The first week of school at Hogwarts was marked by persistent clouds and rain, casting a sombre mood over the castle. For the fourth-years, however, the dreary weather was a minor concern compared to the mountain of homework and extra assignments piling up.
Professor McGonagall quickly enlightened them on the reason behind this rush and overload of tasks. "You're entering a very important part of your education. Next year, you'll sit for your Ordinary Wizarding Level Exams, and I don't need to tell you how pivotal they are for your future career choices."
"There are two years before we need to take the OWLs! What's the point of ruining my life now?" – Sirius complained after Transfiguration as they headed for lunch.
"I somehow doubt this was designed with the precise intention to torture you." – Remus answered, not trying to cover his sarcasm – "Personally, I'm glad we can start preparing in advance and not overstress at the end."
"I agree with Moony." – Catherine chimed in, nodding.
"What a surprise!" – Sirius smirked – "For me, the most important thing this year is winning the bloody Quidditch Cup!
"I second that!" – James said determinedly – "Flame, do you want us to help you prepare for the try-outs?"
"Sure." – Catherine replied, though her voice lacked enthusiasm.
"Come on! It's gonna be fun!" – Sirius assured her – "With us training you, there's no way you can fail to become one of the new Gryffindor Chasers!"
Catherine raised an eyebrow. "If you don't knock me off my broom during practice! Last time we played Quidditch for fun, I ended up black and blue."
"I'll be very gentle, I promise!" – the wizard grinned, his eyes twinkling mischievously.
"I have trouble believing it." – Catherine responded coolly – "Do you know who else is trying out for Chaser?"
"I've heard Frank Longbottom and Thaddeus Hart are also planning to try their luck this year, but I think there's going to be a solid group of candidates." – Peter informed them.
"It doesn't matter! Flame is a natural. She's going to get the spot." – James stated decisively.
"There are two free spots, though." – Peter continued – "So, it's good if Marvolo has more options. We need strong Chasers because you're going to be an entirely new trio."
"Flame and I are already an amazing team!" – Sirius grinned as they entered the Great Hall and took their seats around the long wooden table.
"Are we?" – Catherine asked, attempting to serve herself some pasta salad.
"Obviously!"- Sirius nodded, grabbing Catherine's plate and pilling up more food before returning it to the girl, who simply rolled her eyes and started eating slowly.
'I don't understand what got into them about my food. I eat just as I used to. I know I've lost some weight, but it's probably because of puberty. This is becoming annoying!' – she thought, chewing indifferently.
The next morning dawned much like the previous one. Catherine found herself wading through an impressive pile of toast with jam, thanks to Sirius's insistence on replenishing her breakfast. Meanwhile, the cacophony of fluttering wings and hoots announced the arrival of the morning mail, as owls of all shapes and sizes descended upon the Great Hall.
A barn owl landed gracefully amongst the breakfast leftovers, leaving a Daily Prophet on the table and stretching its leg towards Sirius, who slipped a few coins into the pouch attached to the bird's leg.
"Since when have you started reading the news?" – James asked, surprised.
"Thanks for making it sound like I'm a complete pillock! – Sirius retorted sarcastically, flipping open the newspaper – "One needs to know what happens in the world. Maybe one of these days the Ministry's going to catch my parents amongst those arse-lickers with the masks."
"Are things that bad?" – James inquired, his tone softening with concern.
"What are you talking about?" – Catherine interjected, confused.
James paused, then explained, his voice dripping with disgust. "Ah, yeah, you don't know, of course. But over the summer, there were multiple reports of Muggle and Muggle-born killings. This time, however, it wasn't covert. There was information about groups of people, dressed in black, wearing masks, allegedly serving under that lunatic who preaches pure-blood supremacy."
"It seems that many members from pure-blood families already joined him or support him with money and in other ways. It's really just a matter of time before my family does it too." – Sirius responded grimly from behind the paper.
"But who's this person anyway?" – the young witch insisted.
"He calls himself Lord Voldemort, from what I've heard." – James said flatly.
"Don't say his name!" – Peter squeaked – "It gives me chills just hearing it!"
"Don't be such a knob, Peter!" – Sirius barked a laugh – "It's just a name! It becomes scary only if you're too afraid to say it."
"Wait a second." – Catherine interjected, a bit shocked – "What do you mean by Lord? Is he an aristocrat?"
"He's not, and we can't be held responsible for people who just decide to adopt noble titles on their own accord." – Greg McMahon's voice startled them all – "Furthermore, I would like to ask you to not discuss such sensitive matters in public places. We don't want to cause any additional panic in the school."
