A/N: Boy, I didn't expect to have such a split down the middle. Some of you liked the idea of Katlin going to see Dumbledore, others did not. For further comments see the Q&A section.
Oh, and folks, I would like to voice something on behalf of one of my poor, berated characters, who hasn't seen so much prejudging since you guys wanted to lynch Aaron Richards. WHY are you so set on assuming Charly is a bad person? What has he done to earn that?
*Hand goes up in the back* He's allied himself with a Deatheater Elite for starts?
O.K.. Fair point. But look at it this way. He did that because it was the only way he saw to keep his partner alive. And Charly did not ally himself with Treaks. He was partnered with him by the wizard in the north. NOT Charly's choice, folks.
So, folks, all I'm saying is remember the Aaron Richards incident, O.K.?
Also, Katlin going to Dumbledore is not a random act on my part, folks. It figures into later stories. (See, there really is a plot!)
So, Happy New Year, everybody!
And as always,
Enjoy.
Disclaimer: For my New Year's Resolution I resolve to try and concentrate on only original work and to try and stop writing fanfict.........phfffft! Who am I kidding? Plagiarism hoooooooooooooo!
So back to my original disclaimer. Phfffft! Ha! Prove it!
Chapter Twenty-Nine: Seeking The Truth
Katlin slowly approached the gates to Hogwarts Castle. She had never been anywhere even near the place in her life. Looking up at it she felt the imposing nature of its huge monolithic towers and stone walls.
But even as she approached it, the castle seemed to reach out to her. To embrace her with a sort of warmth and welcome. She carefully fingered her pendent as she walked through the gates. Orion had once told her the pendant's charm would get her past the wards around the castle where no other Deatheater baring the Dark Mark would be able to pass. Much as it got her past the wards around his home. She felt a light tremor run through her body, but she was allowed to enter unharmed.
She slowly walked across the grounds, asking herself over and over what she was doing there. What did she hope to accomplish? To what end? Briefly she looked over the grounds around her. Everything was green and lush. Bright flowers bloomed in an open field whose brilliant colors could even be seen in the light of the nearly full moon.
Katlin wrapped her arms tighter about herself. She had made it onto the grounds. But how was she ever going to get into the castle itself?
"Here! Who's there?" A booming voice called out behind her.
Katlin nearly jumped right out of her skin. As she turned about to answer the call, she wondered how distracted she must truly be to have missed the towering figure approaching from her left side.
"What's your business here?" The man asked as he approached her, towering over Katlin by a good three feet or more.
Katlin had to find her voice before she could answer. "I....I've come to see the Headmaster." She finally managed to say.
"Professor Dumbledore didn't mention that he was 'spectin' nobody."
"I don't exactly have an appointment." Katlin replied.
"Not likely tah see the Headmaster neither." the man replied. "'E's likely off tah bed by now."
Katlin frowned. The man was not being helpful in the least. If anything, he was simply delaying her. "I've come a very long way to see him." She tried explaining. "I'm sure he'll see me."
"You'll have tah come back in the mornin'. Castle's closed up fer the night."
Katlin furrowed her brow. Morning was too late for her. She had to see the old wizard tonight.
"Look, Mr........?"
"Everyone just calls me Hagrid."
Katlin gave the man a tight lipped smile. "Very well..., Mr. Hagrid. In my robes I have a wand. If I pull it out, I assure you there will be.....difficulties."
The man had taken a few steps back as soon as she had started speaking. "Here now! Threats is it?! We'll just be seein' 'bout that."
But before the man made any further move, Katlin noted that he stopped himself, his gaze shifting quickly past her.
"Is there a problem, Hagrid?" A quiet, rasping voice asked from the darkness.
Katlin turned about abruptly to find herself practically face to face with a tall, thin, whimsical looking old wizard.
"Headmaster." Hagrid exclaimed. "This woman here said she needed to see you. Started makin' threats if I didn't take her to you."
The old wizard gave Katlin a gentle smile. "I'm sure there'll be no need for that, Miss Griss."
"You know me?" Katlin asked.
"Indeed. Your.....fame proceeds you, as am I sure it does in most instances."
"A cold comfort." Katlin replied formally.
