*~* Chapter Nine: . . . And Nothing but the Truth *~*

"This case for the custody of Kayleigh Determan shall now come order," a plump wizard said, tapping a gavel against a wooden block. KayKay, Dumbledore, Remus, Headmistress O'Connor, the evil Social Worker, and what must have been their lawyer were all in a simple room with two tables, KayKay, Dumbledore, and Remus at one, and O'Connor, the Social Worker, and the lawyer at the other. KayKay's first impression was that being in a real courtroom, like all the ones seen in movies, would be much cooler.

Then she remembered that those courtrooms were used for Federal Cases such as rape and murder, and was suddenly quite glad that this was simply a Civil Case.

Murder wasn't very high on her to-do list.

"Meredith O'Connor? I see that you have been Kayleigh's Headmistress for most of five years. Have you any other relation to her?" the judge addressed, getting right down to business.

"Your Honor, it is my every hope that each student I look after feels that they can come to me if ever—"

"Just answer the question." He prompted impatiently.

"No, Your Honor," she said, blushing a bit.

He then asked a similar question of the Social Worker.

"No Your Honor, nothing but my job connects myself to Kayleigh—"

"I object to that, Your Honor."

The movement was entirely in unison; everyone swiveled their heads to look at Matt, whom had just entered the room and was walking leisurely up the aisle.

"Forgive me for being late, I had some difficulty finding the room." Matt apologized, sliding into an open seat at KayKay's table.

"And your name is?"

"Matthew! What are you doing!?" the Social Worker asked over the judge.

"Sorry Atticus, but sides are different here." Matt said, barely even glancing at his older brother.

"Young man! What is your name?"

" 'Sides are different here'? What are you talking about? You don't even know this girl!"

"Order, order!" the judge insisted, hitting his gavel against his desk more ferociously, "Young man . . ."

"That's what you think, Atticus." Matt replied simply, looking up at the ceiling innocently. Atticus slammed his hands flat on the table, pulling himself up and toppling his chair just as easily.

"Now you listen here!" he said furiously, pointing at Matt with a finger shaking from anger. "This is not some child's game, Matthew! You may want to be a lawyer, but there are some things you cannot do, and this is one of them!"

"Is that so, Atticus?" Matt retorted, eyes flashing as he stood up.

"Mr. Siempre, sit down! You too, young man!"

They didn't listen, of course. What person would is such a situation?

"Atticus, this has nothing to do with games and vocations! This has to do with my part as a witness and guardian to KayKay!" Matt yelled, staring daggers at his older brother who was doing the same to him.

"I have had enough! The guardianship of this girl is left to the Ministry to which she belongs." The judge announced, raising his gavel.

Every person on KayKay's side froze and KayKay herself practically dove across the table, exclaiming, "Your Honor, you can't!"

"I can, young lady, and I shall. I am certainly not going to leave you in the guardianship of someone not of age." He said, preparing again to knock the gavel against the block.

"Your Honor, Matt is not one who we ever considered being my guardian!" KayKay pleaded, putting her hand over the wooden block and, as a result, getting her hand hit with a gavel. She seemed not to notice at all though, and she looked up at the judge, silently begging for him to listen. Everyone was still frozen, watching the impeding scene. KayKay dared not breathe.

Slowly, the judge set the gavel aside and KayKay pulled her hand away, letting it drop to her side.

"Men, please seat yourselves. Miss Determan, I ask the same of you. Now," the judge said as the three returned to their places, "young man, you must tell me who you are before we go any further."

"I'm Matthew Siempre." KayKay kicked him from under the table and he hastily added, "Your Honor."

"Matthew Siempre . . . are you a relation of Atticus Siempre, over here?" he inquired, motioning to Atticus.

"Yes Your Honor, he is my older brother."

"And your connection with Kayleigh Determan is . . .?"

"I'm her—"

"Your honor, he is the youth mentioned in the case file, who looked out for Kayleigh during the summer months." Dumbledore said quickly. Matt and KayKay exchanged glances. Dumbledore must have had an important reason not to let the judge know that the two teens were acquaintances.

"Very well, then. Let us pick up again where we left off. Remus Lupin, you are requesting guardianship?"

"Yes, Your Honor," was the simple answer.

"I see also that you are a Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," he continued, looking down at a paper in his hand. "Is that correct?"

"Yes, Your Honor."

"It also says here that you are a Werewolf."

"That is correct, Your Honor."

The judge set the paper down and took of his glasses, studying Remus wearily. "You do understand that your chances at winning this case are significantly lower, I hope."

