A/N: Some people would say two cliffies in a row is cruel.

I am one of those people.

Won't stop me though.

Enjoy. ;)

x – X – x

Chapter 15 – Damage Limitation

Remus stared at the man, the steel box Katherine had given to him still clutched in his arms. He was half considering throwing the box at the stranger and making a run for it, when there was a scrabbling noise and Katherine herself appeared over the side of the building, looking considerably worse for wear. She gave him a half hearted grin and stretched, before her eye fell on the roof's other occupant.

She paused mid-stretch, gazing at the man, but didn't reach for her wand. Remus hoped this was because she knew the man and not because she'd lost it in the fight.

"Ju?"

The man smiled, though Remus could detect little warmth in it.

"Kitten."

Katherine's eyes narrowed and her arms fell to her sides. "I told you not to call me that."

"You told me not to do a lot of things," remarked the man, smirking in a way that looked suspiciously familiar to Remus. "Things which you subsequently went and did yourself."

"Did I ever call myself Kitten?" asked Katherine, arching an eyebrow.

"You called yourself Kat. I'd say that was near enough."

Katherine shook her head and sighed. "You sound just like your cousin."

"Is that a compliment or an insult?" asked Julian, gazing at Katherine mildly.

"Depends on what you think of him," shrugged Katherine, folding her arms. "What you doing here, Julian?"

"Robert saw some unusual activity on the Floo network and he sent me to check things out. I was going to step in but you seemed to be having so much fun on your own," answered Julian, barely concealing a grin.

Katherine looked down at her spell singed arms and torn jeans sceptically, then back at Julian. "Oh yes, great fun." Shaking her head, she looked at Remus. "Are you all right?"

"Fine," nodded Remus, casting a questioning glance at Julian.

"Oh, this is Julian. He's a…friend of mine," explained Katherine. "He won't kill you."

"I won't?"

"Not if you don't want to die, you won't," said Katherine firmly.

"What about Potter?" asked Julian nonchalantly, gold eyes glittering. Behind Remus, the trio drew closer together, wands gripped tightly in their hands.

"No."

Julian looked almost surprised. "No? Why not?"

Katherine smiled dangerously at him. "Because I said so."

Julian arched an eyebrow. "You hate the parents, but not the son?"

"Hadn't you better get back to work?" asked Katherine, suddenly impatient.

"Robert's head of department," shrugged Julian. "He's got me covered."

"Let me put that another way," said Katherine tersely. "Go back to work."

"But-"

"That was an order."

Julian glared at her, but shrugged his shoulders submissively. "Fine, but Robert had a message for you."

"What?"

"He did some digging on the people who broke into your flat-"

"Wait, what? Who broke into my flat?" asked Katherine, casting a curious glance at Remus.

"Lucas Dulce and David Reeves." Julian frowned. "You weren't there?"

"No."

"But someone used Number Four on Reeves. Who else knows that?"

Katherine's eyes narrowed as she stared at the younger man. "More to the point, how do you know about it?"

"Robert leant me his book," answered Julian defensively.

"Hmm…" murmured Katherine, watching Remus out of the corner of her eye. "What did Robert find out?"

"They apparated to your flat from High Crest."

"Ah," grimaced Katherine. "Does he know what they took?"

"He's not sure they took anything. Dulce took Reeves straight to Saint Mungo's apparently."

"That was very charitable of him," remarked Katherine, frowning.

"You think he stayed?"

"I think he's a Slytherin. What d'you know about him?"

Julian considered this for a moment, then said slowly. "I think he stayed."

"He took a box of papers back to the Ministry," interjected Remus, remembering what Tonks had told him the day before. Katherine stared at him.

"To the-?"

"They're Aurors," clarified Remus. "Are they Death Eaters?"

"They're dead if I find them," growled Katherine darkly.

