I haven't disclaimed since chapter 1, do I had better do so now, especially
for this one.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter. I do not live in a mansion. I do not have millions of pounds. I do not have hundreds of thousand of adoring fans. (Just look at my reviews to know that!) Also, do not own most of Kathryn's vision. That's from HP and the PoA, okay?
On with it!
Anyone who guesses what the 'extra thing' is in Sirius eyes gets a prize. Well, maybe not, I can't actually send a prize over the 'Net, can I? Anyway, enjoy!
Lol, Tanydwr
Chapter 11 – The Shrieking Shack
20th December 1980, Hogsmeade:
"God, it's cold!" Alura complained.
"I'm sure you and Damion can find ways to warm up." Sirius teased.
The nine students were heading up to look at the deserted Shrieking Shack, supposedly the most haunted house in Britain. Several of the students knew better.
"So, looks a bit bland, doesn't it?" Kathryn mused. "I really was expecting something a little more, um, shrieking?"
She was answered by a handful of soft snow hitting her in the face. The others watched in shock as it melted and hissed, evaporating nearly as soon as it touched her.
"What the...?" Damion began.
"That? Oh, um, manipulation of body heat, something to do with fire. I've always had this uncanny thing with it." Kathryn explained.
"Right." Damion nodded as though he understood.
However, the snow did not stop there. It wasn't long before a snowball fight began, right in front of the Shrieking Shack. They split into teams, typically, boys versus girls. But while there were five boys opposing four girls, Peter wasn't much use. He was very timid and nervous, rarely saying anything at all.
Eventually they ceased. Only Kathryn was dry.
"Oh, come 'ere." She ordered. "Excilis." She pointed her wand. Instantly the teens dried off.
"You're gonna get it from the Ministry." Damion warned her.
Kathryn grinned, shaking her head. "Nope. Because I believe a permit last summer allowing me to do magic outside of school to study for my OWLs is still in effect. Besides, they never monitor Hogsmeade. There's too many overage wizards and witches doing magic to even see underage ones. And no one really minds anyway."
The others grinned. James looked up thankfully, took off his glasses and incanted: "Impervius." He slid his glasses back on, finally able to see.
"So why did you actually want to come up here?" Sirius asked.
"Curiosity. I mean, this place... it holds key events to come."
Radella groaned. "Will you quit with the cryptic? We all know you know the future. There's no need to rub our noses in it."
Kathryn looked at her sharply. The girl took a step back as she saw her friend, long hair and cloak whipping in the wind. Kathryn looked dangerous.
"I do not 'rub your noses in it'. I would much rather not know the future. Not know the fate of people I love, people I care about. Not know that this place shall hold secrets. Not know that people will die, and I cannot prevent it. I'm forbidden to change that future. No one knows what damage it may cause, and God knows, some of the things that will hurt me most will benefit so many more people. But God, I wish things didn't have to happen. I can't do anything to change them. 'Tis both a blessing and a curse." Kathryn told her.
"*Kathryn.*" A voice murmured.
The girl whipped round. "Hello?"
"*Kathryn.*"
"Who is it?" Kathryn called.
"Kathryn? Who are you speaking to?" Sirius asked.
"*Kathryn. You have to know. You have to See.*" The voice ordered.
"See? But I..." She did not finish.
Sirius barely managed to catch her as she fell to the floor, the sleep of a vision encompassing her once more.
* * *
------------
June 2001, the Shrieking Shack:
Kathryn wasn't sure where she was. She couldn't see much. She moved through the room, following the voices she could hear.
"Where is he, Sirius?" A vaguely familiar voice asked.
Kathryn frowned. What was going on? What date was it? What time?
She tried to twist a door handle, but found her hand went through it. What was this? Was she a ghost? She stepped through the door.
And gasped.
A much older Remus Lupin was staring at an emaciated and sunken Sirius Black, staring so intently as though to read his mind.
"But then... why hasn't he shown himself before now? Unless–" Lupin's eyes suddenly widened, as though he was seeing something beyond Black, something none of the rest could see, "–unless he was the one... unless you switched... without telling me?"
Kathryn gasped. She knew this scene, recognised it. It was in the third book, the final confrontation between Harry, Sirius, Remus and Peter.
"Oh, God! Harry, listen to him!" Kathryn shrieked as she saw Lupin embrace Black like a brother. "They're friends! They don't want to hurt you!"
Harry stared.
"I DON'T BELIEVE IT!" Hermione screamed.
Remus let go of Sirius and turned to her. She had raised herself off the floor, and was pointing at Remus, wild-eyed. "You – you–"
"Hermione–"Remus began.
Kathryn turned away. She hated seeing Hermione so hysterical. "Don't, Hermione, you're wrong. He's not been helping Sirius."
"–*he's a werewolf*!" Hermione completed her rant.
There was a silence.
Remus was telling her that she was wrong.
Kathryn by this point, couldn't help but feel bored.
"Get on with it! We know he's not been helping Sirius into the castle, we know he doesn't want Harry dead... For God's sake, neither does Sirius, so if you just shut up and listen, we'll get to the decent part." She snarled.
"AND HE WAS WRONG!" Harry yelled. "YOU'VE BEEN HELPING HIM ALL THE TIME!" He was pointing at Black.
Kathryn sighed as Lupin returned the wands.
"But if you haven't been helping him," Harry said, with a furious glance at Black, "how did you know he was here?"
"The map." Lupin answered.
Kathryn grinned. "Of course, he knows how to work it! The Marauders invented the Marauders' bloody Map."
She couldn't help grinning as Remus revealed things she knew all too well.
"No one was with us!" Said Harry.
"And then I saw another dot, moving fast towards you, labelled Sirius Black... I saw him collide with you, I watched as he pulled two of you into the Whomping Willow–"
"One of us!" Ron said angrily.
"No, Ron," said Lupin (and Kathryn). "Two of you."
He stopped pacing, his eyes moving to Ron.
"Do you think I could have a look at the rat?"
"What? What's Scabbers got to do with it?"
