“Don’t jump to conclusions little one.” Mohrg said quietly as he bent over to whisper in Harry’s ear. “Cash of Gangrel has insisted that Remus lay with his niece to keep her warm and safe while he feeds.” He explained gently “Remus kept asking that her husband be brought, but Cash couldn’t wait for him, the Angel was far too weak.”

Harry turned to stare Mohrg straight in the eyes, he always felt nervous around the Nosferatu, but Cat had always told him all mortals feel like that around truly ancient creatures. Harry knew he should feel nervous now, or at least humbled, but all he felt was angry and betrayed. “What husband?! Since when is she married?!” Harry asked ferociously “I’ve never met any husband...” Harry became suddenly quiet when he saw a strange look pass over the Nosferatu’s face. Cat had always warned him to mind his manners with the Kindred, particularly the Nosferatu, maybe he had gone too far.

Mohrg was both surprised and somewhat delighted by Harry’s reaction. While he didn’t appreciate the tone in the child’s voice, he did relish the fact that he was so unafraid of him that he thought nothing of using it. Although he was certain he had seen Angel’s child and her husband together on many occasions. “Harry, are you sure? I myself have seen you with him many times. You have walked these halls together, you have sat with him while your mother recovered from her visions.” Mohrg reminded him gently.

“You’ve seen me with him?” Harry asked, he wracked his brain as he tried to think of who Mohrg could be thinking of. “The only men besides Remus I’ve walked with are Sirius, Snape and Dumbledore, but none of them are married to her.” Harry’s eyes grew wide as he saw Mohrg smile at him.

“Oh no.. please, please tell me she didn’t marry Snape!!” Harry begged as he looked back at Cat and Remus. There was no way she would marry Snape, not without at least discussing it with him, she promised. “Please, don’t let it be Snape.” Harry gasped as he turned back to watch Remus holding Cat, smiling and talking to her softly.

“How could you have seen me in her heart?” Sirius asked sadly “She doesn’t love me, not anymore, not that I can blame her....” he said dejectedly as he hung his head.

Raul knitted his brow in concern and confusion “Why? What did you do to her?” Sirius didn’t seem the type to hurt Angel, but then he didn’t seem the type to run away either.

Sirius sighed deeply as he leaned against a large tree “I had a fight with her again.... right after I caught her kissing Snape. I didn’t realize until right before she ran away from me....” Sirius looked into Raul’s eyes “she still thinks I’m married.... I thought she knew, I thought Harry or Remus would have told her.”

“You are widowed?” Raul asked only to see Sirius shake his head “ Please do not tell me you have abandoned your wife?!” he practically growled. If there was anything Raul could not abide it was someone who broke their vows. ALL vows were sacred, whether to man or god, your vows must be kept.

Sirius smirked at him “What wife? What family?” he wiped at his tears with the sleeve of his thread bare robe “I never married. . .I. . .I. . .” Sirius shook his head “What has Cash told you about me? About my past?”

Remus smiled brightly as Cat finally began laughing at his stupid jokes. He needed to hear her laugh, to see her smile while her eyes twinkled happily. It had been too long since they could just be silly, she needed to relax and heal, they all did. “Come on MacLeod... answer me... “ he insisted as he gave her a toothy grin “I know you’re just dying to say the punch line” he prodded.

Cat shut her eyes and shook her head vigorously as her hair rained down on them “Never... I’ll never say it... it only gets me into more trouble...” she argued as she tried to keep a straight face. Leave it to Remus to be able to cheer her up no matter what the situation. No wonder she still had a soft spot for him in her heart, if he ever changed his mind about his family situation, ... well.... Sev would have a tough run at it.

“Since when has Clan MacLeod shirked from trouble” Remus asked teasingly “As I recall you look for it” he winked.

“NO” Cat replied “I don’t look for it... it looks for me, and when it finds me in jumps right into my lap and insists I pay attention to it.” she grimaced “just like a spoiled lap dog” she finished as she stuck out her tongue at him.

Remus rolled his eyes “sticking out you tongue at me Madame?” he asked as he tried to sound dangerous “There are penalties for that....”

“Such as...” Cat baited him, wondering if he’d actually follow through with anything or if it was all just a bluff.

Remus smiled wickedly “Such as this!” he yelled playfully as he rolled on top of her and began tickling her without mercy. He managed to pin her legs with his knees as he tickled her ribs, all the while doing his best to avoid being caught himself. He grinned madly as Cat roared with laughter and pleas for mercy.