"Well, I'm sure whatever matter brings you here must be of importance. And I'd be most happy to see you in my office if you'd care to follow me."
Katlin began to follow the old wizard, but he abruptly stopped and turned back to her. "I am afraid, however, I am going to have to ask you to turn your wand over to Hagrid. It won't be allowed inside the castle."
Katlin paused, her fingers tightening about her wand again. She felt positively naked without the thin sheath of wood somewhere on her person. But as she weighed surrendering her wand against the reason she had come to see the old wizard, she slowly found herself pulling it from her robes and handing it over to the large man on her left.
Dumbledore gave her a reassuring smile. "Hagrid will take good care of it." He told her.
Katlin said nothing to the half-giant. But instead gave him a very piercing look that warned him he had best do as the old wizard promised.
As soon as they got to the Headmaster's office, Katlin practically collapsed into the seat in front of his desk. She started talking before Dumbledore had even taken his own seat.
"I didn't come to cause you any trouble." Katlin began. "Nor did I come to cause any harm."
Dumbledore gave her a warm, pleasant smile. "And why would I suspect you came meaning either?"
"You know who I am." Katlin answered. "You know what I am."
"Yes." Dumbledore answered patiently.
"Then how can you imagine I came for any other purpose than on some mission from...from Voldemort?"
"Because I doubted very much, Ms. Griss, you would have come by way of the front door if you did. And since we have, in my opinion, established you did not, then perhaps we can get on to the reason you are here."
Katlin paused for a moment, thinking how to approach the old wizard. "Voldemort," she finally began, pleased to see Dumbledore did not flinch at the name as so many others were given to do, "has always told me that you were a very old, very knowledgeable wizard. The only wizard he knows of that was almost as powerful as himself. I have a question that I felt only he could answer, but that I can't take to him. Therefore, I reasoned, that the next best place to go was to the person nearly his equal in knowledge and power. That perhaps you could answer the question for me."
"If I can help you, Katlin," Dumbledore answered mildly, "I will. What is your question?"
Katlin took a deep breath. "I was told recently, by someone I trusted completely, that.....that someone I love, and care about a great deal......has betrayed me. That they have lied to me, destroyed my life, and manipulated me for years for their own goals."
"If you trust the person who told you this information, why did you come to me?" Dumbledore asked her gently.
"Because people are known, with the best of intentions, to be wrong." She replied. "But you have lived a very long time. You would have lived when this incident occurred. Perhaps you heard of it. You also know the people involved. Know their capabilities and demeanors." Katlin paused as she stared at the old wizard across the desk. "I need to know if what I was told was the truth."
"I think you credit me with more than is warranted." Dumbledore replied. "But as I said, I will help you if I can. Who are the people involved?"
"I am one," Katlin answered, "the other is the Auror, Orion Black, and the third.....is Lord Voldemort."
Dumbledore showed no surprise to anyone on Katlin's list. "Go on." He said simply.
Katlin recounted the story of what had happened at her village so very long ago to the old wizard. She then told him the information Orion had given her, struggling to make it through to the end. She closed with her own view of things.
"I simply don't know who to believe." Katlin ended finally. "Orion has never lied to me. But nor do I know that Voldemort has ever done so either. I simply can not imagine he would do such a thing. I can never imagine he would do such a thing. Killing my parents just to get to me. I wasn't that special. I was an ordinary witch. Not powerful. Not extraordinary. When it came to spells, I wasn't even that good. Why would he have done such a thing to get to me? I wasn't anyone special."
"I am sorry, child." The old wizard told her. "Where as your story is very sad, I have no knowledge of it myself, and therefore can not tell you if it is the truth or not. If you would like, I can check into the story for you. See if there are others who might know anything of the events."
Katlin paused, staring at her hands. "I don't even know if I want to know the truth." She said softly. After a few moments she turned her stare back to Dumbledore. "What if it is? Voldemort has been my family for all these years. Without him, I would have died. He has taken care of me, loved me, and protected me all my life after the death of my parents. He was the only one who cared. He asked nothing of me. He never asked, or demanded I become a Deatheater. That I serve him in return for what he had done for me. The choice was my own." Katlin turned back to her hands. "I don't know what I would do if I found out it was the truth." Her voice fell to nearly a whisper. "What if it is true? What if I am responsible for it all. All because he wanted me? My parents....my friends...my village....my home......all destroyed because of me."