Kathryn grinned. She had loved this revelation. She couldn't help but join in the parts of Sirius and Ron.
"What?" Ron said again, holding Scabbers close to him, looking scared. "What's my rat got to do with anything?"
"That's not a rat," croaked Sirius suddenly.
"What do you mean – of course he's a rat–"
"No, he's not," said Lupin quietly. "He's a wizard."
"An Animagus," said Black, "by the name of Peter Pettigrew."
The next 'chapter' went very quickly. It was primarily explanation, and although Kathryn gave frequent anecdotes, no one seemed to hear her. It was as though she was merely an observer, a watcher looking through a TV screen, but for the vital fact that she could walk around among them. It was at that moment that the comments between Lupin and Snape really caught her attention.
"You fool," said Lupin softly. "Is a schoolboy grudge worth putting an innocent man back inside Azkaban?"
"Of course it is." Kathryn remarked sarcastically. "Snape has been desperate to put the lot of you in Azkaban since he was in nappies. In fact his first words were probably 'Put the Marauders in Azkaban, and it doesn't matter that they're innocent'! I mean, his family's hatred for mine is enough to make him hate me before he actually even spoke to me. He's a bigoted bastard, no matter what he does do to attempt to redeem himself."
While she gave this monologue, time had moved on.
"YOU'RE PATHETIC!" Harry yelled. "JUST BECAUSE THEY MADE A FOOL OF YOU AT SCHOOL YOU WON'T EVEN LISTEN–"
"I WILL NOT BE SPOKEN TO LIKE THAT!" Snape shrieked, looking madder than ever.
Kathryn giggled. "Really? It's how I speak to you every time we meet. And now you go on the like father, like son tirade. God, maybe I shouldn't've told James you were going to get yourself killed. Talk about gratitude! And I very much doubt that anything that comes from your slimy mouth is true. I'll find out the truth. I swear I will."
"Expelliarmus!" Harry yelled – except that his wasn't the only voice that shouted.
Kathryn gloated as Snape lifted off his feet and slammed into the wall, then slid down it. A trickle of blood oozed from under his hair – he was unconscious.
"Ah, sweet, sweet revenge." Kathryn murmured.
"Wee attacked a teacher... we attacked a teacher..." Hermione whimpered.
"Aww, chill, Hermione, he ain't got any brains in his head to damage." Kathryn waved a hand flippantly.
"Then it's time we offered you some proof," said Black. "You, boy – give me Peter. Now."
Kathryn grinned at Ron's incredulous face. In some ways this was highly entertaining.
"You know, Sirius, that's a fair question," said Remus, turning to him and frowning slightly. "How did you find out where he was?"
"The newspaper clipping. He asked Fudge for his newspaper." Kathryn grinned. "Atta boy, Solum."
There was a vague flicker on Sirius' face. Kathryn stared at him. Was there something else there? Had something else caused him pain?
"My God," said Lupin softly, staring from Scabbers to the picture in the paper and back again. "His front paw..."
"Get on with it!" Kathryn complained. "I want to see the conniving little traitor cower!" Her voice was unusually vicious. In fact, the hatred in it was worse than that for Snape and Malfoy.
"Twelve years, in fact," said Lupin. "Didn't you ever wonder why he was living so long?"
Was it just Kathryn or did they keep skipping paragraphs?
"But Peter got wind of what was going on and ran for it... this cat – Crookshanks, did you call him – told me Peter had left blood on the sheets... I suppose he bit himself... well, faking his own death had worked once..."
Yep, they were definitely skipping bits.
"And why did he fake his death?" Harry said furiously. "Because he knew you were about to kill him like you killed my parents!"
"No," said Lupin. "Harry –"
"And now you've come to finish him off!"
"Yes, I have." Said Sirius, with an evil look at Scabbers.
Kathryn rolled her eyes. "Sirius, honey, you've still got to explain, remember? Besides, I'm planning to make every day of that miserable rat's life living hell until the day I can't."
"Harry," said Lupin hurriedly, "don't you see? All this time we've thought Sirius betrayed your parents, and Peter tracked him down – but it was the other way around, don't you see?" Kathryn had to join in. It was one of the most important lines in the entire book. "*Peter* betrayed your mother and father – Sirius tracked *Peter* down –"
"The little rat." Kathryn snarled over Harry's explosion and Sirius' explanation. "Don't you dare feel guilty, Sirius! How were you to know? You didn't know that he was selling information about his best friends! That he was going to kill James and Lily..."
Sirius' voice broke. He turned away. But there was something in his eyes, something left unsaid, something that was not in the book as she remembered it. (A/N: As I said before, review and tell me what you think hurts so much! There are some major clues!)
"Ready, Sirius?" Said Remus, holding the rat and his wand.
Sirius had retrieved Snape's wand.
"Together?" He said quietly.
"I think so," said Remus, holding Scabbers tightly in one hand and his wand in the other. "On the count of three. One – two – THREE!"
A flash of blue-white light. Kathryn watched with interest as an older Peter Pettigrew emerged. He looked more than forty when in reality he was closer to thirty-seven – even Sirius, emaciated as he was, looked younger, not to mention Remus who, despite slightly greying hair, looked only twenty- seven or so. But other than looking older and thinner, he didn't look all that different. Colourless hair, watery blue eyes and pointed nose.
"Well, hello, Peter," said Lupin pleasantly, as though rats frequently erupted into old school friends. "Long time, no see."
Kathryn smirked as he stammered as usual. Tried to convince them that Sirius was a liar and a traitor.
"Like they'd ever believe Sirius would betray James and Lily. Two of his best friends. He was best man at the wedding, idiot! He was – is – Harry's godfather!"
Black started to laugh, a horrible, mirthless laugh that filled the whole room.
"Voldemort, teach me tricks?"
Pettigrew flinched.
"What, scared to hear your old master's name?" Kathryn chanted with Sirius, then left him to continue. "I don't blame you, Peter. His lot aren't very happy with you, are they?"
"Don't know – what you mean, Sirius –" muttered Pettigrew, his breathing faster than ever.
