Kate Fontaine
Bill,
I'm doing pretty well here. I miss you more than you could imagine. At least Tonks still has enough energy in her to tease me about it. Your mother is a wonderful woman and I'm sure she'll understand that we love each other soon. I'm safe – don't worry about me. Recently, a girl got cursed in Hogsmeade. Some sort of cursed necklace Harry reckons he saw at Borgin and Burkes. Things are changing, William. I love you. I hope I get to see you at Christmas.
Always, Kate.
"Thank you for letting me use Hedwig, Harry." I smiled as the snowy owl flew away with my letter clutched in its beak. Harry just shrugged quite bashfully.
"No problem." Harry promised me. A short silence hung around us. It was Monday morning at eight o'clock, and we were asked to be seen in Dumbledore's office due to his return. And of course there was the case that we were witnesses in Katie's situation. We made our way
There sat Dumbledore looking unusually tired. His hand was as black and burned as I had ever seen, but he smiled when he gestured for us to sit down. I had been on his office plenty of times before, but it was beautiful and mysterious every time. In a good way; of course.
"Nice to see you again Katherine." I smiled. "You have both had a busy time while I have been away," Dumbledore recalled. "I believe you witnessed Katie's accident."
"Yes, sir. How is she?" Harry asked, leaning forward in anticipation.
"Still very unwell, although she was relatively lucky." Dumbledore sadly informed us. "She appears to have brushed the necklace with the smallest possible amount of skin; there was a tiny hole in her glove. Had she put it on, had she even held it in her ungloved hand, she would have died, perhaps instantly." I bit my lip. Lucky she's in St Mungo's now. "Luckily Professor Snape was able to do enough to prevent a rapid spread of the curse-"
"Why him?" Harry quickly interrupted Dumbledore. "Why not Madam Pomfrey?"
"Professor Snape knows much more about the Dark Arts than Madam Pomfrey, Harry." I reminded him. Dumbledore's eyes sparkled as he nodded his head in agreement.
"Anyway, the St. Mungo's staff are sending me hourly reports, and I am hopeful that Katie will make a full recovery in time." Dumbledore informed us.
"Where were you this weekend, sir?" Harry asked, disregarding the look of warning I gave him.
"I would rather not say just now," said Dumbledore carefully. "However, I shall tell you in due course."
"You will?" said Harry, startled.
"Yes, I expect so," Dumbledore hummed, withdrawing a fresh bottle of silver memories from inside his robes and uncorking it with a prod of his wand.
"Professor," I began. "Maybe I should leave."
"As you wish Katherine." Dumbledore smiled and I gave Harry a quick hug before leaving the castle.
"Miss Fontaine." A drawling voice spoke and I sighed before turning and facing Severus.
"Pleasure, Severus." I smiled. "Taking a break from giving children free nightmares?" Severus didn't find me amusing.
"What are you doing in the castle? Don't tell me you're doing more patrolling with Nymphadora. The sight of the two of you was enough when you went to school here." I pouted.
"And to think I missed you." I pretended to let out a disappointed sigh, before turnings serious. "No, Dumbledore just wanted to call me in because of Katie Bell." Severus nodded.
"Then you'll be leaving soon?" his lips quirked up a little.
I laughed. "I believe somehow, you like me Severus. Really... really deep down."
"And I believe that you're entirely delusional." Severus sneered.
"No wonder it's called an opinion." I grinned, turning swiftly around and making my way down to the basement. Right underneath the Great Hall is where the Hogwarts Kitchens are located, which I found out in my third year at Hogwarts. I smiled a little, finding it ironic that the Head Boy is now my boyfriend when I was such a reckless and cheeky person when I went here.
I tickled the pair on the painting, making it squirm and let out a laugh before it turned into a green door handle. I grasped onto it and entered the Kitchens, quickly swarmed by plenty of House Elves.
"Miss Diggory! Dobby is so pleased to see you, Miss!" a voice I recognized immediately cheered and I smiled.
"Dobby!" I grinned. "It's wonderful to see you." I had seen Dobby at the Ministry when I worked there because he used to be Mr Malfoy's House-elf. He was now wearing many pears of colourful and mismatched socks on him.
"What can I get you Miss Diggory." He paused. "Or is it now Mrs Weasley?" I blushed deeply.
"No, it's actually Miss Fontaine." I admit. "I found my biological family and their last name is Fontaine."
"Wonderful!" Dobby squealed. "My apologies Miss, Master Weasley and Mister Potter informed me that you were in love with Master William Weasley." I blushed even deeper at the blunt way of explaining it.
"No need to worry Dobby." I assured him. "May I please have a pumpkin pasty and a butterbeer?" Many House-elves scrambled for them and suddenly, plenty of plates and cups were held up around me. "Thank you!" I spoke and went back up to the Great Hall to enjoy my snack.
