Chapter 14: Christmas Party '75

Author's Note: So you need to opt in to email notifications in your account settings every six months now? I missed two chapter updates of a story I was following – you guys be safe out there!

The weather took a miserable turn the following week. The only thing that brightened up the castle was the fact that a black dog had broken into the castle on numerous occasions to chase Mrs Norris around.

Friday morning, Katherine sat on the balustrade outside Defence Against the Dark Arts, broiling in an illness that penetrated down to her core. Slughorn's Christmas Party was to be that evening, on top of everything else.

She swung her legs in an attempt to distract herself as the gold-topped figure of the Head Boy hastened past in the direction of the Arithmancy classroom.

Looking through the binoculars the previous Friday, Katherine's heart had, irrefutably, cracked. It had been a silly school-girl crush, based solely on the boy's traditional good looks and polite ways, but the space in her brain – that regularly strayed to him fondly – seemed to go into shock as Katherine battled the withdrawals of thinking of him.

"So, I guess I'll see you tonight…" came Lily's voice from across the way.

Bertram Aubrey, towering over the rest of the fifth years in his Ravenclaw robes, slowed beside Lily as the two closed in on the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom.

"Tonight," said Aubrey, with a nod, "Five o'clock? We could go for a walk beforehand…"

Lily nodded, clutching her books to her chest, "See you."

Bertram walked backwards, flashing a smile to Lily, before being patted on the back and lightly jeered by his friends that had been waiting further down the hallway.

"Spencer –"

James launched himself up onto the balustrade beside her, leaning in intently –

"– what do you think of Aubrey?"

Katherine, momentarily startled, had little to base her opinion on. In Hogsmeade, however, Bertram had invited Katherine along to the Three Broomsticks as well…

"He's… nice?"

Black glanced over, half-heartedly listening from where he chatted with Remus. All the boys seemed to be chummy again after Black's outburst the previous the week. Like it never happened.

"That doesn't sound very convincing."

"Well, I've only spoken to him once," said Katherine, shaking her head and watching Bertram vanish into his classroom, "I don't think he feels comfortable hanging around with us though, Lily's friends, with us being younger – and girls…"

Bertram Aubrey, truly, never lingered.

James nodded slowly, but then said, "That doesn't exactly sound a good basis for a relationship."

"James," said Katherine, "They're not getting married. She had to ask someone to the Christmas party."

James shook his head, muttering, "But the bloke asks the girl, that's just how it is…"

Katherine snorted, her eyebrows lifting as she turned to him.

"Well, yes, but then she would have to run the risk of ending up like I have."

James frowned, endearingly – and earnestly – confused.

"What do you mean –" he broke off, eyes flashing with understanding. He furrowed his brows, pulling back to look at her, "No one's asked you?"

"I don't fancy anyone anyway." At least, not anymore.

The door swung open, and Katherine hopped down from the balustrade, filtering into the classroom with the rest of the fifth years. She slid into the seat beside Marlene, in the middle of the left rows of desks.

"Stunning charms today. We'll have a brief instruction, and then you can pair off with those you are sitting with and practise."

As Giles started to indicate what notes they were to take down from the blackboard, Katherine's eyes strayed to Black and Potter at the desk in front of her and Marlene.

Potter had leant over to Black surreptitiously, as not to be caught by Giles, whispering something quietly. Whatever it was, Black went stiff as a board at hearing it, and didn't so much as make to reach for his quill as the rest of the class took notes.

"Alright, on your feet –" said Giles, gesturing with his hands, before pausing, and pointing, "Lupin – go with Snape, please. Pettigrew is more evenly matched with Miss MacDonald."

Lily skirted around from her desk, "I can go with Severus, Professor!"

"I think I can handle myself against Lupin." drawled Snape.

Giles glanced between the Slytherin and Gryffindor and gave a warning of 'Gentlemen' before stepping away to supervise other students.

"Stupefy!"

At a small yelp, Katherine glanced up to find Snape on his back, his arms and legs locked together, and his wand frozen in his tight grip.

Black and Potter snickered.

Remus just looked around the room, unassumingly, as he waited for Snape to get back up. When he met Katherine's eye, he gave the most imperceptible of smiles.

