Cat grinned wickedly as she leaned against the doors to the hospital, if it came down to a fight she was done for, but she still had her mind and she was smarter than this coward any day of the week. “Well, well ... the infamous Lucius Malfoy.. Lurking around the hospital are you?” she purred silkily “Let me guess... you’re hoping to pick off the sick and the weak, hoping it will make you feel like a *real* man?” she taunted, if she could get him angry, he would make a mistake, he always did. She made sure she smiled widely, no point even letting him think she was less than one hundred percent.

“Why Miss MacLeod” Lucius sneered “I heard I might find you here. I’ve been told you’re not feeling very well today.” He grinned evilly as he fingered his wand.

Damn, he did know, “I was wondering why all those yummy deatheaters had shown up” she said as she showed her now pointed teeth and winked at him “Amazing what a little misinformation can do to start a buffet. I hope you don’t mind if none of them come back....” she asked sweetly “but my dear Gangrels were getting so terribly hungry, not to mention my sweet, fuzzy Garou” she added as she pouted her lips, doing her best to make him think this had been her plan all along. And judging by the look on his face, it was working well.

“That is not the story I heard” Lucius snarled “I was told you were on your deathbed, something about your heart...” he narrowed his eyes as he tried to see if she was as healthy as she appeared.

Cat just smiled back at him “My heart? Just as good as it was yesterday...” she said, as she smiled mockingly at him, if he only knew how true that statement was. “You need better spies Lucy... apparently the ones your using just can’t be trusted.” she stood up straight as if to leave “however, they can be full of information for your enemies. Its absolutely amazing what a little mind reading can do... especially when you have the Nosferatu backing you up.” Her smile couldn’t have been any wider as she saw Malfoy go slightly pale at the thought of her gathering information on him. “Ahhh wots wrong Lucy...” She grinned evilly “Cat got your tongue? ..... not that I would ever want it.” she sneered.

Lucius pointed his wand at her “I can kill you right now you bitch, no one is here to protect you. I can do whatever I want to you and no one can stop me.” he sneered as he walked towards her, she couldn’t be as healthy as she was pretending to be, why else would she be at the hospital.

“As if I need anyone to protect me from you” she snarled as she showed her teeth once more, this was it, the blood was winning, she wanted to hurt him, to see his blood pooling around his tattered corpse. Cat crouched as if to attack when she heard the doorknob of the hospital doors turning.

Lucius glared at Cat as he watched her prepare to attack him with her bare hands, he took a step back, she wasn’t even going to attempt to use her magic against him. He saw nothing but cold, hard hatred in her eyes as she licked her teeth and snarled at him. She was more like an animal than even he had thought. “So showing your true colors are you?” he sneered “you and your kind are no better than animals”

Cat flashed her sharp teeth at Lucius “You are absolutely right Lucy.... and I have the fangs and claws to prove it” she added right before she leaped at him. Slashing his left cheek deeply with her fingernails as she hit him forcefully with her other hand pressing it deeply into his stomach, she could feel him wretch with pain as she landed daintily on the other side of the hall. She smiled evilly as he glared at her “what’s wrong Lucy? Did I hurt you?” she asked as she licked his blood off of her fingers, her eyes locked onto his, she never blinked.

Lucius turned red with rage and pain. He raised his wand, pointing at Catri as he yelled “CRUCIO” just as someone shouted “STUPIFY”. Lucius felt his body drain of its strength as he fell on wobbly knees, the pain of the stone floor shot up his thighs, causing him to cry out. But at least his curse had hit MacLeod, at least he had gotten some satisfaction from seeing her twist in pain before he lost consciousness. He grinned madly as he slipped into unconsciousness, he would enjoy torturing her, he had it all planned out. He would kill her slowly, painfully, enjoying each and every one of her screams to its fullest.

Cat shook her head as she landed painfully on the stone floor, whoever invented that curse should rot it the innermost circle of hell, she thought as she felt the echoes of pain coursing through her body. As she opened her eyes the first thing she saw was Remus kneeling down to help her. “Hey... look who it is? My favorite bedtime buddy.” she joked as he rolled his eyes at her.

“Alright Kitty, that’s enough of that” he teased back as he helped her back to her feet, keeping a steadying arm around her. “Are you alright? You should resting, when Poppy finds out you left your bed.” he shook his head somberly.

