Chapter 20:
(A/N: Sorreee, ppl. Had a severe case of the "BLOCK". I couldn't remember how the heck I was supposed to end this incident… then I remembered my notes… YES, I do have special notes that remind me whether I'm on or off track. Sadly, although they remind me, they don't pull me right on to the right track, if I'm off…so, they're not really helpful…but :D Heehaw.
Neway, the last chappie generated A LOT of reviews! I am so excited!! I think I'm around 130!
Cheerio, dearies!
Stargirlr)
Chapter 20: Awakening… Not of the dead
Recap:
"Nik."
Just then, Professor Dumbledore entered the room, his robes swinging.
He looked at Katrina. "Is it him?"
Katrina nodded, an expression of mixed fear and relief on her face.
Professor Dumbledore continued. "I just talked to the Minister of Magic. We agreed that it is absolutely essential to make sure that he is not being controlled in any way. Now, the Minister does not believe it is a good idea, but I trust you. I am going to unbind your powers after he wakes up, which Madam Partridge assures me, will be tomorrow or the day after. After you have made sure that he is all right, I will come in for questioning. During the entire process, you will have to stay at his side." He moved towards Katrina and said softly, "Don't worry, my dear. I am sure that he will be all right."
Then as quickly he had come, he went outside, leaving the group in silence.
"Where do you think he went?" asked Peter.
"Probably, back to Ministry. They are probably checking up on how he escaped. I mean, as far as they knew he was… in Ellis' custody, right?" James said slowly.
Lily nodded. "I wonder how he got into the school."
"That's what I'm worried about as well." Katrina said anxiously.
Sirius and Lara were silent, Sirius staring at his hands thoughtfully and Lara at the hospital curtains outside Nik's bed.
Remus said quietly, "What about the unbinding? Is that dangerous?"
Katrina shook her head. "No… the main problem is that once you are unbinded, you can't be binded again for a long period."
"How long?"
"It depends. Sometimes, one or two days… other times…months."
"Oh."
"But that means…. I'll have to be put into isolation after the unbinding."
At this everyone sprung up, "Isolation!?"
She nodded. "No one, not even Dumbledore can prevent us from being potentially dangerous."
"But… but," Remus said weakly.
"Listen," put in Lily. "I'm sure that, in record of your good behavior or something, Dumbledore will… you know… allow you to stay with us."
"Maybe." Said Katrina sadly.
A while later, Katrina reopened the curtains to take a good look at her brother.
Remus and everyone else followed her, curious for a peek.
Lying on the bed was a boy who James judged to be about one inch shorter than him and had surprisingly long and fine eyelashes. His eyebrows were thick and even in his sleep, gave him a glowering expression. He was thinner than James and Sirius, but as James knew by experience with Remus and Lily, that was no indicator of strength.
The next day passed by uneventfully. Nik hadn't woken up yet and Kat had spent the entire day at his bedside, Remus next to her and everyone else dropping by through out the day.
That night, Kat slept in the Hospital Wing, with hopes that Nik would wake up soon.
But when Remus came to wake her, early the next morning, the heavy curtains around Nik's bed were still drawn.
Remus noticed that Kat's eyes were tired and she looked like she hadn't had a second of sleep and insisted he stay with her.
At a quarter to twelve:
Katrina sent Remus to bring some lunch for the both of them.
At five to twelve:
Katrina was wondering why Remus was doing and whether he was doing something he wasn't supposed to?
At twelve, noon:
Katrina forgot about Remus. Nicholas Jeremy Ellis, her twin brother was awake.
When Katrina thought about it later, Nik hadn't woken up very theatrically or dramatically. He had opened his eyes slowly, his eyes burning from the bright glare of the light.
At this point, Kat had heard some shuffling coming from Nik's bed.
"Hello?" a tentative, very familiar voice asked.
"Nik?!" Katrina cried, startled. She was disappointed with the edge of hysteria in her voice. "NIK!?"
"Um…yeah?" Nik's teasing voice came from behind the sea green curtains.
Katrina heard the curtain opening. "Nik, don't open the curtains!"
"What?"
"I said, don't open the freakin' curtains."
"Why not?"
"Dumbledore said."
"Dumbledore? Listen Kat, I'm your brother! Are you going to trust me, the one that's been with you your entire life or Dumbledore?!"
Katrina sighed. "Fine. Open them." She stood up and got ready.
Nik opened the curtains and Katrina barely had enough time to see his surprised hazel eyes before she pointed the wand in her hand at him… and stunned him.