Lupin, you marvellous, cheeky bastard… thought Katherine fondly, as she fought from grinning back.

Marlene had let Katherine stun her over and over until she got it right. On the first few tries, Katherine had only immobilised Marlene's arms. Marlene, however, was a bit quicker to get it, and Katherine found herself falling hard onto the floorboards, completely helpless.

"Finite," said Marlene, crossing to Katherine and extending a hand, "How's the bum?"

Laughter leaked through as Katherine groaned, rubbing her hip as she stood, "Oww…"

Others around the class had taken the lesson as an excuse for a duel. No one seemed to want to be stunned, and shield charms were popping up just as fast.

At the bell, James and Black went for their bags, chatting animatedly and making duelling gestures –

"Spencer!"

James broke away from Black, slinging his bag over his shoulder.

"A word?" he asked, nodding to the side of the classroom – bare, as everyone was streaming out into the hallway.

Katherine slowly nodded, waving goodbye to Marlene and the other girls who joined the crowd of students waiting to pass through the door.

Giles glanced up from his desk as he stacked away parchment and books, eyes flickering between Katherine and James.

James hooked a hand around Katherine's elbow, lightly pulling her in the direction of the far windows.

James lowered his head to hers, and said quietly, hurriedly, "Come with me."

"Sorry?" Katherine blinked, shaking her head lightly.

James tipped his head closer to hers conspiratorially.

"To the Christmas party," he amended, he shook his head again, but this time in thought, "I don't know why I didn't think of it before, honestly…"

It made… sense.

Katherine slowly nodded, and said, "Okay."

James let go of her elbow and stood up straight.

"Brilliant, I'll meet you in the common room tonight – six o'clock." said James, with a grin and a wave, turning to run after his friends.

Amusedly enough, he lightly smacked Black upside the back of the head as he passed him, for whatever reason…

It wasn't a true requirement to have a date to the Christmas party, as the girls had insinuated earlier in the term. It was more of a social thing, to ensure you had someone to dance with, speak with, and be seated next to at the dinner table, and not feel awkward.

Katherine had accepted that she was going to go alone, but was glad that Madame Gladrags' robes wouldn't go to complete waste as she blended into the background all night as previously intended – as they really were very pretty…

Distracted, Katherine's feet carried had her over to Lily – and she hadn't noticed the company her friend was keeping.

Lily frowned up at Snape, "I don't need your approval for who I date, Sev."

"You should at least consider my disapproval when it pertains to a slime ball like Aubrey."

"Don't call him that," said Lily, frowning, "He's very nice – if you had come to meet us at the Three Broomsticks on the last Hogsmeade trip like I asked you to, you would have –"

"Probably hexed him."

Lily's eyes flashed like a curse, "Severus Snape, I –"

"Am ungrateful of the concern from one of you oldest friends," interrupted Snape, "He takes up all of your time, Lily – it's not healthy."

Lily's words were caustic out of her twisted lips, "And you'd know what a healthy relationship looks like, would you?"

Snape scowled and turned, but Lily caught his hand with wide eyes – immediately repentant.

"I'm sorry," said Lily, quickly, "That wasn't right of me."

Snape shook her hand off, "If this is what you've become with Aubrey's influence, I don't know if I want to –"

"Don't, Sev," said Lily, looking down at her shoes, "It would hurt you just as much as it would hurt me if we weren't friends."

As Katherine closed in on the pair squabbling by the window, she realised that Bertram Aubrey had stolen a lot of Lily's time.

According to Marlene, Lily used to spend lunches on the lawns with Snape and sit with him in classes that the Gryffindors shared with the Slytherins. But adding Katherine and Aubrey to the mix resulted in very little time for Snape.

Katherine never saw him; between not seeking him out, and often being around James, their paths rarely crossed.

Snape's colourless stare rose and pierced Katherine, "What are you doing here?"

"Severus." whispered Lily, gripping his elbow in reprimand.

"Lily and I always walk to classes together." said Katherine.

"The only thing she walks towards with you – is trouble." Snape sneered, turned, and skulked away; his too-large robes billowing in his wake.