"Now we can't talk?!" – James erupted, leaping to his feet – "I won't even bother asking what's wrong with you because that's obviously a laundry list, but what the fuck, McMahon?!"
"Mind your language, Potter, or I'll give you a detention." – the blond wizard cautioned calmly.
"Leave James alone!" – Catherine interjected fiercely, her jade-green eyes locking onto her brother's – "Next thing, you'll be using Legilimency to invade our thoughts! Some of us value our independence, even if you, my Lord, can't function without mommy and daddy telling you what you should be doing!"
"Exactly!" – James declared defiantly, receiving a nod of agreement from Sirius.
"Well, then perhaps you can thank my mommy and daddy for the detention I'm going to give you, Miss Plantier." – Greg replied with a sly smile, relishing Catherine's shocked reaction – "Potter will keep you company. Both of you report to Filch Friday evening at 8. Have a lovely day!"
"You bloody wanker!" – James screamed after him.
Greg paused, turned back, and flashed James a grin, a distinct glint in his blue eyes. "Am I? You should ask Lily, if she ever talks to you for any reason other than telling you to piss off."
"You can certainly see the Slytherin in him." – Sirius remarked, as Remus and Peter intervened to stop James from drawing his wand and casting a hex on the aristocrat.
James seethed with fury all day. Catherine found herself rushing to her afternoon Ancient Runes class, arriving late due to spending the entire lunch break persuading her friend not to knock Greg off his broom during Quidditch practice. Sprinting towards the sixth floor, the girl almost bumped into Mary MacDonald, who was engaged in a very intimate conversation with Ronan Nightshade, a sixth year from Ravenclaw. Mentally noting this intriguing sight for later teasing, the young witch stormed into the small classroom where Professor Oakenscript had just begun her lecture on Lumirith, the language of ancient sunlight, slated for study that year.
"Have a seat, Miss Plantier, and try to be a bit more punctual next time. We have a lot to cover this term." – the Professor reprimanded her softly before continuing to explain the grammar structure of the respective rituals.
Catherine looked around and realised she was once again destained to share a desk with Snape. She sighed resignedly and took the only available spot. Despite missing the first ten minutes, the girl tried to concentrate on the teacher's words. Soon, they delved deep into the theory of the language, and the Gryffindor busied herself with attempting to pronounce the words' hard, clear sounds.
"Luxen tharnath ven dor vakorrr."* – Catherine spoke under her breath as they were tasked with composing a simple sentence and pronouncing it correctly.
"How boring." – Snape scoffed – "Also incorrect."
"I don't remember asking you for feedback." – the girl hissed, annoyed – "And it is correct."
"Not quite the pronunciation." – the Slytherin remarked with an arrogant smirk – "Vakorrr demands a sharper 'r' sound, making it vakor."
"Is it a conscious effort to be a know-it-all, or does it just come naturally to you?" – Catherine retorted, her frustration evident.
"I'd like to think it's a gift for teaching, combined with an aversion to ignorance." – Snape replied with a sly smile.
"You're calling me ignorant?" – the girl hissed, weighing the consequences of hexing him during class. Fortunately, at that moment, Professor Oakenscript dismissed them with a hefty amount of translations and readings due for the next week.
Catherine hastily gathered her belongings and stood up, her eyes still ablaze with anger. Snape calmly began packing his books and parchment into his old schoolbag. The girl couldn't help but notice he was now visibly taller than her, which only aggravated her further. His words from their last visit to Hogsmeade lingered in her mind, and she was surprised to find herself more offended by the possibility that he had chosen not to protect himself against her than by the hex that had left her without hair for several months. With an exasperated growl, she turned away, taking a few steps toward the door, when Snape's raspy voice stopped her.
"Luxen dor vakor thar eradon dor ethel, venith tharnath dor yath ther dor eldir."
Catherine stared at the young wizard's back as he was leaving the classroom, pondering his cryptic words.
'Light and darkness are one and whole, though they seem to dwell in different forms.' – she mused, her hand running though her short hair, reminiscing about her lost braid during moments of deep thought – 'Why does this sound so familiar? This guy is unbelievable! What a joy that I have to spend yet another year sharing a desk with him!'
* The Light protects us from the darkness.
It was a sunny Saturday afternoon in mid-September, one of those golden days that still preserve the memory of the dying summer. Lily Evans closed her eyes and took a deep breath, relishing the warmth of the sun while she and Severus Snape sat on a secluded bench in the Courtyard, chatting about life and going through the bag of sweet apples the young witch had brought with her.
