Alright, I'm not going to explain much more for the next few chapters because I HATE info dumps. Feel free to message me once I do, though- my explanations may seem a bit out there. Also, I modified Ch. 3 a little near the beginning because I realized that otherwise she just somehow knew that Snape was her uncle... unlikely. So yes, let me know what you think about the story, pros/cons, issues you have with it, and if you like it, please leave a review- they make me write faster!
Disclaimer: *stares at computer* Really? Who'd believe me if I took credit for these characters? No one? Ok...
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When I woke up the next morning there was no moment of blissful ignorance. I didn't think that I was in my own bed, nor was I under the impression that my mother was about to walk through the door and berate me for sleeping in late. I did, however, believe myself to be certifiable.
"This is insane," I muttered to myself as I looked around the room. Sheer curiosity was all that propelled me from the warmth of my bed, and I dimly realized that I was in pajamas, despite my clear memory of falling asleep with clothes on. I reached to my necklace, a small charm that my dad had given me a year earlier, and once again felt like the breath had been knocked out of me. I pictured him, everything from the faded t-shirts he'd always wear to the beard that would inevitably form every few days, a result of his dislike for shaving. He was always so alive that it was hard for me to grasp the fact that he was dead.
Gone. Forever.
I blinked back a fresh wave of tears and glanced at a small painting to distract myself. A dragon breathed fire onto a small village as small figures ran away. I frowned, wondering who on earth would decorate their house with such a violent painting. Oh yeah, I thought, if anyone would, it would be the Blacks.
"The mudblood lover has sent Kreacher up," a small voice grumbled. I jumped and whirled around to see Kreacher, the reason for Sirius' death, standing in front of me.
"You mean Sirius?" I asked, ignoring his comment.
"The shame of the Black family! Oh, if mistress could see him now, housing the Dumbledore's spawn, oh she wouldn't like that, now would she? No she wouldn't."
"There was a point, I hope?" I asked, my temper flaring. I could not handle this creature right now…
"Dinner is served in an hour," he said, turning to leave, "And Kreacher wishes he could poison it. That would take care of all the mudblood lovers filthing up poor mistresses' house, it would."
Resisting the urge to kick the old houself, I sat back down on the bed. I had no appetite, and no urge to get out of the room and explore. All I could think about was Liz, Laura, my dad, and mom. My stomach immediately tied itself in knots as I worried, terrified and furious about what could be happening to her.
In a few moments, I realized that despite Snape's warning the other night, I had to leave. But no sooner had I gotten dressed did I realize that Voldemort would never keep my mother alive. She would be killed the second he got what he wanted from me.
"I can't just sit here!" I hissed at myself, frustrated. Running my hands through my hair, I kicked the trunk at the foot of my bed. My toes suddenly throbbed and I cursed, the stupidity of my action sinking in, as always, after the fact.
With a reluctant sigh, I decided to take a long-needed shower and get ready for dinner. There was a towel hanging on the door, along with a simple shirt and skirt that I was fairly sure wouldn't fit. But I took the outfit and headed from my room, promptly bumping into someone.
"Ouch!" she said.
I grimaced, apologizing quickly as I looked into the youngest Weasley's face.
"Oh no, it's no problem."
"Ugh, I have the worst balance issues."
"I doubt you're any worse than Tonks," she said, laughing. "But you'll find that out soon enough. I'm—"
"Ginny Weasley," I said, smiling. "I'm Katarina, but you can call me Kat."
"How did you know my name?" she asked curiously.
Crap, I thought. "Oh, um, Mrs. Weasley mentioned you last night."
She nodded slowly, and I cursed my inability to lie on the spot. "Well, I'll see you at dinner," she said, glancing down at the outfit I was holding. "Oh yes, sorry about the hand me downs. You'll have to borrow a few outfits of mine till we can go out and get you some clothes of your own in Diagon Alley."
Oh yeah. No clothes. Nothing, actually. "I guess I was due for a few new shirts anyways," I joked. Mm—not funny. She laughed politely and I headed off to the bathroom.
