Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters of this story, they belong to J.K. Rowling.

Chapter 2

Quietly and with a heavy load on her shoulders she walked up alone to the room, her new home for next 9 month. She heard voices behind the door, and not wanting to barge in she knocked before she came in. There were four beds in the room, with night table on the right side of each. Three beds were already taken, she could tell by different blankets and clothes lay around. Three girls were sitting on the floor, when the door opened they stopped their conversation. Feeling uneasiness Cat said:

"I'm sorry if I interrupted something important". The girl with chocolate brown hair looked at her and smiled:

"That's quite all right, you didn't interrupt anything big…by the way aren't you the new girl? Kathie, Kate…what was it?"

"Its Catherine, but I usually go by Cat."

"Cat? Why that's lovely, oh, I'm sorry…This is Emily Parkers, I'm Grace Aingworth and that troubled young lady is Lily Evans."- The girl introduced her friends. Lily looked at Cat and noticed something strange about her, was it curiosity or loneliness? Or a mix of both? Lily just couldn't point her finger on it. Grace felt that unpleasant silence was taking over and smiling warmly she said:

"So Cat, where are you from? What school did you go to?"

"Well, I'm from Boston, Massachusetts and I went to the Salem Academy of Witchcraft and Wizardry" Cat answered politely, she wasn't sure who were these girls except she knew they must be friends with the infamous Lily Evans. Lily glanced at her watch and noticed that it was almost nine o'clock, time for evening patrol. She got up and said:

"I have to get going, I have to patrol the halls and get to HeadQuarters…."

"….which you happen to share with James Potter…" interrupted her Emily, and was interrupted by Grace:

"…who is considered the hottest guy in school….", and now it was Lily's turn to interrupt them before they embarrass themselves:

"…And Cat here happens to be his cousin"-she said expecting gasps, but to her disappointment she received none. Grace smiled wickedly and said:

"So he is really your cousin?"

"Uh, yeah…"

"You know I did notice that you two look alike, and considering the fact that you both walked out of the Big Hall together…." said Emily,"James Potter is the best seeker Gryffindor ever had."

"Really? And he wasn't really authletic when he was a kid."-chuckled Cat.

"Cat does he have a girl….",started Grace but was interrupted by Lily:

"I have to go. Bye, I'll see you tomorrow. And Cat, don't answer their questions or you won't get any sleep tonight "laughed Lily

"Thanks for the warning, Lily"

"Oh, no problem…Bye!" she waved and left. She went looking for Potter, thinking, no hoping he will serve his duties as Head Boy, but alas no luck in that. He still was the arrogant brat she knew, and of course was nowhere to be found. After patrolling by herself, she went to the Headquarters, which she shared with Potter. She went to her dorm and after a glance at her schedule she changed into pajamas and went to sleep.

Meanwhile in girl's dorm Cat was trying to get away from Grace and Emily. They both wanted to know things, embarrassing things about James. But with Lily's warning and feeling loyal to her cousin she didn't say anything. Instead she told them about times when she, James and Sirius played quidditch, or the time She, James, Sirius and Remus got lost in muggle London. But she never mentioned the time when James ate too much ice-cream and became sick, or the time when she pushed Sirius into the lake... But Grace and Emily still understood that she was very close to the Marauders.

The next morning Cat woke up early and having nothing to do after she took a shower she went to the Big Hall. There she found very sleepy Sirius and Remus who was trying to read. She came down to them and seating across from them she said:

"Good morning"

"Good? How can morning this early be good?" groaned Sirius, he looked at his cup and saw pumpkin juice, he groaned again because he needed something stronger, like coffee. Cat noticing his grimace at seeing pumpkin juice smiled and murmured a spell on her cup, immediately her cup was filled with coffee, she then passed it to Sirius saying:

" Do you always look so good in the morning? Here have some coffee". Sirius took the cup from her and drunk all the contents in one gulp, luckily for him the coffee was warm. He then smiled instantly feeling better.

"Thanks Cat, I owe you one."

"Oh, you owe me so much I even lost the count already…"

"Well you are the one who refuses my kisses!" answered Sirius. Remus looked at him curiously and said:

"What does a kiss have to do with a favor?"

"Nothing, I just wanted to make it up to Cat, but she refuses!"

"Good, I'm glad you still have a bit of sense in you Cat" winked Remus. Cat giggled, whenever a Marauder (Sirius, James, Remus) were arguing with her, other two would side with her. She noticed Lily coming down and motioned Sirius to drop the subject. When Lily came she sat down with Cat and said:

"Good morning. So, what classes do you have?"

