“DON’T YOU START!” Cat warned as she wrapped her arm around Harry, removing him from Sirius and steering him to stand in front of her. “Siobhan, this is my son, Harry. And Harry, this is my cousin, your Aunt Siobhan, the Lady Cuir fo rian.” seeing the confused look on Harry’s face, Cat explained. “Siobhan sees to it that those who honour her remember the lessons of their ancestor and protects them as those around them fall into chaos and ruin. In other words, a cush job.” Cat finished, sticking out her tongue at Siobhan.

“As if” Siobhan teased back “Have you seen the modern world lately Kitty? it’s a mess, civilization means nothing to mortals anymore, they don’t strive to attain it, they mock it, they do their best to destroy it. I’ve half given up myself.”

“You never give up Siobhan, you are a hopeless optimist” Cat countered, grinning happily.

“Me, and optimist look who’s talking. Harry, don’t let her fool you one bit. She has it in her head that humans can not only be saved, but elevated to a higher level. Talk about optimistic,” she snorted “I’d be happy to get those teenage boys to wear their under things beneath their trousers.”

“So, are you ready to meet the rest of the clan. Everyone has been waiting to meet you, we were expecting the two of you quite some time ago, but since you brought along two very nice looking fellow, I guess we can forgive you.” Siobhan said as she winked playfully at Sirius and Remus. “Hmmmm siobladh e leat?”

Cat sighed and dropped her head, “No Siobhan, he’s …”

“Yes, I am” Sirius interrupted, “She’s still denying it, but I’m hers.” he insisted, grinning from ear to ear as he stood behind Cat and Harry, his arms draped over their shoulders.

Harry stepped towards the fire to warm his hands as he watched Sirius and Cat argue playfully with each other, egged on by Siobhan and Remus. His eyes wandered around the large kitchen, it was all stone and wood, with a huge old oven against one wall and rows upon rows of shelved, stocked with all sorts of food and what he assumed were cooking implements. The exposed beams of the ceiling had dried herbs handing from brightly coloured ribbons, all easily within reach of the stone counter that was glowing red with heat. Harry guessed that was what they used as a stove top, a guess that proved correct as Siobhan snapped her fingers as a tea kettle scurried across the counter and placed itself on the hot stone, nestling down like a bird on its nest.

Harry touched the mantle of the fireplace, noticing as he did so, the lettering carved into the stone. He traced his fingers over it, trying to figure out what it said, he was positive he had never seen the language before, although the characters looked very familiar.

“It’s a blessing” Remus said softly as he joined Harry “It’s a devotion to the Lady of the Flame, Brighid. All of their homes have it inscribed in the heart of the house.”

“The heart of the house” Harry repeated, it sounded strange, but being here in Fernglennis, he could honestly believe that ‘this’ house had a heart. He hadn’t even gotten past the kitchen, and already he knew he belonged here. He felt warm and safe, as if nothing could ever harm him again, not here, not with them. He sighed happily as he sat next to Remus on the raised stone hearth. “What did Aunt Siobhan say to mum? Something about ‘sheebluch’….”

Remus laughed softly, “Your Aunt Siobhan was asking Kitty if the tall one belonged to her.” he winked “I have a feeling Cash has been giving them ‘his’ view of what’s going on. Poor Kitty, the Clan is going to push her on this.”

“Is that a bad thing?” Harry asked sincerely “I mean, don’t you want her and Sirius to be together anymore? I do, I want to have a mum and dad and little brothers and sisters. I don’t want to be alone, I want a family.”

Remus hugged Harry as he blinked the tears from his eyes “Believe me Harry, we all want that, including Kitty, I can tell by the way she looks at him. But I know her, and if she gets pushed to hard…..” he shook his head. “Just don’t push her Harry, she’s at her end, I can see it. She needs rest, she needs to think things through. And if I know your mum and Sirius, and Clan MacLeod, it won’t be long before a decision is made one way or the other.”

