Chapter Three
-The Return -
Her smile brightened. "So what do you think of being called Grandpa?" Dumbledore's twinkling eyes turned more merry.
"An interesting experience, for an old man like me." Cat laughed. " And an honour. I have always thought of you as my daughter, now I have the privilege of acting as a grandparent. It will be fun teaching them with Minerva, Remus-"
"Remus? Remus is teaching?! What is he teaching?" Cat asked excitedly and Dumbledore laughed.
"Professor Lupin's teaching Defence Against The Dark Arts to the younger students, you will be teaching it to the older students as well as the advanced classes in DADA and Charms. You and Remus will also be teaching History of Magic, as I wish to give Professor Binns some time off to go to The Convention of Historical Things, apparently this type of convention come once every 500 years and attendance is by invitation only. A VERY high honour to be selected." Cat chuckled.
"You wouldn't have had anything to do with that would you?"
"I would never presume to have such influence."
"Okay, sure. Now about me teaching. I have a suggestion, why don't both me and Remus take over the DADA and History and if Professor Filtwick wants me to do the Advanced Charms I'll happily help. Sound good?" Dumbledore smiled.
"Welcome to Hogwarts, Professor Sullivan." Dumbledore kissed the top of Cat's head. "Good night, Cat." She smiled.
"Good Night, Albus. Say night to Minerva for me." Dumbledore nodded and went inside. A few minuets later Minerva came out in her dressing gown and cap, making Cat laugh.
"Mama in her kerchief and I in my cap." She joked, Minerva drew herself up in a indignant manner.
"And what may I ask is wrong with a kerchief?" Still laughing Cat answered,
"Nothing, it just struck me as funny and fitting."
"You always did find the joke in everything, while James and Sirius played them."
"Yes they'd sit there and wait for me to open my mouth so they could have a good prank. We made a formidable team, the six of us." Minerva laid a had on Cat's shoulder.
"Pass your learning on to the students and your children and they will live indefinitely. You have accepted Albus proposal?" Minerva turned slightly pink and Cat smiled.
"Ahhhh! I wondered about that! Yes, I took the teaching job. Why didn't you guys ever marry?" She sighed and looked up at the stars.
"The time just wasn't right, I suppose." She turned and smiled. "But I'm an old woman and that's in the past and the past is long gone, regrets do us no good do they?"
"No, but regrets can help us learn." Minerva smiled and gave Cat a hug.
"You'll make a fine teacher, Cat. Good night."
"Night." Cat watched Minvera shuffle dignifiedlly into the house and looked down for the first time noticing the blue VERY fluffy slippers. Choking back a laugh she turned back to the stars.
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Cat got up at 8:30 the next morning and still managed to be the last one up. Just about every one was crammed into the kitchen, while Molly, Minavera, Hermione, Ginny and Isabel cooked breakfast. Remus and Dumbledore had abandoned the kitchen in favor of the quieter living room, sipping tea and reading papers. Leaning down over the back of the chair Cat placed a kiss on Remus's forehead, causing him to smile.
"Morning Cat, sleep well?" She smiled.
"The best in a long while." Remus went back to his paper as Cat walked over to sit beside Dumbledore.
"Good Morning, Catriona." She grinned.
"Morning, Albus. What are you reading?" He showed her the paper.
"A fascinating article on agriculture and the watering device that has recently been developed."
"Oh yeah that new watering system. If you're interested the Kent's recently installed one, I'm sure they'd be happy to show you." Dumbledore sighed.
"Alas that would be very interesting, and I would indeed like to examine this new invention but that is not a possibility as we must leave almost immediately."
"Why? What's going on that you have to go back right away? We're two weeks into the summer holidays, Harry just got to the Weasley's and it would be good for them to spend a summer over seas!"
"I am sorry, Cat. We must leave."
"What are you not telling me?"
"Nothing." Cat watched him carefully, piercingly. Dumbledore smiled, knowing what she was doing.
"Then why? They have so much to learn here." Remus finally spoke up.
"Leave it, Cat. When have you ever know Albus to be wrong?" Cat smiled sweetly, a plan forming in her mind.
"Never, Remus, never." Cat stood. " I'm going to check on breakfast, I'll call you when it's done." Remus watched her walk into the kitchen.
"She's not going to drop it you know, She'll fight your for what she wants." Dumbledore smiled
"I'm counting on it."
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Cat wandered into the kitchen with a huge grin on her face. Isabel saw her first.
"Morning, Mum." Everyone turned to smile and said 'Good Morning'.
"Morning Isabel. Morning everyone." Cat watched as seven boys eyed the pan of frying bacon. Ron was watching Hermione and Harry was watching Ginny at the stove when Fred and George nearly ripped them off their chairs to join the male huddle.
