Serious stuff first. To anyone affected by the London bombings - condolences. Being British myself, I can honestly say that they scared me to death. But thank anyone up there that the bastards perpetrating them have been caught - CCTV is more useful than I thought.
Now, the fun stuff!
Second to last chapter! Oh, I'm all tingly!
Double post. Ahhh!
Enjoy this chapter if you can. The next one's rather upsetting!
Chapter 43: One last year21st November 1987 marked a special day for Kathryn and Sirius. Selene slept through the whole night. They had been markedly jealous of Lily and James, since Harry had managed this three weeks earlier. Neville was still on and off.
As the single night turned into a week, they breathed a sigh of relief. The monitor remained the same – one with them and the other with baby, but it meant they could get back to more normal pursuits.
Like sex.
It is said some women feel differently about their husbands after childbirth. This was true for Kathryn.
She couldn't get enough of him. Whether this was partly influenced by the fact that she knew they had less than a year together, she didn't know. But she adored her husband even more. Sirius had informed her that he thought she looked wonderful, despite the differences she now had. Her figure was more curved than it had been – she was still breast-feeding – and her stomach had yet to get back to it's flat form. She'd also put on some weight around her bum and thighs. Kathryn felt constantly lucky that Sirius seemed to like the change – and had described his feelings in terms not suitable for innocent ears.
Both of them just prayed that Selene didn't turn out to have special memory-recalling abilities when she hit sixteen.
XXXXX
5th December 1987:
"Where do you want me, sir?" Kathryn asked on her first day back at work.
"You're being assigned to the Department of Mysteries until the end of the year, Black." Moody informed her. "They've got a new prophecy down there."
Kathryn's blood froze. She knew what prophecy it was.
'Trelawney…'"Why me, sir? I'm just the Auror connected to them." Kathryn frowned.
"They asked for you." Moody informed her. "Don't worry, James has managed perfectly well without his partner for the past few months. He can manage a few more weeks. Where's Selene?"
"Andromeda has the day off. She and Tonks came to look after her. We've got Peppy and Dezon too. Lily and Alice dropped Harry and Neville off this morning." Kathryn gave a smile.
Moody nodded. "Alright then, get down there."
Kathryn gave a single, sharp nod and made her way to the lift. A few moments later, she arrived at the Department of Mysteries. After having her retina scanned and giving a password to the voice recognition box, she was allowed in.
"Ah, Auror Black." A voice smirked behind her.
Kathryn stiffened. Augustus Rookwood. Ugh.
"Yes, Mr Rookwood?" She responded, her voice cool, but fairly polite.
"Managed to tear yourself away from the brat, I see."
"That 'brat' is my daughter, Mr Rookwood." Her voice lost all trace of politeness now and was as freezing as the Arctic winds. "I'm sorry if the fact I have a life offends you." She sneered.
Rookwood stiffened. "Beta wants you in the Prophecy Room."
Kathryn nodded. "I thought as much."
Rookwood just sneered at her, entering his department – Time. Kathryn made her way into the Hall of Prophecies.
"Ah, Mrs Black." Darcy Beta smiled at her. "How are you?"
"I'm very well, sir."
"And the little one?"
"Selene is fine too. Sleeping through the nights as well now." Kathryn replied with a smile. "She's four months old."
Beta nodded. "Very well. We've got a new prophecy."
Kathryn nodded. "I know."
Beta looked at her sharply. "You know?"
"Completely." She responded.
"Then do you know who it is referring to?"
"There were two boys born at the end of July to parents that had thrice defied Voldemort." Kathryn murmured softly. "My godsons."
Beta's eyes widened. "Potter and Longbottom?"
Kathryn nodded. "I know who it is, but I cannot tell you. The Dark Lord is definitely Voldemort."
"What about this marking stuff?"
Kathryn shrugged. "I don't know. How much does Voldemort know?"
"Only the first couple of lines. He didn't hear the bit starting 'and the Dark Lord shall mark him as equal'."
