Unfortunate Relations
Note to Everyone: To all you reviewers out there- thank you so much! Your criticism and comments are not only appreciated but motivating. Sorry it took me so long to update (I'm actually working on the seventh chapter, I just wanted to get a head start on that one before I showed you this one)! This one is, I think, a bit longer than all my others; I really hope you all enjoy it. Thanks for being so patient with me! Just a warning to everyone: this chapter's rather insane. ;) Not only that, but it's darker, too. I was feeling a bit angsty, I guess.
Irish Anor: Gar! Death to challenging description! jk Thanks for the criticism, though…and I hope you like this chapter- I think it has some more imagery. It's just that, in the last chapter, there wasn't really much to describe; she was in a cave the whole time. And, Yes! I LOVED doing the dialogue between Fred, George, and Katie- that's my favorite part!
Knights of Ne: (gasps!) Disneyland? I am SO jealous of you right now…what's your favorite ride? Mine's Indiana Jones. ;) Anywho (I think you sucked me in to your randomness), about the chapter. Yes, she is searching for the horcruxes -though in my opinion, she's not quite psychologically ready for it. But, then again, what hero ever is? So…I hope you like this chapter. It's a bit…darker. (thunder rumbles, evil laughter)
bluekiwibubble: Yeah, sorry about the confusion, but- you're right. That's the plan! (cackles) lol, and to your last question, yes and no. It's sort of during it, if you know what I mean. Oh, and you're welcome about the review! Thank YOU!
the-insufferable-know-it-all: Thanks for reviewing! I hope you like this chapter!
Georgentosser: Thanks! I'm glad you liked it...yeah, sorry about the confusion. I think that first chapter had the typo to end all typos: me forgetting to mention it was a dream. (sighs) Ah, well. Nobody's perfect, least of all me.
Chapter Five: Short Stop, Sudden Drop
"Hmmm…let's see…That cloud looks like a…erm…oh, to hell with it!" Katie muttered darkly, cursing under her breath. After a long flight to nowhere, she was both tired and irritable- not the best combination. The wind whistled past her ears and through her hair as she tried to egg the broom on- but it was no Firebolt.
'A cove by the sea…a cove by the sea…how hard can it be to find that?' Of course, deep down she knew there were many coves by the sea…
Not that she didn't know where she was going (didn't she?), it was just taking much longer than expected. No matter how fast she flew, the sea grew no closer. It felt like she was under some spell, doomed to forever travel, never reaching her destination- but she knew it was just an unfortunate trick of the eye. How hard was it to find a cave by the sea, exactly? Very hard, by broomstick.
Once again, Katie found herself wishing she could Apparate better. She had made a desperate attempt earlier (on her broomstick), which resulted in her losing her balance and almost falling off. Trying to make the best of this impossibly long trip, Katie abandoned the cloud-shape game and started to hum.
A far-off hum answered her, but Katie was too bent on getting where she needed to go to notice it. The hum grew increasing louder, overpowering her own tune with an obnoxious buzzing. As she rolled her eyes, Katie swiveled her broom around to face what seemed to be purposely annoying her.
Her annoyance, however, quickly turned to concern as her grey eyes grew wider. An airplane was headed straight towards her. Katie groaned, leaning forward to let her broomstick smack her on the forehead in reproof. How could she have been so stupid?
It was much too late to conceal herself with a camouflage spell, so she decided to take the obvious way out. Without caring where she landed or how she did it, Katie turned her broomstick and began a straight dive downwards.
She could feel the wind whistling past her face, and for several moments she was caught up in the rush of flight…Then she hit trees.
It was difficult to bite back a scream as the ground that had been so far away seconds ago quickly became closer…and closer…and closer…
Her descent was nearing an end- but the forest, apparently, was not finished with her. Tree branches clawed unmercifully, tearing at her clothes and skin.
As soon as it had begun, it was over. Miraculously, Katie managed to pull up right before crashing- but not before being knocked off her broom and skidding to a painful halt.
She sprawled against a tree and moodily wiped blood from her eyes and hands- the red substance contrasting starkly with her white skin. Katie ran her hands through her sleek, black hair, but after a while gave up trying to comb it; once again, it was too hopelessly tangled.
