"Not that day... Morano decided to take matters into her own hands" Sirius said with obvious disgust "Lily was partnered with Snape... and Cat was partnered with James" he said through clenched teeth "I’m sure Morano laughed about that for days.... or at least until Cat turned her office into a swamp." Sirius laughed as Harry’s eyes grew large. "Don’t let her fool you Harry. She’s as much a marauder and Remus and I are. Only her ideas are a bit stranger" he winked as he ate some toast.

Harry looked back at Cat sleeping, she looked so angelic "You mean to tell me that Cat, the woman sleeping on the bed over there, my mum, managed to change and entire room into a swamp?" He shook his head slowly when he saw Sirius nodding "How much detention did she get for *that*?" they both turned towards the bed as the heard Cat stirring.

Sirius wiped his mouth and hands as he got up and walked to Cat’s side. Very gently he brushed the hair off of her face and tucked it behind her ears "Muirneach aon...." he said softly as he let his hand trail behind her ears and down her neck, he smiled as he heard her groan softly. "Muirneach aon ..Ar mhaith leat an bricfeasta" he watched as her eyes fluttered open and she smiled weakly at him. "Good morning sunshine... time for breakfast" he turned and smiled at Harry who was grinning from ear to ear "and we have company"

"Company?.. who is it?" Cat said softly as she rubbed her eyes. She felt Sirius’s strong arms around her as he helped her sit up "Sirius... it’s alright, I’m fine." she assured him, "I’m just a bit tired"

Sirius smirked "Sure... you’re fine and I’m the Minister of Magic" he teased as she grimaced. "Are you strong enough to sit with us and eat?" he asked as he pushed her hair behind her ears again. "Or is it breakfast in bed?"

Cat rolled her eyes "Thank you, but I think I can manage sitting up" she replied sarcastically. "Honestly Sirius, you would think you had never seen me go through this before."

Sirius sighed "That is the problem Kitty. I *have* seen you go through this before, and I have never seen you this weak for this long." Cat was about to answer him when they heard a knock at her bedroom door.

Before anyone could answer it the door opened and a friendly face smiled at them. "Well I see everyone else is already here." Remus said jovially, "And I guess I didn’t need to bring along breakfast" he smirked as he sat down the platter of muffins and toast.

Cat began laughing hysterically "Oh no Remus... not more muffins, .... please..." she let her head fall into her hands as she kept laughing, before she knew it she heard another familiar laugh. "Harry?!!" she smiled brightly as she held open her arms to him, he quickly ran over and hugged her "so you’re my company are you? Well be glad Remus didn’t make *you* carry the muffins again." she teased as they laughed.

Sirius and Remus looked at each other and grinned "Moony... dare I even ask?"

"I’d prefer it if you didn’t Padfoot" Remus replied "it’s embarrassing enough as it is" he smiled as Cat and Harry giggled at him.

Cat shook her head "Well seeing as how I have all of this company, I suppose I should at least get out of bed." she held up her hand as they began to argue "Let me at least try. Harry would you please hand me my dressing gown. I don’t want anyone walking in and getting the wrong idea." she winked, she knew there was only one person who would thing anything like that.

Harry quickly got the dressing gown and handed it to her, he was smiling until she pulled back her covers and he saw all the bruises. "What happened!!!!!" he asked angrily as he turned to Sirius "Why is she hurt like that. I thought you staid here to protected her, not hurt her?!" Harry was going to say more, but he felt a soft hand on his shoulder urging him to stop.

"Harry.... sweetie, that was uncalled for" Cat said gently "Sirius had nothing to do with these" she said as she reached for Sirius’s hand and squeezed it gently "This always happens when the dreaming begins. "I have very vivid dreams, I have already woken up with burns and cuts, bruises are nothing... trust me. And as for Sirius, I have no doubt he did everything he could to keep me safe."

Harry turned back to Sirius to apologize, "I’m sorry Sirius.... I didn’t mean it like that. Its just... when I saw all the marks..." Harry flinched when he saw the pain in his godfather’s eyes, he had never meant to hurt his feelings like that. "Sirius, please forgive me... I ... I didn’t" Harry could feel his stomach twisting, he loved Sirius like a father, he didn’t know what to say. Harry flung his arms around Sirius "I’m sorry" he held his breath until he felt Sirius return his embrace......

Harry’s words had stung, surely he must know he would never harm Cat. Sirius could feel the pain and numbness of Azkaban rising to the surface as Harry’s words sunk in. At least Cat didn’t believe it, she had stopped him mid-sentence, she was trying to explain to him what had happened, why she was covered in bruises. Sirius felt her squeeze his hand, it was a comfort to him to feel her, but when did Harry stop trusting him, and why. As Sirius was lost in his own thoughts and torments he suddenly felt Harry throw his arms around his neck and whisper "I’m sorry". It was all he needed to hear, Sirius quickly hugged Harry back "I would never harm her, or you" he whispered into Harry’s ear. "You are everything to me, the two of you are the only reason I fight to survive."......