"Thank Dana." Kathryn murmured. "If he knew that he had to mark the child as equal…"
Beta nodded. "Exactly. But now we have a reasonable idea…"
"Put the prophecy on the shelf and label it 'Voldemort and unknown child born end July 1987'. If we find out which it is, change it." Kathryn stated.
Beta nodded. "Good. Well, then. There's a few very old prophecies we've been keen to take a look at…"
XXXXX
25th December 1987:
Kathryn welcomed her brothers and sisters into the house with a smile.
"Happy Christmas." She grinned. "Eat, drink and be merry."
"But not too merry." Sirius warned them. "We have innocent ears around."
He gestured to Selene, who was in his arms.
"Hello, baby." Leila grinned at her niece, giving an imploring look to Sirius. He groaned.
"How can I deny my sister's eyes?" He cried dramatically.
"Please put the 'in-law' bit in, Sirius." Kathryn informed him tartly. "Otherwise it makes things very awkward."
Her siblings laughed.
"Paul!" Kathryn yelled up the stairs where the youngest Orenda was still in his room. "We've got company, you lazy layabout!"
"My brothers and sisters are not company, Kat!" He yelled back.
"The Tonkses are coming as well, you cheeky sod! You should've breakfasted by now, and you're not getting anything until dinner now."
There were several loud thumps, and a messily-clad Paul (he'd dressed in a hurry) appeared on the stairs.
"Nothing?" He asked, his voice trembling.
Kathryn laughed evilly. "I knew that would get you out of bed. There's still some stuff left. My first decent cooked breakfast ever! I'm so proud!"
"Peppy was in tears." Sirius grinned. "She was so proud of her 'little Kathryn'."
Kat hit him over the head. "Hand Selene to her Auntie Leila and help me get the last of the presents down, Sirius. Everyone, head into the living room. That's where the tree is."
"James and Lily not coming?" Jonah asked, surprised.
"They're with James' parents. Remus said he'd come, but we'll probably have to go and haul his arse over here." Kathryn responded. "Peter's at his mum's again."
It hurt Kat to think about Peter. She knew he was spying for Voldemort now, and it took so much control not to yank his sleeve up or tear Selene away from him any time Sirius let him hold her. Luckily, that wasn't too often. Sirius was cursed a daddy – he barely ever wanted to be away from his little darling.
Sirius nodded. "He went to Radella's yesterday when we were visiting Jack."
The other Orendas nodded. Visiting Jack would be a tradition for years to come.
"Mum and Dad?" Joseph ventured.
"Went to their grave afterwards. Thank goodness the mausoleum wasn't hidden at the same time as the house." Kat sighed.
"You were the one who hid it!" Jonah snapped.
"I didn't – I couldn't…" Kat's voice trailed off. She felt tears well in her eyes as she remembered that horrific night.
Green light… her parents' bodies… the house shrouded in light before disappearing… Voldemort's evil laughter…
"Oh, Merlin, Kat, I'm sorry." Her brother stated, drawing her into a hug.
Sirius glowered at him, before taking control. "Presents under the tree, Paul'll come in when he finishes breakfast. I'm going to get Moony. We'll have a few presents before lunch, then Christmas dinner, then finish up unwrapping."
"Sir, yes, sir!" Adalia saluted.
Sirius looked at her. "Please tell me you're not planning on being an Auror."
She shook her head. "Didn't Kat tell you?" She asked surprised.
Sirius frowned. "No, she didn't." He looked for his wife, but she was in the kitchen, chatting to Peppy.
"Anyway, I had an offer from the Association of Magical Research to work in their spell discovery, development and modification department." Adalia informed them.
They stared in wonder.
"You're only fifteen!" Sirius breathed.
"Cool, isn't it? They heard about how I found a way to modify this ancient spell that Dad had to work with modern magic." Adalia grinned.
"You took the right subjects then." Kat informed her as she entered. "Ancient Runes, Arithmancy and Divination." She rolled her eyes. "What's the new teacher like?"
