CHAPTER 13
|A LIFETIME AGO|
The entire audience looked shocked at the information of Cathy creating an entire island out of Chaos magic. Many people were looking at her in surprise and were all wondering about her gift. The idea that she could create an entire island out of magic was something that just didn’t seem possible.
The scene begins with an empty street that was well lit with the lights of the street posts and from the businesses that were closed but still had their signs on. The entire block was wet from rain that had passed. The sounds of footsteps that connected with the wet ground were heard until the shoes of Cathy and Regulus were seen as they walked through the street.
Regulus had a bit of a stubble growing on his face as he snacked on a cupcake. Cathy, walking next to him, was wearing a beanie and a hood over her head, was eating a sausage roll as the pair continue to walk.
“Oh, I’d love a sausage roll.” Cathy said as she snacked on some popcorn.
“Explain to me again why we could just wait until morning to buy these?” Regulus asked. “I’m sure they’d still be there in the morning.”
“I like it when they’re still fresh.” Cathy said taking a bite and huffing and puffing trying to cool the hot food in her mouth.
Regulus nodded and looked around at all the shops. “I sometimes am amazed by the way muggles have pushed their civilizations forward. It’s nothing short of magical if you think about how they accomplished all this without magic.”
“It really is.” Arthur Weasley agreed.
“Ironic, isn’t it?” Cathy smiled. “I find it rather soothing to be with them.”
“The muggles?” Cathy nodded. “Why?”
“Most of them have no idea about the war and all the people dying. Hearing their worries and thoughts about their mundane problems just helps bring things into focus for me if I’m having a bad day. Reminds me of what we’re fight for.”
“Must be nice.” Regulus noted. “To be able to get out of your own head and into someone else’s for a change.”
“It is and it isn’t.” Cathy said.
“What do you mean?”
“That’s sort of the territory that comes with being a Legilimens.” Cathy shrugged. “We constantly having to deal with the thoughts and emotions of others regardless of whether or not we want to.”
Fleamont rubbed his daughters’ shoulder.
“That does sound challenging.” Regulus nodded.
“It does have it’s perks.” Cathy informed. “Growing up hearing the thoughts of everyone around me, I see things through their eyes and I can see all the ways everyone is different. But I also see what makes us all the same.”
“That sounds so nice in a way.” Andromeda commented.
“That sounds nice, I suppose.”
“It is.” Cathy said. She took off her hood and shook her hair out from her coat.
Regulus looked at her and noted how the color was varied from the dark brown that he was used to.
“I’ve been meaning to ask you this for while now, but what happened to your hair?” He enquired.
“Good question.” Severus nodded.
Cathy looked slightly offended. “It’s early, Reg. I hate to be the one to break this to you but girls don’t wake up with perfect hair.”
“Preach.” Marlene said.
“No that’s not what I was talking about.” Regulus chuckled. “I mean why is your hair red.”
“Oh.” Cathy touched a strand of her hair and looked to the Black wizard. “You remember that potion that my dad made for hair?”
“Sleekeazy’s Hair Potion.” Regulus nodded.
“Yeah.” Cathy said. “You know how my brother and father had very messy hair?” Regulus nodded. “Well, messy hair is sort of a Potter family trait. Which is why I’ve been using Sleekeazy’s since I was little. It just makes it easier to manage my hair.”
“And this explains your hair color how?”
“Sleekeazy’s Hair Potion does straighten out hair but it has some unusual side effects for, um, people like me. Prolonged use darkens our hair quite a bit.”
“What do you mean people like you? What, Chaos Castors?” Regulus pressed.
“No.” Cathy sighed heavily as if she were about to reveal a crime she committed. “Red-heads.”
Regulus stared at Cathy in silence for a few seconds. “You’re a red-head!” He burst out a huge smile. “How did I not know that until now!”
Lily gasped dramatically and pointed to Cathy. “You’re one of us!” Cathy laughed and nodded.
“Oh yeah, I forgot she was a red head.” James said.
“How do you forget your own sister’s hair color?” Remus asked.
“It’s been brown for so long!” James said.
“It’s not like I was hiding it or anything, you just never asked.” Cathy defended.
“But still.” Regulus laughed a bit and smiled before looking at Cathy’s hair again. “So why is turning back to red? I mean your natural color?”
