Chapter 20: Killets
Harry felt Cho's hand around his neck as they swayed to a slow number. He had been dancing with Cho for a really long time and he was really tired. If truth be told, he was going crazy from not seeing Janieve. He craned his neck to look at the couch he had been on moments before. Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Neville and Ernie Macmillan were still seated there, drinking firewhiskey. Ron's face was as red as his hair. Janieve was nowhere to be seen.
Panic rose in the pit of Harry's stomach. He had a very bad feeling about her absence even though he figured he was probably being over-paranoid. Still, he decided to look for her, to at least make sure she was safe.
He told Cho that he was going to the bathroom and before she could protest, he moved away from her and squeezed through the throngs of people towards the kitchen. The kitchen was empty and Harry helped himself to a cup of firewhiskey. He exited the back porch and found himself standing before a huge rectangular swimming pool. The water was so sparkling Harry felt an urge to jump in. He then remembered Janieve and the Prefect's Bathroom and a hot flush crept up his neck.
Shaking himself out of his reverie he began to survey the garden around the pool. The place was so beautiful that Harry wondered why no one was out here, but instead chose to squeeze in the house.
He followed a trail between two rows of rose bushes and came to a picnic table. He settled himself into one of the plastic chairs at the side of the house and gazed into the distance. His eyes travelled to the swing on the front porch and rested on a black heap on the ground before it. His blood chilled and he leapt up from his seat, his knees banged the table in the process.
Harry ran towards the heap and found a blood-covered Janieve. Her head was bleeding so badly that Harry could hardly make out her face. He let out a scream, his knees gave way, and he fell on them beside her.
Everyone was screaming wildly when they realised what Harry was carrying into the house. His hands and clothes were stained with her blood as she was hung limply over his arms.
What happened next happened in a blur to Harry. Hermione was the first to react. She commanded everyone to stay calm with the help of Ginny and Dean. Then, she asked Lee to show them his fireplace and bring along some Floo powder. Fred and George then got Janieve bandaged up with a few spell. They got into Lee's room and Harry immediately stepped into the fireplace shouting Grimmauld Place, Number Twelve while sprinkling some of the Floo Powder at his feet.
"Help!" Harry yelled once he stepped out of the fireplace in Sirius's house. He placed her gently on the couch.
Mr. and Mrs. Weaseley, Tonks and Lupin emerged into the room just when Ron, Ginny, Hermione and the twins arrived by the Floo network.
Their jaw dropped when they saw the bloody sight before them. Janieve's whole body was mutilated with cuts and blood was oozing out from them. Mrs. Weasley went hysterical.
"I told you this would happen! I told you, Arthur!" she was yelling incoherently at Mr. Weasley.
"Molly, calm down! The important thing now is to save her!" he said heatedly.
"What happened?" Tonks asked.
"I don't know," Harry replied as calmly as he could, "I found her like that."
Lupin was crouching over Janieve as he examined her cut. "It's the Killets," he informed.
"What Killets?" Ron asked.
"They are catlike creatures, but only more dangerous. Some called them the mutants of cats. They usually attack in packs and once bitten, their victim usually doesn't survive. I've never really seen a Killet before because they are really mysterious creatures. I thought they were just rumors," Lupin replied.
Harry wanted to scream at them. Janieve was bleeding profusely and there they were discussing the matter like it was nothing urgent.
"You need to stop her bleeding!" Harry yelled angrily. He knelt down beside her and stroked her hair, which was also caked with blood.
"No, Harry, we need to purge the Killet poison from her body," Lupin said.
"Then you'll do that now!" Harry screamed. He did not care if they thought he was mad. All he wanted was to see his healthy Janieve again.
"Harry, unfortunately, we have no idea how to," said Lupin.
"Then are you just going to let her die?" Harry demanded.
"Harry calm down, we are thinking of a way now!" Lupin said.
"I don't see you thinking!" Harry spat.
"I'll call Dumbledore," Mr. Weasley offered.
Harry opened his mouth to protest but Lupin let out a short laugh before he could. Harry just glared at him.
"No, we'll call Florence," he said determinedly.
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Harry felt Janieve stirred beside him. Even in the dark, Harry could clearly see her pair of luminous violet eyes.
"Harry?"
"Ssshhhh… you need to rest," he said.
"Harry, where am I?" she asked weakly.
"We're at Sirius' place," he replied.
"My body hurts," she complained.
"What happened to me?" she asked.
"You were attacked by the Killets," Harry answered.
"Killets?"
"According to Lupin, they are some kind of mutated cats. Really poisonous and highly dangerous," Harry said.
"So how come I'm still alive?" Janieve inquired.
"Well, because… Professor Winter gave you something to drink that makes you tolerant of their poison," Harry replied.
"Harry, why aren't you looking at me?" she asked.
Harry remained silent, still not meeting her eyes.
"Is there something you're hiding from me?" she asked.
"Please don't freak out when I tell you," Harry said.
"Okay," Janieve agreed.
"Well," he began, "Florence Winter has concocted a potion to transfigure you into a permanent Animagus Killet and that had, according to Mr. Weasley, miraculously saved your life. The potion had made your blood tolerant of the Killet poison. Not only that, it has also given you the Killet's ability of speed and night vision. Given proper control training, you would be able to transform into a Killet at will."
"So I'm like an Animagus now?" she asked.
"Yeah, something like that," he replied. "Are you okay?" he asked.
"I'm fine," Janieve replied, "I think it's kind of cool actually."
"Yeah, you'll be fine," Harry said quietly. He stroked her long thick hair slowly with one hand and touched her left cheek with the other.
"Why are you doing this?" Janieve asked painfully.
"Doing what?" Harry asked.
"This," she said and she grabbed his hand away from her. "I thought you hate me?" she asked.
"I don't hate you," Harry replied.
"Are you saying this because you're feeling sorry for me?" Janieve demanded.
"Of course not!" Harry cried, offended that she would think that way of him.
"So why are you doing this? Why are you being nice to me now? You are supposed to be blaming me for Sirius's death," she said.
"But I don't blame you Janny. I don't." Harry sucked in a deep breath, wondering how he was going to say what he was about to say. It would be like tearing down the wall he had built between himself and Janieve, to protect her. Apparently, it had done nothing to protect her.
"I was ashamed." He said finally.
"Of what?" she asked loudly.
"I was afraid that I would hurt you again. I was afraid Voldermort would hurt you again through me. In fact, I think the only reason why he would want to hurt you was because he knew what you meant to me."
"And what was that?" she asked softly.
"Everything. You meant everything to me. I am a marked man Janny. In the end, it's either Voldermort or me. I can't give you happiness," he said sadly. For a long moment, there was only the sound of breathing between them. Then, Janieve broke the quiet.
"But you are my happiness," she said. Harry looked at her and immediately regretted it. Her eyes still unnerved him a little. Nevertheless, he pulled her up closer to him and wrapped his arms gingerly around her.
There was no word to describe his feelings that night. He wished he could just lie there with her forever. He was afraid any movement would change everything they had just talked about. He was afraid to sleep for it might take away the floating feeling he felt when she had said he was her happiness. He was afraid of losing her.