"Katlin."
Katlin turned back to the old wizard.
"I don't know if I can answer your questions, child. And if I can, I can't promise you the answer will be the one you want. But there is one thing I can tell you now. That I can promise you without question."
Katlin looked up expectantly.
"Whatever happened in your village all those years ago...., whatever happened to your parents, or your friends, or your life, it was not your fault."
"You are wrong." The words were harsh and cold.
"How could you be?" Dumbledore ask her. "You had no control over anything that happened according to what you told me."
"It happened because of who I was. Because of what I was."
"And you couldn't change any of that. If Voldemort chose you, and took you from your parents based on some ability he saw in you that he wished to possess, how can you be made responsible for his actions? Or is he accountable for nothing in your eyes?"
"I......" But Katlin stopped abruptly, unsure suddenly of how to answer the old wizard.
Dumbledore studied the woman in silence for a few minutes. "Katlin." He finally asked her gently. "What is it you want of me?"
Katlin raised her head again to meet the old man's stare. "I want answers." She practically wailed, but suddenly stopped herself, then shook her head. "I'm not even sure I want that anymore." She sat in silence for several minutes, trying to recompose herself before she fell apart in front of the old man completely. Instead she focused her thoughts away from painful memories and on what the old wizard had ask her. What was it she truly wanted? To be happy living in blissful ignorance as she had been before. Adoring and living the guided life of the man who might have killed her parents? Or knowing the truth? Of having her world permanently shattered without any hope of rescue? Abruptly Katlin turned back to the wizard before her. "I want to forget this." She said quietly, but with a sudden conviction in her voice, she went on. "I want to forget everything Orion told me. That is what I want."
"A memory charm."
Katlin nodded. "I want my life back. Back the way it was. Uncomplicated. Before I met him. Before I cared about anything. When I knew what was right and wrong." Katlin closed her eyes with a soft sigh. "I just want things back the way they were."
Katlin was sure her request would meet with refusal. But at first Dumbledore didn't answer her at all, but only sat studying her for a moment.
"You're sure that is what you want?" He asked her finally.
Katlin nodded quickly. "That is what I want."
Dumbledore got to his feet and walked over to her. "Very well."
Katlin looked up at the old man in astonishment. "You would do it?" She asked. "Perform the memory charm?"
"Just as you have asked." Dumbledore replied. "However, I will not do it now."
Katlin got quickly to her feet. "Why not? This is what I want."
The old wizard met her hard stare with one of calm reassurance. "I am sure, Katlin, that at this moment you feel this is the answer to all your problems. Just forget them. But I ask you to stop and think for a moment what you are really asking for. The memory charm will remove all of your memories of Orion. Everything about him. Everything of his that has touched your life. Every person you knew through him. Every thing you know of because of him. Is that what you want?"
"I told y..........." But Katlin stopped abruptly as the old man's words worked their way about in her thoughts. 'Everything'. Every thing. Every place. Every......person.
"Perhaps," Dumbledore suggested, "we would be wiser to wait a short period."
Katlin's eyes slowly slid back up to meet his stare. "A short period?"
"Twenty-four hours. If you still want this done, come back to the castle tomorrow at this time and I will do as you have asked. If not, I would certainly understand."
Katlin's stare grew suddenly very hard and cold. "You understand nothing about me." She hissed back at him. "And I will be back here tomorrow at this time."
With an abrupt turn on her heel, Katlin stormed out of the room and off down the corridor.
Everyone 'understands'. Everyone knew what she was thinking. How she should act. What she would say. What to expect of her.
How could they?
None of them understood anything. If they did, the old fool would have performed his spell right then and there. And in a matter of a few moments, it would all be gone. All the hurt. All the pain. All the memories.
All of it.
Katlin stopped abruptly in the corridor.
No. That wasn't what she wanted. Not all of the memories. Not yet. The old man had been right. She needed to see one person before this was done. One person who would make sure that Orion would accept her decision and not interfere. Or try and get her back. Someone who could make him accept that this was her choice, and he couldn't change it. She needed one ally on the other side of her memory.
