Kitten; Fred Weasley

49

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"Where is the girl?"

Bellatrix stormed towards a tired Fenrir Greyback who had emerged from the sea of trees they had sought refuge in for the night. Greyback was tying back his long, matted hair into a pony tail when he was shoved backwards by her. He rolled his eyes and shrugged, "she wasn't with me, Bella, who even is she?"

"She's important to me okay? Her name is Cat and you will do well to look after her now all of you, search for her and do not stop until you find her! She must not be left alone!" Bellatrix bellowed and stormed off in one direction, she was not moving anywhere away from the forest until she had Catina with her.

Catina may (somewhat) be excess baggage that, ideally, they needn't have but she was not prepared to leave a girl in her state alone. She knew what it was like to not have proper guidance growing up and would not wish that upon any other girl. She had made many a bad decision in her lifetime and many she regretted for she believed she may have lived a better life had she had better guidance, if Catina failed to have support and someone to lean on, Bellatrix feared she would end up in the same way.

Catina dragged herself across the forest floor, twigs and stones scrapping across her legs, ripping cuts into her skin. She didn't look down at her legs but she knew it was happening, they were like jelly and she was so very tired. Utterly drained. She could hear her name being called by people whose voices she didn't recognise but then she heard one loud call from Bellatrix who was rushing to her side.

"Oh, child, it's okay. It's over now," said Bellatrix who brushed Catina's wild, leave-filled curls from her face. "Yaxley! Get here now!"

"Bella..." whimpered Catina, "I...I don't like blood. Please tell me there isn't any."

Bellatrix scanned Catina's body and sure enough there was blood from cuts and scrapes during the night. She find fast a word, simply awaited for Yaxley to round up to their position and changed the subject. "We are going to get to a safe place to stay soon, you will live with us, okay? I want to keep you safe, dear." Catina nodded and leaned against Bellatrix who hugged her close. "Yaxley! Are you purposely dragging your feet? Hurry up!"

Yaxley sped up and reached their side. Despite his brutal-face he smiled softly at Catina and scooped her up gently into his arms. She whimpered in pain but he held her close. "It is going to be okay, baby wolf." Said Yaxley, "my name is Corban Yaxley, what is yours?"

"Cat...Catina Lennox but please, call me Cat."

"Well then, Cat, welcome to the family." He carried her back to the rest of the group who were all surprisingly polite and welcoming too.

Greyback hobbled to Catina and pressed his head to hers. "Your first transformation?"

She shook her head. "I had a few before Azkaban," she muttered, "but I had wolfsbane."

He nodded understandingly, "I will show you the way of a wolf, one who needn't use human potions to help you. If you accept the moon, it will offer you help and you will feel much better. It will take time though, wolfchild."

"Enough! Can't you see she needs rest! Let's get to the manor, Cissy and Lucius will shelter us, I know they will. Then we can find our Lord." Bellatrix hollered, "gather round!"

The group clumped together and held onto one another. Catina leaned closely into Yaxley who didn't mind whatsoever, it seemed Catina had made an impression on the group and was well-liked already! She had never felt so welcomed.

They were sucked into a tight tube, squeezed together in a bone-crushing way for what felt like forever until they landed in the hall of a large manor. The walls were laced with green and black curtains and large portraits dressed the walls. Upon hearing the crack, a woman with dark hair and blonde strips rushed into the hall in a start and gasped at the sight of the group.

"Bella! I heard you had escaped, it's all over the prophet, I didn't expect you so soon however. Are you quite alright?" She gushed over them, glancing over each member of the group until she stopped on Catina. "Oh who is the poor love? She's bleeding! Get her into the living room and lay her on the sofa, Corban."

Yaxley bowed his head and led Catina into the living room, Bellatrix and Narcissa Malloy following suit. "Catina Lennox you say? Draco mentioned her once in a letter I believe, said she was expelled for being an unregistered werewolf!"

"And so she may be, but she needs our care, Cissy. Can you help her?"

Narcissa nodded and patched her up quickly. "Are you tired, sweetheart?" She asked. Catina nodded. "Get some rest. I'll wake you for some food in a little while, okay?"

The two sisters left Catina to sleep and they discussed what was happening in another room. "Elladeen and Sirius? Wow... I never would have expected that if I'm honest. She certainly had father's eyes. Are you going to tell The Dark Lord?"

"No. I'm not subjecting her to that life, Cissy, keep her under your wing. I'm too far in and I don't want her to be as far as I. I believe in his principles but she is too vulnerable to be a part of it all. Will Lucius agree?"

"He won't have a choice. I agree with you, Bella, in her state she wouldn't even be able to concentrate at school let alone carry out any duties for The Dark Lord. If she is family, I'll put my life in front of hers."

"I have no doubt she is family. She's a very interesting character, too. Intelligent, quick-witted and bold, that's for sure but being inside, that broke her even more than she already was. Where is The Dark Lord anyway?"

"Russia, he's gaining more troops. He should be back next week."

"Good, I have missed him terribly."

"Bella..."

"What? I may have been imprisoned but that does not hinder the imagination... in fact it rather increases it!" She smirked and sauntered out of the room.

"You're married!"

"And still young! We must live while we are young, Cissy, who knows what will happen tomorrow!"