The next morning Serena had her stitches done, and two days later Remus returned to visit her with Kendra, Amber and Parrish. Serena was more then happy to see her sisters. She was sure they were really worried about her. Parrish was the most charming sight Serena had seen in many days, and couldn't help but beam up at him. He pinched her cheek in his affectionate way and smiled at her in return.
"Gave us quite a fright," he said softly.
Serena shrugged.
"I can't help it much," she whispered.
"You'll learn to," Parrish winked. "I have faith in you."
He sat down in the chair next to her bed as Kendra and Amber took seats on the bed next to Serena. Remus remained standing behind them, and after kissing Serena's forehead and saying hello he went to talk to Mr. Weasley.
"How was the train ride?"
"Horrible," said Kendra rubbing her face. "Malfoy found us on the train, with Amelia, and well we kind of fought."
"Who did? You and Amelia?" Serena asked surprised.
"Yea," Kendra said. "She gave me a fat lip and I nearly strangled her."
Serena nodded.
"I'm proud of you."
"They all laughed a little."
"The worse was when we all got off the train and Remus was waiting for us," said Amber. "He insisted we wait for Amelia to get off the train, and when she did he called out to her. It was like she was looking at a giant slug and wanted to pour salt on him."
"She was a vicious little viper," Parrish said softly. "Told Remus she didn't know any werewolves, and wasn't going to go home with one who claimed to know her Father who was dead to her."
Serena nodded her head.
"That sounds like Amelia," she whispered. "She went home with Malfoy?"
"Of course she did," Kendra said bitterly. "No doubt they'll have a bonny good time with his family—the bunch of sick bastards."
"Kendra," Amber said looking at her with scolding eyes. Parrish and Serena smiled at each other. Parrish didn't take his purple eyes from her and she bit her bottom lip, looking away and tucked her hair behind her ear.
"Anyways," said Amber looking at Serena. "Dad told us everything about what happened, and how Harry saw it too. He's been pretty quiet at the house."
Serena nodded.
"When he came to visit with the others he was very quiet," she said. "I could tell something was wrong, but he wouldn't say what. I think he blames himself for what happened."
"How did he see it?" Parrish asked. "He has premonitions?"
"No," Serena shook her head. "I know that for sure. Apparently," she lowered her voice to a whisper. "Dumbledore thinks there is some kind of mental connection between Voldemort and Harry. Like Harry can see into his mind, and eventually when Voldemort realizes the connection exists, he'll be able to see into Harry's mind."
All three of them were looking at Serena with wide eyes. None of them spoke for a few moments, until finally Amber crossed her arms.
"How do you know this?"
"I overheard Mrs. Weasley, Mr. Weasley, Moody and Tonks talking about it," she said softly. She shrugged. "I think it makes sense…you know how his scar hurts sometimes. It would make sense that when Voldemort went to destroy Harry part of his power was transferred into Harry. They have a very strong connection."
"That's creepy," Kendra said shuttering. "To think that Harry shares a bond with the Dark Lord."
"Only his Death Eaters call him that," said Amber. "Don't call him that."
Kendra rolled her eyes.
"It is weird," said Serena. "But don't look at him any different for it…if anything it's not his fault."
Parrish nodded.
"You'll be home for Christmas?" he asked.
At that moment the curtains were pulled back and Serena's healer, Augustus Pye, appeared. He was a small, young man, with a friendly face and smile. Serena frowned at the frown in his eyes.
"Unfortunately," he said. "You won't be."
Serena laid back.
"It's what we feared Serena," he said coming forward. "The venom from the snake is eating away at the stitches we used. We used magically protected thread to sew you up too, in hopes that the magic would protect the stitches, but as you discovered this morning when you were still bleeding, it didn't work. Wish we hadn't sewed Arthur up so quickly."
Serena sighed.
"I'm assuming your Uncle is here?" Pye asked looking at the three around her.
"Yes," Serena said. "He's speaking to Mr. Weasley right now."
Pye nodded.
"I'll go talk to him."
As soon as Pye had disappeared from sight Amber and Kendra turned to Serena.
"Uncle?" they both asked with raised eyebrows.
"Remus has to be related to me to approve my medical treatment," said Serena with a shrug. "Otherwise they would have contacted Grandmama and Grandpapa and Dumbledore doesn't want them in the country."