"Sure you don't." Kathryn scoffed.
She despised Pettigrew. Even now, in school, before he ever betrayed them, she was cold towards him. The others were confused. He was the boys' friend and the girls treated him with pity more than anything else. But no one showed the same cold indifference towards him, the harsh voice, the scowls when she thought no one was looking, that Kathryn did. She alone knew what he was to do. She alone blatantly ignored him most of the time.
"I must admit, Peter, I have difficulty in understanding why an innocent man would want to spend twelve years as a rat," said Remus evenly.
"Always the cool one, eh, Moony?" Kathryn grinned.
"Innocent but scared! Squealed Pettigrew. "If Voldemort's supporters were after me, it was because I put one of their best men in Azkaban – the spy, Sirius Black!"
Sirius' face contorted.
"How dare you," he growled, sounding suddenly like the bear-sized dog he had been. "I, a spy for Voldemort?"
"Not bloody likely." Kathryn snorted. Despite all her protests, her language was most likely, the worst in the school, but not because she called anyone names as such. "After all, Sirius has plenty of power, doesn't need anymore." She seemed to be talking more to herself now. "But Peter... can't see why not. I mean, even now, you can tell, he always likes big friends, oh this is the good bit..."
She recited with Sirius.
"Lily and James only made you Secret-Keeper because I suggested it," Black hissed, so venomously that Pettigrew took a step backwards. "I thought it was the perfect plan... a bluff... Voldemort would be sure to come after me, would never dream they'd use a weak, talentless thing like you... it must have been the finest moment of your miserable life, telling Voldemort you could hand him the Potters."
Kathryn couldn't help but feel rage boil in her veins. How could he even think that anyone would believe Sirius would betray his friends? Sirius, who would fight for his friends, get punished for them, die for them? But he had convinced people for twelve years. All it took was a couple of spells and a convincing lie.
"Believe me," croaked Black. "Believe me, I never betrayed James and Lily. I would have died before I betrayed them."
At long last, Harry believed him. Throat too tight to speak, he nodded.
"No!"
Pettigrew had fallen to his knees, as though Harry's nod had been his own death sentence. He began begging them not to kill him.
"Forgive me, Remus," said Black.
"Not at all, Padfoot, old friend," said Lupin, who was now rolling up his sleeves. "And will you, in turn, forgive me for believing you were the spy?"
"Of course. Shall we kill him together?"
"Yes, I think so," said Lupin grimly.
Kathryn paled. She could see the light in their eyes. "No, Sirius, Remus, don't! He's a bastard, I know, but don't become killers, not for his sake! Sirius, don't commit the murder you were wrongly imprisoned for! Don't go back! Not for him!"
Pettigrew begged Ron, he begged Hermione, and finally her begged Harry.
"Sirius, Sirius, what could I have done? The Dark Lord... you have no idea... he has weapons you can't imagine... I was scared, Sirius, I was never brave, like you and Remus and James. I never meant it to happen... He Who Must Not be Named forced me –"
"DON'T LIE!" Bellowed Sirius. "YOU'D BEEN PASSING INFORMATION TO HIM FOR A YEAR BEFORE LILY AND JAMES DIED! YOU WERE HIS SPY!"
Kathryn gasped. A year? From the time Harry was born? Surely it wasn't coincidence? Was it just Harry's birth that caused it though?
"He – he was taking over everywhere!" Gasped Pettigrew. "Wh-what was there to be gained by refusing him?"
Kathryn, again, joined Sirius' yells.
"What was there to be gained by fighting the most evil wizard who has ever existed?" Said Sirius, with a terrible fury in his face. "Only innocent lives, Peter!"
Kathryn felt something hit her hard. She couldn't tell if it was physical or emotional. But she could see something in Sirius' eyes. It wasn't in the book. There was backstory there. Backstory that either her coma hadn't processed, or had deliberately blocked out.
"You should have realised," said Lupin quietly. "If Voldemort didn't kill you, we would. Goodbye, Peter."
As Hermione turned away, Kathryn screamed. "NO! HARRY, DON'T LET THEM BECOME KILLERS! THEY CAN'T SINK TO HIS LEVEL!"
"NO!" Harry yelled. He ran forward, placing himself in front of Pettigrew, facing the wands. "You can't kill him," he said breathlessly. "You can't."
Black and Lupin both looked staggered.
Kathryn smiled. "Oh, good boy, Harry. It's a Wizard's Bond. I don't know what it will mean, but he can't be as useful to Voldemort as he would have been."
"Harry!" Gasped Pettigrew, and he flung his hands around Harry's knees. "You – thank you – it's more than I deserve – thank you..."
"Get off me," Harry spat, throwing Pettigrew's hands off him in disgust. "I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing it because I don't reckon my dad would've wanted his best friends to become killers – just for you."
Kathryn gasped again. Their words were so alike, how...? She glanced up at Sirius. Still, there was something hiding in his eyes. She didn't know what, but there were two sorrows there. The death of his friends and... what else? What else did Pettigrew do to him?
She never found out, for she blacked out once more.
------------
* * *
20th December 1980, Outside the Shrieking Shack:
"Ugh!" Kathryn gasped. She jerked violently and sat up, to discover she had been lying in the snow.
Eight curious, worried and frightened faces stared at her.
"I'm going to be sick." Kathryn groaned.
"Kathryn, what... what did you see?" Sirius asked.
"Something I'd already read. But there was something different." Kathryn murmured.
"What did you mean about betrayal? And killing? And..." James began. He stopped as Kathryn looked at him horrified.
"What did you hear?" She whispered.
"Only what you said."
"No." She murmured. "You can't know... You can't..." Peter looked at her, frightened. She snarled. "You little rat."
"Kathryn, what's wrong? What did you mean, wedding? Godfather?" Sirius wanted to know.
Kathryn gave a hollow laugh. "You aren't supposed to know. Only me. Oh, God, Dumbledore'll kill me... Dumbledore." A light came to her eyes and she ran.
Peter looked scared. "She said I would betray Lily and James. And then blame Sirius. I-I'd never do that!"
