CHAPTER 2 ESCAPE
"We don't know what she's capable of doing. She's in a lot of stress."
"I appreciate your concern. Take care of her at the moment as I deal with the search and rescue operation."
"Oh I hope you find him soon. This is such a terrible thing to happen to them."
Lily woke up with a throbbing headache. She tried to absorbed her surroundings and found herself in one of the beds of the Hospital Wing; Hogwarts.
"I hope she won't give you any trouble when she awakens. I fear she didn't take it lightly when I tried to explain to her yesterday."
"Gibberish!" A female voice said. "She'll be in good hands. Don't worry!"
Lily heard footsteps and then comes silence. Lily racked her brain and wondered what the heck is going on. Did she just time travel into the future? But she doesn't remember Voldemort casting a time travel curse, and she didn't know such spell existed. She clearly heard him shout the killing curse.
There was only way to find out. Lily got out of bed and searched the room. Finally, she saw what she's been looking for; a mirror. She sluggishly grabbed the hand mirror, afraid of what she might see. Lily's heart fell; there was her reflection, staring back at her. But it wasn't the young face she knew very well, it had changed… she looked older, her face thinner and her once long red hair was now bob-cut short with brown streaks on the side. She really looked like a 30 years old woman. Lily dropped the mirror and stared into nothingness…
If she hadn't time travel, then the only explanation for this is that she lost her memory… lost approximately ten years worth of memory. Lily was dumbfounded at this realization. She felt a tear escaped her eye, she didn't know why, considering the fact that she remembers none. But the thought that something has taken 10 years of her life from her, like it was snatched away with just one blink of an eye, was devastating…
A realization came into her… The family that had been attacked at Stoner, it was her family and the father who's been missing was none other than James.
Lily burst into silent tears. Dumbledore lied to her! James isn't well, he's missing and he's been looking for him! All doubts and questions went racing out of Lily's head as the thought of Harry crossed her mind. She has to find Harry soon before Dumbledore comes up with anymore lies; whatever his reasons maybe.
But where?
"Lily?" Lily whipped around to find a plump woman entering the room. "Are you alright? Why are you crying?"
"Nothing." Lily made her way back to her bed, trying to hide the tears building up on her. "Who are you?"
"I'm Poppy Pomfrey." The woman smiled shyly. "I'm the Head Nurse—"
"What happened to me?" Lily wailed as she racked her brain, hoping she could remember how she got in this situation. "I can't remember anything… why am I here? Where's my Harry?"
"Calm down, Miss Lily." Madame Pomfrey begged. "Dumbledore will explain everything, just please calm down." But Lily didn't hear her as she continue to cry, her emotions having the best of her
"Here," The woman waved her wand and a small goblet came zooming towards them. "Please drink this. It'll make you feel better."
"What's that?" Lily asked suspiciously, wiping away her tears.
"It's just a nourishing potion. You haven't eaten in days."
But Lily knew better. She stared at the blue-colored potion.
"Lily? You have to drink this. You need nourishment." Pomfrey tried to push the goblet into her hands, but she didn't move.
"You know what happened to me?" Lily muttered.
After some moment, Madame Pomfrey nodded. "But I don't believe that I'm the right person to tell you that."
"And you think who? Dumbledore?" Lily snorted. "So that he could come up with more lies?"
"Yes, I do believe it is Dumbledore" Pomfrey replied irritably and Lily gawped at her. "And Dumbledore will never lie in situations like this, Miss Lily. He may hide some information to protect others and save them from pain, but lie he will never. Everything he does is for a reason and we will do good to trust him."
"I could never trust him!" Lily expressed as she hide her face on the pillow, crying. Madame Pomfrey sighed.
"Madame Pomfrey?" Lily asked as she faced the woman once more.
"Yes?" The woman replied.
"I want answers to my questions…"
"Then we can wait for Dumbledore—"
"No. No matter what you say, I cannot trust him. I want it to come straight from you."
Pomfrey looked at her in amazement. "You won't trust Dumbledore but you trust me? Someone you haven't met before?"
"I don't trust you." Lily stated. "But unlike him, you have given me no reason to doubt you."
Pomfrey seemed to relax a bit.
"Please…" Lily begged. Pomfrey looked sadly at her and compassion seemed to touch her. "I promise I'll drink that potion, if you want me to"
The woman seemed to consider the proposal "Fine…" She said skeptically as she handed Lily the goblet.
"It was good." Lily commented after she drank the potion. But it was a lie, it tasted like doxy droppings.
Madame Pomfrey smiled knowingly at her. "Really? Everyone else said it tasted like doxy droppings."
Lily thought hard. She needed to get out of here and find Harry as soon as possible. After that, she'll deal with Dumbledore and ask him what the heck is going on. But first, she needs to make sure her family is safe, that they aren't part of any of his schemes.
"Well?" Pomfrey raised her eyebrow. "What's your question? I'll answer it the best way I can."
"Where's my wand?" Lily asked abruptly that Pomfrey stared at her as if not expecting that question at all.
"Dumbledore has it for the meantime."
Lily cursed inside. How can she escape without a wand?
"What happened to me, Madame?" At first, Lily was sure Pomfrey wouldn't answer. She could see hesitation in her eyes. But it was a nagging question Lily has been dying to ask. She wants to know what really happened that night Voldemort tried to kill Harry and why can't she remember a thing!
