Almost

Chapter 79: Shoe

When she made it back downstairs, her throat began to close. Schmidt had been knocked out near where Tom was still frozen, so Ezra, Hollinghunt, and Quahog had formed a human barrier between the bodies and where Otis still stood behind Russo, Alicia, and Lee, who had been joined by Orion. He had pulled his people closer to him, including Ginny, Charlie, Audrey, and Bill.

Hermione was behind Harry and Molly, tending to Teddy, who had been hit with some horrible stinging charm that left a nasty cut in his arm. Roxy was knelt next to him holding his hand. Grouse and Mona were helping fight back against the Imperiused Weasleys, as well as Velern and Sam, who seemed to have somehow gotten Talia's wand judging by how resistant it was to him.

Behind their own wall, Mark was passed out, his shield hat rolled off and underneath a pile of broken chairs. Shep knelt on the ground over him.

"Fred," Katherine said quickly, "go with your sister and Hermione."

"Where are you going?"

"I have to make sure Mark is okay."

Fred grabbed her hand. "Are you crazy? They're on the other side!"

"Otis isn't looking backwards—I'll be quick."

Before he could protest, she yanked her hand free and apparated behind the Recollector's lines. When she appeared next to her grandfather, Shep nearly yelped.

"Shh," she commanded quickly, her voice a low whisper. "Is he okay?"

"Otis saw him let you pass. He hit him with something—"

Katherine nodded, looking up quickly. They still hadn't noticed her, but she couldn't stay long. She reached out and took Shep's hand as well as her grandfather's and apparated both up to the mirror exhibit.

When they landed, she stunned Shep.

"Sorry," she said quickly as she caught him and laid him on the floor. "Just a precaution."

She looked down at her grandfather and searched his body for the magic. She shattered it without any real thought, and he sat up with a startlingly deep breath.

"Are you okay?" Katherine asked, letting her magic scan over him for damage.

He stared wildly at her. "I told you to go. You aren't supposed to be here—"

"I couldn't very well leave all this behind," she said irritably. "And I can't be gone long. I can take you back to England, if you'd like. Shep . . . well, I had to stun Shep, but—"

Mark didn't wait for her to finish her sentence. He simply caved to what he'd wanted to do since she was in his inn and wrapped his arms tightly around her.

"I'm so sorry, Katherine," he said softly. "I . . . I thought—"

"I know," Katherine stopped him. "I know. But right now, I need to get you out of here."

Mark released her just enough to pull back and look in her eyes. "When Otis turned on me, Shep tried to protect me. I don't think he'd hurt you. I don't think he ever would have."

"Shep and I are going to have to have a long conversation about what behavior I deem acceptable from my uncles," Katherine assured him.

Her grandfather laughed, putting a callused hand to her cheek. She closed her eyes a moment, thinking about the picture he'd given her, before looking back to him.

"You wore your mother's earrings," he said softly. "Ivy gave them to her. She'd be so proud of you. And so angry with me."

"I'd love for you to tell me all about her," Katherine confessed. Her voice was scratchy as she continued, "but we have to get you far away from here. If I take you to the inn, I can cast some wards around a room. Keep you both safe for the time being."