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Poppy’s Administrations


The whole lot of the Resistance had disapparated to the edge of the grounds of Hogwarts, just outside the gates, and Hagrid was waiting, along with Professors McGonagall, and Flitwick. As they appeared, cracking into view, battered and war torn, they were greeted and helped into one of several waiting thestral-draw carriages that Hagrid had at the ready.

Bilius was sobbing as he and Frank appeared, both leaning on the other, barely standing up. McGonagall quickly helped Frank into the cart and pulled Bilius aside as he started to cry out, “He’s dead -- he’s dead -- Alex Tinnamin… He’s gone, I’m the only one left…” and McGonagall hugged Bilius to her as he started to speak incoherently about the Grim…

Charlus carried Lily who clung to him, her cheek against his neck as he made his way to the cart, followed by James, who stayed directly beside him, one hand on Lily’s foot, as though his touch would protect her further from the dangers that were behind them now, and Dora followed, unable to ignore how her son’s eyes flashed as he looked at the girl…

“Where’s Dumbledore?” asked Flitwick, looking among the already arrived… and as though in response, the cluster of Ali, Honey, Sirius, and Dumbledore apparated and Peter let out a squeal and ran for his mother, his arms outstretched and catching her as she stumbled out of Dumbledore’s grasp.

Remus ran for Sirius the moment he’d appeared, clutching onto him, pulling him against his chest so tight that Sirius could hear Remus’s heart beating double-time within him. Sirius’s fist balled around the fabric of Remus’s moony-sweater and he broke, hot tears searing the edges of his eyes as he choked out, “Remus what’ve I done? What’ve I done? I’ve killed somebody, Remus, I’m a murderer…”

“No, shh, you’re not, you’re not…” Remus breathed, clutching Sirius tightly, “You were being used as a tool by an evil wizard, it’s not your fault… It’s not your fault. You were so strong, Sirius…”

But Sirius couldn’t stop sobbing and clutching onto Remus, and Remus just held him tight, rubbing his back and rocking him gently.

When everyone had loaded into the cart that was going to, Hagrid urged the thestrals along and those that were walking followed up the hill - the Prewett brothers, Kingsley, and Alastor Moody, walking, talking, discussing what had happened… agreeing they needed to return to the manor as quickly as possible to retrieve evidence so that they could make arrests on the identified Death Eaters and issue warrants for any and all of the hooded, masked figures whose faces had been covered, unable to be identified… They also had immense loads of paperwork to do in the Honey Pettigrew case, a reported death to reverse…

When they arrived to the castle, they were all brought to the hospital wing. Within minutes, he beds in Pomfrey’s ward were full, extra beds magicked in. She hurried among her patients, fixing all she could. Frank’s ear would never be fully whole again, and Mrs. Longbottom stood beside him, holding his hand and crying as Pomfrey healed the cuts and bruises, gave him Skele-Gro for his broken nose, and several pain killing potions. Frank told her about the duel with Rudolphus, and the anger on Voldemort’s face when he’d told him he wasn’t much to look at, and Ali sat on the opposite side of the bed, holding Frank’s other and once Pomfrey was done with him…

James sat on one bed on the edge, refusing to lie down or to let Pomfrey look at him until she’d cleared Lily first and Lily groaned as Pomfrey pressed her fingers into the bruises on Lily’s back where the spell had struck her. “Particularly nasty stunner,” Pomfrey said, and she administered a potion to reduce the swelling.

Turning to James, Pomfrey said, “Now let’s see what’s wrong with you…” She magicked a new tooth into James’s mouth, and repaired his glasses, gave him a bit of Skele-Gro for his nose.

When she’d finished and stepped away, James looked over at Lily. “Alright, Evans?” he asked her.

“Spiffing,” Lily replied.

James smiled… the smile was still crooked but it didn’t hang up like it used to… and Lily felt a pang of sadness at the change. Tears threatened her eyes at the sight of it. “Hang on, Love, why’re you crying?” he asked, a lilt of panic to his tone, “Whatsamatter?”

“It’s your… your smile… it’s not right.”

“Not right?” he asked, confused.

“Your mouth’s not right.”

James considered this a minute, “What’s not right about it?” but she was crying too hard to answer as the stress of the night released and she shook her head and covered her face and her shoulders shook… Dora Potter hurried about the bed to her and hugged her shoulders gently. Lily pressed her face into Dora’s chest and cried… and James felt supremely jealous of his own mum and looked up at Charlus, “What’s wrong with my smile?”

“Not a thing,” Charlus said, looking at Lily as though she were crazy, “You’re good as new.”

But James couldn’t stop running his tongue across his teeth, confused…

McGonagall was talking in a low voice to Bilius across the room, and Pomfrey issued him an elixir to stop the hiccups that had his esophagus squelching as he told McGonagall about the haunting, terrible dreams he’d been having of The Grim…

Quick bandages were put on the injuries suffered by the Aurors - the Prewetts, Moody, Shacklebolt - and they all left in a hurry, back off the grounds to disapparate back to get their evidence for the Ministry before the Death Eaters could return and wipe away anything that the ruins of the manor might hold…

Honey Pettigrew was given a good lot of food and several elixirs and potions to regain her strength and begin to restore her body. Peter clutched her hand in his two and stood beside her, refusing to lie down even as far away as the next bed, his hands trembling as he clutched onto his mum, teary eyed and pressing his face into her palm, too thankful she was there to hold onto to ever dream of letting go… Pomfrey clucked her tongue and gave him a stool, “Sit at least,” she commanded, and attended to the injuries he had from there…

When she came to Sirius, she tried to give him potion to soothe the pain, but he pushed her away, “No,” he said, “No don’t treat me. I deserve the pain.”