Sirius looked thoughtful. "No. I suppose not."
"What's wrong, Padfoot?" James asked softly.
"It was Kathryn. She was so damn-scared."
* * *
Later that day, Hogwarts:
"Kathryn? What did you see?" Sirius asked.
"Nothing, it was – it was a false vision."
"Liar!" Sirius accused. "You said you'd read it! That means in your coma!"
"Yes, but you were different!" Kathryn snapped.
"What? I was in it."
"Of course you were in it!" Kathryn heaved an exasperated sigh. "A load of the stuff I said were quotes from you. But there was something different. Something in your eyes. There wasn't just the pain Peter had caused you by betraying Lily and James. There was something else. Something even more personal. Something you refused to reveal even to Remus, the last of your true friends remaining. Something you never reveal. Something I don't know about." She felt an inexplicable sob in her throat.
"You shouldn't be telling me this." Sirius sighed. "I can't know this. How would I avoid changing the future?"
Kathryn smiled. "I'm sorry, Sirius."
"Why?"
"You know why." She pulled out her wand. Concentrating on removing what she had said of the future and not removing anything else, she spoke. "Obliviate."
Sirius' eyes went dazed and he shook his head. "What were we talking about again?"
"Our duet for the Yule Ball." Kathryn replied. Dumbledore had sorted the others, but Kathryn had wanted to remove the knowledge from Sirius herself. Mainly because it concerned him so much.
Sirius grinned. "It's gonna be so good."
"I hope so." Kathryn smiled, then frowned.
"What's wrong?"
"I, er, I still don't have a date." She confessed.
"Really? I can't believe I forgot!" Sirius slapped his head. "Kathryn, will you go to the Yule Ball with me?"
Kathryn stared at him, startled, then smiled. "Sure. What do you mean by 'forgot'?"
"Well, I have been intending to ask you to the ball for ages. I was sure I'd done so. Never mind. I'm just relieved you accepted." Sirius grinned.
Kathryn grinned, hitting him lightly. "Like I'd refuse. After all, we're singing a duet of love." She batted her eyelashes mock-flirtatiously.
"Written by ourselves." Sirius grinned.
They were walking into the Common Room by now.
"A song of passion." Kathryn countered.
"A song of hope." Sirius exclaimed.
"A song of fire." They exclaimed in unison.
Several funny looks were shot at them, mainly by younger students.
"Kat, Sirius, what are you on?" Leila, Kathryn's sister, asked. "And can I have some?"
"Alas, what we are on cannot be manufactured." Kathryn sighed dramatically, but winked at Sirius.
"It is the very air we breathe, water we drink, blood that flows." Sirius continued.
"It is hope and joy and glory."
"It is passion and danger and death."
"It is..." They both paused dramatically for effect. "Way too much sugar." They informed the waiting room.
Leila rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right. I know what this is."
"So do we." Kathryn's older brothers appeared.
Kat groaned. "What is this? Family reunion?"
"Kathryn's got a boyfriend, Kathryn's got a boyfriend!" Leila chanted. Her two older brothers soon took up the chant.
"I do not!" Kathryn protested.
"I'm not her boyfriend!" Sirius exclaimed.
"Then what was all that about?"
"We were just having some fun! Geez, is nothing innocent anymore?" Sirius asked.
"It's never innocent with a Marauder." Jonah looked stern. "Or an Orenda."
"Oh, so it's a family trait is it? I should have guessed." Kathryn flung up her arms. Then she grinned. "You know, it's just as well Sirius and I haven't shown anyone our performance yet."
Sirius grinned. The two had minds that were strangely alike.
"Definitely. I think your brothers will be horrified."
Kathryn smiled maliciously. "That was the idea."
"Oi, Black, Orenda! Quit yelling at Joe 'n' Joe and Little Orenda and get here!" A voice yelled.
"I swear, I'm gonna kill Potter one day." Jonah snarled.
"Why wait?" Kathryn asked smoothly before joining her friends in a corner. "What's up?"
"You two," James began, "we have been informed by a very reliable source, do not have dates for the Yule Ball."
Sirius and Kathryn exchanged glances. Then laughed.
"How old's your info?" Sirius asked.
"A few hours, why?"
"Because we do have dates." Kathryn explained.
"And who, pray tell, are you going with?" Lily demanded, hands on hips.
"My beloved partner in crime." Sirius declared.
James rolled his eyes. "You two are going together, right?"
"Yeah. I thought I'd asked her already, but I forgot." Sirius shrugged.
"How can you forget?" Lily demanded.
"Because they already flirt like girlfriend and boyfriend." James grinned.
"Ja-ames." Kathryn called slowly.
James blanched. "Oh sh-"
Sirius and Kathryn attacked, and soon three Marauders and three Enchanted ladies were rolling around the floor, laughing, giggling and tickling.
Peter smiled, reading his book.
Alura entered at that moment, pulling in Damion after her.
"Allure!" Lily scowled. "He can't come in here!"
"Can and has. So there!" Alura poked out her tongue.
"Having fun?" Damion asked, a laugh in his eyes.
"As a matter of fact..." James grinned.
"You look like you're having lots of fun." Alura smirked.
James realised that he and Lily were entangled on the floor. And so were Sirius and Kathryn, and Remus and Radella.
"Oi!" Joseph called. "Quit it with the snogging, will you?"
"I'll have you know I was *not* snogging, Joseph Lachlan Orenda!" Kathryn snarled.
"Me neither!" Sirius chimed in.
"Or us!" Lily and James added, in perfect unison.
Remus and Radella were silent.
"What?" Remus asked.
"Eurgh!" Kathryn rumpled her nose. "Bad things! Bad things!"
"We were just –" Radella began.
"Snogging, by any chance?" James suggested.
They both looked down.
"Aargh! This room will never be the same!" Lily (mock) shrieked, and ran upstairs.
"Now look what you've done?" James accused and ran after her.
"Why do we live in a house of mad people?" Remus asked his girlfriend.