Remus replied that yes, he did know that, and so began the hard part of the trial. The two sides bantered back and forth for the better part of an hour, and with each clean retort from the opposing lawyer, KayKay's hopes drooped lower and lower. Matt was right . . . he truly was one of the best lawyers she'd heard. Not that she'd heard many, mind you.

And that wasn't to say that Dumbledore was bad. He was a brilliant man, and while KayKay couldn't figure out his strategy, it was clear that he had one. KayKay simply prayed that it would be enough.

When both sides had finally talked all the talk they needed, the five most agonizing minutes of recess ever began. KayKay was almost to the point of throwing up from worry when the judge cleared his throat to read his verdict.

"After much deliberation . . ." KayKay was at the edge of her seat, " . . . I have reached . . ." goodness, could he talk any slower? " . . . a verdict . . ."

She would cry if she had to live in an orphanage. She would cry if she got to live with Remus.

Tears were funny things.

As she began thinking, her eyes were already watering. Their defense was too weak . . . the judge would see no reason that living with Remus would be better for her.

"The Ministry presents rational points on why Kayleigh Determan should live in an orphanage . . ."

Oh God, they had lost. They had lost. How could they lose!? This wasn't fair, it wasn't supposed to happen this way, they weren't supposed to lose!

"However . . ."

KayKay had let her head drop to the table in defeat, but upon that one word . . . that one, beautiful word . . . her head shot back up.

" . . . It is the decision of this court that the girl Kayleigh Determan be placed in the guardianship of her uncle, Remus Lupin. Case dismissed."

The gavel came down with a loud crack, and KayKay flew from her seat, hugging Remus ecstatically as her eyes blurred with tears of joy.

"But . . . you can't . . . HE'S A WEREWOLF!" Professor O'Connor screeched at the judge in fury.

"And you," he replied, "are a very annoying woman. I bid you farewell." With this, he stood and left.

Matt tapped KayKay on the shoulder and she spun quickly, grabbing and almost strangling him in a hug. He hugged back, and when KayKay looked into his eyes, his happiness for her shone brightly.

"I'm so glad that you won the case," he told her as the four left the room. "I was worried for a while there though . . ."

"You were worried? I almost threw up by the end there . . ."

They all laughed, KayKay the loudest.

"I was thinking last night," he said, quiet enough for only her to hear, "of how I said I would miss you. I still would, if that's what you're thinking, but I knew that this was where I hoped you would end up. This is where you belong. With Remus . . ." he looked sideways at her, " . . . and Harry."

"With . . . but how did you know?" KayKay asked in absolute shock. Matt simply waved his hand.

"That doesn't matter, what matters is that now you can be here where you belong, not over there, across the ocean, where you'll be miserable the rest of your life."

KayKay tried to speak, found she couldn't, whimpered in an inarticulate fashion, and gave Matt a hug of gratitude.

"Come on slowpokes, it's time for that victory celebration!" Remus called to them, his eyes positively alight with happiness. Matt and KayKay quickly caught up with Dumbledore and Remus, Flooed beck to Remus's home, and took turns playing KayKay's guitar, talking, laughing, playing games, and eating the cookies KayKay baked, which she ended up needing to whip up more of.

Matt, at one point, oddly requested the use of some paper and an owl. KayKay decided not to ask, simply requesting that it not be to someone about her winning the case, she wanted it to be surprise.

Overall, a perfect day.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Harry Potter,

You don't know me . . . well, perhaps you do, technically. My name is Matt Siempre, and I spoke to you last night, although it was for just a moment. You may wonder why I am writing you a letter . . . I know I'm wondering . . . but there are a few things that I think you need to know.

The first is that my comments last night were only jokes. KayKay and I have never been anything more than friends. No, I won't say I didn't want us to be more than friends . . . but KayKay would never want us to date. I haven't pressured her about it much, but just so that you know this and just so that she doesn't feel responsible, I have given her a kiss on the cheek.

Wow, you know you're getting mature when you admit these kinds of things to people who could hate you for it.

I'm not exactly sure when I realized trying to have a relationship with KayKay was a lost cause . . . there were plenty of signs, I'm sure. But what made it really clear was when you spoke to her last night. Most girls I know would be really ticked off, and maybe it sounded that way when you read her comments, but if you had seen the wistful smile on her face as she wrote . . . she's pretty much stuck on you. I casually asked if you were her boyfriend and if you'd kill me for my comment. She uncomfortably said no, but her eyes were yelling, "Yeah! He is! And I can't see him! This stinks!"