Molly eyed the group with suspicion before turning to empty the frying pan onto a huge plate filled with pre-cooked bacon and pancakes. Ron looked up and eyed Hermione so lewdly, Cat was hard pressed not to laugh out loud. The small group broke with everyone of them grinning, and assuming positions. Out of the corner of her eye Cat saw a dark shape moving toward them, turning she saw Lex come into the kitchen looking for Chloe, spotting her, he started to go to her when all hell broke loose.
Harry and Ron were designated to distract their girlfriends, while Fred distracted, or rather tried, with Molly, George whipped Isabel off into a corner, Clark caught Minevera around the waist and boldly lifted her out of the way, so Pete could grab the plate of bacon. Unfortunately for the boys Molly and Minevera were quicker. Stunning, Zapping and Spark spells filled the small space causing everyone who didn't want scars, to find the nearest wall or solid object.
Chloe flattened Lex, saving him from blue shots that looked more like lightning. Lex being Lex , took full advantage of Chloe being on top of him and shuffled into a concealed corner. Cat rolled her eyes, she'd deal with them later, right now she had a bigger obstacle. Jaelithe crawled up to Cat.
"Morning mum." Cat laughed at Jaelithe's complete unconcern about the situation.
"Morning. Still living and in one piece?" Jae grinned.
"So far. Why are they cursing everything in sight? It's not like they're hitting anything or doing any good!"
"Who knows? Fun? Ah it was a boring morning anyway. Besides I think your brother and Fred have battle wounds." Cat pointed to a corner where Max and Fred lay grinning and heaving, examining each other's scars. Jae gave a short laugh.
"Well that makes everything worth while, doesn't it?" Cat just smiled. The plate of bacon, that had been the original goal, was still clutched tightly in a stunned Pete's hands. George, having crawled from the corner with Isabel to Max and Fred, noticed this.
"Accio plate of bacon!" the plate soared out of Pete's hands toward George. Too late he realized his mistake. Molly saw the plate as did Minevera , both sets of eyes shot to George and shouted,
"STUPEFY!"
"IMPEDIMENTA!" The two spells collided in midair, ricocheted off the bacon plate, that conveniently fell on the island in the middle of the kitchen, and headed straight for the four in the corner. Trying desperately to get out of the way before the spell hit, Fred tripped over George causing him to topple into Isabel, who actually made it. The light the combine spell emitted was blinding, causing Cat to wonder what damage it had done.
The brilliance cleared to reveal three VERY red faces. Fred, George and Max stared and blinked blindly sporting tomato red burns from the spell.
"I think they're all one color now!" Jaelithe remarked laughing. Chloe glanced over and grinned.
"Well it definitely puts new meaning to the term 'red neck' doesn't it?" Cat laughed
"I'd say that's about the only thing that's NOT red." Chloe chuckled sitting up, to the protests of Lex. Cautiously she peered around the corner to see what damage had been done and if the coast was clear. Seeing all was clear she crawled out.
"You sure that's wise, Chloe?"
"No, but then I didn't get to where I am today by playing it safe, did I?"
"You are spending way to much time with Lex." Cat observed dryly getting to her feet. She surveyed her kitchen wearily. Black scorch marks branded the walls like a child's picture, one of Cat's favorite cupboards had been blown off the wall, the lamp was now just a gaping hole, a few new windows had been created and a vase was making sounds like a frog.
Frowning Cat walked over to the vase and stuck her nose into it, rising her head she rolled her eyes and sighed, tipping it upside down she dumped a frog onto the counter, Chloe, Pete, Clark, and Lex snickered
"Hilarious." Cat said, with a wave of her hand she made the frog disappear in a puff of smoke. "People; survey the damage you've done, over a plate of bacon! Boys this get no lower, this is really sad!" They all just grinned.
"Ah but it was worth it, Mrs. Sullivan!" Pete said. Cat gave a dry laugh.
"I'll bet it was, Pete Ross, I'll be it was." She said with a smile. Lex looked around with interest.
"I don't know about you, but if it had been my kitchen that had been demolished I think I'd be a little more upset." As if for effect a stained glass cabinet door creaked and the top hinge gave way. It swung for a moment and landed on the floor with a resounding crash. Jaelithe bit her lip to keep from laughing, looking over at Isabel, found she had her head buried and was shaking with mirth.
"Let the object of objection, become but a dream as I cause the scene to be unseen." With a small wave of her hand Cat sent small blue, green and pink sparks swirling into the air. Lex watched as the kitchen righted and repaired it's self to the way it was before.
