Remus shook his head as Cat took his arm and walked over to Olia and Fang "I don’t know what to believe either Kitty. As much as I hate to admit it, I can’t imagine Severus willfully allowing Harry to be harmed, ... me, in a minute, but Harry" Remus shrugged "he knows how important Harry is to you." Remus watched as Snape sulked out of the hospital wing, part of him felt badly for Snape, after what Olia had told him, it was obvious Severus had suffered through more than any of them could have imagined. Remus winced as he imagined what it must have been like to lose both his wife and child, up until a few minutes ago he had never even known Severus had ever been married. It apparently had come as quite a shock to Cat as well, judging by her reaction. Remus felt a cold chill run through his body as he recalled their rather short discussion about Snape’s behavior.

"I have to wonder about that" Cat replied tersely, still quite ticked at the whole idea "if he really understood how much Harry means to me, he *never* would have pulled a stunt like this." she turned a deep shade of crimson as she added "And he would have confided in me, or at least have had the sense to talk to me about his insecurities before endangering the people I love"

Olia looked up from Fang, her eyes pleading with Angel’s "He hasn’t woken up since you healed him. I’m worried" she said softly. Olia felt herself flood with relief when Angel smiled softly at her.

"Nothing to worry about Olia" Cat reassured her as Harry walked up to them. "And there’s my little boy" Cat grinned as she saw Harry stand across from her, his eyes filled with concern over his friend Fang. "Harry? Do you want to help me do this?" Cat asked gently, not wanted Harry to feel she was forcing him to do anything, he had certainly been through more than enough for one night.

Harry’s eyes lit up "I can do that? I can heal people like you can?" he asked excitedly.

"With a little practice... I don’t see why not" Cat winked as Harry’s grin grew even wider. "First of all, take your hands and hold them over his body. See if you can feel the energy, it may feel tingly or warm, its different for everyone, but you’ll feel *something*." she explained as she waited for Harry to get a sense of Fang’s life-force. "Now, spread your fingers and lightly touch him, like this" she demonstrated as she closed her eyes and continued talking "you’ll feel a power within yourself, to me, it feels like a warm ball of energy. A power that needs to be released, and that’s exactly what has to happen, you have to release it." she explained as her hands began to glow softly. Harry watched in amazement, as the light seemed to drain right into Fang.

Harry’s eyes grew wide as he felt the whole thing, the warmth and energy pouring out from Cat was amazing. He wondered if this is what Sirius felt when he held her, or if she only felt like this when she healed someone. Harry shook his head as he sighed, it was little wonder Snape had done something so foolish if this is what thought he would lose, but he could tell by looking at his mum, she was still quite upset over the whole episode. "How do you release it?" he asked.

Cat smiled sweetly at Harry "By just letting go Harry. Remember that little talk we had after MacLir stopped by? About surrendering to the water..." she knew he remembered as soon as she saw his grin. Just then Fang began to stir .....

Cat reached down and gently stroked the downy fur on his cheek as she softly called his name. She smiled brightly as his eyes fluttered open and stared directly into her own.....

"An angel? Am I dead?" he asked softly as he looked up to see a sweet face hovering over him, surrounded by a fiery halo of red.

"Since when do you call me Angel?" Cat laughed as Fang’s eyes grew suddenly large, she could almost swear she saw him blushing under his fur.

"MacLeod?!" Fang gasped as he suddenly began to realize why her clan referred to her as Angel. "Where am I?" he asked as he tried to sit up "and where is that traitorous Gaz" he seethed.

"Gaz is missing and Severus has left to think about his actions" Cat replied evenly as she waited for Fang to calm down so she could ask him for details of what had happened. "Fang? Exactly what happened? We’ve heard Severus’s side of the story. I’d like to hear yours."

"Severus? You mean the Slytherin. What does he have to do with this?" Fang asked as he tried to clear the cobwebs from his head "I only saw Gaz, right before the smeg poisoned me." he said as he heard MacLeod gasp.

