9
Professor Snape waved his wand over the beaker that sat in front of him, and when a large plume of putrid blue smoke appeared, he raised scornful eyes and tsked quietly.
"I seriously doubt that your antidote will cure an ill person, Mr. Erickson, but I hope a P for Poor will remedy that."
Snape's dark eyes scanned the class room, and when they landed on Katie, she swallowed hard when he nodded at her. Carefully picking up the beaker of antidote she had brewed, Katie made her way to the front of the Potions classroom, and set it down gently in front of Snape. He raised an eyebrow, when after waving his wand, the correct plume of emerald-green smoke escaped her beaker. Glancing down at the roll of parchment that contained the essay, Snape looked at Katie and lifted his wand to grade her. A knock on the door interrupted him before he could, as Professor McGonagall walked into the class room.
"I am sorry to interrupt, Professor Snape," Professor McGonagall said quietly as she handed him a folded piece of parchment.
Snape flicked Professor McGonagall a look of annoyance, but he read the parchment nonetheless. It was only when he had finished reading it, that he looked back at Katie and raised his wand. A bright red E for Exceeds Expectations appeared on the top of her essay, and when Katie's eyes flew to meet his, she was shocked when she saw a brief flicker of sympathy pass across his face.
"You surprise me, Miss. Bell, well done. The Headmaster wishes to see you."
Katie nodded in surprise, and then glanced at her work bench.
"One of your fellow students will pack your belongings, Miss. Bell, and return them to Gryffindor tower," Snape said quietly. "Off you go now."
Katie could only nod in confusion as she followed her head of house from the Dungeons, and up to the second floor. Professor McGonagall was strangely quiet, and when Katie asked her head of house what was wrong, Professor McGonagall simply shook her head, and told her that Professor Dumbledore would explain everything. Her curiosity piqued, Katie fell silent. Professor McGonagall didn't speak again, until she murmured the password to the gargoyles that guarded the entrance to the Headmaster's office. Following Professor McGonagall up the winding stairs, Katie paused when she saw Professor Dumbledore sitting not at his desk, but on one of the couches that sat in a semi circle. And when he patted the seat beside him, Katie felt the first trickle of fear.
"Ahh, Katie. Come and sit, my dear. Would you like a lemon drop?" he asked, and Katie shook her head silently as she sat gingerly on the edge of the couch.
Professor McGonagall sat down beside her, and Katie looked between the two Professors, before she bit back a nervous laugh and looked pleadingly at Professor McGonagall. Professor McGonagall sighed once, and then reaching out, took Katie's hand in her own.
"I'm afraid there is no easy way to say this, Katie. There's been an accident. Your mother was transferred from Southend Hospital to St. Mungo's."
Professor McGonagall fell silent as Katie stared at her. And when Katie opened her mouth, she had to clear her throat several times before she could speak.
"Is... um... is she all right?"
Professor McGonagall squeezed Katie's hand gently, and then glanced at Professor Dumbledore.
"We don't know much, Katie. Your father floo'ed Professor Dumbledore earlier and we have told you all there is to know. Henry said that he would let us know more, when he knew more."
Katie nodded numbly, and after blinking a few times, spoke again.
"What... how?"
"An automobile accident, Katie. Your mother was struck, while crossing the road. The healers are doing all they can."
"What... is she going to be... what do I..."
Katie broke off and shook her head. Professor McGonagall patted the back of her hand and spoke gently.
"Your father wants you to stay here at school, unless he says otherwise. He said there was nothing either of you could do but wait. I am most certain, Katie, that any and all news will be passed on to you, most quickly."
Katie sat there silently; shock had frozen her limbs momentarily, and when she looked at her head of house, Professor McGonagall's face softened in sympathy.
"Why don't I take you up to the dormitories, Katie. I'll clear your classes with your professors, and let you know if I hear anything."
"You can use the floo in here, Professor McGonagall. I'll open it up for you," Professor Dumbledore said kindly.
Katie nodded once, a sharp jerk of her head. But it took Professor McGonagall gently squeezing her hand to make Katie move. Her movements were mechanical and stiff, and unable to cope with the multitude of emotions that were coursing through her mind, Katie simply shut down.
XxXxXxX
The onset of spring could be a miserable time at Hogwarts. Flowers were coming into bloom, while a light rain was present most evenings. The nights were warmer than in winter, but still cool enough to make you want to stay indoors. Marcus tightened his cloak around him as he walked briskly through the rain. The rain wasn't light tonight. It was heavier than usual, one that could chill you to the bone. As he walked, Marcus cursed himself for a fool a dozen times over. Rather than being inside where any smart person was, he was outside in the cold. Rather than being curled up in front of the fire in his Common room, and letting Cecilia Warrington try to convince him that a blow job was all he was getting unless he committed to her, he was out here. In the rain. And when he found one particular Gryffindor, he was going to strangle her.
