minerva after my birth," Katherine said quietly. "But she never came to see me. There were never any notes from her on Christmas or birthdays. And after the last big fight between my father and uncle around the time of my fourth birthday, Albus stopped coming around as well.

"With my mother and her career, and my father ignoring me because I looked too much like his dead sister," Katherine paused, taking a deep breath. "I had no one...until we moved to Spinner's End. At least there I had Lily...and you.

"But all will be explained more when we leave..." Katherine said, rising from the bench. "May I have the last stone please." Katherine asked, holding her hand out to receive the rock. Silently she waved her wand over the small stone, transfiguring it into a white lily. Severus' eyes widened, when the realization hit him as to where she was heading with the flower.

Quickly, he rose and followed her hastily across the cemetery. Katherine stopped before a white headstone, and placed the lily next to a small wreath of lilies that sat leaning against the grave.

"Lily Potter

Born 30 January 1960

Died 31 October 1981

'The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.'"

The two remained silent, as they stared at the grave of witch and her husband. Katherine gently slid her hand into Severus', then shifted her body to lean against his arm. No words were spoken, but Severus felt that he knew what Katherine was thinking; it was a silent goodbye. A goodbye to the past life, a goodbye to friends and family long gone, a goodbye to the world they once knew.

"Do you wish to visit your mother?" Katherine asked quietly, never letting go of Severus' hand.

"No," Severus said, gripping her hand tightly. "I've already said goodbye to her once, that was enough for me." Katherine quickly released his hand and swiftly removed her necklace and the locket.

"Take my hand," she whispered, as she offered her left hand to him. Quickly, she took the chain and wrapped it around both of their wrist and hands several times, before the locket hung tightly across their intertwined fingers. "Don't let go."

The fingers of her right hand gently opened the oval locket fully, letting the side rest against their joined hand. Severus stared with wide eyes at the two small picture that were adored inside of it. On the left a picture of himself, as he was today; on the right, himself again, but much younger, barely old enough to be a couple years in school. He watched silently as Katherine lowered her head to their joined hands.

"Domus," Severus heard her whisper to the open locket. The charm turned the familiar portkey blue, and instantly he felt the common pull behind the navel.

Then there was darkness.


a/n: Sorry for the delay again, work has been nuts. You think there's a holiday coming or something :) Confused yet? Yeah, a little, but Katherine's life will be explained in detail in the next two chapters. Domus is the latin word for home. Next two chapter will be long, and will be posted back to back on Monday and Tuesday nights. The epilogue (sad to think) will be posted on Thursday.

A big thank you to grumpirah, sandraedee27, LemonDropsWoolSocks, RequiemWolfenstein87, tigerlili48, esmeralda023, Savysnape7, Ausre, animalwriter and Regina Snape for their wonderful reviews!

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