"Would you like another apple?" – Snape's voice broke the tranquillity of the moment, prompting the girl to open her emerald-green eyes and smile at his serious face. She knew those were his favourite fruits, but her friend would never even dream of taking something without asking her first. He was just too caring.
"No, Sev, you can take it. I'm full." – she declared with a smile, pleased to see that Severus didn't need to be told twice and grabbed the last fruit – "Besides, you need to eat more now that we're back at Hogwarts. You're still growing up, after all!"
"I eat enough." – Snape insisted, his mouth full of juicy apple – "I even got taller over summer, you know? They needed to buy me new robes, which made him furious, of course."
"Is he still without a job?" – Lily inquired, feeling once again angry at Tobias Snape, who she had never met but nevertheless placed at the top of her Candidates for a Bat Bogey Hex list, along with James Potter and Cassius Mulciber.
"Yeah! I highly doubt that he'd be able to find anything. I'm not even sure he's looking. All the money he gets from the Muggle government, he spends in the pub, which is better than him being at home, to be honest." – the boy stated with an even voice – "I'll just say I'm happy to finally be out of that crap hole. A bit longer, and I might have ended up in Azkaban."
Lily gently squeezed her friend's hand. He appeared slightly taken aback but allowed the gesture, a faint smile playing on his thin lips. The red-headed girl knew a lot about the problems in the Snape's household. Whatever Severus was keeping to himself, she could guess by his shabby clothes, how thin he'd always been after summer, and the occasional bruises she had noticed over the years. If it were up to her, she would have offered Severus all the help she could. However, he was so proud the Gryffindor was used to tip-toeing around him and his needs.
"Tuney and I had quite a fight the night before I left for Hogwarts." – Lily admitted softly – "She was in a bad mood ever since our last day in France, when I stumbled upon a Wizarding bookstore in Paris and bought a few books. She called me a freak again."
"She's the one who's a freak!" – Snape retorted, annoyed – "If you want, I could test one of the spells I'm currently working on her. That would shut her up."
"It's not funny, Sev! You can't joke about using untested spells on Muggles! Plus, regardless of how poorly she treats me, Petunia is still my sister!" – the red-headed witch stated firmly, brushing off her friend's disappointed expression.
"I hope that at least you had some fun during your trip." – he said, deciding to change the topic diplomatically.
"Yeah, it was awesome. Not my first trip to France, but this time we explored small villages in the countryside down south. The food was amazing! Spent hours walking around the fields, picking flowers. Then we went to the seaside. The water was perfect! I read somewhere that the warmer seas were home to Sirens, but we didn't spot any. I wonder if Muggles can see or hear them at all! I also got the chance to practice my French a lot. I was so rusty! Need to ask Catherine to help me polish it up! It seems I've forgotten so much from what we studied it at school!" – Lily blurted out in one breath.
"I wish I could forget about it." – Snape mumbled quietly.
"I'm sorry, Sev!" – the girl immediately picked up on his change in mood – "I know that were mean to you there. I didn't intend to bring back bad memories."
"They're mean to me here too. I don't really care. I refuse to allow this to affect me." – the Slytherin said indifferently, avoiding his friend's gaze.
"I just wish I could make it better for you! I thought about you during my trip, you know? I wished you could've come with us and enjoy the beach and the fields." – Lily said, resting her head against Severus' bony shoulder, her green eyes dreamily focused on the vivid pictures in her memory.
"I would have loved that." – Snape admitted softly, his voice surprisingly smooth and mature – "We've never gone anywhere for a vacation, but I often dreamt of travelling to some distant place with cliffs and a lot of open air to watch the birds fly."
"Sounds beautiful! And a bit chilly." – Lily chuckled cheerfully.
"I'll make sure you're warm." – Severus almost whispered, his heart pounding madly in his chest.
Sensing the conversation veering into an awkward direction, Lily delicately cleared her throat. Thoughts of her recent argument with the girls flashed through her mind, and she felt a blush colouring her cheeks.
"Have you heard they added a new essay question in the OWLs this year?" – the young witch attempted to change the subject – "With all the teachers already freaking out about exams, I'm starting to get nervous."
"You have nothing to worry about." – the Slytherin stated confidently – "You're on top of every class and undoubtedly the brightest witch in our year, Muggle-born or not."
"What does that have to do with anything?" – Lily snapped suddenly, her green eyes flashing angrily.
"No… I didn't mean it like that!" – the young wizard tried to sooth the irritated Gryffindor – "I meant you had a lot to catch up on and you've done splendidly. You're truly unique!"
