To Love and Quidditch

To Love And Quidditch

Once upon a time in Great Britain, there was a School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. One rainy evening in late August, the last of August in fact, seven children were sorted into Gryffindor House. No one of them could imagine, that evening, the strong bonds that would keep them together through the years. They entered their first year at Hogwarts as strangers, and came out in the end of their seventh, after many turns, as friends for life.

Now, let us leave the seven children for a couple of years. Their adventures at Hogwarts is another story, and hopefully some of them will live to tell it. The story that is told here, however, starts with a wedding and ends with a funeral. Even though this is ultimately a story of love, do not expect it to be happy. We all know that love is never easy, and not even the wisest can understand how it works.

Now that you have been warned, we can go on to the story itself.

Chapter 1: The Wedding Planners

Cat Davis had never kept a diary in her whole life. Of course, she didn't count all the little notebooks in which she used to scribble down her thoughts and theories about the world. According to Cat herself, they held little or no resemblance to a diary. According to her best friend, Lily Evans, they were as much like a diary as someone could expect from a person like Cat, who had no need of writing down the things she had done to remember them.

This day, Cat actually toyed with the idea of keeping a 'real' diary, just for the absurdness of it. She grinned inwardly at the thought of what today's entry would look like. Dear diary, yesterday my father was buried. Today I am helping Lily and James plan their wedding. This is just a little taste of the mess I sometimes like to call my life. Throw in a brewing war, a job that's going to kill me, and a mother who is slowly but surely going insane, and you have a quite clear picture of what it's like being me.

A few weeks ago, while her father Roman had still been alive, Cat's friend Peter Pettigrew had asked her how she could joke about something as serious as war. "What else is there to do?" she had answered, leaving him silent. Even now, she dealt with the problems the only way she knew, with gallows humour and ironic self-distance. Somewhere, she reasoned, there had to be some kind of God, and He probably considered her being his best joke ever. What else could she do than laugh? She had learnt at an early age that crying and throwing things around brought her nowhere. Say whatever you wanted about Roman and Marsha Davis, but they had not spoiled their only daughter. Instead, they had taught her to face the difficulties of her life with an open mind and to see solutions instead of problems. "Is there anything you can do about it?" her father had said, looking up from his copy of the Daily Prophet under bushy eyebrows. "Then do it. If not, why bother about being angry?"

There was nothing to do right now, except for keeping on with life, and what would be a better choice of anti-depressing pastime than wedding planning? Sirius had put his living room at the gang's disposal, after cleaning away the small motorcycle parts from the sofa table and the heaps of dirty laundry from the chairs. Cat occupied her favourite chair, the large overstuffed armchair Sirius had inherited from his uncle. It was worn and comfortable. She could even sleep in it without waking up with an aching back and neck, and had done so on some occasions. James and Lily were seated on the small sofa, Remus in the other armchair and Peter and Laura sat on a couple of Windsor chairs fetched from the kitchen. Those were all the seats Sirius could supply, and consequently their host had flung himself down on the rug, a little too close to the fire for Cat's liking.

It was already getting dark outside; the large window had become a mirror that reflected the gathered youths. Cat watched the mirror image of herself snuggled up in the large chair. She had never considered herself being pretty, at least not compared to Lily's colourful features of red hair and emerald eyes or Laura's classic blonde beauty. To be honest, she didn't care much either, but now she took a moment to study herself critically. A plain face with a square chin and round cheeks that together seemed a little bit mismatched. She had got her mother's beautifully shaped eyebrows though, and thanks Merlin for that. Bright blue eyes underneath, which caused Sirius to call her 'Sapphire girl.' She was not entirely sure if she liked it or not. Reading glasses with thin frames. Fair skin that got burnt in no time at all if she stayed out in the sun for too long. Brown hair in an uncountable number of tiny braids. It was practical, she had told everyone, and though that was one of the prime reasons, the hairstyle had also come from a hidden desire to distinguish herself from the crowd. Not that she was ever going to admit that, of course; the self-appointed 'Marauders' would never let her hear the end of it. She was short, a little over five feet--not exactly fat but sturdy, and she usually dressed in Muggle jeans and t-shirts when she could get away with it. Over all, it was not an appearance that turned heads, and Cat was quite content with it. When you were the daughter of one of Britain's most famous Aurors, you didn't actually need more attention. The daughter of one of Britain's most famous late Aurors, she reminded herself. It was more than a week since her father's death, since her father's murder, and she still slipped sometimes, referring to him as if he was still alive.

The others had been chatting happily during Cat's little self-analysis, but now they had noticed her silence and turned their heads her way.

"Are you okay, Kitten?" asked Remus Lupin considerately. Neither of them was used to her being so quiet. On the other hand, neither of them was used to her father being dead either. Cat smiled, trying to calm them.

"I'm fine. I was just thinking about Dad."

A few moments of uncomfortable silence followed, no one seemed to know what to say until Lily rose from her place to give her friend a comforting hug.

"Oh, Cat, I'm so sorry. We should have done this another evening."