"Reeves is in a ward on Level 4 of Saint Mungo's, and Dulce is living in penthouse flat in Islington," said Julian immediately, smiling nastily. "Can't remember the exact address off the top my head but I'm sure I could track him down for you."

"Did Robert tell you that too?" asked Katherine, grinning slightly.

"No, he thought it best you didn't know. I found out because I knew you'd want to."

"She doesn't," put in Remus, suddenly looking angry. Katherine cocked an eyebrow at him and he scowled. "You just got out of Azkaban – you're on the run. You can't just walk into Saint Mungo's and kill someone!"

"No, but I can visit," replied Katherine calmly. "And I would dearly love to know what Reeves was doing in our flat, because he can't have been up to much good if he managed to trigger Number Four."

Remus held her penetrating gaze for a full five seconds before he had to look away.

"Your flat?" asked Harry softly, speaking for the first time since Remus had asked him to trust Katherine. "So you were the Katherine who lived with him?"

Katherine almost laughed. "You make it sound as if we were shacked up together."

"You weren't?"

"No!" Katherine pulled a face. "That would be incest, Potter."

The trio's eyes widened. "You're-?"

"Metaphorically!" interjected Remus hurriedly. "We're not related, and no, Harry, we are not and never have been...together."

"Nah, he's far too much of a good boy for my taste," grinned Katherine.

"And Black wasn't?" asked Julian, surveying her critically whilst twirling his wand idly in one hand.

"Black had style," answered Katherine, unwilling to be drawn into a conversation about Severus which she knew Julian was dying to do. "I thought I told you to get back to work."

Julian gave a mock bow, amber eyes glinting. "Your wish is my command, Kitten. Oh, just one more thing, were you serious about Daniel?"

Katherine gave Julian a long look, then smiled slowly. "Deadly."

Julian straightened up, smiling maliciously. "Good."

There was a faint pop as he disapparated then the five of them were alone on the rooftop. "Devil incarnate," muttered Katherine faintly. "I think you were right..."

"What?"

Katherine glanced up at her friend and shook her head. "Oh, nothing."

"Who was he?"

"A kid I used to mentor," sighed Katherine, sitting down on the lip of the building and gazing out over the skyline. "Not really a kid anymore though, I suppose. Funny how much everyone grows up when you're away."

"Right... Mentor...?" asked Remus, leaning against the doorframe as the trio crowded together next to him, ready to fight if necessary.

Katherine glanced up, blue eyes glittering. "Use your imagination, Rem."

"Ah." Remus was silent for a while, acutely aware of the trio's accusing stares but determined to get some answers for his questions before attempting to fence off theirs. "Who lives at High Crest? You sounded worried."

"Did I?" Katherine tore her gaze away from the horizon and smiled faintly. "Simon Carr. Old friend of Dad's."

Simon Carr. Where had he heard that before...? Someone had mentioned him earlier...

"Faye said he went after your mother."

Katherine looked surprised, but nodded. "That's right. Him and Kel." She sighed heavily, and gazed at her battered trainers morosely.

"Is it that bad?"

"Oh no, Simon's...boring. He'll probably just go telling tales to Dad – and you got the box out before Dulce & Reeves got in?" Remus nodded, waving it, and Katherine smiled softly. "Then I can handle him."

Remus was vaguely aware of some discontented murmuring at his side, but ignored it. "What was the sigh for, then?"

"Kel's dead."

"Oh. Is that bad?"

To his surprise, Katherine laughed. "No, I suppose not, but...well, he looked out for me. I guess I'll just miss him, that's all. I mean, who's going to get Carr stoned now?"

This last comment earned her four very confused stares, but she just grinned and started humming to herself. Remus risked a look at the trio; Harry & Ron were now giving him questioning looks and Hermione was staring pensively at Katherine. What could he tell them? He wasn't even sure Katherine was sane himself...

"...do you believe in rock and roll? Can music save your mortal soul?..." muttered Hermione softly in the silence. "That's a muggle song."

