Falling Into Black

The funeral came and went, and Katie found herself back at her house in what seemed like only five minutes. She was in her room, packing all of her things into a charmed suitcase, which could hold an infinite amount of things. Natalie and Lily were helping, but the guys had already gone back to Hogwarts.

“Is this coming?” Natalie asked, holding up her rubber band ball. Katie nodded, and watched as Natalie threw it into the bag from across the room. Katie smiled and shook her head.

“Can you guys keep packing in here? I want to get something out of my parents’ room” Katie said. They nodded. Grabbing another charmed suitcase, Katie went across the hall to her parents’ room. It was just how they had left it. Neat, tidy, and without one speck of dust. Christine had always been a bit of a neat freak.

Katie put everything on her mother’s vanity carefully into the bag, before going into her father’s study. A million different scents of flowers entered her nose, filling it with the sweet fragrance. Flowers of every type and color and size filled vases on every flat surface. Luka had been a Floriculturist, meaning he studied flowers. So, more often than not, he brought his work home with him.

As Katie was putting his multiple books and things into the bag, Katie caught sight of the most beautiful flower she’d ever seen. It looked like a rose, but it wasn’t a type of rose Katie had ever seen. The petals were massive, each about as big as Katie’s palm. The coloring of the flower was beautiful. The outer petals of it were a very, very dark blue, almost black, but as they grew closer to the center, they because a very, very light, almost white, blue. And the thorns on it looked sharp and deadly.

There was a little strip of paper propped up against the vase. ‘The Kastine Rose’ was written on it, in her father’s elegant (but slightly messy) handwriting. Katie shook her head with a sad smile. Just like him to try and combine mine and Mum’s name, she thought, picking up the vase.

Looking around at the beautiful flowers one last time, Katie shut the door to her father’s office, and then went downstairs where Mr. and Mrs. McCoy were waiting. The two had graciously allowed Katie to take up residence in their home until she wanted to move out. The Irish couple was extremely nice.

“Are you ready to go?” Fiona McCoy asked, smiling softly. When they talked though, you couldn’t even tell they were Irish. Katie nodded as Natalie and Lily came downstairs.

“Come on, girls” Oren McCoy said, smiling as well. He easily took the three bags and Apparated back to the McCoy house.

“Wow, that’s the most beautiful flower I’ve ever seen” Lily breathed, catching sight of the rose Katie was holding.

“What the name of it? I’ve never seen it before” Fiona said.

“My dad named it the Kastine Rose” Katie replied. “He probably combined mine and Mum’s name together.”

“It’s beautiful” Natalie smiled.

“Will it be alright it we Apparate?” Katie asked. Mrs. McCoy nodded as the three girls took each other’s arms. Natalie grabbed her mother’s, while Katie grabbed hers and Lily grabbed Katie’s.

Then, they Apparated. Katie had never liked the feeling of Apparating. It felt like being squeezed through a pipe that not even a mouse could fit through, and then being swirled down a toilet. Katie always felt like she was going to throw up, and this time was no different. Katie stumbled when they took form in the living room of the McCoy mansion, and grabbed her churning stomach. Beside her, Natalie and Lily were doing the same.

“I hate Apparating” Natalie groaned. Mrs. McCoy laughed, rolling her eyes.

“Katie, once you get settled into the guest room, you three may return to Hogwarts” Mr. McCoy said as he came down the stairs. “It’s been a long day and I know you’re eager to get some sleep.”

“What about Jacob?” Katie asked.

“We’re going to pick him up tomorrow” Mrs. McCoy answered. “He’ll be fine, Katie.”

“But, what if he’s not eating? What if he won’t go to sleep? What if—”

“Katie” Natalie cut her best friend off. “You need to relax. You have to trust that the Healers can take care of him.” Katie sighed, and nodded.

“Fine” she muttered.

“Good. Now come on” Natalie said, putting her arm around the blonde. “Let’s get back to school.”

“Never thought I’d hear you say that” Katie murmured. Natalie laughed.