"Sorry about him," said Lily, sighing after him and shaking her head, "He doesn't make friends that easily…"

"That's a rubbish way of saying he's a rotten person." said Marlene, slowing by them.

Lily's shoulders straightened, "Not –"

"To you," said Marlene, nodding as they walked to the door, "Yeah, we know."

Lily changed the subject, "What did Potter want, anyway?"

"He asked me to the party tonight." said Katherine, adjusting her bag strap over her shoulder.

Lily blinked, and furrowed her eyebrows as they walked on, "Oh."

At six o'clock, Katherine took the stairs down to the near-empty common room, feeling very delicate in her magenta robes. Mostly everyone was at dinner in the Great Hall or already at Slughorn's do.

James was leaning against the back of the couch closest the girls' stairs, like he had promised, and snapped to his feet in a blur of his formal graphite robes.

"Spencer," said James in greeting, with a nod, proffering his arm, "You look nice."

Katherine smiled her thanks and said, lightly, as he had done a long time ago with his own name, "Katherine."

"Katherine," repeated James as he walked, sounding it out like a foreign language, "Kath-er-ine."

Katherine glanced to him, and said, honestly, "You look nice too."

His robes were immaculate, his shoes were shined, and he had used sleek-ezy's on his hair. Not a piece stuck up.

"Thanks," said James, grinning as he pushed open the portrait, "Sirius told me my hair looked like an old dunny brush with all the bristles bent in one direction."

James stepped through first, loosening his hold on her arm, and turned back in aid.

Katherine found herself limited by the skirt of her robes that was keeping her ankles nearly impractically close together in her little kitten heels. She lifted her skirts with one hand, and gratefully took James' arm with the other.

"Now," said James, on the landing outside the portrait, "We've just got to do eight flights,"

He glanced up, face splitting in a grin –

"…Unless?"

One trip down a secret passage later, Katherine and James staggered back out into the torchlight, James nearly overbalancing with Katherine on his back.

To walk down the passage, Katherine had decided she would need to take off her shoes, but to not dirty her feet, James had insisted on piggy backing her. While well intentioned, he'd nearly run her into the stone walls six times as he jolted down the uneven stone tunnel.

Laughing, Katherine slid off James' back, a hallway away from where the party was to be hosted in the dungeons.

James extended a hand, "You know, hanging around with girls isn't as bad as I thought it was…"

Katherine used his hand as she lifted each of her feet in turn to slip them back into her shoes, laughing.

"Now…" said Katherine, inspecting James' robes for any damage, brushing her hands over the arms of his robes and down his back where it had wrinkled, "No one will ever know."

"I'll probably tell people," said James, with mirthful honesty, "That was a laugh…"

Katherine gave a laugh-lilted breath, and slipped her hand up around his bicep, "Ready?"

James gave a curt nod, and they briskly strode around the corner, seeing the light spilling from the open door of the party.

"Katherine! My dear girl!" Slughorn's jubilant and quivering grin met her, then flashed to James – brightening, "Ho, ho, ho – and Mister Potter!"

Slughorn gestured wildly to the open door, his rotund gut straining against the buttons of his shirt.

"Well, come in – come in! Both of you!"

Garlands of holly and roses were strung along ceilings much higher than Katherine remembered – undoubtedly altered by magic; snow gently falling over tables of decadent treats and glittering drinks. Through the mass of crimson and clover, Katherine found the familiar faces of her friends, newly anointed foes, and acquaintances.

Slughorn bustled around them, standing at Katherine's side, "Now, we must get a photo… just here…"

Cajoled into place, and a camera wrangled for the feat, the three posed, bracing for the blinding flash and, and choking puff of smoke.

"Now – off you go… enjoy… enjoy – mingle."

Before Katherine could suggest they try the jelly slug surprise, a set of tight platinum curls sprung across them.

"So, I guess the rumours aren't true…"

James didn't miss a beat, "You mean the ones you started?"

He maintained a polite smile, but his eyes narrowed slightly at Rita Skeeter.