Forget about her. Simple in theory. Not so simple, when putting it into practice. Katie haunted him all the time now. Marcus found himself seeking her out. Searching for her. Watching her from within the shadows. Thinking about her, and wondering what she was doing. Wondering why she had looked so hurt when she looked up at him. He wondered, and he dreamed…. Marcus wiped water from his eyes as he scowled. He'd seen how quiet she'd been at dinner. Her house mates hadn't noticed - Katie had changed since last year's near fatal fall, and had become an expert at hiding how she really felt - but Marcus had noticed the difference. She hadn't eaten much; she'd simply pushed the food around as she listened to the conversation that flowed around her.
She'd smiled in all the right places, and had managed to laugh at a joke the twins had told, but it had sounded mechanical, even to his ears. She'd slipped away as soon as possible after dinner, and Marcus had lost her in a crush of students. She hadn't gone to Gryffindor tower, which he knew, after threatening a first year student into checking. She wasn't in the library, nor was she in any of her usual places. That only left the Quidditch pitch. And as he ducked under the stands, Marcus spotted a flash of white. Squinting through the rain, he snarled softly. Katie was standing in the middle of the pitch; her arms were out stretched, and her face was tilted upwards. The rain had to have soaked her to the bone, but she wasn't moving.
Stomping across the pitch towards her, Marcus watched as her arms dropped to her sides. Even as he reached for her, Katie's chin dropped to her chest, causing him to falter. Rather than touch her, he finally slid in front of her and waited. Katie's eyes were shut, and Marcus called her name gruffly. It was only after he'd called her name a second time that Katie lifted her head and looked up at him. Water clung to her lashes, and streamed down her cheeks. And after quickly checking her over for injury, Marcus became uncomfortably aware of how transparent her shirt was, and what she looked like clad in pale blue satin. Katie blinked slowly, and her bottom lip noticeably wobbled.
"What the hell are you doing out here, Bell?" Marcus demanded, and Katie blinked again as if she was having trouble answering his question.
"It's real isn't it, Flint?" she asked hoarsely, and Marcus heard the tears in her voice. He'd heard them often enough - had put them there often enough - to know she was close to crying.
"What's real, Bell?" he asked gruffly, and Katie choked back laughter as she turned in a slow circle.
"The rain - it's real, right?"
Marcus rolled his eyes and crossed his arms in annoyance.
"You're getting wet, aren't you?" he asked, and Katie laughed bitterly.
"Am I? I can't feel it. I should feel cold, right? I should feel… something."
Marcus narrowed his eyes and reached for as she turned another slow circle. Jerking her back to face him, he peered down into her face: he felt the first slow roll of panic in his stomach at the blank look in her eyes. Her skin was like ice, and her shirt was plastered to her arms under his hands. The rain mingled with tears on her skin, and she closed her eyes as he stared down at her.
"What the hell is going on, Bell?" he asked again, and Katie snorted as she wrenched away from him in a sudden burst of anger.
"What the hell do you care?" she spat, and she started to walk away from him as Marcus stared after her in disbelief.
With something close to snarl, Marcus crossed the distance between them in several long strides, and yanked her back around to face him. Katie's hand came up to strike out at him, only to be caught in a bone crushing grip. She yelped and struck out with her other hand, only to stumble when he shoved her backwards.
"For fuck's sake, Bell!" he near roared, and it was the use of a Muggle curse that rooted her to the spot. "I didn't come out here for shits and giggles, little girl," he continued in an angry hiss. "So what in Merlin's name has gotten your knickers in such a twist?"
Katie shoved her soaked hair back from her face, and in a rare display of temper, kicked the water that pooled on the pitch at him. Marcus jumped back slightly, but the arc of water still sprayed the front of his cloak as Katie glared at him.
"Again, Flint, why the hell do you care?" she cried.
"I'm beginning to ask myself the same question, Bell," Marcus shouted as she stomped away from him towards the Quidditch stands. "Do they give Gryffindor's special classes in pissing people off, or do they give them classes in avoidance!?"
"Neither, Flint, I'm just multi-talented that way," Katie snarled over her shoulder. "I can talk and piss you off at the same time! But enough about me, let's talk about why you give a damn!"
Marcus snickered angrily, and throwing his hands up in the air, he crossed the pitch after her. Just as she went to duck into the walkway that led to the change rooms, Marcus reached out and grabbed her arm.
"Oh, beg your pardon, but you're obviously mistaking me for someone who does give a shit, Bell!"
Katie jerked back from him as if he had slapped her; Marcus faltered in the middle of opening his mouth to shout at her again, and when Katie pressed her hands over her mouth and turned away from him, Marcus cursed viciously. Reaching out he grabbed her shoulder and spun her back to face him.
"For the love of Salazar, Katie... will you please tell me what the hell is going on?" he asked in a rough voice.
