Catherine was comfortably reclined on her favourite plush red sofa in the Gryffindor Common Room, reading a rather ragged-looking book titled Cauldrons of Desire. It was the latest hit among the witches at Hogwarts, and Gwyneth Jones had conveniently forgotten a copy on her nightstand.
The shameless story followed a young witch, Aria Bloom, who took a part-time job at an exclusive potions shop, only to find that her mysterious, darkly charming boss, Cassian, was willing to teach her far more than she expected. He introduced her to the subtle art of brewing seductive potions that heighten emotions and reveal hidden desires.
Under normal circumstances, Catherine would never have let anyone see her reading such smut, nor shown any interest in it. But with the Gryffindor Tower nearly empty, there was no one around to witness her lapse in taste. She'd caught up on her schoolwork, Quidditch practice was on hold, and Thorne had told her he'd be busy over the holidays, and they were going to continue with her detention once the classes resume. As for Remus, he was away due to the full moon. With such a rare alignment of the stars, granting her an surprising amount of free time, Catherine surrendered to curiosity and delved into the world of adult literature.
Much to her own astonishment, the girl found the book more enjoyable than she'd anticipated, though it made her blush rather often. She'd also come across a few descriptions of certain practices that left her feeling truly uncomfortable and convinced she'd never try them with anyone. The whole subject deeply unsettled the teenager. To make matters worse, she couldn't stop wondering if Marianne already knew all these things—and if she'd done them with Sirius. The thought left her both angry and sad. Combined with the lingering discomfort from her failed transformation and the usual lack of sleep, it soured Catherine's mood entirely.
The Occlumency lessons hadn't helped her, or perhaps they could have, but the young witch was beginning to think she might be too dense to master the mental shields. She couldn't recall ever struggling this much with anything she'd tried to learn. After her last conversation with Dumbledore, the fourth-year felt he was relying far too much on her, and the constant failure in the lessons left her with the awful sensation she was betraying the Headmaster's trust.
'It's as if everyone's expecting something great from me, but I have no idea how to meet their expectations or where to even begin." – the black-haired girl sighed, tucking the book between her Ancient Runes dictionaries as if to hide her momentary indulgence.
"Ah, here you are!" – Lily's voice interrupted her friend's gloomy thoughts. The red-headed witch had just entered through the portrait hole, a flower crown of snow-white daisies on her head and Nyx in her arms – "Your pet had run away again. I found her sneaking out of the castle."
"Thanks!" – Catherine smiled, taking the rebellious Kneazle from her friend – "She really enjoys chasing birds, and I can't keep an eye on her all the time. Lucky you spotted her."
"Lucky that she likes me enough to let me pick her up." – the other witch chuckled – "Not many people can claim that honour. By the way, are you here alone? I thought you'd be with Remus."
"He's sick again, and Madame Pomfrey isn't allowing visitors in case it's contagious." – Catherine lied smoothly.
"Oh, poor Remus!" – Lily exclaimed sympathetically – "If I'd known you were by yourself, I'd have invited you along. The weather was perfect, and we had such a lovely walk."
"Thank you, but if 'we' includes Snape, I think I'd rather be on my own." – the black-haired girl smirked.
"Don't be ridiculous." – Lily replied, sounding exasperated – "Honestly, you're both impossible! Clearly, you can coexist—you sit together in Ancient Runes, after all. So why can't you be civil enough to go on a simple stroll?"
"Shall I remind you of the last time the three of us tried that?" – Catherine raised an eyebrow – "It was two years ago and I still think it was a disaster. If anything, he's only grown more arrogant, nasty, and—I'd even say—violent since then."
"Severus is not violent." – Lily defended her friend immediately.
"Oh, really?" – the other witch chuckled – "Granted, I applaud his dedication, but Lavinia still goes through a bottle of foundation every fortnight and I heard Aelia and Drusilla are not much better. Honestly, he's become rather unpredictable this year. You never know where he might be hiding, ready to hit you with a curse or hex."
"You don't know what you're talking about." – Lily snapped – "He's been more on edge, for sure, but that's because of his problems at home. I know he would never hide just to attack anyone."
"Again with the excuses." – Catherine scoffed – "I also have plenty of problems at home, but I don't behave like a psychotic, asocial git. And I'm saying this because I did try to cut him some slack after Slughorn's Christmas Party."