Katherine stopped humming and gave her a challenging look. "So?"

"American Pie."

"I know. It's by Don Mclean."

"You're a Death Eater."

"Half blood," stated Katherine. "Adopted by muggles, so to all intents and purposes, a muggleborn. Just like you. Least I was when I started Hogwarts – now I'm just a witch."

Hermione blinked, looking bewildered and Remus felt that perhaps now was the time to explain, seeing as Katherine was being unusually cooperative. If only he knew where to start...

"If you're 'just a witch', why are you part of a force that is trying to kill muggles?" asked Harry angrily, knowing exactly where he wanted to start.

"Because I made a stupid mistake when I was fifteen," answered Katherine, gazing somberly at James' son. "And as stupid mistakes go, this one was pretty major."

"You joined the Death Eaters?" asked Harry unsympathetically.

"No. I decided I wanted to get to know my father."

"I thought you said you were adopted," pointed out Ron.

"I did. I was," agreed Katherine. "But my father found me." She glanced at Remus, smiling conspiratorially. "If there's one thing Azkaban gives you, it's time to think. I figured out why he did it."

"Why he tracked you down? I thought you said Malfoy showed him photographs-"

"That's not a why, that's a how," said Katherine dismissively. "That's how he found out I existed and where I was. That's not why he bothered to make contact."

"Well why did he?" asked Remus, curious despite himself. Katherine grinned and tapped the side of her nose. "Oh what?! You go to all the trouble of telling me out worked it out, and now you're not going to tell me? That's exceedingly childish, you know."

Katherine smiled angelically. "Sorry Moony, but what did you expect? You didn't really think I'd grown up, did you?"

"More like hoped," sighed Remus, looking down at the metal box in his hands. Katherine had been rather anxious that he'd got it out of the flat, and yet there seemed to be nothing of value in it. "Hermione, what was on that paper Katherine snatched from you?" Katherine's head snapped up, all her attention now focused on him. By his side, Hermione shifted nervously. "Don't worry, she won't hurt you."

"Much," muttered Katherine, eyes narrowed. Remus gave her an admonishing look which she returned with a glare, and turned his gaze on Hermione.

"It was a picture. Just some cartoon characters..." She stopped, lips moving soundlessly and glanced uncertainly at Katherine. "Of people. Severus..."

"Snape?" asked Harry and Ron together.

"Just Severus... Severus the Envious..." murmured Hermione, frowning. Remus looked at Katherine whose attention had switched to Hermione. "There were seven people in your year when you left school. Seven people, seven sins. Who drew the picture?"

Katherine leant back slightly and folded her arms defensively, her eyes searching the brunette's face but her mouth remaining resolutely shut. Hermione glanced at Harry and Ron for support, and Remus saw Harry shrug very slightly. Whether this was a good sign or a bad sign, Remus didn't know, but Hermione was already turning back to Katherine.

"You lied," she challenged.

"I don't lie."

Hermione frowned, then tried a different approach. "You asked if I was top of my year, that means you've been checking up on Harry and us, but you haven't tried to kill him – you saved him downstairs-"

"That might have been part of the plan," put in Katherine and Remus sighed inwardly. It looked like enigmatic Katherine was back, which was a shame – it had been nice to get some straight answers for once. Still, it also meant Hermione was on to something; Katherine only got mysterious when she was being defensive, and that meant she had something to hide.

"Remus said you don't play games." Katherine raised an eyebrow at this, and Hermione hastened to amend, casting a sideways glance at her old professor. "He implied it, anyway. You saved Harry on instinct."

"Go on," prompted Katherine. Hermione smiled at this.

"You were testing me."

"I was?"

"You thought about it too much – you didn't remember Regulus Black's middle name, you changed it," declared Hermione. "And I've heard the name Octavian before – it took me a while, but I remembered."

Katherine glanced at her watch. "Not that long. Only half an hour."