"Or not. Neat trick, mind if I call you the next time one of my cars get's totaled? You could save me a bundle."
"Thanks, nice to know you care."
"Catriona, you wound me!" Cat snorted
"Right. Anyway I came looking for Arthur. You wouldn't happen to know where he is, Molly would you?" The door opined and Arthur walked in hauling a car engin behind him.
"Kids, Honey, you wont believe what I found!" Chloe glanced over her shoulder and frowned.
"Isn't that my car engin?"
"ARTHUR!" Molly screeched.
"Chlo, sweetheart, I think that's the one your dad left in the garage. He was trying to use it for spare parts and such. Never really succeeded on that."
"Yeah, Dad was never mechanically inclined. Remember when he tried to fix the sink pipes?"
"God yes!" Cat groaned. "I don't think I've seen so much water in my life! It flooded the entire house like a lake and still kept coming! By the time I managed to stop the water it was pouring out the back steps." Molly was still ferrous and spitting like a cat.
"I don't care were you found it Arthur, get rid of it!" Fred and George wandered over to the engin and stood looking at it and discussing it quietly by them selves. Isabel walked up to George and without pausing in the conversation wrapped an arm around her bringing her close. Ron came up to the heap of metal and looked at it like it was a pile of dog droppings.
"What is it?" he asked Fred answered.
"It's an engin! She just got through saying that!"
"Yeah, but what's an engin? What does it do?" Gorge grinned wickedly at his brother.
"Well why don't you find out little brother?" Grabbing Ron from behind they lifted him over the hunk of metal. "Time to feed little Rony to the engin!"
"Hey! What- AHHHHHHH!" Cat flicked her hand and all three vanished into the yard.
"Everyone out! We'll call you when it's time to eat!" Cat announced. Isabel looked around and frowned.
"Well what exactly do you want us to do? We were helping out with breakfast." Cat glanced at her kitchen then back at the kids.
"You call demolishing my kitchen, helping?" Isabel laughed while Jaelithe answered,
"Yeah. How else do you expect us to help?" Cat raised her eyebrows.
"Oh really? I'd hate to see your version of disaster. How about going out and joining your boyfriends? Keep them from killing themselves." Just then they heard a resounding cheer go up from outside.
"Hey guys! Come check this out! It looks like an inflated sausage!" Ron yelled. Cat smiled and turned to Clark and Pete.
"Boys, go and teach them what a football's for." Grinning Clark and Pete barreled out the door followed by the rest of the gang, while Lex and Chloe sat at the table. Hearing the Chairs scrape Cat turned.
"Aren't you going to go outside and join the game?" Cat asked frowning, Lex was the one who answered.
"We're happy in here and I'm not dressed for sports." Cat's frowned deepened when Chloe beamed up at Lex.
"I have some cloths upstairs you could change into, so you wouldn't run your good cloths."
"Thanks, but we're fine." Cat's look darkened momentarily before lightning. Turning to Molly and Minerva she asked,
"We just about done?" At Molly's nodded Cat addressed Chloe. "Chloe, Hon would you go find everyone and tell them breakfast will be ready in ten minuets?" Both Lex and Chloe got up to leave.
"Oh Lex can stay here, wouldn't want to ruin those shoes." Chloe glanced at Lex then Cat as Lex sat reluctantly back down. Throwing Cat an amused smile Chloe left, after she'd gone Lex asked,
"Something you wanted to say to me, Cat?" She turned to face him and placed her hands on the counter between them.
"Don't use my daughter, Lex." The kitchen went deathly silent. "She's young and you're her first...love. She didn't have a great childhood, I'm going to see to it she gets an adolescence." Lex had a dark suspicious look on his face.
"Are quite done?" He asked cooly.
"No, not quite yet. Don't make her another notch, don't sleep with her then dump her. Yes I know what's going on, I'm not blind." Cat said when Lex looked like he'd had his suspicions confirmed. "Break her heart and I'll break your balls, Clear?"
"Crystal. Not that it's any of your business."
"Of course it's her business! Cat's her Mother!" Molly declared, Minerva intervened,
"I think we can leave this in Cat's capable hands, Molly."
"Cat's not her real Mother, Mrs. Weasley. Cat's her step- Mother. She has custody because Gabe died and she has no living relative who wants her." Both Molly and Minerva looked horrified.
"Catriona, is this true?!" Minerva asked and Cat nodded.
"Yeah, her mother left when Chloe was in the third grade, or around that time and she was prone to mental illness even before she was hospitalized and that was a good three to five years after she left. I don't know how much Gabe told her."
"Oh god! So she may not know this?" Molly asked.