Also, please don't ask when I became so god at reading body language. Most people, if I say anything like this, kind of assume that I . . . well . . . swing that way, if you know what I mean. But knowing body language is very handy for lawyers, which is what I'm wishing to become . . .

I'm also good at stalling, as you can tell already.

But returning to the point of my letter, I wanted you to know how lucky you are. Girls like KayKay are in short supply, and it's hard to see this awesome love she has for you go to waste. So please, drop me a line when and if you two get back together. It'll let me know that the humiliation I'm going through while writing this humbling letter was for a great cause.

Matt.

Harry read the letter a second and then a third time as he walked down the hallway Tuesday evening after classes. Megan, Hermione, and Ron were deep in discussion and didn't seem to notice his pensive disposition.

So, this Matt guy was writing Harry a letter to tell him . . . what? That KayKay still loved him and he needn't fear her falling for someone else?

If that wasn't it, then what? That he hoped they'd get together again, even if it were years from now?

An odd thing for someone to say . . . especially someone who liked KayKay.

Was he bluffing? Being sarcastic? Rubbing it in Harry's face? This letter raised more questions than it answered!

Suddenly, instinctively, Harry's head snapped up and away from the letter in his hand and he stopped walking. Someone was coming out of Dumbledore's office . . . oh, it was just Remus and the Headmaster. Or was it?

"It can't be . . ."

"Harry? What's the matter, you look like you've seen a ghost." Megan commented lightly, coming up beside him. She followed his line of vision and was suddenly in as much shock as he at the sight of the girl walking away down the hall beside Remus. "No way."

"KayKay . . .?" Harry whispered in disbelief. Then he shouted, "KayKay!"

The head turned quickly, searching for who had shouted. Her eyes met Harry, and the smile on her face shone as brightly as her joyful eyes as she ran back to meet him. He started forward to meet her, and his arms caught her tightly as she met him in a flurry of laughter that transformed into shrieks of joy when he picked her up and spun her around, the letter he'd been reading falling out of his hand. As he set her back down gently, Harry wondered if he was dreaming and considered asking someone to pinch him, but that proved to be unnecessary when KayKay hastily pressed her lips to his before turning and giving Megan a warm hug.

Oh yeah. He was definitely awake.

"KayKay . . . what are you doing here?" Hermione asked, joining the reception.

"Well, what other wizarding school would I go to if I lived in England? Duh." She said, an ecstatic grin on her face.

"You what?!" Megan shrieked, clutching KayKay excitedly by the forearms.

"Does that mean you had a custody trial?" Ron asked, still seeming struck dumb at the sight of the old friend. KayKay simply nodded energetically.

"Yesterday morning. Oh!" KayKay practically rolled her eyes in awe, "Dumbledore is brilliant! Our chances were like this," she held up her thumb and forefinger with a tiny gap between them, "but BAM! Something he said must have convinced that judge. Ooh, the look on O'Connor's face . . ."

Megan grinned. "O'Connor was mad?"

"Furious! I snuck out right under her nose. I made a game of annoying her at meetings with my Social Worker, so she all too gladly made me wait in the hall. Idiot. Like I wouldn't run away!" KayKay said wickedly. Then, looking around at the group, she asked, "Why are we all standing here? I'm starving, come on, let's go get dinner!"

She tugged at Harry's arm and got the caravan of friends moving. Ron and Hermione exchanged surprised glances at KayKay's enthusiasm, and walked along quickly.

KayKay's foot brushed against something on the floor, and she bent down to pick it up.

"Harry, you dropped . . . hang on . . ." she scanned he letter, eyes widening as she took it in. Motioning to it, she asked Harry, "He . . .?"

"Yes."

"Are you . . .?" KayKay feared he would be mad at her.

"No"

"Did you know. . .?"

"No. Did you?"

"I didn't think I did. But now . . ." KayKay finally realized how she'd still felt.

"Of course . . ."

"Did you . . .?"

"No." Harry answered without hesitation. He could never date someone else so soon.

"So you haven't . . .?"

"Never. Did you?" Oh, what if she had moved on? What if she was nearly over him, or worse, if she'd realize that what she'd wished for wasn't as she remembered?

Smiling widely, KayKay wrapped her arms behind his neck in a hug, she answered, "Never."

These two young souls had understood every word said . . . and those words that weren't. That was more than could be said for others.

"Did either of you follow that?" Megan whispered to Ron and Hermione.

"I have no idea what they're talking about." Hermione said under her breath.

"Ugh" Megan said, holding a hand to her head.

"I agree, they're making me sick too" Ron nodded, stopping as soon as Harry and KayKay looked at him.