"Because you love us really." Kathryn winked, before Sirius chased her upstairs.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter. I do not live in a mansion. I do not have millions of pounds. I do not have hundreds of thousand of adoring fans. (Just look at my reviews to know that!) Also, do not own most of Kathryn's vision. That's from HP and the PoA, okay?
On with it!
Anyone who guesses what the 'extra thing' is in Sirius eyes gets a prize. Well, maybe not, I can't actually send a prize over the 'Net, can I? Anyway, enjoy!
Lol, Tanydwr
Chapter 11 – The Shrieking Shack
20th December 1980, Hogsmeade:
"God, it's cold!" Alura complained.
"I'm sure you and Damion can find ways to warm up." Sirius teased.
The nine students were heading up to look at the deserted Shrieking Shack, supposedly the most haunted house in Britain. Several of the students knew better.
"So, looks a bit bland, doesn't it?" Kathryn mused. "I really was expecting something a little more, um, shrieking?"
She was answered by a handful of soft snow hitting her in the face. The others watched in shock as it melted and hissed, evaporating nearly as soon as it touched her.
"What the...?" Damion began.
"That? Oh, um, manipulation of body heat, something to do with fire. I've always had this uncanny thing with it." Kathryn explained.
"Right." Damion nodded as though he understood.
However, the snow did not stop there. It wasn't long before a snowball fight began, right in front of the Shrieking Shack. They split into teams, typically, boys versus girls. But while there were five boys opposing four girls, Peter wasn't much use. He was very timid and nervous, rarely saying anything at all.
Eventually they ceased. Only Kathryn was dry.
"Oh, come 'ere." She ordered. "Excilis." She pointed her wand. Instantly the teens dried off.
"You're gonna get it from the Ministry." Damion warned her.
Kathryn grinned, shaking her head. "Nope. Because I believe a permit last summer allowing me to do magic outside of school to study for my OWLs is still in effect. Besides, they never monitor Hogsmeade. There's too many overage wizards and witches doing magic to even see underage ones. And no one really minds anyway."
The others grinned. James looked up thankfully, took off his glasses and incanted: "Impervius." He slid his glasses back on, finally able to see.
"So why did you actually want to come up here?" Sirius asked.
"Curiosity. I mean, this place... it holds key events to come."
Radella groaned. "Will you quit with the cryptic? We all know you know the future. There's no need to rub our noses in it."
Kathryn looked at her sharply. The girl took a step back as she saw her friend, long hair and cloak whipping in the wind. Kathryn looked dangerous.
"I do not 'rub your noses in it'. I would much rather not know the future. Not know the fate of people I love, people I care about. Not know that this place shall hold secrets. Not know that people will die, and I cannot prevent it. I'm forbidden to change that future. No one knows what damage it may cause, and God knows, some of the things that will hurt me most will benefit so many more people. But God, I wish things didn't have to happen. I can't do anything to change them. 'Tis both a blessing and a curse." Kathryn told her.
"*Kathryn.*" A voice murmured.
The girl whipped round. "Hello?"
"*Kathryn.*"
"Who is it?" Kathryn called.
"Kathryn? Who are you speaking to?" Sirius asked.
"*Kathryn. You have to know. You have to See.*" The voice ordered.
"See? But I..." She did not finish.
Sirius barely managed to catch her as she fell to the floor, the sleep of a vision encompassing her once more.
* * *
------------
June 2001, the Shrieking Shack:
Kathryn wasn't sure where she was. She couldn't see much. She moved through the room, following the voices she could hear.
"Where is he, Sirius?" A vaguely familiar voice asked.
Kathryn frowned. What was going on? What date was it? What time?
She tried to twist a door handle, but found her hand went through it. What was this? Was she a ghost? She stepped through the door.
And gasped.
A much older Remus Lupin was staring at an emaciated and sunken Sirius Black, staring so intently as though to read his mind.
"But then... why hasn't he shown himself before now? Unless–" Lupin's eyes suddenly widened, as though he was seeing something beyond Black, something none of the rest could see, "–unless he was the one... unless you switched... without telling me?"
Kathryn gasped. She knew this scene, recognised it. It was in the third book, the final confrontation between Harry, Sirius, Remus and Peter.
"Oh, God! Harry, listen to him!" Kathryn shrieked as she saw Lupin embrace Black like a brother. "They're friends! They don't want to hurt you!"
Harry stared.
"I DON'T BELIEVE IT!" Hermione screamed.
Remus let go of Sirius and turned to her. She had raised herself off the floor, and was pointing at Remus, wild-eyed. "You – you–"
"Hermione–"Remus began.
Kathryn turned away. She hated seeing Hermione so hysterical. "Don't, Hermione, you're wrong. He's not been helping Sirius."
"–*he's a werewolf*!" Hermione completed her rant.
There was a silence.
Remus was telling her that she was wrong.
Kathryn by this point, couldn't help but feel bored.
"Get on with it! We know he's not been helping Sirius into the castle, we know he doesn't want Harry dead... For God's sake, neither does Sirius, so if you just shut up and listen, we'll get to the decent part." She snarled.
"AND HE WAS WRONG!" Harry yelled. "YOU'VE BEEN HELPING HIM ALL THE TIME!" He was pointing at Black.
Kathryn sighed as Lupin returned the wands.
"But if you haven't been helping him," Harry said, with a furious glance at Black, "how did you know he was here?"
"The map." Lupin answered.
Kathryn grinned. "Of course, he knows how to work it! The Marauders invented the Marauders' bloody Map."
She couldn't help grinning as Remus revealed things she knew all too well.
"No one was with us!" Said Harry.
"And then I saw another dot, moving fast towards you, labelled Sirius Black... I saw him collide with you, I watched as he pulled two of you into the Whomping Willow–"
"One of us!" Ron said angrily.
"No, Ron," said Lupin (and Kathryn). "Two of you."
He stopped pacing, his eyes moving to Ron.
"Do you think I could have a look at the rat?"
"What? What's Scabbers got to do with it?"
Kathryn grinned. She had loved this revelation. She couldn't help but join in the parts of Sirius and Ron.
