A/N: And meanwhile, still back at the ranch...,

And as always,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Go back and read the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before the one before this one.

CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN C: REVELATIONS PART C

Becca seemed taken aback by the request. "Katlin? Why?"

"Because she will help prove to you what Heudros told you is a lie."

Becca sighed quietly as she stared at the side wall for a few moments, as though lost in thought. But finally she turned back to Orion, and at almost the same instant, Katlin appeared at his side, with Orion just catching her as she lost her balance to her sudden disorientation.

Katlin nearly voiced her feelings on her sudden and unexpected relocation when Orion grabbed her by the arm and turned her almost roughly to face him.

"Love, I need you to listen to me."

Katlin went very still. The words were just words to her. Their meaning something entirely different. Orion never tried to order her to do anything. He knew the consequences of that act all too well. Ordering his strong-willed wife was likened to waving a red flag at a bull. But whenever Orion used this particular phrase, it sent up warning flags for her. Whatever he wanted, it was important. And whatever it was, she wasn't going to like it.

Watching comprehension steal across her face, Orion took a slow deep breath. At least she was mildly prepared for what he was going to ask of her.

"Katlin," he said in a slow, even voice, "tell me what you looked like as a child. Before the fire. What did you look like?"

Orion could literally feel her bulk under his hands as her face went slightly pale. In all the years of their marriage, this was one subject Orion had learned was best avoided at all costs. Katlin hated talking about the fire. Even more, she hated dwelling on what she referred to as 'might have been's' or 'what if's'. What might her life have been like if the fire never happened? What if she had married? Would she have had children? Would they be witches or wizards? What if they had been born squibs?

But the biggest question she never wanted to ever discuss in any way was 'what might she have looked like if she hadn't been burned in the fire?'. For some reason Orion had never quite been able to fathom, the question upset her like nothing else ever could.

"Why?" She ask quietly. "Why are you asking me this?"

Orion focused a solid stare on her, directing her attention back to his words. "Katlin, I need you to listen to me."

But Katlin slapped his hands away from her. "No. Not for this. Never for this. How could you?" She cried, backing away from him. "How could you dare ask that of me?"

Orion knew what he was asking was upsetting for her. Something she absolutely did not need at this point in time. But he was simply too close to stop now. If Katlin could just realize what he was trying to do, maybe he could answer a lot of questions in the next few minutes.

Orion turned her around to face Becca for the first time. But rather than her attention going to the woman in front of her, it shifted quickly to the pile of dark robes just in front of her.

"Bo?!" She cried, quickly kneeling next to him with her husband's help. "Bo! How are you? Are you OK? Did she hurt you?" Katlin immediately enveloped the boggart in her arms as she nearly hugged the life out of him. "Oh, you poor thing. We'll get you home very soon. Back in your nice, quiet home."

The boggart for his part only trilled softly in response.

"Love," Orion spoke softly in her ear as he still held onto her arms, directing her slowly back to her feet, "before that can happen, I need you to do something for me."

He felt her stiffened at his words.

"Tell me why." Was all she ask.

"You'll understand very soon, Love." He replied. "Just...look at Becca, and tell me what you looked like."

Katlin settled her eyes on the woman before her. She stared at her for some time, but then slowly took a deep breath as she began to speak. "I wasn't very tall." She said in a low, controlled voice. "About five and a half feet. I had a plain face, 'heart shaped' my mother used to tell me. But it was very thin. And I had very hollow cheeks. Something I didn't think made me very pretty at all. And my hair was straight, and dark brown. Almost black. My pa always said it was brunet..." Katlin suddenly stopped as she stared harder at the woman before them. Almost as though she was seeing her for the first time. "It was brunette." She added in a now slow, whispered voice. "And I always liked to keep it long. Almost to my waist. And my eyes...my eyes were the only thing I wouldn't let Voldemort change. They were violet..., like they are now. Like yours."

She added in the same whispered voice as she stared at the woman before her.

"All right." Orion stated. "Now, age yourself about 15 years and tell me what you see."

Katlin stood stock still as she studied the woman before her. "But that's simply not possible." She said in an all but muted tone.

Q&A

CelticHeiressFiona:

Holy fizzle and a shizzle. Well that blew me outta the water just to let you know. At first I was gonna recommend Stockholm Syndrome but whoa this just is so much better. Awesome chapter!

Don't rule out Stockholm Syndrome entirely, Dear. Who's to say there isn't a little bit of that mixed in here as well? After all, what does it take for a person to remain with someone who abuses them as much as Heudros does Becca?

I hope I continued to surprise you in this chapter.

ilovesiriusblack:

Hmm interesting chapter. I've been reading your responses to other reviewers and they've really made me think, has Becca ever known anything other than the life she has now? Is that why killing doesn't bother her and she doesn't seem to mind being treated like dirt because she thinks thats what life is supposed to be like having known nothing else?
I'm glad to see I was on the right track with Heudros and Katlin but I'm still in the dark as to why he'd do it unless he is some kind of seer?
As always can't wait for a new chapter.

(PAR stands up and has a cheerfest in ilovesiriusblack's honor!)

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love you, Dear! Have a gold star! (Gold star that keeps getting deleted by FFN for some reason.)

I wondered for weeks how long it would take someone to catch on to this fact!