"So much for a happy landing." Katie grumbled, chucking a rock at a nearby squirrel. But even her sulking was interrupted as a sharp voice rang out, echoing even in these muffled surroundings.
"Avada Kedavra!"
Katie was sharply brought back to reality as the all-too familiar spell caught her ears. Instinctively she rolled out of harm's way to draw out her wand.
But the curse wasn't directed at her. Various hexes were being yelled from somewhere to her left, and Katie suddenly wanted, more than anything, to hide behind the nearest tree until it was all over. She was about to, when a voice cut into her thoughts.
'How can you fight Lord Voldemort if you can't even take on a couple of Death Eaters?'
Katie slowly shook her head. Though it was against almost every nerve in her body, she began to warily step forward, careful not to crack any twigs (which was difficult, considering she was in the middle of a forest). But what if she was caught?...quickly, Katie transformed her features- blond hair, freckles…now no one would recognize her as Voldemort's niece. She finally found a bush she could hide behind and cautiously peered through its branches.
"Impedimentra!"
The air seemed thick with silent tension; Katie quickly looked around to see who had fallen…her heart sank as she realized it was the Auror on the ground. 'Move! Now's your chance; he'll die if you don't jump in now!' But Katie couldn't move. It felt as if she was the one frozen, not the Auror.
'Coward.' The single word cut deeply- mostly because she couldn't deny it. Here she hid, watching, just watching as an Auror lay helpless on the ground.
Harsh, grating laughter cut sharply into her thoughts. "Look what we've caught…yet another Auror down…" Whispered one of the Death Eaters coldly, giving the stiffened man a cruel kick to the stomach.
The other chuckled softly. "Should we finish him now?"
"No."
Katie blinked in surprise- were they, two pitiless Death Eaters, actually going to show mercy? That couldn't be right…
"Not yet." The man began again. His lips parted into a grin. It was all too obvious what was coming next. "Crucio!"
The Auror's eyes widened, screaming pain with their bright intensity. Katie knew that if it hadn't been for the spell, he would have been writhing- but, as it was, it was much worse to see him just lying there, only his eyes telling a story.
'Go! SAVE HIM…' so many thoughts were whirring in Katie's head: she wanted to rush into the scene, slaying the Death Eaters while at the same time heroically saving the Auror. She wanted to slink away, crawl behind some tree or bush and never be seen again- just as long as the screaming in her head would stop…She wanted (yes, this part of her was still there) to join in the ruthless laughter of the Death Eaters…
Katie closed her eyes, trying desperately to will her thoughts away, to ignore the unforgiving sneers and red glinting eyes of this man's tormentors, to forget her secret wishes forever…
"Enough." The Death Eater's words seemed to command even Katie's mind as he kicked the man once more. "The Dark Lord will be growing impatient…"
"Oh, alright." answered the other. His tone, sounding for all the world like a boy who had been cheated out of his dessert, made Katie sick. "Avada Kedavra!"
"No…" she whispered, the finality of the situation suddenly made clear. It was over; she had watched someone die while she herself had done absolutely nothing…"NO!" The piercing words came unbidden to Katie's lips. She didn't even realize what she was doing- all she could feel was anger, anger for the Death Eaters, but mostly…anger for herself. She had to stop the pain; she had to avenge the savage guilt that burned away at her- "Impedimentra! IMPEDIMENTRA!" It was the only hex she could think of. Her eyes brimmed over with tears as she began to charge the two men, all thoughts of caution and hiding abandoned.
But the Death Eaters easily blocked the charms; they had been too well trained to be surprised for long. Within moments, Katie herself was frozen on the ground, and knew, with a sinking heart, that her fate would be no different that that of the man's lying beside her. 'There is ONE difference…he died a brave man. And how did you end your life? As a coward.'
'It wasn't supposed to end this way.' She thought bitterly. But how else did she think it would end? Happily? Happy endings were for fairytales; she knew that now, if only from unfortunate experiences.
No, she would have died eventually, probably before even raising her wand against Voldemort. Either that, or she would have joined him. And for her, that was much worse than death.