"No, I'm not!" – Lily hissed, jumping to her feet and fixing the confused boy with her heated stare – "There are plenty of Muggle-born witches and wizards who are just as smart and talented as I am! There's nothing unique about it, unless you try to justify how I'm different from all those you and your friends call Mudbloods!"
"I've never…" – Snape started to defend himself, rising to his feet and meeting Lily's gaze with a pleading expression – "I would never call you that, and you know it!"
"Why? What's the difference between me and Catherine, for example?" – the red-headed witch inquired dryly – "You call her Mudblood all the time, yet she's even smarter than me, not to mention more powerful."
"Nonsense!" – Snape spat hatefully – "She's just a banshee who knows how to impress the teachers for good grades! If it weren't for Potter and Black, no one would think she's powerful! All she has is money and a spiteful mouth used without any control or restrain! She gets away with it because people fear her gang of morons! And don't you have mirrors in the Gryffindor Tower? She's as ugly as sin! No sane boy in this school would ask such an arrogant trollop on a date! Mark my words, she'll be alone at the Halloween Ball!"
"Severus!" – Lily exclaimed, scandalised by all the nasty things her friend said about someone she genuinely liked and cared for.
"No, let him continue." – Catherine's icy voice came from behind. She stood there, broomstick in hand, surrounded by Sirius, James, Remus, and Peter. Potter and Black also held their brooms, likely returning from the Quidditch Pitch where they had trained with Catherine for the try-outs. The boys looked livid, and Lily noticed Potter and Black already gripping their wands. The situation was quickly spiralling out of control, threatening to ruin the entire afternoon.
"Daisy…" – Lily started, unsure of what she could possibly say.
"It's fine, Lils. I'm very much looking forward to hearing the next part. If I'm not mistaken, after all the elaborate compliments Snape paid me, conveniently behind my back, he was about to ask me out. Aren't you, Snivelly?"
"In your dreams!" – the Slytherin almost growled, his black eyes swiftly darting between the Gryffindor boys who were holding their wands ready and snickering among themselves, clearly enjoying their friend's performance.
"Come on! I've always dreamt about going on a date with an overgrown bat with a squeaky voice! While all the other girls were fantasising about Prince Charming, I was dreaming of Prince Snivellus taking me to his magic castle in the depths of the Dungeons, where we'd live happily ever after without showering or brushing our teeth like a couple of ogres!" – Catherine recited with an artificially sweet voice, as Sirius, James, and Peter laughed so hard they had tears in their eyes.
"Like I would ever come within arm's reach of someone who Gryffindor boys pass around like a butterbeer bottle." – Snape retorted with a sly smile, though his skin was covered in red spots as he tried to disregard the witch's earlier statement.
"You fucking git!" – James hissed furiously, pointing his wand at the Slytherin – "Scourgify!"
"Supercilius Prolixus!" – Sirius shouted simultaneously.
Both spells hit the boy at the same time. In just a few moments, his eyebrows were growing uncontrollably, and he was spitting soap foam, desperate to find a way to retreat inside and possibly fix his grotesque appearance.
"Aren't you going to do something?!" – Lily screamed anxiously at Catherine, who was calmly watching the scene unfold from the sidelines.
"Well, I suppose I could have, but you see, it took quite some time for my hair to grow back to a normal length, and I'd rather not risk it by jumping between them." – she replied with a vengeful spark in her jade-green eyes.
"Finite Incantatem!"
Snape blinked a few times, relieved to regain his vision, then spat out the remaining foam onto the ground.
"I see you're not exactly quick learners, are you?" – Greg said with a hint of satisfaction in his voice – "Another evening of detention for Mr Potter and Mr Black. Naturally, Miss Plantier will join you. Report to Filch next Monday at eight."
"What have I done?" – Catherine yelled at her brother.
"Don't you have something better to do, McMahon? Why are you trailing us all the time?!"- James shouted, thoroughly fed up with his housemate.
"It turned out that the key to excelling as a Gryffindor Prefect is simply following you around, Potter!"- Greg grinned cheekily – "Wherever all of you go, rules are bound to be broken!"
"Bloody maggot!" – James swore after the fifth-year who departed, followed by Snape and the visibly angry Lily – "We need to figure out how to shake him off! We can't have a Prefect following us around all the time. We have things to do!"
"There's a silver lining in all this." – Sirius chimed in wisely – "At least Filch can't make us scrub toilets since you and Flame already did it Friday evening."
The golden rays of the late afternoon sun danced across the emerald grass field, casting a warm glow over the Quidditch Pitch bustling with energy. A significant number of students had gathered for the Gryffindor try-outs, drawing spectators from other houses driven by curiosity or to support specific players, with Greg McMahon commanding the largest crowd.