“Well I can’t exactly go back there now can I? Lucius already has deatheaters all over the place, and he’s not going to stay out for that long I’m sure.” she added as she saw Malfoy lying motionless on the floor “Good aim Tanta Minnie” she added as she winked at Minerva, who smiled slightly as she shook a scolding finger at Catri. “I know, I should have staid in bed, or at least summoned someone.”

“And the fact that you *know* this only makes it worse. Catri MacLeod what *were* you thinking? And I want and honest answer!” McGonagall insisted as she walked over to Remus and Catri.

Cat hung her head “No you don’t... trust me.” she said softly. She could feel their eyes staring at her, taking a deep breath she admitted. “I didn’t want to die here, if I’m not going to make it I want to be in my own bed.” she finally answered as her eyes began to fill with tears. She could feel Remus pulling his arm tighter around her, pressing her against him as he placed his head on hers. He always knew what to do and say, he had always been a comfort to her, even after Sirius had broken her heart, it was Remus and Lily she had turned to, just like always.

Cat looked up in surprise when she felt a hand on her cheek, it was Minerva “Now Catri, don’t be foolish. You know Cash would never allow you to die, regardless of what Maharet or anyone else says.” she smiled softly as she tried to reassure Cat “he tends to be very head-strong where you are concerned. I’ve heard he’s even picked out a husband for you.” she added as she rolled her eyes “I can only imagine who, ...... Professor?” she looked pointedly at Remus.

“NO MAM!!” Remus answered quickly “Not me, Kitty and I have been through this already. I’ve made my decision.” he explained, blushing pink as he realized how it must look to people.

“Pity” Minerva replied as she turned her attention to Lucius Malfoy “Well I suppose we *have* to let him go. Although I’m sorely tempted to let Cash play with him first, this one was nothing but trouble, even as a student” she sighed. “Catri are you ready? Do you have yourself together?” Minerva asked as she pulled out her wand again.

Cat removed herself from Remus’s protective embrace and quickly brushed off her dress and ran her fingers through her long hair “As presentable and unharmed as I’m ever going to look I’m afraid.” she replied. Might as well make Lucius think she was in the pink of health, no matter how much pain she was actually feeling. If he sensed any weakness at all, there would be an all out attack against the school, she couldn’t risk the students lives, especially when her son was one of them. “Any time you’re ready Tanta.”

Minerva nodded at Cat and Remus “ENERVIATE” she sighed as she aimed her wand at Malfoy. She was half tempted to give him a good kick. It was bad enough he had joined with Voldemort, but to attack a school full of children, including your only son, what was the man thinking. She turned to see how Cat was doing and had to smile at her, Professor Lupin was once again keeping his constant protective watch over her. It truly was a pity she ever stopped dating him, although after that little incident in the woods, it was perfectly understandable. “Good evening Mr. Malfoy” McGonagall said crisply “perhaps you would care to explain yourself.”

“Explain myself?!” he answered back as he rose unsteadily to his feet “What about *that* over there?” he asked as he pointed a finger at MacLeod “I don’t see you asking her to explain herself.”

Minerva gave him and icy stare “Miss MacLeod is part of the faculty of this school and as such has every right to be here. You however are a different matter entirely, does Headmaster Dumbledore know you are here? After all it is Ministry protocol to stop in with the headmaster first, is it not?”

“He’s not here on Ministry business Minerva” Cat said in a soft deep voice “he’s here on Voldemort’s business. Just like last time.” She watched with amusement as he made a lunge for her, opening her hand, she turned her palm toward him and said “anseo” his wand and several small items immediately flew into her open hand. Cat looked at the items with almost no interest at all as she handed his wand to Remus “My what an interesting collection of items.... To bad they’re all illegal” she said as she dropped them to the floor and said “scrios” as the items burst into flames at her feet.

“You’ll pay for that you bitch” Lucius ranted as he dove on items, trying to save them.

“Somehow,...... I don’t think so Lucy” Cat responded coldly “I know cursed objects when I see them. And that little spool... as if anyone would fall for that, they were banned and destroyed centuries ago.” she said as she walked towards Minerva “Isn’t there some sort of punishment for carrying implements of destruction Professor McGonagall?” Cat asked hopefully “I’m quite sure a spool of the ripper’s wire is still considered deadly.”

Minerva narrowed her eyes at Malfoy “Indeed it is Miss MacLeod.” Minerva turned to face Lucius “Mr. Malfoy I think you should accompany Professor Lupin and myself to Madame Pomfrey’s office. Apparently we need to discuss a few things.”