"We'd love to give you a picture for the next article you feed Jasmine Copper, but Slughorn has the only camera in commission," said James, gripping Katherine's hand tighter to the crook of his elbow, "Now, if you'll please excuse us."

James escorted them away, no big deal – everything handled.

Katherine was rather dizzy at it all, and had never been gladder for James Potter.

"Drinks?" she suggested.

James nodded, "Whatever looks good. Meet me over by Belby, I want to have a chat with him."

It was as she perused the foreign appetisers and bowls of drink that a familiar hand reached for a goblet. And a familiar shoulder gently bumped Katherine's.

"Gideon," breathed Katherine, tucking her hair behind her ears, "I thought that you weren't coming."

Katherine watched as his eyebrows twitched teasingly, his lips smiling at her from the rim of his goblet.

"He didn't."

Katherine leant back to observe the blond young man, "Fabian?"

He grinned, holding out his arms for effect.

"In the flesh," confirmed Fabian, taking another sip and nudging Katherine with wink, "But for a pretty price,"

Katherine found herself relaxed at the revelation.

Fabian's eyes set on something behind Katherine's head and widened.

"Slughorn's coming!" Fabian alerted her in an extremely hushed tone, "I can't speak to him or else he'll know that I'm not Gideon!"

Fabian put his goblet on the table before taking Katherine's from her hand and setting it down beside his. The next thing that she knew, he took a hold Katherine's own hand, and Katherine was pulled through an archway behind silk hangings.

Everything was suddenly tinged pink by the hangings.

"I –" Fabian broke off, scanning either side for any sign of a rotund gut – "I think we're safe."

"You go on, then," said Katherine with a smile, having to constantly remind herself that he wasn't Gideon, "You could make a break for the door and go get your reward."

Fabian gulped, glanced at the door, and turned back to Katherine with a frown, "What about you?"

"I'm here with James." said Katherine, shrugging.

Fabian refocused on her, grinning, as his eyes drifted over her, "He's got bollocks that one… I'll give him that…"

Katherine raised her eyebrows, amused, and confused, "I thought you were going?"

Licking his lips in indecision, he jiggled a fog watch out of his pocket; gold and gleaming.

"It is past eight…"

Katherine leant over, observing the clock face for herself.

"Neat watch," said Katherine, smiling at the revolving and obscure shapes in place of the second and minute hands, "I like the stars."

"Thanks," said Fabian, closing it and pocketing it once more, "Molly's going to harp on me for dropping it – 'Do you want your sons and nephews thinking you don't value tradition when they get passed this on their seventeenth birthday?'"

"Nephews?" asked Katherine, curious to the addition to what would be the tradition of father to son.

Gideon shrugged, "It'll probably go to one of her boys – I don't have plans to settle down any time soon."

Fabian offered Katherine one last smile and slipped out of sight.

But someone swiftly took his place; looking down their nose as they righted their crystal and gold cufflinks.

"I thought that he would never leave…"

Katherine thought the younger boy's chronological disadvantage was exacerbated by her heels as she had to lower her eyes to meet his.

"I wasn't aware I had a line…" said Katherine sarcastically, peering out of the hangings for emphasis.

Regulus Black had the good grace to cough instead of snort, "I just think that it's a bit rich of him to come with you when he's snogging my cousin."

The crass word made Katherine blink and flinch simultaneously, a coolness spreading through her at the peculiarity of it being applied to the Head Boy and Girl. Pushing aside her falter, Katherine didn't proceed to divulge the twin switch.

"I doubt the future Mrs Malfoy would feel threatened, but, for your information, I didn't come with Gideon,"

Her eyes flitted past Regulus' raised eyebrows – so like his brother's, but with more disdain –

"I came with James."

"What happened to the half-breed? Lupin?"

Katherine's eyes snapped to him at the tart phrase, her half-formed smile crumbling.

Regulus peered out, shoulder to shoulder with Katherine, and ran his tongue along the inside of his teeth with an aloof blink, "I didn't see Potter being your type…"

"Half-breed?" asked Katherine, frowning.

Regulus turned to her, his lips slipping away from his teeth that had a lofty gleam to them, his head of lacquered black hair inclined.