Catherine stood poised at the edge of the pitch, her Nimbus 1500 clutched firmly in hand, determination gleaming in her eyes. She rumpled her short black hair, a confident smirk playing on her lips. As Marvolo Wood signalled the start of the try-outs, the young witch shot forward with lightning speed, effortlessly navigating through the air with grace and precision.
Her agility was unmatched as she effortlessly dodged Bludgers and weaved between the goal hoops, her eyes never wavering from the Quaffle. With each pass and shot, the fourth-year demonstrated her evident superiority, seamlessly syncing with her fellow try-out teammates. Gasps of admiration echoed from the spectators as Catherine scored two impressive goals, outsmarting Greg, who was not able to save the tricky shots.
Meanwhile, one of the third-years, Scarlet Porter, a tiny brunette with a fierce determination in her eyes, also made quite an impression. She showed striking speed and accuracy, and managed to score one goal to Greg which was already impressive, considering her youth and the fact she was Muggle-born and had truly seen a broom for the first time when she enrolled at Hogwarts.
As the try-outs drew to a close, it was clear to all who watched that Catherine had emerged as the standout talent. With a final flourish, she scored an awe-inspiring goal that drew thunderous applause from the crowd. Marvolo Wood promptly announced Catherine and Scarlet as Gryffindor's newest Chasers, sparking jubilation among the team, especially Sirius, who believed they now had a formidable squad for the Quidditch Cup.
Catherine landed gracefully on the ground and smiled happily. She hated to admit it, but training with Sirius and James had proved to be very helpful, since even though she knew Greg's style quite well, he didn't cut her any slack and the try-outs turned out to be extremely challenging. On the other hand, Scarlet looked like an excellent Chaser and the two of them flew quite well together. This meant that unless they did anything really stupid, this was their year.
As the rest of the Gryffindor team returned to the ground, Catherine found herself swept up in Greg's surprisingly strong embrace. He twirled her around in celebration before setting her down, still holding her close.
"Congratulations, Flame!" – he chuckled, as Catherine blinked, slightly dazed – "You were the best up there without a doubt! No Keeper could have stopped those goals you scored against me!"
"Thanks, but next time, could you express your happiness in a way that won't make me want to throw up?" – Catherine muttered, trying to compose herself and fight the rising nausea.
"You seem fine when Black does it." – Greg noted casually, earning an angry hiss in return.
"I'm not fine regardless of who does it! I get motion sickness if someone twirls me around like a rag doll!"
"Yeah, you may need to work on that as a Chaser." – the boy grinned, reflecting on how much Catherine had grown while noting she still wore the same sulky expression as a three-year-old. This made the young wizard nostalgic, prompting him to draw her closer and hold her tight for a moment.
"Are you done molesting me in front of the entire House?" – she muttered, trying to break free from his embrace.
"Hey! Plenty of girls would do anything to be as close to me as you are now." – Greg smirked, releasing the flushed witch.
"That's because they haven't witnessed you peeing in your bed." – Catherine remarked sarcastically, a small smile playing on her lips.
"It's not funny! I had nightmares and I was still young." – the embarrassed aristocrat protested vigorously.
"Sure, although not as young as one might think." – the girl replied mercilessly – "Perhaps, you should tell this story to Lavinia Nott. It may repeal her from you."
"If only that were true." – Greg scoffed with derision – "You may complain about not being regarded as who you truly are, but you have been saved from plenty of unwanted attention from people who don't give a flying rat's ass about you as a person. All they see is the title, the gold and the power. For that, my dear, they'd endure far worse than a childhood mishap."
Catherine glanced at her brother's face, which wore a look of sadness and sincerity. She felt a pang of guilt due to her constant protests about needing to hide her identity. For the first time, it occurred to the young witch that Lord Gregory Lloyd McMahon might not have been entirely happy with his role in the family and the attention he so gracefully tolerated.
'I've been complaining endlessly about not being seen as more than a vessel of the demon, but Greg has only been seen as the heir of House McMahon. In both cases, nobody gives a damn about who we are as people.' – the girl thought bitterly. Her heart filled with empathy for her brother, and in a sudden rush of emotion, she rose on tiptoes, wrapped her arms around his neck, and planted a peck on his cheek.
"Thanks for today. You gave me quite a challenge as a Keeper… and also… for everything." – she stuttered in a hurry, her eyes focused on the ground. Quickly turning away, she joined the rest of the team who were chatting enthusiastically and discussing their prospects of finally winning the championship. Catherine graciously accepted congratulations from all sides, spending the next half-hour socialising with the cheering squad led by Peter, as usual. Finally managing to get into the changing room, she took a quick shower and dressed into a pair of black jeans and a plain white t-shirt.