"What?" Ron said again, holding Scabbers close to him, looking scared. "What's my rat got to do with anything?"
"That's not a rat," croaked Sirius suddenly.
"What do you mean – of course he's a rat–"
"No, he's not," said Lupin quietly. "He's a wizard."
"An Animagus," said Black, "by the name of Peter Pettigrew."
The next 'chapter' went very quickly. It was primarily explanation, and although Kathryn gave frequent anecdotes, no one seemed to hear her. It was as though she was merely an observer, a watcher looking through a TV screen, but for the vital fact that she could walk around among them. It was at that moment that the comments between Lupin and Snape really caught her attention.
"You fool," said Lupin softly. "Is a schoolboy grudge worth putting an innocent man back inside Azkaban?"
"Of course it is." Kathryn remarked sarcastically. "Snape has been desperate to put the lot of you in Azkaban since he was in nappies. In fact his first words were probably 'Put the Marauders in Azkaban, and it doesn't matter that they're innocent'! I mean, his family's hatred for mine is enough to make him hate me before he actually even spoke to me. He's a bigoted bastard, no matter what he does do to attempt to redeem himself."
While she gave this monologue, time had moved on.
"YOU'RE PATHETIC!" Harry yelled. "JUST BECAUSE THEY MADE A FOOL OF YOU AT SCHOOL YOU WON'T EVEN LISTEN–"
"I WILL NOT BE SPOKEN TO LIKE THAT!" Snape shrieked, looking madder than ever.
Kathryn giggled. "Really? It's how I speak to you every time we meet. And now you go on the like father, like son tirade. God, maybe I shouldn't've told James you were going to get yourself killed. Talk about gratitude! And I very much doubt that anything that comes from your slimy mouth is true. I'll find out the truth. I swear I will."
"Expelliarmus!" Harry yelled – except that his wasn't the only voice that shouted.
Kathryn gloated as Snape lifted off his feet and slammed into the wall, then slid down it. A trickle of blood oozed from under his hair – he was unconscious.
"Ah, sweet, sweet revenge." Kathryn murmured.
"Wee attacked a teacher... we attacked a teacher..." Hermione whimpered.
"Aww, chill, Hermione, he ain't got any brains in his head to damage." Kathryn waved a hand flippantly.
"Then it's time we offered you some proof," said Black. "You, boy – give me Peter. Now."
Kathryn grinned at Ron's incredulous face. In some ways this was highly entertaining.
"You know, Sirius, that's a fair question," said Remus, turning to him and frowning slightly. "How did you find out where he was?"
"The newspaper clipping. He asked Fudge for his newspaper." Kathryn grinned. "Atta boy, Solum."
There was a vague flicker on Sirius' face. Kathryn stared at him. Was there something else there? Had something else caused him pain?
"My God," said Lupin softly, staring from Scabbers to the picture in the paper and back again. "His front paw..."
"Get on with it!" Kathryn complained. "I want to see the conniving little traitor cower!" Her voice was unusually vicious. In fact, the hatred in it was worse than that for Snape and Malfoy.
"Twelve years, in fact," said Lupin. "Didn't you ever wonder why he was living so long?"
Was it just Kathryn or did they keep skipping paragraphs?
"But Peter got wind of what was going on and ran for it... this cat – Crookshanks, did you call him – told me Peter had left blood on the sheets... I suppose he bit himself... well, faking his own death had worked once..."
Yep, they were definitely skipping bits.
"And why did he fake his death?" Harry said furiously. "Because he knew you were about to kill him like you killed my parents!"
"No," said Lupin. "Harry –"
"And now you've come to finish him off!"
"Yes, I have." Said Sirius, with an evil look at Scabbers.
Kathryn rolled her eyes. "Sirius, honey, you've still got to explain, remember? Besides, I'm planning to make every day of that miserable rat's life living hell until the day I can't."
"Harry," said Lupin hurriedly, "don't you see? All this time we've thought Sirius betrayed your parents, and Peter tracked him down – but it was the other way around, don't you see?" Kathryn had to join in. It was one of the most important lines in the entire book. "*Peter* betrayed your mother and father – Sirius tracked *Peter* down –"
"The little rat." Kathryn snarled over Harry's explosion and Sirius' explanation. "Don't you dare feel guilty, Sirius! How were you to know? You didn't know that he was selling information about his best friends! That he was going to kill James and Lily..."
Sirius' voice broke. He turned away. But there was something in his eyes, something left unsaid, something that was not in the book as she remembered it. (A/N: As I said before, review and tell me what you think hurts so much! There are some major clues!)
"Ready, Sirius?" Said Remus, holding the rat and his wand.
Sirius had retrieved Snape's wand.
"Together?" He said quietly.
"I think so," said Remus, holding Scabbers tightly in one hand and his wand in the other. "On the count of three. One – two – THREE!"
A flash of blue-white light. Kathryn watched with interest as an older Peter Pettigrew emerged. He looked more than forty when in reality he was closer to thirty-seven – even Sirius, emaciated as he was, looked younger, not to mention Remus who, despite slightly greying hair, looked only twenty- seven or so. But other than looking older and thinner, he didn't look all that different. Colourless hair, watery blue eyes and pointed nose.
"Well, hello, Peter," said Lupin pleasantly, as though rats frequently erupted into old school friends. "Long time, no see."
Kathryn smirked as he stammered as usual. Tried to convince them that Sirius was a liar and a traitor.
"Like they'd ever believe Sirius would betray James and Lily. Two of his best friends. He was best man at the wedding, idiot! He was – is – Harry's godfather!"
Black started to laugh, a horrible, mirthless laugh that filled the whole room.
"Voldemort, teach me tricks?"
Pettigrew flinched.
"What, scared to hear your old master's name?" Kathryn chanted with Sirius, then left him to continue. "I don't blame you, Peter. His lot aren't very happy with you, are they?"
"Don't know – what you mean, Sirius –" muttered Pettigrew, his breathing faster than ever.
"Sure you don't." Kathryn scoffed.