"Yeah, so I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell her, or talk about this when she's around."
"Of corse." They agreed. Minerva turned to Lex,
"In light of the circumstances, Chloe is part of Cat's family and we are part of her family, so you will have more then just Cat to deal with if you hurt her. Understand, young man?" Lex looked stunned as the rest of them.
"I, ah-"
"Bare in mind young man that I am a witch, and have many years of practice hexing people."
"Yes, Ma'am."
"Good. Now are we eating inside or out?" She asked.
"In I don't want the football at the table." Cat answered just as the football came sailing through the, thankfully open, window. Molly deflected it so that it landed in the sink. Clark bounded in looking sheepish.
"You haven't see the football by any chance have you?" Cat growled,
"You might want to check the sink, Clark and next time watch were your throwing it." Clark grinned.
"Sure thing and thanks." Grabbing the ball he ran out of the kitchen.
"Breakfast in five!" Molly called after him.
"Where's Arthur?"
"Right here, Cat."
"I have some information for you."
"Oh?"
"How would you like to see a muggle farm? It has all the trappings and an irrigation system." Arthur's eyes lit up.
"Really? Do you think they'll let me try some of it? Cat smiled.
"I don't know, but you can ask." Rubbing his hands together he asked,
"So when do we go?"
"As soon as breakfast is done. Clark will take everyone."
"Wonderful! I'll call them in for food."
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Breakfast was a loud messy affair , that had the twins hexing the pancakes to skreak in agony when anyone cut them and gurgle as if drowning when doused in syrup. Harry made the bacon sound like breaking bones and Ron decided the juice should sing. Ginny made the sausages oink like pigs, while Max had the eggs clucking.
All in all Cat decided they sounded like a barn yard. But the most excitement came when the toast started jumping off people's plates, running around and barking like dogs, courtesy of Jaelithe and to the embarrassment of Cat. Dishes were another thing altogether.
"Max, Clark, Pete, George, Fred and Ron, you're in charge of dishes. I don't care how you do it, so long as the dishes and kitchen are clean and dry and nothing's hidden or broken."
"Hey how come Harry get's a free ride?" Fred whined, George nodded,
"He doesn't. I fully expect Harry to help out. I just didn't think I needed to name him unlike the rest of you."
"I help." Clark mumbled. Cat arched a brow.
"Yes, Dearie, you do. But if someone says 'football' instead of 'dishes' we all know how fast you'd be out the door." Clark gave a sheepish grin while Pete slapped him on the back with a 'Busted' and followed the rest into the kitchen. Ten minuets later pink and green soap bubbles could be seen coming from the vicinity of the kitchen.
"Catriona, perhaps you should check on the young gentlemen in the kitchen." Minerva suggested.
"Oh God!" Cat breathed racing to the kitchen, as she neared a shout, rather like a battle cry, rang out.
"On guard you mangy carr!" Fred challenged.
"Leave off, you scoundrel devil!" George answered. A sharp clang was heard before Fred retaliated.
"NEVER!"
"Two against one, matie, now how do you like those odds?" Clark said in his best imitation of a pirate voice.
"You rotten dirty scoundrel! I shall run you through!" George replied. Cat watched as the rest of the boys joined a side, she didn't know wether to laugh or yell when they started singing 'Yo-ho a pirates life for me' like a bunch of drunks. To her surprise the bubbles turned a brandy color and started weaving to and fro just as the boys were doing, Cat smiled in pride and decided to check up on them later.
"So what's the verdict, Cat?" Remus asked smiling.
"They're busy singing 'A pirates life for me' and making the bubbles change colors." Remus laughed.
"Are the bubbles cleaning?"
"Oh, probably." Remus laughed again. Molly looked worried.
"Cat are you sure..."
"It's fine, Molly. Don't worry about it, they can be as creative as they like so long as the job get's done."
"I'm worried about the repercussions of the job, your kitchen may never be the same, you do know this right?"
"I'm not worried, Molly, really. "
"Yo-ho, Yo-ho, a pirates life for me!" They coursed coming out of the kitchen. "We're done!" Molly was out of her seat in a split second and racing into the kitchen.
"Doesn't have much faith in us, does she?" Fred asked.
"Nope, none whatsoever. What do ya think we did to it?" George asked trailing after his mother with a disgusted look on his face. Molly burst into the kitchen and sighed.
"Oh thank heavens! Boys you did a remarkably good job." Fred and George looked at one another with even more disgust then before.
"You say that like it's a bloody miracle!" George said indignantly. "Like we've never cleaned anything before!"
"Oh, George!" Molly said in exasperation.
"Come on Clark, lets go find Dad and take off to that farm of yours."