Cat smiled once more and pushed away the sadness into a deep corner of her mind where it wouldn't ruin the happy atmosphere.

"Don't be silly, Lil. We planned this ages ago, and it was a hell to find an evening when all of us would be free."

Lily still had an expression of guilt and Cat resorted to the only argument she knew would convince them that this was, in fact, the perfect night to plan a wedding.

"Dad was so glad that you two are getting married. He would have wanted us to do this tonight."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive, come on and tell me what you've come up with."

The air in the room got a bit less awkward as the conversation turned back to wedding-oriented topics.

"We'll hold both the ceremony and the party at my home," said James and pulled Lily back so sit beside him. "There's lots of space, and Mum and Dad will want to have some hand in the whole adventure."

They all laughed, James was having a hard time to avoid his mother's fussing. After all, it was not every day your only son got married and Sarah Potter spared no expenses, but James had been adamant. This was his and Lily's wedding, and it was up to them to plan it, with some help from their best friends. Lily's parents had been a little easier to handle, at least there was always the useful, if not entirely true, explanation that it was this way things were done in the Wizarding world. Lily's mother had also been allowed to participate in the planning of her elder daughter Petunia's wedding the year before, and was now content just to come and celebrate.

"We thought it would be best to start with the guest list today," continued Lily. "We'll need to send the invitations as soon as possible."

Cat nodded, it made sense. She tried to forget about everything else that troubled her at the moment, to concentrate on the task at hand. Focus, Davis, she told herself. There'll be plenty of time to think when this is over.

"So." Remus grabbed a piece of parchment from the sofa table. "Who do you want to invite?"

"Let's start with the obvious, all of you and your families", said Lily as Remus started to scribble down names.

"Hopefully not mine," muttered Sirius.

"Okay, not Padfoot's," said James. "Wish we could leave Petunia out as well, but I guess it's not possible." The remark earned him a swat on the head and a kiss on the cheek from his soon-to-be wife.

The number of names on the parchment grew larger and larger; James and Lily had a multitude of friends from Hogwarts, the Ministery and the Daily Prophet. The members of the Order of the Phoenix were also invited of course, and when the list was finally completed it took up several pieces of parchment in Remus' small, neat handwriting. Lily studied it with astonishment.

"Do we actually have this many friends?" she asked, like she couldn't believe it. Sirius rolled over on his back with a yawn. It was past midnight.

"Let's not forget that there are also people who don't like you," he said and rubbed his eyes. "Did you speak to Mad-Eye about security, Prongs?"

"Not yet."

"Do it then. Or do you want me to do it?"

"Do you want to?"

Sirius sighed deeply and sat up, watching James with something very close to aggravation.

"Can I trust you to do it properly, since you don't seem to get that there's this really nasty guy named Voldemort out there who wants your head on a stick? No, apparently not. Leave it to me, Prongs."

"There's no need to be like that. But thanks anyway."

"And you will promise to do as I say."

"Okay, I promise."

"Lil, you'll make him do as I say."

Lily smiled and nodded.

"If that makes you happy, Sirius, but I really don't think..."

"Well, I do."

James just waved at him while he checked the guest list over Lily's shoulder. Cat noticed that Remus, Peter and Laura all had been quiet during the conversation. There wasn't much else to do. If Sirius couldn't convince James to be careful, then no one could. Everyone knew James' amazing capacity for denial. In his world, life was great, and bad things didn't happen to him or anyone he loved. Has he even realized that Dad is dead?

Laura Swann checked her wristwatch and gasped at the time. "I don't know about you people," she said, "but I have to be on the pitch at seven o'clock tomorrow morning. Why don't we just split up that list and write the invitations till the next time we meet?"

"Right, on Thursday evening," agreed Lily. "That'll be okay with you, Cat?"

Cat nodded, but James started to protest.

"I'm not free on Thursday, I'm seeing my grandmother..."

"Excellent, because Thursday is a girls-only meeting, which you would know if you had listened!" said Laura and started to collect her things. "We'll talk about dresses and flowers and things that boys don't understand anyway. Goodnight, everyone."

She was gone within the wink of an eye with her blond hair flying. Laura was never the one to do things calmly.

"Swann has left the building," said Cat with a lopsided grin. Lily laughed, but no one else got the joke. The others soon followed Laura's example. Tomorrow was Monday, and a working day for all of them, though Cat didn't actually consider Laura's position as reserve Seeker for the Tutshills Tornados being work. Lost in her thoughts she hardly noticed Sirius trying to get her attention. Finally he got up, walked over to her and whispered in her ear.

"Stay a moment, will you? We need to talk."

With a pretty good idea of what he wanted to talk about, Cat nodded. She stayed in her chair while she watched the others leave, joking and laughing just like so many evenings before, in the Gryffindor common room. It was only a little bit more than a year ago, but it seemed like a lifetime.

Lily was the last one to leave, with a promise to call Cat the next day. Then the red haired girl was out of the door and Cat and Sirius was alone in the flat.

"What are we going to do about them?" asked Sirius.