“I’ve been busy lately and sometimes I rush in the mornings so I don’t apply the potion everyday like I used to.” Regulus nodded as he tried to understand. He burst out laughing again. “It’s not that funny!”
“I know!” Regulus smiled. “I’ll stop, I promise.”
A lot of the people in the audience smiled at the chemistry that the two of them shared between themselves. They did seem like a cute sort of couple.
After a bit of time Regulus finally stopped laughing and a silence between them grew. Regulus went back to eating and finished his cupcake at the same time that Cathy finished her sausage roll.
“Do you ever think about what would have happened to us?” Regulus looked to Cathy. “If we didn’t leave at the train station last year? If I had decided to go against Voldemort from the start.”
“What’s this now?” Fleamont questioned.
Cathy was silent at first. “I do sometimes. But I’m glad you didn’t.”
“Why?” Regulus wondered.
“Because at least you chose to do the right thing all on your own.” Cathy said. “While I would have been flattered, I don’t think I’d trust someone to fight alongside me when the whole reason they’re there is because they fancied me.”
“That is nice in a way.” James mumbled.
“Good to know.” Regulus nodded with a smile.
There was a brief silence between the two of them when Cathy let out a small laugh.
“No Reg.” She smiled.
“What?” Regulus looked puzzled.
“Why is she laughing?” Peter enquired.
“I know what you’re thinking and I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Why not?” Regulus asked.
Cathy stopped walking and turned to face Regulus who had a smile on his face. “Because we in the middle of a war. We should be focused on that and not-”
“Not what?”
Cathy cleared her throat. “You know it’s been almost two years. I’ve changed. I’m not the same person I was when we were in school.”
“I know that.” Regulus nodded. “But I’ve changed too. We both have.”
Cathy laughed a little. “I’ve date other people. I’m not even sure if I’m attracted to you anymore.”
This time Regulus laughed. “Oh, that’s cute.”
“I’m serious!” Cathy declared. “If you kissed me right now I’m fairly certain that I wouldn’t feel anything.”
“Is that a fact?”
“Yes, it’s a-” Before Cathy could finish her sentence, Regulus pressed his lips on hers. For a few seconds Cathy didn’t move but then her hands caressed his face.
A lot of people in the audience cheered and whistled at the scene. Cathy blushed a bit while Regulus buried his face in his hands in embarrassment. James felt queasy and Fleamont looked slightly annoyed at the kiss.
The two of them stayed kissing for a few seconds more before they parted.
“-fact.” Cathy finished. She backed away a few steps and looked at Regulus. “I don’t remember you being this forward before.”
“Well, having near-death experiences so many times in a row within the last two weeks sort of made me appreciate taking chances whilst I can.” Regulus said.
“That’s my boy!” Evan Rosier shouted.
“Right.” Cathy cleared her throat with her hand. “My answer is still the same though.”
“Then why’d you kiss me back?” Regulus asked.
“I did not kiss you back. I simply…reacted.” Cathy said.
Regulus smiled happily. “Want to react again?”
“No!” Cathy denied.
“Well someone certainly grows up to be cocky.” Cathy told Regulus whose face was red with embarrassed. “Kissing me without my permission, shame on you.”
“Hey.” The three marauders looked up to see Sirius returning to his seat.
“Padfoot.” James called him.
Sirius sat down and picked up the bucket of popcorn from Peter. “What’d I miss?”
The three boys looked between themselves and then back to him.
“Nothing.” Remus lied.
“Not a thing.” James nodded.
“Nothing important.” Peter continued.
“Okay.” Sirius said folding his legs and turning to the screen.
The two of them continue to walk through the streets in silence. The squawking of an owl made the two of them look up. A brown owl flew down low to them and dropped a letter which Cathy caught before it fell to the wet ground.
“Is it Amelia saying she’s cleared us of our crimes?”
Cathy looked at Regulus coming closer to her. “Doubt it, it’s only been a few days.” Cathy said opening the letter and reading it. “Holy shit.”
“What? What is it?” Regulus asked.
“Dear Ms. Catherine Potter,” Cathy began to read, “you are cordially invited to witness the marital vows between James Potter and Lily Evans.’ I’ll be damned, he finally wore her down to the state that she’d say yes to marrying him.”
“I am loving this tun in events.” James said gleefully.
“That makes one of us.” Lily mumbled.