'I guess it was better this-' An explosion of pain erupted within her, scraping away all thoughts with its razor-like precision. There was only room for pain...pain and cold laughter…So this was how it would end? With the laughter of a Death Eater ringing in her ears?
Hot fire coursed up and down her body, burning her very blood away… 'Just kill me…' a helpless voice inside of her whispered. 'Please, just let it end…'
"STUPEFY!"
Katie barely heard the voices speak confidently in unison, barely saw two bodies drop through her hazy vision- and was hardly aware when two warm hands grasped hers to pull her up. The pain was gone now, but it still took her sight some time to clear.
"Hi!"
"Thought you'd need saving."
"Good thing we were here!"
Two identical faces loomed in front of her. "Am I…am I in heaven?" Katie asked weakly, her brows twisting in confusion.
The twins laughed. "Right." said Fred, "And the first thing you see there is our ugly faces."
"Ugly?" an indignant George questioned, "Speak for yourself."
Fred rolled his eyes. "We're identical, idiot." Both of them smiled happily and patted her (a little bit uncertainly) on the back.
"How-how'd you find me?"
"Easy. Broomsticks, of course. And a camouflage spell."
Katie grinned, her eyes expressing the undying gratitude that no words could even come close to saying. Then her face reddened. They shouldn't have come. They weren't supposed to be here. "You…STUPID GITS! I told you not to- you weren't supposed- BUT YOU SAID-!" Try as she might, Katie couldn't splutter out an angry response. Fred and George shuffled guiltily. "I owe you guys one." she finished.
Fred and George looked surprised. "Women." George muttered. Katie laughed.
But the grin soon fell from her lips as she looked back at the Auror who was now and forever beyond saving. His face glistened, still wet with tears. Without fully understanding why, without needing to, Katie bent over the lifeless body. Silent tears fell hotly down her cheek as she mourned this stranger, a man she was all too aware she could have saved.
Finally, she took a shaky breath. For some unknown reason, Katie felt as though she owed this man something, like a tribute. So she spoke. "You did what I could not. You were what I could not be- brave. And I'm sorry…but I will not forget you-" Here her voice grew stronger- "It will be different next time. I swear to that. Goodbye." Her last words came out in a whisper that seemed to linger in the twilight. It was strange how Katie's voice seemed to cut an epitaph for the man, leaving the death spot more reverent than before.
Katie looked up at the twins, who gazed solemnly back; the three wordlessly turned to the Death Eaters.
"What should we do with these two, Katie?"
"We can't just let them go."
Katie stepped forward. Anger flowered inside her as she saw the sneers still frozen on the men's' faces. Only one solution came to mind…
…
"Tom! Tom! Tom!" Katie squealed, her short legs jumping up and down excitedly. "You're back!"
"Well, would you look at that- it's my favorite niece!" The tall man bent down to tickle the little girl mercilessly.
When the giggles had subsided, Katie looked up at him, grinning, and gave him a big hug. "Silly…I'm your only niece!" It was funny, Katie thought, he seemed such the perfect uncle and friend anyone could ever have. But now, looking back through this flashback, she saw what her seven-year-old self could not: his face was pale; his greedy eyes flashed red…
"Even if you weren't my only niece, you'd still be my favorite." He smiled, taking her little hand in his. "Shall we play a game?"
This caused even more jumping up and down from Katie. "Oh, yes! Yes, yes!" The two ran as fast as they could out into the modest garden. There wouldn't have been much to do there, but for the small wood it opened out into. "Can we play tag, Uncle Tom?" Katie's black, silky hair ruffled playfully in the breeze.
Tom's face grew distant, as if he were thinking about something else… "Oh, I don't know about that…" Katie's smiling features dropped, and she lowered her head. "YOU'RE IT!" Her uncle quickly tagged her and began running through the cabbages.
"Not fair, Uncle!" Her tone was reproachful, but her face immediately lit up as she dashed after him.
"Katie- I think…" he panted, feigning exhaustion. "We should stop…"
"NEVER! Ha ha!" she ran forward heroically, attempting to mask her tripping over an unearthed carrot, brandishing a twig she had found along the way.