And she knew just where to find them.
Katlin hurried down the corridor and down the stairs into the main foyer leading to the front doors.
It wasn't until she reached them that she realized that Dumbledore had not followed her even out of his office.
Surely there was some sort of escort. Someone watching her.
Katlin looked all about the entrance, but couldn't see so much as a single other person there with her.
The old wizard had trusted her. Trusted she came only for the reason she stated and that she meant no harm to anyone within his castle.
Katlin turned finally and opened the front doors, quickly heading for the gates. Standing there waiting for her was the tall, portly man she had first run into. He handed her wand back to her as she approached, but never said so much as a word to her. If anything the man seemed to want nothing more than to see her leave.
"Thank you." Katlin offered in an icy tone as she reclaimed her wand.
As soon a she was outside the gates she quickly apparated back to her home. She had only twenty-four hours to accomplish her goals. And time was already ticking away from her.
Q&A
Silverfox: You're usually first, Dear. I'm not sure how that is working out.
Right you are. How could I have forgotten? I have indeed wiped out an entire village in this story. And, of course, Katlin's parents. But both of those happened before the story started. So technically they do not count. Other than that I know of no characters that have died since chapter one.
And I would like to point out here that all you have for proof Voldemort did any thing so far relayed in the story is the word of an informant, who was told the story by a man who got his story from Charly. And I would HIGHLY recommend you go back and read the last part of that chapter again.
Tell you a really good story? Dear, I would be hard pressed to convince anyone I am JK Rowling. My bank statement would make a liar out of me every time.
Orion and Sirius have a few issues between them currently to be sure. And I'm not saying for sure they would all be put aside for the sake of tradition. So, PAR bites the bullet and admits she may have told a fibby. (Or foreshadowed more than she should have. Go see nessie's answer.) Orion would likely have chosen Charly over Sirius for best man. But the point is kinda moot now anyway.
I don't know that Bo would be thought of by Orion as a brother. But definitely as a friend and mentor. Remember that it was Bo who was the first real teacher of magic that Orion had. That was bound to form some sort of impression on the boy.
Kind of a toughy there, trying to think of what would frighten both Aurors and Deatheaters equally. But I would, in fact, not see Bo interrupting the wedding of his current host/channeler. Orion getting married insures (sort of) a child. Continuation of his host-families line. And another child assures him he will have a new host to go to when his present one dies and he won't be forced to die with it. So I would think old Bo is doing everything but acting as Yenta to see Orion settling on a female of his species to be with. Think about that.
Ummmm....., you're trying to get your horse under your bed, Dear? Sort of an odd way to spend your weekend, but what you choose to do in your spare time is really none of my business.
Boy! I love this last part.
Yes, Dear, Dumbledore would be absolutely neutral. Especially with Katlin. Believe me, the last thing you want to do with a distraught person, is to try and get them to see the error of their ways according to you. They are not interested in what you have to say. The best thing to do is exactly what Dumbledore did. Sit. Listen. Console.
Also, more than anything, Katlin was looking for a shoulder to cry on. Who could she go to?
Her best friend is dead.
Orion she wants to kill.
Voldemort? I think not.
Johnathan? Be serious for a moment.
Well, that about clears the list.
She is also positively fanatical to know if the story is true or not. Although by the time she left the castle she didn't much care anymore. She just wanted to forget it....literally.
Besides, if Dumbledore wasn't neutral third party, my story would be in trouble.
nessie: Hello, Dear. I did wonder where you went off to, but I try not to badger people about reviewing. Although I do greatly enjoy reviews, if you stop, I assume you simply have nothing to say.
But it is nice to have you back.
Voldemort is a murderer? Says who? Go read Silverfox's answer, Dear. I have a few thoughts on that one.
Boy! Everyone really jumped on the 'best man' bandwagon here. And PAR has admitted she may have spoke too soon on that. At the PRESENT moment, yes, Orion would likely pick Charly over Sirius. But cut me a break. I know things you guys don't yet. Sometimes that leads me to foreshadow in ways I don't intend.
