A/N: No much to say. Except that the next two chapters were very hard for me to write. I really like Katlin. She rapidly became one of my favorite OC characters.

But with that said, all I can add is,

as always,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: If I was sneaky enough to plagiarize this and make money off of it, would I still be working for the state?

Ummm..., actually, probably, because I really like my job. So where does that leave us?

CHAPTER SEVEN: THE CAPTURE OF KATLIN GRISS

Harry didn't have a great deal of time to worry over things as Katlin hurried him along the passage. They were all but running mostly, led by the lit tip of Harry's wand. As fast as they were traveling through the tunnel, Harry did his best to look ahead of them to see what obstacles might be there. But in doing so he inadvertently stumbled over a root laying in his path.

He had barely regained his balance when Katlin slammed into him from behind, sending them both sprawling over the sandy floor. His wand flew from his hand and landed several feet down the passageway.

"What happened?" Katlin whispered quickly, pulling herself back to her feet.

"I tripped over something." Harry whispered back. He was already scurrying on his hands and knees towards his wand.

"Try to be more careful." Katlin replied, a slight edge in her voice this time. "We're too close to freedom to let them catch us now."

Harry quickly scrambled back to his feet with the help of a firm hand on the back of his shirt pulling him up, and once again they were off.

As they moved quickly through the passageway, Harry's thoughts began to turn more to what lay ahead than what may lay behind. If Sirius got his letter, he had very little doubt his godfather would be waiting for him at the end of the passageway. But who else would be waiting?

Sirius was an Auror. So was Arabella. Therefore, he reasoned, they would, in all likelihood, know Katlin. Katlin had even told him that she and Arabella knew each other. So they would know he was traveling with a Deatheater.

Why hadn't he taken a few extra seconds to explain what was going on to them in the letter. To tell them Katlin had risk so much, possibly even her life, to make sure he got back to them safely?

All he had said was that he was traveling with Katlin Griss. And Sirius and Arabella would surely make the connection.

Their godson was with a Deatheater.

Harry sighed as he tried to think of a way around the problem. All he had to do was get to Sirius. Explain things to him. Sirius would take care of the rest. Make sure Katlin was safe. That no one tried to arrest her.

Harry smiled at his plan.

Yes. That would work. All he had to do was be the first one up the ladder.

But how exactly how to broach the subject with Katlin without telling her what he had done? That was the trick. Harry was sure Katlin would be none too pleased to learn he had sent the letter to his godparents when she had been adamant their flight be secret. But with each step he took he knew his time was growing shorter. He had say something to her.

"Ahhhh, Katlin." He started slowly, getting her attention as he slowed down his pace through the passage-way.

"Harry, we don't have time to talk." Came the brisk answer. "The Deatheaters may not be far behind."

Harry pulled up to a solid stop. "Katlin, we have to talk." He stated resolutely. "It's important.'

The Elite stared down at him with hard, cold look in her eyes. "It had better be."

Harry paused for a second, turning to the ground before he looked back up at her again. "Katlin, maybe it would be best if I went up stairs into the castle first."

Katlin's look shifted quickly to one if utter disbelief. "That's it?" She asked. "This is all over who goes up the stairs first?" The Elite gave an exacerbated sigh as she turned the teenager around and shoved him off down the passage-way again. "Harry, I don't care if Santa Clause meets us halfway to the stairs and tells us he wants to go up first so he can deliver presents. Just as long as we keep moving."

Harry quickly headed off down the passage-way again. Well, the matter was partly settled. As long as he could get up the stairs first, he could possibly delay things long enough to explain who Katlin was and not have the other Aurors that may be there attacking her without hesitation.

But as he was laying out his plan, a hand laid itself on his shoulder and pulled him to a stop.

Harry turned around to find himself facing a very stoic looking Katlin.

"Harry," she asked in a falsely calm voice, "why is it so important to you who goes up the stairs first?"

Harry swallowed hard. He was hoping she would just accept his decision and not ask questions about his reasoning.

"Well?" She pressed.

"Ummmmm," Harry began slowly, "it's because..., well, there might be someone waiting for us at the other end."

"Who?" Came the very cold question.

"Well, maybe Sirius."

"That's all?"

"Ahhhhh, well, no."

"Harry, what have you done?" Katlin asked.

Harry could barely meet her stare now. "When we were in the cave, while you were sleeping, Hedwig, my owl, showed up. And she had a letter from Sirius."