'One advantage of short hair is that it dries quickly without needing spells.' – the young witch mused as she stepped into the approaching darkness of the September evening.
"Finally!" – Sirius' voice startled the fourth-year.
"You scared the living hell out of me!" – the girl exclaimed, her heart pounding heavily – "What are you doing here?"
"What do you think I'm doing?"- the boy snapped – "I'm not going to let you wander around alone after dark!"
"What's wrong?" – Catherine asked, sensing the uneasiness hanging in the air. The dim light prevented her from seeing her friend's face clearly, but his tone and swift stride towards the castle, regardless of whether she followed, suggested something troubled him.
"I don't know what you're talking about." – Sirius shrugged as he turned alongside the Quidditch Pitch and suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. Catherine, caught off guard by his abrupt halt, bumped into the wizard's back.
"What the…" – she growled, rubbing her nose, but the boy turned around and shushed her with a sharp gesture.
Catherine peeked around him and saw two figures engrossed in an intimate conversation. The last rays of sunshine caught in the luscious red hair of the girl, who smiled shyly at the tall blond wizard. Greg gently removed an unruly streak from her face and either whispered something in her ear or kissed her cheek. After this brief exchange, the couple slowly walked away, disappearing into the shadows.
"I knew it!"- Sirius growled with a grim triumph, almost sprinting towards the castle – "I need to tell James!"
"No, you don't!" – Catherine objected decisively, grabbing her friend's hand and pulling him back with an excessive force. This move surprised the wizard, causing him to lose balance and tumble to the ground along with the girl, who landed on top of him.
"Well, if you wanted to have a quick roll in the hay, you could have said so." – he smirked, his previous bad mood completely forgotten, as the heavily embarrassed witch quickly jumped to her feet.
"Just stop it already!" – she snapped, refusing to look at his face – "What we have just witnessed is not of our business and it's a really cheap move to go around spreading rumours. There are plenty in circulation as it is."
"However, this one is real!" – Sirius insisted, brushing dirt off his clothes as he stood up – "Also, James has every right to know the truth!"
"The truth?!" – Catherine yelled, perplexed by her friend's ridiculous stubbornness – "We just saw them hanging out together – nothing more, nothing less! If this gets out, Lily could be in danger. There are plenty of people who would harm her if they thought she was McMahon's girlfriend, especially since she's Muggle-born! Besides, James has no entitlement to know anything about Lily. He's not even her friend! I know he fancies her, but that doesn't give him any claim over her. She's free to date whoever she wants and be friends with whomever she chooses. The sooner he understands this, the better! It might stop him from seeming so desperate, and maybe she'll see him for who he really is!"
"Alright, I see your point about endangering Evans, and you're right about it…" – the boy agreed with a sigh – "But it feels wrong to let James hope for her attention. Don't tell me what we saw was just two friends being close to each other! There was too much touching involved!"
"By your logic, we're also much more than friends." – Catherine chuckled, sensing how Sirius stiffen beside her – "My point is, it's better for James not to know and to relax a bit! Lily won't pay him any attention if he acts like a jealous toddler every time they meet! Even I get annoyed by it!"
"First of all, it's very different with us! We have something special! – Sirius stated confidently – "Second, Evans is just stubborn about all this! Yeah, she's pretty, but James is quite a catch, and most girls in school would love to be in her place!"
"I'm starting to think you would also want to be in her place." – the girl scoffed – "But seriously, the problem is that she doesn't see the James you and I do because every time he gets close to her, he turns into a clingy, obsessive maniac! That's why if you tell him what we saw, he'll jump to all the wrong conclusions and might end up in a fight with Greg. How is that going to help him prove to Lily that he's kind, mature, and fun to be around?"
"Fine! I won't tell him for now, but I'll keep an eye on them!" – Sirius agreed half-heartedly.
"It's for the best." – Catherine nodded reassuringly – "I'll try to talk to James and remind him that no girl owes him her attention. He needs to let her feel free and safe with him if he wants her to consider him a dating material."
Sirius felt he disagreed with that recipe for successful love life, but he decided not to argue with his friend. Her words made him reflect on his own behaviour. He had been upset after seeing Catherine with Greg McMahon after the try-outs. When she gave the aristocrat a peck on the cheek, Sirius felt white-hot rage, and if he had his wand, he might have used Snape's spell just to see Greg's bald head. However, Catherine's calm reaction and the scene they witnessed made the boy reconsider his previous determination to give her the cold shoulder. Seeing that she wasn't upset about the possibility of Greg McMahon and Lily Evans being a couple made him think that maybe what he saw was just a friendly gesture after all.
