XIII

LIFE AND ITS TESTS

And when everything seemed to be going okay, life went on to twist the plot of this little play. Katie and The Cod hugged Leanne strongly as the girl quietly sobbed in the middle of them both. Katie and The Cod swore then an oath to always protect their little queen, their small precious bean—a queen, and not a princess anymore. These were the words that marble would carry:

MARY BEASLEY
born 21 May 1953
died 03 August 1993

And the epithet was truly too personal to write, but it merited me saying: it fitted everything just right.

And the reader may ask: how do you know that, when the first mention of Leanne's mother is when she is in her coffin?

That is a question I've had myself often, one whose answer I have yet to digest. Now that Mrs Beasley finally had her rest, things only seemed to grow in their meaning when she was not there. And suddenly it became easier, but harder still, to remember her soft brown hair, her easy grin, her attitude, which was very chill, even when things were not got going so thrill.

But now she passed away, in a car accident at that.

And in Leanne's mind, since that day, it burned, though she hid it well, that faintest possibility: that were she with her on that day, maybe she could've kept that from happening with a spell.

But she wasn't there.

And Leanne kneeled in front of her mother's grave, her red hair making a great wave as fierce currents of air passed through them making a great noise, hiding Leanne's sounds of despair.

Things were difficult, and Katie would even forget about the beauty of Leanne's smile for a great while. Leanne was disgusted when the Beasleys came to see her dad and didn't take more than some minutes on the clock to ask about the gold and his investments on currency or a particular stock.

Leanne herself put that lot on the run, quite ready to break the law, the words of the stunning spell locked in her jaw, brandishing her wand against those vile individuals, who quickly fled the hostile witch.

Time healed all, but that they did not have, because soon there came the Hogwarts Express call.

Mr and Mrs Weasley had made sure to visit their distant cousin on the 31st and brought many baked goods to help with the sorrow. Leanne was especially worried about her dad, but Mrs Weasley promised she would come back tomorrow and every few days or so to have a look at the man.

"I'll try my best to keep a look on him, dear, while I still can."

And Leanne hugged that adorable witch, and tried not to—but could not help but—wail in a quiet tone, but in a high pitch, and the situation downed on her at once, as she cried.

Her mother had died.

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny had come with Mrs Weasley. They all gave their condolences to Leanne and Mr Beasley.

Mr Weasley offered to have everyone use the Ministry cars on the ride to the station, and Leanne had a very tearful parting with her dad, who looked at Leanne with love and adoration.

"We'll get through this, my pretty flower. Go on now, it is getting near the hour."

And Leanne hugged her old man, and squeezed him quite hard, trying to convey what words she kept on guard, held back on her chest—on their chests, rather, as Mr Beasley couldn't, too, make up the words, but they would prevail, one day, upon life and its tests.

But for now, they would have to avail and just hope for the best.

At first the Weasley clan was hesitant on how to accommodate our dear mournful girl, but they quickly discovered that the best plan and went on to unfurl it. Mrs Beasley had passed and there was nothing that they could do, but perhaps a laugh or two wouldn't be so bad.

And so Leanne grasped her friend's hands as Fred and George went on a particular doodad they were both working on, and permitted herself in a long time to smile, a rare appearance in the months that would follow, but still a gem to gaze when it happened once in a while.

The fact that Ron turned into a giant canary bird may not have left her with much choice, though, and people just looked in to rejoice the sound of her laughter, and this time—and only this time—they hadn't heard Mrs Weasley's chastising voice, or even Ron's complaint, to which Katie and The Cod, and their friends thanked with a discrete nod.

It was just our favourite trio on the Hogwarts Express, trading stories and playing cards and playing chess. Harry, Ron and Hermione went on their own, and Ginny and Luna found a cabin with some outgoing Hufflepuffs on their year that would acquiesce them both.

Everything went pretty good for most of the trip, but suddenly the weather just became the worst and the train stopped just as they were arriving in Scotland, making The Cod let out a little outburst.

"Man, I'm so hungry I could just chomp on the whole chocolate frog swamp. Did the train broke or—"

But then he fell quiet as a mysterious fog began to involve them, and Katie heard nothing and felt only cold and a tightening on her chest as that eerie white smoke invaded their space, leaving them all depressed.

Katie saw Leanne's despaired face and The Cod's hands beginning to tremble and spoke:

"I think I know what this is—"

And then they heard its croak before they saw it, but it appeared in front of them: a faceless monster in a ragged cloak, putrid, cold, sorrowful, old, full of misery, covered in mould or something equally gruesome. And the loathsome creature gazed at them from the window and continued down the corridor in haste, but it was enough to left an effect on each one of them as it passed.

