Chapter 6

The first few months of school were not as relaxing as they usually were. With their NEWTS coming up, all the teachers kept lecturing about how important classes were this year. Not to mention assigning pile after pile of homework.

However, they managed to get through the numerous essays and projects that were assigned up until Halloween

The Halloween supper feast had already began. The Great Hall was ful of students eating while talking feverishly.

Just as the meal was beginning, a barn owl swooped over the Hall, dropped a letter at Catherine's place and flew out again. The eighteen-year-old examined the envelope and writing carefully when Ron leaned over.

"That looks like Dad's writing!" He nearly shouted.

"Ssshh!" She flicked a hand toward him. Then carefully slid her finger along the seal, opening the letter.

'How are things going? Could you get that essay to me by next day?'

Was all that was there. Obviously, it was from Arthur, with the subtlety to it, barely anyone would understand it. In Cate's mind, it meant that Arthur wanted a written response on anything weird or different that was happening.

"Well . . . " Ron, Harry and Hermione were all looking up at her.

"Yes it's from your father, however, I can't tell you anymore." Hermione simply turned back to her dinner, still not believing that Cate was in The Order. Ron and Harry however, were the opposite.

"Why can't you tell us?" Ron whined.

"Because," Cate began, snatching the letter as she stood up, "You're not in The Order." The young woman then hurried up to Gryffindor tower. With her numerous essays (at least one per subject), and now one to write up for Arthur (which could end up being rather long), she had to start very soon.

Catherine dropped down into one of the cushy armchairs in the common room. She rested in silence for a few minutes, then sighed heavily. From her bag, she pulled out her History of Magic textbook, a large piece of parchment and her quill, and began to work.

The rest of the Gryffindors got back to the common room when Cate was done her History of Magic paper and was halfway through her Charms essay. For the next couple of hours, they sat and talked, played chess, exploding chess, and celebrated. The crowed thinned out slowly until only Hermione, Ginny and Catherine were left in the common room.

For the first little bit, the three of them spoke about the usual things girls of that age would talk about. This continued until around one a.m.

"Well," Hermione began, "I'm going to head up to bed now." She yawned heavily.

"It's amazing that you're up this late on a Sunday." Ginny giggled.

"It is Halloween though." The other girl protested

"True." Ginny nodded, standing up as well. "Anyway, I'm going to bed too." She turned to Cate. "You should go soon."

"I will." The eighteen-year-old replied, waving as the two left. Sighing lightly, Catherine picked up her Charms book and essay, then began scribbling away. By ten past two, she had completed all her school work and began on the essay for Arthur. As three-o'clock neared, the common room began to get increaseably colder. Cate pulled a sweater out of her bag, pulling it tight around her, then continued writing.

'This is truly insane.' She thought, 'I really need to get to bed.' The young woman then noticed something peculiar. As she exhaled, she could see her breath infront of her. Thoughts of her past swirled around her, just as she was drifting off, a sudden sound made her jump.

A loud shout echoed through Gryffindor tower, followed by yells of Ron, Neville, Seamus and Dean. Catherine threw down her parchment and nearly flew up the stairs to the dormitory.

"What's going on?" The young woman nearly shouted. The boys in the tower jumped, thinking she was McGonagall.

"It's Harry." Ron began. Cate's eye surveyed the room, she then noticed Harry kneeling on the floor, curled in a ball.

"What happened?" Catherine dropped to her knees beside Harry. He looked up, knowing what the true meaning behind her words were.

"A death eater . . . was being tortured . . . horribly . . . it was a woman . . . they were gathered somewhere I've been before. Well . . . the building itself wasn't, but the street was." Harry spoke slowly, watching the horror grow on his friends faces.

"Knockturn Alley?" Cate questioned.

"Yeah . . . " He said, "I think it might have been."

"Why would you know that?" Ron suddenly asked. Cate simply rolled her eyes in return. Hermione seemed to be getting to them. Suddenly, the woman shivered, it was freezing.

"Why is it so cold in here tonight?" She said, "The fires shouldn't be out."

"It's not that." Neville stated, pointing behind them with a trembling finger. Cate, Ron and Harry turned, and in great horror, found at least ten dementors advancing on them. The room was absolutely freezing. Catherine became dizzy immediately, as did Harry, because he was still weak. Cate's left arm began to burn, and a quick flash of green light illuminated the room, as the actual dark mark formed under the bruise. Her arm burned like hell, she winced in pain, feeling extremely faint, and completely freezing cold. Her arm was still warm as the dark mark shone lightly.

"Expecto Patronum!" Dean, Neville, Seamus, and Ron all yelled, causing the dementors to flee out of the dormitory window. Catherine looked over at Harry and Ron, terror in her eyes. She grabbed both of them and dragged them out of the tower, but not before Harry had time to grab the Marauders map.

"C'mon, we've got to find someone."