Chapter 2
The summer had passed rather quickly this year. There was just a few last days left before everyone was heading off to school.
Over at Grimmauld Place, the kitchen was crowded with Mr Weasley, Lupin, Moody, Tonks, Severus, Catherine, Charlie, Minerva, and a few others who sat around the kitchen table.
"How's the mark doing?" Moody asked Cate across the table.
"It's been fine." She replied, tipping her chair back against the wall.
"Has there been any news from him?" Moody asked, turning to Severus.
"The last I've heard was the letter their children received last June."
"What was that?"
"The children of all death eaters who had been marked were contacted by letter on the last day of school." Severus replied cooly, "I was with Catherine when she opened hers. It was a verbal notice on where to come when called. We were also told that all death eaters were to be gathered by May."
"Where are they meeting?" Arthur asked.
"172 Knockturn Alley." Both Cate and Severus replied. Out of the corner of his eye, Severus gave his daughter a death glare, most likely because she had memorized it.
"Severus, you'll be going to that in Catherine's place." Arthur stated.
"Why can't I go?" Cate protested, "I am of age!"
"It's not safe for you to go." Her father replied sternly, "If I go, there won't be any questions asked. They will merely think you could not make it, so I am attending to pass on the information to you."
"Fine." Cate gave in. Moody spoke up again from the opposite side of the table.
"So is this the only new news from the other side?"
"Yes." Snape replied.
"Well then you'll update us as soon as something happens. Hogwarts however, you don't have to worry about." Arthur began, "Catherine will keep an eye on students, especially Harry. Tonks is now a teacher, so she and Minerva will be watching others, staff and students."
"Good." Snape muttered, more or less to himself. Arthur ignored it, continuing.
"Catherine, anytime that your mark hurts, you're going to need to tell Minerva, Severus, or Tonks."
"Uh-huh." The eighteen-year-old replied, taking a loose strand of hair and putting it back into her ponytail.
"I would prefer it to be myself. I am her father after all." Severus said cooly, Cate looked at him from the corner of her eye, an annoyed look on her face.
"As long as it gets back to us somehow, I don't mind." Arthur responded.
"Are we done yet?" Charlie asked suddenly, "I've kind of got plans." Catherine moved so quickly to check her watch that her chair slipped against the wall and she ended on the floor.
Stifled laughter came from around the table before Cate herself burst out laughing, then the kitchen was filled with laughter. Catherine pulled herself up off the ground, recovering from her laughter.
"I have to go now too, I'm meeting a friend for dinner." She said, pushing her dark hair back as she left the room, "I'll see you later." The young woman left.
"So . . . uh . . . can I go?" Charlie asked, looking at his father.
"Yes, go. We're nearly done anyway."
"Thanks." The young man replied before quickly leaving the house.
Outside, at the end of the street, stood Catherine, waiting for him. As he neared her, the young man wrapped his arms around her, kissing her softly.
"That was bad." He said as they departed, "We could have missed our reservation."
"Well then shall we go?" Cate asked, interlocking their hands, they then apparated to the alleyway beside the restaurant.
