The Broken Promise
Summary: Promises are never made to be broken, but Katherine Potter struggles to keep her word to her brother James, when dancing with darkness is the request made by Albus Dumbledore. She must learn the details of Voldemort's group of Death Eaters, to be used as a weapon in the war against good vs evil. While trying to recover her missing memory, learning her strengths and to keep the promise, she swore to the stars. Darkness is temptation, when evil whispers sweet things. Tortue, forced marriage, death all around her, Katherine is determined to live. She is not a hero but a woman not willing to be a pawn in a man's game of war. This is her tale of survival.
Chapter One- Normal
(Song inspiration: Paralyzed- NF)
Grief. It was the one emotion that everyone claimed to comprehend but treated it like an inconvenience. Time will heal all wounds, people promised Katherine when she was a young girl after the main person in her life died.
At the age of twelve, when a girl needed her mother the most. One of the hardest years of her life. But the day still lingered around like the unwanted shadow. The day where every witch and wizard came to show respect and say goodbye, Katherine remember watching her father weep like a child. Her brother being only thirteen, surrounded himself with his friends. Katherine remembered clinging onto Charity Burbage's hand. The two friends watching as Katherine's mother was resting in a casket. Ready to enter the next phase of death. To rot in the ground while the soul went to the afterlife. Leaving behind her two children. James and Katherine Potter.
To be alone, without her. Children were expected to realize that parents would die. It was to early. Katherine wasn't ready. Never wanting to let go. Luckily Charity never left her side. A friend that understood the grief of losing a parent. Wretchedly, Charity had lost both.
Moments that were gone from the present and needed to rest in the past. Katherine wanted to laugh at that thought. It was expected of everyone. To live life, like normal. To be normal.
What was normal?
The rain from the dark clouds hid the stars from anyone's view. Unlike the surrounding area, Katherine was dry. Using the simple air shield orb to protect the blue dress she wore.
Blue was normal, she thought. Why would she choose blue? Where did the dress even come from. It fitted her form perfectly, showing her body. A body that had so many flaws, it wasn't normal. No, she disagreed with herself, it just didn't exceed the expectation that the world put on witches. The white cloak wrapped around her dry body, not for warmth. But to hide the normal dress she wore but more importantly to hide her figure. The elements of mother nature did not enter her orb. Ignoring the lightening that struck above. The smell of burning wood was almost pleasant.
Her normal, keeping her gaze toward the only stone that mattered.
Euphemia Potter. A respected witch, loving wife and caring mother. May she Rest in Peace
It was years since her mother's death. Yet her grave looked the same. Purple flowers placed in the vase. As if time was always frozen in the cemetery. It probably was, after all, death was the only thing in the area. Tracing the last three letters of her mother's name, the stone was cold against her fingertip. Mimicking the temperature that she refused to allow in thru her magic orb.
Mia…her fingers repeated the tracing a few more times. Wishing that her magic could bring her back. But only a stone could do such a thing according to the fairytales that her mum would tell her at night. It wasn't just a nickname to Katherine.
Mia was important. The name had meaning. Katherine bit her bottom lip, holding back the past hurt from that moment. She had screamed, cried, threw a fit that no twelve-year-old should do. Trying to convince her father that her mum's grave should say MIA.
Mia was the name that friend and family called her. She was a woman that enjoyed nicknames, it was more intimate and special. Her dad didn't respect the wish. Anger crept thru her body longing to wrap around her heart. Running her fingers thru her long hair. It was a battle that she was upset she lost. Wasn't the first battle she lost against her father. Just another notch. The burning smell of wood became faint.
Bringing her hands toward her face. Burrowing inside her palms. Being lost in the moment.
Mum…..please…I need your help. The unspoken words that Katherine wanted to scream. She probably could, her orb would keep it contained. No one would hear her. Did they ever hear her when she screamed?
Her body pressed against the cold stone, laying on top of her mum. To not be alone. Its what she felt, and being lost and confused. It was all just the beginning. Gripping onto the marble stone, Katherine didn't know if she would vomit from all the spinning her head was feeling. Her heartbeat was beating normal, though her chest ached. Breathing seemed a bit hard, with every breath she had tried to catch herself from sobbing. It didn't make sense. She didn't understand.
It was only five years since her mum died to her recollection. But today proved her wrong. The last memory she remembered was arguing with her father. The fighting never stopped between them.
"You never listen to me dad," Katherine recalled how that night began. The words played out in her mind, a memory she did remember. A moment that she could never forget.
"I'm listening now and you are being ridiculous. You came home late and a mess. You are a disgrace." His voice was stern. Even now with it being two years since that moment, she almost wanted to curl in a ball and cry her eyes out. No shedding a tear because of him, it was over with. She made that promise even before that moment.
"I told you what happened. But you won't believe me…."