Katie saw vivid and palpable in her mind a dashing fair-haired young man, with blankness clouding his eyes, these ones the colour of turbulent skies, shooting a spell, prompting the cries of a pregnant witch, her features the same as his, with tears abundant on her face. She saw him trace her eyebrow before shooting at her a green spell, and suddenly there was no more life in her eyes, her body only a shell.

She heard Leanne whimper and cry and went on to give her an embrace. The Cod quickly went on to join them, his trembling hands trying to dry Leanne's teary face.

And in that embrace they remained for quite some time, until a gentle ragged-looking wizard prompted them to give their chocolate frogs a bite, as he hastened down the train.

And immediately they all felt less tight and more light.

"That was a Dementor," said The Cod, confirming Katie's guess. "The new Creatures Professor asked the guy at Flourish and Bott's to recommend the fourth-years and up to read their pages. But I didn't know those big shots would ever dare leave their post on Azkaban."

"Well, it's been ages since they left, but they and the Ministry were so humiliated with Black, that they had to fire back."

The Cod made a disgusted face.

"So now we'll just have to deal with those monsters invading our space? Are they going to be at the school?"

Leanne grimaced.

"Dad talked about some new security measures, but they wouldn't be so cruel, would they?"

They stayed in silent for a while, before Leanne spoke once again.

"They're so vile. How can such a thing exist? A creature solely devoted to torture and twist and to have your wits twined!"

She then asked in a quiet voice.

"Wh-what did it show you? In my mind, there was only … there was only her, on the moment she died—that damned speeding car that hit her on the side. I could—I mean …"

Katie went on to hug her as The Cod grasped both of their hands, his ones trembling still.

Our little Bell wanted to tell that there was nothing she could do, but understood that that she already knew. Rather, she shared:

"When I felt the chill taking on hold, suddenly I saw my Aunt Claire and … and the Gazecold."

Leanne looked at her with teary eyes.

"I'm so sorry Katie. I saw in your house the other day the portrait of Mrs Clark, and—"

"And the portrait of Elmer Bell. Yes, I saw it too. Dad took it out, now that everyone in the house knew. I think—I think he chose to believe in … Uncle Elmer. He thinks the Gazecold thing was him being controlled by that damn Slughorn. But I cannot—"

Katie sighed.

"I cannot see his face and not think of the unborn: the twins, John and Jane Clark. They got their little names etched on her stone …" she tried to continue, but her voice had lost its tone.

Leanne kissed her on the forehead and looked at The Cod.

"What about you, Cod? Do you want to, you know—"

The Cod hesitated much before beginning, but answered in a similarly subdued tone.

"I saw myself alone, and all around me there wasn't a single one that wasn't a stranger. I forgot what your faces looked like and only saw a bunch of people looking at me as if I was some kind of danger. It was so cold and void and empty and dark. There were hearths around but the only one that felt even a bit warm was the one that left out this brilliant green spark. But when I got close to it, it tried to pull me in, and everything around me was blurred, and I forgot everything, every face, every word."

Katie and Leanne looked at each other in fright at The Cod's strangely detailed sight.

"And when I got out of that, some weird fellows were dragging me towards a castle in the middle of the cold season, and those guys were speaking German for Merlin knows what f* * * * reason."

And then he let out a snort. Katie and Leanne hesitated but soon grinned at his report. And not long enough after that whole hassle, they had arrived in the castle.

Katie did not know what it was, but she felt that the last schoolyear had turned some kind of key inside herself; and things did not appear the same. Chiefly above the changes was Quidditch: though she loved the game, last term was so filled with anguish over being separated from her friends, over the Heir of Slytherin promoting his prejudiced cleanse, over the school social tissue being ripped at its ends, that now, things just looked a bit askew.

It wasn't like she didn't like the sport or something of that sort—quite the contrary, mind you. But the appeal of the Cup just hadn't the same hold on her as it had before the ordeal. She supposed it would be awesome to win it this year, but at the same time, the possibility of it not happening did not fill her heart with fear as it did on her second year, when they had that tremendous loss against the Claws.

She made a pause on that line of thought—she was a big shot on the house because she was on the team, and that had been a great influence on her self-esteem. But now it was … not?

It was hard to describe, and harder still to parse it into words on the spot. Katie wondered if that change of heart was the beginning of that whole wisdom and maturity thing; she also wondered if she was just not that very smart, and had just blundered a good stake of her personality and effort onto something she wouldn't mind being apart.

But that wasn't wholly true, was it? Whatever personal blue she may have had, she was sure it was not wholly of her own. Those Dementors flying in the distance had set a whole depressing tone over the school, even if their aura remained away, over the barriers—they didn't need to, their vision alone was, for most, already a nightmare fuel.