"Far worse than Andreas." Adalia groaned. "She goes on about how we're going to die, and doesn't seem to think that we're ever going to have a happy situation in life."
"Please tell me you're giving it up after the OWLs?" Kathryn begged. "You know most of those forms of Divination are rubbish unless you truly have the Sight. Mine doesn't even deal in any of them except visions and dreams!"
Adalia grinned at her. "Divination isn't needed. I'm keeping the core, and taking Arithmancy and Ancient Runes."
"Sounds good. Always a good combination." Joseph approved.
"You would think that." Kat rolled her eyes. "It's what you took!"
The twins just grinned at her.
"And you corrupted Paul into choosing them too!" She sighed dramatically.
"Better Ancient Runes, Care of Magical Creatures and Arithmancy than Divination and Muggle Studies." Paul sneered as he entered.
"There is nothing wrong with Muggle Studies." Kathryn snapped.
Paul rolled his eyes. "I know. Most people just take it as an easy class. 'Specially the Muggle-borns."
"I'm going." Sirius informed them and Disapparated with a pop!
Kat looked at the space he had been, startled. She sighed. "Oh well." She took Selene from Leila and turned to her brothers. "So, what are you working on now?"
Half an hour later, Sirius appeared at the front door with Remus, and Ted, Andi and Dora Tonks.
Kat grinned. "So now everyone's here, shall we get on with it?"
XXXXX
Things got worse as they got into 1988. Sirius and Kat, and James and Lily, both had their twenty-fourth birthdays. Kathryn gave Sirius his famous and quickly beloved flying motorbike, with a whisper to keep it secret.
But Voldemort was getting worse and getting stronger.
The McKinnons had been wiped out at the end of last August. Fear had grown among the Order since then as they realised that they were losing more members than was expected. Was there a spy among them?
Three attacks on Diagon Alley happened in quick succession in March. After Molly (again pregnant) was caught in the crossfire, her brothers had furiously dealt out death in the third attack. They were killed, but not before taking down five others.
Worry grew up in the Order, and Kathryn felt her stomach dropping as she heard of each death. She tried not to show her anger and contempt towards Peter, but barely managed.
All the while, rumours of a cure for Cruciatus over-exposure began.
A cure in Voldemort's hands.
Sickened, Kat realised why there had been suspicion thrown on Remus. He had sworn he'd do anything to cure Radella. But she knew he'd never join Voldemort. They weren't even sure there was a cure, and even if there was, he wouldn't have her back. She'd leave him for treachery.
No, Remus did not go anywhere near Voldemort, despite the rumours, despite his desires. He would not betray Radella like that. Not when it was Voldemort who put her in that state in the first place.
She knew Peter was the spy. What she didn't know was when Snape had turned? Was he spying for them even now? She had never liked him, would never like him, but she respected him in so much as he turned to the side of good, when it would be so easy to stay dark. While she had a feeling he was willing to use dark magic – the Cruciatus, in particular, stuck in her head for some reason – she also had a feeling that he didn't quite have the stomach for some of the more grotesque things Voldemort was doing. Such as bleeding innocent girls before letting his Death Eaters rape them and leave them for dead.
Death Eaters were being caught, slowly, but surely, thrown into Azkaban under harsh sentences. Despite Crouch's allowance of the Act of Unforgivables a couple of years ago, Kathryn refused to use them. The truth was she couldn't. She could use the Imperius, but only, it seemed, when her intentions were good. She couldn't stomach Cruciatus or the Killing Curse. Not when she knew what they did. Not when she knew what Cruciatus felt like.
Memories of torture still haunted them, but faded over time. They all knew that even of those that survived the war, none would go unscathed. The time an Auror could go to bed and sleep peacefully every night was the time they had been completely desensitised.
The Aurors were constantly on overtime. Kat had it even worse – the Department of Mysteries was desperately seeking a way to destroy Voldemort. No one knew of the child fated to destroy him.
But even in the darkest hours, they were able to find slivers of happiness.