Once clean, I raised my eyebrows at the outfit. It fit, to my surprise, and when I looked in the mirror I realized that my appearance had changed, however subtly. My hair was more gold than dirty blonde, my blue eyes had shifted from the color of the sky on a winter day to the shade of water mixed with deep summer nights. Like Dumbledore's, I thought. And my body itself had shrunk a bit, weight I'd never been able to lose despite spending the entirety of high school on the soccer team.
I was confused; had unbinding my powers really done that much to me, inside and out? I could think of no better explanation and until the next time I saw Dumbledore, I was left to my own assumptions.
A door stood slightly ajar as I headed back to my room, and I couldn't help but hear the yelling. Harry must have turned up recently… He screamed for a few more minutes before two pops resounded and the twins' voices were heard. I couldn't help myself.
I knocked before entering, of course, but I wasn't about to wait to be let in.
"Hi, I'm Kat," I said to the five individuals in the room. Harry was there, lightning bolt scar more pronounced than ever in his flushed face. Ron and Hermione sat next to him, the latter close to tears. The twins' backs were to me for a moment before they turned, the only people in the room smiling. But even their grins faded when they laid their eyes on me, and I realized why.
"Aren't you Snape's niece?" Ron asked, incredulous.
I rolled my eyes, irked at whoever had told them when I saw the extendable ears in Fred's hands. Was I going to be enemy number one for two years because they thought that Snape was a git? "Don't hold it against me," I pleaded, groaning.
"Wouldn't dream of it," Fred said, grinning again. "You don't look a bit like him. No hooked nose, no greasy hair, and the beady black eyes are definitely not there."
"Thanks," I said, raising my eyebrows as George grinned too. A pang of sadness hit me as I looked at the twins, knowing that in a few years there would only be one.
"Don't mention it. Now," he said, turning around to the rest of the group. "I'm Fred, that's George, that is Hermione, the redhead is my youngest brother, Ron, and the screaming you heard earlier was this delightful chap, Harry Potter. And we are all in the midst of scoping out the Order's dangerous plans. Care to join us?"
I nodded, laughing, and we headed to the stairwell, only to find the Order filing out of the meeting room.
"Damn." George's voice seemed disappointed, but Fred was glancing at me, unaware of the loss.
"Everyone, dinner!"
We headed downstairs as the smell of stew drifted toward us, and I decided to confront Snape before he left, thinking that maybe at least a small fraction of my questions could be answered.
"Hey!" I said, rushing after his billowing robes.
He whipped around, glaring at me as I caught my breath. "Well?" he asked after a moment, "What is it?"
"Have they found my mom?"
He pursed his lips, shaking his head. "She has not yet been found."
"Can't you just, I dunno, ask Voldemort? I mean, you are a spy and all, it should be—"
Snape grabbed my arm and dragged me to the doorway, away from the cheerful voices.
"No one else can know it," he hissed.
"Yeah, I know, classified information, but just between you and I, you can't just leave her because you've sworn loyalty to the most dangerous dark wizard of this century!"
"You hold no sway over what I can and cannot do, and do not take that tone with me!"
My cheeks flushed as I clenched my hands into fists. "I'm an adult and I will use whatever tone I want!"
"You are a child who knows nothing of war or loyalty!"
I stared at Snape, biting the inside of my lip as he glared down at me. The seconds bore down on me, but for the life of me I couldn't think of anything to say.
"Go. Eat," he said after a pained silence.
"So that's it?" I asked, my voice breaking despite my best efforts.
He clenched his jaw slightly. "He is not telling anyone where your mother is; all I know is that she is alive."
I breathed a sigh of relief as he continued.
"But even if I knew where she was, I would not risk my cover to save her. The life of one is in no way more important than the lives of hundreds, and I will not risk the entire wizarding world, even for my little sister. It's selfish, and stupid."
With that, he turned and opened the door, aparating as I stared after him, tears prickling at my eyes.
"Oy, Kat, you going to eat or are you gonna stand in the doorway all night?" Fred asked, laughing from the kitchen.
"Coming!" I called, sniffling once before making my way to the kitchen, stomach growling loudly.
**
So? Too rushed? I thought it might be, but I wasn't sure how else to slow it down- ideas would be greatly appreciated. Also, I apologize about the lack of character-Katarina interaction... It'll be more present as the story progresses.
Don't forget to review!!! The more reviews, the faster I write, the happier we all are!!!