Hello everyone! I'm incapable of keeping chapters hostage. I'm almost done with the next one! I have a question: Hypothetically speaking, if the story were to span beyond Harry's fifth year, should I make a sequel, or should I just keep Kat's story all together? I'd really appreciate the input!

Disclaimer: Snape. Snape Severus Snape. DUMBLEDORE!

Chapter 26:

I woke up a few hours later under moonlight, in plenty of pain. My arm bled a little, but it was nothing compared to the burns, or the cruciatus. I raised my wand and conjured a patronus before sliding underneath a bush; Bella's look of fury kept me paranoid. I wouldn't be surprised if they came back for me.

A few minutes later, I heard a pop and a wand lit up. When I saw Snape's face, I inched a little, until I was in sight.

"Katarina!" He knelt next to me, and healed my arm. "Where is the other wound?"

I realized then that there was so much blood crusted onto my body. "It's not—it's not mine," I said, voice breaking.

At first, he seemed minutely relieved. Then he saw my other arm. His eyes narrowed as we stood up.

"I can explain," I started, but he shook his head.

"You will do no such thing until we are safe in Dumbledore's office. I'm amazed you haven't been ambushed by death eaters yet." He put out his arm and I grabbed onto it. We apparated right outside of Hogwarts grounds and began speed walking to the castle.

He threw his over-cloak on me, covering the majority of the blood. It also helped me stop shivering. "Pull down your sleeve," he said. "No one in Hogwarts can see it, least of all Umbridge."

I did so, wincing when the fabric grazed my skin. "I was trying to help," I said, but my voice was quiet.

"You had a vision."

"Yes."

"You stopped taking the potion."

I took a deep breath. "Yes."

"You thought, despite all probability, that you could hold your own against death eaters?"

"Yes. But I did, didn't I?"

He seemed to frown deeper, if it was possible. "Breaking your arm and enduring torture does not qualify."

"I saved lives!" I said, indignant. "I think."

We entered the castle and Snape sped up considerably. When we said the password and made our way to Dumbledore's office, however, we realized we weren't alone.

Umbridge stood alongside Draco Malfoy, who had Harry firmly in his grip. Fudge and Kingsley stood on either side of them, along with Percy Weasley. Umbridge seemed in the middle of a rant, but she stopped as the room's occupants turned to look at me.

Harry might have rolled his eyes.

Dumbledore's shoulders sagged a little, as though the sight of his ragged granddaughter so obviously in trouble was too much to bear. I felt a surge of guilt before blocking it out.

Umbridge pointed a meaty finger at me. "You see? He's sending his spawn out on secret missions and brewing an army inside these walls!"

After everything that had happened that day, it was all I could do to keep from cursing her out. Snape looked as if he was going to speak, but Dumbledore beat him to it.

"You're right," he said.

Harry whipped around. "Professor, don't—"

"Harry, please. I'm the one culpable in all of this. I have indeed been teaching my students to fight, but they are not the ones to blame."

Snape frowned, but Umbridge smiled a little, almost as if she was unaware of it.

"Well, let's go, Dumbledore. I have work to attend to at the ministry."

Dumbledore frowned. "You misunderstand me, Minister. I have no intention of going to Azkaban."

Fudge frowned deeper. "By the authority vested in me, I must insist."

"Insist all you wish, Minister. I'm not going."

Fudge nodded at Kingsley and Dumbledore attacked. There was a cloud of smoke, and disgruntled yells erupted. When the dust settled, my grandfather was gone.

"Criminal!" Umbridge yelled, adjusting her pink hat.

Snape dusted off his robes and pinched the bridge of his nose as Harry looked around, utterly baffled. Kingsley was knocked out, and Percy shook in the corner. Fudge woke up Kingsley, who winked at Harry.

"Minister," Umbridge said, "I think it's time you consider my earlier proposition—"

"Of course, Delores," he said. "I think it's time. I hereby announce you headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"What?" Harry yelled, still in Draco's grip.

The room ignored him.