XXXXX
9th May 1988:
Harry giggled delightedly as Sirius turned into Padfoot. Kat laughed as she watched Selene yawn, as though bored (not that a child that young could be) and Neville's eyes widen in wonder.
None of them had learned to talk yet, but they were approaching the time when they began to walk and talk.
"They think that's wonderful." Lily smiled as she entered, holding glasses and a jug of lemonade on a tray.
"Thank God for the nice weather, eh?" Kat responded. "You'd swear it was July."
Lily nodded. "British weather for you. Don't let the kids on the grass, Sirius." She gave the dog a warning look.
Sirius put a paw over his muzzle, feigning hurt, much to the two women's (and the kids') amusement.
Kat shrugged. "It's not that bad, Lily. Probably make them healthier."
Lily nodded. "Still, I worry."
"You always worry!" Kat laughed.
Selene suddenly began wailing loudly, setting the other two off in swift succession.
Kat sighed, and picked up her daughter. Her nappy wasn't wet.
"I think she's hungry." Kat informed Lily.
Lily nodded. "Are you still breast-feeding?"
"Till the end of the month. Ten months is about right, and breast-milk is extremely important." Kat then giggled. "Half the time, I think Sirius gets jealous."
Lily looked scandalised. "Kat!"
"What?" She asked, unbuttoning her blouse to feed her daughter.
Sirius transformed into Padfoot to pick up Neville as Lily attended to Harry.
"He's your godson, y'know." He informed his wife.
"When you grow a pair of mammary glands, you can feed the baby." Kat informed him, her voice sarcastic.
Sirius rolled his eyes.
XXXXX
25th June 1988:
"Ma!"
Lily whipped around to look at the boy in his high chair. "What?"
"Ma! Ma!"
She squealed, and ran into James' study. "James! Harry! He said his first word!"
James ignored his paper work in favour of rushing after his wife into the kitchen.
"Come on, Harry." He smiled.
"Mama!" Harry grinned, pointing, then banging his spoon on the table.
James seized him from the high chair, throwing him high in the air and catching him, much to his son's delight.
"That's right, son, that's your mama!" James grinned, then put him back.
Lily leant down beside Harry, and pointed to James. "Now, who's that?" She asked.
"P'ongs!"
XXXXX
30th June 1988:
"Dada!" A tiny voice cried out.
Kat and Sirius stopped still in their tracks, turning around to look at the baby.
"What did you say?" Kat asked, her eyes wide.
"Dada!"
Sirius whooped suddenly, picking up his daughter and whirling her around the room.
"She knows me, she knows me!" He whooped.
Kathryn took a more practical approach. "Sirius, put her down before you make her sick."
He pouted, but obeyed his wife.
A wicked glint in her eye, Kathryn went towards her daughter and said, "Can you say Mama?"
Selene looked at her with those big brown eyes and said, "Dada!"
"No, no, Selene, Mama, say Mama!"
"Dada!"
Kathryn leant back and groaned. "That confirms it. She's a daddy's girl!"
XXXXX
16th July 1988:
"Here, Harry!" Sirius opened his arms to his godson, whose father and godfather were trying to get to walk.
Lily and Kat laughed at their antics, whilst Kat held Selene on her lap.
"Sirius, he's not going to just walk, if he can crawl." Lily sighed.
Sirius grinned, then pulled out his trump card – chocolate. He had been the 'devil' that introduced Harry to chocolate, despite all bets being on Kat doing so.
Harry's eyes lit up, as James pulled him to his feet and Harry made the few steps necessary to get to Sirius' arms and the chocolate he held in his hands. Sirius swept him up in glee.
"You did it, Harry! You did it!"
"That's his dad's job, you know, Sirius." Kat stated tartly.
Sirius shot her a dirty look.
"Selene walking yet?" Lily asked.
Kathryn shook her head. "No. She doesn't walk much…"
However, Selene had seen the chocolate in Harry's hands, wriggled from her mum's lap, and made the steps to Harry. She was now trying to tug the frog from his hands.
"Selene! Stop that!" Kathryn scolded.
