A/N:
WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. I haven't been here in ages. Life has been stupid busy.
ANYWAYS, here's the next chapter of Miracles, I've actually completed the story so just some last minute touchups and separating into chapters to be done, so don't worry, I most definitely have not abandoned this story.
For anyone just joining us, this is a piece for the on-going (though sometimes slow-going) prompt challenge with my two best friends in the entire world Le Requiem and Bruhaeven (STALK THEM, READ THEIR STORIES, THEY ARE THE BEST.)
prompt: Miracles are things we make for ourselves, here and now.
They came back later that evening, just like they promised. Cho was sitting up in her bed, though still a little weary. It wasn't just the incident that day – Hogwarts was different. It was only mid-October, but already it felt like everyone was at their wits' ends.
"Cho! How are you? How is Neville doing?" Luna smiled as she set a few sprigs of odd flowers on the nightstand and sat at the end of Cho's bed.
Cho returned the smile, though weakly.
"I'm…tired. And Neville – I haven't heard anything. Madam Pomfrey was talking to Professor McGonagall when I woke up, but they left a few minutes ago."
They all looked towards the bed by the window, but the curtains around it were drawn.
"Well, I'll be back in a few hours to let you know how - "
McGonagall stopped abruptly when she saw the students in the infirmary. Madam Pomfrey rushed forwards and began shooing them out immediately.
"Oh – Ms. Lovegood, Mr. Thomas… Finnegan… Please, no visitors right now. Ms. Chang needs her rest, and I have plenty of work to do."
Luna lifted the small pot she had brought which contained a tiny yellow flower she'd recently replanted.
"Could we see Neville for just a moment? I brought him this for when he gets better…"
Madam Pomfrey's face grew grave, and she looked to Professor McGonagall.
McGonagall's expression softened, and she turned to face Luna, though she spoke to all four of the students.
"Madam Pomfrey was able to stabilize Neville's condition, but unfortunately he had to be moved to St. Mungo's. It's unclear exactly how long he'll be staying there. I'm going to check on his condition, but I'm afraid you won't be able to see him for a while."
None of them reacted, though surely not for lack of empathy. They had all been affected by the war in different ways. Some lacked hope, while others were left in a perpetual state of shock.
The first one to speak was Luna, and it was only the smallest "Oh." that left her lips.
"I guess we'll come back later."
…
"Well, any news?"
Professor McGonagall stood beside the hospital bed, clasping her hands together, and waiting for the Healer to answer.
Neville's breathing was steady, but his skin was a spattered, splotchy blue and red from the bruises that had formed all over his body.
The Healer, a petite woman with dark eyes, looked to the bed and sighed heavily.
"…Well," she began slowly, "The good news is that he's alive –"
She paused, inhaling sharply. "And that he's no longer in danger of losing his life."
Again, the woman paused, uncertain, or perhaps unwilling to continue.
"Yes – but when will he wake up?"
The Healer's eyebrows came together, and she closed her eyes gently.
"I'm afraid that's the bad news; I'm not sure that he will."
…
"…Right, that's it – recite the incantation in your head…and with a gentle flick! and…Good, excellent!"
They were practicing wordless magic, which was simple enough for Luna. She performed the spells effortlessly, and her mind drifted off to the strange land of imaginary thoughts where she spent most of her time.
There was a sharp rap on the door, and the room quieted. The small professor looked up from the stack of books he stood on, and watched the oaken door creep open.
"Oh, Minerva," Flitwick and the class of Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs let out a collective sigh of relief. Intrusions in class were infrequent, and these days the usually they were usually accompanied by bad news and bad people.
"What can I do for you, Professor McGonagall?"
McGonagall's face was severe when she spoke, although these days it seemed she always had something to be alarmed or concerned by.
"I'd like to borrow Ms. Lovegood and Ms. Chang, if you wouldn't mind Professor."
Flitwick nodded, having no idea as to the reasons for the request, but also no objections to it.
"Of course – Don't forget the homework, ladies!"
Luna and Cho were already outside of the classroom, trying to keep up with McGonagall's speedy pace, as Flitwick's high voice echoed out of the room.
"Professor –" Cho began, but was silenced by McGonagall's hand.
Never breaking her stride, she spoke swiftly and evenly.