'She seemed like she was speaking from experience, though!' – the young wizard thought as they reached the steps of the castle – 'If Catherine believes a girl needs to be given her freedom and not chased desperately, then that's what she's going to get! Perhaps it's time to explore my options and get to know some other girls around the school.'
The Gryffindor Common Room was dark and empty, illuminated only by embers in the big fireplace at its centre. Greg McMahon navigated through the maze of chairs and cushions left haphazardly by his housemates, silently vowing that the next person to leave without tidying up would face three days of detention. He settled onto the red sofa beneath one of the windows, rubbing his shin where he had bumped into an unseen obstacle moments before.
A subtle movement caught the boy's attention as another dark figure silently joined him on the sofa, the clock on the mantel striking 2 in the morning.
"What's so urgent that we had to meet like this?" – Greg asked in a hushed tone.
"I wanted to warn you that next time you decide to snog with Lily, you need to find a more private place." – Catherine responded flatly.
"What? We didn't… where did you see us?!" – the young wizard sputtered, thankful for the darkness that hid his burning face.
"Near the Quidditch Pitch. But honestly, Greg, what were you thinking?!"- the girl asked, annoyed – "You're lucky it was just me and Sirius who saw! Aren't there any other girls in this school? Do you realise the situation you've put me in, torn between you and James? And what happens if things don't work out between you and Lily?"
"Wait a bloody minute!" – Greg snapped, forgetting to keep his voice down – "It might be hard for you to comprehend, Catherine, but not everything I do revolves around you! First of all, Lily and I are not a couple…yet. But I won't lie, I do want us to be. Second, I don't give a damn about what Potter wants! He doesn't have any claim over Lily, and if he continues his ridiculous behaviour, I'll personally put him in his place!"
"Alright, you're right about James, and I'll talk to him about his actions." – Catherine admitted, gesturing for her brother to lower his voice – "However, couldn't you have chosen someone else? She's my friend, for Light's sake!"
"I told you, it has nothing to do with you, Flame!" – the boy insisted, rising from the sofa and turning his back to his sister – "Is it that difficult to understand that I like Lily for who she is?! She's smart, beautiful, kind, and fun. I like being around her, and I'm not planning on giving up on her just because you feel uneasy about it. Grow up! I've sacrificed plenty for you!"
"Pardon?!" – Catherine snapped jumping to her feet – "I don't recall asking anyone to do anything for me!"
"But we did it out of love for you, sis! You never needed to ask because we were there, doing what needed to be done." – Greg's voice softened – "I don't blame you; I just want you to understand that we all have our struggles and do things we'd rather not. Mom deals with hurtful comments about being 'half-breed,' and Dad faces gossip about his intimate life – all to shape public opinion and find allies who could support us when the truth about you is revealed! You could surely cope with the minor inconvenience of me dating your friend."
"I didn't know Mom and Dad had to put up with such things." – Catherine replied, almost whispering – "Why didn't anyone tell me?"
"Because it was their choice and they don't want to burden you with this." – the wizard explained, turning back to face his sister once again – "I probably shouldn't have told you, but I think you're old enough to know what your family does for you, and that we're not going to give up on fighting for your rightful place, no matter how dangerous it is. And that includes me as well. Can't you cut me some slack, Flame? I need a break from time to time."
"Do you know their names?" – the girl suddenly asked.
"What?" – Greg blinked a few times, confused – "Whose names?"
"The names of all the vessels sacrificed by our family." – Catherine stated, her voice drained of all emotion.
"I… well, I know about those who were killed by us after the Pact, but we haven't discussed the ones who came before." – he admitted uncomfortably, wondering where this conversation was heading.
"Too bad. It's quite fascinating." – the young witch continued, her tone unsettlingly casual – "After all, those girls weren't helpless babies. They had their own personalities, dreams, hopes, and fears. And every single one of them was destroyed by something beyond their control. They were doomed from the moment they were conceived. Yet, they never truly rebelled against their fate. I suppose they were far better at restraint than I am. Perhaps, they were also better people than me. Imagine this sweet innocent creature who ripped her siblings into pieces and enjoyed slowly burning people alive because then their screams were the most desperate. Imagine what I'd be capable of, Greg!"
"Why are you saying this out of the blue?" – the wizard asked with concern. He couldn't quite discern his sister's features, but he could feel her fragility – "How do you even know about those girls? Did Dad tell you about them?"