Sirius sighed, and pulled out another frog, unwrapped it, and gave it to his daughter. "No stealing from Harry!"
"Dada."
Sirius melted.
Kathryn rolled her eyes. "Looks like I'm due to be the disciplinarian in this family."
XXXXX
31st July 1988:
"Happy birthday to you!
Happy birthday to you!
Happy birthday Neville, Harry and Selene!
Happy birthday to you!"
The adults laughed as the helped the three toddlers blow out their individual candles on the cake.
"This is so much easier than planning individual parties." Kathryn sighed as her daughter played in the large box her magical cuddly toy elephant had come in.
"I think it's safe to say that every toddler much prefers the packaging over the presents." Lily looked at her son wryly as he played with the wrapping paper from his gifts. "What am I going to do with that hair?"
Her son had sprouted a full head of messy black hair that matched his father's to a tee.
Kathryn shrugged. "You know Potter hair. It's completely uncontrollable." She gestured to Harold, who was on the floor with Harry. His hair was now gaining one or two grey streaks, but it was as thick and messy as it had been when he entered Hogwarts.
"Besides, it's what attracts us to them." Paige gave a wry grin. Her red hair was a few shades lighter than Lily's, more copper than Lily's almost-auburn.
"Just like they get attracted to red hair?" Lily asked, her voice dry. "What girl is worthy of my son?"
"The Bones, Merlin bless, had a little girl." Alice frowned, trying to remember. "Susan, I think. She's a redhead. Amelia's bringing her up."
The women nodded. None of them had been close to Edgar Bones and his family, but when Voldemort had struck them the month before, they had all felt losses. It was as though someone was leaking the members of the Order to him.
"And the Weasleys." Kathryn smirked. All those years ago, when she had believed it fiction and written fanfiction, she had been a Harry/Ginny 'shipper'. "Molly's due any day now."
"Ron was early, wasn't he?" Paige asked.
Kathryn nodded. "He was due about mid-April."
"This little one's going to be late." Paige predicted.
Kathryn nodded in agreement. "Molly's convinced it's going to be a girl. Different cravings and behaviour, she says, points to it."
Lily raised a brow. "And I suppose you know?"
Kathryn gave a saucy smirk. "I might. Let's just say I sent Molly a few things Selene's grown out of. If I know Molly, and I do, she knows what I mean, and she'll save them for her little girl's little girls."
"Family traditions." Paige nodded.
Lily nodded. "So many of them. Although, from the looks of things, the Weasleys prefer normal names."
Paige nodded again. "The Weasleys have always given their eldest old-fashioned, but normally 'Muggle' names. I mean, Arthur has a brother called Bilius, poor bloke. Most likely, if Molly's baby is a girl, she'll have a family name. She'll be the first female Weasley in generations."
Kathryn nodded. "They all have wizarding middle names. Percy Ignatius, and Ronald Bilius… Poor kids."
"We chose Harry for his grand-father and great-grandfather." Lily informed them.
"We know!"
"Pa'foo'!" A high voice cried out.
They all turned to stare at Harry.
"Typical. He can't say 'Dada' but he can say Padfoot." James shook his head. "What is the world coming to?"
"He calls you Prongs!" Sirius defended himself.
"Ha, Selene barely says Mama." Kathryn grumbled.
"She's just not a chatterbox like you." Lily told her friend comfortingly.
"With our genes?" Kathryn looked scandalised. "Lily, I'm half expecting her to turn out with a yell like Sirius' mother!"
"Don't you swear at Selene!" Sirius shot back.
His wife sneered elegantly, in a way that would put Snape to shame.
But thinking of Sirius' mother brought a flood of memories and fear.
"The Curse…" She breathed.
The others stared at her.
"Just a memory." Kat responded to their questioning looks.
But Katrine Black's words from their graduation day haunted her.
"The Curse of Kali shall destroy you both!"XXXXX
10th August 1988:
"I need to look at a prophecy." Kathryn informed her superior in the Department of Mysteries.