He fell back to his bed with an ominous thud.
"Sorry, Nik." She muttered sadly as she pressed a bright, red button over the bedside table.
In a few seconds, Professor Dumbledore entered the room. "From the fact that you called me, I surmise Mr. Ellis has woken up?"
Katrina nodded. "Yeah. I stunned him." She gestured at his lifeless body.
Professor Dumbledore cast an eye over her. "Why? Was he--"
"Evil? I don't know. I didn't give him a chance to make eye contact."
"Miss Ellis, are you ready now? Or shall we wait…"
"No, now."
"Very well." He gave her a glass flask with a very gooey liquid. Once she had drunk it, he pointed his wand at Nik "Eneverate."
At once, Nik sat up, shivering. "Kat! You… you stunned me!"
"Under my instructions, I'm afraid." Dumbledore said softly.
Nik looked at him surprised. "Who are you?"
Katrina replied. "This is Professor Dumbledore, Nik…"
Nik looked straight into the Headmaster's eyes.
"NIK!" Katrina warned. "No."
Nik looked down defiantly. "Fine. So tell me, why did you stun me?"
"I wanted to check whether you were being controlled." She said quietly.
"So am I?" He glared at her.
She calmly gazed into his eyes for a few minutes, concentrating.
Then, she glanced at Dumbledore, looking infinitely more fatigued than she had been a few minutes previously. "No, he's not. Professor, why don't you let Nik rest? I know every thing he's been through now."
After a slight pause, Dumbledore agreed. He called Madam Partridge.
"May, please give Mr. Ellis a flask of dreamless potion… forty eight hours ought to get him back to normal."
Nik smiled at Dumbledore gratefully. Just what he needed.
Back in Professor Dumbledore's office, Katrina began to explain how Nik had escaped.
"My father had held him under an imperious curse. He is very proficient in that curse especially. He tried to use Nik to find me, but since you had binded me… Well, my father was very angry. That's when he sent me that letter. Rather foolish of him. Uncharacteristic. But as the months wore on, Nik began to fight the curse. Of course, my father renewed it every often, but this particular month, he was so engrossed in finding me… he forgot. Somehow, Nik managed to escape, with a little help from one of our servants… Sarah. She pitied us… one weak link…."
"How did Mr. Ellis get into the castle?" asked the Headmaster.
"The same way I did."
Professor Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully. Of course. By tricking the front door… Something learned from their father? But Dumbledore had purposefully left it unchanged…It was good that Nik had arrived so quickly. Now, he could fix all the entrance doors to be anti-deceit.
"What now?" asked Katrina quietly, looking down into her lap, "What happens now?"
"Well, Miss Ellis. Your powers are not binded. You have the ability to look through my mind… But a curious thing. You aren't."
"I don't like it. The fact I have such great power… especially originating from dark sources…"
"What if I told you…" He paused.
"What?" asked Kat, looking right at him… at Professor Dumbledore's twinkling blue eyes.
Professor Dumbledore broke eye contact hastily. "In time, Miss Ellis. In time. When your brother wakes up, I will tell you."
Katrina nodded, embarrassed.
"What about my isolation?"
"Isolation?" asked the Professor surprised.
"Yes… you don't want me reading other student's minds do you?"
Dumbledore smiled. "I don't know. Might be useful. You can tell me which of the students are planning pranks…" His face twitched. "Or which of my students are planning to become Death Eaters… So… no. No isolation."
Katrina grinned.
On her way to the Gryffindor Common Room, she met Remus.
"Remus!"
"Katrina! I've been looking for you everywhere!? Why weren't you in the hospital wing? I know it can't be cause Nik woke up, because I saw him… he was still asleep and otherwise you'd be in isolation… so, where were you?"
"Why were you late?" asked Kat.
"Why are you answering my questions with questions?"
"Just tell me. Why were you late?"
"Long story… Peeves and Filch…" He muttered darkly.
"Liar." Katrina said, laughing.
"What?" asked Remus astonished.
"You are a liar. You were with James, Sirius and Peter. You were planning a prank. Something to do with olives…" She started walking, leaving poor Remus bewildered.
"Wait! You overheard us? How did you know? I mean, no, no! I wasn't with them! Peeves and FILCH! HOW DID YOU KNOW?"
Katrina's laughter rang through the corridor.
(A/N: Hello again. Wow. I managed this pretty well… yipeee!!! Sorry I took so long. I won't bore you with excuses. School starts tomorrow. BOOO!!!!!
Sayonara, my readers!)
