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Chapter 28

Hermione stopped me in the common room a few days later. "Are you ready to decrease the dosage of Snape's potion?"

Something clenched in my stomach. It might have been the last bit of rational thought left in me. "What's the difference between bravery and stupidity?"

She frowned. "The definition of stupidity is—"

I put my hand up. "Hermione, you know what I mean."

"You think you can't help?"

I sunk onto the couch. "It feels like no matter what I do, I screw up. If I don't help, people die. If I help, people die." I took a shaky breath and looked up at her. "You're smart. Tell me what to do."

She sat down next to me, staring down at the book in her lap. "I think," she said after a few minutes, "I think you need to try. You helped Ron's dad. You saved those people on the train. I'm sure you've done more that you either don't want to share or don't realize you've accomplished."

"But—"

"You sound like Harry," she said, smiling. She looked at me. "And I know that he'd rather die than sit around while the world turned around him."

"So I should do this?"

She nodded. "You should most definitely do this. Just not alone."

I sighed. "Let's save the world then, Yoda."

Her brow furrowed. "What?"

"Never mind."

Fred told me he was planning on leaving Hogwarts the day after Hagrid was sacked. It was raining outside, and lightning occasionally split the sky into a thousand bright pieces.

"I'm surprised you stayed this long," I said. We sat in the courtyard, a quick umbrella charm keeping us dry.

"How did you know?" Fred asked.

I smiled. "You know. The whole seer thing."

He clicked his tongue. "Right. That."

"So why did you?" I said. "Stay, I mean."

"When George and I got kicked out of quidditch, George said we should leave right then. But there was you."

A blush crept up my cheeks. "Me?"

He laughed a little. "I shocked the seer. Wicked."

I cleared my throat. "But we broke up, and—"

"It didn't change how I felt about you," he said. Then he cleared his throat. "We're leaving tonight."

For a moment I didn't say anything. Then I nodded. "Well it's only a few weeks till summer anyways, right?"

I'd been working with Harry for two weeks to clear his mind, something I was painfully aware I should have been doing all along. It was still comforting to know that Voldemort wouldn't be able to lure Harry from the castle through his dreams. Kreacher was stuck with Sirius, Sirius promised me to stay in the house, and Harry wouldn't fall for any dreams. Still, doubt nagged at my stomach, like I was missing something.

At dinner, I picked at my food as Hermione tried to study and eat at the same time.

"You decreased again this week, correct?" she muttered, not looking at me.

I sighed. "Yeah."

"No visions yet?"

"No."

She nodded. "Any day now. Just make sure—"

"I know. Clear my mind before bed. Meditate in the mornings. Don't daydream or let my thoughts wander, otherwise the vision overloads might start again. I get it. Stop nagging."

She raised an eyebrow, then went back to her book.

"You ok?" Ron said.

I sighed. I tried to concentrate on the past three hours I'd spent with Fred in the room of requirement. I closed my eyes and kept the memory at the forefront of my mind, from the warmth of his torso to the light scent of the candles around us.

"This is wonderful," I said to him, "But I think it might be cliché."

He stopped kissing my collarbone and looked grimly at me. "So I should hold off on the heart shaped confetti and madrigal music?"

I laughed, loud, and we kissed. "I wish you would stay." I winced, regretting my words immediately. They were selfish.

His smile faded. "Tell me to stay. I will."

My breath caught in my throat. The words flew to the tip of my tongue, and I knew more than anything that I wanted him to stay. It was girly and stupid, but I wanted to be near him. All the time. Every day.

I swallowed the words and smiled. "You and George have a shop to open. I'm yours all summer."

"And I'll be yours, love," he said. He waved his wand and the candles went out.

"Kat?" Hermione was waving her hand in front of me.

"She's lost it," Ron said, frowning.

I shook my head, coming back to the present. "Sorry."

"Are you ok?" Harry said.

"I'm fine."

Hermione narrowed her eyes at someone behind me; Angelina took a seat at the table, staring sullenly at her plate.

"This is about Fred." Hermione didn't bother phrasing it like a question. "They're not going to break any rules, are they?"