"Surely, you know," said Regulus, his voice rolling and blooming with haughtiness, "Don't you?"

Katherine blinked, tucked her hair behind her ears, and returned what she hoped was an unaffected gaze to Regulus.

"That he's a half-blood?" said Katherine, "So what?"

Regulus wasn't fooled, shaking his head and grinning, "This is too good…"

"Why do you want to talk about Lupin anyway?"

"Touchy about the boyfriend, are we?" asked Regulus, with a patronising shift of his head.

"He's not my boyfriend," said Katherine, perhaps more quickly that she should have – the prophet article rolling around the back of her mind, "And James came with me as a friendly favour."

Regulus nodded with a pulse of his eyebrows in a tandem expression that screamed 'yeah, right.'

"Why not come alone?" asked Regulus, "I did,"

Regulus returned his gaze to the newly closed off hangings, tinging everything pink once again.

"We could have met up or something…"

"So, we could what?" asked Katherine, smiling not out amusement but exasperation, "Meet up behind silk hangings and have more confusing conversations?"

Regulus turned to Katherine, looking every inch of the word he spoke, "Confusing?"

The genuine emotion on his face, that he had aptly named, made Katherine rigid with ire. Every conversation they had ever partaken in flashed through her mind; never complete and always abrupt.

"Yes; confusing." said Katherine.

"I got too much attention as a child," said Regulus, brushing lint from his velvet sleeves, "It's made me – what do all you Gryffindors call us? Entitled?"

The word was like a bullet out of her smiling lips, "Arrogant."

"That too," Regulus smiled, nodding at her, "See, I made you smile, I can't be all that bad."

"Have you seen Katherine?"

The mention of her name jolted Katherine into awareness of the happenings beyond the hangings; a head of barely tamed jet black passing by within arm's reach –

A cool hand around her elbow alerted her to the fact that her feet had started in the direction of her fellow Gryffindor. The grip was quickly relinquished; and so fleeting that she wasn't sure if it burned or iced her.

Regulus stuffed his hands in his jacket pockets, looking either side of himself, "Sorry – that was improper of me, but…just…"

His gulped, shrugging, and watched the going-on's of the party beyond the hangings absently.

"Shake him off, hang out with me instead." There was something strikingly out of place about the phrase from his lips.

"Why?"

Regulus met her eye, tilting his head, "I want to talk to you."

"About what?"

"Ah, Spencer…" said Regulus, sighing and looking around, "Not here."

"Regulus! Katherine!"

Slughorn tweaked his walrus moustache with one hand and rested his other on his stomach that had nudged apart the pink hangings.

"Just the two I was looking for! You two would look dashing in a photograph together!"

Katherine felt trapped.

"I should really be getting back to James, sir." said Katherine, bowing her head and making to step away.

Slughorn grinned in implication, "Is that why you were convoluting behind the curtain with handsome young Regulus?"

'Handsome' Regulus mouthed from where he stood behind Slughorn's shoulder.

"You've got the wrong end of the stick, sir –"

"I dare say Mister Potter will be fine in Belby's company for a few more minutes, now –" cheered Slughorn, cutting Katherine off "– a photograph!"

Slughorn had thrust a camera into stubby hands of a girl named Dolores in a shocking amount of pink, and she had captured the trio in short moment of smiling and – on Katherine's part at least – nervous laughter.

Before Slughorn could even accept the camera back from the seventh-year girl in pink, Regulus' hand was extended gallantly into the charged air –

"Would you care to dance, Katherine?"

Katherine was spared his scrutiny at her fallen open mouth; Regulus having turned to smile courteously at Slughorn.

"Will you allow us to slip away, sir?" asked Regulus, blinking unassumingly.

It didn't sound anything like a request, to Katherine at least.

Slughorn, mellowed by mead and jubilant students dancing around, simply waved them on with a smile and the parting words of 'be good'.

"You didn't really have to ask," said Katherine with her best effort to not move her lips, still feeling Slughorn's watery eyes on them.

She rested her hand atop his, and Regulus led her with chivalry Katherine thought long lost, to her old life, to the cleared space for dancing couples.

"It was expected of us." added Katherine.

