She backed against the cold wall and shook with fear, a tear rolling unchecked down her pale face. He ran a hand down one cheek, watching as she flinched and choked back a sob. His touch was cold and hard, sending a shiver down her spine. Without looking away from her with his dead, crimson eyes he leaned in close to her ear and whispered in a voice of thunder sheathed in silk.
"What do you see when you're in the dark? When the demon's come for you?"
She didn't answer him. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction. Plus the fact that if she opened her mouth she knew she would throw up.
"Well, if you're not going to talk to me we might as well get started."
He stepped back, clicking his fingers and suddenly she felt two pairs of arms take hold of her and pull her back into the middle of the room and onto her knees. Her arms were pulled painfully backwards, arching her back to ease the pain. One of them grabbed her hair, pulling her head up so she had to face him. He had his back to her and he was opening a box on the table.
"I have a gift for you."
She frowned as she saw him pull out something golden with his thin, long fingers. Fear seized her heart with clawed nails as he turned around. It was like he'd just let a Boggart out of the box when he faced her. The necklace glistened in his grip and she felt her lungs tighten. A shiver shot down her spine as he stepped closer. She started to struggle, catching the death-eaters off guard and she managed to get to her feet for a moment before they pulled her back down but she wouldn't stop struggling. They shoved her onto her back, one of them grabbing her legs. She struggled until she had no energy left, then lay there panting - three death-eaters now holding her down.
"Feisty little thing, aren't you?"
Those red, dead eyes suddenly came into focus and she started the breath heavy. She knew what was coming - she'd seen it so many times in her dreams, or whenever she saw a Boggart. It was always there at the back of her mind.
He was right on top of her now, bending down beside her, the rune detailing was clearly seen on the amulet, but she had no idea what it meant. The dead eyes gleamed as he smiled and unclipped the clasp, lowering it to her neck. As it touched her skin she screamed. The necklace was ripped from his hands as it slid itself around her neck and the clasp clamped shut, then it burnt right into her skin before disappearing. Her screams echoed around the room.
Suddenly the scream got louder in her ears as the room faded from her eyes and she pulled away from the death-eaters grips with the last of her strength. She shot up into a sitting position and into a strong pair of arms that enwrap themselves around her. She stopped screaming and was about to struggle when she heard a voice.
"Kaitlyn, shh shh."
She opened her eyes and found herself in the hospital wing. Remus was sitting on the bed with his arms around her.
"It's okay, shh, it's okay."
It was then that she realised that it had just been her dreaming. Her memories had come flooding back of that night when he had taken her, but it was over now and she was at Hogwarts, with Remus. She lifted her own arms up and rested her chin on his shoulder, closing her eyes in relief. He rocked her gently for a moment, then pulled away, holding onto her shoulders. Her body trembled, and her breathing was slightly hitched. She went to speak, but Remus jumped in, already knowing what she was going to ask.
"It worked. The necklace has been destroyed. It's over. Everything's gonna be okay."
The tenseness in her body evaporated and she sunk into him, an emotional smile on her face.
"Promise?"
She whispered against his ear.
"I promise."
She couldn't believe it. It was finally over. She was free. The emotional current that she'd been holding in for so many weeks resurfaced and she started to cry from the relief. Remus pulled her in again and rocked her soothingly, while she let it all out.
"Didn't I tell you I'd catch you."
He uttered quietly. It was quite a while before she'd calmed herself down enough to talk again. And even then, Remus continued to hold her, until he was absolutely sure she'd gotten it all out of her system.
"Thanks."
She said almost sheepishly.
"You're welcome sleepy head. You know you've been asleep for over two days!"
"Guess I must have been tired."
"Well. Things can finally start getting back to normal."
She laughed for a moment. A joyous sound to Remus' ears.
"What exactly is normal?"
She asked. She finally felt lighter than she could ever remember. The weight that had been pressing down on her shoulders since she was eleven was gone.