Harry nodded as he kept his eyes fixed on Cat and Sirius, he noticed that Sirius was standing much closer to her than he did at school, and he hadn’t stopped smiling since Siobhan opened the door. He paid special attention to the way Cat was treating Sirius, she kept rolling her eyes and shaking her head, but she had the most amazing smile on her face, just like Sirius‘s ……

Severus burst into Albus’s office, breathless and dishevelled from his mad dash through the forest and into the school. “Headmaster,….Catri…. Potter….” he gasped and he bent over, his hands resting against his thighs as he tried to catch his breath “Voldemort….and Malfoy…..”

Rising from his desk, Albus walked quickly to Severus’s side and escorted him to a chair. “Yes Severus, I know. They have already attacked the school, Harry, Sirius and Cash were gravely injured, as was one of the Weasley boys. But Kitty got back in time to prevent any permanent damage.”

“Catri! Is she safe? Did they harm her? So help me Albus if they did” Severus growled angrily as he clenched his fists.

Albus held up his hands, motioning for calm before he spoke. “She is fine Professor Snape, and she is safe. She took Harry home with her not ten minutes ago, we all agreed it was the safest thing for both she and Harry.” Albus noticed the crestfallen look on the potion masters face the moment he realized Catri was gone.

“Will she be back?” Sev asked softly, fearing that Catri’s concern for Harry would over-ride any other emotional ties she had for him. “Or perhaps you or Lupin have a way of contacting her at her home.”

“Remus left with her,” Albus explained, taking his time in telling Severus about Sirius “he was also injured in the attack, he was protecting the students in Gryffindor tower. Catri and her clan decided it would be best to take all of the wounded back to Fernglennis with her.”

“ALL of the wounded” Sev replied coldly as a horrible realization sank in.

“With the exception of Fred Weasley, who will be returning home with his brothers and sister, yes.”

Who else was injured?” Severus asked, knowing he did not want to know the answer to his question.

Albus took a deep breath, steeling himself for Snape‘s response. “Several of the Gangrels were injured, although they have naturally healed by now, Fred Weasley and Remus Lupin, as I mentioned.. Unfortunately Harry was nearly killed, and Sirius Black faired little better…..”

“Black!!!!! He went with her?!” Sev ranted, leaping from his chair as he slammed his hands down on Albus’s desk “How? Why?!”

“Severus please, calm yourself” Albus sighed “It was decided …”

“By whom?!” Sev questioned angrily “You know what he did to her last time! That man cannot be trusted, I know you do not believe he killed those muggles, but I would remind you he nearly killed me. We were only students, and he proved how cold-hearted and reckless he could be…..”

“Severus! That is enough. We have been through this time and time again.” Albus groaned, he understood Snape’s resentment, Sirius had been completely wrong to endanger him in such a way, and it was obvious that Snape was thinking more about losing Catri to Sirius than anything else. “Clan MacLeod is a force unto itself. They have their own rules, their own government, they feel responsible for not being able to protect everyone, so they have taken it upon themselves to heal those that were wounded. And that ‘does’ include Sirius Black.”

“So Catri …..’insisted’ that Black go with her because he was injured?” Sev asked, barely containing his anger.

“Actually, she insisted that Remus go with them, it was Harry’s instance….” Albus began, only to be cut off….

“And mine” Cash added as he appeared out of the shadows of Albus’s office. “Give it up Slytherin. You had your time with her, and it is all you’ll ever get.” Cash said harshly as he strode to the potion master. “I told her before she left I would ‘never’ allow you to be anything more than a fling. You don’t deserve her, you don’t love her like he does. I’ve watched you both, for weeks I’ve stood in the shadows and observed every look, every touch.” he continued as he narrowed his eyes, staring pointedly at the professor. “By the time she comes back, she will have forgotten all about you and your little night of passion….”

