Trapped

Chapter 12

Katerina sat on the couch in the common room that night, surrounded by her friends, as the chatter around them slowly died out as the night went on. Her friends all talked, trying to get her to occasionally join in, however her head was too full. She stared out the window into the Great Lake, watching as the mermen and merdaids swam by. A lot of things crossed her mind that night. Mainly how peaceful it would be to live in the Great Lake. No worries, no cares, no duties.

The next morning at breakfast a letter was dropped in front of her. Next to her, Draco opened a giant box of sweets and candies. Across from her, Blaise was sent some extra galleons. In front of Katerina laid a single letter from her father, which she opened privately later. All it read was a "good job" and "do it again" and a "don't fail me" message. She threw it away immediately. 

All night her head had been circling what her father thought. She still couldn't think of why he wanted her to do this, but she knew that she had to keep going. She was too far in to stop.

At dinner that night, Katerina took it upon herself to stop by the Gryffindor table for a few moments. The same surprised faces crowded her as she sat doesn't next to Granger, across from Potter and Weasley.

"I see you two have made up," snarked Katerina, looking between the two boys. Weasley rolled his eyes and scoffed.

"What do you want," he spat, disgusted. Katerina could hear a sigh come from Granger, and she laughed.

"They didn't tell you?" Ron looked even more annoyed than before. "I'm helping your boy, Weasel. You'll see a lot more of me this year," she said, growing a smile. She thought it was amusing how surprised and confused Weasley looks.

"What?" he whisper shouted into Potter's ear. Potter shrugged his shoulders. Weasley shot glances between the three of us for a moment. "They had to find someone to replace you while you threw your fit," she laughed. Ron did not find it funny.

"Okay, okay. She's just been helping me learn spells. It was Hermione's idea!" said Harry as he choked down food. 

"Don't look at me," said Granger. "I was just trying to keep to alive. Anyways, we have more important things to discuss, don't we?" Granger sounded stressed. Weasley had finally given up on his argument.

"Well, what did you find in the egg? Galleons? I assume they'd reward you, no?" asked Katerina as she began to take food from the center. Weasley looked at her gobsmacked. 

"You guys are acting like this is normal. This is not normal," stressed Weasley. Katerina rolled her eyes.

"I'm the only reason Potter is alive right now. Without me, that dragon would have torn. Him. Up. So please, for the love of Merlin, shut up!" Katerina said sternly. This seemed to have worked as Weasley went quiet. "Anyways, what was in the egg?"

"Of course you'd think it was galleons. All you care about is wealth and - and bullying - and-" he stopped suddenly. Katerina, Potter, and Granger exchanged glances. He sighed in defeat and went quiet again.

Granger let out a breath. Katerina could tell she was annoyed, and genuinely wondered how they put up with someone as annoying as Weasley. Granger then explained to Katerina what was inside the egg, and why they didn't know their next steps.

"Just - screeches?" she clarified. They nodded. They sat in silence for a moment while Katerina thought about what it could mean. "Maybe we have to decode something? You really couldn't understand any of it?" asked Katerina. They shook their heads. 

Just as Katerina was about to say another possibility. All heads started turning to her right. She looked over as Cedric Diggory came strolling down. He stopped next to potter and congratulated him.