Beta looked at her sharply. "You aren't mentioned…"
"Oh, I'm mentioned alright." Kathryn snarled. "I'm mentioned in about half a dozen of the effing things."
"Kathryn?" Beta asked her. "What's this about?"
Kathryn looked at him, her eyes suspiciously bright, a distraught look upon her face.
"I think the Curse is about to activate."
"What curse?"
"The Curse of Kali! You've studied it, Beta, I know that! In the Blood Room! It's a blood, spirit and soul curse, and I think it's about to activate. That's why I need to check. I need to see if the prophecy is here. If it's real."
"What prophecy?"
"At our graduation ceremony, Sirius and I were possessed by spirits once more. Aice and Lachlan. We've also been possessed by Flamma and Solum, the original victims of the curse, Arianne and Ronan, Loren and Raquel, Mystique and Ynyr are others, Treasa and Medwin knew of our fate centuries ago…" She rambled.
"What?"
"Our souls, Darcy. Every time. We're under the Curse of Kali. We know we are! And I know it's going to activate soon! Sirius and I are going to be separated, destroyed, killed, hurt… We'll live in pain and hurt. I need to find that prophecy. I need to know it's real!"
"Why?"
"Because if it is, we have a chance of ending the Curse permanently. I don't want another to suffer what I will." Kathryn stated slowly.
Beta grabbed her by the shoulders suddenly. "What is it, Kathryn? What do you know?"
"Hallowe'en, it ends and it starts on Hallowe'en…"
"What does?"
"The prophecy. Voldemort. The Elemental Guardians. The Warriors. All of it." Kathryn told him. "Yet the true end cannot be reached until the Lightning Bolt comes of age."
"Kathryn?"
"Where's the prophecy?"
"I don't even know which one you're talking about."
"She of pure and magic name…"
XXXXXThe Prophecy of Four Forces – subjects unknown
She of pure and magic name,
Shall join with a flower who seeks the same.
He named for a star,
Shall join a friend who is on a par.
Four forces shall unite,
Aim to set the world to right.
In the short term shall succeed,
But lose two in that time of need.
Another lost to traitor's master,
Destroys the magic power faster.
The last, alive, shall remain,
In hiding, trying to banish pain.
But in a child's darkest hour,
He shall receive his magic power.
And as the child comes of age,
His companions will also gauge.
She shall come and hide at first,
Reviving those who were hit worst.
And then on a new year's start,
They shall revive a broken heart.
XXXXX
11th August 1988:
"Oh, Arthur, she's beautiful." Molly murmured, gazing at the tiny child in her hands.
Ron crawled up onto the bed and sat beside his mother to look at whatever had all their attention.
He pointed at her.
"Who?"
"Your little sister, Ron. Ginevra."
"Gi-neg-ria?"
Molly looked at her husband and smiled at his innocent mangling of their daughter's beautiful name.
"Ginny, Ron. Can you say Ginny?"
"Gin-nee."
"That's right."
"She's pretty, Mummy." Fred informed her with all the knowledge of a three-year-old.
George nodded vigorously. "Purty."
Percy smiled. "She's all little."
Molly gave him a grin. "She is. You're all going to have to look after her, boys. You'll do that, won't you?"
Bill nodded, as the eldest. "Of course we will, Mum."
Charlie agreed. "Always."
And so a troop of over-protective brothers was born.
All the while, in Molly's arms, a little redheaded girl gave a look at the world around her with eyes that were already turning brown.
Only a few realised how their spirits seemed lighter and celebratory that day.
XXXXX
19th August 1988:
James was glowering furiously as Lily cried, clutching Harry to her chest.
Sirius and Kathryn raced in, Selene in their arms.
"James, Lily, what on Earth happened?" Sirius asked.
"Voldemort attacked us. We escaped using a portkey before he actually arrived, but…" James trailed off. "How did he find us? Our address is only known to our friends and one or two colleagues."
"He's been after you for months." Sirius groaned. "How the hell did he find out?"
"I'm afraid that there is a spy in the Order." Dumbledore's voice spoke softly. "We have suspected for a time, but this proves it further."
