Chapter Fifteen: The Surprise
It was the Monday before school was out. Everyone was anticipating the feast later on in the day, in honor of the Gryfinndor Quidditch Team, who had won the House Championship.
Kit and Hermione were in the common room, ready for dinner. Kit had just gotten a new book on Ancient Runes, and she and Hermione were looking through it. Just then Professor McGonalgall entered the room.
"Attention Gryfinndors! It is time to get down to the feast. I urge you all to control your celebrating to a minimum velocity. I am very proud of the team," here Professor McGonagall had to stop because of the raucous cheering that went on. "But do not think that I will not take points off from Gryfinndor if things do get to disorderly, understand? Good. Now, it's time to get down to the Great Hall for the feast."
The feast was delicious. Mounds of food were heaped onto the house tables. Everyone was wolfing down food like there was no tomorrow. And Kit believed that there just might not be.
The girl had taken Trelawney's prediction quite seriously. The Day of Darkness she had looked up her many calenders. There was nothing titled under that day, but there was a lunar eclipse scheduled for tonight. Hadn't Professor Trelawney said that it would be soon? As much as Kit disliked the old batty woman, that prediction she'd made had looked sincere, and it was scaring Kit to death.
There were other things scaring Kit as well. She'd overheard the minister of magic say to Dumbledore that the ministry was close on Sirius' trail. She had reason to believe that the ministry would try anything to get Sirius "Back where the murderer belongs". And she'd seen the minister looking at Kevin and Alex as well as herself whenever he got a chance. The ministry had also started reading the Black's mail that came in, which made Kit, Kevin and Alex all very nervous. So nervous in fact, that they had started to send their owls through the fireplace in the Gryfinndor common room by Floo Powder. This, plus the fact that the ministry had sent a good number of their number to watch for Sirius put Kit on pins and needles.
Something even bigger than that was scaring Kit though. Lately she'd been getting urges for fresh blood. It drove the girl insane. She was now hardly ever seen around the school (except for mealtimes) without one of Honeyduke's blood-flavored lollipops in her mouth. Her fangs became a constant reminder of what she really was, a vampire. Kit had also started feeling urges to get into water. Not bath water, or tap water, but serious water. Like the lake water. But these urges were not nearly as strong as the need for blood. Kit supposed that this was because her mother had been a real vampire, and her father was only part mermish. Whenever she asked Kevin or Alex, she only got a vague answer.
A sound interrupted Kit's thoughts.
"Come on Kit! The feast is over, let's go!" Hermione called, grabbing her best friend's arm and towing her back up to the Gryfinndor tower.
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Harry lay in bed for a long time. He couldn't sleep. Something was irking him. Something just didn't feel quite right. Turning over, he put all bad thoughts out of his head and fell into a nightmarish sleep.
He was in the entrance hall. It was very dark, yet not dark enough to disguise the cloaked bodies of humans, moving here and there. Suddenly the clouds surrounding the moon moved, and a patch of white showed the face of someone directly in front of Harry. It was Lord Voldemort. And he wasn't alone. There were other familiar faces. Crabbe, Goyle, Malfoy, Wormtail
Suddenly Voldemort screamed "Attack!" Voldemort was suddenly upon Harry, wand raised, snarling insults. Screams could be heard everywhere. Yet, two voices were heard above all others.
Harry woke up, soaked in sweat. His scar was beginning to burn. He lay in bed for a few more minutes. Those voices had sounded so familiar
Finally Harry couldn't take it anymore. Jumping out of bed, he headed towards Dumbledore's office. He slipped out of the Gryfinndor tower quietly, and directed himself towards Dumbledore's office. There was no moon to light his path. Harry shivered as he walked along. Finally he reached the stone gargoyle. Whispering the password, he headed up the moving staircase, up onto the small landing, and listned for a moment. Someone was already there. It sounded like Snape. Harry stood at the door, listening quietly.
"You don't understand Headmaster! Those children are more dangerous than You-know-whoand he won't hesitate to take them back to his side!" Snape was saying. Who was he talking about? Harry wondered.
"That is enough Professor Snape. I knew that there was potential danger in them coming here. However, I fell they will be quite loyal to us in our time of need," Dumbledore was speaking now.
"They are a direct relation to You-know-who himself. His own grandchildren for goodness sake! And they won't go back to him. Yeah right," Snape said the last two sentences very sarcastically.