By the way, yes, James Potter is alive in this story and has a bouncing baby boy on the way. But he is irrelevant to this plot and is, therefore, not mentioned.
At this point in time, Sirius would likely pick a dozen rabid cannibals with bad breath and poor hygiene to serve as best men at his wedding before he would pick his older brother.
Now see, you are one of the people who had no trouble seeing Katlin going to Dumbledore for advice. And as I said in my author's notes, that figures into later stories.
What Voldemort actually said was that he was a wise, 'but misguided' man.
Aside from that big bulls-eye he has painted on his back.........what makes you think Dumbledore is going to bite it before the end of the series?
This story was NEVER intended to challenge Family life. But it is currently approximately 50,000 words longer, and I am desperately trying to end it before it makes chapter 50. I never want to write a story with 50 chapters. Possibly the story will be divided into two parts. Or something else may happen that has yet to be decided. You want a nice forewarning? This story may not get finished. At least not on Fanfiction.Net. I may have to pull it due to over interest by a third party for option. (If you know anything about publishing, you'll know what that means. Aside from it meaning PAR is looking for more ways to get her arse into trouble.)
So how far are we? Hard to say. I know how long this was suppose to be, which should have ended it a lot of chapters ago. But I keep coming up with little additional chapters I want to add, and so things get expanded. If you want some good news, this thing is likely going to be dwarfed by Family Relations, which is running near equal in chapters and isn't half way done. It's a fun little story and I am enjoying working on it immensely.
Poor Katlin needs to get a grip? Her whole world just fell apart, Dear. She is staring down the barrel of the possible reality that the man she has loved and thought of as a parent is, in fact, responsible for everything that happened to her, and has manipulated and lied to her all these years. She is also facing the possibility, in her mind, that everything that happened was due to her and what she was. That's an awful lot to take in and remain on an even keel.
Curious question. when you say 'she shouldn't think that he didn't do it. Doesn't she know him already', are you speaking or Orion or Voldemort? I found it interesting I could apply that statement to either of them.
Anyway, nice to have you back, Dear.
Skahducky: BINGO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
*Bells and whistles proceed to go off and confetti flies everywhere*
And we HAVE a winner, folks.
Actually, that is one of the reasons. There are actually three. Oh, and here, Dear (*), have a gold star. Haven't given one of those out in a while and my store house is piling up.
Voldemort is not at the peak of his power here, Dear. He's getting there, but he's currently little more than the person of whom people say, 'Oh, Voldemort is at it again' when something happens. An irritant to be sure, but the Ministry isn't much worried....yet. And I don't mean to trivialize things. There is a war going on to be sure. It's just it's currently at the point where people don't really see it as a reason to change their daily routine right now.
I don't know about how willing Dumbledore would be to give everyone a second chance, although I would tend to lean to the side that says he would listen to Rush Limbaugh if he seemed earnest enough about it. But Dumbledore isn't seeing this as whether or not he should listen to an Elite. He is looking at it as a very distraught young woman coming to him and asking for help. He's really not interested in the politics of it right now.
Turn her into a spy? Phffffft! Have better luck turning Snape into a headmaster. (Actually, Katlin already is a spy if you want to get technical about it.)
Sailor Sol: How is poor Bo getting the brunt of everything, Dear? I thought he kept a pretty low profile all in all.
Is sorry, my preciousssssss. Yesssss, we is sorrry. But is not bad, Charly. No. Not evil. Not bad. Is kind to us, my precioussss. Is good. Is............oh, sorry. Don't know what happened there.
Happy New Year to you too, Dear.
Semmel: Roll! There you are. Thought I lost you.
I always enjoy looking over the writing meal table of life and seeing a dinner roll sitting there.
The interesting part here is that currently, Voldemort has no idea what's going on between Orion and Katlin really..........and is likely to be somewhat disappointed when he finds out.
I am glad you liked my little stream of consciousness thing going on there at the end. It was not easy to write, get all the points in, and have it make sense. I do much better with dialogue then just about anything else.
Reviews are as of 12262003.
And remember,
Live life the easy way.
Two days out of the week, let your body be a temple.
The other five, an amusement park.