Katlin appeared to carefully consider the information before she spoke again. "And what did you do with the letter?" She asked plainly.

Harry paused again. "Well, the ink was magic, and I could just tell it what I wanted to say and it wrote it out for me."

"And what did you tell it?"

Harry was actively fidgeting now. "Sirius was real worried. About where I was and if I was safe. I told him I was. I told him I was with you and you were taking care of me and we were trying to get back to Hogwarts."

"You told him you were with 'me'?" she ask in a voice tinged with anticipation. "Did you give 'me' a name?"

Harry nodded.

Katlin's whole demeanor seemed to deflate right before his eyes.

"Did you tell your godfather 'how' we were going to get back to Hogwarts?" She asked.

Harry nodded slightly again.

Harry heard her groan in the silence of the passageway.

"But it'll be all right, Katlin." Harry insisted.

The Elite crouched down in front of him, taking him by the shoulders as she set a hard stare on him. "Harry, what did I tell you?" she stated firmly. "What did I say about all this? That no one must know. Why do you think that was important, Harry? Why do you think I emphasized it over and over again? I am a Deatheater. No matter what I have done, no matter what I have risk, no matter what has happened, when we come out of this tunnel, that is all anyone will see."

"But I'll tell them, Katlin!" Harry insisted. "I'll make them understand you helped me."

Katlin groaned again as she lowered her head. Why did the boy have to be so trusting? So naive? Why didn't he just listen to her and do what she had said?

"I won't let them hurt you." A soft voice broken into her thoughts.

Katlin looked up again. The sheer determination in the teenager's face struck right into whatever was left of her heart.

He was so naive. He truly did believed he could convince them.

Katlin reached up and gently caressed a hand over his cheek. "Oh, Harry," she whispered, "if only it was that easy."

The desolation in her voice only made him feel that much worse. "I'll make them understand." he promised.

Katlin shook her head as she lowered it again. "Don't you understand, Harry?" she ask. "They won't believe you, my little one. They'll shove you aside and they'll come after me." She stood up and faced him with a barely held determination in her eyes. "But it's not me I'm worried about now. I've been in fights before, and I'm still here. It's you that we have to worry about."

Harry lowered his eyes. With all she could be facing, still she was worried more about him than herself.

Katlin leg go a sigh of resignation as she thought over the situation, which even in her opinion, wasn't good at best. For all the possible outcomes, she could still see their best chances only starting one way. And she didn't like it. It was too risky. To many possible outcomes.

"All right." she said finally. "We'll do it your way, Harry." she conceded. "But you listen to me this time." She crouched down in front of him again and took him once more by the shoulders. "No doing things on your own, all right?"

Harry nodded.

"You go up the ladder first. Talk all you want. But I only have one direction I can go at this point, and that is up that ladder. So if you fail to convince them," Katlin set a hard, no argument stare n the boy, "you get out f there fast. Because Harry, if I have to fight, I'll be fighting for my life. And I'll be fighting to win. You understand? You get out of the way and you do it fast. I won't have the time to see where you are and make sure you're safe any longer. I'm am simply going to be doing everything I can to get out of there alive. So don't give me one more thing to worry about. You let me know you'll do as I say."

Harry nodded firmly. "I'll do what you say, Katlin." he promised. "But you won't have to fight. I'll make them understand."

Katlin gave him a small, humorless smile. Hw could anyone be so trusting?

The rest of the trip was made in near silence. The only interruptions were Katlin stopping him suddenly with a firm hand clamped over his mouth as she would seem to stop and listen to something, then hurry him back along.

Finally Harry recognized the slow ascent of the passage and realized they were near the end. Soon they would come across the opening into the school.

"We should be near the opening." Harry whispered behind him. Ever since he had told Katlin about the letter, a new thought had come to him. One that presented a new problem.

If Sirius was there waiting for him, which he most certainly would be, Harry didn't want to risk Katlin recognizing him and saying his name. If there were others about as well, this would most certainly break the spell Moody had placed on Sirius to hide his identity. And if anyone from the Ministry was there who weren't part of Moody's plan, things could go very badly for Sirius.

As for anyone from the Ministry recognizing Katlin, Harry figured he could sort that out fast enough. Telling them that she had helped him escape and had protected him from the other Deatheaters until they got to safety. Surely that would convince them she wasn't one of Voldemort's followers.

A few more minutes past before Harry could make out the ladder that ascended up the back of the hump-backed witch in the corridor of the castle.