"You sneak out all the time Katherine, don't act like I don't know…. you have even missed some classes all last semester at Hogwarts."
"So does James" Katherine pleaded.
"This conversation isn't about MY SON" he yelled. Oh, how the house shook, his voiced had boomed thru the manor.
"Maybe it should be, he isn't perfect, but you listen to him like his word is more important. YOU LISTEN TO EVERYONE BUT ME…I NEEDED SOMEONE TONIGHT AND NO ONE WAS HERE FOR ME…NOT…NOT even you" her voice cracked at the end, still fighting back the sadness that wanted to escape.
"Do not walk away from me Katherine."
"KATHERINE POTTER"
It was the last thing she could remember. Being seventeen years old leaving her father behind. Yet in a moment, a blink almost. In her mind it felt that way. She now two years older standing in the cold wilderness wind kissing her skin. Not knowing what she was doing in the streets. Wearing a blue gown, holding a white cloak in her hand. Tears streaming down her face. An aching heart. She had run to the only place that she could think of.
A place of answers or a home where she felt she never belonged.
Katherine felt like a fool now, looking at the name next to her mother's name. Fleamont. Her father. A confirmation that he was dead too. He probably was scolding in the afterlife at her, pointing and saying that she was the fool he knew all along. She had ran, after being confused in the streets to his house, well her home. What she thought was still her home. Instead, when she entered the building, it looked different. Her mother's touch was gone. But what really caught her attention was her brother James on one knee smiling huge. Lily Evans now wore their mother's ring. To see all of that play out before her, was a surprise.
Closing her eyes, she could still picture Peter Pettigrew's shock face. It was his gasp and horror gaze staring at her that gave it away. Everyone looked at her but all she could do was focus on her mother's ring.
A beautiful gem that was meant to be for her. It was never supposed to be on Lily Evan's finger. Pushing her body up, Katherine didn't want to think of her mother's ring now on Lily. It took everything she had not to grasp it and ruin the whole moment. It was the main reason she fled away, even after hearing Remus saying how it had been two years since they saw her. Making everything even more confusing. It was only a second to her. It felt like a second.
Thunder shook the orb that still protected her from the drops of cold rain. To stay here was tempting, but Katherine knew realistically she would be a sitting duck for anything. Times were dangerous still. Danger lurked around every corner with the war going on. The war thanks to You-Know-Who. Her body shivered just from the thought of him. She didn't need any of the four boys, well men now, to inform her that the war wasn't over. She saw the Death Eater mark in the sky. Luckily it was a few miles away, but the constellation of the stars haunted her.
It haunted everyone Katherine was certain of that.
Another shiver ran down her back, the thought of the mark not far from her family's home. It was just another day, reminding herself.
The nape of her neck tickled; the uneasy feeling didn't vanish. Something was watching her; she could feel it, her gut wouldn't let her down. Her stomach turned, there was no food to warm her throat. Feeling weak from holding the orb and everything happening. She wasn't capable, no shaking the negative thought from her mind. She was capable. She was a Potter, she was ambitious, she was….
Reaching for her wand, inside her cloak. Turning her body slowly to scan the cemetery. Nothing. There was nothing in her view.
I'm alone Wished it was true.
Wind started to swirl around her orb. A shake from within it. The way it moved, wanting to wrap around her, lift her long hair. It seemed familiar. No it couldn't be. Wind was all the same…unless it was made from…Katherine didn't want to think of it.
What if it was magic? She didn't want to accept it. Her orb was strong enough to hold out the elements. The wrong person or creature could easily shatter it all. Reaching to touch the wall of her orb, pressing her palm firmly against it. Pouring her magic more into it.
The wind pushed again. She could feel the wildness and magic from it. It wasn't just normal wind. Vibration tickled her fingers pushing more magic into the orb. Mending the cracks the second hit caused. Scanning the grounds, following the path that led toward the woods. Katherine could have sworn her heart stopped beating. Her mouth was to dry to even scream if she desired to do such a thing.
Breath….she needed to breath…dropping her hand from her orb. Katherine stared at the thing that was staring back at her with those golden eyes. The eyes looked like two flames in the night. It was a tall person, no maybe it was a creature. A bear? Trying to assure herself that it had to be a bear. The size of it was daunting.
The hunt was in its eyes. She stood there like its prey, waiting. Raising her chin with her steady wand.
Come little bear and come to your end….. Katherine was not going to allow some creature to hunt her.
Crunch
Feeling her body becoming paralyzed, she didn't want to look away from those eyes. What if it was a trap? With the mark not being far, with the wind purposely trying to break her protection. To try to take on two things, her knowledge wasn't strong enough. But her will to survive was. Katherine lifted her wand higher toward the still figure with those eyes. She moved her left hand up facing the sound where she heard the crunch of a branch. Wandless dual magic was tricky, but she would fight figuring the skill out before death claimed her on her mother's grave.