"No! Katie! Please…have mercy!" By now, Tom was backed up into a fence-corner, trying hard to look interested.
"Fool!" she laughed, eyes glinting happily in the sunlight. "I show mercy to no one!"
There was that greedy glint in his eyes again- if only she could have known that not only was the game pretend, but also his character. All he wanted was another Death Eater, perhaps more powerful that the rest, standing alongside him.
Just as Kate was about to strike, a spider came spindling down its web, hanging from the roof. She screamed, dragging her uncle out of harm's way. "Uncle! I'll save you…spiders are bad!" Her wide, grey eyes looked up at Tom pleadingly; her hands tugged at his arm.
"Yes." Tom agreed softly. "Spiders are bad, but they're fun to play with…Katie, would you like me to tell you a secret?"
"Yeah…" Katie whispered, thrilled at the prospect of sharing a big secret (what seven-year-old wouldn't be?).
"You have to promise not to tell." He looked at her with a serious expression, and she solemnly nodded. "Would you like it to dance?" Katie nodded again, and Uncle Tom whispered in her ear. "Got it?"
"I- I think so…" she pulled out her wand, an early birthday present from the previous year, and yelled "Imperio!" The spider danced. Katie clapped. "Yay! More fun, please!"
And so the fun continued; Tom taught her many fun spells to play with spiders. But the last one had been the hardest to learn… "Avada Kedavra!" Katie squeaked for the fourth time, but the spider didn't react. "Uncle, why isn't it working?" She stomped impatiently.
"You have to really want to have fun, Katie…don't you hate spiders?" Here she nodded. "Don't you want them to stop moving? Forever?"
She rolled her eyes, as if this was an obvious question. "Of course! Who wouldn't?"
"Why don't you try it one more time, then?" He asked politely, but Katie could see his patience was growing thin.
"Alright…AVADA KEDAVRA!" This time the spider went limp, and it didn't get up again. Katie hugged her uncle in triumph. "I did it! Thanks, uncle! Now I like playing with spiders!"
There was that greedy glint again, that evil (now she could see it) smile playing about his face. "Good, Katie. Good…Would you like to go out for an ice cream, now?"
…
The flashback faded, and Katie was back in the present, raising her wand. "Avada Ke-" Slowly, she shook her head. She wouldn't let it happen that easily, she wouldn't give in to Voldemort just yet. Remembering Fred and George, she turned to look at them, the red finally fading from her eyes.
They didn't say anything; just looked at her. Katie was ashamed at the fear she found in their eyes… 'They may be my friends, but they'll never fully understand me.' And who was she to blame them? She was Voldemort's bloody niece, for goodness sake.
"Ummm…I'm going to perform a Memory Charm on them, is that alright with you two?" Fred and George nodded dumbly. "…obliviate!"
The silent trio walked away from the scene, got on their broomsticks, and left.
Ok, I know that was probably a weird ending- but it seemed appropriate, considering the rather extreme experiences they all just went through. Don't start hating Katie just yet…I just had to show you some of her bad side, her cowardly side. Honestly, if you had three voices inside your head all screaming at you at once, how you would respond? lol You're only as strong as your weakest point. And please don't comment on how you don't think Katie could have performed Unforgivable Curses when she was seven- I know it sounds illogical, but trust me- I HAVE AN EXPLANATION. It's just not revealed yet. And yes, I promise- next time you see Katie- It'll be different. But now- onto Harry, Ron and Hermione! Please review- leave any comments you want (apart from the whole unforgivable curse thing). Vanya sulie, melon nins!
Note: Also, it might take me a while to get the sixth chapter up, because I don't like posting a chapter until I finish the one to follow it- it's just a weird, 'me' thing, I guess. Not to mention that I started up another fanfic (Harry/Ginny- not posted yet), so that's taking up a bit of my time. And, for the seventh chapter, I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO INSPIRATION! (gasps!) I know what's going to happen, but it feels as though the writing-ness has been temporarily drained out of me. If you have ANY idea whatsoever of how to save me from my torment (the inescapable writer's block), then please share it with me A.S.A.P.! Once again, you guys ALL ROCK. Please feel free to review once more!