Lily's expression tightened, and her voice dropped to a quiet, almost tremulous tone. "It's really presumptuous of you to compare your problems—your parents ignoring you, or struggling to accept your identity as a witch—to the horrors Severus has gone through. I heard how his so-called friends humiliated him during that party, but I assure you, that hurt him far less than his father's death during Christmas."
Catherine stared, stunned. Her heart sank, and for a moment, words failed her. Snape's father died? She hadn't imagined something like that. It wasn't as if she knew much about his life, but this was different—how could something so significant have gone unnoticed by her? Suddenly, his apathetic, hollow look after the holidays made a grim kind of sense.
"I didn't know." – she said, guilt colouring her tone. She forced an awkward smile, a weak attempt to defuse the tension.– "I suppose then I shouldn't have teased and mocked him to get a reaction. But how was I supposed to know, right?"
Lily's eyes flashed with sudden anger. "Really?" - she snapped - "How can you joke about this? I give up! You're both the worst! You torment Severus without any thought for what he's dealing with. And then in his turn, he spreads the most disgusting rumours trying to split us apart, just to have me all for himself. Honestly, you two are so alike sometimes, I wonder why you didn't end up in Slytherin, being his best friend instead of me."
"Wait!" – Catherine held up a hand, her brows knitting together – "What rumours?"
Lily let out a frustrated laugh, shaking her head. "Some silly tale about you being the reason Greg dumped me. Severus claims he saw Greg kissing you on the forehead before leaving. He should at least have come up with something believable."
"Indeed." – the other witch said, her laugh coming out awkwardly – "And you're trying to tell me he's not a creep. What's he doing now, hiding around the courtyard?"
Lily laughed too, but her expression shifted—something about Catherine's words seemed to strike her. Her laughter faded as she stared at her friend, suspicion creeping into her emerald-green eyes. She hadn't mentioned where Severus said he saw them with Greg.
'Could it be true?' – Lily's mind raced, her thoughts colliding in a frantic spiral – 'No! Daisy would never do such a thing. She'd never betray me or hurt me on purpose.'
A cold dread crept over her, draining the colour from her face. The witch muttered some vague excuse and rushed to the dormitory. Her brain felt foggy, her heart pounding in her ears. She dropped to her knees in front of the trunk on the foot of her bed, throwing half its contents onto the floor until she found what she was looking for—a small shoebox, where she kept her most precious memories.
With trembling hands, the red-headed girl pulled out a golden card, decorated with delicate butterflies. It had come attached to the roses Greg gifted her for Valentine's Day. The flowers were destroyed, but she had kept the card, a reminder of their perfect day together. She stared at it now, her breath catching in her throat.
The handwriting. She blinked, her eyes blurring. It was the same as the one on the note she'd found tucked in Nyx's collar. The one meant for Catherine. The note that said I love you.
The world seemed to crumble around her, tears spilling hot and heavy down her cheeks. The betrayal cut deep, turning one of her closest friends into a complete stranger.
"Lils, you forgot your flower crown downstairs." – Catherine's voice cut through her haze. She entered the room, her smile fading as she took in the mess – "Are you alright? What happened here? Why are your stuff on the floor?"
"Don't touch me!" – Lily screamed, recoiling from Catherine's outstretched hand. She scrambled backward, her face twisted in rage and pain – "I didn't want to believe it! I couldn't! You of all people to betray me in such a despicable way! What did I ever do to you to deserve it? I was always there for you—always supported you. And this is how you repay me?"
"Lils, please!" - Catherine's eyes widened, her face paling. She stepped forward, but the other girl backed away - "Calm down! It has to be a misunderstanding. Just tell me what happened."
"What happened?!" – Lily's voice rose to a scream, tears spilling from her green eyes – "What happened, Catherine Plantier, is that you're a filthy liar and a shameless slut! If you wanted Greg so badly, you could have just told me—before we started dating! Not seduce him behind my back. How could you hurt me like this?"
"You're mistaken!" – the black-haired witch protested, her face flushing, deeply hurt by the injustice – "I've never done anything like that! I don't even think about Greg that way, not even remotely."
