Chapter 15 – Easter

April 8, 1998

A ringing echoed through Katie's bedroom. It was early on a Thursday afternoon. Usually she would be at Quidditch practice, but her team had been given a few days off for the Easter holiday. Alicia was at work, and Katie was taking advantage of the extra time at her flat to take an afternoon nap. She had just woken up when the telephone rang. Katie rolled over on her bed and answered it.

"Hello?" she said.

"Katie."

It was her father's voice. He sounded upset. Panicked.

"Dad, what is it?" Katie asked frantically.

"I need to speak with you," he said. "Can you meet me at the place where Mum and I like to visit on Sunday mornings?"

Katie immediately recalled the Muggle park not far from her parents' house. It had a lovely rose garden and a walking path, and her parents liked to sip their tea as they strolled through it.

"I'm on my way, Dad."

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When Katie arrived at the park, she looked around for Dad. She'd had to Apparate into a wooded area then walk to the main part of the park; it was busy, filled with children participating in an Easter egg hunt, joggers out for a run, and people walking dogs. After she wandered around for a few moments, she spotted her father near a large birch tree. She ran to him. His eyes were wild with worry.

"Dad, what is it? Are Mum and Ryan ok?" Katie asked in a panicked voice.

"They're ok," Dad told her, calming her nerves only a small bit. "Listen, Katie, I don't have long, but I need to let you know what's happened." He gestured for her to sit on a park bench behind them. She did so nervously. Mr. Bell took a deep breath.

"Katie, for the last few months I've been using my office to set up illegal Floo connections to Muggle homes to help Muggle-borns escape when they're called before the Commission," he said.

Katie's eyes grew wide. She couldn't believe the words coming out of her father's mouth, or that he had taken such enormous risks.

"Oh Dad, no," Katie said, realizing the direction the conversation was heading. She thought back to the the Snatcher from the Puddlemere match.

"Listen," he continued with urgency. "The Death Eaters in the Ministry must have found out. They came after me, but when I evaded them they sent a Snatcher 'round to capture your Mum."

Katie covered her mouth in horror. Not Mum.

"Mum's ok," Dad assured her. "She's ok. They only sent one, her being a Muggle and all. He must not have realized Ryan was home as well, doing his washing."

"Oh Merlin, Ryan! What happened?" Katie implored.

Dad, his face still full of worry, gave a weak laugh.

"Caught the Snatcher off-guard. Tackled him from behind then punched him. Knocked him out cold," he said. "He and Mum escaped and I was able to find them. I've sent them to the continent, they're staying in Nan's sister's vacation home in Italy. But listen, Katie, the Snatchers are still after me. And I'm worried they'll come after you to get to me."

Katie looked at her father, not quite understanding what he was saying.

"Should I come too, then?" Katie asked him. "Are we both going to Italy?"

Mr. Bell gave Katie the small, strained smile that reminded her of being a girl, when Dad was giving her bad news. Her mind flashed to her parents telling her that her grandfather, Pap, had passed away when she was eight.

"No, darling," Mr. Bell said. "I'm not going to put you, or Mum, or Ryan, or Nan, or any of the rest of the family in any danger. I'm going to turn myself in so that you'll be safe."

Katie's mouth fell open with disbelief. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Dad, you can't!" she exclaimed frantically. "Please, they'll throw you in Azkaban! We'll go away too, we'll go to Italy! Dad, please don't do this!" Katie pleaded with her father frantically, tears filling her eyes. She saw the resolve on his face and knew that her begging would do no good.

Mr. Bell pulled Katie close, embracing his daughter.

"Don't go, Dad," she said feebly, her voice cracking.

"It won't be forever, my dear," her father told her. "I have faith that Harry Potter will still defeat You-Know-Who. Until then, we can only look for opportunities to be brave, and do the right thing. This is the right thing, Katie."

Katie nodded, wiping the tears from her face with the back of her hand.

Mr. Bell handed Katie a slip of paper.

"This is the phone number to where Mum and Ryan are staying," he told her. "Memorize it, then destroy it. Only use it for emergencies."

Katie nodded again. Mr. Bell kissed her forehead and wiped a stray tear from her cheek.

"Be brave, Kathrine," he said to her. "And keep yourself safe."

He rose, and Katie followed suit. Mr. Bell offered Katie his arm, and the two walked silently back to the private grove of trees that Katie had Apparated into. They reached their destination and turned to face one another.

"Please be ok, dad," Katie asked him, unsure of what else to say.

"I will, my dear," he replied. "As long as I know you, Mum, and Ryan are safe, the Dementors can't take my hope."

Katie nodded again, squeezing her eyes shut then open again, trying to hold back more tears. She and Dad embraced once more, then Mr. Bell gave her another kiss on the forehead, a resolved nod, and turned to Apparate. Katie took a deep breath, knowing that Apparition without a clear head could have dangerous consequences. She too spun to Apparate. She arrived in the hallway outside her flat and fumbled to retrieve her wand and her keys. She lowered the protective enchantments and unlocked the door. Once Katie was safely inside the door, she crumpled to the floor, sobbing hysterically. Her Mum and Ryan were on their way to the continent, and her Dad was now likely on his way to Azkaban. She had never felt more helpless and alone.