"Oh, trust me, I did have to ask," said Regulus, with restricted movement of his own lips, turning them into a rigid dancing stance, "It has been a long time since you've been around people of your station, I'm guessing…"

"My station?" asked Katherine, glancing around the room – over his velvet shoulder.

A spring of curls ducking up and down from a piece of parchment alerted Katherine to the fact that Rita Skeeter had her hand in another article that would soon, no doubt, replace the rumours of her dating her fellow Gryffindor.

"You have passable etiquette –"

Katherine's eyes moved back to Regulus', finding them so blue she sank beneath the surface for a moment.

"– for muggle standards," amended Regulus.

Katherine redirected her twisting smile and hum to the happenings behind him.

Regulus' cheek puffed in her peripheral vision, "Proper pureblood etiquette is more akin to…. how would muggles say… Victorian times."

Remembering her instruction from her aunt, she didn't bother to turn back to him to tell him –

"You've broken protocol then."

She floated and swirled in rectitude at his double take.

"I beg your pardon?"

"You approached me, without an introduction or a mutual friend to conduct it, and continued a conversation without a chaperone." said Katherine, in direct quote from the worn etiquette book her aunt kept on the coffee table.

Regulus stepped backwards in dance, the only hesitance being in his expression of concession, "I did,"

He bowed his head.

"Forgive me," said Regulus, stepping back nimbly in time to the music, "But would you know – out of us – who is of higher rank for introductory purposes?"

Katherine danced forward, a tug at her brow and her memory, "You?"

"You,"

Something unfurled in her chest as Regulus tugged them sideways in their box-step.

"We are of the… same pedigree," said Regulus, slowly, and nodding once to himself, "But the fact that you are a lady ensures that someone would introduce me to you – only with your permission of course,"

Regulus offered her a pacifying smile.

"And then I would be permitted to, perhaps, kiss your hand if our parents had aspirations for us to be engaged," his hand tightened slightly around her own, before relaxing, almost relinquishing his hold altogether, "Otherwise, I would not be allowed to touch you unless in aid or dancing."

"Do they?"

"Who?"

"Your parents," said Katherine, fixing her eyes over his shoulder, "Do they have… aspirations?"

"They will only worry about my prospects once their heir has secured a bride." said Regulus, swiftly and carelessly.

The only thing that passed between them for a moment was music, and Katherine noted that he was counting behind his eyes. She recognised it from when she had first started dancing at functions her aunt and uncle allowed her to attend, having done it herself as to not step on anyone's toes.

Katherine found it endearing, even if she wasn't supposed to feel anything amicable towards him whatsoever.

"All of this talk… and, really, I still don't know…" Katherine sighed and prepared herself to ask the question she was too embarrassed to even ask Giles, "What is the technical definition of a pureblood?"

"A witch or wizard without any muggle and muggleborn parents or grandparents," said Regulus, not casting her any untoward looks she might have expected, "But without taking a look at his family tree, it's clear that one of Aubrey's –"

Regulus nodded towards something over Katherine's shoulder.

"– parents are muggle."

Regulus artfully twirled Katherine around, allowing her a long glance at where Bertram Aubrey and Lily giggled and whispered over Butterbeer.

"How can you tell?" asked Katherine, losing them in a blur of Lily's sapphire robes as Regulus turned them back around.

"To begin with," said Regulus, inclining his head so that he and Katherine were cheek to cheek to avoid being overheard, "All of the times that he's met with Evans have been unchaperoned,"

Katherine caught James' eye; barely restrained bafflement across his face as his gaze drifted over where she and Regulus joined in dance –

"When he asked her to Hogsmeade, it was without proper notice – if you want to meet on a Friday or Saturday, you have ask before the Wednesday,"

Katherine wondered if Regulus himself followed those rules, and was immediately amused at the thought of the boy courting someone.

"And that Christmas gift?" said Regulus, with a scoff, nodding at what Katherine assumed was the silver bracelet she had helped Lily clasp earlier that evening, "A costly gift from a gentleman; not family, friend, or one's betrothed; is indelicate – a bribe upon a lady's affection."