Fudge put on his bowler hat. "Now, I really must be off. Dumbledore's escape will not make the wizarding world happy." He left the office, Percy following after, and Umbridge turned to Harry.

"That will be a month's detention, Mr. Potter! To bed! Now!"

Harry stormed out of the office with not so much as a word. Draco looked gleeful.

Kingsley coughed. "I must go file some paperwork." He barely glanced at Snape before leaving.

"Twenty points to Slytherin, Mr. Malfoy," Umbridge said, much more kindly. "Now go up to your dorm. I'll speak with you later."

When Draco had left, she turned to me.

"And what to do with you?"

I stayed silent. I was tired. I was sore. I was terrified and embarrassed and overwhelmed. And I had much bigger problems than her.

"Where were you today? You certainly didn't attend my class."

"She snuck out of the castle with a few friends," Snape said. "Went to Hogsmeade. I've already assigned her detention—"

"Yes yes," she said, waving away the rest of his comment. "She's been serving detention with you all year, and yet no improvement in behavior. What has she been doing?"

"Hand-cleaning dirty cauldrons," Snape said confidently.

Umbridge smiled. It looked more like a sneer. "I think, considering your record, it might be better if the other students didn't have to endure the presence of your bad behavior, Miss Dumbledore."

I kept my gaze on the floor. I could see the little girl and her parents. I could see Bella's face and Lucius' sneer. My arm still stung with a warning I would inevitably have to face.

"Hem hem. Have you no opinion in the matter?"

Slowly, I raised my eyes to meet her. "I really don't like you." My voice was hoarse.

"No respect," she muttered. "You are hereby expelled—"

"I believe," Snape said delicately, "that it is up to her head of house whether or not my niece be expelled."

Umbridge narrowed her eyes. "Unless the headmistress overrules it, Severus. And I believe—"

"She will not be any more trouble," he said. "And I have more cauldrons that need cleaning."

Umbridge took a step toward him. "I'll be sure to send another unruly student your way then."

Snape took a step towards her, leaning in. He whispered so low that I could barely hear him. "If you expel my niece, then I'll have to spend quite a bit of my time ensuring her well being elsewhere, time I presume you'd rather I spend brewing potions, especially the more delicate kind that you so frequently require. Though I'm sure the Minister would be thrilled to help you acquire illegal means of discipline for your students."

The two stared at each other for a long moment before Umbridge looked away. "Very well. You," she said, glaring at me, "To your dormitory."

I wasted no time leaving Dumbledore's office. When I made it to my room, I took a long hot shower, dismayed to find blood encrusted in my hair. I threw away my clothes, even though magic could take the blood out of them; they would always remind me of what had happened earlier that day, and I would do anything to forget it. I tried to go to bed, avoiding Angelina's glowering looks, but I couldn't sleep. Each time I closed my eyes, I saw blood. I saw Bellatrix's face, and Lucius' eyes.

"Psst." I jumped up to see Hermione's face peeking through the curtain by my bed.

"What?"

She rolled her eyes. "We need to talk."

I put on the sweater Mrs. Weasley knitted me for Christmas and followed Hermione downstairs. Harry and Ron sat by the fire, Ron listening while Harry swore about Umbridge.

"And now Dumbledore's gone. He's the only thing keeping this castle safe."

"Nonsense," Hermione said, sitting down next to Ron. I folded my knees under me in an armchair. "There are dozens of enchantments surrounding this castle."

Harry glared. "You know what I mean."

"He'll be back," I said, staring at the fire.

They turned to me.

"When?" Ron said.

"Did you know he was going to leave?" Harry said.

"Are you sure?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know, no, and yes." My voice broke at the last moment. Harry opened his mouth to speak, but I cut him off. "I knew the first time, but I thought the D.A. would be safe after the first scare."

Hermione frowned. "What happened today, Kat?"

I shook my head. "I got on the train. I failed."

Harry looked from me to Hermione. "What train?"

Hermione cleared her throat. "Kat had a vision that death eaters would crash a train. She went to stop it."

"And you didn't tell us? I thought we had a deal."