“NO” Severus spat, “I love her and she loves me. She chose to leave with me, to stay with me, she loves me every bit as much as I love her.” he insisted as he clenched his hands into fists.

“You wish” Cash snorted “She thought Sirius was married, she thought she couldn’t have him. A delusion that has since been taken care of, and the fact that he nearly died to save her son and her clan…..he’ll be accepted as kine the moment he steps foot in Fernglennis, the entire clan is expecting him.” Cash leaned against Albus’s desk, his arms folded over his chest. “In fact, I’ve informed them that I consider Sirius to be her husband. So of course the clan will see to it that they room together….I expect it won’t take long for nature to run her course with those two.”

“So, what you are telling me” Severus spat, “is that you have decided to make her a wh***. You peddle her off to whomever you see fit and expect her to obey without question? Without so much as a consideration to ‘her’ feelings in the matter…..” his sentence was cut short by an explosion of pain and the sensation of flying.

Cash smiled with satisfaction as the potion master sailed across the floor, compliments of a very strong right hook. “If you ever call my child a wh*** again, I won’t stop at a simple beating” Cash growled, barely noticing the protective shield Albus had raised between Snape and himself until he realized he couldn‘t get through it. “You were never meant to be with her. You don’t love her, you don’t even know her. You despise her clan, barely tolerate her son” Cash ranted “Do you think she would ever abandon us? We are her Clan, she is ours, she would sooner surrender her own life than forsake us. But you just overlook that, don’t you? Anything that doesn’t fit in with the way you ‘think’ should be, you ignore. Well guess what Slytherin? You can’t ignore me.”……

Harry looked out of the large window, the sliver of a moon was shining on the snow, casting the entire landscape in a silvery blue glow. He heard the lowing of animals coming from the barn on the far side of the view, he couldn’t wait to go see them, he had always wanted to go the petting zoo like Dudley did, but of course the Dursley’s would never take him with them. They never took him anywhere if they could help it, after all, he was nothing to them but a burden, a fact they never let him forget.

Harry was extracted from his thoughts when Siobhan and Cat ran to the oven, both of them laughing and chattering as they pulled several sheets of baked goods out. The delicious smell suddenly reminded him how hungry he was, he hadn’t eaten anything but a handful of food that Ron had snuck out of the great hall. He felt a pang as he remembered his friend, he hadn’t even had the chance to say goodbye, but any traces of guilt disappeared as he listened to the conversation in the kitchen.

Harry couldn’t help but smile when he heard Sirius’s gentle laughter filling the kitchen as he took the chirping kettle off of the heat for Aunt Siobhan. He heard his Aunt make an approving comment about Sirius, which Harry knew would only brighten Sirius’s smile. It was amazing the way Sirius was coming to life before his very eyes, it seemed as if Cash had been right about Sirius just needing to spend time with Cat, no interruptions, no Snape, nothing but clan.

Speaking of Clan, Harry smiled when heard the sound of voices drifting through the closed doors, he couldn’t wait to meet them, although his stomach was twisting with nervousness. What if they didn’t like him, what if he somehow disappointed them? What if he couldn’t live up to their expectations?…..

Cat smiled tenderly as she watched Harry, he seemed so deep in thought, he was far too serious for his age. He should be with his cousins, playing games and enjoying his life, not dwelling on the past, especially not the past few hours. She noticed Sirius watching Harry as well the worry and concern shining in his eyes. She gave Sirius a reassuring pat as she walked passed him on the way to Harry.

“So, ready to meet the rest of the clan?” Cat asked, placing her hand on Harry’s shoulder.

“I - I think so” Harry replied stuttering softly. “Do you think they’ll like me?”

“I know they’ll like you, they already love you, trust me. I’ve been writing home at least once a week, telling them all about you and the school.” she smiled as Harry’s face lit up “They’ve been dying to meet you, I had to stop a few of your cousins from showing up at the school as it is.”