"To be honest I'm not sure myself."
He laughed. Kaitlyn smiled but carried on.
"For as long as I can remember I've had all this hanging over my head – or should I say around my neck" Remus groaned, amusingly, at the lame joke. "If what I had was normal I don't want it anymore. I'm not going back to that. I don't want to go back to America. I want to stay here."
"I want you to stay here too. Hey, I have an idea." He smiled. "Why don't you do what you've always wanted to do. Fulfil your dream. Open an Apothecary. I know Hogsmeade could do with one."
A thoughtful look crossed her face, then a huge smile lit up her eyes.
"Remus, you're brilliant! That's a perfect idea!"
He returned the smile, a small longing look in his eyes. Picking up on the look, her smile turned to a smirk and she quickly leaned forwards and kissed him, catching him off guard. He didn't take long to return the kiss, their second sweet kiss. She gave him a satisfied smile as she pulled away.
"Remus, where do we stand?"
She questioned seriously.
"I don't know. I was going to let you decide. I didn't know if what we had was just because of...well, you know...or if there was something really there. What do you think?"
"Well...I like you, I more than like you. You're nice and kind...funny. Yeah, okay, werewolf, but...that's not all the time. And like I said, three days out of the month I'm not much fun to be around either."
"You are quite the human."
He said seriously, looking straight into her soul. She smiled, feeling self-conscious, and looked away, continuing the conversation to try and hide her embarrassment.
"And on the plus side – you'll have Wolfsbane whenever you needed it." He laughed. "So I'd still if...you'd still."
"I'd still. I'd very still!"
"Okay. No biting though."
"Agreed."
He chuckled.
"Now, do you think there's a chance of me getting up. I think I've had enough of beds for a while."
She joked. Remus laughed and stood up.
"I'll go and check with Poppy."
He headed off down the corridor and looked up at the ceiling for a moment.
"A werewolf in love. Bet you though you'd never hear that eh Sirius!"
He said looking through the ceiling at something
invisible, then headed into Poppy's office.
Kaitlyn watched him leave, then
looked around the wing. Things looked different somehow...brighter, cleaner.
The air was fresher and smells were stronger. Unless of course that was just
the horrible anaesthetic smell of the hospital wing that she'd gotten used to
before.
"Kaitlyn. Nice to see you awake at last. How are you feeling?"
Poppy asked.
"Fine. I feel fine."
She said sounding slightly amazed. She actually did feel okay. Physically and mentally. Okay, so her body ached a little from being stuck in that bed but it felt good – a good ache. Like she'd just done a huge workout. Poppy checked her forehead and pulse.
"Mm...well, you can get out of bed but you're not to leave the wing – and definitely no transfiguring!"
"Mm...this is sounding slightly familiar. Okay no transfiguring."
Poppy nodded an agreement.
"Keep an eye on her Remus."
She said before bustling back up to her office. Kaitlyn promptly swung her legs out of bed, then waited for Remus to give her a hand. He stepped in towards her and reached a hand out, his other hand moving around her back.
She stood slowly, swaying unsteadily, even though Remus had an arm around her waist to support her.
"You okay?"
"I feel very high up all of a sudden."
She joked.
"Up for a walk?"
"Of course. Not that there's far to walk."
He smiled, a small smile and slowly led her up the wing. She directed him across the room and to the window that looked out onto the grounds.
"It's been snowing!"
She realised.
"Yeah. It started a couple nights ago."
She looked out and watched the students running around, making snowmen and snow angels, and having snowball fights.
"When I'm allowed out – we're having a snowball fight, okay?"
He laughed.
"Okay. You're on. But I'll tell you now I'm quite good at it."
"Oh really?" She looked at him. "Well, be prepared to eat your words Professor Lupin."
"And prepare to eat some snow Miss Morgan."
He jokingly threatened back. She laughed, the threatening façade leaving her face, and leaned closer to him for a hug as she looked back out onto the grounds.