"Uh…I'm not sure, let's see…Double potions, advanced arithmancy, advanced Herbology and advanced Alchemy." She said after taking a look at her schedule.

"Whoa, Cat why do you have everything advanced?" asked Sirius. Cat looked at him and said

"Well it's not everything….Sirius can you please close your mouth? It is rather disturbing…There is nothing shocking about it, really "she assured him. Sirius still looked at her as if she was crazy, three advanced classes plus double potions…This girl had to be crazy. While Sirius was in shock both Remus and Lily were smiling, Lily because she had the exact same classes and Remus because he knew that Cat was a top student, now she had to push over James who was last years top student. They were having pleasant breakfast, during which Cat asked Lily to show her around the castle, the offer which Lily accepted, referring to the fact that they had the same classes. The breakfast was almost over when James came in, he looked extremely tired and sleepy. Just as he made his way down to his friends he saw that Lily and Cat were leaving. He looked confusedly at Cat and said;
"Where are you going?"

"Good morning to you too James" was her response.

"Sorry I'm just to tired for the pleasantries…so where are you two headed, Evans?"

"I'm showing her around the castle, since we have the same classes…do you mind?" she asked him with a raised eyebrow

"Actually I do, Evans. Cat I thought I was going to show you around?" he looked at Cat who was trying to escape his puppy eyes look. Sighing she said:

"Sorry James, but I will go with Lily…Please stop looking at me like that!"

"Fine, but be careful Evans, she is my only cousin."

"Don't worry I can't possibly get her into any trouble" with that both of them walked away leaving very confused James behind. "Why would Evans be so nice to Cat? This is interesting…." He walked over to his friends, quickly chewed some food and headed to his classes.

Lily was showing Cat the shortest way to the dungeons, and looking closely at Cat she said:

"You are very close with Potter, aren't you? with all Marauders for that matter…". Cat laughed and said:

"Yeah we are close with James, basically brother and sister with different parents. Marauders…well I'm close with Remus and Sirius, but I think Sirius wants us to be more than just friends…" she sighed.

"Well why aren't you? You fit each other perfectly, and seems to be interested in you if not in love with you " she smiled. Cat laughed and answered:

"Its just you know whenever I want to talk to him seriously he just starts goofing around…and never pays attention to his studies, except arithmancy….He is just so…" she said when she was interrupted by icy-cold tone

"Well well if it isn't the dirty mudblood and her new pet" said Lucius Malfoy stepping out of the shade, and there were two other guys (more like gorillas) by his side. Lily narrowed her eyes and said:

"Get lost Malfoy"

"Tsk, Tsk who said you were allowed to speak, dirt?" he hissed. Cat stepped right in front of him and said:

"Who gave you the right to talk to ladies in that manner?"

"Who the hell are you….oh wait you must be Potter, who gave it to me you say? Pureblood heritage."

"And that's it? You are slimy little pureblood git"

"You! I will hex you! Expelliamus!" Cat watched as her wnad flew into his hands, then she smiled and said:

"I don't need a wand", taking one step closer she punched him in the chin, stomach and… a bit lower, where it hurts the most. Gasping for air Malfoy was picked up by his followers and taken away, as they were carrying him he managed to yell

"You will bloody pay for this Potter". Lily looked at Cat and applauded. Cat made a little formal bow and Lily just laughed.

"That was brilliant! Where ever did you learn those moves?"

"Well, having James as cousin and Marauders as friends does help" she smiled. Lily just laughed as they made their way to the dungeon classroom, where they were greeted by Professor Bowey. The Head of Slytherins hated Gryffindor students and didn't miss a chance to take off some points for being late. And when they tried to explain he threatened them with detentions. All Lily and Cat could do was sit and listen.

The rest of the day went uneventfully as Lily showed Cat the castle, and James was still upset with Cat, for choosing Lily over him. They were closer than cousins, more like brother and sister, and today James received a letter from his parents saying that with Cat's parent's disappearance they are going to adopt her. James was ultimately happy about this and so was Cat when she heard the news. She wasn't close with her parents, and their disappearance didn't leave such a big mark in her heart. She only saw them once a month, and the rest of the time she was with her nanny. It felt like it used to, her parents who worked 24/7 as aurors, were strangers who always brought her expensive gifts. Strangers, not more. Of course James knew of this, and he tried to be there for her at her most important events of her life.