"Dinner is now being served!" Slughorn's voice boomed over the room.

Regulus slowed his feet, dropped his hold, and proffered his arm once more, "I would like to apologise for stealing you from your date, but as your last dance it's protocol for me to escort you to your seat."

Regulus pulled out a seat for her beside James, across from Lily and Bertram, before pushing her in and taking his own seat next to Bertram.

James leant his arm against hers, and peered sideways, saying softly, "Are you alright?"

"Of course," said Katherine, reaching for her glass of water, set out to the right of her plate, "Why wouldn't I be?"

James licked his lips, tipping his head as he whispered softly, "Sirius' brother can be… well, he's certainly a Black through and through..."

A man took the spare seat, on the other side of James, smiling jollily.

"How are you, lad?" he asked, clapping a hand on James' shoulder.

"Good, Uncle Bartie," said James, a little startled, before gesturing to Katherine, "May I introduce Katherine Spencer?"

"Bartholomew Alderidge," said 'Uncle Bartie', holding out a hand across James' plate setting, "It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Spencer."

Katherine took his hand, and gently shook it, "And you, Mister Alderidge."

He gave off warm, yet slightly cheeky, grandfather vibes. It both settled and warmed Katherine.

Over the meal, Katherine came to know that James and Bartholomew shared no true relation, and that the older wizard was a close associate of James' father. Also, there had been a particularly amusing anecdote about James' hatred of underpants as a child, and the contraindication that served in house full of potion makers – and dangers.

James had been bursting with laughter in his seat, struggling to slice his chicken as he endured the telling of the story, taking it all on the chin and managing his groans at certain parts of the tale. The three were having their own separate conversation to the rest of the table too.

The amusement vanished however, when Slughorn asked Lily for a proper introduction to her date.

"– Bertram's on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team."

Slughorn nodded, 'ahhing'.

"I play as a Chaser." said Bertram, clarifying.

Slughorn's eyes lit up, "Ah, like our Mister Potter!"

Bertram's eyes fell on James – and so did the attentions of the rest of the table.

James, however, was mid sip of his water.

"Yes, soon to be Captain too." said Katherine, bolstering her 'date', as well as covering for him.

"Ooh, yes, yes –" Slughorn grinned conspiratorially with Katherine, before turning back to the table at large, "The scouts will be all over Mister Potter soon enough,"

Slughorn turned his eyes back to Bertram.

"Aubrey, do you think you'll be contention for the same position on the Ravenclaw side?"

Bertram's smile tightened, just a bit, "I'm afraid not, Professor Slughorn."

Slughorn hummed, turning his attention away already, "Yes, yes… – Mister Black! Speaking of the great game… have you and the team received word on when the first Slytherin match will be? I am most eager to cheer for my own house again this year…"

"We will be going up against Gryffindor in February, I believe, sir."

James topped up his glass with a pitcher from the centre of the table, and Katherine's as well, seeing it was nearly empty. They shared amused smiles, James' tinged with gratitude, at what had just transpired at the table.

As the dinner wound down, the distinguished guests were guided over to Slughorn's special cabinet of mead and elven wine. The students made their exit, apart from a few. James had been requested back by Bartholomew, to chat further. Damocles Belby and Regulus too were among those chosen.

"They really are the most darling robes, Miss Spencer," said Slughorn in a jolly farewell, "Ta ta..."

There were enough party goers milling around that Katherine felt safe walking, essentially, by herself back up to Gryffindor Tower. Lily and Bertram, and Frank and Alice, had all vanished earlier. If the girls knew James wouldn't be escorting her back, they would have waited, but Katherine didn't want to begrudge them their fun with their dates.

Curfew was truly not far off, so she endeavoured to be light on her feet in an attempt at discretion. There were barely any students in the hallways of the upper floors, Katherine becoming easily accustomed to the quiet.

Just as she went to use a passageway on the fourth floor that was concealed by a mirror, a hand gripped her wrist.

Panic flared in her chest. Katherine found her wand with her other hand and whirled around. She instantly calmed at the head of dark hair and haughty countenance.

"Please," said Black sarcastically, blinking slowly, "Point your wand at me if it helps you relax."