*****
Four days pass before Madam Pomfrey decided she was strong enough and healthy enough to leave the confines of the hospital wing and transfigure. In that time she'd received quite a few visitors as well – mostly teachers because the pupils hadn't yet been told of her recovery. Dumbledore had been the first, soon after Remus had left her for his lesson on the day she'd woken up. He'd wandered in, talking to himself, as if he was teaching a lesson or something. He walked up the whole length of the wing to where she was sitting, his hands gesturing as he spoke, staring forwards and mumbling something about 'snowballs and cold weather'.
"Professor?"
She asked, a little confused and worried that he might have actually lost his marbles.
"Ah Miss Morgan. I was just thinking about a seminar on the futility of snowballs and snowball fights. What do you think?"
For a moment she sat slightly wide eyed staring at him before she answered.
"I think it's fun."
"Yes, so do I. Completely futile and so cold...but fun all the same. Anyway, how are you feeling? Remus just informed me that you woke up a short time ago."
"I feel...lighter." Dumbledore understood her strange comment and merely gave a nod. "And I can remember what happened – all of it."
Dumbledore sat down on the chair, pulling out his wand, and with a flick of his wrist a tray with afternoon tea appeared next to him. He poured them both a cup of tea and handed her one. She thanked him, took a sip that seemed to warm her to her toes and launched into what she remembered from the dream.
He stayed with her, telling her everything that had happened during her stay in the tower, then left almost an hour later to let her rest. Plus he said he had a prior engagement with something fluffy, causing a bewildered look to cross her face.
McGonagall, Kingsley and Moody all made a quick visit during the afternoon but the most interesting and extraordinary visit was from Tonks, who'd come charging into the room saying something about only just finding out she'd woken, before tripping over her own feet with a Tonks like yelp and knocking herself out on the leg of the table nearest the door, causing her to have to stay in the wing for two days. On the plus side it gave them a lot of time to talk and finally get to know each other. Remus could be seen rolling his eyes when they got started on a girly topic.
It wasn't until the morning of the fourth day that Professor Snape finally got around to seeing her. He walked into the room as if he had a purpose, paused until his gaze found her, then marched up the room to her.
"Miss Morgan."
He acknowledged, folding his arms around his cloak defensively.
"Professor Snape. Always so formal aren't you. Can't you for once call me Kaitlyn? Miss Morgan makes me feel so old."
"I always refer to my pupils by Miss or Mr., Miss Morgan."
"I'm not your student anymore, 'Professor'."
"That's true. I suppose it's just respectful to refer to you as Miss Morgan, rather than your Christian name."
"You can say Kaitlyn you know. You have before."
"When?"
"That time...up in the tree in my back garden."
It took a moment for him to register when she meant.
"Ah, yes. Well, that was under certain circumstances – I had to get your attention somehow and Miss Morgan wasn't working."
"Say Kaitlyn."
She told him. He glared at her for a moment.
"...Kaitlyn..."
She smiled.
"That's better – did you just mention respect? Are you saying you respect me? Even after everything I said to you."
She looked a little shocked, she'd said so many awful things to him and he'd just taken it.
"You were the best student I ever had, Miss – oh if I must...'Kaitlyn'. I respected you for working hard in my lessons and succeeding, and making a career out of it. And besides, you weren't in your right mind when you said what you said. It's water under the bridge as they say."
"Thank you. That means a lot. Especially coming from you."
"Why should it mean more coming from me?"
"Well, one I was worse to you than anyone else watching me for some reason – maybe because you were pure-blood – I don't know. And also because you're rather stingy when it comes to handing out praise – especially to someone not from your house. You're more likely to hand out detentions or make certain peoples lives a misery."
Snape's eyes darted to the floor and Kaitlyn looked extremely shocked at the hurt she thought she'd seen in his look for that split second. Then they looked back up completely blank and she wasn't even sure she'd seen it in the first place or just made it up.
