A/N: Right, well I'm finally up to date on the backlog of chapters I've had written up, so the next chapter shall be a completely new one for anyone who was reading over on CoS forums. :) Enjoy!
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Chapter 46 – The pirate and the princess
Julian Lloyd sat in the small lounge and sipped at the cup of tea his sister had made for him. The change in her was remarkable, and it had only been, what, a week since she'd left Daniel.
"Where's Katherine?" he asked as she set a pack of biscuits on the coffee table and took one.
"Shopping," answered Ophelia, munching on the biscuit. "We were running low on essentials."
"Like alcohol?" Julian asked, and Ophelia stared at him.
"What?"
"I didn't mean you," said Julian quickly, seeing the hurt look in her dark eyes. "James McKenzie said that Katherine's been drowning her sorrows lately."
Ophelia frowned, seemingly bemused. "Katherine's not unhappy, she's just mad at Severus and the others."
"So she hasn't been drinking?"
"Well, she's had a few," said Ophelia, shrugging. "But not an excessive amount."
"She's missed meetings as well," said Julian, a frown creasing his forehead in concern. "That's not like her."
At that moment a key turned in the lock and a few seconds later Katherine herself appeared in the doorway, shopping bags in her hand. She grinned when she saw Julian.
"I saw Daniel the other day," she informed him happily, shifting the heavy bags in her grip. "He had a wonderfully dark black eye. Now how do you suppose that happened?"
Julian looked at her, trying to detect any trace of the depression or secrecy in her gaze that James had reported, but found none; she looked content, cheerful even. He sighed and shrugged.
"Must have walked into someone's fist," he answered lazily. Katherine laughed, blue eyes glinting wickedly.
"Judging from the colour of that bruise I'd say he must have run," she said, smirking and wandering across the hall into the kitchen. "I'm proud," she called back. "You finally took some of my advice, Ju."
"Advice?" asked Ophelia, looking confused.
"There's no spell to block punches," supplied Julian, as the sound of Katherine putting the shopping away came from the kitchen. "Magic might do more damage, but physical violence has the element of surprise."
"And it's much more satisfying," added Katherine, sticking her head around the door. She grinned again and looked at Ophelia. "Will you be all right tomorrow night? I promised to visit a friend."
"Yeah, I'm staying at his," nodded Ophelia, gesturing towards her brother. "You've got to spend Christmas with the family, right?"
"Right," agreed Katherine, then looked sharply at Julian and said in a bemused voice: "If you stare at me any harder I think I may spontaneously combust. What's wrong?"
"You've missed the last three meetings," said Julian, frowning at her.
"And?" questioned Katherine, tilting her head slightly to one side and gazing mildly at him. Julian arched an eyebrow.
"And? And you don't see a problem with that?"
Katherine grinned. "I sorted it with Dad; told him I couldn't go 'cause it might blow my cover at the school. He agreed because he needs me up there – got something planned, I think. I'm meeting up with him once a week instead."
Julian stared at her, the truth of the matter starting to dawn on him. "And that whole thing about falling out with your mates?" he asked slowly.
"Oh that happened," said Katherine brightly. "And don't get me wrong, I'm mad as hell with them, but seriously, they were only doing it because they want me to get together with your cousin. 'Cept Remus – he was just being Remus and I can hardly blame him for that, can I?"
"So you're just putting this on for James, aren't you?" said Julian with a weary sigh. Katherine chuckled, smiling happily.
"Knew there was a reason I liked you."
"But why? Why James? I mean he's-"
"In league with Bella? I know, but if I get him to like me-"
"I don't think you'll have much of a problem there," muttered Julian, and Katherine gave him a sharp look but continued regardless.
"-if I get him to like me, then maybe he'll persuade his sister to stop trying to kill me."
Julian sighed wearily. "And when he finds out you're stringing him along?"
"I'm doing no such thing," said Katherine airily.
"So he knows about you and Severus?" asked Julian, dark eyebrows raised.
"There is no me and Severus," said Katherine coolly, narrowing her own blue eyes. "So there's no one to tell him, is there?"
Julian caught the edge to her voice and wisely decided to shut up.
"Good," smiled Katherine. "Now I'll just go and pack for tomorrow."
"Where are you going?" asked Julian as she turned to leave. Katherine shrugged.
"I told you, I'm staying-"
"With a friend?" he questioned lightly. "So you have at least one you're not currently arguing with?"
Katherine smiled faintly and tossed her black hair over her shoulder.
"Like Lia said, you've got to spend Christmas with the family."
Ophelia smirked as Katherine treated them both to a cheeky grin and disappeared into her bedroom. She looked at her brother who was frowning in thought and rolled her eyes.
"Oh leave her alone, Ju. It's Christmas and she's perfectly capable of taking care of herself," she chided, helping herself to another biscuit. For some reason this made Julian smile wryly and nod.