"No, it's not that, I just have a really bad headache all of a sudden." Megan said with a wince, rubbing her temples.

"It's probably from all the excitement," KayKay said sympathetically.

"Megan, why don't you just go lie down or something? Quidditch practice won't do any good if you're fighting a migraine," Ron said, clapping her on the shoulder and turning her back down the hall towards Gryffindor Tower.

"Yeah . . . thanks Ron." Megan said distractedly.

"That stinks . . . so Quidditch practice, huh? Mind if I go down and watch?" KayKay said, turning her attention back to the rest of the group as they continued to the Great Hall.

"Not a bit! Uh, that is, if Ron doesn't mind. It is his decision." Harry added hastily, looking at his friend.

"Why would I mind? She's still a Gryffindor, isn't she? That's good enough for me!"

"Well, look at what the cat dragged in." cruel voice sneered.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

" . . . I see then that they'll let anyone in here. Even a filthy, preppy, mudblood like you." Madison continued loftily.

KayKay threw her arm out to the side and caught Harry by the chest to stop him. He'd been starting forward, and if looks could kill . . . Madison would be Mongolian Barbecue. Harry threw a look at KayKay, but upon seeing her undaunted expression he softened and resorted to clenching his fists.

"Hello Jacobs. I would say it was nice to see you again, but I learned long ago not to waste my courtesy on you." KayKay said coolly. "Enjoyed the rest of Boot Camp, did you?"

"Oh of course, but I was very disappointed that I didn't get my chance to bump you off of that cliff. Most of us were. We'd have been doing the world such a favor. Oh well, I suppose I'll have to settle for the more mediocre form of a fight, muggle style, since I'm sure that's all you'd know how to do, if anything. Unless, of course, you're chicken." Madison said, gaining ferocity, and taking her bookbag off of her shoulder and dropping it to the ground, stepping back in a defensive stance.

KayKay looked at the bag, and then at Madison with an air of superiority. She glanced at Harry and wasn't surprised to see him ready to pounce and separate the two if anything happened. She was surprised to see Ron looking much the same, however.

"What, can't you take it, Determan? Come on you pansy, you owe me and the rest of the world a chance to get rid of you."

KayKay, composure never once lost, stepped over to Madison and grabbed the front of her robes in a fist.

"I owe you nothing." She hissed. "Now start acting your age. It's only a coward that tries to settle things in a fight."

Her bit said, KayKay shoved Madison away and turned, continuing her way down the hall like this altercation had never taken place.

"Someday, Determan!" Madison shouted after her. "Someday you'll end up like the rest of your pathetic, muggle family! I just hope I'm around to see it!"

"Don't worry about it." KayKay said to Harry, who still had enough anger on his face for the both of them. "Not to use a cliché, but she's all bark and no bite. I just embarrassed her dignity back there by being a bigger person. Sure, I wanted to knock a few of her teeth out, but . . ."

She looked at him and grinned wickedly, "I'll wait until it's not my first day back to do that."

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

At practice, Harry normally felt lighter and unburdened compared to his normal worries that were always present on the ground, but today, he didn't need to be on a broom for his heart to soar. He felt so much more cheery, just looking over at KayKay in the stands and realizing that he wasn't asleep.

"Okay, that's it for tonight guys! Just a few more practices like this, and Ravenclaw won't stand a chance!" Ron called out to his teammates. Chattering lightly as they dismounted their brooms, the Gryffindor Team headed into the locker room to change. The sun was almost set, and Harry was just going to do a few more laps before it was dark . . .

"Hey, Harry!" KayKay called up to him, "Why don't you come down?"

Harry looked at her standing there below him on the Pitch and replied, "Why don't you come up?"

So saying, he dove sharply and leveled out close to the ground, heading towards KayKay at a slightly reduced speed.

"No . . . Harry . . . don't . . . Harry!"

KayKay emitted a small "Eep!" and buried her face in Harry's robes as he pulled her onto the broom and took off again, laughing wildly.

Harry, really, I have this . . . phobia of flying!" KayKay exclaimed, holding him so tightly that it was a surprise he could breathe.

Harry smiled down at her. "Now why would that be? You've climbed trees higher than this."

KayKay peeked down at the ground, and even though they were only six feet up, she hid her face again.

"I don't care, it's different!" she said in a muffled voice. "Trees don't fly."

"Then don't look down" Harry said, nudging her gently. "Look up at the sky."