OK. A few facts laid out.

One, has Becca ever known anything other than the life she has now? No. Absolutely not. She has only ever known Heudros and what he tells her.

Next, is that why killing doesn't bother her and she doesn't mind being treated like dirt because she thinks that is what life is suppose to be like having known nothing else? No and yes. No, it is not entirely why killing doesn't bother her, and yes, it is why she doesn't mind the way she is treated.

Follow with me here.

Becca doesn't mind killing, not because of the life she's led, but because it honestly doesn't mean anything to her. Becca hasn't had enough experience in her life (which has been seriously short) to grasp the concept of 'killing' and 'death'. They are very abstract terms to her, and ones she doesn't much care about. Orion has often described killing and Becca in the best possible terms. "To her, it's really just sort of a problem solving tool." No one has ever explained to the poor woman what such an action and its consequences really mean for the person at the receiving end. To her, someone is causing a problem for Heudros. She kills them. They are no longer a problem. Problem solved. Very simple, you see.

If it was all her own doing, she'd be a class A rated psychopath. As it is, she's just a little misinformed.

As for how she is treated, yes, Becca allows it because she doesn't know anything else. And she has stated this time and time again. She allows Heudros' abuse because to her, he is her master and he is allowed to 'correct' her. She thinks this is how all 'servants' are treated. But now Becca is seeing something very different in how Orion treats Bo, his 'servant'. Something she's confused by, but also very intrigued with. And that concept is going to play a very large part in upcoming chapters.

By 'being on the right track with Heudros and Katlin', I a, assuming you mean with Heudros being the wizard who originally came to her village.

If so, then trust me, you haven't heard the whole story yet. And even by the end of this chapter, all the pieces aren't in place yet. Heudros' connection to Katlin is a very deep and very sinister one, and one that will likely even shock Orion when the final truth comes out.

Is Heudros a seer? No. But his reason for coming to Katlin's village was very well planned out.

Did it have to do with Katlin's future?

Yes.

The one Heudros saw for her?

No.

Try more the one he planned for her.

Again, cheerscheerscheers to you, Dear, for a well thought out guess. You and MasterLupin should get together. Between the two of you, I'd have a heck of time finishing this story off with any surprises left in store.

skahducky:

So Orion thinks the lair was just to test Bo's power? That's pretty interesting, especially since they did the same thing to Becca. I'm really glad Sirius is still around. Anyway, this is a great chapter. Please update soon!

Among other things.

Wellllll..., yes and no. The lair (castle) wasn't really to test Becca's powers, as this chapter showed. It was her prison. But it was for that reason that Bo had such a hard time getting into it and manipulating his powers once inside of it.

Was it in part to test Bo's powers? Yes, based solely on its original set up. Heudros set the castle up to dampen down Becca's powers. Although he wasn't sure at the time, he hoped that it would have the same effect on Bo. The fact that it did simply served to prove to Heudros what he suspected about Orion's boggart.

Sirius is still around, but he is, as he always was, not the main focal point of this story. Sorry.

MasterLupin:

Hmm, well I can't make a long term prediction yet. But a short term one would be that the next several chapters revolve around freeing Bo.
As for Bo: to counter point you; I am sure you have heard the phrase "there is nothing cruller then a child." That is why Bo could have the combat advantage, why not use a petulant three year old non corporeal bringing in combat it could be the ultimate weapon.
As for who could beat Dumbledore in a game of chess, IBM's Deep Blue chess playing computer could. It is the best chess playing computer in the world

Well, sort of. Actually, they revolve more around freeing someone else. But it amounts to nearly the same thing.

Well, as Orion pointed out, Bo's been around long enough to form a few ideas of his own. One being, killing is a bad thing that should be avoided at all costs. However, as was countered here by the same character, "it's still not to say that one day, if he (Bo) got really angry over something, that he wouldn't...deal with it."

Three year olds...their so darned hard to second guess!

The point is, you can't cover every contingency when trying to predict someone's actions. Especially those of a precocious, hyper-active, three year old.

So, could Bo one day get into a situation where he decides the best solution is to show you what non-corporeal really feels like? Anything is possible, Dear.

You know, I once joined a chess club in high school. After playing me, the teacher who rant he club declared that I would likely be the best chess player in the world because my moves were so illogical, no one could predict them.

Maybe I should take on IBM's computer.

drucie:

I just read the entire story today so I was waiting until I was finsished before reviewing. I love the story...and I agree...I think Bo is one of my favorite characters...hope he is ok. Just curious though...why haven't they used the portkey that Dumbldore gave Harry to back to Hogwarts?

WOW! All 71 chapters in one day? Color me impressed!

Thank you, Dear. Bo is definitely a reader favorite. A fact that I am very proud of. It's very hard to get readers in a fanfiction to accept an OC with such open arms as Bo has been.

Good question! All I can say is the port key does come back into the story. But as Dumbledore told Harry when he gave it to him, it was only to be used in the utmost emergency. Orion hasn't seen the situation escalate to that level yet.

All reviews are as of 06/24/2007.

And remember;

Just a hint of warning. We are almost through the first month of Hurricane Season for Florida, and whereas we haven't really had diddle yet, we also haven't had much rain here.

Not a good sign.