This story is Rated 18+ Mature for sexual content.
An immense calm filled her being as she felt her body sinking deeper and deeper into nothingness, the moonlit, bobbing surface was fading further from view.
She felt her lungs filling up with water, the calmness of the potion was soaring through her, reducing any kind of panic which would normally engage a dying person.
She felt the end nearing and was glad of it, she shut her eyes and let the darkness consume her.
However, her eyes opened suddenly as she felt something tight, sticky and slimy wrap around her waist
"No, let me drown!" she thought wildly.
She was plummeted out of the water, and landed hard on the ground, she could hear herself choking loudly, her body convulsing under the pressure but strangely felt none of the pain associated with it as if her soul was floating away from her body.
She gasped loudly as water escaped out of her throat, pain suddenly shooting every nerve in her body as she felt herself come back to earth, she tried to open her stinging eyes and saw a looming dark figure hovering over her, her body flopped and she let the darkness wash over her...
Distorted voices pierced her ears, and her eyes opened slowly. She let out a groan which sent a fire scorching in her throat, she heard movement and hurrying feet.
She heard the words, Potion, and heard a top pop off. Next moment a warm liquid was pouring luxuriously down her throat, cooling the fiery sensation in her throat and lungs.
Another potion was poured into her mouth, and she felt her eyes opening, no longer stinging and painful.
"Miss Morris?" asked a kind, but concerned voice "Mara, can you hear me?"
Maras' eyes opened and she groaned.
"I feel like I've been hit with a hundred Cruicators Curses." she complained, her body stiff and aching, and was glad that potion gave her the ability to speak at least.
"Thank goodness." Mara looked up and saw Madam Pomfrey, the Matron standing over her. She looked to the side and saw lots of potion vials at the ready, two already opened.
Madam Pomfrey helped Mara to sit up and lean against the several pillows laid behind her head, her eyes darted forward, and her heart thumped nervously at the sight of Professor Snape standing by the open curtain, speaking to the Headmaster.
Mara felt extremely anxious, scared even, at the prospect of explaining herself, she couldn't even remember what exactly happened to land her in the hospital wing in the first place.
"What.. happened last night?" Mara asked, and received a funny look from Pomfrey.
"Last night? You've been out for at least a week." Mara looked in surprise at the Matron's statement.
"A week?" she asked.
"Yes-and I think it best for Professor Snape to explain everything."
Mara swallowed and noticed Snape enter the cubicle, Dumbledore left and hurried away quickly.
Mara sank into her pillows at the look Snape gave her, a feeling of foreboding washing over her and prepared for the telling off she'd receive for whatever it was she did.
She watched Snape as Pomfrey sorted out the potion vials beside the bed, and she automatically pulled up the covers over her hospital gown.
A bell rang a few cubicles down
"Please excuse me, I will be right back." Pomfrey said, hurrying out quickly.
"..where'd the Headmaster go?" Mara asked, unable to help herself, wanting some of this awkwardness to go away.
"To alert your guardians you have woken."
Mara stared with wide eyes "What, why? They won't give a damn!"
"It is standard procedure," Snape said softly "Whether they care or not."
Mara swallowed, how much was her 'guardian' Mrs Malfoy told? What if she found out..wait, Maras' eyes fixed forward in concentration, and a horrible, sinking feeling took hold of her, everything coming back to her like a tidlewave, Lucius Malfoy featuring heavily in the forefront of her mind as she recollected all the memories that had left her momentarily.
Including the lake, and why she went there.
She glanced at Snape anxiously who was watching her in scrutiny.
"Let's get the explanation out of the way, shall we." Snape said, Mara sank further into her pillows. "I was patrolling the area around the lake, I was surprised to see no Aurors guarding the place. I noticed the giant squid acting strangely in the water, it looked rather frantic so I decided to head over and see what the commotion was. When I drew nearer, I heard a loud choking and spluttering noise so I dashed over, and I came across you." Mara frowned at the harsh look she received "I cleared your airways with my wand, and you fell unconscious. I can only assume you were in the lake-the Giant Squid saw what was happening and helped you out of the water."
Mara felt her eyes sting, but she quietly held back.
"Y-you saved my life?" Mara asked timidly, Snape nodded curtly
"If I hadn't come across you you would be dead right now." he said blatantly Mara gulped.
"Now, the question is, why were you in the lake?"
He noticed Maras' blue eyes turn bloodshot as she struggled to keep the tears at bay.
"I..don't remember why I was in the lake.." she said nervously, Snape lowered his eyes in a menacing glower at her, making her swallow again.
"I think I am owed an explanation." Snape said sternly.
"L-like I said, I don't remember!" she snapped, and they both looked as the curtain flew open.
"Really, Professor, she isn't in any state to be interrogated!" Madam Pomfrey said haughtily, Snapes eyes lowered at Mara.
"We will resume this little chat soon." He said in a promising tone.
Snape spun on his heel, his robes billowing behind him as he stormed out of the cubicle.
Mara leant back fully into the pillows, exhausted.