"But why is he after us?" James demanded.
"The prophecy." Kathryn murmured softly.
Dumbledore looked at her sharply. "You know?"
"Always." She gave a bitter laugh. "I've known since I woke up. Do you know how painful that is? Knowing that that fraud will decide his future?"
"Sybill Trelawney is not a fraud, Kathryn." Albus told her softly.
"Of course not, she just only has one genuine prediction a decade!" Kathryn roared, and stormed out.
"What was that about?" Sirius asked.
"I cannot tell you. Lily, James, we will wait for Alice and Frank to arrive. This concerns them as well…"
XXXXX
A few hours later:
Staying at Griffin's Roost while they looked into safer accommodation, Lily sobbed into James' chest.
"Why did it have to be Harry? Why?"
XXXXX
Alice looked at Frank with a strange expression.
"It's Harry, isn't it?" She asked.
Frank nodded. "I think so. We can't let down our guard, but… For such a small child, Harry's extraordinarily powerful. Magic from a few months old! And then there's the fact that he's technically a half-blood, but one side ancient. Like Voldemort…"
"Gryffindor versus Slytherin, apt, is it not?" Alice gave a half-hearted smirk.
"That's why it could also have been Neville. We've got Gryffindor blood in us, but much more diluted. Harry's is direct with an infusion of fresh blood and magic, not to mention his parents' abilities. And yet…"
"What?"
"I can't shake off the feeling that Neville is going to have an important part to play anyway. And that he'll lose us."
XXXXX
8th September 1988:
Alice, Lily and Kathryn had risked a foray into the Muggle world to go shopping. They had left Sirius and James in charge of the children, with slight trepidation. Frank was working on a case without Lily.
It was when they arrived that they saw the carnage.
Harry grinned at his mother and godmother. "Mama! Kat!" He'd started calling Kat by name only a week ago. Kathryn was just glad that Selene had started calling her Mama a few weeks after calling Sirius 'Dada' for ages.
Lily's eyes seemed to glow as she yelled.
"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED HERE?"
James looked at her sheepishly. "Erm, we tried to teach the kids to finger-paint."
Well, that much was clear. The kitchen was covered in several different colours of paint. The kids and two 'adults' were also covered. A myriad of colour stained the walls. Harry had one green cheek, and one blue, with red smeared on his hair and ears. Selene had yellow paint over her face with red spots, and a lot of pink staining her clothes. Neville had two purple cheeks, green forehead and chin and a blue nose. All three children wore wide grins. The two men looked sheepishly at the women.
"Tried seems to be the operative word." Kathryn commented dryly. "I'm also fairly sure those paints recommend the children being eighteen months old?"
"Well, they're so bright…" Sirius tried.
"Not gonna work." Alice informed him.
"Magic."
"Magic did this? Whose?"
The two men pointed at Harry.
Lily raised a brow. "Harry did this?"
"He sent the paint whirling around the room. I think he liked colours." James explained. "Then they all started playing with them."
"The only things that don't seem to have paint on them is the paper." Kathryn gave a snort.
It started with a giggle from Alice. In seconds, the three women were in tears of laughter at the sight of the paint-covered men and the children.
Finally, Lily calmed down enough to use a Cleaning Charm. The paint disappeared. At the loss of colour, Harry began crying.
Lily glared at them. "Now see what you did!"
"Yeah," Kat laughed. "You turned him into a paint-aholic."
XXXXX
Kat sent her brother to school for his fourth-year, making sure he had all his things. Charlie Weasley entered his second, planning on trying for the Gryffindor Quidditch team.
Benjy Fenwick was found in bits in mid-September.
Moody was forced to inform Lily and James that the Potters had been killed in a raid on Hogsmeade at the end of that month. James had nearly gone berserk, only cooling with Lily's begging that he stay and look after Harry. James received his inheritance with tight lips, and refused to enter Griffin's Roost. They were finding a safehouse. They would not use something so old and precious. Besides, with the Charm, they'd be safer somewhere less obvious.