“I will do no such thing. That creature should be locked away in Azkaban, she doesn’t deserve to walk free. She’s a threat to every living person in this school.” he snarled as he once again moved to attack her.

This time Remus stepped in his way “Mr. Malfoy, Professor McGonagall and I have both saved your life tonight. The next time you move to attack Miss MacLeod, we won’t stop you.” he said softly “And we will testify in her defense when she is charged with killing you, because I have no doubt in my mind she will do exactly that.”

“Well then why don’t you step out of my way and we’ll all see what she’s capable of” Lucius said as he stood nose to nose with Remus. Remus glared at him, he was wondering how far he could push his luck before McGonagall would step in and make him stop. The mere thought of Lucius attacking Cat made his blood boil, he had already harmed her enough, he killed her mother for the love of heaven.

“Go on Remus, let him see how strong my powers have grown. I have no qualms about killing him here and now, although I’ll warn you my friend, you may want to shield your eyes. It won’t be pretty, in fact my father taught me a clever little spell, he used it to *question* some of the more difficult prisoners, it turns a person inside out...”

“Absolutely not!” Minerva said sternly “I will not have Hogwarts destroyed over the two of you. Miss MacLeod, please return to your duties. Professor Lupin and I will attend to Mr. Malfoy.” Minerva used Lucius’s wand to force him to follow her into the hospital wing and straight to Poppy’s office.

Raul had finally understood what Sirius had been trying to explain to him, there was no other woman, there never had been. He had made a terrible and stupid mistake as a boy and was living with the repercussions to this very day. The only way he could prove to Angel that he hadn’t married was to explain he was in Azkaban, and that filled the poor man with a horrible fear and dread that he was at a loss to explain. It was more than the simple fear that Angel might reject him, Sirius had seemed certain if he could get Angel away and explain to her, uninterrupted, what had happened she would see immediately how wrong the MoM had been. She would know he would never harm James or Lily, and Raul had to agree with his assessment. Angel had a keen sense about people and their nature, she trusted her own instincts more than the advice of others when it came to judging people, and she had rarely been proven wrong.

It seemed to Raul that Sirius’s biggest problem was the fact that he relived the horrors of his life every time he tried to explain it. How many times had the wizard needed to stop and gather himself, how often had his skin gone pale and his eyes dead as he talked about his past. He was full of pain and torment over the helplessness he felt over his own life. “Sirius, you must talk to her. She will understand.” Raul insisted as the wizard shook his head sadly. “Please, listen to me, as painful as it may seem, I am sure it is the best, no... wait... the *only* way.”

“It doesn’t matter anymore Raul” Sirius said glumly “I know I’ve lost her, it hurts, but I’ve survived it before. I just hope Harry can understand...” he winced as he thought of Harry’s wish to have he and Cat as his parents.

“Speaking of the little nipper” Cash yelled loudly as he saw Sirius and Raul “he could probably use you right now. Not to mention Angel is in sore need of your attention as well. Not doing to good on this whole husband thing are you?” Cash laughed as he winked. Noticing a strange lack of response, Cash quickly went to Sirius’s side “Hey...What is it? Don’t worry, Angel is better, still extremely weak, but she’s not going to die.” he thought Sirius would be happy to hear of Angel’s improvement, but he barely even looked up “Sirius.....? Hey.. Come on... What is it?” Cash asked as he put his hand on Sirius’s shoulder.

Sirius felt like crying right there, Cash had always been so kind to him, so quick to make him laugh, “It doesn’t matter now, I’m going to find Harry. . . Cash....” Sirius wanted to tell him, Cash knew Cat better than anyone but once again his courage faltered “I’ll talk to you later, we need to discuss something.” Sirius said as he turned away from Cash and transformed into Snuffles. There was no point in talking to Cash now, Cat had made her choice. Right now Harry was his only concern, let Snape take care of Cat, that’s what she wanted that’s what she’ll get.

Cash shook his head as Sirius headed towards the school “What’s gotten into him? I thought he’d be happy to know Angel was better. Actually I thought he’d be at her side by now...” Cash paused as he heard Raul shuffling his feet. Cash turned toward Raul “You know something, don’t you? You know why he couldn’t look me in the eyes tonight.”

Raul sighed deeply “He thinks she has stopped loving him. I can’t seem to convince him he is wrong. He told me he is leaving, it hurts him too much to stay here with her. I told him he could not abandon his wife and son.”

Cash stared blankly at Raul for a few seconds “And *why* does he think Angel has stopped loving him?”