Part 13

At no time had Katie ever been so happy to be back in this house, in her house, albeit under the watchful eye of Molly Weasley. And it was no secret that Molly didn't like her. Constantly, she found fault with Katie. But after the days she'd had at Hogwarts, Percy's mother was probably the lesser of two evils.

At least, that's what she thought.

But by dinner time, it was again apparent what Molly really thought of her son's girlfriend. It didn't matter to Molly that Katie was the granddaughter of Minerva McGonagall. From her point of view, she just wasn't the right woman to make her son happy.

Katie was too loud, too direct for her liking. And Katie wasn't like her. And only a woman who was like herself was just good enough for Molly's sons.

Again and again, Molly's disapproving gaze wandered over to Katie.

"Percy, I've asked your father to arrange a lunch for tomorrow between you and the lovely intern in his department, so you can meet Gwen in person. She's so lovely, a perfect young woman," Molly then said, but her gaze rested on Katie.

Anxiously, Molly waited to see how the young Gryffindor would react to her words.

Katie's hand tightened around her fork, but otherwise she remained silent, unlike her friend.

"Mother, he can cancel that right now. I don't want dates with other women. I have Katie. I don't need a perfect young woman, because Katie is perfect. I love her."

"Oh Percy, you don't even know the meaning of love yet. You won't know until you meet her. Besides, who knows, maybe it's that young intern. She's very nice. I had tea with her last week. You really need to meet her. Which you will."

Molly had made a decision and she wasn't going to change it. As a mother, she just knew damn well what was best for her child. She wanted her son to meet the young woman and, ideally, fall in love with her right away. And then, hopefully, would finally forget about Katie Bell.

"I love Katie," he repeated again, reaching for his girlfriend's hand.

" You just let me worry about that. And we' ll find you a wonderful woman, one worthy of being by your side," Molly ignored his words.

She just didn't want Katie as her daughter-in-law. She wanted a good girl as a wife for her son and nothing and no one would dissuade her from that.

"I'm not listening to another word of that," Katie angrily stood up and almost ran out of the kitchen in a hurry. She couldn't take Molly's words anymore.

Stunned, Percy looked at his mother. Apparently, what he wanted didn't matter to her, or who he wanted.

"You shouldn't have said that, you had no right," was all Percy said and got up to go after Katie. He knew where he would find her.

Standing alone in that dark room, Katie stared at her mother's name on the wall. A place where she felt somehow close to her mother, a person she hoped would understand her. Sure, she knew from the few stories her father had told her that her mother had apparently long since ceased to be the person who had given birth to her, that by now she was different, crazier, more insane. Nevertheless, Katie wanted to hold on to the illusion that it would be different with her, the illusion that she somehow mattered, still mattered, to Bellatrix Lestrange. And for that reason she wanted to speak to her so badly, but also to learn the truth.

Katie felt Percy step up behind her and put his arms around her.

Drawing her into his arms, against his chest. Holding her close and giving her the support she needed.

"My mother-," Percy began.

"She doesn't like me."

"That's not true."

" And she will hate me all the more when she finds out who my parents are."

"That-"

"Percy, we both know that's the truth. It's not easy to accept that your son is dating the daughter of two Death Eaters," Katie objected.

"But I don't care. I love you."

"Oh Percy, is that really enough?"

"Yes. I love you, I don't care about anything else."

Percy tilted his head down and began to gently caress and kiss her neck and shoulders. He noticed how she slowly relaxed under his touch and the anger fell away from her.

She enjoyed it, his lips were warm and soft, and every touch of his hands and lips on her skin sent small, gentle jolts of electricity through her entire body. The world around her ceased to exist, there was no Molly, no Dolores Umbridge, and neither her parents and the problems in her life. There was just the two of them for the moment, two lovers, the magical version of Romeo and Juliet.

Turning in his arms, she looked directly at him before closing her eyes as his lips touched hers. She opened her mouth and the tips of their tongues brushed against each other. The kiss intensified, a beautiful tingling sensation filling her body.

"Let's go upstairs," he whispered.

During the night, it was her dreams that drove Katie out of bed. She stood at the window and looked out into the darkness.

Ever since she was a small child, she had been haunted by dreams. By now she could interpret some of these dreams and she recognized the people in them.