“What a sight you two are” Harry yelled loudly as his conversation with Mohrg was interrupted by their antics “You would really think, being adults, you would know better than to carry on like that.” he grinned as he saw their faces blush pink with surprise and embarrassment. Harry and Mohrg walked up to her bed as Cat smiled at them.

“Harry!! I didn’t know you came in” Cat smiled happily as she tried to push Remus off of her “Give your old mum a hand with this brute would you? Tickle him right below the ribs.. He can’t stand that.” she grinned as Harry rolled his eyes at them both “What about you Mohrg? Give a girl a hand?”

Mohrg smiled widely at her “You seem to be managing fine on your own Angel” he replied as he wondered if she had any idea how grateful he was that she saw him as just another person. It would have broken his heart if she had ignored him after this afternoon. He knew Angel had no idea his blood was also coursing through her veins, it was the most precious thing he owned and now it flowed through her. “I notice Remus handled himself admirably this afternoon as well.” he added as Remus blushed profusely.

Remus looked down at Cat shyly as he carefully got off of the bed, “Mohrg? How long *have* you been here?” he gulped as he stared at the floor.

Mohrg wished he too could blush at the moment “I never left” he replied “Cash asked me to watch over both of you, in case anything should happen, he needed to be informed. Something about bloodlines...”

Remus blushed a deep red as he saw the look in Cat’s eyes. “BLOODLINES??!!” she gasped “Remus???" He couldn’t mean what she thought, not the way Cash had been so insistent that she be with Sirius, and Remus had sworn time and time again he would remain alone and childless.

Remus looked from Catri to Harry “Kitty, I swear” he said as he shook his head and placed his hand over his heart. “And I will answer any questions you have about it......*later*” he said firmly as his eyes rested on Harry.

“You bet you will” Cat replied emphatically “and Mohrg, I expect you to explain my cousins orders... in detail.”

Mohrg nodded solemnly and her request, then smiled at her “I am glad to see you are feeling so much better now. We were all very concerned, we thought you might die..... you requested the embrace.” he added very softly.

Cat gazed deeply into his eyes as she spoke evenly and clearly “I noticed the blood on the cuff of your shirt...you are not of my clan”

“I know, and I ask your forgiveness, but it was necessary, my Angel” Mohrg replied as he turned his eyes from her. How could he have thought she would have accepted his blood, he was a monster, hideous and deformed. She would no sooner feed from him than kiss him, he felt the every present pain and horror of his life rise in his heart. He couldn‘t bear to look at the Angel now, he didn‘t want to see the disgust on her face. He was startled from his self pity by the press of a warm hand on his. Looking down, he saw Angel’s deep green eyes gazing up tenderly at him.

“Thank you Mohrg” Cat said timidly as she placed her hand near his stained cuff. “I know what that means to your clan, and I appreciate your sacrifice.” Cat watched as the Nosferatu smiled sadly at her as his eyes rimmed with blood tears, she could tell he was not accustom to the kindness of others.

Looking at Harry and a blushing and disheveled Remus, Cat grinned happily at them. “Why don’t the two of you get something to eat.” Cat shushed them as they claimed to not be hungry “Don’t even try that... I know better, I can hear your stomachs gurgling from here.” She paused as she thought about what she had said, turning back to the Nosferatu “How much blood was I given?! My hearing has never been *this* good.” She became nervous when Mohrg seemed to sigh. “That much?”

“Angel, .... as I said, we thought you were going to die. Under Cash’s orders we were to do whatever was necessary to keep you alive. We all gave you our blood....” he stopped as he saw the terror in her eyes.

“We all??? Who is we?” she asked meekly as the room suddenly began to spin, maybe those weren’t dreams she was having after all. Before she knew what had happened three pair of hands were either guiding or pushing her down onto the bed.

“Now Kitty” Remus said softly “you have to stay in bed, no roaming around” he stroked her hair as Harry pulled up her covers and Mohrg held her hand.

Cat blinked her eyes a few times before she felt *there* again, looking at the three of them she rolled her eyes. “Honestly... as sweet as this is, it’s a bit much. All three of you trying to take care of me?” She shook her head as she smiled sweetly at them “I’m fine, I just ..... I wasn’t expecting to hear that. Where are Cash and Tris?”