“Sirius, please,” Remus said.

“No!” he said, and Pomfrey frowned.

“I’ll get him to take it,” Remus suggested, and she handed Remus the little cup of potion before moving on to the next bed. Remus looked at Sirius with pleading eyes. “You have to take it.”

Sirius shook his head, “I don’t deserve a free pass from the pain I feel. Not after what I’ve done.”

“Sirius, you didn’t,” said Remus, “Now drink this, I mean it,” and Remus brought the cup to Sirius’s mouth, but he slapped Remus’s hand away, sending the potion spilling onto the floor.

No,” Sirius said.

Remus frowned, “Fine! Be stubborn and in pain then!”

“Fine!”

Remus stared at him, then pulled his wand, which he had only just remembered to pick up before he’d been disapparated away, and he waved it to restore the potion to the little cup, turning back to see Sirius clutching his side, wincing deeply. “See? You need it!” Remus cried, “Please, I hate seeing you in pain; please.”

“No,” Sirius groaned.

Dumbledore came into the ward then, followed by several sets of parents. Cecil Pettigrew ran for Honey and Peter with tears in his eyes, followed by Ali Prewitt’s folks, as well as Arthur Weasley, who hurried to take over for McGonagall at Bilius’s bedside.

Dumbledore spotted Remus and Sirius arguing over the little cup, and he walked over. “What’s the matter, gentlemen?”

“Sirius won’t take his potion,” Remus complained.

Dumbledore frowned, “Mr. Black, I must implore you to listen to your friend and take the potion.”

Sirius shook his head. Then, he realized it was Dumbledore he was facing and he asked, “Sir… the Death Eater… Surely you know, sir…” Sirius pleaded, tears in his eyes, “What was the Death Eater’s name? The one that I - that I murdered?”

Dumbledore’s eyes softened. “You did not murder her, Sirius. Voldemort murdered her. You cannot hold yourself accountable for the actions of others…”

“See, I told you,” Remus said, “I told you it isn’t your fault. Dumbledore agrees.”

But Sirius only shuddered. Dumbledore had said her - so it was a woman, then. He’d killed a woman. “What was her name, sir?” he persisted, ignoring Remus and staring up at Dumbledore.

“Eileen Prince,” said Dumbledore lowly.

Sirius collapsed down upon himself, the tears starting fresh at the name… and Remus quickly knelt before him, whispering quietly into his tears… “No shhh… shhhh…. It’s alright… Sirius, it isn’t your fault…”

Dumbledore felt his heart sink at Sirius’s tears, and he looked about the room at all the broken-ness and the pain that had been caused, all the tears being shed and the cries… and he shook his head, “Oh Tom… what a destructive path you’ve carved…” he murmured and he sank onto a stool, emotionally exhausted himself, and Pomfrey hurried over with a potion to alleviate the distraught feeling in him, and he cheersed her with the little cup as he sipped it…

“Better?” she asked him, a gentle hand on his shoulder.

“Yes, Poppy,” Dumbledore said, gratefully, “We are all thankful for your administrations.”

Pomfrey flushed and thanked him, then hurried to her next patient.

Horace Slughorn came in the ward then, a look of worry upon his face as he looked about at the motley collection of injured witches and wizards that filled the hospital wing, his eyes filled with concern. He looked about until he spotted Dumbledore, then bustled over, “What in Merlin’s great name happened here?” he asked.

“There’s been a battle, Horace,” Dumbledore said tiredly.

“Well I see that, but when?”

“Just now, off of grounds…”

“And you’ve only just sent for me?” Slughorn demanded, fixing Dumbledore with a questioning stare.

Dumbledore didn’t reply to the question, but instead, he explained, “There’s been a death, Horace, and I’ll be needing you to collect one of your students to break the news… Severus Snape.”

Horace looked quite alarmed, “Who’s been killed?”

“His mother… Eileen Prince.”

“How?”

“Murdered by Voldemort,” said Dumbledore.

Slughorn shuddered at the words.

“Bring Severus to my office, if you please. We shall tell him there, together.”

Slughorn nodded and hurried from the room, headed for Slytherin house to collect Severus.

Meanwhile, Remus had finally gotten Sirius to take the potion as another pain wrecked through him, and Sirius laid down now on the cot, curled into a fetal position on the mattress, Remus leaning over so that he was covering Sirius with a hug ‘round his body. Sirius whimpered, “I wanna be Snuffles, I wanna transform, it won’t hurt as bad if I’m a dog.”

“We’ll go some place so you can change, soon, just give it a few minutes and I’ll take you away,” Remus whispered, “Just a few minutes for the potion to take effect, and then we’ll go.”

“Promise?” Sirius pleaded.

“I promise,” Remus answered.

“And you’ll go with me?” Sirius begged.

“I won’t ever leave.”

“Never?” Sirius pleaded.

Remus kissed his temple softly. “Never,” he confirmed.

“Even though I’m a murderer?”

“You’re no murderer,” Remus whispered, “But even if you were, even then, I’d love you still.”

Sirius sobbed, “I don’t deserve someone as good as you, Moony, I don’t. I’m the monster…” he cried.

“Shh,” Remus whispered, “We can be monsters together.” And he held onto Sirius with all his might.