Regulus smiled. “I think it’s nice. James got Lily to fall in love with him and now they’re getting married.”
“If you ask me Lily didn’t fall in love with him she just gave up resisting.” Cathy murmured.
“Hey!” James shouted while several people laughed and giggled.
“We’re home.” Regulus smiled as they walked to a stoop.
As Regulus reached to open the door, it was opened and Walburga was standing there in a robe looking incredibly annoyed.
“Where were you two?” She demanded.
“Oh god, we’re living with your mother.” Cathy murmured to Regulus.
“We went to get a snack.” Regulus answered. “We brought you and Uncle Marius some pastries for breakfast in the morning.”
“Why’d you leave me with him?”
“Why? What’s wrong?” Cathy enquired.
“He woke me up and has been going on and on about genetics and something he found in Catherine’s blood.”
“My blood?” Cathy and Regulus went inside and the scene faded away and the scene had begun to change.
“Oh god, am I dying?” Cathy questioned.
“You live at least another decade so I doubt it.” Regulus pointed out.
“Oh right.”
The next scene opens up with Harry opening his eyes and grinning happily. He reached for his glasses and placed them on his face before he threw the covers off and walked out of his room. Harry walked out of the room and made his way down to the living room.
From the stairs he saw that Ryan and Ron and everyone else were all seated around with cups of tea and a plate of biscuits was being passed around.
“Well look who’s finally up.” Cathy smiled at Harry.
“Merry Christmas Eve, Hazza.” Ryan greeted.
“Merry Christmas Eve, Ryan.” Harry replied with a grin. Harry noticed that everyone except for Cathy and Regulus were wearing jumpers with their names knitted on them. “What are you wearing?”
“Oh, my favorite holiday!” Alice clapped.
“Oh, my mum made it.” Ron said.
“Molly!” Fabian waved to his sister. “It’s just like the ones mum made for us when we were little. Molly Weasley didn’t respond but smiled fondly.
“They’re so nice and warm.” Ryan told him.
“Looks like you've got Weasley jumper too.” Fred told Harry holding up a parcel with his name on it.
“I’ve got presents?” Harry looked surprised.
“Oh, the poor thing.” Euphemia said.
“Yeah, of course.” Cathy laughed as she sat down next to Regulus.
“There they are.” Halley pointed to a bunch of presents that were bundled together. “Daddy can I open my presents?”
“Regulus smiled at his daughter. “Sure love. Since Harry is here you can open the rest of your presents.”
Everyone got to ripping their gifts open. Harry, Ron and Ryan were all laughing and smiling and playing around as was everyone else. Cathy left the room and returned with a camera and was taking pictures of everyone laughing and having a grand time.
“What’s this?” Cassie held up an old box that had a bit of dust on it.
“Oh, that’s mine.” Cathy said taking it from her daughter.
“What’s in it?” Ryan asked.
“Something for everyone actually.” Cathy smiled. Harry and everyone else huddled around her as she opened the box and showed that it contained hundreds of photographs.
“Whoa!”
“Harry,” Cathy at her nephew, “I noticed that you don’t have a lot of photos of your mum and dad so I decided to get all the ones I could.”
“That is such a lovely thing to do, darling.” Fleamont told his daughter.
Cathy picked up a bunch and passed them to Harry who began to look through them.
“Thank you.” Harry said sounding very happy.
“Hazza, look.” Ryan pointed to the photo of James. “You really do look like your dad.”
Harry just smiled as he looked at each photo.
“Is that you professor?” Percy asked pointing to a family photo of the Potters.
“Yes.” Cathy smiled.
“You had really short hair back then.” Cassie noted.
Cathy smiled mischievously. “My mother took me to a salon once to get my hair tended to. Four hours listening to some bloke nag about his mother and his boyfriend. After that I just chopped off my hair by myself.”
“That was a fun day.” Cathy smiled to her mothers’ annoyance to be reminded of the day.
“How did your mum feel about that?” George enquired.
“She was mortified.” Cathy admitted. “But I threatened to cut even more off if she ever tried to make me go there again.”
Ryan thought about this. “So if I wanted to get out of something you wanted me to do--”
“You could cut off a limb and I’d still make you do it.” Cathy told her son sternly making him pout and everyone else laugh.
“What’s the story for this hair style?” Harry asked showing a photo with the whole Potter family. The thing that stood out in that photo was the fact that Cathy’s hair was dyed a bright green color.