Today she had dreamed of her mother, something, a wish that was deep inside her. While she didn't really know Bellatrix, she missed her mother, longed to see her at least once, to be held by her. After all, which orphaned child didn't dream of that? And she wasn't even an orphan.

But she should remain realistic. Bellatrix Lestrange certainly wasn't the kind of mother Lilly Potter, Alice Longbottom, Narcissa Malfoy, or even Molly Weasley were. Her mother was a monster. And she was the child of a monster.

Well, tonight, she had dreamed of another side of her mother. Of a moment she had always longed for. In her dream, she had still been a little girl. And her mother had been sitting by her bed, humming a song and stroking her hair. Somehow it felt like that hadn't been a wishful dream, but a memory. The melody was so familiar to her. BUT Katie knew it wasn't real, couldn't be real.

"Are you still brooding over what my mother said? About how she's desperate to set me up with another woman, against my will? Or what's keeping you awake?" she heard Percy's sleepy voice from the bed.

"I had another dream," Katie replied without turning to him.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

As Percy knew, Katie was always haunted by dreams. They had no secrets from each other and they told each other everything. However, he would also accept it if she didn't want to talk to him now. When the time was right, she would, always.

" No, not this time," Katie first wanted to find out for herself what this dream meant before she shared it with her boyfriend.

"Then at least come back to bed to me," he begged.

Katie sighed softly before turning around and slowly walking back to the bed where Percy pulled her into his arms. He was right, there was no point in worrying about it now. However, she wouldn't let the thought and her dream fade away.

However, if Katie had known what was going on at Hogwarts at the same time, she certainly would not have fallen into a relaxed sleep.

For almost an hour, Minerva McGonagall had been sitting in Albus Dumbledore's office, discussing things with him. All the time, everything revolved around one topic, the child of prophecy and his fanatical search to find that child.

"And you're sure Harry isn't the Child of Prophecy?" asked Minerva cautiously.

"He can't be. It's impossible."

"But Albus, think about it, Harry has dark hair. The prophecy speaks of a dark child who was protected by love. Wasn't it his mother's love that saved Harry from the curse? It all adds up. He's the child we're looking for, surely he is."

It was up to Minerva McGonagall to stop Albus from continuing to search for the child of the prophecy by any means necessary. Somehow she had to do it and divert his attention to something else.

Minerva had promised Severus and Bellatrix that she would do everything to protect Katie. Even from Dumbledore. Which she would do.

"Harry's destiny is quite different. He has his own prophecy and a task that awaits him," Dumbledore replied.

"Albus, you know that prophecies don't always have to come true. And that sometimes we misinterpret them. It could be the same here," she started a last desperate attempt.

"No, we're not wrong. Somewhere out there is a child we need to find. By all means. It is vital that we do so in order for Harry to complete his task. We' re talking about the big scheme of things. We have to remember that."

At this point, Minerva knew there was no sense in talking to Albus any further. She had to find another solution. She had to protect Katie at all costs.

Even later in her rooms, she found herself unable to rest, her thoughts drifting again and again to the conversation.

She knew the prophecy, knew about the role of the child in the fight against evil. At any rate, she knew what plan Dumbledore was pursuing. And she would not let him get his hands on Katie. She just didn't know how she was going to do it.

Sighing, she put down the glass of firewhiskey she had poured herself to calm her nerves and went to the window.

It was a starry night, just as it had been the night Katie was born.

Clearly, Minerva still remembered that time, the moment when there had been a knock on her door in the early hours of the morning. When she had seen Bellatrix in the shack with the infant in her arms, humming a soft song for her child. It felt like yesterday when she had looked into the distraught faces of Bellatrix and Severus as they had entrusted the baby to her.

Minerva had sworn to herself and to Katie's parents that she would protect the little girl with her life, she would do everything to make sure that Katie had a carefree life. And actually, she had succeeded quite well. Only Albus Dumbledore still posed a problem, of course, but she would find a solution, somehow.

"I will do everything I can to protect Katie, from Dumbledore, your dark lord, and anyone who tries to harm her. I will not let you down," Minerva repeated half aloud her promise from back then and she would keep that at any cost.