"That's it!" Harry all but cried out in relief. "We're here."

"Shhhhh!" Katlin hissed from behind him. "Magic, child! Don't you know anything about being covert?"

Harry turned back to her. "I'm sorry, Katlin." he apologized quickly. "But, ummmm...," he quickly took to studying his shoes, "there's one more thing I have to tell you."

Katlin's expression fell. What else had the child done? She steeled herself up. "All right. Let's get it out now."

Harry still didn't look at her. "Ummmmmm..., it just that, you see, Sirius...everyone still believes he killed my parents. And they're still looking for him. So Mad-Eye Moody...he placed this spell on Sirius, s that no one who didn't know him really well wouldn't see him. They'd see someone else when they looked at him."

"I'm very impressed." Katlin said dully. "But I fail t see the relevance, Harry."

"Well, the only way anyone who doesn't know him will recognize Sirius is if someone days his name in their presence."

"Ah!" Katlin said, finally getting the point. "I see. And you're afraid I'll say his name?"

Harry gave a small nod.

"Harry, believe me, if I see your godfather, his name is the last thing I'll be calling him."

But despite the boy's obvious look of relief, Katlin wasn't so sure it was warranted.

So Moody had placed a spell on Sirius s he wouldn't be recognized? Well, that explained a lot. And she could certainly use that to her advantage. Saying his name and breaking the spell would no doubt create panic and possibly just enough cover for her to slip away. All she would have to do then was find a way out or the Headmaster's office. Either way she'd be safe then. Out of the castle she could escape easily enough. Or if she got trapped inside, but could find the Headmaster's office, Dumbledore would never hand her over to the Ministry, knowing what her fate would be.

Katlin shook her head in resignation. As good as the prospects were to her advantage, she could never place Sirius in that situation without warning. No matter what else, he was still her brother-in-law. Still Orion's baby brother.

He was still family.

Slowly she turned back to Harry. "Don't worry, Harry." she promised, "I won't say anything. Now," she said, gesturing to the waiting ladder, "off you go."

Katlin waited at the bottom of the stairs none too patiently. She waited for the boy to give her some sort of signal everything was all right. But no sound came from the area above her.

No sound at all.

Katlin had to almost physically fight the urge to whisper up to the teenager, asking what was going on. But finally she decided the ball had been in her court too long and it was time to do something.

She had been in tougher situations. She could go back, or go forward. Those were her choices. And the Aurors likely already had the back end of the tunnel guarded for her escape. Her best option was to try going up the ladder and fight her way out if she had to. Maybe Black was the only one there. Sirius knew her. He didn't like her, but he knew her. She was his sister-in-law. He would listen to her.

Katlin mounted the first rung of the ladder and slowly started her ascent. Each subsequent rung was mounted so silently that not a single sound echoed up the round hole. As she reached the last rung, wrapping her hand over the thin bar, she reached into her robe for her wand. If she had to fight, she was prepa...

Katlin froze. She could positively feel the blood draining from her face. Her hand began a frantic search, and within seconds, knowing the frightening answer, let go of the top rung she held onto for support.

Katlin prepared herself to take the fall. But her control of things was further thrown off when a hand reached down and grabbed hold of her's, preventing her fall. With a single swift move Katlin found herself yanked out of the hole and up into the cold air of the corridor.

She hit the ground with a solid thump, nearly knocking the wind out of her. The grip on her wrist didn't let go until it had slammed her against the floor. Just from the sound around her she judged her adversaries to number ten at least. Trying to get to her feet, Katlin lashed out and caught hold of one of the people standing nearest to her. She didn't much care who it was. Her whole body was centered solely on its own defense. She swung the body in her grip about and threw it off in the opposite direction. That was where they would least suspect the attack. Where they were least prepared.

Katlin dove after the body. It was her chance for escape, using the path she had just cleared for herself. but as she drove headlong towards the opening, other hand seized her and pulled her back.

Katlin spun about and found herself facing a young wizard with dark hair. She immediately seized hold of the front of his robes and was about to use him as her new battering ram when someone grabbed her from behind and pulled her backwards. slamming into the wall behind her, Katlin's sole purpose shifted quickly to getting back to her feet.

In a mad, half-frantic scramble, she made for an opening she saw in the wall of bodies and sprinted for it. But the words that followed her froze her blood.

"No wand!"

The shout went through the group like a victory cry.

