A/N: Just a few words, folks. I know the last chapter may have read a bit confusing because there appeared to be no breaks in the paragraphs to indicate change of scene or view point.
All I can say is, they were there when I up loaded the chapter, guys. Where they went only Fanfiction.Net knows.
Most confusing was that all my asterisks disappeared, which left me.....asterisk-less.
I do apologize, however, and hope it wasn't too confusing. I am trying to warn you in a less subtle way this time and hopefully Fanfiction.Net will solve the problem soon.
And folks, I don't know if I've mentioned it or not, but if not, it's time to 'fess up. The cap's on my keyboard is going funny. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it don't. So bare with me while I try to fix the one I have or get a new keyboard.
Disclaimer: Phfffffffffffffffft! Yeah. Right.
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO: THE MORNING AFTER
The next morning Orion woke to find himself curled up against the warm body next to him and feeling better than he had in several days.
But even those feelings paled when he remembered the ones from the night before.
Engaged.
He had asked her to marry him and she had accepted.
They were engaged.
Orion gave a happy, contented sigh at the thought as he hugged the body next to him a bit tighter.
But as Katlin stretched out in his embrace, then relaxed back into sleep, a new thought entered his blissful world that caused his eyes to suddenly snap open.
Engaged.
He was engaged to be married.
He was going to marry a woman who had no idea who he really was. Who he had lied to about his entire life right down to his name.
A sudden panic seized him as Orion thought how he could best handle the situation. He couldn't keep lying to her. Married to him she would eventually find out the truth.
He had to think of something.
And fast!
But as his brain searched frantically for an answer, his search was cut short by a voice next to him.
"Now that's a much too serious look for this hour of the morning."
Orion's gaze flew to the bright violet eyes staring up at his. He quickly amended his expression into a pleasant smile.
"That's better. Now what had you with that look this early?" Katlin ask. "Or are you already thinking about the wedding, which I would hope would not put such a look on your face?"
Orion managed to keep the smile. "Not at all." He stated. "I was just thinking about some things at work."
"Well," she stated with a genuine smile, "can you forget work for a few minutes?"
Orion folded her into his arms as she leaned over him. "Depends what else you have in mind."
Katlin shrugged. "Oh, I don't know."
Orion pulled her tighter to him. "Can I make a suggestion then?" He ask hopefully.
Katlin swatted his nose. "I know your suggestion." She stated. "And you should be ashamed of thinking such thoughts."
"Really?"
Katlin grinned down at him. "Well, maybe not entirely. But I think,' she added, stretching out over his body, "we should at least make a few plans for the wedding. Like 'when'."
"Soon." Orion answered before his brain could stop him.
Katlin smiled. "I like that day." She agreed. "And if we're getting married, Mr. Doctor, I need a last name."
"Last name?"
Katlin giggled at him again. "Well, I can't very well be Mrs. Doctor, now can I?"
Sounded reasonable to him. "Why not?"
Katlin gave him a patronizing smile. "Sier." She purred. "This is serious. We're getting married."
Orion was about to come up with some wonderful delaying tactic when a tower of black robes materialized at the foot of the bed.
Orion all but threw Katlin off of him as he sat up. For her part, Katlin quickly rolled over and snatched the sheets tightly in front of her.
"Does he always just appear like that?" She ask with a deep frown.
"Not unless its important." Orion half-answered her. "What is it, Bo?"
The boggart quickly made several gestures in front of him.
"Charly?!"
Katlin turned to Orion's alarmed voice. "Whose Charly?"
"He's my partner." Orion blurted out, again, before his brain could stop him.
"Partner?"
"Medical partner." Orion quickly amended. "But Love, I need you to leave."
"Leave?" Katlin ask in irritation. "Why?"
"Because Love," Orion answered, his brain working fast to construct something believable, "my partner is a bit of a fanatic about my health. So he can't see me out of bed. And he can't see you in bed with me. So please, just.....go with Bo. He'll take care of you and bring you back when I'm done talking to my partner. All right?"
"But Sier......?"
"Love," Orion said, pulling her into a quick kiss, "just do this for me. Just.....go with Bo, please?"
Katlin still protested being sent off. "I feel like something you're hiding." She stated.
"And currently you are." Orion replied. "Now look, go with Bo now, and when you came back, we'll discuss that last name you feel are so important, all right?"