Truthfully, I enjoyed Hogwarts a lot and missed it everyday. A lot of things had happened to me at Hogwarts. I graduated, I met Bill for the first time, I got eleven OWLs –one less than Bill, he never let me live it down– and Cedric died here. Although I did get to know Bill better here, and he selflessly took care of me once I fell apart when Cedric died.
"Excuse me," someone spoke loudly. "is this seat taken?" my head snapped up at the voice I had become so accustomed to hearing every single day of my life for the past year.
"Bill!" I squealed, jumping up in my seat and racing towards him. He laughed and held out his arms before I jumped into them. My legs wrapped around his waist and my arms went around the back of his neck as I hugged him tightly.
One of Bill's arms went around the middle of my back and the other was woven into my wavy hair as we embraced each other. I leaned back a little and carefully placed his lips onto mine. Bill caressed the sides of my face with his hand, not pulling away from me. I knew this was the way things were supposed to be. I love Bill and he loves me.
"I missed you, Katherine Fontaine." Bill breathed out once we drew apart. I jumped back to the ground and smiled, carefully taking his face in my hands.
"And I missed you William Weasley." I replied, before hugging him again. "What are you doing here?" I asked excitedly.
"I'm here for the Order." Bill smiled brightly at me. "Because of Katie Bell being cursed, we fear somebody in the castle is being targeted." We both turned serious after that and I dropped my arms from around him. Still, Bill took my hands in his.
"Who?" I queried. "Harry? Or maybe Dumbledore?" Bill shrugged a little.
"Voldemort's back and the Ministry knows it now. So... I have something to confess." Bill looks around nervously, not meeting my eyes anymore.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong." Bill assures me. "It's just that I've been doing some thinking." He admits. "And with Voldemort rising again, I thought it would be a good time now to do something I want to."
"Okay..." I slowly trailed off. "Tell me."
Bill took in a deep breath. His brown eyes met mine once again and he swallowed, before clearing his throat. "Alright. Kate,"
"Bill."
"I love you." I smiled. "You know I do. And I know that somehow, you and I are made for each other. Everyone's had a hard time recently but when I see you, it all just fades away." I bit my lip to stop myself from grinning too widely. "I think you're beautiful and intelligent and... Sometimes I'm surprised you'd go for someone like me." I laughed a little at his words. Tears were filling both of our eyes slowly but we were still grinning. "I mean, someone as gorgeous as you marrying someone with a small amount of money and fang earrings?"
"Aw, I love your earrings!" I exclaimed and Bill smiled.
"And I love you." he repeated his words. "And I want to spend the rest of my life with you, so..." Bill got down on one knee and I covered my mouth with my right hand in shock. No. "Kate Fontaine, will you marry me?"
I grinned widely, tears now actually escaping my eyes. "Yes." I breathed out. "Are you joking? YES! Of course I'll marry you!" Bill laughed and slipped the ring onto my left ring finger before getting up and kissing me. "I always thought I'd be wearing something more glamorous than jeans, a sweater and converse when I get engaged." I muttered.
"You look fantastic," Bill said, making me smile.
"Merlin's beard," I whispered, gazing into his eyes. "We're getting married."
"You're going to be my wife." He added on. "Wow. I'm not going to get used to saying that." I giggled –very much unlike me– and Bill leaned down to kiss me. First my cheek, then my forehead, then my nose and finally my lips. It was an intimate moment before a loud squeal echoed across the Great Hall.
Bill and I turned around to see Bill's little, and only, sister Ginny beaming at us. She rushed towards us and hugged me. "Congratulations!" she shouted. "You're getting married! Oh, I always thought you were well out of Bill's league but wow! I'm going to have a sister!"
I laughed at Bill's look of slight offence as Ginny hugged him next. "Thanks, Gin." I expressed my gratitude towards her reaction. "Although I'm quite worried about what you're Mother's going to say..." Biting my lip, I continued to worry about what Mrs Weasley would say and frowned, looking down at my shoes. "She already doesn't like me... Maybe I-"
"Don't." Bill interrupted me. "I love you. And Mum's going to have to understand that."
"I love you too," I promised, kissing his cheek before facing Ginny again. "When do you think we should tell everyone?"
"NOW!" Ginny rushed her answer. "Right now! Ron's going to be so jealous and everyone will be so excited! Oh can I be a bridesmaid? Please?"
"Calm down," I smiled. "he only just proposed. We haven't exactly started planning the wedding yet." Ginny pouted but nodded her head anyway.
"You should go to Grimmauld Place for Christmas." Bill suggested. "You can tell everyone then!"
"'You'?" I echo. "Won't you come with me?"
"I'm really busy." Bill admitted. "It took a lot of convincing to come down here for a few days for the Order."
"I'll help you." Ginny promises with a smile. "Besides. If it's for Christmas, Mum might not freak out so much." Her eyes widened as she realized what she was saying. "I didn't mean it like that! It's just that Bill is her first born and it'll be hard for her to let go."
"I understand." I assure her. Smiling nervously, I glance at Bill. "Okay... Christmas it is."