"Katherine" a deep voice filled her ears. It wasn't the youthful playful voice she was use to. James sounded more like their father now. The grip on her wand released a bit. Turning to face him, the instant regret of it all. Those eyes. She looked away from them.
Turning to look back at the path into the woods, the floating eyes were gone. Feeling stupid and doing the idiotic move. To turn her back on something, on a bear, she corrected herself. A normal bear. It was normal for bears to wander out of the woods, she needed to stop being silly.
A bear with magic, no…she wouldn't allow her mind to play tricks on her. The wind came from the weather. It was still raining….The wildness of the wind was just mother nature.
"There you are," James's suit was soaking wet, he didn't even try to use an orb to protect him. His black hair that matched hers, clung to his wet skin. Allowing him to enter her orb. He stood next to her. He wasn't the height of Remus or Sirius, but still a few inches taller than her. He used his magic to warm and dry himself off. The heat stung her eyes.
Her shoulder felt heavy, the weight of his hand was stronger. He was stronger not just magically but as a person. His features softened, unlike their father. James pulled his round glasses off of his face, the heat he used caused them to fog.
"They have a spell for that" Katherine finally spoke. Her voice felt meek, soft…. almost broken. No, she wasn't broken. Taking in a deep breath, she straightened her stance once more. Titling her head a bit to look at him. Scanning his brown eyes that matched their fathers. A smile crept on his face, nearly reaching them.
Katherine smirked, "I was wondering when you would come here," she knew he would. James always came.
Well correction, he normally did. Until he started to try and date Lily. Hiding the distaste from her face. Katherine pushed the thought away.
James sat. Allowing herself to fall beside him, his breathing was deep. He kept looking at her trying to figure something out.
"You look similar to mum, your blue eyes, everything on your face….." watching his gaze fall onto their mother's name.
"The line of Shafiq was true on her,"
James agreed but his brows scrunched together, "Its just Potter genes were more dominate in me…and you look more of a Shafiq than most of our older relatives."
Katherine shrugged. She didn't understand the whole nature of it all. The pair both shared dark hair, hair like both their parents. But she was fair, with smaller features, blue eyes that matched everything true to the Shafiq line. A privileged her mother would whisper to her when she was younger.
Silence hung in the night. Neither of them speaking but just both remembering the days before all of this. James's arm was rested on her shoulders, holding her stiff body.
"You ran off pretty quick, I wasn't sure I would find you," he broke the silence. She nearly missed the words he spoke, being loss in her thoughts. He must have truly cared to go searching for her after his proposal.
Nudging his side. "Thought I vanished in thin air" she teased. Addressing the elephant in the room. Well in the cemetery. According to them, its exactly what she did. Vanished.
James head went back, a small laugh left his throat. "Wouldn't be the first time" he snickered shoving her right back. That moment was what she longed for. To feel normal even though her mind wasn't normal to her. She didn't need to run away from…him…James was her person.
To run and never return.
Running is all you do, running from your problems.
She could hear her father's words clearly in her ears. Glaring at his name, he was wrong she assured herself. She didn't run from her problems. Pushing the warmth of anger away from her heart. Refusing to let it consume her.
Leaning against the only living thing in this place. Needing the structure and support he was lending. James would never give up on her. Even though they had their fights in the past, a smile finally painted on her face, how the past fights seemed simple now.
"I'm happy for you and Lily," she said those words more for herself. To assure herself that she was happy for James. Not the ring part, but that was a battle for another day. "You will have a beautiful family, I saw the Auror badge on the inn table. I see you are still doing it."
Being an Auror wasn't something a person could just stop doing. Katherine was glad he was still alive in the time of war. Saying the words, I'm happy you are alive, and the war didn't kill you seemed a bit dark, even for herself.
"Mother would be proud" she quickly added.
"Thank you, Kat," hearing her nickname leave his lips. It wasn't the same one their mother called her, but a name his best-friend gave her. Everyone called her that, she hated it but never told a soul.
He continued, "Father would be too,"
Katherine arched her brow, her jaw ached from her pressing hard against her teeth.
"He loved you too Kat, he-"
Katherine rose, narrowing her eyes, the orb she was trying to contain dropped. The anger of their father was consuming her more than she could contain her magic. Wet liquid splashed against her body, wind whipping her cloak open. Gaining his full attention from the scene she was causing.
"Tolerated, let's be honest with one another…..he didn't care about me." Lightning struck the ground not far from them. Like the stars were warning her of something. Or maybe it was her father still trying to make her feel weaker than James.
"He loved you Katherine, even with his last breath…its" he stopped, he used his magic to place an orb around them, shutting out the weather. His orb was much stronger, she could feel the electric calmness from his powers. Calming her. Wrapping the cloak around her, she didn't want his powers to be used on her. She wasn't a child anymore. Pushing his magic away.