The sun was now set, and the sky was streaked with clouds and colors fairer than those of any painter's brush. For early November it was unseasonably warm, and a light breeze made the trees sway gently. KayKay looked around slowly, then sat up a bit straighter, loosening her death grip on Harry, who immediately relaxed, having a normal oxygen intake reinstated.

"See? I'll make you a flyer yet." Harry joked, coming to rest lightly in the Astronomy Tower.

KayKay nodded, looking pensive, and with a sigh she sat down on the ledge and hugged her knees to her chest.

"Is something wrong?" Harry inquired, settling down next to her with his legs dangling over the edge.

"It's nothing." KayKay said dismissively, looking up at the sky. "Really." She assured when Harry opened his mouth to further press the subject. The pair thus sat in silence for a few minutes, watching the sky as it slowly changed from a pink and lavender to violet, and then a deep blue with a sprinkling of stars. KayKay shifted her position to one not unlike Harry's. Her hand was resting a few inches from his, and he considered taking it in his own. It was normally a gesture he wouldn't second-guess, but after not seeing her for months, after the changes that may have happened, did he dare?

He decided he did. KayKay's looked down quickly in surprise, but didn't comment on this change of situation.

Harry took this as a good sign.

"KayKay," he said softly, "Do you know what day it is?"

"Ummm . . . Tuesday?" she answered uncomfortably.

"No. Well yes, it is, but it's also something else. It was one year ago today that we met each—"

"Oh, Harry!" KayKay exclaimed in despair, standing up. "What are we doing?"

Now Harry was the one who answered uncomfortably, "Uh . . . sitting in the Astronomy Tower?"

"No, no, no!" she shouted, putting a hand on her forehead in exasperation. "I mean, what are we trying to do here?" she began pacing, looking up at the sky as if saying, "Why me?"

"Harry, I'm only here because I got lucky and didn't wind up in an orphanage when Joe and Sue died! Voldemort won't give up on trying to get me, and what if Remus died? I'd be back to facing cows and cornfields, and . . . and . . . Amish stores!"

"Amish . . . stores . . .?"

"Harry, we talked about Forever last year, but Summer came, I left, we drifted different ways. Harry . . ." she whirled around and faced him straight, "What if Forever never comes? Sure, we can hope to run into each other once we're of age and all, but how likely is it? A crossing of paths at something like the Quidditch World Cup and a double take as we think, 'Hey, was that Harry?' would be the most likely scenario!"

"KayKay . . ."

"Harry . . ." her voice broke, and she tried again, "Harry, we can't . . . we shouldn't . . . what if something happens? I can't lose you again, I just can't!"

Harry crossed to her quickly and placed his hands on her shoulders, watching her glistening eyes with sadness.

"I . . . I just can't . . ." KayKay tried and faltered, letting her head fall against Harry's chest. He shook her shoulders gently.

"Look KayKay," he said, "look up at the sky. Do you see all those stars?"

Sniffling, KayKay looked up, the many sprinkles of light refracted in her eyes. "Yeah?"

He cradled her chin gently and brought it down so she'd look him in the eyes. "KayKay? I promise you . . . I swear by every star in the sky . . . that Forever will come. Even if I need to search the whole world after we've gone different ways. I won't lose you. Not now. Not ever" he told her affirmatively.

The look of pure love and gratitude she gave him made his heart soar just as much as the sensation of her hand sliding into his and the gentle kiss she set on his lips.

"I take thee at thy word," she quoted Shakespeare. "And," she added, "I promise the same to you."

Giving him another quick kiss, she turned and left, pausing with her hand on the doorknob.

"And by the way . . ." she smiled, "Happy Anniversary. It was one year ago today that I fell for you."

She shut the door softly behind her, and Harry could hear her staccato footsteps traveling down the stairway. When they had faded to nothing, Harry tightened the hand that was still warm from hers, and it was then that he noticed it.

A piece of folded parchment was in his hand. KayKay must have given it to him when she held is hand, and he hadn't even noticed. Unfolding it, he recognized it immediately as the letter he had first written to KayKay, while she was still at Escondito. He wondered what it was for when he noticed the change. At the bottom, it still said, "What about the day you flew beck to America? What does that count for?", but now, there was an answer scrawled underneath in KayKay's handwriting.

Nothing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hi there again. Well, school is underway as is homework, play practice, dance, and Youth Group. I'm still trying to barrel through this story while not botching it up, my goal is to finish by Christmas *cough* yeah right *cough*.

And so, thanks for the review, Bacardibob. I'm sorry that I don't particularly remember you *sheepish blush* but were you on a different screen name? Maybe? *grins hopefully so she doesn't seem like a total dolt*