So our dear Katie Bell went on to double down on training, and she did very well, and the others followed her, almost overexerting and straining. But they all had something in mind: they had to give Wood that Cup; he could be a bit harsh at times, but he was the one that went on to cheer-up them every year, and hyped them up, in that strange mixture of optimistic cheer and his austere way to lead. But, oh, his face on that day was—for some reason—filled with anger and dread:

"Flint's just been to see me. We're playing Hufflepuff instead."

Which they did not know much about, since their Seeker and a Beater had been in the Seventh Year and were now, on this term, out.

"They've got a new Captain and Seeker, Cedric Diggory—"

Angelina and Alicia giggled, while Katie wiggled in her seat. Cedric was a very charming guy, strong and silent and sincere—a type of guy hard to come-by.

"He's that tall, good looking one, isn't he?" said Angelina.

And Alicia laughed as a hyena at the faces of them lads all around, and Katie grinned.

"Oh, don't be so down, boys. I think you are all lush!" said her, finding it rather funny how they all had a little flush, becoming a little red.

"Let's train then! To the air everyone, now. Go ahead," said Wood, who just gave the girls a glare, to which they just replied with a innocent and deadpan stare.

Katie smiled as she took to the air. It felt good to have a bit of fun now and then, even if that was starting to become rare.

It was on the way back that she and Harry had finally some time alone. And he told her all about Black, and about the screams he'd heard when he fell prone in front of the Azkaban guards on the train.

"Harry, don't listen to them. I have heard that Millicent, Derwent and Vincent left a giant stain on their seats. And—"

She hesitated to say, but decided then that she wouldn't hide it from Harry. And she told him of that scary image. Harry became confused when she had finished talking.

"Does that mean that it wasn't necessarily real?" he asked, his tone a bit shocking.

Katie stopped walking and looked at her friend with a sharp gaze. Then he continued:

"I thought that scream was … you know, my mother?"

And Katie's own eyes became a little bright, and she went on to smother that little guy in a fierce hug. He stiffened at first, but didn't put on any fight as she continued it. He then said in a light tone:

"I thought hugs were just for when we won."

Katie's heart skipped a beat, and she felt her face being flooded with a little heat.

"Shut up, Potter! You owed me one, don't you remember? All the way back from November last year."

Harry grinned and let go off her for a moment.

"You mean, at that time when Lockhart wiped the bones of my arm clear?"

Katie grinned back.

"Good to see that he wiped only your arm and not that pitch-black void you call your mind."

And then something hit Katie like a train, and she asked a question that now was picking at her brain.

"What the hell happened to Lockhart? You never told me that right."

And he told her, and Katie felt something tight grow in her chest, but she hadn't yet the time to think over and to wrest that. And then Katie noticed they were veering off the road, towards the lake and went on to talk to him about everything—she missed this, and by the way he was smiling, he too was enjoying that little break. At one point he stopped in hesitation.

"Thanks … for that. Whatever this is," he paused, and a wind whiz ran over them. "In my first year, those points … people got it right. It was because of that dragon—"

Katie looked at him gobsmacked, as he went to drag on and on about their perilous way up the tower to give 'Norbert' a way out (she thanked once more she hadn't taken the Creatures elective before) the moment the clock stroke midnight hour.

"You didn't need to tell me that—"

Harry shrugged and said:

"I thought I should have handled that better. Anyway, I'm glad that was over. If it weren't for your letter …" he finished, with a blush, and put out his hands for her to shake. "Friends?"

Katie teared her gaze from his face towards the lake, hers similarly having a flush before she turned back to Harry and arched her eyebrow.

"I thought we were already friends?"

Harry looked down.

"Well, more than friends?"

Katie didn't know what to say, but instincts took over and she put her big left warty foot on her mouth.

"We're super friends, the best!" she said, derailing things even more south.

And she shook his hands quite enthusiastically, both of them quite red. And then there was a silence, as they looked—far in the distance—the Dementors floating in the air. And in Katie's mind there was only:

'Congratu-f* * *-lations Katie Bell, that really came out of nowhere. Why these things have to be so hard?'

But then her Gryffindor bravery came through, and she caught even herself out of guard.

"Do you want to go to Hogsmeade the next time they set a day?"

But Harry's face discouraged her, and she felt, even before he had anything to say, a bit ashamed, and her face very warm.

"I don't know if I can—I mean … My relatives, they didn't signed my form."

"Oh, what a shame. That's alright, though."

Harry hesitated, and hesitated, but did not answer. The pair made, then, a beeline to the castle's front door, where both of them remembered they had some homework to finish, or that they had to tend to a particular chore.