"SeverusI understand that you have looked into the children's ancestry. But the Black children have served us well for generations. I have no doubt the Katrina, Kevin and Alexander will follow that path."
Harry gasped. Kev and Kit? There was no way they were related to that that monster. Was there?
"Good day Severus." Harry moved back as Snape stormed out of the office, not even seeing Harry. The boy waited for a few moments; then tentatively he walked in.
"Hello professor," said Harry, talking to his shoes so Dumbledore couldn't see his face. "I'm sorry to bother you."
"Not at all Harry. Come right in," Dumbledore replied, inviting Harry to have a seat. "Tell me what's the matter."
"I had this dream sir, and it seemed so real it was scary," Harry said.
"Recount it for me please," said the headmaster curiously. Dumbledore listened quietly to Harry's dream. While speaking, Harry had forgotten what he had overheard earlier.
Then Dumbledore said, voice burning with an intensity that Harry had never seen before, "Harry. Get back to Gryfinndor tower. Wake everyone up and send them down to the entrance hall. I sincerely believe that we will be having several unexpected, and unwanted, visitors this evening. I will take care of the other houses. Go quickly. Put Ron and Hermione in charge of bringing the Gryfinndors down. Then you take Kit and Kevin and take the secret passage that leads from Gryfinndor tower to the entrance hall. It will take you longer, but it will keep you three much safer. GO!" Harry stood quickly and ran as fast as he could to Gryfinndor Tower. Standing at the foot of each staircase, he roared for everyone to get up. They did.
Following Professor Dumbledore's instructions, Harry sent everyone but Kit and Kevin down to the entrance hall. Then the three of them started down the secret passage, Harry in the lead, with Draco twined around Kit's shoulders.
Halfway there Harry bumped into something very solid. It was a person. Harry moved back, terrified.
"What are you three doing up so late?" Harry looked up to see a very familiar face.
"Sirius!" he whispered, terror fading to panic. "Get out of here! Right now!"
"What a hello," muttered Kit's oldest brother. Instead of heeding Harry's warning, the young man began pulling Harry down an opposite intersecting passage. Kit and Kevin stared, then, Kevin moved his wand. Sirius turned, muttering something. Kevin was picked up and was slammed into the stone wall. He was instantly knocked unconscious.
"SiriusDo you know what you just did?" Harry asked slowly.
"Of course I know," said Sirius, his eyes beginning to lose their dark brown color and slowly fading to a watery blue.
"What are you talking about?" Harry whispered, looking into his godfather's face.
Suddenly Sirius began to laugh, and as he did so, he began to transform intoanother human.
Harry's scar began to burn with a violent intensity. The person in front of them was a human, but not one Harry wanted to see. His skin was a pale, milky white. A long, rat-like nose protruded from the center of his face. A nervous smile appeared on the gray lips. Then the man many called Wormtail began to speak.
"Harry Potter. It's good to see you again," Harry didn't speak. Instead he stared. Apparently Wormtail hadn't noted Kit's presence. And he wouldn't either, at least not if Harry could help it.
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Kit was not going to let this piece of dirt that had betrayed Sirius hurt Harry. There was just no way. But how to stop him was what Kit didn't know. Her animagi shape, the tiger, would be good, but she wouldn't have enough speed to chase Wormtail if he suddenly changed back into a rat. The claws would be useful though
Making up her mind in one quick second, the girl transformed, going into the pouncing position as she did so. Harry, seeing what Kit was doing, turned, causing Wormtail to expose his unguarded back as he tried to keep Harry in a good hold.
The man was muttering as he pulled a piece of string from his pocket. "I will become my lord's favorite. The one who brings him Harry Potter! Better yet, the one who kills Harry Potter! Haha! He will love me more than anyone else. I will become the favorite of all his followers." As Wormtail mumbled, turning to tie Harry's hands behind his back, and presenting his back to Kit's discretion.
Had she been in a saner mind, Kit would have realized the danger in what she was about to do. But she was in a wild rage. This was the man who had caused the suffering of James and Lily. The one who had put Sirius in Azkaban; who had caused the unhappiness of the entire Black family.
Without hesitation, Kit jumped, letting out a fearful roar as she did so. As soon as she felt her paws come in contact with Wormtail' s back, she let loose her claws. Ripping, tearing, anything she could reach would be destroyed. Wormtail screeched in pain, turning and twisting violently in the tiger's hold. In seconds he lay dead. Smiling with a twisted satisfaction, Kit turned back into a human and gave Wormtail a kick.