She despised Pettigrew. Even now, in school, before he ever betrayed them, she was cold towards him. The others were confused. He was the boys' friend and the girls treated him with pity more than anything else. But no one showed the same cold indifference towards him, the harsh voice, the scowls when she thought no one was looking, that Kathryn did. She alone knew what he was to do. She alone blatantly ignored him most of the time.
"I must admit, Peter, I have difficulty in understanding why an innocent man would want to spend twelve years as a rat," said Remus evenly.
"Always the cool one, eh, Moony?" Kathryn grinned.
"Innocent but scared! Squealed Pettigrew. "If Voldemort's supporters were after me, it was because I put one of their best men in Azkaban – the spy, Sirius Black!"
Sirius' face contorted.
"How dare you," he growled, sounding suddenly like the bear-sized dog he had been. "I, a spy for Voldemort?"
"Not bloody likely." Kathryn snorted. Despite all her protests, her language was most likely, the worst in the school, but not because she called anyone names as such. "After all, Sirius has plenty of power, doesn't need anymore." She seemed to be talking more to herself now. "But Peter... can't see why not. I mean, even now, you can tell, he always likes big friends, oh this is the good bit..."
She recited with Sirius.
"Lily and James only made you Secret-Keeper because I suggested it," Black hissed, so venomously that Pettigrew took a step backwards. "I thought it was the perfect plan... a bluff... Voldemort would be sure to come after me, would never dream they'd use a weak, talentless thing like you... it must have been the finest moment of your miserable life, telling Voldemort you could hand him the Potters."
Kathryn couldn't help but feel rage boil in her veins. How could he even think that anyone would believe Sirius would betray his friends? Sirius, who would fight for his friends, get punished for them, die for them? But he had convinced people for twelve years. All it took was a couple of spells and a convincing lie.
"Believe me," croaked Black. "Believe me, I never betrayed James and Lily. I would have died before I betrayed them."
At long last, Harry believed him. Throat too tight to speak, he nodded.
"No!"
Pettigrew had fallen to his knees, as though Harry's nod had been his own death sentence. He began begging them not to kill him.
"Forgive me, Remus," said Black.
"Not at all, Padfoot, old friend," said Lupin, who was now rolling up his sleeves. "And will you, in turn, forgive me for believing you were the spy?"
"Of course. Shall we kill him together?"
"Yes, I think so," said Lupin grimly.
Kathryn paled. She could see the light in their eyes. "No, Sirius, Remus, don't! He's a bastard, I know, but don't become killers, not for his sake! Sirius, don't commit the murder you were wrongly imprisoned for! Don't go back! Not for him!"
Pettigrew begged Ron, he begged Hermione, and finally her begged Harry.
"Sirius, Sirius, what could I have done? The Dark Lord... you have no idea... he has weapons you can't imagine... I was scared, Sirius, I was never brave, like you and Remus and James. I never meant it to happen... He Who Must Not be Named forced me –"
"DON'T LIE!" Bellowed Sirius. "YOU'D BEEN PASSING INFORMATION TO HIM FOR A YEAR BEFORE LILY AND JAMES DIED! YOU WERE HIS SPY!"
Kathryn gasped. A year? From the time Harry was born? Surely it wasn't coincidence? Was it just Harry's birth that caused it though?
"He – he was taking over everywhere!" Gasped Pettigrew. "Wh-what was there to be gained by refusing him?"
Kathryn, again, joined Sirius' yells.
"What was there to be gained by fighting the most evil wizard who has ever existed?" Said Sirius, with a terrible fury in his face. "Only innocent lives, Peter!"
Kathryn felt something hit her hard. She couldn't tell if it was physical or emotional. But she could see something in Sirius' eyes. It wasn't in the book. There was backstory there. Backstory that either her coma hadn't processed, or had deliberately blocked out.
"You should have realised," said Lupin quietly. "If Voldemort didn't kill you, we would. Goodbye, Peter."
As Hermione turned away, Kathryn screamed. "NO! HARRY, DON'T LET THEM BECOME KILLERS! THEY CAN'T SINK TO HIS LEVEL!"
"NO!" Harry yelled. He ran forward, placing himself in front of Pettigrew, facing the wands. "You can't kill him," he said breathlessly. "You can't."
Black and Lupin both looked staggered.
Kathryn smiled. "Oh, good boy, Harry. It's a Wizard's Bond. I don't know what it will mean, but he can't be as useful to Voldemort as he would have been."
"Harry!" Gasped Pettigrew, and he flung his hands around Harry's knees. "You – thank you – it's more than I deserve – thank you..."
"Get off me," Harry spat, throwing Pettigrew's hands off him in disgust. "I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing it because I don't reckon my dad would've wanted his best friends to become killers – just for you."
Kathryn gasped again. Their words were so alike, how...? She glanced up at Sirius. Still, there was something hiding in his eyes. She didn't know what, but there were two sorrows there. The death of his friends and... what else? What else did Pettigrew do to him?
She never found out, for she blacked out once more.
------------
* * *
20th December 1980, Outside the Shrieking Shack:
"Ugh!" Kathryn gasped. She jerked violently and sat up, to discover she had been lying in the snow.
Eight curious, worried and frightened faces stared at her.
"I'm going to be sick." Kathryn groaned.
"Kathryn, what... what did you see?" Sirius asked.
"Something I'd already read. But there was something different." Kathryn murmured.
"What did you mean about betrayal? And killing? And..." James began. He stopped as Kathryn looked at him horrified.
"What did you hear?" She whispered.
"Only what you said."
"No." She murmured. "You can't know... You can't..." Peter looked at her, frightened. She snarled. "You little rat."
"Kathryn, what's wrong? What did you mean, wedding? Godfather?" Sirius wanted to know.
Kathryn gave a hollow laugh. "You aren't supposed to know. Only me. Oh, God, Dumbledore'll kill me... Dumbledore." A light came to her eyes and she ran.
Peter looked scared. "She said I would betray Lily and James. And then blame Sirius. I-I'd never do that!"