For Harry, he didn't need to be an Auror to know what the call meant.

Katlin didn't have her wand.

She was defenseless.

Harry had seen the Aurors attack Deatheaters before. He had seen how they had done it when he and Sirius and Arabella had been apparated to the open field and the Aurors had saved them from an ambush. At the time he had been almost a bit horrified at how precise the Aurors were in their actions. It had been almost merciless. But now they had a totally defenseless Deatheater, trapped within the walls of the castle. To Harry there was no point in them doing anything. There was nowhere for her to go.

But the Aurors didn't see it that way at all.

The first spell that struck her took her down immediately in a scream of pain. Harry jumped in his godfather's grip at the sound. Nothing that had happened to them in the past few days had managed such a sound out of her.

It wasn't just pain.

It was defeat.

If she could shake off the effects of the spell, she wasn't given the chance before the next one hit her. But this time she bit back the pain and made no sound, although her teeth were fighting to hold the cry back.

The act didn't settle well with the Aurors, who seemed determined to be rewarded for their efforts.

Another spell hit Katlin as she fought her way back to her feet. If she could have silenced her cry of pain against one spell, she failed completely as the next one hit her within seconds of the first. Harry screamed behind his godfather's hand for them to stop. She hadn't hurt him. She had saved his life. Why were they doing this? She wasn't fighting back. She couldn't. What they were doing was pointless and cruel.

Harry watched past tear-filled eyes as the woman who had been his protector for several long, arduous days, finally collapsed to the stone floor. Two of the Aurors cautiously approached her. One of the two pulled his foot back, obviously intent on giving the body a good kick. But as he swung his foot at the prone figure, a hand darted out and seized hold. Giving the leg a sharp pull, the man was instantly on his back on the ground. Katlin moved so quickly, Harry could hardly register what she was doing. In an instant she had the man pinned to the ground and was reaching over his right hand.

She was trying for his wand.

A blot of light hit her square in the back. She jerked back, but didn't abandon her attempt. Two more Aurors rushed forward and seized her by the arms and all but yanked her to her feet.

Secured between them, a third Auror approached the other two who were holding the still struggling woman.

"Katlin Griss." The man announced formally. "You are under arrest by the Ministry of Magic for crimes against the wizarding community and unprovoked attacks against muggles."

Katlin didn't miss the opportunity being handed to her. In the middle of the man's pronouncement, she spit directly into his face.

"Your laws mean nothing to me." She hissed at him. "I serve only Lord Voldemort. And only he has the right to judge me for my acts."

The man returned her act with a solid slap across the face. "I'll take you to Azkaban personally." He stated in a low, level tone. "And I'll dance for every day you rot there."

Harry continued to struggle in his godfather's hold. Why didn't Katlin stop fighting? Why didn't she just let him tell them the truth? How she had protected him. Fought against her own people. Done everything she could to make sure he got back to Hogwart's safely.

Abruptly Harry felt himself dragged along with Sirius as his godfather turned and left the corridor. Harry tried once more to shake off the hold on him, but Sirius held on tight.

Harry never got to see his godmother as she followed Sirius, stopping in front of the restrained woman, her eyes burning with a cold fury.

"How dare you?" She hissed at her in a low voice. "How dare you do something like this? To him? To Harry? Of all people? You're fortunate the Aurors got you first. Because I wish it had been me, for I'd have killed you on the spot."

Katlin gave the woman a cold smile. "Ask nicely, Figg, and the gentlemen may grant you your wish."

Arabella stared back at the woman for a few more seconds, then followed after Sirius out the same door.

Q&A

Runaway

Silverfox:

Indeed, Orion's poor parents are in for a bit of a shock. But Orion didn't exactly spring it on them point blank. He did tell them before arranging the meeting. So, knowing that their daughter-in-law is a Deatheater, and an Elite no less, one would have to assume that since they agreed to the meeting, they decided to be fair about it and give her the benefit of the doubt.

Actually, Sirius has a lot of issue with his sister-in-law, and yes, she is not exactly holding a winning hand. But knowing what I do and what you don't, allow me to say that there is a lot more going on in this chapter than you are seeing. In fact, once you get to chapter ten (I think) of Family Relations, you might want to go back and re-read these last three chapters, as well as the opening nine of Family Relations, knowing at that point what you weren't seeing before. Not everyone's reactions are based on what you are seeing up front.