"Are you referring to the people who have no clue about potion brewing and always screw up?"
"I'm referring to the people who could be good or at least more successful if given a little encouragement. I'm sure you could see the improvement in them when I gave them the little encouragement they needed."
"I suppose so."
He said stonily.
"Then will you be a bit nicer to them? For me? Or if you can't be nice, just a little less harsh, or maybe just leave them alone completely...I'm sure you can't enjoy being horrible to people all the time. You always seem so cynical and unemotional. It must be hard to be 'you' 24/7."
"You don't know me. What I've had to put up with my whole life."
He said angrily. He didn't want her prying into his personal life.
"I can hazard a guess. You've been pushed aside and taunted pretty much your whole life. I can't relate to that, but I can relate to losing parents at a young age. I was lucky I made good friends who brought me back out of my shell somewhat, stopped me turning to what killed my parents in the first place, relating to the murderer if you will. But I can imagine that if my childhood had been different, if I was bullied and had hardly or no friends then I would have ended up turning into a cynical, unemotional being."
*Why the hell does Ms. Morgan have to read so far into my soul? She knows me too well, she is touching on all the little points that make me want to tell her things.*
"I suppose I could make life a 'little' easier for them. Mind, I wouldn't be doing it for them."
She smiled again.
"Thank you."
He gave a small bow.
"I'm glad you're looking better...Kaitlyn."
And before she could reply he was gone.
That afternoon Remus was back after his first year lesson, and Poppy came over for her regular check-up. After a few moments she looked up smiling.
"Well, I'd say your fit enough to leave...and maybe even transfigure for a bit."
"Really?"
Kaitlyn looked shocked at the sudden turnabout. That morning she'd been told she still looked pale and peaky looking. Poppy nodded.
"You sure?"
"It is my job to know these things, yes."
Kaitlyn smiled, turned to Remus with the same mischievous grin on her face and promptly ran down the corridor to the big window, opened it and transfigured, flying straight out into the open. Remus ran after her and watched her flying away, smiling.
Soaring out into the Winter's afternoon, the finally free Hawk headed over to the Quidditch pitch where two small figures were flying. Seeing that the two zooming blurs were Harry and Ron she soared over.
"Harry look!"
Ron shouted, noticing first. Harry paused mid throw of the quaffle and looked to where Ron was pointing.
"Kaitlyn!"
He yelled, happy that she was okay. The Hawk flew around the stationary figures before flying down to where Hermione was looking up. Then they watched as she flew away and towards the greenhouses and Hagrid's hut.
"Guess she's feeling better."
Ron said to Harry as he flew up beside him.
"I guess so."
Harry said with a smile.
Kaitlyn soared to the greenhouses and, spotting Neville waving up at her, she flew down for a moment, around his head, then carried on her lap of the school grounds. Nearing the end f her journey she spotted Hagrid outside his hut and she flew down and landed behind him, transfiguring back.
"Hey Hagrid."
Hagrid jumped a mile – a surprising feat for someone his size – and turned around.
"Kaitlyn!" He smiled. "It's great 't see you're up n' 'bout!"
He gave her a huge hug.
"Hagrid – need to breath..."
"Oh sorry."
He pulled away.
"How long you been out?"
"Just finished a lap of the school. I was just heading back to the hospital wing when I spotted you. Thought I'd come and say hi."
He gave her a smile through his beard.
"So the necklace is gone? You're 'kay now?"
"I'm completely back to normal."
"Tha's good."
"Anyway – I'd better get back to Remus. I left him in the hospital wing."
"You know, you two make a great couple."
Kaitlyn blushed.
"I'll come and see you later."
She gave him another brief hug, transfigured back into a Hawk and flew up to the hospital wing.
Remus stepped back as she flew in through the window, and landed on his shoulder, nestling up to his neck. He smiled and stroked a finger down her breast feathers as he walked back towards her room.