"Do you ever feel like there's more to Grandmama and Grandpapa then they let on?" Amber asked softly brushing her fingers through her hair.
"Yea," Kendra said. "I don't get why they shouldn't be in the country."
"Well they could be targets of Page," said Serena glancing at Parrish who had been silently since Pye arrived. "He kind of wants to take out our whole family…that grudge thing…and if they come in contact with me it could be dangerous for them."
"It's just as dangerous for us," Kendra said.
"But we know the risk," whispered Amber. "Next summer you're going to stay with them for a while. Serena and I will be living in the house with George probably."
"With George?" Serena raised her eyebrows.
Amber's cheeks turned red and she shrugged.
"I suggested it to him," she said.
Serena nodded her head slowly and smiled at Amber. She looked at Parrish who was still very quiet.
"Is something wrong?" she asked.
"No," he said with a smile. "Just happy to see you alive and well. What are stitches?"
"Oh," Serena said touching her stomach. "Well, it's exactly what it sounds like. Muggles, they use it a lot. They take thick thread and stitch up your open gashes. It holds them shut so they can heal, and then the stitches can fall off, or they have to be removed once the wound has healed."
"That's weird," said Kendra sticking out her tongue.
"Well," Serena said. "Like Pye said, it would have worked if the venom had eaten threw it."
"I wonder how the venom go in your system when you weren't really there," said Amber.
"But I was," Serena said. "I was there inside Mr. Weasley's body—that's the best way to explain it. The psychic connection is so strong that I feel his pain and anything that happens to him can happen to me."
Amber nodded her head slowly.
"How is Hermione? Did she go skiing?" Serena asked changing the subject.
"No," said Kendra. "She told her parents it was more important to go see Harry, you and Mr. Weasley. She'll come and see you on Christmas when we all come to see you."
Remus appeared next to the bed frowning slightly.
"Alright," he said to the three around Serena. "Healer Pye wants us to let Serena rest because they're going to try another form of healing on her in the morning to stop the bleeding and keep it from bleeding."
Serena nodded with a sigh. She wanted Parrish to stay.
Everyone stood up looking glum and went to Serena to say good bye. Kendra and Amber both kissed Serena's cheeks and hugged her, and Parrish pinched her cheek again.
"Get better, alright?" he said.
"Yea," she said. "I will."
Remus came forward and kissed Serena's forehead.
"Rest well," he said. "We'll be back on Christmas."
Serena nodded her head.
"Thanks Uncle," she said with a teasing smile. Remus smiled back and patted her cheek. "Kiss Daddy for me."
Remus nodded.
"Good bye Serena."
The room that Serena had just entered was decorated for Christmas, with garland, wreaths, candles, mistletoe, holly, and stockings. Serena looked at the fire place and was surprised to see everyone's name on a stocking. On the end of the fire place next to her Kendra's, was her own, and next to hers was a stocking with Parrish's name on it. Serena smiled and touched the stocking.
"Hey Serena," said Ginny entering the family room of her childhood home. Ginny looked large for her small size, it was quite obvious she was pregnant and healthy.
Serena beamed at Ginny and moved forward, hugging her.
"Hi," she said. "How is everything?"
"Wonderful," said Ginny holding her stomach. "Oh. This one's a kicker."
Serena smiled.
"Where's Parrish?"
"Outside getting wood," Serena said. "Your Dad asked for some help."
"Oh, hope Mum doesn't find him."
"Why?"
"Well," Ginny sighed. "She keeps talking about how you two ought to be married by now. I think she has every intention of talking to Parrish when she sees him."
"Is it really any of her business?" Serena asked.
"She considers it her business since—"
"Serena!" said a tall, adult Ron. He looked extremely handsome with his red hair and broad shoulders. He hugged Serena tightly and kissed her cheek. "How are you?"
"Just fine Ron," she said. "I haven't seen you at work the last couple of days."
"Off with Harry working on some things."
Serena nodded her head slowly.
"Where's Parrish?"
Serena sighed slightly.
"He's outside with your Father."
"My Father?" Ron raised his eyebrows. He looked at Ginny. "You don't think Mum pushed him to talk to Parrish?"
"She might have."
Serena blinked her eyes and looked up at the extremely boring ceiling of the ward she was staying in with Mr. Weasley. It was dark in the room, and she realized that it was late at night, and she had been having another dream about her future.