"You lost your memory, Lily" Pomfrey said sadly. "I do not know what hit you, but rest assured the Order—"
"But why me? Why my family? I… I want to know what happened to me. I want to know why I got hit by this unknown curse!" She finally decided to say when Madame Pomfrey remained quiet.
"Well," Pomfrey started. "It's an Order Confidential. I'm not allowed to say anything—"
"Please madame…"
"I'm sorry child. If I had a choice, I would have told you everything, to save you the trouble. But sadly, I am bound by magic to keep my words. Forgive me."
"I understand." Lily could only nod, yet inside she was screaming. She wants to be one hundred percent sure. "Is there a chance that I could see my family? I want to see them now." Lily glared as anger finally consumed her. She didn't notice her tight grip on the bed sheet.
Apparently, Madame Pomfrey saw this and placed her arms around Lily to calm her down. "Not in your condition, Lily. It's too complicated for you—"
"Why?" Lily snapped. "…because I don't remember anything—?"
"No." The other woman said. "Because you are going to hurt the people around you if you're not careful."
Lily looked insulted. "I would never do anything to hurt them—"
Pomfrey shook her head. "I know you won't. You might not hurt them physically but— you don't understand. There are consequences if— "
"If what?" Lily asked. Pomfrey looked sadly at her. "Ten years is a long time, Miss Lily. It's too complicated—"
"Do you know what happened to Voldemort?" Lily snapped, not really paying any attention to what she was saying. "Where is he now? How come we survived? Where are the Death Eaters who attacked us?"
Pomfrey looked at her with eyes wide; Lily could feel her panicking but didn't know why. "I believe I can no longer answer your question, Miss Lily. Now if you don't mind I have some important things to do and I suggest you calm down and wait for Dumbledore!"
And with that she stood up and went towards the door.
"WAIT!"
Pomfrey paused.
"I have one last question…"
Pomfrey sighed as she turned around.
"Do you happen to know where my Harry is?"
Lily felt guilty for leaving Pomfrey unconscious in the Hospital Wing but she had no choice. Pomfrey became suspicious and tried to give her a Sleeping Potion saying it was just an Anti-stress Tonic. Lily had cast a sleeping charm on Madame Pomfrey using the woman's own wand and after failing to cast a vomiting jinx on herself (the wand refused to obey her), Lily left the wand and hurried towards the corridor.
For Lily, the conversation with Madame Pomfrey brought more questions than answer. But one thing was sure; her family was attacked and they need her right now. She needs to find them soon.
The hard part was looking for an escape. It seems that not all Hogwarts fireplace are connected to Floo Network. Luckily for her, she knew a place near the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy that might help her. And sure enough, the room appeared with only a fireplace.
Lily sighed as she stood in front of the huge fireplace. It stretched from the floor to the ceiling and the hearth extended near the center of the room. Lily also noticed a large circular sandbox near the fireplace, only to discover that it was a whole mound of Floo Powder! But none of this is important right now.
"I believe he's in 88 Ample Unit Old Harlow in his fa—" Pomfrey has said before she fell asleep.
Suddenly, Lily heard echoes somewhere in the castle and she had a nasty feeling they already knew she escaped. With one last look at the room, she step into the fireplace and tossed a handful of Floo Powder into the fire.
Flooing was never her favorite mode of transport. But desperate times calls for desperate measure. She can't apparate here, no brooms and no wand to make a portkey.
"OUCH!"
Minutes later, Lily lay groaning in the middle of the living room floor stroking her bruised head. How was she supposed to know that fireplace was just as big as a doghouse? No wizard in their right mind would build such a small fireplace unless of course the house belongs to a muggle. Lily looked around the room teary eyed from the pain of bumping her head. With electrical appliances and still paintings; there was no denying that this is a muggle dwelling.
Why would Harry be in a place like this?
"HELLO?" Lily called as she stepped into the dark hallway, head still aching. It was already dark outside and the whole house seemed abandoned. "Anybody home?"
No answer.
Did Madame Pomfrey gave her the right address?
Lily was about to leave when she heard a faint melody. At first it was a soft tune and unrecognizable. But the song was so familiar…
She tiptoed through the stair as she followed the sound. It was very dark and she could hardly see. Suddenly, Lily could feel her head spinning and she has to momentarily grab the wall for support. Maybe the potion's kicking in. Lily shook her head wildly; she must concentrate on the task at hand. "Harry?" she called out once more.
A door stood ajar. The song was coming from that room. She peered into it only to find that the room was a nursery; the walls pink, the floor carpeted, stuff toys and dolls lay scattered on the floor. Lily sneaked inside the dimly lighted room and examined the place, baby pictures hang on the wall and she was surprised to see one portrait, partly hidden among the stuffed toys, of a baby smiling and waving at her happily. Whoever is living here has magical connection in some way.
Lily looked around once more only to discover that the faint song she just heard was coming from a small muggle music box that lay on the floor. Why was it so familiar to her?
Lily froze. Of course! That was the same lullaby her mother used to sing to her before going to bed, back when she was about six years old. Lily felt her eyes wet as she remember those days…
Summertime, and the living is easy
Fish are jumping, and the cotton is high
Your daddy's rich, and your ma is good looking
So hush little baby, don't you cry.
One of these mornings, you're gonna rise up singing
You're gonna spread your wings as you take the sky
But till that morning, there's nothing can harm you
With your daddy and mammy standing high (Gershwin Lullaby 1935)
"Mama?"
A surprised Lily lashed around and saw a little girl about three years old with dark auburn hair, rose from the small bed rubbing her eyes.