Falling Into Black

The weeks passed quickly and without any excitement. Katie had finally gotten caught up on her missing homework, and had even gotten ahead thanks to the private lessons from Professor Humphrey. The random attacks from the Slytherins had stopped, if only temporarily. Katie didn’t have any problems with Regulus, although she would often catch a smirk or wink from him. Quidditch had started back up, having stopped for the Ball during Halloween. Ben hadn’t returned from taking his brother back to Australia, and everyone could see that Natalie was disappointed about that. She had obviously grown close to him.

As fall moved in, so did the cold. Students also became excited about the holidays coming up. People were already buying Christmas presents to get a head start.

Currently, Katie was sitting outside, under a tree by the lake, reading a book. The wind was blowing through the leaves, making them shiver on their branch. It was a perfect day in Katie’s opinion. Course Katie always did love the cold.

She looked up as someone sat beside her, and was shocked to see it was Severus. “Hi” he said quietly with a smile.

“Hi” Katie replied, smiling back. “Wonderful day, isn’t it?” He raised an eyebrow.

“It’s cold” he stated.

“I know. Lovely” Katie sighed.

“You’re one weird girl” Severus said, shaking his head. “How’ve you been?”

“Good. You?”

“Good” he shrugged. “It’s been kinda boring around here.”

“For you maybe. Try being around the Marauders and Natalie every day” Katie laughed. “They certainly keep me busy. Never a dull moment with them.”

“Right” he muttered.

“You really don’t like them, do you?” Katie asked, smile gone.

“No” he answered instantly. “I don’t.” Katie sighed softly. “But, I didn’t come over here to talk about all the things I don’t like about them.”

“Then why did you come over here?” Katie asked curiously. He smiled again.

“To just talk. We are still friends, right?” he asked. Katie nodded. “Good.”

“But only if you act like a friend” Katie added sternly. Severus nodded.

“What’cha reading?” he asked, nodding to the book.

“Romeo and Juliet” Katie answered. “It’s my favorite play by Shakespeare. I think I’ve read it 9 times.”

“Nerd” Severus snickered.

“Am not!” Katie exclaimed, shoving his shoulder. “If anyone’s a nerd it’s you.”

“How so?” he asked challengingly. Katie winced.

“Uh…you know what? That doesn’t matter. What matters is, is that you’re the nerd.” He rolled his eyes and looked at the lake. Katie grinned widely as an idea appeared in her mind. Taking out her wand, she muttered a spell that made a snowball in her hand. “Hey, Severus.” When he looked over, she smashed the snowball into his face. She jumped up laughing.

“Ack! What was that?!” he exclaimed, wiping his face.

“Enchanted Snow” Katie giggled, forming another snowball. He ducked as she threw it at his head. To be fair, she covered the area around the tree in the warm dry snow. “Come on, Sev. Let’s see if you throw like a girl.” He grinned widely.

“Oh, it’s on” he stated, making a snowball of his own. Before he could throw it at her, she threw another at him, which hit his face again. She ran away from him, laughing loudly as he chased after her.

-

Sirius, James, Remus, and Peter were sitting out in the courtyard, lounging about in the autumn day. Remus, like always, was reading a book, while Sirius and James did the talking and laughing.

Suddenly, they heard a very loud, very girly squeal. James laughed loudly. “Sounds like some bloke is getting lucky” he said with a grin.

“Doesn’t sound like that kind of squeal, Prongs” Sirius said with a laugh. “Let’s go check it out.”

“Ya’ll have fun” Remus said. “I’m staying here.”

“Suit yourself, mate” James shrugged. Peter stood up as Sirius and James did, and followed as they walked down the slight incline to the Black Lake. What they saw had them stopping in shock. Katie and Severus Snape were running around in a circle of snow, laughing and grinning as they attacked each other with snowballs.

-
Katie ducked under Severus’ arm as he went to grab her, but then he grabbed her around her waist. She screamed as he pulled her to the ground. “You jerk!” she laughed, pushing him. He laughed. “You know you suck, right?”

“So I’ve been told” he smirked. Katie giggled as she flicked some snow out of his hair.

“You’re covered in snow” she pointed out.

“So are you” he chuckled. In response, she shook her hair in his direction, causing little flurries of snow to get on him. She laughed as he pushed her away. “I love that we can have fun without having to worry about anything” he sighed, laying back in the snow. “It’s relaxing.”

Katie nodded. “Oi!” a voice yelled. Katie jumped and looked up the hill where Sirius, James, and Peter were standing. It was Sirius who had yelled, and boy did he look pissed.

“Well, it was” Severus muttered, standing. He pulled her to her feet as well as the three boys strode down the hill.

“What the hell is going on here?” Sirius demanded. Katie blinked.

“A snowball fight. Duh” she answered like it was the most obvious think in the world. To prove her point, Katie bent to scoop up some snow and extended it toward him. “Want to join?”

“No, I most certainly do not want to join” he snapped.

“Why not? Its fun” she shrugged.

“I meant why are you rolling around in the snow with Grease-ball?” he growled.

“Because he’s my friend” Katie answered. “I’m aloud to have other friends than you, aren’t I?”

“Yeah, so why don’t you just go right on back up that hill and leave us alone” Severus interjected. Katie sighed.

“Not helping” she whispered. “Sirius” she started, looking back at the angry Marauder. “We were just—”

“Oh I know what you were doing, Katie” Sirius interrupted sharply. “What happened to ‘I need to get Alpha out of my head’?” He mimicked her voice, which made Katie a bit irritated. “Yet here you are, rolling around in the snow with him acting like a little love-sick puppy.”

“Now wait a minute—” Katie began, but he cut her off again.

“Forget it Katie. I’m tired of waiting. I’ve waited 6 years, and you haven’t given me the time of place” Sirius said. “You just continue on with your little love fest. I don’t care.”

“Sirius—” Katie desperately reached out toward him, but he angrily turned away and stalked back up the hill. “James?” Katie looked toward the messy haired boy, who looked sad.

“Just give him time to cool off” he sighed, before following after his friend. Peter smiled softly before also following. Katie stood there, stunned and hurt, watching as they disappeared over the incline.

“Katie?” Severus asked gently. “You okay?”

“He didn’t even let me explain” Katie said softly.

“Don’t worry about him. He’s a jerk” he said sympathetically, putting a hand on her slender shoulder. Katie didn’t reply.