Hermione gave her a puzzled look, then shook it off. "Octavian was the name of Julius Caesar's nephew. There was a programme on the TV at the start of the holidays and it mentioned him. Octavian was the first Emperor of Rome."

Katherine grinned slowly and leaned forward, eyes glimmering. "Lucius was right. You are bright."

"Malfoy?" asked Remus sharply. "He's on the run."

"So am I," Katherine shrugged, then looked back at Hermione, still grinning. "Lucius doesn't like you very much. Not only are you muggleborn, you're also smarter than his son."

"And you find that...amusing?" ventured Hermione uneasily.

"You've managed to wind up Lucius," said Katherine seriously. "I've been trying to do that for years and only ever managed mildly vexed. You're my hero, or heroine, as it were."

There was a long pause, then: "She is joking, right?"

Remus glanced at Ron, who was looking worried. "Honestly? Probably not."

"Hermione," said Harry quietly. "Octavian wasn't the first Emperor of Rome. We did the Romans in Junior School – the first Roman Emperor was Augustus."

Hermione smiled at him. "Precisely."

Harry stared at her, utterly nonplussed. "But you said-"

"She's lying. Regulus' middle name is Octavian, it's Augustus. Regulus Augustus Black," she said slowly, letting this fact sink in. Harry and Ron stared at her, torn between amazement and disbelief.

"RAB," whispered Ron. "It's him."

"Sirius' brother," added Harry softly.

"Um, Harry," said Ron nervously. "There's something else..."

x – X – x

Remus walked over to sit beside Katherine, having no idea what the trio were talking about.

"Why do they keep asking about Regulus?" asked Katherine.

"Haven't a clue," answered Remus, his gaze drawn to the ring on Katherine's left hand. "You kept it."

Katherine followed his gaze and smiled. "Of course. I did love him, you know. Despite what James thought."

"James was looking out for a friend." Remus hesitated, then added, "You've got to admit - he had a point. Sirius was always going to be second best to you."

"I know," said Katherine, smiling oddly. "The thing James never realised was that when it came to Sirius, I was always second to him – to you too, so I guess that makes me third in line for his affections. Ah well, least I could be sure he was never going to have it off with either of you." She grinned at Remus' bemused expression and poked him in the shoulder for old times sake. "Now don't go getting all soppy about it, I just don't want you thinking I was stringing him along under false pretences."

Remus smiled wanly and glanced across at the trio, who were still deep in conversation. "I understand. Now we just have to figure out how to make them understand. Harry is still fixed on the idea that you tried to kill Lily and James."

"Well I did," said Katherine, shrugging. Remus stared at her for a moment.

"Say that again?"

"It's a long story-"

"Explain," said Remus sharply, frowning at her. Katherine gazed at him, something indefinable flickering in her eyes, and then a shadow fell across them.

x – X – x

"Harry, there's something else," said Ron quietly. There was a slight tremble in his voice and his eyes were fixed on Katherine as though she was about to grow horns and eat him, which, given her condition was not entirely unfeasible.

"Yes?"

"You remember when we were downstairs and Remus said Greyback was 'one of her's'?"

"Yes?"

"And remember Katherine asked if that meant he was working for...You-Know-Who?"

"Vaguely."

"She didn't call him You-Know-Who."

Harry frowned at his friend. "So?"

"Harry..." Ron was white now, as he gazed at Katherine who was talking to Remus. "...she called him Tom."

Harry stared at him, then looked over at Katherine too. She knew Voldemort's true identity? But she was Remus' age – she couldn't have gone to school with him...

"I think," said Harry slowly. "That she's got a lot of explaining to do."

"So we can't trust her then?" asked Hermione, sounding slightly disappointed, much to the surprise of the two boys.

"Do we need to?"

"I think so." Hermione bit her lip and gazed at Harry with large brown eyes. "I think she knows about Regulus, and Harry, I think she knows about the horcruxes..."

x – X – x

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