"Sorry, I…" Katherine trailed off in apology, startled by his undivided attention, "It was just a reflex."

It was the first time he had spoken directly to her.

"Don't worry about it," said Black, shoving his hands into his pockets. His eyes raked over her robes, and then he nodded to her, "Shouldn't James be escorting you back?"

"Oh, Uncle Bartie was there." said Katherine, guessing that Black would know who the man was.

Black did in fact nod, with a quiet 'ah…'.

Before he could say anything further, he had to duck to dodge a flying pumpkin that seemed to appear out of thin air. Black straightened up, looking around with tired amusement.

"Peeves!" called Black, his voice echoing down the cavernous hallway.

The beady-eyed poltergeist popped into corporealness.

"Black!" greeted Peeves loudly, laughing from his belly, "Where are your friends? And my favourite – Loony Loopy Lupin?"

The poltergeist did a dizzying loop in the air on 'Loopy'.

Katherine felt Black tense in front of her. His eyes flickered back to Katherine before returning firmly to Peeves.

"You know that he's in the dorms, Peeves." said Black, his amusement waning.

Peeves clicked his see-through feet in his best impression of a ballerina, holding his chest and fluttering his eyelashes.

"Not invited on the moonlit stroll you're taking, huh?" asked Peeves with his usual menacing humour.

Black lifted his wand, his aloof expression becoming a hair sharper.

Peeves hesitated before popping out of sight as quickly as he had popped into it.

Black turned to Katherine, sighing, "He'll keep pestering us the closer it gets to curfew."

"Are you heading back to the Tower too?" asked Katherine, blinking as she processed the lunacy that had just transpired.

Black's eyes swept over her, and he nodded.

Secretly, Katherine felt relieved. Black could probably out duel anyone.

Both of them fixed their eyes to the ground as they walked back in the general direction of Gryffindor Tower. They loped through the hallways, a healthy two feet of distance between them at all times.

The wall sconces had not been extinguished all day. Rain still lashed the windows, and the occasional flash of lightning broke the dark hallways into dozens of pieces. Between the dark stretches, bereft of windows and sconces, they were lit by dancing orange light.

Although plucking up a conversation felt like it would be awkward, getting back to Tower in complete silence would be threefold that.

She tried to pick a safe subject, "Did you see the Wronski Feint that the Hufflepuff Seeker was practicing this afternoon?"

Black bit out a laugh, turning to her with a smile –

"I saw the condition he went to hospital wing in," said Black, amused. He shook his head, watching his step, "Amateur."

Carrying an easiness from the night with her, Katherine felt bold enough to counter him.

"Says a Chaser."

Black turned to her, amusement in place of his usual aloofness, "Just because the manoeuvre isn't called for in my position, it doesn't mean that I haven't mastered it."

"Hey, I trust you." Katherine laughed, feeling the buzz of nervousness receding from her fingertips.

Black coughed out a laugh, turning to her once again with a smile, "A horrible decision, really."

Katherine smiled to herself, and they continued their climb for a beat of silence until they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady.

When they stopped, Katherine's eyes fixed downwards, feeling suddenly awkward – was he going to say the password, or should she? Her eyes came to rest on his shoes; jarringly large and boyish beside hers…

On pure accident, she met Sirius Black's eyes. At once, she was struck with the realisation that they were grey. She had never spared a thought for them before…

"Mistletoe."

CLICK, the portrait unlocked, popping off the wall.

Katherine sighed, remembering James' help over the portrait hole on the way out. Bending down, she decided to just lift her robes up over her knees.

Black had paused, and as Katherine righted her skirts, pulled the portrait closed behind them.

It had been… nice to have an amicable conversation with the boy. Easy, even.

Lily looked up from her conversation with Remus by the noticeboard as Katherine and Black ambled along the passage and into the common room, blinking.

Katherine however, found herself watching Black go.

He'd been in a terrible mood for a while. Even as he crossed to the boy's stairs, he still had a tenseness to his shoulders – that had been there ever since Jeffery Alderidge had made his delivery.

It made Katherine wonder just what had been in that letter…

Author's Note: Thank you for reading! :)