- - - - - - - - -

Katie was sitting in the common room that night, gazing distantly at the fire. She wasn’t really seeing the scarlet and orange fire; she was seeing the wedding picture she had in her hands. She was picturing her mother in her beautiful wedding gown, and her father with his grin and tux. They looked so happy then. But, they didn’t know at the time that they would have a witch daughter and would die on the day their son was born. She couldn’t help but think that if they hadn’t of had her, they wouldn’t be dead. Katie felt it was her fault, but something else inside her told her it wasn’t. But she would forever remember that evil laugh as her mother had writhed in pain on the ground.

“Katie?” Sirius’ voice said behind her. Katie jumped nearly a foot off the couch.

“Jesus, Sirius” she breathed, holding her erratically beating heart. “You scared the crap out of me.” He chuckled as he sat next to her.

“Sorry” he murmured. Sirius was dressed in the same pajamas as he was on Halloween in the kitchen. When they had kissed.

Katie’s cheeks flamed when she recalled that night. And how his lips had molded with hers perfectly, and they moved in perfect sync—

“Are you alright, Katie?” Sirius asked, breaking her chain of thought.

“Fine” she answered shortly. Her voice sounded higher than usual, and she was positive her entire face was red. You made it sound like you two were having sex, a tiny voice said in her mind.

“Are you sure?” he asked. “You’re awfully red.” Katie looked away quickly, her blonde hair creating a curtain between him and her.

“Yeah, it’s just hot in here” she lied quickly. “Shouldn’t you be in bed?”

“Well I was, but I couldn’t sleep” Sirius said slowly. Katie nodded. “How long have you been down here?”

“Since Natalie went to bed an hour ago” Katie answered, yawning.

“You do realize that it’s nearly midnight, right?” he said. Again, Katie nodded.

“I was just thinking” Katie sighed. “Something I’ve been doing a lot of lately.” Sirius took her cold hand within his warm one.

“Well, if you ever want to talk, I’m always here” he said gently. Katie looked up at him.

Katie couldn’t explain how it happened for the life of her, but somehow, they ended up kissing. Sirius’ lips were warm and soft, and molded perfectly with hers. Like they were made for each other. They tasted sweet like candy, but also had a rough tinge to it. As Sirius threaded his fingers through her blonde hair, the kiss became more heated. Their tongues mingled and massaged the others.

Katie felt Sirius shift, and then she felt the soft surface of the couch cushions beneath her back. She linked her arms around his neck, and her legs around his waist. He broke away briefly, which gave her the chance to breathe, and planted his lips on her neck.

Katie moaned softly at the feel of his lips on her skin, and dug her nails into his back. He groaned, his head tilting back as he did, before he seized her lips again. His hands ran the length of her smooth, pale legs, and then up her side, under her shirt. Katie jumped slightly at the contact, but it was that little jump that brought Sirius to his senses.

He pulled away, his breath sawing in and out of his chest, and shook his head. “No, we...we can’t” he breathed. She frowned slightly and looked away, but not before he caught the hurt look in her eyes. “It’s not that, Katie” he said quickly, turning her face back toward him. “Believe me. I want this, but not now. Not after the day you had.”

Katie sighed softly and nodded. Slowly, Sirius sat up straight, pulling her with him. “Sirius, I’ve been thinking a lot about Halloween” she said after a moment. Sirius frowned. “Not about him” she said quickly, catching his look. “About the kitchen.” He nodded for her to continue. “Remember when I said someday we could be together?” He nodded again. “Well, if it’s still standing, I’d like that someday to be now.” She looked away at the last part, for fear of rejection. She felt like an idiot for saying it like that. Why couldn’t she be like Natalie and be smooth and cool like her?

“Yes” Sirius said.

“Oh. That’s fine” Katie sighed. “I understa—” Katie stopped when what he said really registered in her brain. She looked at him, shock clearly written on her face. “Did you just say yes?”

Sirius chuckled, sending shivers down her spine. “Yes, Katie.” Katie blinked. She honestly hadn’t been expecting him to say yes. “We should go on a date though to make it official” he added with a wink. She smiled widely, and for the first time since the vision, it reached her eyes.

“O-okay, yeah” she said.

“Great” Sirius grinned. “Tomorrow. Madame Puddifoot’s at 2.” Katie nodded again. Sirius winked again before blowing her a girlish kiss and going up to his dorm. Katie sat there for a good 5 minutes more, a goofy grin on her face.

“I’ve got a date with Sirius Black” she breathed.