"It doesn't matter how, brother. All that matters is that it's pointless to put so much effort into something that may never work out. I'm not giving up, but I also don't want you all to suffer in a fight that's only mine to win. I do care about you, and I can hardly live with myself knowing I might completely lose it and murder all of you in a despicable way." – Catherine murmured with great difficulty. Her nails dug painfully into the soft skin of her palms as she clenched her fists tightly. Tears streamed down her cheeks, falling silently onto the plush carpet.
Greg quickly approached the sobbing girl and embraced her tightly. She shifted slightly but didn't try to pull away. The young wizard rested his chin on top of his sister's head and whispered gently, caressing her back.
"You won't do it! I know you, and I'm absolutely certain that no demon stands a chance against you, Lady Catherine McMahon! Believe in yourself, Flame, because we all bet our lives on you, and it's quite a safe bet in my book!"
Catherine smiled through her tears. Her brother's words felt so soothing and encouraging. In the safety of his arms, her fears seemed completely unfounded, like they were part of a persistent bad dream he would shoo away.
"You can date Lily if you wish. I'll make sure James doesn't bother you too much." – she finally proclaimed.
"Uhm, thanks, I appreciate it, but I haven't asked her yet. She may not be interested." – the boy chuckled, releasing his sister.
"I think she may say yes." – Catherine smiled – "Plus, if things between the two of you work out, I'll be very happy to have her as a sister-in-law."
"Well, let's start with a simple date and take it from there." – Greg smiled, feeling a wave of relief – "Are you feeling alright? Is this because your started your lessons with Dumbledore?"
"No, we haven't seen each other yet." – the girl shook her head – "Are Mom and Dad going to be fine?"
"Yeah, don't worry about it." – the young wizard reassured her – "Dad made quite a scene during the Great Summer Ball. They almost had a duel with Adrian Borealis, can you imagine? Apparently, that knobhead offended Mom in front of everybody, but fortunately Duke Prince intervened so both of them got a good scolding."
"Adrian Borealis seems like someone you don't want to anger." – Catherine noted, mostly to herself.
"Indeed. He's quite dangerous. Interestingly, he was the second son of the family and he somehow became the heir of House Borealis. I'm not even certain what happened to his older brother." – Greg mused thoughtfully – "But regardless, you should not worry about this - just steer clear of him as much as possible."
"Believe me, I have absolutely no interest in mingling with aristocrats." – the fourth-year witch scoffed – "I have enough things on my plate as it is, and I plan to focus on resolving those issues first. Speaking of that, I strongly advise you to stop following us, or I can't guarantee you'll remain unharmed."
"Why? What are you up to?" – Greg asked, his voice tinged with hesitation.
"Nothing you need to worry about, brother. Just give me some space, and you have my word nothing bad is going to happen to anyone." – Catherine replied cryptically.
"You do realise this sounds way too suspicious to just ignore it, right?" – the boy sighed audibly.
"For a Gryffindor, perhaps. However, in this instance, you should rely more on your Slytherin instincts."
With that, the young witch turned towards the girls' dormitory, leaving the stunned Prefect to ponder the balance between duty and personal safety. A faint noise drew Greg's attention to the sofa, where a pair of green eyes glowed in the darkness.
"Nyx, sometimes I think you're much more sensible than your owner." – the aristocrat murmured softly, stroking the silk fur of the Kneazle, which purred contentedly under his touch.
The clock on the mantel in Gryffindor Tower showed 3 in the morning as a petite silhouette slipped through the hole behind the Fat Lady's portrait. She moved cautiously through the shadows, pausing frequently to listen for approaching footsteps. Finally, she reached the staircase leading to the girls' dormitory and hurried through the door marked 'Fourth-years'.
Mary MacDonald quickly shed her cloak, her hands trembling with a mix of excitement and fear. She hurriedly exchanged her wrinkled, dirt-stained clothes for a cotton nightgown. Using a fresh handkerchief, she wiped stains from her face and brushed out leaves and grass tangled in her long, curly brown hair.
Taking a deep breath and trying to push thoughts of her evening with Ronan aside, Mary smiled dreamily as she prepared to slip under the covers of her four-poster bed. She glanced at the other beds one last time to ensure her housemates were still sound asleep. However, a troubling sight caught her eye—each heavy chest at the foot of the beds was open, its contents scattered across the floor in disarray.
Mary stood stunned for a moment, debating whether to acknowledge the disorder or pretend ignorance until morning, when she could confront it with her dorm mates. Deciding on the latter, she climbed into bed, attempting to relax despite the discomfort radiating through her body. Soon, she drifted into a peaceful sleep, unaware of the faint red glow emanating from the bed across the room.