“Oh no.” Cathy groaned.
Several people laughed at the sight of Cathy with green hair, her brother being the loudest.
“Oh yeah.” Cathy laughed as she picked up that photo. “It was our annual family picture and your dad thought it’d be funny to tamper with my hair potion. I got him back the next year.”
“How?” Halley asked.
Cathy shuffled through the photos in the box until she found the one she was looking for. “See for yourselves.”
Everyone huddled closer to the photo and the Weasley twins burst out laughing. The photo showed Fleamont and Euphemia Potter standing behind their children. Cathy was grinning ear to ear whereas James had one swollen black eye and a cut on his nose.
“Oh my god!” Regulus laughed loudly.
A lot of people joined him with laughter of their own while James turned to his parents angrily.
“I told you she wasn’t sleep walking!”
Fleamont simply smiled at his son. “You think we didn’t know that?”
“Then why?”
“You dyed her hair green.” Fleamont reminded him. “Seem quite fair to us to be honest.”
“You did that!” Harry exclaimed laughing as well.
“Let this be a lesson boys, girls don’t forgive or forget we wait…patiently.” Cathy smiled darkly.
Everyone went back to looking through the many photographs, asking questions and laughing at the many memories that were made.
“Who are these people that are always with my dad?” Harry asked holding up a picture of James and his group.
“That’s us!” Remus said.
“That was just last year.” Sirius noted.
“The Marauders.” Regulus smiled.
“The what?” Ryan questioned.
“That’s what they called themselves, James and his friends.” Regulus explained. “There’s James, Peter Pettigrew, Remus Lupin and my brother Sirius.”
“Your brother?” Harry repeated.
“Yeah.” Regulus nodded as he gave the photo back. “He and Cathy’s brother were best friends. He also fancied Cathy for a few years.”
Sirius sat there quietly while some people looked at him feeing sorry for him. Walburga looked to her eldest son and felt a bit bad for him as well. She, however, didn’t say anything. That wasn’t the relationship that they had.
“That sounds like a really bad romance novel. ‘Falling in love with my brothers’ best friends’ little brother’.” Ryan said in a dramatic voice.
“Harry look.” Cassie held up a picture. “It’s your mum.”
Harry took the picture and stared at it. Lily was laughing in the photograph with Cathy, Regulus and another boy at what looked like a beach.
“Hey it’s us.” Cathy said.
“Aunt Cathy, where was this taken?” Harry asked.
“A beach in Hawaii.” Cathy answered. Everyone looked at her in surprise. “Don’t look so shocked. I can fold anywhere on earth. The four of us all went loads of places on the holidays. Secretly of course. Seems almost like a lifetime ago.”
“Why secretly?”
“Cause travelling between countries using magic like that is illegal.” Ryan chipped in.
“Don’t forget the underage magic.” Fred added.
“How are you able to use magic anyway?” Remus asked her. “Surely the ministry would have noticed an underaged witch apparating around the world.
“That’s a very good question.” The Minister said. “Well Ms. Potter?”
“I dunno.” Cathy shrugged. “I don’t know if the trace works the same if I’m using chaos magic.”
“That wasn’t the only reason.” Cathy said. “Well, that was one of the main reasons but it was mostly because none of us were in the same house at school or…shall we say social groups.”
“Purebloods couldn’t be friends with muggleborns.” Ryan explained. “Or people who were pro-muggle like the mums family. Back then they’d be seen as blood traitors.”
“They’d still be labelled as blood traitors today.” Regulus said as he ruffled Ryan’s hair. “The Black family used to be at the center of anti-muggle societies and beliefs.”
A lot of people nodded and agreed with what was being said all while shooting glances at the Black family.
Harry was silent as he processed this information. “What happened to make you change?”
Regulus looked to his wife. Cathy smiled and placed her hand on her hip and stood in a sort of dramatic pose. “I…realized the error of my family’s ways.”
“Urg!” Cathy scowled at Regulus and folded her arms in annoyance. Regulus walked over to his wife and kissed her on the cheek. “I thought you like that I didn’t switch side for you.”
“I do.” Cathy pouted. “Still would’ve been nice to be acknowledged at least.”
“They’re so cute together.” Mary whispered to Marlene.