"Enough already!" – Lily snapped, her voice raw with anguish – I've seen the note he tucked in Nyx's collar! It took me a while to figure it out, but now I know—it was his handwriting. Are you still going to deny it?" Her voice cracked, and she laughed bitterly. "Oh, let me guess—you're such good friends that you say 'I love you' all the time, but just as friends, right? You're revolting, Catherine. I don't know how you tricked him into falling for you, but I'm starting to think it's more than innocent fun with all the boys. Maybe you've learned things I couldn't offer him. You disgust me."
Catherine stood still, her eyes fixed on the floor. Heavy tears fell down her cheeks as she listened to the harsh words coming from one of the people she cared about the most. What could she tell her? How could she explain the stupid note? It had never occurred to her that anyone would find this line of communication she had with Greg, especially since Nyx didn't allow anyone to touch her—unfortunately Lily being one of the few exceptions. Her mind was completely blank. All she could do was endure her friend's painful accusations and hope that she would forgive her someday.
'But how could I even ask for forgiveness when I didn't do anything?' – the witch thought desperately – 'I'd have to admit to something horrible—something I never did. I can't do that.'
"I never want to speak to you again!" – Lily sobbed, turning her back to Catherine, who stood there, silent and heartbroken, for a few moments before leaving the dormitory.
The rest of the afternoon was a haze. Catherine found herself staring blankly out the window for hours, her mind racing for a solution but finding none. As evening fell, she was forced to accept it—there was no way out. Fate had played a cruel prank, and it cost her the first person who had ever shown her true friendship.
How would they explain their broken relationship once everyone returned? Lily seemed angry enough to tell her truth, and Catherine knew how much people loved gossip. By the time classes resumed, the whole school would know. Would the boys believe it too? Her only option was to tell them it wasn't true and hope they'd trust her over Lily. But the problem wasn't her reputation—she never cared much about that. What hurt was how many friends she might lose over this stupid misunderstanding.
By eleven o'clock, the young witch was emotionally drained and exhausted. Lily hadn't left the dormitory all day. Catherine wanted to check on her, but fear held her back—she wasn't ready to face more hatred.
'But it's my room too.' - she told herself, trying to summon some courage, and finally pushed the door open.
There was no sound coming from Lily's bed. Quietly, the black-haired girl lay down on her bed, closing her eyes. She tried to hold on to the peace of the moment, to memorise it for the difficult days ahead.
Suddenly, the world changed. She was surrounded by flames, watching houses burn as the fire consumed them. Lifeless bodies rolled in the mud, the stench of blood thick in the air. Catherine laughed, feeling an intoxicating pleasure as her magic tore the limbs from a helpless, floating figure.
'She has red hair.' – the witch thought briefly, her mind detached, as if watching from afar. A sharp pain jolted her back to reality, making her gasp. Fire. Lily's panicked green eyes stared into her own - 'Is this part of the dream?'
"Catherine Plantier, snap out of it! You're going to kill us both!" – Lily's scream finally broke through, and Catherine realised the curtains of her bed were on fire. Acting on instinct, she reached towards her element and made the flames disappear instantly. The acrid smell of burning fabric, however, still lingered in the air.
"Did you do this in your sleep?" – Lily asked, her voice trembling – "You looked like you were having a nightmare. Oh Light, was it you behind all the items scattered around the room—and the rug... What's happening? This can't be normal!"
Catherine's entire body was trembling, fear tightening her chest like a vice. The realisation hit her hard, she had nearly set the entire dormitory ablaze. How could she have let this happen? No amount of distress could justify the danger she had put everyone in. What if Lily had been hurt—or worse? The thought clawed at her, too horrifying to fully grasp.
"You're right. I'm not normal." - the black-haired witch whispered, her voice unsteady. The shaking was now uncontrollable. She needed to push Lily away—Lily had a right to know, a right to protect herself. Nothing was more important - "I've lied to you since we met. I'm not Muggle-born. In fact, I'm as far from that as possible. My father is a wizard, and my mother is half-Veela. But more importantly, I have a demon sealed inside me. It's a curse that's haunted my family for centuries."