"We'll speak in my office."
…
After winding through the halls, and up staircases, they finally reached McGonagall's large office in Gryffindor Tower.
The door opened with a creak, and McGonagall ushered the two students inside, where Dean and Seamus were waiting.
"Professor – what's this about?"
"Yeah, what the bloody hell is going on?"
"Is this about Neville?"
Luna sank slowly into one of the two large green leather chairs in the office, and closed her eyes as the other three exploded into questions, demanding explanations.
McGonagall stood behind her desk, staring into the wood grain and waiting for the questions to fade away. Eventually, they did – although not without the help of Dean, who, as usual, was the voice of reason.
Silence fell over the room, and Professor McGonagall let it remain untainted for a moment before speaking.
"Thank you all, for your patience. I know it's hard to not have any answers, so I'd like to update you all on Mr. Longbottom's current condition."
Luna, who had remained still up until this point, opened her eyes and leaned forward in the chair. The others stepped closer to the desk, and looked to face Professor McGonagall. The atmosphere was thick, and it seemed as if no one could breathe through the tension in the air.
McGonagall sighed, and slowly, uncertainly, began.
"I… I wish I had something better to tell you. Unfortunately, the news is not good."
She paused, trying to gauge their reactions, but each was unreadable in their own way.
"Although Neville has been stabilized, he lost a lot of blood and many his organs suffered from lack of oxygen… The healers at St. Mungo's have done their best, but it – it appears as though there is some lasting damage to his brain…."
"What the hell does that mean? Is he okay? Is he awake? Is he going to come back to school?"
The questions streamed out of Seamus's mouth – slurring together into one giant uncertainty.
Dean placed a hand on his shoulder, which seemed to stop the words from spilling out of his mouth, though it was clear that the questions were still bouncing around behind his eyes.
McGonagall cleared her throat, and looked down, struggling with her response.
"The hex that…" She paused and looked pointedly at the four students in her office. She wasn't allowed to say the words aloud, but they all knew anyways: The hex that Carrow cast.
"Well, it's an unpredictable hex. Some people recover fully while others suffer from hallucinations, auditory delusions, paranoia… We won't know if Neville's been affected until he wakes up. But-"
Again, McGonagall paused, trying to collect herself. Her voice shook slightly as she continued.
"—Unfortunately, there's no guarantee that he will ever wake up."
There was a solemn finality to this statement. Professor McGonagall fell into her chair, and folded her hands on the desk to keep them from quivering.
Cho began to shake as she held in sobs. Dean nodded slowly and calmly, while Seamus turned a deep red and fury entered his features.
Luna looked at McGonagall, her eyes as bright as ever, and asked slowly,
"Do you think we could visit him, Professor?"
McGonagall seemed startled, but she quickly recovered.
"Oh – Yes, of course. I was going to visit him this afternoon, and you four are more than welcome to join."
Their faces lit with something between happiness, and trepidation. It would be good to visit their friend, but the thought of seeing him battered and broken and perhaps permanently unconscious was frightening.
McGonagall interrupted their thoughts.
"But before we leave, I need to ask for a favor."
The four nodded, more than willing to comply with whatever McGonagall requested, so long as they were able to see their friend before his condition worsened.
"Augusta Longbottom is aware of the situation, and is currently at St. Mungo's, but besides you four, myself, and Madam Pomfrey, no one else knows what happened."
She held up a hand to silence Seamus, who had begun to gush about how inaccurate this statement was.
"Of course, there will always be rumors – but no one else has any proof. Rumors are just that: rumors. I need each of you to promise that this will be kept secret. I've told the Headmaster that Neville has returned home to take care of his grandmother and will be away from Hogwarts indefinitely. For Neville's safety, as well as your own, you would do best to stick to this story and keep quiet about things that may or may not have happened under Professor Carrow's watch."
Nobody spoke aloud, but they each nodded their promise.
McGonagall gave a single, curt nod in return, and stood.
"Well then, off to St. Mungo's, I suppose."
post-read: I'm sorry, nothing really happens in this chapter, just boring but important stuff - ya, know? Anyways, look forward to another chapter, I'll be posting in the near future, so fear not!
and don't forget to leave a note in the comments if you loved/hated/or read this and feel like being AWESOME. 3
lovelove,
junejune