Sirius looked thoughtful. "No. I suppose not."
"What's wrong, Padfoot?" James asked softly.
"It was Kathryn. She was so damn-scared."
* * *
Later that day, Hogwarts:
"Kathryn? What did you see?" Sirius asked.
"Nothing, it was – it was a false vision."
"Liar!" Sirius accused. "You said you'd read it! That means in your coma!"
"Yes, but you were different!" Kathryn snapped.
"What? I was in it."
"Of course you were in it!" Kathryn heaved an exasperated sigh. "A load of the stuff I said were quotes from you. But there was something different. Something in your eyes. There wasn't just the pain Peter had caused you by betraying Lily and James. There was something else. Something even more personal. Something you refused to reveal even to Remus, the last of your true friends remaining. Something you never reveal. Something I don't know about." She felt an inexplicable sob in her throat.
"You shouldn't be telling me this." Sirius sighed. "I can't know this. How would I avoid changing the future?"
Kathryn smiled. "I'm sorry, Sirius."
"Why?"
"You know why." She pulled out her wand. Concentrating on removing what she had said of the future and not removing anything else, she spoke. "Obliviate."
Sirius' eyes went dazed and he shook his head. "What were we talking about again?"
"Our duet for the Yule Ball." Kathryn replied. Dumbledore had sorted the others, but Kathryn had wanted to remove the knowledge from Sirius herself. Mainly because it concerned him so much.
Sirius grinned. "It's gonna be so good."
"I hope so." Kathryn smiled, then frowned.
"What's wrong?"
"I, er, I still don't have a date." She confessed.
"Really? I can't believe I forgot!" Sirius slapped his head. "Kathryn, will you go to the Yule Ball with me?"
Kathryn stared at him, startled, then smiled. "Sure. What do you mean by 'forgot'?"
"Well, I have been intending to ask you to the ball for ages. I was sure I'd done so. Never mind. I'm just relieved you accepted." Sirius grinned.
Kathryn grinned, hitting him lightly. "Like I'd refuse. After all, we're singing a duet of love." She batted her eyelashes mock-flirtatiously.
"Written by ourselves." Sirius grinned.
They were walking into the Common Room by now.
"A song of passion." Kathryn countered.
"A song of hope." Sirius exclaimed.
"A song of fire." They exclaimed in unison.
Several funny looks were shot at them, mainly by younger students.
"Kat, Sirius, what are you on?" Leila, Kathryn's sister, asked. "And can I have some?"
"Alas, what we are on cannot be manufactured." Kathryn sighed dramatically, but winked at Sirius.
"It is the very air we breathe, water we drink, blood that flows." Sirius continued.
"It is hope and joy and glory."
"It is passion and danger and death."
"It is..." They both paused dramatically for effect. "Way too much sugar." They informed the waiting room.
Leila rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right. I know what this is."
"So do we." Kathryn's older brothers appeared.
Kat groaned. "What is this? Family reunion?"
"Kathryn's got a boyfriend, Kathryn's got a boyfriend!" Leila chanted. Her two older brothers soon took up the chant.
"I do not!" Kathryn protested.
"I'm not her boyfriend!" Sirius exclaimed.
"Then what was all that about?"
"We were just having some fun! Geez, is nothing innocent anymore?" Sirius asked.
"It's never innocent with a Marauder." Jonah looked stern. "Or an Orenda."
"Oh, so it's a family trait is it? I should have guessed." Kathryn flung up her arms. Then she grinned. "You know, it's just as well Sirius and I haven't shown anyone our performance yet."
Sirius grinned. The two had minds that were strangely alike.
"Definitely. I think your brothers will be horrified."
Kathryn smiled maliciously. "That was the idea."
"Oi, Black, Orenda! Quit yelling at Joe 'n' Joe and Little Orenda and get here!" A voice yelled.
"I swear, I'm gonna kill Potter one day." Jonah snarled.
"Why wait?" Kathryn asked smoothly before joining her friends in a corner. "What's up?"
"You two," James began, "we have been informed by a very reliable source, do not have dates for the Yule Ball."
Sirius and Kathryn exchanged glances. Then laughed.
"How old's your info?" Sirius asked.
"A few hours, why?"
"Because we do have dates." Kathryn explained.
"And who, pray tell, are you going with?" Lily demanded, hands on hips.
"My beloved partner in crime." Sirius declared.
James rolled his eyes. "You two are going together, right?"
"Yeah. I thought I'd asked her already, but I forgot." Sirius shrugged.
"How can you forget?" Lily demanded.
"Because they already flirt like girlfriend and boyfriend." James grinned.
"Ja-ames." Kathryn called slowly.
James blanched. "Oh sh-"
Sirius and Kathryn attacked, and soon three Marauders and three Enchanted ladies were rolling around the floor, laughing, giggling and tickling.
Peter smiled, reading his book.
Alura entered at that moment, pulling in Damion after her.
"Allure!" Lily scowled. "He can't come in here!"
"Can and has. So there!" Alura poked out her tongue.
"Having fun?" Damion asked, a laugh in his eyes.
"As a matter of fact..." James grinned.
"You look like you're having lots of fun." Alura smirked.
James realised that he and Lily were entangled on the floor. And so were Sirius and Kathryn, and Remus and Radella.
"Oi!" Joseph called. "Quit it with the snogging, will you?"
"I'll have you know I was *not* snogging, Joseph Lachlan Orenda!" Kathryn snarled.
"Me neither!" Sirius chimed in.
"Or us!" Lily and James added, in perfect unison.
Remus and Radella were silent.
"What?" Remus asked.
"Eurgh!" Kathryn rumpled her nose. "Bad things! Bad things!"
"We were just –" Radella began.
"Snogging, by any chance?" James suggested.
They both looked down.
"Aargh! This room will never be the same!" Lily (mock) shrieked, and ran upstairs.
"Now look what you've done?" James accused and ran after her.
"Why do we live in a house of mad people?" Remus asked his girlfriend.
"Because you love us really." Kathryn winked, before Sirius chased her upstairs.