Katie pressed her lips together before answering, her voice showing both fatigue and defeat as she closed her eyes.
"Why would I give you something else to use against me, Flint?" she whispered, "when you have such inventive ways of hurting people?"
Marcus did snarl then, and he took a step towards her and lowered his head slightly as he closed his hands roughly over her shoulders.
"If I wanted to hurt you, Bell, I'd throw you off the top of a bloody Quidditch tower! Now you either answer the question, or so help me, I'll…"
"Do you think you feel the cold when you're dead?" she whispered as she opened her eyes.
Her question stopped him mid-sentence, and Marcus jerked in shock. The motion dragged her closer to him, and Katie stumbled under the abrupt movement. Her hands caught her weight against his stomach just before she collided with him, and she winced when his fingers dug into her shoulders tightly.
"Bell… Katie... What happened?" he pressed, and Katie shook her head as she closed her eyes, and lowered her chin slightly.
They stood that way for a long moment; Marcus gripping her shoulders tightly, and Katie standing with her eyes shut and refusing to answer him. Later, he wouldn't be sure if she stepped into him, or if he stepped into her, but when she bowed her head completely, it came to rest against his chest. Her hands twitched against his stomach, before they fisted in the material of his cloak, and she clutched at him in desperation. Marcus watched the rain stream down the wet length of her hair, and soak into her shirt. He felt the tremors that wracked her slim frame; when he pushed her back a step and opened his cloak with numb fingers, her eyes remained closed. It was only when he drew her against him and wrapped both his cloak and his arms around her, that she opened her eyes and looked up at him.
In the unforgiving light of the moon, her eyes looked bruised and fragile. She looked fragile. Marcus watched as Katie bit her lip against the tears that swam in her eyes, only to lower her head to hide what she obviously thought was a weakness. A weakness she thought he'd use to hurt her, he realized with a flash of anger and shame. Cupping her jaw in his hand, Marcus carefully tilted her face back up, and used his thumb to trace the track her tears had left behind. He smoothed her wet hair back over her head, only to tangle his fingers in it as he cupped the base of her skull. He shook his head slowly when she stared up at him, and then carefully pressed her face into the dip of his throat as he bent his knees slightly. And when her arms hesitantly slipped around his waist, he rubbed his chin over the crown of her head. Under the voluminous material of his cloak, the water that seeped into the front of his shirt didn't come from the sky. Marcus stood there silently, with both his arms and his cloak drawn around her, offering her shelter as she trembled against him.
"Come on," he said roughly, and wrapping his arm around her, he half led, half carried her through the dark, and back towards the castle.
Unable to speak, and barely able to walk, Katie simply followed him. But when her legs finally gave out, Marcus swore softly as he held her up. A crack of lightening lit up the night sky, and Marcus turned slightly as his narrowed gaze swept his surroundings. It wasn't like he could take her to either Gryffindor or Slytherin - not without there being too many questions asked, that he was unwilling to answer. Another crack of lightening lit up the sky, and Marcus' mouth tightened. It wasn't ideal, but it would do.
Katie barely made a sound when he swung her up into his arms; she simply rested her head against his shoulder as his long stride took them across the ground and towards the green houses Marcus had spotted while the sky was illuminated. The lighting was dim, and just a little green, and Katie could smell the rich scent of earth and flowers mingling in the air. And as Marcus crouched down and lowered her to the ground, she smelled the fragrance of crushed flowers. Marcus sat down beside her, and began to squeeze the water out of her hair. Katie lowered her eyes as tears streamed silently down her face. Marcus swung his cloak around her shoulders and slowly did the clasp up as he watched her.
"Katie?"
There was no forthcoming answer, not that Marcus had expected one. Grunting softly, Marcus leaned back against the glass wall. His hair stood up in wet spikes after he'd pushed his hand through it, and as Marcus opened his mouth to speak again, Katie shifted. For the second time in his life, Marcus found himself with an armful of Katie Bell. Her bent head rested against his chest, and her fingers moved restlessly against his ribs. For a single heart beat, Marcus didn't move. But then he sighed, and Katie closed her eyes as Marcus bodily lifted her into his lap and wrapped his arms around her.
"Katie?"
There was still no answer, and as Marcus rubbed his chin across the crown of her head again, Katie closed her eyes and sighed; a broken shudder of air, and it shook her within the arms of someone she had once deemed her enemy. A boy who had made her cry, and the young man who confused her beyond any semblance of normality. And as Marcus unknowingly held her through the worst grief she would ever feel, that tenuous bond between them solidified. There was no Slytherin Vs Gryffindor. There was no Pure blood Vs Half blood. It was just a boy holding a girl. It was just Marcus and Katie. It was an ending and a beginning, and when Katie began to openly cry, Marcus tightened his arms around her, and maintained the silence she so desperately wanted.