The fireworks exploded the moment she finished her question, and the hall went into a frenzy. Everyone jumped except for Angelina, Hermione, and me. Hermione crossed her arms as Harry and Ron joined the crowd, running to follow the fireworks into the entryway. They spelled things like "Umbridge is a toad" as bright pictures spread across the sky outside.

Hermione let out an exasperated sigh as she collected her books and trudged calmly out of the hall. "This close to the OWLs," she said. "Really, it's just inconsiderate."

Umbridge was screaming at the other teachers. Filch held Mrs. Norris as the cat squirmed and howled in fear. Peeves looked absolutely gleeful. I glanced at Angelina to see a few tears running down her cheeks.

"You ok?" I said, taking a seat next to her.

She scrunched up her face and shook her head. "George and I broke up," she said. "We're through."

Bright colors went up around us as I tentatively patted her on the back. Then I stood up and followed the last few students to the grounds. Fred and George flew past on their broomsticks, and Fred threw one last firework into the air.

Fred and Kat Forever.

The letters burned for a few minutes, then fell to the ground in heart-shaped confetti. I smiled so wide my cheeks hurt, and watched the twins fly off into the horizon.

"Harry!"

I spun around at Ron's concerned voice. Harry was on the ground, convulsing as beads of sweat broke out on his brow. I ran to his other side.

"Harry?" I said. Ron held his head. "Harry!" I slapped him lightly. Then I clicked my tongue. "This isn't working. We have to get McGonagall."

"She's gone," said Neville.

My breath caught in my throat. "What?"

Neville nodded. "There was an accident. Or something. Everyone's heard rumors that Umbridge had something to do with it. Er."

But I'd spent the day with Fred, and I'd missed it. Great.

"Fine. Then get Snape!"

Neville frowned. "But—"

"Just do it!" I shouted. Then I licked my lips and tried to focus.

Harry sat up then, gasping for breath. "They've got him!" he shouted. "They've got him at the—"

Ron covered Harry's mouth and we pulled him up and away from the crowd. We hurried to Gryffindor tower despite Harry's protests, and sat him down on the couch.

"Alright," I said. "What did you see?"

Hermione ran down and gasped at Harry's face. "What happened?"

"He was just about to tell us," I said.

Harry sobbed a few times. "Sirius. They've got him! They've got him in the ministry!"

I sat down next to him. "No, Harry. They don't. Voldemort's trying to bait you out of the castle."

"Then it'll work," Harry said, standing up. "If they've got him—"

"But they don't!" I said, grabbing his wrist. Then I gasped, and the world fell away to a crystal clear vision.

I was in Grimmauld place, next to Sirius. He sat at the kitchen table, studying a map. A crash resounded at the front door and a death eater stormed in. Sirius looked shocked, but attacked without thinking. They dueled, and one of his spells sent the skull mask flying. It was Bellatrix.

"Hello, cousin," she said, smiling.

"Bella," he said, sending three more curses her way. They dueled for a few more minutes, but with one minute slip, Sirius flew straight to the floor with a thud. Bloody and wandless, he looked up at her.

"You can't be here. It's impossible."

She sneered. "I'm a Black. I've more of a right to this house than you do. Blood traitor." She sighed, brushing a stray curl from her bony face. "But you're in luck, dear cousin. You're going to meet the most powerful wizard in all of Britain tonight."

"No."

He cried out when the cruciatus curse hit him, and it didn't stop. His screams echoed out forever as Bellatrix watched, eyes aglow with something like glee.

"You'll go," she said. "And you'll behave."

Still, he screamed.

"Kat!" Someone shook me, and I realized I was in the common room, not at Grimmauld Place. The trio stared at me, and as my throat protested words, I knew I'd screamed like Sirius.

"What did you see?" Harry said.

I blinked back tears. "They've got him. They've got Sirius."

OOO

As you can see, this story is wrapping up.

As per comments/messages I've received, I'm ending this fanfic at the end of book 5, and picking it up at the beginning of book 6.

Questions? Comments? Complaints? That's what reviews are for. Besides a major ego boost for Moi. I really appreciate reviews :)

Also? I totally have the next chapter done, so the more you review, the quicker I update :)