I looked at Harry. "I panicked. I thought I could handle it alone."

"And?"

"And what?"

"Did you? Handle it, I mean."

Harry's eyes narrowed as I looked down. "No."

"Tell us," Hermione said. "Tell us what happened."

I tried to think of how I could explain that I wanted to forget everything, that if I repeated what happened, it would be like failing all over again, but I couldn't concentrate. I stared into the fire, and soon I realized that tears were falling down my face.

"So stupid," I muttered, wiping them furiously with my sleeve.

"If you don't tell someone," Hermione said, gently, "It'll only be worse."

"She's right," Harry muttered.

So I did. Somehow, every detail spilled out, until I choked up. I couldn't say what Bella did, or what she said about Lucius and his wandering eyes. So I just pulled up my sleeve; the trio gasped.

"Bellatrix," I breathed.

Harry frowned, probably trying to summon up her name.

"She escaped from Azkaban earlier this year," Ron said.

I sniffled, trying hard not to cry, but the marks were still just as dark as they were when she made them. "I was stupid for trying," I said, wiping at my eyes once more.

"But you saved them," Harry said, like it wasn't a question.

"The train crashed. Over two hundred people died. I failed."

"You saved at least five people," Ron said. "Probably more."

My brow knit together. "But—"

"If you saved those kids, and those other passengers, it was worth it," Harry said sternly.

I knew he believed his words, but I shrugged. I should have saved more. My fingers idly traced the letters on my forearm as I let tears fall down my face.

"Uh oh," Ron said, glancing behind me.

I whipped around just in time to see a pair of extendable ears racing up the stairs to the boys dormitory. Fred and George quickly took their place, watching me carefully. Fury filled me; it was easier to feel than pain. "How long have you been listening?"

Fred ignored me, grabbing my arm to glare at the words on it. "Bellatrix did this?" His voice was smoldering.

I yanked my arm from his grip. "It's none of your damn business, Fred Weasley!"

Hermione's eyes went wide. "I think I'm going to bed. Ron, Harry, you look tired."

"I'm not, actually," Ron said as Harry took the excuse to run. Hermione elbowed him and he yelped. "I'm going, I'm going."

"I think I'll go to bed too," I said, covering up the scars. Fred's gaze remained on my arm, as if he could see them through the fabric.

"We need to talk," he said quietly.

I shook my head. "No. We don't."

George shared a look with him before slipping upstairs, and I realized that Fred and I were alone. I tried to step around him. He blocked my way.

I crossed my arms. "What?"

"What happened today?" he said.

My eyes went to the extendable ears sticking out of his pocket. "Don't you already know? And since when do you give a damn what I do?"

He crossed his arms. "You're right. Why should I care?"

"You shouldn't."

"I don't."

I swallowed. "Good."

He pulled me to him then, and my lips were on his before I had time to think. Then I was in his arms. Part of me was still angry, but mostly I was relieved, like something terribly wrong had finally been righted.

"You could have died," he muttered, holding me tighter. We kissed again, and sat down on the couch without disentangling from each other. A long time passed, and Fred made me tell the story again.

"I'm sorry," he said.

I frowned. "None of it was your fault."

He sighed, and I felt his breath on my neck. "Not about that. I'm sorry I blamed you for what happened to dad." He fell silent, but I didn't know what to say. Then he held me tighter. "I had to be angry at someone, or I would have only been able to feel scared."

I snuggled closer to him. "Well, apology accepted. I would have done the same." I bit my lip. "Just… know that I'm trying my best. There's so much that may or may not happen, and I want to tell you everything, but I—"

"I trust you," he said. His words were full of sleep. I smiled. We drifted off together, and to my relief, I had no nightmares of the train, or Lucius, or Bella. Instead, my dreams were full of red hair and Fred's smile. I felt safe, and I hoped that the feeling would last.

Maybe it would. It probably wouldn't. But at least I had Fred, and I intended to keep him.

OOO

So? I know there's a fair bit of fluff, but I figured Kat deserved it. And I can assure you, more stuff like the last chapter is coming up quickly.

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