Lily still hated the idea that her little boy might have to face Voldemort, while James was scornful of Trelawney's veracity.
Kat got more and more nervous, and more and more stressed, not noticing when a monthly coming-and-going did not come at the end of the month.
XXXXX
2nd October 1988:
"You're gaining more abilities, you say?" Dumbledore looked surprised.
Lily nodded. "I'm not just sensing emotions anymore. I – well, it's as though I've been seeing right into their mind. How it's connected, structured… I mean, I can sense Kat's Occlumency shields and how her mind's structured in blocks. And Harry… he's so innocent, and yet so wise."
Dumbledore nodded. "You think you might be able to affect the mind's structure?" He asked.
Lily shrugged. "I don't know. But why?"
Kat's eyes widened. "Jack and 'Della! You think Lils might be able to cure them?"
"It is a possibility. What was it about your abilities that you noticed, Kathryn?"
"My glamours… They've branched out. I can create people walking and talking out of thin air, and I shouldn't be able to…"
"Illusions." Dumbledore informed her. "You've gained an ability with illusions."
She nodded. "Makes sense. Progressions in our powers."
"Have James and Sirius experienced any changes?"
Kat shook her head. "He's been experiencing frustration over not being able to be in two places at once. It's possible he may uncover the ability to astral project, but with everything happening…"
"It is hard to take the time." Dumbledore nodded.
Lily shook her head. "James is freezing time more often, and his control over combustion is getting more and more precise… Sometimes it seems like he moves at ultra speed though…"
"Possibly a progression of his stasis and combustion abilities – he's literally playing with time. It might be a case of his slowing everything else down. Has he noticed?"
Lily shook her head.
"Talk to them. And, Lily, once we've got you, James and Harry protected, we'll see if you can't use your powers to help Jack and Radella back on track."
Kat sighed. "I wish this was all over. I wish everyone was happy, and sane, and alive, and Voldemort had been defeated… But it sometimes feels like it will never happen."
Dumbledore nodded sagely. "Some day, I'm sure. We know it will, some day."
XXXXX
19th October 1988:
Kat woke up, and ran over to the toilet, throwing up. Sirius looked at her, concerned.
"What is it, love?"
"Nothing, just… I can't help feeling something terrible's going to happen."
Silently, she bit the inside of her cheek. It was a 'feeling', it was cold, hard fact. She thanked Merlin, Dana, God and whoever else was listening that James and Lily had stored most of their personal things in Griffin's Roost for safe-keeping.
"They go under the Fidelius in a couple of days. They'll be fine."
"What if…"
"No 'what ifs', Kat, it isn't healthy." Sirius informed her.
"But…"
"Everything will be fine."
XXXXX
23rd October 1988:
Kathryn walked into Phenners' Custom Trunks.
"It's ready?" She asked.
"Completely. All the things you asked for – even has an 'outdoor' area." Bill informed her. He was Alice's uncle, and the man who ran the shop. "Kathryn, if you don't mind my asking, what do you need such a trunk for? It's so very demanding."
Kat looked up at him. "Insurance."
XXXXX
31st October 1988:
Kathryn shot up in bed after having a nap.
"Peter!" She cried out.
Sirius, who had been coming in, looked at her strangely. "What?"
"My vision – Peter…"
Sirius ran out before she could elaborate further, no doubt believing he'd been attacked.
"It was the perfect bluff, Sirius." She sobbed. "Too perfect."
She stood up and leant over Selene's cot.
"It has begun."
XXXXX
A/N:
Okay, onto the last chapter – Hallowe'en 1988!
By the way, a babygrow is one of those all-in-one pyjama thingies with feet on them that you put on babies. I think they're known as 'feetie pyjamas' in America – Anne, you must know what I'm talking about!
And the last chapter, posted so you'll not all desert me as you ravenously read book six and start writing new stories keeping with the new canon!
Onward, friends!
Lol, Tanydwr
P.S. Couldn't resist the fanfiction comment. And it gives a hint to the sequel's pairings as well!