Cat smiled as she saw Harry and Sirius embrace, they could so easily be father and son. Cat quickly looked down at her hand and then to Sirius’s, neither of them were wearing wedding bands. She reached up to her neck to play with Sirius’s ring, only to realize it wasn’t there either. Cat sighed softly, it must have all been a dream, part of her cringed as she realized she and Sirius weren’t together, he must have married someone else. But if that was the case, why was he here with her, why wasn’t he with his wife? And what did he mean *fight to survive*?

"Cat?" Sirius said softly as he squeezed her hand "Catri MacLeod" he smiled as she turned to him "I was afraid we had lost you there for a moment" he touched her cheek as she looked at him sadly, tears beginning to fill her eyes "What is it? Kitty what’s wrong?" he asked anxiously, when she did reply immediately he quickly pulled her closer to himself. "Kitty ... don’t leave us, not now." he said as Remus quickly ran over to the bed.

Cat quickly jolted out of her thoughts "What?" she asked as she looked at all the concerned faces. She felt herself being quickly pulled against Sirius, he was holding her tightly as he whispered softly in her ear "Cat, you have got to concentrate on where you are, on who you are. I would die if anything happened to you."

Cat closed her eyes, as his voice echoed through her head. "Sirius... I’m so confused... I don’t know what is real anymore... I’m lost"

Harry looked at Remus and Sirius, his eyes full of fear and concern "She doesn’t know what’s real?"

Sirius and Remus exchanged meaningful glances. Remus pulled Harry away to talk with him as Sirius spoke softly to Cat, trying to get her to relax and concentrate on the here and now.

"Remus, what is going on?" Harry asked, "this isn’t like her, not at all"

Remus held up his hands "I know Harry, let me explain. You know this all started because she had another vision. Well this is the aftermath, the vision leaves her weak and therefore open to influences she can usually fend off or ignore. But given her current state, these influences play havoc with her mind. She will have vivid dream, and as you can see from her bruises, very vivid dreams, they are as real as life to her Harry. That makes it very hard for her to draw a line between reality and dreams. And when you add to that most of her dreams are precognitive.. Well its no wonder she’s a bit confused at the moment."

Harry turned to look at Cat, he watched as Sirius held her tenderly, he constantly kissed her softly on the crown of her head as he gently rubbed her back. How could he ever have thought Sirius would do anything to cause such horrible marks on her. Harry smiled as he watched them, they just had to end up together, they were perfect for each other.

Everyone in the room jumped when they heard the door to Cat’s private rooms bang loudly. Remus pushed Harry over to Cat, as he and Sirius stood up, prepared to fight. Both Remus and Sirius had pulled out their wands and were pointing them at her bedroom door, waiting for whomever had made the noise to enter. As if on cue a *very* angry Severus Snape burst into Cat’s room. His mood was not improved by the sight of Black or Lupin.

"And I suppose you have both been here all night?" he hissed as he glared at the wands in their hands "and what are you intending to do with those?"

Remus sighed deeply "Severus Snape where are your manners? Or do you always enter a lady’s bedroom without even the decency to knock first?" he said tersely "I had always given you credit for manners if nothing else."

Snape gave an even more menacing glare than before "I am afraid you will have to forgive me Mr. Lupin" Sev said evenly "I have been locked in my office all night waiting for *someone*" he turned quickly to look at Black "to realize this." Sev strode over to where Cat was sitting. "Good morning Catri." he said as he kissed her quickly on the cheek "I trust you are .... well?"

"She’s much better" Sirius said softly as he gazed fondly at Cat.

Severus turned around and scowled at Black "I was not asking you." He turned back and looked at her expectantly "Catri?"

Cat stared blankly for a moment "I am better.... And I thought you were coming back last night. Poor Sirius had to stay here all night, he could have used some help." Cat said, pouting slightly

This threw Severus, he was ready to fight tooth and nail for Catri, to do whatever he had to, but he didn’t expect this. Cat was upset because he had not shown up, and Black looked very tired as if he had been up all night. "I apologize Catri.. I was unavoidably detained." he sat down on the armchair as Harry moved towards Sirius "by a friend of yours."

"A friend of mine? Really?" Cat asked mildly surprised, she really didn’t thing Sev cared for many of her friends "Who was it? It must have been an interesting conversation to make you forget all about me." Cat remarked as she avoided Severus’s eyes, she stared instead at Remus who was doing his best not to laugh out loud.