"Are you alright?" Kit asked Harry.
"YeahI'm okay. Are you?" Harry responded, staring at the dead body of Wormtail.
"Fine as ever," Kit replied, summoning up a ball of multi-colored fire and sending it towards the body of Wormtail. In seconds the minion's corpse was in ashes.
"Listen. You go on ahead to the entrance hall. I'll get Kevin back on his feet, and we'll be your relief. Sound good?" asked Kit.
"Yeah. But what if someone else comes along?" Harry asked.
"That's why you're a falcon," Kit retorted. Harry grinned nervously, waved, and headed down the passage. Kit knelt next to Kevin and using her wand, revived him.
A few moments later they were on their way down to the scene of the fighting.
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It was all like Harry's dream. Death Eaters had surrounded large groups of students and were killing them in masses. As soon as he had seen Harry, Dumbledore had sent him off, saying he didn't want Harry to get hurt. Harry hadn't listened one bit though. The teenager had realized that he'd suddenly become more stubborn since he'd met Kit. He had changed.
At the moment Harry was crouched behind a Death Eater, ready to strike. In one swift, fluid motion, the Death Eater before him lay dead. Across the hall Harry could see Dumbledore fending off Mr. Malfoy. Alex was using spells to disarm the rest of the Death Eaters. Hagrid had brought in the manticores, who were enjoying their delicious, utterly nasty treat with obvious glee.
Suddenly Harry's scar began to burn again, this time with a greater intensity then before. A cool white hand touched Harry's shoulder. The boy froze. Lord Voldemort's voice sounded quite close to Harry's ear.
"We meet again Harry Potter." Harry couldn't move. His scar was burning too much. The pain was driving him into unconsciousness. But he had to stay awake. It was the only way to survive. Vaguely he recalled screaming, his voice sounding over all of the other sounds in the hall.
Harry heard Voldemort begin to whisper "Avada Ked-" Then two voices sounded over the melee, interrupting Voldemort's Death Spell.
"Don't you dare touch him. You may be able to kill him, but you will never be able to escape the fangs of Kevin and Katrina Black. We are bound by blood, and we will find you." Kevin and Kit walked slowly down the marble stairs. Voldemort froze, not releasing his hold on Harry.
Suddenly Kit and Kevin morphed into tiger stage. Harry couldn't help but be amazed at how coordinated they were. They had the plan memorized, and they were ready to attack.
With a cat's grace, the two did an amazing leap, landing on the wall. To Harry's, and seemingly everyone else's, amazement, the two tiger began to run, waiting until they were on either side of Harry and their grandfather. Then the two jumped.
Harry noticed that the claws were in. They didn't want to hurt him, he realized. Either of them. Voldemort must have panicked at seeing two tigers coming at him like that. He ducked, taking Harry with him, and pulled up his wand. Pointing at the nearer of the two (Kit) he sent out a forceful spell that threw Kit into the marble staircase. She lay there, rendered unconcious. Kevin twisted at the last moment, so that he didn't land of his grandfather, and he and Alex raced over to Kit.
Voldemort straightened a pained expression on his face -could it be that he felt remorseful? - And suddenly, Voldemort went through a transformation as well. He lost that white-of-death skin color and became more animated. The red in his eyes disappeared. His hair became a rather distinguished black and silver. He looked very different. Slowly, shakily, he let go of Harry.
Then with tears in his eyes, he whispered, "I am so sorry love. I didn't mean to," and with that he morphed into a huge eagle and soared out of the hall. Several ministry members started to go after, but Alex stopped them with a shake of his head.
Ron and Hermione ran forward to Harry, both talking over the sudden din in the Entrance Hall.
"Are you okay?" Ron asked.
"Did he hurt you?" Hermione inquired nervously. Harry shook his head to both of the questions. Ron looked worried.
"Why d'you reckon he didn't kill you?" He queried.
"I dunno. I guess he was concerned about his grandchildren, and how they would feel. I also guess that he was sorry for hurting Kit," Harry responded in a dully.
"His?" whispered Ron.
"I'll explain later. Better yet, I'll get Alex to explain. Come on, let's go see about Kit," Harry mumbled tiredly. He was suddenly very sleepy.