He continued, "Even with the attire you wear, your still the same….At least that didn't change," his caring eyes landed on hers. She wanted to shove him back down, to scream and curse him out with all of her being. She didn't want to hear about their father and the love she knew he didn't have for her. It's the only reason her heart had to be aching.
Only longing for someone to love you, could hurt like this. Reaching inside her cloak, she gripped the item that was making her go crazy. The only answer that she could give him. To allow James to understand. The weight of her secret.
"Do you trust me James," she asked. Her voice wanting to shake, but she refused. His nod was all the confirmation she needed. Allowing her fist to exit the silk material. The weight of the secret rested in her hand. Like one hundred kilos weighing her down. The unknown fog of her memory was something she too wanted answers. Gripping the locket tightly in her fist, the gold chain leaked from her grasp.
"James I'm sorry" the apology was faint. Barley leaving her dry lips. Her fingers slowly opened allowing both of them to look at the locket. The hourglass placed perfectly in the center. Filled with sand. Sand of time.
Feeling like time itself was standing still, she didn't care about the eyes anymore from earlier, but wanting James to understand that she didn't mean to break the promise. Looking thru her long black lashes, her daze didn't falter from James's face. He pinched the bridge of his nose, rubbing his forehead. His chest raised and lower, with each deep breath.
To hold the time turner after all these years, it had to be shocking.
"You were supposed to return it. You kept it after all these years?" he went to grab it but pulled away, "Who else knows?" She didn't need to ask, the disappointment stern looked mimicked their father.
Unlike her father, she struggled to keep the tears from falling. Her vision blurry. The guilt of the broken promise was crashing down on her body. She betrayed him. Do not cry, do not cry, her vison slowly returned back to normal.
"I should have listened," her body swaying, "I feel this is my price to pay. To not know what I did, or where I went, to have these two years loss forever….." Everything came with a price. The one lesson her father did teach her.
James's head shook, "Not forever, there is a way…Time Turners always have a mark."
She showed him how it was wiped clean, using her wand to pull nothing no memory, everything was like new. As if it was reset to start over. Watching James's adam apple bobble up and down, he slowly shook his head.
"Albus Dumbledore would be able to figure all of this out."
I took everything she had not to throw the timer in his face. How could he suggest the owner of the locket. The person she didn't want to see, the person that she stole from. To admit to the headmaster what she did. James must have sensed her action; he quickly grabbed the locket from her. Turning it over.
Katherine explained how her mind wouldn't allow her to grasp the memory she knew were sealed shut. How they were like a ribbon dangling Infront of her, but hard to retrieve. James didn't question or push her to try and use her magic to retrieve any of it. He just listened taking it all in turning the locket over but never touching the hourglass.
"I'm not lying, I swear."
"I believe you…but does anyone know about this?" he pressed again.
"Charity never knew, she assumed I returned it. I had grabbed our invisibility cloak and told her I was doing just that." Its all she could remember. She didn't return it but even small parts in her teen years were gone. James didn't have any answers about it, just that he felt they needed Albus help.
"Father was upset with me when he learned I had brought his cloak to school, he probably would know what to do with all of this."
Katherine rolled her eyes, "He would have scolded me, probably turned me into the ministry of magic for doing such a thing," her voice snapped thinking of him. But she knew her father wouldn't have turned toward Albus. Taking it as pride, but he didn't go to Albus the way James was promoting. Neither of their parents did such a thing. It was odd to see James being drawn to Dumbledore, the relationship was something she would have to question about on another day.
"He would have helped you Katherine…. I don't know what to do with this…maybe Rem- "
Katherine interrupted, "No. Swear it that you will not tell them a word…. Swear to me James…That neither Remus, Peter, Sirus or even!"
"I will not deny my future wife information Katherine. I won't tell them three, but I will not do that to Lily" James firmly said. He was always against keeping secrets.
Crossing her arms, Katherine clung to the locket tightly "Fine" she snapped. Not wanting to let Lily in on this secret, but she knew that James would put Lily first. After all she was soon to be his wife. Bile wanted to warm her throat, but her empty stomach growled instead.
"I will send an owl to Dumbledore, requesting this meeting. But Katherine" he finally rose, his hand touched her shoulder once more, "No more lies" his statement rang in her ears.
She gave an understanding nod. He turned from her, but she knew he requested her to follow. Stepping behind James wasn't her style. Katherine broke out of his orb, walking ahead of him. She could hear James's faint chuckle. The free-falling rain soaked her once more, she didn't have the energy to care. Walking toward the Potter Manor that she knew a crowd of people would be waiting.
A/N : Thank you for reading. Reviews are appreciated.
Chapter Two should be up 16th of March.