"Catri?!, No.. It was not like that." Sev exclaimed "I could never forget about you. It was Cash, he locked me in my office"

"Cash?" Remus asked "Cash the Gangrel,... he locked a senior professor in his own office." he waited as Severus nodded, "and you, a Professor at Hogwarts, ... one who in fact would like *my* job as defence against the dark arts position. You could not manage to get out?" Remus tapped his foot impatiently "Severus. I am sorry to say that is the worst excuse I have ever heard, my first years come up with better than that." Remus didn’t flinch a muscle when Severus turned and glared evilly at him "And I am still waiting for you to apologize to Cat for bursting into her bedroom."

Snape couldn’t take anymore "Who do you think you are to speak to me in such a way?" he spat venomously. Severus was tired, he had been up all night worried of what Black was doing to his beloved Catri. The last thing he needed was a lesson in manners from a werewolf.

Cat was about to say something, but Remus held up his hand and motioned her to stay quiet. "I am the oldest member of her clan present." he told Snape firmly "And as such it is *my* duty to see she is kept safe and well. It is also my duty to see she is treated like a lady, and up until this morning I had always assumed I could trust you to do so." Remus shook his head "But now.... I’m not sure if I can allow you be alone with her."

"What do you mean *allow*? Mr. Lupin I do not know what game you are playing at....." Severus roared.

"Its not a game" Remus yelled loudly, causing every one in the room to fall silent. "You don’t want to understand the Clan.. ..that’s fine" Remus said "but I know my responsibilities to Cat and to the Clan. So until Cash, one of her brothers, her father or one of her aunts walks into this room and tells me that I no longer need to fulfil my duties... you Professor Snape will *NOT* be alone with her. If you want to see her you will need a chaperon." Remus’s voice was once again soft spoken as he walked over to Cat and smiled. "I hope you don’t mind Kitty, but you know the laws as well as I do.... and I’ve seen your father" Remus grinned "he is not someone I want angry with me."

Cat rolled her eyes as Remus "Acushla... I’m sure Severus was just a little excited. Once he calms down I’m sure he will apologize." she was hoping Remus was just playing it up, she was far to old for a chaperon "Besides we both know that is exactly the sort of prank Cash would pull." Turning her head towards Severus she added "you’re actually very lucky all he did was lock you in. I remember what he did the last time I dated someone he was, ..... less than fond of. Cash locked him in a bathroom and made the toilet grow until the poor fellow either had to jump in or get squished." Cat shook her head as she recalled that particular incident. Trevor had ended up getting sucked down into the toilet with only his head above the water line. He had ruined his clothes and cried like a baby, the poor boy had been embarrassed enough by that point, but Cash wasn’t finished. He decided the only way to get Trevor out was by using a giant plunger.... all the while making horrible jokes about things you find in toilets. Cat had walked away shortly after that... she never did find out what happened to Trevor, her guess was he took off running and forgot to stop. "Cash has a very strange sense of humour I’m afraid."

Sirius had to laugh, he tried not to but he couldn’t help it. He could actually see Cash doing that, it was so absurd it was perfect. He looked up to see Cat and Harry staring at him "I’m sorry... .. I .. I’m just too tired... and Cash." Sirius took several deep breaths as he wiped the tears of laughter from his eyes "ahh Cash. You really have to applaud his inventiveness. He would have made a great marauder. A giant toilet... I wish I had thought of that." Sirius was leaning on Harry for support, he was simply too tired, he had been awake for over thirty hours with little more than a few cat naps to keep him going.

Harry looked at his godfather and then to Cat "I think he’s lost his mind." he said as he rolled his eyes. "Sirius, why don’t you sit down? I’m not sure how much longer you’re going to make it on your own feet." Sirius nodded his agreement and sat down on the bed.

Severus looked at Remus "I notice you haven’t said anything about *him* being on her bed. Or is that not part of *clan* law" he asked icily.

Remus took a deep breath, the last thing he wanted was for this to become and argument, Cat didn’t need that, not now. "Sirius was invited into her room, her son is with him... he is no where near her, she is not alarmed." then turning to Sirius, Remus continued "and he knows he had better behave himself or the same thing will happen to him."

"I swear Remus. I’ve been a good boy" Sirius held up his right hand and placed his left over his heart "I have watched over and protected her all night, I made sure she ate" not being able to resist he added "and I have even held her hand and tucked her in. So don’t yell at me bráthair"

Remus grinned and shook his head "Bráthair, well one of our mother’s is going to be shocked." turning to Cat "So...when did he and I become brothers? Is there something you’re not telling me?" he asked hopefully as he carefully looked at her hands.

"Me?" Cat asked surprised "You two are the infamous marauders, why are you asking me?" Cat laughed "I always thought of you two as brothers anyway, don’t imagine many people share your senses of humour." she smiled sweetly at them as she remembered all of the fun they used to share.

"So Mr. Black,.... Now you are her protector? What an interesting turn of events" Severus commented as his eyes flashed maliciously. "I seem to recall you being anything but.."