She frowned slightly and sat up slowly to not hurt the stitches that were now holding her gashes shut. She was having too many of these dreams for them not to be premonitions, despite the way they made her feel. Maybe because they were the first premonitions she could describe as 'happy' they had a different effect on her system and her body. She didn't wake up with head aches, body pains, or nausea. Maybe they were just good premonitions. Serena bit her bottom lip. She wasn't sure if she considered a future with Parrish good.
There was a sharp pain in her stomach and she bit her bottom lip. The stitches weren't working as well as the healer had thought they would. Serena lifted her shirt and saw more red spots on her bandages and frowned. They weren't working much better at all, which was a shame because yesterday they had held together so well that Mr. Weasley agreed to have them done. It seemed that the venom from the snake's fangs was eating away at the stitches. So, the stitches weren't going to keep her from bleeding. She frowned more deeply and laid back in the pillows of her bed. If the stitches weren't going to work, what would?
There was a grunt from somewhere next to her, and Serena jumped. Looking to her left for the first time she saw the body of a young man sitting in a chair, asleep. She smiled broadly at Parrish's handsome figure sitting in the chair with his head rolled onto his shoulder, eyes closed tight, and arms folded over his center. She reached out and lifted up his right hand, a watch on his wrist. She saw that it was only one in the morning. She leaned back in the bed and crossed her arms. Parrish must have stayed behind earlier in the day when he, Kendra, Amber and Remus came to visit. She had gone to bed the moment Remus said good bye, and for all she knew Parrish could have asked to stay behind.
Serena watched him as he slept and wondered why he had stayed behind. To watch her, perhaps? That was a silly reason though. She was perfectly safe in St. Mungo's. And no doubt, Remus wouldn't have let him stay here by himself.
While watching him, she noticed how handsome he really was. The way his nose curved with the rest of his face was near perfection, and Serena knew that when his eyes opened they would melt her to the core with their purple tint. She smiled as his brown hair fell in front of his eyes, and the muscles in his right arm twitched a little. He was so broad and strong. Serena wasn't sure how any girl could ever deny him, and then she frowned. That was exactly what she did.
At that moment, Parrish's head rolled over to his other shoulder and he yawned, waking up slowly. Once he had stretched and opened his eyes he looked directly at her and jumped a little. Serena smiled and bit her bottom lip.
"Hi," she whispered.
"Good," he said standing up. "You're awake."
He stretched out his arms more and moved to pull down the sheets.
"We can get going then," he said.
"Get going?" Serena asked with raised eyebrows and grabbing the sheets before Parrish could. "Why would I leave?"
Parrish looked at her.
"Don't you want to go home for Christmas?" he asked with high eyebrows.
"I can't Parrish," she sighed. "You know that…just earlier when you were here with Remus and my sisters the healers said I couldn't leave because my stitches didn't work."
"Stitches?" Parrish raised his eyebrows.
There was a horrible flip in Serena's stomach and she suddenly felt very awkward. Something was wrong. She wasn't safe. A shiver crawled down her back, and she forced her eyes to stay open—this was not the time to be collapsing into an unconscious state.
"Parrish," she whispered. "I'm staying here…you should go home. I don't know what you're doing here."
"No!" Parrish grabbed her wrist and Serena looked him dead in the eye frightened. "We have to go now!" There was no charm in his purple eyes. And as Serena looked at him more closely she saw nothing of Parrish in those eyes. Whoever was holding onto her was not Parrish, and she wasn't safe.
She tried to pull her wrist out of the man's hands, but he was very strong. The shiver crawled up her spine again and she fought to keep her eyes open, to prevent the vision from happening. The man who was holding onto her was responsible for triggering her vision, but who was he?
Serena tried to scream but the man put his hand over her mouth. She bit down on his fingers and he suppressed a yelp so not to wake the others around them. Serena made to scream again, but the man disguised as Parrish knocked her sharply over the head with his elbow. Serena fell onto the bed with a groan.
"Serena?" said the groggy voice of Mr. Weasley from the other side of the curtains.
Serena could barely lift her head, and her vision was swirling in and out of clarity. The shiver, warning her she was about to have a vision, crawled up her spine again and this time she couldn't hold it off. As the man grabbed her arms and lifted her weak body up against his she closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep. Before Mr. Weasley could get out of bed and move the curtains back on Serena's bed the man Apparated, and they were gone.