"No doubt that's exactly what she plans to do," he murmured, shaking his head slightly. Then he smiled. "Anyway, about Christmas dinner tomorrow, Tanya wanted to know if you'd prefer chicken or turkey..."
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Faye Belle looked up at the sound behind her and grinned.
"I thought you weren't coming." She turned in time to see the frown on her cousin's face and shrugged. "You're half an hour late, Katherine."
"I got held up," said Katherine carelessly. "Minor emergency at the flat – Lia couldn't find her toothbrush."
"Lia?"
"She's a friend," explained Katherine, dropping her bag on a chair and pulling a silver wrapped box out of her pocket. "Merry Christmas," she grinned, tossing it at Faye, who caught it deftly.
"Thanks, yours is over there," she added, tearing off the paper and opening the leather box underneath. "Oh it's beautiful," she breathed, picking up the light silver chain and examining the ebony stone hanging from it.
"Isn't it just?" grinned Katherine, opening her own present with one eye on Faye. "The gem's only black when there're Death Eaters around, though; it's green otherwise."
Faye cast an appraising look at her cousin. "Is there an ulterior motive to all your actions?" she asked with a slight smile.
"Usually," agreed Katherine, turning over the photo frame she was now holding and gazing at the picture beneath the glass. Smiling up at her was a woman with jet black hair and deep sapphire blue eyes. Had it not been for the short hair and slight difference in face shape, she could have been looking at a younger version of herself. It was her mother, and in her arms she was holding-
"I found it when I was sorting through Papa's old things," said Faye softly. "Aunt Cady left most of her things behind when she ran off to find you and he kept some of it."
"She looks happy," said Katherine quietly, watching as her newborn self wriggled in her mother's arms.
"She loved you," said Faye simply, studying her carefully. Katherine half smiled, noting the use of past tense.
"Perhaps she still does," she said quietly. "I guess we'll never know." She looked up at Faye and smiled softly. "Thank you."
Faye smiled back, but still said gently: "We could look, you know - after the war. Someone might know-"
"Kelly knew," said Katherine with a sigh. "He was the only one that did, and he died in September."
"Wouldn't hurt to try after Voldemort's gone though, would it?" persisted Faye. Katherine smiled oddly and meet her anxious gaze.
"I suppose not. You should try."
"We should try," corrected Faye, but Katherine only smiled and looked out of the window over the snow covered grounds.
"Has Remus told you about the Gelu Tree?" asked Katherine after a moments pause.
"The what?" asked Faye, deciding to let the fact that her cousin was purposefully changing the subject slide.
"It's a tree that only flowers when it snows," answered Katherine absently, then looked quickly at Faye, one eyebrow raised challengingly. "Fancy a walk in the grounds?"
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The Gelu Tree turned out to be in a clearing on the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest and Faye glanced nervously around at the surrounding tree trunks as Katherine gazed up at the violet tinged petals.
"You all right?" asked Katherine after a while, frowning curiously at her cousin. "You seem a bit...jumpy."
"Just don't want to meet any centaurs, that's all," said Faye, pulling her cloak a little more firmly about her shoulders. "They don't take too kindly to humans wandering about in their forest."
"Their forest?" questioned Katherine, looking highly dubious. "Since when was it their forest? The school was here first."
"Good luck trying to argue that at spear point," said Faye with a slight grin. "Anyway, I thought you said no politics today, huh?"
"And no interruptions," agreed Katherine, shaking her head. "Sorry."
"Not your fault," shrugged Faye lightly. "Both of them are getting increasingly hard to avoid these days."
In the following moment of quiet, they heard a bell chiming from somewhere within the castle, and Katherine grinned.
"Dinner time. Damn, I miss Hogwarts food."
"I told the House Elves to bring it to my room," smiled Faye, as they set off back up the slope towards the distant castle, Katherine fading from sight as soon as they were beyond the trees. Faye glanced at the ground and was impressed to see her cousin wasn't making any footprints either.
"Routine concealment charm," said the familiar disembodied voice. "Ask Remus about it – the Marauders used to use it all the time."
"You didn't?" questioned Faye sceptically, and she could almost hear the lazy smile as her cousin answered.
"We were better at not being noticed; I'm just not taking any chances today."
They managed to get through Christmas dinner without any mention of politics or, unusually, any interruptions at all, but it was in the middle of a game of poker that Katherine suddenly frowned and pushed her pirate hat up out of her eyes.
"Did you hear something?" she asked quietly, staring into middle distance. Faye, sporting a silver tiara studded with glass jewels, shook her head.
"Is something wrong?" she asked, throwing a few of the wrapped chocolate mints they were using as betting chips onto the pile between them.