Katie quickly went up the stairs, putting airs of 'I-don't-care', not fooling anyone, not even herself and certainly no one that knew where to look.

Which perhaps was why she had even McLaggen quite shook, when he asked his question and she answered without a single moment of introspection.

"Of course I'll go to Hogsmeade with you, McLaggen. I look forward to the next announced day."

The boy was quite surprised and quickly exited the scene, probably not wanting to risk whatever it was that skewed things his way. Leanne levelled her with a stare, while The Cod sent a glare towards McLaggen, equal parts affronted and struck.

"Katie," began Leanne in a measured and diplomatic tone. "What in the flying fu—?"

She just wanted to set the whole castle and that whole idiot town on fire. Things were a bit weird in the days that followed, but Harry was a professional, she had to admire. She pretended nothing happened, too.

But the thing was: she knew she had screwed things. And she couldn't get over that. Poor McLaggen was a gentleman, even though she behaved like a little brat. The whole thing was very awkward and totally her fault, because Cormac was actually worth his salt and was very kind with her throughout it all.

Which was the reason, perhaps, she entered a few side streets and stopped at Honeydukes, and bought some sweets for him. She bought some for Harry, too—something lemony, something with mint; yes, he would like that. It was a shame that The Cat hadn't signed his form. And then, she heard them sprint:

Leanne and The Cod tried to hide, but she wasn't a Chaser for nothing. She went behind the stone pillars they were confined and trained her wand on The Cod's scaly behind.

"Ouch, you little b—"

"C'mon, stinky fish, you wicked witch, let's go back towards the castle."

They were a bit ashamed they had been caught but went on to follow her as she turned on the spot.

The Cod began to say in a timid voice.

"Just so you know, I had no choice—"

"You rotten urea-stained fish. You were the one with the idea!"

Katie just smiled and unwrapped a sweet or two as the pair behind her bickered the whole way through.

But it appeared Katie couldn't have no slack, as on that night it was the day that Sirius Black decided to attack. Her eyes searched the crowd and confirmed, amidst the noise and the loud chatter, that, indeed, Harry was there. She felt relieved seeing that he had not crossed packs with Black—nor had anyone in the house for that matter.

The days passed with a kind of weird pace. McLaggen had accepted her apologies with grace, but Katie knew, just by his stance, there and then, that her shots with him went from 'high' very quickly to 'not a chance'.

She saw Harry, from time to time, level her a curious glance, and she only discovered the reasons why by chance—by Draco Malfoy nonetheless.

It seemed Harry went to Hogsmeade on that day! Katie didn't know how to feel.

On one hand, she wanted to bury her head in shame—she remembered that whole Invisibility Cloak deal, and thought to herself: 'I think Hermione and Ron had asked for a third cup and a third meal!'

On the other hand, she just wanted to hit him where sun-light and moon-shine didn't land.

She did neither, she just went her patented 'Bell Way to Deal with Problems and Some Personally Bothersome Stuff™', and went absolutely cray-cray in Quidditch practice—'when in doubt, go rough on sports stuff, to make brain smooth and thinking slow!'

It was enough to soothe her until the match, though.

And what a disaster that whole sh* *show was, eh?

The match was over, and they hadn't even lost by much. Katie and the Chasers playing was without smutch even in that horrible weather. Wood didn't even tried to drown himself this time—and yes, George was keeping him on the line.

Katie didn't know whether she should feel anger or worry, whether she should hit herself, hit Harry or to hunt that crazy and scary house-elf to hit Harry in her place. What was his name, Toby or something?

Worry (dis)coloured her face as she glanced at his lying figure. To think that she may have never saw him again … for things quite silly, that anyone with half a brain saw, really, how daft they could be …

When his eyes fluttered open, she felt relief come back to her, mixed with barely contained glee. He was now alive and well.

And in that moment, our dear Katie Bell noticed how she had that phrase always on repeat: 'alive and well, alive and well'. But it seemed par for the course with Harry. And as he tried to seat, aided by Neville and Ron, she resigned herself to the reality that imposed itself:

'There would never be anything easy around Harry. So she might as well just hold on and bring with her what good she could carry. But she would be there!'

Ha, and there we have it, my dear reader: the beginnings of our favourite pair. I did tell the reader, when Katie and Harry first met, that I would set her straight at any rate, didn't I? Though don't be so excited, she will still try to deny, would you believe me?

No? Then, my friend, just wait and see, just wait and see, indeed.

But there is something very important now: all cards are set. Let's see now what Katie will do with that, eh?

Notes:

"Lush": very nice

Thank you for reading. I appreciate any and all feedback.