*****
The next day, a Thursday, Kaitlyn persuaded Poppy to let her take a trip into Hogsmeade with Remus and Tonks to have a look at the vacant properties she could buy for her shop. There were two she particularly liked and she decided to give it some thought before making a decision, both had their merits – one had a great open space downstairs but the upstairs wasn't too good, and the other was the other way around. It all debated on how much work she wanted to do to them.
She was also told that as long as she had a sort of escort, she could leave Hogwarts for a while and go wherever she wished within reason. So, that Saturday she floo'd to St. Mungo's with To9nks to visit Alice and Frank. The visit shocked her more than she ever thought it would. They were mere shells of the people she once knew, barely recognising her, and offering her random pieces of paper and empty wrappers. She sat there all morning and through lunch talking to them while they vaguely listened. By the end of the visit, she felt rather drained, but a small hope rose when Alice took hold of her face, and stared into her eyes for a moment before giving a vacant smile and shuffling back to her bed.
That afternoon when she got back she left Tonks and headed straight out into the grounds, telling Tonks she didn't feel like joining her for a late lunch.
*****
Remus, who had been wandering the school and grounds all morning, was still ambling when Kaitlyn returned. He'd needed to think and clear his head and he found walking did that. He had something to say to Kaitlyn and he didn't know how to say it. He'd wanted to say it ever since she'd woken up but he could never find the right time or place. So, he decided that when he saw her next he'd just tell her – he'd come right out with it. Looking up from kicking at the grass he saw Kaitlyn standing under the oak tree by the lake, and he realised that now was the time.
Kaitlyn was standing in the cold air, holding her cloak wrapped tightly around her and was staring out at the ripples on the lake. Being quite warm himself from the walking, he moved up behind her and slid an arm in the crook of hers. She jumped slightly.
"Hey."
He smiled.
"What are you doing out here?"
She asked him.
"Took a walk, figured I'd find you at some point. Are you okay?"
"Yeah. I was just thinking."
She said as she shivered slightly. She turned into him, hugging him around the waist, her head against his shoulder. He put his arms around her and rocked her slightly.
"About what?"
"Alice and Frank. What life would have been like if I'd have lived with them. I'd have known you longer for a start." Remus smiled at that. "It's not fair. What happened to Alice and Frank – it wasn't fair. Not on them, on Neville...on me..."
She stayed silent for a moment, Remus let her stay with her thoughts. He merely held her to him.
"I hate Voldemort. I hate what he's done. The lives he's destroyed, the family's torn apart, I hate him."
Remus could see exactly where she was coming from, and his heart skipped a beat as she sighed.
"I've got to say something." He blurted out, and pulled her back, holding her shoulder and looking into her eyes. "Because I don't think I've made it obvious. I'm in love with you. Powerfully, painfully in love. The things you do...the way you think...the way you move...I get excited every time I'm about to see you. You've made me feel like I've never felt before in my life. Like a man. I just wanted you to know."
He released her shoulders and dropped his arms down to his side. She stared at him, shocked at the confession. She didn't know what to say.
They stood staring at each other for ages. Remus started to look uncomfortable at her silence.
"Say something..."
He pleased.
"I-I don't know what to say..."
Remus looked unsure and scared that he'd just made the biggest mistake of his life. He looked down at his hands.
"All I know...is that I want to kiss you into oblivion right now."
He looked up at her shocked and relieved.
"Oh Remus..."
She leaned in, her arms going around his neck and planted her lips on his. His head swan with the sensation and he pulled her in close and kissed her back. They stayed that way for so long that the cold started to seep through their clothes and under their skin. Remus felt Kaitlyn shiver and he pulled away.
"Maybe we should get into the warmth. Professor Flitwick was going to start decorating the Christmas trees this afternoon – want to go and help?"
"Yeah, sounds like fun."
She smiled. He took her hand and they strode off towards the castle."
The End. (Only kidding!) Hope you enjoyed this chapter. There's more to come shortly. (Just as soon as I finish writing it!)