Katlin's face lit up at the suggestion. "You promise!?"
"I swear." Orion replied. At that moment he would have promised her just about anything if it got her out of the room before Charly charged the stairs.
Katlin still managed a slight frown as she climbed out of the bed, folding a robe about her as she went to stand next to the gathering of black material. She turned once more to face the man sitting in the bed.
"I hope someday you won't feel you have to hide me from your friends."
"Me too, Love." Orion replied truthfully. Turning quickly to Bo he added. "You take care of her, Bo. And you do just like I've told you, all right?"
The boggart nodded and slowly offered a robe covered arm to Katlin.
Staring at the pre-offered arm, Katlin turned her eyes slowly back to Orion.
"You'll be perfectly safe." He assured her again. "Bo knows how to treat you."
Katlin paused briefly, then finally laid her hand on the boggart's arm.
Abruptly they both vanished.
Orion sighed to himself as he quickly covered all evidence of Katlin's having been there. Within seconds of his finishing, a knock sounded on the door and Tets loudly announced himself.
"Master!" The little elf all but shouted. "I is bringing a guest, master. I's is bringing Mr. Misser in now, Master. We is coming in now."
Orion rolled his eyes as he shook his head as the door slowly opened. He couldn't fault the little elf. And he was in truth thankful Tets was being as cautious as he was, making sure Katlin was gone before allowing Charly into the room.
But for all of his efforts, poor Tets found himself nearly shoved through the door as Charly lost patients with the delays.
"What is wrong with you, Tets?" Charly demanded, turning back to the little house elf. "Orion knows its me. You're not announcing the Minister of Magic here."
Charly had been to see Orion several times already since he had escaped the Deatheaters. And each time he had managed to miss Katlin completely. Mostly this was attributed to the fact that Charly came during the day when Katlin was at the lair, or arrived early in the evening before her. All in all Orion had been incredibly lucky the two had not run into each other even by accident. Today was the closest they had come, and Orion had a system already in place just in case. One that had worked to perfection.
Lying in the bed, Charly's enthusiasm was met by a slight wave and a tired smile from his partner.
Orion had, after all, not gotten a lot of sleep the night before.
(Change of view point.)
Downstairs in the den where Bo had taken her, Katlin was trying her best to occupy her time. But the towering mass of black robes that kept a constant watch on her was making her increasingly nervous. No matter where she went in the room, the figure turned with her, following her about the room.
Katlin finally turned back to the figure as it pulled up to a stop behind her. Sier had told her the creature wouldn't hurt her, and she believed him. But it was un-nerving just the same to have someone follow you about.
"So," she ask, "do you talk at all?"
The creature simply stood staring down at her, saying nothing.
"You talk to Sier. Are hand gestures all you can do?"
To her utter surprise, the hooded head nodded. She hadn't actually expected an answer. Questioning the creature was just a way to pass the time for her. But this opened up a whole new level of possibilities for her on how to pass her time.
"So, how long have you been with Sier?" She ask.
The creature paused for a moment, then held its robe-covered hands up with a small space between them.
"Not very long?"
The creature nodded.
"And what exactly are you?"
The creature made no move.
"Oh. Right." Katlin reminded herself. 'The questions have to be 'yes' or 'no' answers pretty much?"
The hooded head again nodded.
"Well, you're magical." She reasoned. "You helped heal Sier, and you apparated me down here from upstairs."
The creature nodded.
"Is that all you can do?"
The creature shook its head.
'Well," Katlin prompted him, "what else can you do?"
The creature clasp its hands together in an unmistakable sign of joy, a soft trill coming from under its hood.
Just as Katlin was beginning to think that was it, the creature suddenly spread out its arms, its head lifted and its faced turned towards the ceiling. Instantly the whole room erupted into chaos. Katlin dove for the floor as furniture, papers, books, and wall hangings flew about her. The entire room looked like a small tornado had suddenly sprung up in the middle of it.
As she chanced to look up, Katlin suddenly realized that for all of the chaos around her, the area she stood in with the creature remained utterly untouched. Not even the air around them was disturbed. Within a few minutes the whole of the room was utterly destroyed. The creature lowered its arms and folded its hands back together in front of itself as it turned its hooded face back to Katlin. A small flutter of paper was the last thing to settle, which slowly wove its way through the air and came to rest at last on the floor between them.