"Dad!" They bellowed and Arthur's head popped around a corner.
"I'm not deaf, boys." The twins grinned. "Now what's on your minds?"
"We're going to the Kent's now, figured you'd want to come." Arthur's eyes lit up and he rubbed his hand together.
"Right you are! Wonderful! Be there in two shakes." Arthur disappeared only to reaper with hat and coat. Cat watched in amazement.
"Arthur, it's like a thousand degrees outside. You're not going to need a coat." He glanced down at his coat surprised.
"Oh, right. Well then should we be off? By the way were's the guy with the fancy cloths? and we're missing a young lady, a blond I believe." Cat spun around counting the teens.
"Chloe?" Cat called walking through the house. "Chloe, answer me. Damn!" Arthur came in the hallway followed by Remus.
"Everything alright, Cat?"
"Fine, Arthur. I just lost a daughter." Remus frowned.
"You 'Lost' a daughter? How does one loose a daughter?"
"When there are boys involved anything's possible." Cat stated dryly. "As it stands, I know were I lost this one to and how to get her back. Molly, Minerva, I could use some backup, if you're willing."
"Of, course." Molly said instantly. "Arthur, why don't we meet you at the farm? You take the kids, perhaps Dumbledore would like to go with you?"
"What say you, Dumbledore? Coming to the farm?"
"I would love to but we have to be going."
"Sorry, cant do that floo's broken." Cat stated pathetically. Minerva raised a brow looking surprised. Dumbledore just smiled.
"Ah, that's a shame. I do find apparition a bit faster, though less humane."
"As of yesterday twelve midnight, all apparition has been banned, due to muggle concerns. A little more time wont kill you. Go check out the Kent farm while I go fetch my daughter."
"I would like to see-"
"It's settled then, we'll meet you at the Kent farm." Minerva said crisply. "Shall we go then?" Cat glanced at Remus and Molly then brightened,
"Ok then, Lets go then." Clark, Harry, Ron and Pete grinned at each other while the twins coursed,
"Lets go then!"
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Cat, Molly and Minerva arrived at the Kent farm to find Arthur helping Clark disassemble a tractor. Dumbledore and Johnathan were deep in conversation about the new irrigation system. The twins were showing Martha some new magic tricks, while Hermione was explaining the functions of various object to Ginny.
"Is that my Husband?!" Molly asked. Clark grinned.
"Yeah, seems he's having the time of his life helping me fix this old tractor." A loud violent CLUNK was heard from inside the tractor hood, then,
"Fascinating! Absolutely brilliant! Marvelous!" Clark's grin grew.
"See?" Molly just shook her head. Cat turned to Dumbledore.
"I suggest this: It's going to take me at least three weeks to close things up here, so why doesn't everyone stay for the next week after that Harry and Hermione can go with the Weasley's to Egypt and we'll all meet at Hogwarts?"
"What about the rest of them?" Arthur asked coming out from the hood of the tractor. Cat shot a surprised look his way.
"Do you really want to be responsible for ten teens?"
"Oh Bill and Charley will be coming too. Don't worry we'll be fine." Molly said.
"Okay, but don't say I didn't warn you." Molly grinned and hurried over to tell Ginny and the rest.
"Are you sure about this?" Minerva asked and Cat sighed.
"No, but I don't know what else to do. This has to end, he's using her. I've seen the way he looks at Lana. Removing her is the only way I can see."
"Perhaps if you gave her the facts and you're suspicions, she might see them for what they are and come to the decision on her own, without interference." Dumbledore said quietly and Cat shook her head.
"I wish I could and if it were anyone else I probably would, but the Luther's have too much wealth, power and connections, not to mention they're smooth talkers. This is over her head. Lex is playing for high stakes, I'm not sure for why or what, but he's not about to loose." Cat turned to look at her daughter and the group. "She's too in love. She'll side with him. Besides I think she's pregnant."
"Chloe?! Surely she has more brains then that!" Minerva said shocked.
"No. Chloe's thankfully not that stupid. She has dreams and knows a child would screw that up, right now at least. No I was talking about Lana Lang. At the moment all I have is suspicions, but I'm not willing to take that chance." A thought occurred to Cat then that hadn't before.
"Can you take them? Into the school I mean, I never really registered Chloe, I just assumed." Minavera and Dumbledore smiled.
"Of course we have room," Dumbledore said. "I had been expecting Chloe and was rather surprised you haden't registered her, so I took the liberty of doing so for you." Cat smiled and Minavera said sternly.
"Let this be a lesson, Cat. We can't always be doing things like this. You must think ahead."
"Mmmmmmm" Was all she said.