"You should sleep, when you wake your lunch will be ready."
Mara nodded "Take this." She was handed a dreamless sleep potion and drank out of it, she really couldn't deal with any nightmares on top of what happened, and drifted into a somewhat comfortable slumber...
It wasn't long before Mara was back on her feet, with the added help from the potions she was out of the hospital bed in a few days and was glad to be able to eat properly.
Mara gave a sigh as she left the bathroom, after feeling sticky wearing that horrid hospital gown all week she was happy to feel clean. She paused in the middle of the aisle as she dried her hair with a towel, spotting the door opening.
The Headmaster, along with Professor Snape entered the wing.
She pursed her lips in worry and hurried towards her cubicle, shutting the curtain behind her. She began to pace, wondering how she was going to explain what happened. When she heard their voices coming closer, she sat on the edge of the bed, her face burning. The the curtain pushed opened, to reveal Madam Pomfrey.
"Miss Morris, the Headmaster would like a private word with you if you are ready?"
Mara nodded, and smoothed out her school jumper.
The curtain opened once more, and she caught a glimpse of Snape scowling at Dumbledore as he entered, shutting the curtain behind him.
She noticed the serious look in Dumbledore's watery blue eyes, but he gave her a small smile.
"How are you feeling, Miss Morris?"
Dumbledore noticed the worried look on her ashen toned face as she gripped the sheets with her fingers.
"I have personally notified Mrs Malfoy of this incident, I hope to hear from her soon."
Mara frowned at her knees but nodded.
"Also, the Aurors who abandoned their post at the lake have been severely punished."
Mara nodded again, receiving a sympathetic look from Dumbledore.
"You aren't in any trouble for what's happened," Dumbledore said more softly, now that the notifications were out of the way. Mara looked at him, a glimmer of hope in her eyes. "but you know what I am going to ask? As I am aware, Professor Snape has already done so."
"..yes." Mara said weakly, glancing nervously at the curtain which Snape was almost certainly still behind.
"I have kindly asked Professor Snape to wait by the entrance." he noticed the relief spread across her, her slim shoulders relaxing slightly.
"I...don't know how to explain..why I did what I did." Mara said nervously "...I, I was forced not to tell."
A slight alarmed look crossed Dumbledore's ancient features.
"What do you mean?" he asked softly.
"M-Mr Malfoy said if I said anything I'd be in trouble."
Mara had a sudden feeling like her brain was being examined and shuddered.
"I-if I say anything, and M-Mrs Malfoy finds out.." she trembled harder, her voice raising into a panicked tone. She glanced as Dumbledore swept carefully towards her, standing closer to her.
"Anything you say to me, will not go any further. Not even to Professor Snape." Dumbledore said seriously, starting to become very worried indeed. Strangely, Mara felt like she could trust Dumbledore, despite the dreadful things Mr Malfoy and Draco always spat about him.
Dumbledore smiled slightly at her.
"..I-It's hard, I don't know how to say..." she wiped her eyes quickly.
"Take your time." Dumbeldore said softly, his worried eyes fixed on her. Mara tried to stop her fingers shaking.
What would the Headmaster think of her if she told him? Would he think she wanted it to happen or that it was her own fault? What if it was her fault, though..
She bit her lip and looked at Dumbledore, finally deciding..
"Sir, could I retrieve something from my dorm to show you?" she asked,
Dumbledore watched her for a moment "Of course." he said softly, and looked as Mara pulled out her wand and swung it.
A tiny crystal phial appeared, and hovered in the air. Dumbledore averted his gaze to it, and his eyes sparked in curiosity at the swirling substance inside it.
"Please.." she whispered, and Dumbledore reached out for the phial, clutching it in his hand.
"It will explain why I was at the lake..please, don't think badly of me." she choked, and quickly wiped her eyes.
Dumbledore examined the phial, unsure if he wanted to view this new memory in his hand.
"Y-you don't know what he was like..he-he made me believe..." she sobbed, wiping her eyes furiously off the tears. "Please, Sir, I beg you not to tell anyone."
Dumbledore gave Mara a rather pitying look "No, it will stay between you and me, Miss Morris."
Mara glanced at him in worry.
"I will go and view the memory now...ah, I do believe your lunch has arrived." Dumbledore smiled, opening the curtain to reveal Madam Pomfrey behind it with a wheely cart of trays in front of her.
"I am just heading off, Poppy. I will leave you tend to your patient, I advise a calming draught before she eats." he added, Pomfrey looked over Dumbledores shoulder and noticed Maras' face in her hands, her shoulders shaking.
"Of course, Albus."
Dumbledore nodded, and passed the Matron who bustled inside the cubicle. He noticed Snape had already left, perhaps giving up of receiving any information at all.
He sighed, glancing at the tiny phial in his hand again, Severus would have to wait...
Hello and welcome back! The remaster is finally here, and I'm very excited to bring it to you after all this time! I hope the wait was ultimately worth it. There are still a few more chapters I need to get done, but I'm nearly finished.
I will post 3 chapters once a week, since most of them are already done. I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts.
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