As soon as he was out of their earshot, he raced down the stairs and flew down each floor, paying no attention as he tripped over things, set off the alarm on Uriko's floor, and bashed into fragile objects, shattering them into a thousand pieces. He didn't care, didn't want to care. He now wished he'd never known Katie's secret, or at least not known Katie. She lied to him, she broke his heart.

Harry raced out of the Secret Students' house, ignoring the tears racing down his cheeks and flying behind him with the wind. He ran to his Firebolt, got on, and pushed off the ground so hard he flew up much higher than he intended, touching the clouds. He urged the Firebolt to go forward with renewed speed, not caring about Ron's shouts to wait for him below, and glad he didn't. He wasn't going to listen to Ron telling him to love a girl who lied.

Harry started flying toward the castle, semi-enjoying the wind on his face. He flew over the Forbidden Forest with amazing speed, though he didn't notice, too immersed in his own thoughts.

Katie lied, Harry fought. That's that.

So did you, someone else in his head fought back.

Go away, Riles.

Harry, you love her.

I don't love a liar.

Riles paused. Will you go save her?

Harry hesitated. Hermione's there. I have to.

Hermione knew and didn't tell you.

That's something I will discuss when I have the time with her.

Riles paused again. Hermione lied to you, by not telling you. Will you be angry with her for forever?

Hermione doesn't count.

She did no more than Katie.

Harry rarely commented to Riles about her continued wishes that he not be angry with Katie for her job. Only once did Harry point out that Riles was angry with her, and she said she had much more valid reasons than Harry did. Harry angrily asked her what; she said it was her business. Harry shook his head and refused to answer any more of Riles' statements.

Harry didn't pay any attention to where he was going. Soon he was over the caves and mountains on the other side of Hogwarts, the hills beyond just visible near the faint sunset. Harry looked around. The castle was nearby, looking peaceful in the dying sun. Harry quietly landed on one of the mountains, taking comfort in the silence Riles had left him in when she finally stopped talking to him.

Katie lied. That was that. But so did he. Harry paused his thoughts. He'd gone through this argument before. Harry started walking along a hardly-used path, thinking to himself about what he now knew.

Katie was an assassin. She really could've murdered him at any moment. But would she have? According to the Secret Students she wouldn't have, but did Harry know? Did he really know her?

"Hi!"

Harry jumped and turned around. "Elyse? Heather?"

"Hello," Heather said. "We, er, heard about your talk with the Secret Students and saw you head over here. By the way you acted we got the impression it didn't go too well."

Harry turned his back on them. Of course they were going to talk about Katie.

"Harry, you can't turn away," Elyse said quietly.

Harry almost laughed. "Watch me."

"You can't go over there, Harry," said Elyse.

"Oh?" Harry asked, turning back to face them. "Why not?"

"Because…" Heather said, closing her eyes. Harry saw her make a slight movement of her hands at her side, but before he could comment her eyes were open and she spoke. "Because I just put a barrier there."

Harry's face grew stern and he turned around. He walked straight ahead, then hit something invisible but solid, and was thrown backward several feet. Harry slowly sat up and looked around. Elyse and Heather had moved away, by the looks of it, well in time.

"Let me go through," Harry said.

"Even if we wanted to, we couldn't," Heather said, lending her hand. "You aren't even supposed to be here."

Harry reluctantly took her hand, and she helped him up. "So what do you want?"

Elyse smiled. "Even you know that."

"I don't want to talk about it," Harry said quickly.

Heather looked at him. "Whether or not you love her, she loves you."

Harry stared. "And how would you know that?"

Elyse laughed softly. "Who would know better than us?"

Harry went silent. They didn't say anything for a long time.

The wind picked up. A chill went up Harry's spine as he watched the two girls, waiting for something to happen. They watched him as he stood there, unsure of what to do. The wind suddenly stopped and an eerie silence lay between them.

"C'mon," Heather said quietly, holding out her hand again. "Let's go home."

The words had an effect Harry couldn't imagine. Harry took her hand with his that wasn't holding onto his Firebolt, not knowing what to expect. She lightly jumped up, Elyse right behind her, and they flew off without the need of a broomstick.

No one spoke on their short journey to the castle. The castle steadily grew nearer with a sense of hospitality Harry had never thought it to have before. The wind on his face felt chilly, yet nice. For the first time in the past few hours, his mind felt free of obligation, of anger, of any hard feeling at all.

They landed on the soft, green grass lightly and soundless. They walked up to the great oak doors and opened them creakily, stepping inside. The torches were bright compared to the slim amount of light that had been outside, the flames buoyancy apparent as they danced about. The three walked up to the Grand Staircase and stopped before it, almost as though they had it planned.

"We have to go," Elyse said quietly. "Think about what we've said, won't you?"

Harry nodded, not really intending to. His heart was heavy again, and he just wanted to get away at this point. The change was sudden, the moment they'd entered the castle.

"Goodbye, then," Heather said, and the two swiftly walked off and into the Great Hall.

Harry slowly walked up the staircase, his thoughts going wild. Katie loved him, so they said. Did he love her, even after what she'd done to him? Half of Harry desperately tried to find some fault he'd done to her while the other half told the first to stop, that it was all Katie's fault and there was no forgiveness for what she'd done.

She hadn't told him, true, but hadn't she at least told him she was keeping something from him? He hadn't even told her he knew of something he thought she didn't, speaking of the Order. She had at least given him fair warning there was something coming.

She loved him. Harry couldn't get the words out of his head as he reached the Fat Lady. "Twinkleshaft."

The Fat Lady opened and Harry walked in. The only person up was Ron, sitting in the closest chair to the fire. He looked up as Harry entered.

"Harry?"

Harry didn't answer, but headed up to his dorm. The other boys were asleep, Neville snoring loudly. Harry changed into his pajamas automatically, not thinking about what he was doing at all. He climbed into his four-poster and shut the curtains just as Ron entered after him. Ron didn't speak, but he paused as he entered, struggling to find what to do. He finally decided on getting ready for bed.

Did he love Katie?

It was nowhere near the first time the thought had come to his mind. Did he love her? Could he forgive her for what she didn't tell him, for lying to him? Ron's snoring was the last thing Harry heard as he fell asleep, the questions still rolling around in his mind.