Trapped

Chapter 9

Thunder was my favorite. I loved the rain too, but thunder made me feel safe. Made me feel like I wasn't the only thing that was exploding inside. Lightning though, I hated. There was nothing that scared me more than lightning. Well, except my father, though he was the reason for the lightning. 

He always used magic as a form of punishment. Thought that maybe it would . . . strengthen me . . . or whatever it was. Whatever he thought, it didn't work. Magic as a form of punishment  made him feel more powerful than anything physical. Especially when he knew I couldn't fight back.

That was years ago, though. Second year is when I started forcing myself to learn to defend myself against spells . . . or, him. Anyone confused as to why I'm one of the best witches at Hogwarts can ask my father, because I give him full credit for pushing me to learn, to challenge myself at whatever he could throw at me. 

I let my guard down one time. One time I wasn't ready, and that was the one time he hit me with something I couldn't defend myself against – lightning. The scar on my right hip is there to prove it, and I'm reminded every day that I wasn't able to fight back, wasn't able to defend myself. And now, every time there's lightning, I think of my father and I know something bad is going to happen. So, on that Sunday night at dinner when the lightning all of a sudden began striking around the castle, the uneasy feeling I got had me on edge.

I was safe in the castle though, right? Safe from my father, safe from trouble. There was no way he could taunt me here. Or that's what I thought until Severus came up to my spot at the dinner table and handed me a letter. He didn't say a word to me. Just dropped it at the table, and walked back to the front of the Great Hall. The few around me had their eyes on me and the letter, and Draco begged me to open it. 

Dear Katerina, 

Meet me outside the Great Hall at exactly 6 sharp. No earlier, no later. I will be waiting.

-Father

I stared at it for two minutes straight, reading the lines over and over. Fear ran through my entire body, and the lightning just kept striking down.

"There's no way he could be here, he isn't allowed to be here. . ." I whispered to Draco. He gave me a remorseful look, which I didn't recognize at the time.

"I'm not sure, but it's almost six you should head out," he said quietly

"He gave it to Severus, not Dumbledore," said Pansy quietly from across the table. "That has to mean something."

"And I'm going to guess it's not good. But Dumbledore has to know what this is, right?" 

They both shrugged and gave me a sorry look. 

"Stop looking at me like that," I said quickly as I stood up. They both dropped their expressions and continued eating without second thought. 

"Good luck," I heard Draco whisper. He didn't look up from his plate as I walked away.

I walked down the dark corridor, the lightning making me jump, but the thunder simultaneously calming me down. I walked for no longer than thirty seconds before I slowed to a stop once I saw a dark figure in the shadows.

"Father, you wanted to see me?" I said quietly, focusing my vision on a single carving on the wall next to him. 

He spoke clearly. "I've heard that . . . Harry Potter," he paused. I couldn't see his face but I could hear the disgust. He continued, "has asked you to help him with his tasks."

I breathed in and out multiple times trying to get my breathing steady. I held my hands behind my back to get them to stop shaking. 

"Yes, he asked me this morning–"