Chapter Thirty-Seven: Nothing Stands In Our Way

Disclaimer: All characters belong to J.K. Rowling. The underlined portions are taken directly from the novel; I do not own those parts. They belong to J.K. Rowling.

Author's Note: This fanfiction is going to be different from my other stories. This picks up where "The Heart of Everything" and "The Heart of Everything: Shallow Bay" left off. The time in the books also changes. So, pay attention the time, so you don't get confused. Some of the chapters are other Marcus Flint/Katie Bell stories, just with more changes and deleted scenes added.

Time: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Genre: Romance, Drama, and Friendship

Rating: PG-13

Katie handed Emily over to Marcus. "Are you sure you are going to be able to handle this?"
Marcus took Emily and gave Katie a look. "I can handle it. It's not the first time I've ever watched a kid."
Katie frowned at him. "Yes, I have real confidence in you, the person who can't even climb stairs or Apparate without passing out."

Marcus looked down at Emily. "I'm out of bed, walking somewhat, and talking."
Katie sighed. He did have that one going for him. Nathanial and Jasmine had been able to heal most of his wounds, but the poison had damaged his body. Over the past couple of weeks he had gotten a lot stronger, but she could see how weak he actually still was. His face still did not have all of its colour back and he still would not let anyone near his wounds, but he was getting some of his old self back.

Marcus kissed Katie's lips. "Go get back Azkaban. We'll be fine."

"Yeah," Katie whispered as she kissed him back. "Plus, it never hurts that Jenna will still be here."
"Why is it that women think men can't take care of children?" Marcus asked.

"I never said that you couldn't. You still should be resting."
"There's only so much I can take of being in bed."
Katie nodded. "I know, but don't push it."
"Would I do that?"

"Yes."
Marcus looked down at Emily. "If I didn't know better, I'd say that she didn't trust us."
"I trust you, most of the time."
Marcus smiled.

Katie looked at her family. They would okay. Nothing could stand in their way. If they could get through the next couple of days, hopefully their lives would be better.

"Remember to play the part of the young, depressed, lonely widow," Marcus said.

Katie smirked. "I will. I was thinking the whole revenge seeking route and attempting to kill a bunch of Death Eaters. No would expect that from me."

"What would they?"

"I really don't know."

"Just make it look good."
"Oh, I've acted a bunch for you."
Marcus gave Katie a startled look. "When?"
Katie flipped her blond hair. "Well, honey, that's for me to know and you not to know."
"That really didn't make any sense."
Katie kissed him. "It's called acting."

"Still not clicking."

Katie ran her hands through his hair. "I'll explain it to you later."
She bent down and kissed Emily's forehead. "I'll see you later."
She started to walk away.

"Don't I get anything?" Marcus piped up.

Katie looked back at him. He really did look all cute and innocent standing there. She just could not let him stand there like that. She turned and kissed him lips. "I'll give you more later."

Marcus smiled. "I like your thinking."

Katie, Brad, Jasmine, Demi, and Nathanial stood outside Randolph Castle as Damon put the final touches on Fairyland. The weapon had suffered mild damage the last time it was used and no one had gotten around to fixing it. Kingsley, Remus, the Weasleys, and a couple of others were to due to arrive at any time.

Katie felt a pair of hands circle her waist and pull her into a tight embrace. She turned and stared into Oliver's eyes. "Oliver? What was that for?"

"I didn't really like the guy, but I am sorry for your loss," Oliver whispered. "I can only image what you are going through."

Out of the corner of her eye, Katie could see Alicia, Fred, George, Angelina, Lisa, Alex, and Leanne approaching her. Oh, right! She was supposed to be playing the part of the grieving widow.

Katie touched her eye. "Thanks."

"A spy! I would not have taken him for the type. I guess he did have some good in him after all," Lisa said.

Katie was not what to take of that.

Damon coughed and caused everyone to jump. "Sorry, it's just so hard. He was best friend." He was laying it on thick, a little too thick if you asked Katie. "Katie, can you help me for a second?"

Katie nodded and put on a sad face. She walked slowly over to Damon and pretended that she was hiding tears.

"I could tell that you needed to get away," Damon muttered.

"Did you really need my help?" Katie asked as she looked at the weapon. "I'm really not good at this kind of stuff."
"Actually, yeah. I can't reach a bolt in that crack and this thing doesn't like it if you use your wand on it too much."

Katie looked down the crack, which was not much better than her hand. The bolt in question was just on barely such in it. She reached in and pulled it out with ease.

"Thanks," Damon muttered as he put the bolt into place.

"Is it ready?" Katie asked.

"Yeah."
Damon nodded to Jasmine.

"Listen up everyone!" Jasmine commanded. "For some of you, this is your first time doing this. We need to be quick, unseen, and get as many out as possible alive. Most of them need to walk out on their own. We do not have enough people to go around. If need to be, do not hesitate to kill any of the enemy. This is not the time to show mercy."