Katlin looked about the room, then back at the mass of dark robes, which stood watching her as though waiting for her appraisal.
"That's it?" She ask. "You can destroy a room?"
Its gaze never once leaving Katlin, the creature lifted one hand into the air and unceremoniously snapped its fingers.
Again, instantly the room flew into motion. But this time there was far more order in the movement. Almost before she could even realize what had happened, the room was completely back as it had originally been. Everything was in place down to the last detail.
With one exception.
The small scrap of paper that lay on the floor between them was still there.
Katlin stooped down and picked it up. It was only then that she realized it wasn't just a random scrap of paper. It was a piece of paper that had been carefully folded into the shape of a small bird. As she looked it over, Katlin noticed there was writing on the paper and gingerly began to unfold it.
When she finally got it unfolded, she was surprised to find it was actually a fairly normal sized piece of paper.
Her face suddenly paled.
The paper was a document. A commendation, in fact.
And the name written on it was 'Orion Black'.
Q&A
Sweets!
Ohhhhhh. So sorry I missed you last time, Dear.
I went to post and when I did I checked my reviews and there you were. I apologize for not seeing it earlier.
We were VERY fortunate with my Dad. Never convince me God doesn't answer prayers. As you read my Dad did very well and is home now. They put him on Cumidin and there is currently very little evidence of the stroke but for a slight weakness on the right side.
Thank you, God!
The way this man is going he will outlive the entire family.
Well, you're right and you're wrong, I'm afraid. You are right, we are getting near the end. But Orion trying to make Katlin remember him. That's the last thing he wants. If she remembers him, she remembers everything. And in the position he's in now, how well do you think that will go over? He's asked her to marry him (again), he's lying to her about his whole life, and, to an extent, he's been manipulating her. Now, the first two she might get over....eventually. The last one..........she doesn't forgive that...ever. And as you saw in this chapter, Orion had the chance to face the music, as it were, and he backed down again. True, he had Katlin's best interests at heart, but he's had several opportunities to set things right and he's avoided each one masterfully.
I think you'll like the climax of this story.
You think Katlin's being married will end soon? Dear, she may not ever get to the alter with anyone at the rate she's going.
Up dating two times in two days? Way to go, girl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Never stop guessing, Dear. I love theories!
Silverfox:
Oh goody! A nice long one.
The computer appreciated the chocolate, Dear. Thank you.
Can Bo actually be captured? Interesting question. Interesting answer, too. It's a situational thing, Dear. Suppose Voldemort got a hold of one of Talon's sons, held him in an undisclosed location, and told the man 'Do what I say or I kill your son'? Isn't that in effect 'capturing Bo'? Now granted, it'll be trial and error, or pure luck, that Voldemort would get the right son. If he grabs Orion, TDB. Orion controls Bo as well as his father. If he grabs Sirius, well........., ever read The Ransom of Red Chief? I mean, just how lucky would you be in that situation?
And by the way, what I just gave you figures VERY heavily into Family Ties, the third story in the Family story arc. I'm not worried about you're getting information on that one early, mind you, because we'll probably both be old and grey with senility settling in by the time it comes out (based on how long Family Relations is taking.).
I wouldn't worry much about Bo, Dear. He's not indistructable, but he's so darned enigmatic he's hard to predict, therefore hard to attack. You just can't depend on how he'll react to anything you try to do. This is one of the reasons Orion was so careful of letting katlin around him. He just never knew how Bo would react to something.
Now, am I suggesting Bo is an insane, irrational creature? Not at all. And his channeler knows this. But what Orion understands probably better than anyone else (and why he gets along with Bo better than even Bo's host) is that Bo isn't part of our (man, I hate this word) realm. He doesn't have a lot of experience in the 'physical world' or with all the strange creatures that inhabit it (us). This is also one of the reasons Bo likes Charly so much. Charly is 'one of those strange creatures' (and is non-magical) that he can interact with in a controlled environment (Orion is there). This is an excellent opportunity for him to LEARN.
Charly would actually probably be a bit insulted to learn that the reason, at its roots, that Bo likes him is that Bo considers him one of the simpler forms a life for him to learn from. In other words, Bo considers him fairly harmless.