There was no need to ask what he meant, and whom he was referring to. Cat sighed to herself and tried to think of some way to make James and Lily understand the danger they were in. Finally, she had to give in.

"I have no idea. I don't think anything we say is going to help, they'll have to realize it for themselves."

Sirius wasn't pleased with the answer, Cat could tell from his frown and the way his eyes turned a darker shade of blue.

"By that time, it may be too late, you know that."

She could do nothing but agree.

"Yes, I know."

"So what do we do?"

Cat smiled sadly. She knew what they would do, and she knew that Sirius knew, but they both needed to hear it, like that would sign some kind of pact.

"We make sure nothing happens to them," she said softly.

"Right."

Sirius turned his head away, the agreement sealed. He went to sit down at the end of the sofa. Cat had still not left her chair. She felt like she wanted to stay in it for the rest of her life, safe and secure like her mother's arms when she was a child. These days the roles were changed, and it was Cat who had to take care of her mother. It wasn't fair, but life wasn't fair. There were nothing she could do about it, so why be angry?

"I love James like a brother," said Sirius suddenly, straight out in the air like he was talking to himself. Cat nodded, the fact was true to anyone who knew the infamous Black and Potter duo.

"I know."

"I would rather die than let anything happen to him."

"I know."

He went silent once more, like those statements were something he had needed to hear spoken as well. It was strange, Cat thought, to hear words like those so seriously meant, from a young boy not even twenty years old. But then again, Sirius had been forced to grow up faster than any of them. Anyone who did not know him closer could easily get the idea that Sirius Black was still just a notorious troublemaker, an overgrown child with no sense of responsibility what so ever, but his friends knew better. Sirius had managed better on his own at the age of sixteen than some people would do at thirty. Being left to fend for yourself without help and support from any parents made you independent, and it had to give you a sense of responsibility. Sirius chose to hide it behind jokes and cocky smiles and no one ever talked about it, but Cat knew that every time she had blamed him for being childish the past three years, she had been wrong. And why do I acknowledge this today? I hate to be wrong. I never admit to be wrong if I can help it. Maybe I was jealous, though I never admit to being jealous either. Maybe I knew that no matter how hard I tried to act like a grown up, Sirius was better at it. And maybe I'm just beginning to realize that I had no reason at all to be jealous. Today, I would give anything to be able to be a child again. To be someone's child.

"How are you, Sapphire girl?"

Cat started at the sound of Sirius' voice. She had been certain that he had been too deep into his own thoughts to notice her silent brooding.

"I'm fine. A little tired, that's all."

Light blue eyes under dark eyebrows burned through her like fire.

"And how are you really? It's only been a week, Sapphire girl. You're allowed to hurt."

Sighing inwards, Cat tried to smile at him but didn't really manage. That was what everyone told her, that she was allowed to hurt and allowed to cry, and sure she had cried. In the darkness of her childish little-girl's-bedroom she had cried, until there were no tears left. The tears seemed to have washed off her childhood illusions and when she looked herself in the mirror the morning after, hearing the sounds of her mother singing in the kitchen, making breakfast for three as usual, she had met the eyes of a grown up woman. She made another attempt to smile, and this time she managed better, answering Sirius' question more truthfully.

"I'll live. I'm not exactly fine, but I'll live."

"Do you want to stay the night?"

Yes, she wanted to. She wanted to sit up talking until the small hours of the morning, and then fall asleep on the sofa that was too short even for her and wake up to hear Sirius make an attempt to cook a proper breakfast in the kitchen and find that he had covered her with a blanket before going to bed himself. That was exactly what she wanted to, but tonight she couldn't.

"I have to go home, I don't like to leave Mum alone. Remus' mother was with her earlier but she must have left by now."

"Okay. See you tomorrow then. Concealment and Disguise first thing in the morning. James thought he'd wear the invisibility cloak through the entire lesson," Sirius smiled.

"And you think Moody wouldn't realize? 'Constant vigilance,' remember?" Cat found herself laughing. To be friends with Sirius Black could sometimes be like a roller coaster of feelings. One moment you were sad, and the next he would have you rolling on the floor with laughter. Feeling a little better, Cat finally managed to get out of the chair. It was almost one o'clock in the morning and the sky outside was dark and cloudy with no visible stars. Sirius followed her out into the small hall and watched her as she pulled on her jacket and found her bag underneath a stool.

"Good night then," he said when she was ready to leave.

"Good night. And thanks." There was no need to explain her words. Both of them already knew what she meant. He pushed the hair out of his face and smiled.

"Anytime, Sapphire girl. See you tomorrow."

Then she left, walking down the stairs and out on the empty street. In a few hours, the sun would rise over the London rooftops and chimneys and bathe the city's inhabitants in daylight. A new day, both for those who lived their lives unaware of the threats to their well-arranged lives, and the ones who did what they could to fight the slowly spreading shadow. A new day that would demand strength, determination, and bright minds. But now it was still night, and time to rest. Tomorrow was another problem, and just for now Cat could forget about it and let the mild night fold itself around her like an old cloak and shield her from troubled thoughts. Just for tonight.