Katie had to give Jasmine credit. She was playing the part of a grieving mother really well.

"Damon, are we ready?" Brad called.

Damon nodded. "She'll do whatever you want her to."

"Good, let us begin!" Jasmine exclaimed.

Jonathon Randolph appeared at Katie's side. She hadn't seen him since the wedding and it looked as if he had aged another twenty years. "Let me just say that I really am sorry for your loss. It is such a shame that you are an widow at such a young age."

Katie nodded. "Thanks, I'm grateful for the time I got with him."

Jonathon put his arm on her shoulder. "That's all we got. I hope that most of your memories of him were good."

Katie smiled. She could see Oliver watching them. He was just bidding his time before he could move in. She never that Marcus was not going to like the idea of Oliver getting closer.

"Anyway, I should let you be on your way. There's no sense in delaying this any longer than necessary."

Katie nodded and watched Jonathon disappear into the English mist.

Jasmine handed Damon the chest. She muttered something to him and he nodded. Arthur and Remus joined him. A few seconds later, they disappeared.

Jasmine turned to those left behind. "Just remember to be smart about what you do." She paused. "Arthur, Remus, and Damon are setting up boats for us to cross the water in. We just need to give them a few minutes, then will be on our way."

"And just hope that nothing stands in our way," Fred muttered.

"Have faith. Just remember, I'm holy," George answered back.

Angelina snorted. "That is not something to joke about."

"I'm not. It's the truth."

Angelina just rolled her eyes.

Jasmine was watching her watch. About ten minutes later, she looked up. "Let's go!"

Katie pulled out her wand and felt the familiar pull of Apparation at her stomach. A few seconds later, the island appeared.

It was a rather dark place. The night sky never seemed to end. The moon shone down on them all, casting an eerily shadow over them all. Katie could only faintly make out Fairyland a few metres away from her. She assumed that this was a good thing. If she couldn't see Fairyland, then anyone who happened to watching from inside Azkaban would not see them either.

Brad touched Katie's shoulder. "We're going into a cave that Remus found to go over the plan one more time."
"Okay," Katie muttered as she followed him.

Through the trees, Katie could faintly see Azkaban's fortress. It stood out in the night like the tree that would not bend during a horrible storm. It was rare for someone to break out it; she wondered what the chances were of someone breaking into it.

Katie ducked into the cave behind Brad. The others were already gathered and speaking, but she could not really focus on what was being said. What if this was all a big mistake?

Before Katie knew it, she was following the others out to the edge of the island and climbing into the boats. She stared out into the night's sky at the Azkaban fortress. It looked like the last place she wanted to be. They should be running away instead of trying to get it.

The boat bolted forward. Remus and Brad were slowly roaring without magic. It was best to keep magic use to a minimum because too much would set off alarms buried deep in the walls of Azkaban. Katie hadn't even known that something like that existed, but they had to prevent people from breaking out some way.

Katie gripped her wand that was buried deep in her robe pockets. The night was too quiet. Only the sounds of the oars hitting the water filled the night. There was no frogs, no other living creatures in the murky waters. She really didn't them. Who would want to break into a place that resembled death?
The boat hit the land. Katie winced as she climbed off it. It was a graveyard holding the remains of some of the most dangerous people to ever live. Some of these people were evil enough to hold onto themselves as ghosts. She had heard the legends of Azkaban being haunted by ghosts and only hoped that they were not true.

The other two boats hit not too long after theirs and everyone but Damon and Arthur was there.

Katie stared up at the never ending wall, wincing. The cries of the prisoners could even be heard from out here. What would it be like once they were inside.

Jasmine motioned for everyone to duck down behind a tombstone. Katie knelt down in the mud, finding it rather odd that a place like this had grave markers. Wouldn't it be better to let them rot without a marker?
Jasmine kept looking back at the island. Katie was getting worried too. Shouldn't Damon and Arthur had already fired?
Katie stared out into the darkness waiting for the familiar fireball, but nothing came. What was the problem? If Fairyland did not fire, then they would all be lost.

A few minutes later, a faint glow and whistle filled the night sky. Katie got down as far as possible, but it still wasn't really enough. She could feel the flames lick her back, but knew that she wasn't buried.

An explosion almost sent her flying backwards as the fireball struck the side of the fortress. Flames and debris flew past her and into the water.

"Come on!" Nathanial roared in Katie's ear as he pushed her forward.

Katie took her wand out and charged through the flames to the hole. Using her wand, she put out any flames that threatened to lick her skin. She was coughing a little from the smoke and her eyes were threatening to spill over, but managed to climb through the hole behind Nathanial.

They were in. Now all they had to do was complete the mission and get out.

Hopefully lots of action to come! I am going to do the Battle of Hogwarts, but it will not be for a few more chapters yet. This story is more than likely going to have fifty chapters, plus a prologue and epilogue. So, um yeah...Thanks for reading!