And might I point out something you can mull over for a while here? Consider how Orion (and Charly) see Bo's attachment to Charly. Now consider the real reason. So, who's manipulating who there? And remember what I've always said, Bo is not as naive or harmless as he makes people believe. (Man, you are going to be so far ahead of everyone else with what I give you in Q&A.)
Talon isn't really hard to understand, Dear. Think Gene Simmons of KISS as he is now with a military background. A really STRONG military background.
Hmmmmm. Didn't know you had stories out, Dear. I'll have to go take a look. Believe it or not, I don't even have the time to check things like that.
OK. I'll sort of give you this one. Treaks is not technically Voldemort's 'second-in-command' if you look at things in a strictly military line up. Voldemort's second-in-command then would be Katlin, and then Treaks would come after her in the line up. But no, Treaks in no way, shape, or form out ranks Katlin. That's part of what irks him. No matter what he does for Voldemort he can't surpass Katlin in standing based on what he feels is solely her standing with Voldemort. He can't conceive that she outranks him based on the fact that maybe, just maybe, she is, in fact, better than he is. Which is, in fact, WHY she outranks him. It has nothing whatsoever to do with how Voldemort may or may not feel about her.
OK. More sticky stuff here. First, no, Bo does not always know where Orion is. Second, why would Bo be alarmed just because Orion was absent? The man has a job he goes to. Bo understands that. Doesn't like it, but understands it. And again, you're running into the way Bo's mind works here. He doesn't immediately jump to the conclusion that, because Orion isn't there, he's in trouble. Regardless of how Charly is acting, Bo goes for the simple answers first. 'Orion isn't there. Then he has to be at work.' That's the first thing Bo would think of.
OK. Have a question for YOU. Was the story Orion was told about what happened to Katlin's parents true or not? This is a highly important part of the story. One which, perhaps incorrectly, I thought was obvious. And 'yes', if Orion was using his brain he might realize a highly possible suspect in al of this was Charly. But keep in mind Charly is his BEST friend. Since childhood. They have always been friends. Always been together. And never, never, never betrayed each other. Now, with that in mind, why would he suspect that person? Especially when there are so many other likely candidates around?
And how would Orion come to that conclusion, anyway? Charly was no fool. He told the story to his contact, who told it to someone else. That was how they got it past Orion as to whether or not it was a lie. Regardless of if it is or isn't, to the person who told it to Orion, it was the truth.
Wellllllllll.........., he sort of told her his first name? (Judges give a thumbs down.) Dang! Gold star. (). (I hope this one sticks. The last one seemed to have disappeared.)
Well, I can't tell you how our boy's going to get out of this one yet. That's the next chapter.
He couldn't marry her? Do you honestly think he can swing it now? He hasn't told her one thing about himself that's the truth yet.
Sorry, I've said all about that puzzle I'm going to. And I stick by what I have said all along. Orion has not suddenly decided he wants to be Harry's guardian. He, in fact, wants nothing less. But taking Harry away from the man he is with is currently, definitely, in Harry's best interest.
Does it have anything to do with Sirius' Azkaban nightmares? No. (Still in the wrong pond, Dear. Lots of fish there, just not the one you want.)
(Par nods in happy agreement.0 Yes, yes. I have had to do this. Order things.......in detail. What a pain in the asaaahhhhhhh............nevermind.
If Talon dies, Dear, Bo stays the host. Technically speaking, the Power doesn't really need a host anymore. The only reason it is still part of Talon is because it joined with him before Talon 'created' Bo. Once Talon dies, the Power has no need for a new host. It will stay where it is until the boggart dies, which won't actually happen because the boggart part of Bo isn't really much of a separate part of him anymore. It exists solely because of the Power. Without the Power, it would die. So as long as it stays connected to the Power, it won't die. (Make sense?)
I don't mind questions about Bo, Dear. Really. You just have to accept that sometimes I will slip up with him and make a comment I'll have to retract later.
Well, someone must have faith in the man. He's an Unspeakable. But what parent totally trusts their child's ability to make the right decisions every time.
Others in the wizarding world don't actually see the Black family's power as that unusual. They are just considered an extraordinarily powerful family of wizards and witches.