"It's so dangerous that every baby girl had to be killed upon birth. But my parents rebelled. They believed I could endure it—that I could keep the demon at bay. Dumbledore agreed to help them hide me here, to train me to fight the darkness in me. But, as you can see, despite all their best efforts, I'm weak. The demon's power leaks out when I'm asleep. It causes these nightmares and random spells that I can't control. That's why I either stay awake or take Dreamless Sleep Potion, barely functioning between naps."
She paused, her gaze dropping. "I'll talk to the Headmaster about finding somewhere else to stay. I understand if you don't want to share a room with me anymore."
Catherine buried her face in her hands, her body wracked with sobs. All the fear and pain she had held inside poured out in a torrent, unstoppable and raw. She felt a sudden warmth—a gentle hand on her shoulder. Slowly, she lifted her red, swollen eyes. Lily's features were hidden by the darkness in the room, but her touch was steady, and her voice, when she spoke, was soft and full of empathy.
"Does it hurt?" – she asked tentatively.
"What?" – Catherine blinked, startled by the unexpected question.
"Does it hurt to have a demon sealed inside you?" – Lily elaborated.
The other girl hesitated. "No... I mean, I don't really feel anything, except during those nightmares." - she said, her voice faltering slightly. It felt strange talking so openly about her darkest secret. And yet, there was something unexpectedly liberating about it - "It's just this constant feeling that something impure is hiding inside my body. Why are you so calm about this?"
"I'm not calm." – Lily admitted – "I'm scared. But if I'm this scared, I can't even imagine how terrified you must be. This is such a huge burden, Catherine. Do the boys know?"
The other witch shook her head, her eyes downcast. "No. I wanted to tell them so many times, but I'm afraid of how they'd react—finding out I've lied for years, that I'm dangerous. And…" - she paused, her voice dropping to a whisper - "There's even more danger in knowing who I really am."
"What could be more dangerous than a demon?" – Lily attempted a small joke, trying to lighten the mood, but then she gasped, as a sudden realisation stroke her – "Wait—you said your mother is half-Veela? Could it be... Oh my god! Daisy, is Greg… your brother?"
"He is." – Catherine admitted, her words falling into the heavy silence that filled the room – "I'm sorry I lied to you about being Muggle-born. I've always felt terrible, like I've been pretending to be one of you, and stolen the struggles you all have faced."
"What are you talking about?" – Lily scoffed – "You might not be Muggle-born, but since nobody knew, you went through the same abuse and unfair treatment as all of us. And just think—you could've been the queen of this school if people knew you were an aristocrat! Instead, you were beaten, spat on, hexed, and insulted every chance they got. If you kept your identity a secret despite all of that, you must have had one hell of a good reason."
"I do." – Catherine nodded – "I don't know how much Greg told you about the aristocrats, but if they find out we broke the Pact, and that I wasn't killed at birth, the punishment is death for my whole family. I don't want anyone else to bear this burden, because they'd become targets too. I already feel terrible that you got involved. Please, promise you won't tell anyone else!"
"Of course I won't tell anyone!" – Lily promised, then hesitated, her voice softening – "But I don't regret you telling me your secret. I won't lie that I'm not scared but I want to support you. Wouldn't it be better to have someone you could rely on—someone in front of whom you don't need to pretend?"
Catherine let out a bitter laugh. "Of course it would. But it wouldn't be fair to ask any of my friends to take such a risk for me."
"I guess that's why fate decided for you." - Lily said with a small shrug, then paused before continuing gently - "I'm really sorry for what I said earlier. I was hurt, and I couldn't understand how you could betray me. I could accept my boyfriend not liking me anymore, but you… it was unbearable to think you'd hurt me in such way. I must have made you feel horrible."
Catherine smiled, her eyes softening. "It's alright. Considering the burden I threw on you just a few hours later, I think we're even. Are we still friends?"
"Of course we are!" – Lily laughed, pulling the other girl into a tight hug– "But please tell me you don't have any more scary secrets!"
"Not currently." – Catherine replied with a laugh. A sense of relief washed over her – "I feel so much lighter. You're truly remarkable, Lily Evans. Not just as a friend, but also as a person."
The red-headed girl smiled and took the other witch's hand. "I didn't do anything special. Although, maybe things need to change now. Should I curtsy every time you enter a room or something?"
"Shut up!" – Catherine chuckled, her heart finally at ease.
"As you wish, Lady McMahon!" – Lily teased her with a wide grin.