"Wow... the ‘s’ word huh?" she replied as she cast her eye toward Harry, luckily he didn’t seem to have any idea what it meant. "So you only ever saw Gaz? I’m assuming she beat you after you lost consciousness." Judging by Fangs growl she must have been right..........

"I don’t like the smell of this" Cash said as he wrinkled his nose "It smells putrid. It smells evil...." He backed up as Sirius rushed over.

"What? The air or the trees?" Sirius asked as he scanned the skeletal trees of the forbidden forest. "I don’t like this...." he added as the thought of something hunting them, or worse, hunting Harry preyed on his mind.

"It’s everywhere" Cash motioned "it’s permeating the very ground, and it seems to be spreading"

"Can we find its center? Or at least figure out what it is?" Sirius asked as he placed his hand on Cash’s shoulder, "And why is it so quiet around here?"

Cash scowled as his skin crawled "That’s it! Sirius, back to the school..."

"I’m not leaving you here alone" Sirius protested.

"You’re right, you’re not. I’m going back with you." Cash said as he turned Sirius towards the school and began pushing him "The number one rule of survival. Know when to get back up. This is not natural, *someone* or something is causing this. And whatever it is, you and I alone are NOT prepared to handle it." ........

Cat smiled as Harry laughed at her feeble joke. "Come on Harry, it wasn’t *that* funny" she smirked as she walked with him to the tower. "And if you’re trying to get out of going to your dorm, forget it. It’s already well past curfew...."

"Believe me, for once I’m more than happy to be going to bed. But at least I won’t have to worry about Snape giving me detention tonight." he grimaced. "Actually I have the feeling he’s going to go out of his way to be nicer to me, at least for the next few days."

"Well its going to take a bit more than that to make up for his abhorrent actions" Cat said angrily "I just wish I knew why Remus was being so .... I don’t know...."

"He said you wouldn’t be angry with Snape if he brought you to us and told you himself." Harry explained "Snape even left us tea and biscuits while he went to spend some time with you." Harry said glumly as he rolled his eyes "So... did you two enjoy yourselves?"

"NO" Cat said firmly "as soon as I found out what he did I insisted on going to you. The only thing that stopped me from beating that man three ways from Sunday was the fact that he had enough sense to place a protection spell over the hall you where trapped in."

Harry tried not to laugh but he couldn’t help it, he had never really seen her like this before. He had seen her angry with Lucius Malfoy, and annoyed with Fudge, or maybe a bit put off by Remus, but this was different. He could see she wanted to be terribly angry with Snape, but after what Olia had told them about his marriage, the loss of his child, his fathers cruelty and the way his *friends* had treated him at school. Harry could tell Cat’s heart was breaking for Snape; she just didn’t have it in her to hate him, although she was trying very hard at the moment to convince herself otherwise.

Cat shot him a look "What is it Harry" she smirked as he laughed again. "I’m not fooling you, am I?" she asked as she draped her arm over Harry’s shoulders and sighed "I just don’t know what to do with Severus. Believe it or not, he can be extraordinarily sweet, although he doesn’t always think before he acts. He tends to let his emotions get the better of him at times."

"Really?" Harry teased "‘cause I usually see the cold, calculating, intelligent side of him... never exactly thought of him as emotional" he laughed again as Cat rolled her eyes.

Cat laughed with him, then suddenly became very serious "Harry, I want an honest answer to a few questions.... promise me you’ll tell me the honest truth?"

Harry nodded as he gave Cat his undivided attention, he could tell by the tone in her voice she was earnest. "Anything. I’ll answer as honestly as I can."

Cat nodded "First of all, why aren’t you and Remus more upset with Sev?"