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April 12, 1998

Four Days Later

Oliver and Katie appeared with a crack a grassy lea. In front of them sat a quaint brick cottage with two stories and a steep roof – Sean and Claire's home. A tidy rose garden grew next to it, and a wreath of beautiful white lilies adorned the green front door. The pair approached the house, hand-in-hand. It was Easter Sunday. Oliver's parents had gone to Australia to visit Kinna and Yindi and to see one of their matches, but Claire had insisted that holiday should be spent with family, so Oliver and Katie had come to join them for dinner. Katie's emotions still felt raw from the meeting with her father, and she was also feeling uneasy at the thought of being around Sean without the buffer of the rest of the family; even after only meeting him at Christmastime, she still got the distinct impression that he did not like her.

Sean met them at the end of the walk, his wand drawn.

"What are our Mum's favorite flowers?" he asked Oliver.

"Yellow tulips," Oliver answered, "because they remind her of the beginning of spring."

Sean lowered his wand, and Oliver and Katie continued to approach the home.

"Sean," Oliver greeted his brother with a nod. Katie noticed he looked a bit tense.

"Oliver," Sean replied. He looked to Katie.

"Happy Easter," she told him a bit too eagerly. "You have a lovely home."

"Thank you," he responded politely, but said no more. He opened the door for them, and they entered the house.

Annis and Isla were playing in the floor, surrounded by a pile of stuffed animals and dolls. They squealed and ran to Oliver when they saw him.

"Happy Easter, Uncle Ollie!" exclaimed Annis.

Oliver knelt to wrap them both in a hug, their squeals growing louder as he lifted them off the floor.

"Happy Easter, lasses," he told them.

Katie smiled at the sight of Oliver with his nieces. Annis noticed Katie and giggled bashfully, then cupped her hand to whisper in Oliver's ear.

"Do I kiss her?" he repeated with mock disbelief. Annis looked bashfully to Katie and giggled again.

"Aye, but only when no one else is looking," Oliver told her in a loud whisper. He set the girls down and they returned to their toys.

"You're here!" Katie heard Claire exclaim from the kitchen. She turned and saw the other witch waving her wand to send a serving tray to the table in the dining room. Katie walked toward the kitchen, glad to see someone who at least seemed to approve of her.

"Can I help you with anything?" she offered.

Claire removed her apron and walked over to Katie, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Just pour yourself a glass of wine," Claire answered. "We're ready to eat!"

Katie did as she was told, then found a seat at the table. She and Oliver sat opposite Sean and Claire, and the girls sat at the end of the long oval table. Katie looked at the spread Claire had prepared. A platter of roasted lamb was accompanied by dishes of dauphinoise potatoes, braised leeks, butter bean stew, and Easter pudding. The delicious smells made Katie's mouth water.

"Everything looks lovely, Claire," Oliver complimented.

"Thank you, Oliver," she replied with a smile. She turned to Katie.

"So, Katie, will you be seeing your family for Easter as well?" she asked as she unfolded her napkin and placed it in her lap.

Katie shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She appreciated Claire's effort to involve her in the conversation, but she couldn't have chosen a worse topic if she'd tried.

"Er, no," Katie said awkwardly. "They're…abroad."

Claire looked as though she knew Katie was holding back on a full explanation, but she did not press for more detail. Katie saw Sean give Oliver a pointed look.

"Well, we're glad you could join us," Claire said with a warm smile.

Her attention was quickly turned to the girls, who were pretending to make their leeks fly like tiny broomsticks.

"Girls," she said to them with a scolding look, "do remember your manners."

The rest of the dinner passed with polite conversation, mostly initiated by Claire. Katie found herself wondering about her family. Were Mum and Ryan having dinner right now as well? Were they safe? Was Dad faring ok in that retched place?

They finished eating and Sean waved his wand to help Claire clear the dishes. In the kitchen, Katie saw Sean whisper to Claire, who shook her head at him. They whispered back and forth before Claire gave Sean a conceding look, then returned to the dining room.

Claire gave Katie a smile, then turned to her daughters.

"Girls, why don't you show Katie the lovely fairy houses you've built in the rose garden while Mum cleans up?" she asked enthusiastically.

Annis looked at Katie shyly, but Isla ran up and grabbed her hand, pulling her toward the back door. Katie dutifully followed them, looking back at Oliver, who was glancing at Sean with suspicion.

Katie and the two red haired girls reached the garden and the fairy houses. Isla immediately began chatting away about the fairies that lived there. After a few minutes, and some encouraging questions from Katie, Annis began to warm up as well. The girls launched into a story about the princess fairy who lived in the red toadstool house and her mission to capture a dragon.

"Oh, I forgot Fairy's horse inside!" Isla exclaimed, her squeaky voice distraught.

Katie stood.

"I'll go and get it," she volunteered.

She walked back to the house, glancing back to the girls. She opened the kitchen door and walked into the sitting room to retrieve the missing toy. On her way back to the garden, she heard raised voices coming from a side room.