But I like Harry naive. He so...so...cute that way. Beats the snot out of Rowling's 'new and improved' kick-ass Harry of Book V in my opinion. He was just so much more likable in Books I through IV.

Hmmmm..., A Black Family Christmas. Sounds like the title of a story.

Personally, I would love to be a bird. I would take nearly anything, except something people consider tasty.

Family Relations

x-faux-x:

Yes, yes. I know it's spring. But when I set that deadline I wasn't working on a TV script and a new novel. I'm also doing that job thing and going to classes while working a second job.

Thankfully school and second job disappear in mid-April, (hopefully) and with my surgery looming ever closer, I'll have a full week or two off to just sit in front of my computer and relax while I type. I am soooooooooooooooooo looking forward to that!

Oh no, Dear. Give poor Arabella a chance! Innocent until proven guilty. (Did you people really learn NOTHING from the Aaron Richards incident?) She had such a good reason for what she did! Give her a chance!

As for Family Life, poor Arabella did the best she could with what she had. And Sirius was often in a very difficult position, torn between his godson and Arabella. Choices are not always easy.

I am very pleased you like Orion. He is also one of my favorite OC's. Mostly because he is just so much fun to write. He is your typical obnoxious male, who, mostly on the part of his wife, must constantly face the fact he is not 'all that', as they say. He is also dealing with an impossible situation in probably the best possible way. Faced with a family legacy that was none too pleasing, he chose to see it in his own way rather than the one that was being presented. And in doing so has opened the 'Power' up to what it was meant to be to the family more than any of his predecessors. Bo was never meant to be a curse to the Black family. He was meant to be an asset. (See what your missing by not reading Enemies?) But he is a very fun character and I enjoy him immensely.

Why shouldn't he remind you of Sirius? They are brothers. And more alike than either will admit.

All right, I have been slapped with this many times and I whole heartedly admit it. No, Orion is not the fastest horse on the track sometimes. But he is incredibly methodical. Like a dog with a bone, once he has a hold of something, he never lets go until he's satisfied he's finished with it.

Also, in his complete defense I would like to point out Orion is not use to children. This is despite that he has five of his own. He is your typical 'bring home the bacon' dad. He leaves child rearing to Katlin, since she is, after all, a woman, and naturally equipped better for that sort of thing. He relates to his sons fairly well, because they are, after all, 'men'. But his daughters? They just scare him mostly. Now mind you, that is not to say they can not turn the charm on dad and melt him like playdough in the microwave. But poor Orion is n better equipped to handle a teenage daughter than any other adult male. And actually, if you want t get technical, the person responsible for most of the child rearing in the Black household, since both mom and dad work, is...Bo.

Poor Bo. Try getting away from a four year old who thinks you are the best thing since sliced bread.

So, in the end, yes, it was a bit stupid of him to leave before he fund out if Harry could apparate or not. But with the boy in his brother's association for the last nearly three years, Orion simply assumed this was something Sirius would think it was fun to teach Harry.

And if none of that des it for you, then simply except that Orion is a man, and you know what they are like. (Unless you are one, in which case, you don't.)

Orion isn't conceited to assume Harry is better off with him, he's absolutely sure of it. Whether or not he is right remains to be seen.

Spite? 100 per cent correct, Dear. It was pure, unquestioned, undisguised, here it is, up in your face, spite. And, just to make sure, Orion rubbed it in at the end. The justification here is not what he did, it's 'why'.

Now the 'concern' part is bit tricky. To Orion, at the moment, Harry is an assignment. 'Protect'. That's his job and all he is there for. It's not that he doesn't like Harry, or care about him. But when it comes to his work, Orion can be very single minded. But he is Sirus' godson, and Orion's near-nephew, and he will, therefore, get a little better than average treatment. But keep in mind, Orion just isn't that great with kids overall. They make him nervous. They don't do what they are told, they always argue with you, you're always wrong, they are always right, and in the end, as the old saying goes, 'trying to raise a teenager is like trying to nail Jello to a tree'.

Well, not reading Enemies is your choice. Dear, but you will be handicapped on several fronts. One, you'll have no idea who she is. Two, you have no idea the role she plays in the other characters lives. Three, you have no idea what relationship she has with Harry, which you actually get reading Runaway, and four, you're just missing out on a really good story.

See her faults? According to her husband, she hasn't got any.

All reviews are as of 03/27/2005.

And remember;

A very Happy Easter to you all. (Or whatever you celebrate this season of the year.)