Falling Into Black

It was official. Not even a day after the Centauri boys came to Hogwarts, Katie and Alpha were a couple. Everyone knew something was up with Alpha, something evil, but not Katie. She was probably the happiest she had ever been.

However, a week into their relationship, something strange happened.

Katie, Natalie, and Alpha were walking down the hall, when they saw a crowd toward the end of the hall. “Wonder what’s going on” Alpha murmured. The three went toward the crowd. They were gathered around something, and when they got closer, they saw that it was a Hufflepuff 4th year who Natalie knew as Cece Wright. She was crying. Hard. While her friends tried to console her. Her robes were strewn across the floor in shreds and her clothes were ripped in various places. And she was bleeding. Very, very heavily.

“…it was s-so horrible” she was saying in a hushed voice. “It had s-scaly skin, and b-bat-like wings. The eyes were a h-hideous r-red color. Oh god……” she broke off into heartbreaking sobbing.

“This is so horrible” Katie breathed, clutching Alpha’s hand tightly.

“I won’t let anyone hurt you” he whispered into her hair.

“Everyone out of the way, out of the way!” Professor Dumbledore ordered. Instantly, the crowd split to him. Cece was lifted onto a stretcher and wheeled away, her friends following after her. “I want everyone to the Great Hall” Dumbledore said to Professor McGonagall. She nodded, looking stricken.

“Come on, we have to find the others” Natalie said, grabbing Katie’s other hand.

“Who could’ve done this?” Katie murmured. “Cece is so sweet. She’s never hurt anyone.”

“People like that like sweet, innocent girls” Alpha stated. Natalie narrowed her eyes at him over her shoulder, but he didn’t see. He was looking at Katie with a strange expression. One Natalie couldn’t pinpoint.

“Nat!” James called as he and the Marauders and Ben sprinted toward them. “Did you hear what happen last night?”

“No” she answered, confused.

“Cece Wright was attacked. And raped” Remus answered.

“What?” both Natalie and Katie gasped.

“Attention, all students are to report to the Great Hall immediately. All teachers are to report to Gryffindor common room” Professor McGonagall’s voice echoed through the corridor.

“Come on” Sirius hissed, motioning for the others to follow. The 8 of them ran down the hall, and up the multiple staircases until they came to the Fat Lady painting, where Remus quickly recited the password. They silently crept into the Common Room, where all the teachers were gathered.

“This has gotten worse” Professor Sprout said. “First Hannah, then Cece, and now…”

“Katie is the sweetest girl in the school. Whoever this is has been targeting innocent girls” Professor McGonagall said. Katie’s eyes widened. Please, not me. Not me.

“We’ll have to keep an eye on her at all times” Dumbledore said quietly. “She must have someone with her always.”

“That Alpha fellow is always with her” Slughorn said. “So is Natalie McCoy.” Oh god, Katie thought. It is me. It is me. I’m next.

“The girls of Hogwarts are not safe” Dumbledore sighed. “But it seems that if she has a boyfriend or a male friend, whoever this is won’t touch them.” He shook his head. “Minerva, make an announcement to the students. Don’t alarm them. Just tell them that a male is to remain with them at all times. I’ll charm the staircases to prevent anything from ascending them. But, we’ll just have to keep an eye on Miss Scott, and keep her safe.” Katie felt whatever blood that was in her face, drain. Her head felt light, and she briefly felt like she was going to faint.

Natalie quickly moved her friend away from the doorway and sat her down against the wall. “You’re going to be fine, Kitty” Natalie said gently, brushing back Katie’s blonde hair. Natalie noticed that Katie’s skin was ice cold.

“No I’m not” Katie moaned, putting her hand in her hands. James and Peter joined the two.

“Yes you are, Katie. We won’t let anything happen to you” James said gently, rubbing her knee.

Meanwhile, Sirius and Remus were staring in horror at the wall of the common room. The professors were gone, to the Great Hall no doubt. But the only thing Sirius could do was stare at the words on the wall. ‘I will have you, Katie Scott. You’re mine’. In bright, bright silver letters.

“We won’t let anything happen to her, Sirius” Remus said, putting a hand on his shoulder. Sirius then realized that he was having a hard time breathing. Just the thought of someone wanting to hurt someone as innocent as Katie had his throat constricting over a growl. “She needs you.”

“I can’t” Sirius growled through his teeth.

“Yes you can. She needs to be comforted right now, and you are the best person to do that.” Remus gave him a quick shove out of the common room. When Sirius saw Katie seated against the wall, her head in her hands, with James, Peter, and Natalie around her, something came over Sirius. He walked toward her, and kneeled down on her right side (since Natalie had claimed her left) and took her hand. She looked up, her pale blue eyes shining with tears. Shifting so he was sitting beside her, he put his arm around her and pulled her close.

“You’re going to be fine, Katie” he whispered, stroking her blonde hair. Her slender shoulders were shaking as she tried to control her tears, but he knew she was failing because her tears soaked into the collar of his shirt. Her arms were tight around his waist, and if it wasn’t for the situation, Sirius would’ve smiled and basked in the feel of her arms around him. But instead, he rested his chin on the top of her head and closed his eyes.

Natalie frowned as she stared at the two. They looked perfect together, and they would’ve been together by now if it wasn’t for Alpha.

Natalie blinked, looking around. “Where’s Alpha? And Ben?” she asked out loud.

“They were here a minute ago” James muttered, also looking around. Natalie noticed that Remus’ eyes were narrowed in concentration, which meant he was thinking really hard about something.

“Have ya’ll noticed that all of this started when Alpha and Ben came here?” he asked slowly. Sirius looked over sharply.

“You mean they had something to do with this?” he growled lowly. Remus shook his head.

“I’m not sure” he said hesitantly. “But we won’t know for sure unless we get one of them to confess or we follow them around all night.”

“I swear, I’m going to kill them” Sirius muttered. Katie tightened her arms around him, lifting her head from the crook of his neck.

“Please don’t leave me” she whispered. “I don’t want to be alone.” Sirius felt himself relax back against the wall.

“I won’t leave you” he whispered, leaning his forehead against hers.

“We’ll find Ben and Alpha, you stay with her” Natalie whispered. Sirius gave her a thumbs up. As Natalie and the Marauders walked away, Sirius and Katie were silent. All Sirius could think about was why someone would want to hurt Katie or any girl for that matter. Hannah and Cece were incredible nice to everyone. Even Slytherins liked them. And Katie was just as nice, if not nicer. True, she could be a heck of a duelist, but only when it was necessary. From what Natalie had told him, Katie hated violence.

“Sirius?” Katie mumbled, her blue eyes locking on his dark grey ones.

“Hmm?” he murmured.

“When you beat me in Potions that one time, what did you take from Professor Slughorn?” she asked.

“Um, I don’t remember” he said slowly. “I lost whatever I got.”

“Oh” she sighed. “I didn’t even know something happened to anyone until today” she said after a moment. “Cece was the first I’d heard of it.”

“Same here” he muttered. Stroking her hair, he said, “But I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise.”

“Whoever this is, if they want me, no one can stop them” Katie whimpered, burying her face in his shoulder.

“Don’t say that” he said firmly, bringing her head back around. “Dumbledore is the greatest wizard of all time. I’m sure he can stop some psycho rapist.”

“Oh god” she moaned. Sirius winced.

“Katie” he sighed, choosing his words carefully. “I promise, with every fiber of my being, that I will not let anything or anyone hurt you in any way for as long as I have air in my lungs.” He kissed her cheek, earning a small, tearful smile. And I promise, for as long as my heart is beating, that I will love you unconditionally, he added in his mind.