Katie paused and saw the door to the study slightly ajar. Without realizing it, she took a step closer.

"It's none of your bloody business, Sean!" Katie heard Oliver say. His voice sounded agitated.

"All I'm saying is that you need to think about what you're doing," Sean responded, his voice stern. "I hear things, Oliver. Things like one of the Ministry officials who works in the Floo department setting up illegal connections and helping people escape who are wanted by the Commission. And now he's in Azkaban, but the Snatchers are still looking for his son for causing some sort of trouble. How long before they decide to go after Katie to get to her family? Do you really want to be caught in the middle of that? And do you really want to be associating with someone whose family is mixed up with something so reckless?"

Katie's breath caught. She took another step closer to the door.

"Katie's father was doing what he thought was right," Oliver defended, "what he could to help the cause."

"And it will probably get him killed," Sean snapped back.

"So he should, what?" Oliver replied. "Let all those innocent Muggle-borns get hauled off to Azkaban? Sit back and let You-Know-Who win? Because if we don't all find a way to try to help, that's what will happen, Sean."

"Don't tell me you're involved in all this nonsense too?" Sean retorted, his voice growing louder.

"As I said, we're trying to do what we can to help," Oliver answered quietly.

"Merlin, you bloody Gryffindors," Sean muttered. "You think bravery means you must run head-first into a fire. You're so damn foolhardy, and it's going to get you killed."

"Better that than to sit back and assume everyone else will fix everything just so you can keep your nose clean!" Oliver spat back. Katie had never heard him speak like that to anyone.

"And what's after all this, Oliver?" Sean asked him exasperatedly. "After all you brave fools win us the war? Settle down with Katie, have a nice life? You're a professional Quidditch player. You'll never be around. Don't you remember how it was before Dad left the Magpies? He left Mum to raise us on her own most of the time. And with her playing too? You'll never see one another."

"Our relationship is our business," Oliver replied coldly. "We'll find a way to make things work."

"Typical Oliver," Sean said condescendingly. "Your mind on some witch and nothing else. You've finally achieved your dream and you're going to let some teenager distract you, hold you back."

"Katie's not – " Oliver began, but Sean cut him off.

"I told you, Oliver," he reminded, "I hear things. Like how you got benched for the match against the Kestrels, not because of an injury, but because you skipped two practices in a week in order to hang out with your girlfriend. Dad said he even tried to warn you, but you wouldn't hear it."

"Katie was ill," Oliver said, his voice quieter again. "Seriously ill."

"And you have responsibilities to your team," Sean countered, "not just some tart."

Katie felt Sean's words cut her like a knife. Hot tears welled in her eyes. Before she could hear Oliver's reply, she heard Claire's voice from the kitchen.

"Katie? Is everything ok with the girls?"

Katie turned and saw Claire looking around the kitchen doorway. From the pained look on her face, she too had heard the exchange between the brothers.

Katie feebly held up the toy she had retrieved.

"We forgot Fairy's horse," she replied with a forced a smile on her face.

She returned to the garden with the girls, but Katie's mind was far from the Fairy's dragon quest. She had never considered that her father's actions at the Ministry could put Oliver in danger. And the war was so ever-present that Katie hadn't given much thought to what her life with Oliver would look like long-term once it was over. Was she really holding him back, distracting him from reaching his full potential? She couldn't believe he had lied to her about missing those practices and sitting out the Kestrels match. Her thoughts began to swirl.

"We'd best get back, love."

Oliver's voice made Katie jump. She looked up to see him standing next to her. His face looked tense, but Katie could tell he was trying to conceal his emotions. She doubted whether Oliver would voluntarily tell her about his and Sean's conversation.

"You've early practice in the morning," he reminded her.

"Right, of course," she answered, standing to face him.

They said their goodbyes to the girls, then to Sean and Claire as well. Claire gave Katie a warm hug, but Katie couldn't meet Sean's eye as she thanked them for dinner.

Oliver and Katie Apparated back to Katie and Alicia's flat. Oliver squeezed Katie's hand and gave her a smile. Now that he was away from his brother, he looked more relaxed.

"Would you like me to stay for a bit?" he asked Katie.

She returned his smile, but it felt odd on her face.

"Actually, I think I'm going to turn in early tonight," she told him. "Early practice tomorrow and all." Katie's mind was still reeling from the conversation she'd overheard, and she didn't feel up to pretending that everything was alright.

Oliver seemed to accept her excuse. He gave her a brief kiss.

"Good night then, love," he told her sweetly.

"Good night," she replied.

Oliver gave her one more kiss on the forehead, then stepped back and Apparated. Katie stared at the spot he had stood for a moment, then went into her bedroom and closed the door. She sat on her bed, and the tears that had threatened to fall all evening came with force. She loved Oliver; that had not changed. But she hated the idea that being with her meant not only that he could be in danger, but also that he was jeopardizing his dreams for her. Her decision was made. She sobbed into her pillow until she finally fell asleep.

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Author's Note: Sorry to leave things on such an angsty note, but I hope you enjoyed this week's chapter! Come back next week to read Chapter 16: Truths. Feel free to drop a review, and have a great week!