Harry thought for a moment "I can’t answer for Remus, but ... well.. I mean, I *was* very angry at the time, especially when he took our wands and we saw what had happened to Fang. But Remus and I talked a lot, he told me about your first day at Hogwarts" Harry grinned as Cat groaned "he and I just sat and had tea while we talked and waited for you to come. Remus was certain it wouldn’t take you very long." Harry didn’t want to bring up the rest of the reason. After hearing what Snape had gone through, ... well it wasn’t as easy to hate him now as it had been only this morning.

"Okay... sounds a bit odd, but okay." Cat replied, even though she had the feeling Harry was holding back on her. "Number two, Where is Sirius? Wasn’t he supposed to be with you and Remus? You where all going to meet with me tonight so we could discuss a few things. Remember?"

"How could I forget. Remus and I were on our way to get Sirius. But Remus had gotten upset with Sirius over the fight this morning, and he didn’t tell him what was going to happen. He was afraid ..." Harry became suddenly quiet.

"Afraid of what?!" Cat asked "Was he afraid Sirius wouldn’t come? ..... He doesn’t really care about me anymore.. Does he?" she said dejectedly as she stared at her feet.

Harry’s eyes grew wide as he shook his head "NO... oh no.. mum... trust me" Harry reassured her as he placed his hand on her arm "He cares about you very much. He was the one who’s been staying with you, Cash said he and Remus cured you yesterday."

"Reeeaaaallyy" Cat drawled "and what else has Cash been telling you?" she asked as her hands moved to her hips. "I’m beginning to be glad he won’t be joining us for the holiday, I may just be forced to trounce him if he does." Cat’s eyes narrowed as she remembered waking up in Remus’s arms and the quip Mohrg had made about the bloodlines "And *exactly* how much did Remus have to do with this?"

"Down girl" Harry teased as he held up his hands and back up "I’m not the bad guy. I’m just the messenger" he chuckled as he saw her throw her head back "I have *no idea* what Cash goes on about half the time. But I like him, and so does Sirius."

"Yes, I’ve noticed their mutual admiration society, thank you" Cat said sarcastically as they reached the portrait. "So Harry... honestly... are you alright? Do you need to ask me anything? Do you have any questions? Or bumps? Or bruises?... anything?" she teased as she tickled his ribs.

"Muuuuuum" Harry whined as he squirmed out of her reach "honestly! Aren’t *you* supposed to be setting a good example for me?" he teased back as she flashed him a look of shock and outrage. Harry only laughed harder, she was definitely much better at pulling it off than Sirius or Remus, but he knew her to well to fall for it anymore. It took and awful lot to shock her. "So.... are you going to find Sirius?" he asked hopefully when they stopped laughing.

Cat smiled as she blushed "That’s the plan Mr. Potter. With any luck I may find him by *next* holiday" she sighed as she tussled Harry’s hair. "Good night sweetie,.. You call for me or Cash if you need anything, alright?" she reminded him as the portrait opened, she paused for a moment before pulling him back "Harry... I love you sweetie, you are *the* most important person in my life. I want you to be safe and happy" she said softly as she hugged him tightly. "When Severus told me what he did.... I was terrified something would happen to you, that I’d never see you again." she wiped away a tear as Harry sniffled, hugging her back.

Cat sighed as she walked back from the tower, all she had wanted to do this evening was talk to Sirius. She didn’t think it was asking a great deal, she simply wanted to find him and ask him if he was now, or had ever been married. A simple enough plan, if only reality would play along she might actually be able to make a decision or two regarding her future. She sighed deeply as she thought of Severus, true she was still quite angry with him and his complete lack of judgment, but even Olia had told her what she already knew. He had did it because he was afraid he was losing her, he wanted her attention, he wanted to share himself with her, and not just physically either, he wanted them to share a life together. Cat closed her eyes and leaned against one of the many stone statues lining the hall. It would be nice to have someone to come home to, someone she could love without reservation. She clutched at the parchment as she thought of Sirius, they had been wondrously happy once, she had intended to spend the rest of her life with him and may yet.