"I'm not sure," said Katherine, the frown not leaving her forehead. She pulled an aging piece of paper out of her pocket and looked at it pensively. Faye could just make out an emblem of roses penned in black ink before Katherine pocketed it again, the uneasy expression on her face remaining. She glanced up at Faye again, biting her lip, an apologetic look in her eyes. "I...am really sorry about this..."
"What? Is it a meeting?" asked Faye, starting to worry herself.
"No..." said Katherine slowly. "It's...I just have to check something. I'll be back as soon as I can, I promise." She stood up, tossing her cards lightly onto the table, face down. "Sorry," she said again, and disappeared.
Faye frowned at the place where her cousin had been and sighed. She wouldn't have left unless it was important, she knew, but still...
Absently she took a mint from the small pile and unwrapped it, popping it in her mouth before casting an idle glance at the discarded cards. It wouldn't hurt take a peek, would it?
A royal flush, a running royal flush at that. Her frown deepened and she reached for the wine bottle that sat on the table; better make that very important - it would have to be, to pass up a hand like that...
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Robert Avery stared at his House Elf in bewilderment.
"Gone? What do you mean gone?"
"She's not in her bed-"
"Boreas, she's five years old. Exactly how far can she go?" asked Robert, rubbing his face tiredly. It had been a long day, entertaining three sets of siblings and their families and he was worn out.
In front of him, the Elf shook it's head violently and something in his nervous fidgeting finally got through to the part of Robert's brain that was always alert.
"She's not in the house," squealed the Elf, hopping from one foot to the other in agitation. "She's not anywhere."
Anxiety started to curdle in pit of Robert's stomach as he glanced over at his wife, dozing fitfully in the armchair near the fire, and then back at the wretched Elf. This was completely ridiculous – how could Katy be missing? They'd been in all day – Cassandra had only put her to bed an hour ago – no one else had been in the house.
He got abruptly to his feet and headed up the stairs to his young daughter's room but even before he pushed the partially opened door back he knew it was empty.
"Katy?"
No answer. Fighting down the panic that was starting to rise in his chest he called again.
"Katy, this isn't the time to play hide and seek. Katy?"
There was a nervous whimper by his feet; Boreas had followed him up. Robert scanned the room feverishly and then he saw it, lying carelessly on the floor by the bed – Katy's teddy.
He darted over to it, snatching it up and realising too late his mistake as he felt the horribly familiar tug somewhere behind his navel. He barely had time to register the frightened squeal of the House Elf before the walls of the bedroom spun away, replaced a few moments later by a small, cold room with a single wooden door.
He stood frozen for a moment, trying to take stock of his surroundings, but there wasn't much to see so he tried the door. It swung open easily, revealing a larger room, with dark red walls and coarse wooden floorboards. There were no windows but light came from a glowing tube on the ceiling, illuminating a small figure crouched in the far corner.
"Katy," he breathed and started towards her, but before he'd gone more than a few paces the door clicked shut behind him. It wasn't a loud sound, but it nevertheless demanded attention. He paused and turned, but there was no one there.
Frowning, he reached for his wand and found it gone.
"Lost something, have we, Mr Avery?" asked a soft voice, but when Robert whirled around there was no one there.
"Who was that?" he asked sharply, but there was no reply. No voice and no wand. He was starting to think he was going mad. Trying to stay calm, he stepped towards his daughter. "Katy?"
The small blonde head lifted a little and looked at him with tearful green eyes. Robert smiled and reached out, but as soon as he moved forwards Katy started screaming and an amused voice by his ear murmured.
"I'd step back if I were you, Mr Avery."
Robert did so hurriedly and Katy fell quiet, tears streaming down her cheeks, small face confused and scared.
"Well done, Mr Avery," said the same voice and Robert didn't like the tone of it.
"What did you do to her?" he asked, voice trembling with fear and anger.
"Little thing called Cruciatus, Mr Avery," was the reply, in an almost sing song voice. "I understand your type use it all the time, Mr Avery. Don't give it if you can't take it, Mr Avery."
Robert scowled; whoever this was, they'd obviously done their homework. Everything about this situation was familiar – this was exactly how he'd used to carry out missions. Use a secluded area, take their wand, irritate them and hurt someone they loved... The invisibility trick was a new aspect though; even Katherine had never been that dishonourable unless it was necessary.
"If you're going to kill me," he said softly. "The least you could do is show me your face."
"Kill you, Mr Avery?" laughed the voice, and he thought he felt the air move next to him. "Oh we're not going to kill you, Mr Avery. This isn't about killing you, Mr Avery."
Robert looked fearfully over at his daughter who was staring up at him with wide, frightened eyes.
"So what is it about?" he asked, though he thought he already knew. It didn't matter - he just needed more time, he needed...
The voice chuckled darkly as he closed his eyes and screamed a name inside his head...
"Revenge, Mr Avery." A woman materialised before him, mousy brown hair pulled back into a messy bun, grey eyes gleaming madly. "What else?"
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Reviews are welcome. :)