Remus knitted his brow “Tris? Who is Tris?” he was afraid she was starting to confuse reality and her dreams again. A quick look at Mohrg set his mind at ease, however. The Nosferatu seemed to know the person she was referring to.

“Tris... Tristessa .. .is also a member of Angel’s family” Mohrg explained to Remus “Cash sent Tris to a relative I think her name was Maharet, he needed advice should worse come to worse.” he watched as her son stared at him with a look of terror “She is better now Harry” Mohrg said reassuringly “although she still must rest”

Poppy Pomfrey practically stalked into the great hall, her eyes narrowed on Professor Snape immediately. She particularly noticed the way he was staring at Cat and Professor Lupin’s empty seats. She cast a meaningful look at Professor McGonagall and Headmaster Dumbledore as she strode to Professor Snape’s place at the teacher’s table. “Wondering were they are professor?” Poppy practically hissed as Snape startled at the sudden intrusion into his silence.

Snape turned to look at Madame Pomfrey “I take it you know were they are? Am I to assume that means they are together?” he said through clenched teeth.

“Yes.” Poppy replied coldly “Professor Lupin is trying to undo the harm you did to that poor girl. You should be ashamed of yourself Professor Snape” she scowled “I thought you cared about her.”

Severus glared at Poppy “What *are* you talking about?” he asked tersely “And where is Catri?” Severus noticed Professor Sprout had walked up the other side of the teacher’s table and was whispering to Dumbledore and McGonagall and they were all staring at him. “Is there something I should be aware off?” he asked icily as he returned Professor McGonagall’s stare, he noted she didn’t back down, she didn’t even blink. In fact she looked positively incensed over something.

“Professor Snape.” Minerva asked with a twinge of iciness in her own voice “exactly what happened between you and my niece in the greenhouse this afternoon?”

Snape stared at her in shock, he didn’t think anyone had seen them, he was certain Sprout had gone straight to the school “That is between Miss MacLeod and myself” he responded irately. He was unaccustomed to being interrogated in such a manner, and he most certainly did not intend to allow it to continue.

“Not when she becomes *my* patient” Poppy all but growled. “I would have thought almost losing her, what is it... all of a week ago.... would have made you think twice before....”

“What do you mean your patient?” Snape interrupted, glaring menacingly at her “She was fine, a little tired but completely fine.”

“Yes she *was* fine” Saffron chimed in “until you showed up. You forced me out of my own classroom and then locked the door. You were obviously angry about something, and you *insisted* on speaking with her alone. I expect it concerned her and Professor Lupin, the poor dear. Say what you will, but at least he loves her, werewolf or not.” she said emphatically.

Snape was ready to explode, but he took a deep breath and clenched his jaw as he narrowed his eyes at Saffron Sprout “What exactly are you saying, Professor?” he watched as Sprout literally wilted in front of him.

Poppy answered for her “What we are saying *Professor* is Miss MacLeod was fine when you forced Professor Sprout to leave her greenroom” she said angrily “and the next time anyone sees her she is dying and relying on a vampyre to give her blood and make the potions to save her life.”

Snape’s eyes grew wide with shock and terror “What?” he said softly. She was fine when he left, a little tired was all, she was smiling and laughing as he walked out of the door. All he did was kiss her and try to convince her to stay with him over the holidays, that couldn’t have possibly have caused her any harm, could it? “But I didn’t do anything to her, she was fine.”

Poppy stared down at him “If that’s true then where have you been? Why is the Nosferatu making a potion to save her? Why are the vampyres forcing her to drink their blood?” She watched as terror filled Snape’s eyes when she mentioned the vampyres.

“WHY WASN’T I TOLD!!!” Snape screamed as he bolted out of his chair, he ran past Poppy and the other teachers as his chair landed with a loud clatter on the stone floor. He ran out of the great hall as the students stared at him with both fear and concern. His cloaked rippled behind him as he sprinted through the halls, he had to get to her before those wretched monsters made her one of them. He should have staid with her, or at least insisted she accompany him back to the school, but he had been so excited at the thought of her coming to his home. He had wanted to send word to the house elves, he wanted everything *perfect* for her arrival. Now all Severus could think of was his darling Catri being drained to death by those horrible bloodsuckers, he had kept warning her they were not her friends, they were simply using her to get what they wanted, and now it appeared they had what they had been waiting so patiently for.