OK. Let's talk about this. You keep coming back to it. 'Dumbledore isn't that interested in the Deatheaters yet.' No, he's not. But he isn't just sitting about waiting for them to do something either. But nor is he ready to panic the wizarding community over them yet.
He just let Katlin walk away? Not at all. He erased her memory. OK. Yes, he let her go the first time. But the woman was distressed and an emotional wreck. She came to him for help. How nice would it have been to say 'Well, I'm really glad you, an Elite Deatheater, came to me, leader of all that is good and right in the world, for help. Someone who, though you have no reason to, you trusted to help you. Oh, by the way, I'm tossing your Deatheater butt into Azkaban. Have a nice day.'
There's a war going on (sort of). She's the enemy, coming to him for help. It's got a lot of potential there. And Dumbledore was smart enough to see it.
Severus is interested in working against Voldemort but Albus isn't? Says who, Dear?
I'll help you out on the parties, Dear. You work so hard on the reviews, I'll give you a break here.
How many parties are involved with this? Three.
(The Ministry, The Deatheaters, and The wizard in the north.)
A small point before I answer this next one. By think they are involved I meant how many people think they know what's going on, but are actually just being manipulated by someone else.
How many parties think they are involved in this? Seven.
(The Ministry, The Deatheaters, Lawrence Olivers, Charly, Orion, Katlin, and Treaks. Now, who did that leave out, Dear.)
How many parties are involved in this and don't even know it , despite that they are the reason for the whole mess to begin with? One.
(Bo.)
And that's not a total list, Dear. It's just the one I'm working with right now.
Hope that helps, Dear.
Why can't other muggles and squibs draw power from their wizarding friends? Oh! Thank you for once asking me something easy.
Read back to the chapter The Power. Orion didn't just give Charly the right to draw magic from him. Nor does the fact that Charly has Orion's wand constitute the only factor.
What does Bo have to do with it? Almost everything.
Remember that Orion originally went to Bo with the problem that he wanted to allow his muggle friend, someone with no innate magically ability whatsoever, to be able to draw magic off of him and thereby, do magic. Bo gave Orion a spell that allowed Charly to do just that. But the price Orion paid was giving up his wand. By chance (?) Orion had two wands. So he gave Charly his second wand and he kept his first. 'Parameters of the spell', folks. It'll come back to haunt Orion someday.
LCM:
Sorry, Dear. But 'no'. Its' always been 'Charly'. If I ever spelled it differently, I was in error.
skahducky:
Mad? Phhhhhfffffffffft! There's a nice word for it.
How is Katlin planning to let Treaks know she's already married? I would suspect with a grand parade down Main Street with a hundred piece band playing 'I'm His Misses' (For you BVS fans) with her providing the lyrics as she waves the framed marriage certificate about for all to see.
But I'm just guessing here.
Honestly, Katlin is a grown woman. She can do what she wants. If she chooses to go out and get married one bright, sunny day, she's perfectly free to do that.
Would Johnathan be upset. Sure.
Can he do anything about it....legally? No.
Would she have some explaining to do to Voldemort later? Probably not. Voldemort isn't crazy about the idea to begin with. Johnathan kind of slipped it in on him, and he agreed.
Voldemort's fall will happen in this story, and is a large part of it.
You seem to be assuming the third party's interest is Voldemort. It isn't.
Of course this is AU. None of this happened to our knowledge. But it will follow canon pretty closely up to Book Four. How can I be so certain? Because I totally skip those four books and go right into tying this into Family Life.
Ah! 'Was the information Orion got concerning Katlin's past true?' How is it that it took some twenty-one chapters before someone actually ASK that?
Your reasoning on this question, Dear, is very sound. Go with it. And if you need more help in the right direction, go read the last chapter again in what Treaks tells Orion.
nessie:
OK, first, whether or not she fell in love with him faster than the last time is up for grabs. The last time it took her a while to admit she was in love. Next, who's saying she's in love this time? She hasn't said it. And don't pull the 'she's marrying him' card on me, either. She's marrying him to get out of marrying Treaks. In which case she'd marry Bale if that were a guaranteed out.
Currently, she just likes him a lot.
Make believe people are far easier than real people. They are there when you want them. They do what you ask. They answer questions how you expect. They never contradict you. And they never overstay their welcome.
All reviews are as of 05162004.
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