“Hang on,” Ryan looked at the photograph closely. “if that’s you and mum and that’s Hazza’s mum then, who’s that?” Ryan pointed at the last boy who had long black hair and pale skin. He looked out of place at the beach.
“Oh, that’s Sev.” Regulus said.
“Who’s Sev?” Harry asked.
“He means Severus.” Cathy said. “You know, Professor Snape.”
Everyone went silent and stared at the photo closely.
“What!” Fred and George exclaimed in unison.
“You’re joking!” Percy shouted.
“There’s no way!” Ron grabbed the photo and they all looked at the photo closer. “That doesn’t look anything like Professor Snape.”
“That’s probably cause he’s smiling!” Ryan said. “And it’s not that creepy serial-killer smile he’s got.”
"What’s that suppose to mean!” Severus questioned while several people smiled and chuckled to themselves.
There was a knock at the front door and Cathy and Regulus looked at each other puzzled.
“Are you expecting someone?” Regulus asked.
“No.” Cathy looked to the front door and her eyes glowed red briefly. Cathy smiled and looked down at her youngest daughter. “Halley, sweetie go get the door please.”
“Who is it?” Regulus asked as he and Cathy walked to the door.
Halley hopped down from the couch and ran over to the door. She reaches up to the door knob and opened it to show the figures of a person.
“Grandma!” Halley squealed.
“Hello darling!’ Walburga picked up her granddaughter and smothered her with kisses. “Merry Christmas, everyone!”
Walburga, as well as everyone else stared in shock at the future-Walburga. The present and future versions were as different as night and day.
While everyone was watching in shock, Euphemia felt a twinge of envy that Walburga Black of all people lived long enough to meet her grandchildren and she did not.
“Merry Christmas.” Regulus replied to his mother as he greeted her. “You didn’t tell us you were coming, mother.”
“I wanted it to be a surprise.” Walburga smiled as Cassie and Ryan came over.
“Merry Christmas, grandma.” The pair said at the same time.
“Merry Christmas, everyone.” Walburga smiled.
The scene shuffled and showed everyone going through their presents and moved on to show them all outside playing in the snow to finally them all enjoying a Christmas dinner. The scene ended with Harry resting on his bed with Ron, Neville and Ryan sitting at the end of the bed.
“I think this is the best day of my life.” Harry smiled.
“Isn’t he precious.” Mary said.
“He is. He really is.” James agreed.
“I know what you mean.” Ron said. “I always thought that the Black family would be scary but you lot are fairly normal.”
“For a family of Chaos Castors that are all descended from some pretty mentally questionable wizards you mean.” Ryan added.
“I suppose.” Ron nodded and they all laughed.
“Harry.” Neville pointed to a wrapped parcel on the dresser. “What’s that?”
Harry sat up and reached for the parcel. “I don’t know.”
“There’s a note.” Ryan said as he opened it. ‘I thought it’d be best for you to open this privately. Your father left this in my possession before he died. It is time it was returned to you. Use it well.’ This is me mums’ handwriting.”
“What is it?” Neville asked as Harry unwrapped it and pulled out something fluid and silvery gray that went slithering to the floor where it lay in gleaming folds.
“Oh no.” James said as he watched.
“Some kind of cloak.” Harry noted.
“Well, let's see, then. Put it on.” Ron instructed.
Harry threw the cloak around himself and when he closed the cloak everything below his neck vanished.
“Whoa!” Neville exclaimed.
“What just happened!” Someone shouted.
Harry looked down and was shocked to see what he did. “My body's gone!”
“I know what that is.” Ron said. “That's an invisibility cloak!”
“It’s a what?” Professor McGonagall and the other professors all looked to James and his gang of friends a very scrutinous way.
“What?’ James said innocently. He hoped in vain that people would forget about him and his pranks.
“I am suddenly reminded of several occasions where certain troubles had occurred and I suspected you four.” McGonagall said. “The usage of an invisibility cloak certainly helps to explain them now.”
“How did James get the—Fleamont!” Euphemia turned to her husband.
“It’s a Potter family tradition!” Fleamont said.
“I'm invisible?” Harry questioned.
“They're really rare.” Ryan said as he stood up and poked at Harry’s invisible body. “Mum told me that the Potter family owned an invisibility cloak and that it was passed down to the eldest child to own.”
“That’s so cool.” Ron smiled.
“Hmm.” Ryan had a smile grow on his face. “I have an idea.”