For Love
Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, own Harry Potter.
A/N: A very late update, I know. I'm sorry! I hope you enjoy this! Oh, and please check out Tied Together With a Smile, a one-shot I wrote with The Black Cat Pounce. It's on my profile!
AND I'M CHANGING THE TENSE TO PAST INSTEAD OF PRESENT LIKE I'VE DONE UP TILL NOW!
The Black Cat Pounce: Not too soon. :/ No, I didn't, actually. I really need to, don't I?
twilightstargazer: It seems like it's wedding season, doesn't it? ;)
hi (Guest): Sure!
Fatecaster: Oh no they won't be… ;)
OH, AND HAPPY CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE!
x.o.x.o.x.
Alice stood from her seat, withdrawing her wand from her sleeve. "I think we should do it now," she said quietly, making eye contact with her friends.
Cassie also stood. She nodded in agreement. "We can't have a proper vacation if Lily isn't awake. And she has a job to do."
"But we can't be sure this is the countercurse," Sirius spoke up.
"It's worth a try," James contradicted, "because the way Lily is going, she might be dead within two weeks."
Hestia flinched. "Okay, let's go."
Crystal looked doubtful, but stayed silent as the whole group progressed quietly up the stairs.
x.o.x.o.x.
Alice and Hestia each stood across from each other, one on each side of the bed with the others gathered at the foot.
"Do you want to do it or me?" Alice questioned, looking at Hestia.
Hestia paled. "You, if you don't mind. I'm still doubtful about this, and I don't want to mess it up."
Alice smiled wryly. "And you're placing that trust in me?"
Everyone nodded vigorously.
Sighing, Alice said, "Very well." She breathed in deeply and raised her wand, hovering it over one of Lily's more visible cuts. "Vulnera Sanentur," she whispered.
The blood seeping out of the wound lessened until it ceased completely. Alice's eyes widened. "Oh Merlin…" she breathed, before saying it again, "Vulnera Sanentur."
This time, the wound knitted itself together neatly.
"Vulnera Sanentur," Alice said loudly, her heart thumping in anticipation as she spoke the words a third time.
Everyone else sucked in a quick breath, watching with wide eyes.
The knitted wound disappeared.
"Oh my Merlin," sighed Alice, lowering her wand. "That took more mental willpower than I expected. Hest, could you please Summon a few bottles of Blood Replenishing Potion?"
Hestia nodded, doing it silently as Alice repeated the procedure, but this time chanting it under her breath like a song as she moved her wand all over the surface of Lily's body. Finally, when all the wounds had disappeared except for a few scars, Alice looked up, dropping her wand on the bed.
"Potion," she said quickly, and caught the glass vial Hestia tossed to her. She gently pried Lily's mouth open and tipped the entire vial of red liquid into the young woman's mouth.
Some color flooded back into Lily's pale face, but not enough. Alice poured another vial down Lily's throat, but halted after that, afraid of overdose.
"When will she wake up?" Crystal asked quietly. "Can't we use a spell to awaken her?"
Hestia was the one to answer by shaking her head. "Unfortunately, Crys, no. It's too risky. Her body needs to process the Blood Replenishing Potion and adjust to more blood running through her veins."
Alice nodded in agreement, her round face worried. "But we have no idea when she will wake up, Crystal, I'm sorry."
Crystal winced. "Don't be, Ali. I'm just… terrified."
"Don't worry," murmured Sirius. "Lily-flower's strong. She'll get through this. We all will."
The young woman smiled gratefully at Sirius, but she didn't miss Hilary's pronounced scowl.
x.o.x.o.x.
"James."
James, who had been sitting at Lily's bedside since the others had left after Alice's 'operation', jolted upright, looking at the bed.
The redhead had groggily pulled herself to a sitting position, her hair wild and her eyes widened in surprise. "Where am I? Why am I here? Why are you here? Where are the others? Where have I been?"
"Hawaii (more specifically, the villa), you had to do a case for Cordelia, you invited me along, downstairs, unconscious," reeled off James, answering her questions in order.
Lily closed her eyes. "I don't have amnesia, James Potter." Then her eyes widened even more. "I've been unconscious?"
James nodded. "One second. ALICE! HESTIA! HILARY! SIRIUS! REMUS! CASSIE! KYLE! CRYSTAL! FRANK!"
All at once, there were nine loud cracks and everyone was there. Alice immediately rushed to Lily's bedside. "Lily! You're awake!"
"Clearly, Ali. Love you too," joked Lily, smiling widely.
"We thought you were gone, Lily, oh, Lily, Lily, Lily," groaned Crystal, nearly hyperventilating.
Knowing that Crystal could be calmed by the sound of her native language, Lily said, "Io sto bene, Crystal. Non si preoccupi. Ma chi mi ha fatto questo? Chi mi ha riportato alla coscienza?" (I am fine, Crystal. Don't worry. But who did this to me? Who brought me back into consciousness?)
Just as Lily had predicted, Crystal calmed down slightly, before replying in the same tongue, "Era Hestia." (It was Hestia.)
Smiling slightly, Lily looked past Crystal. "Hestia?"
Hestia stepped forward. "A dire il vero, Lily, era Alice. Ho appena recuperato le pozioni," she admitted. (Actually, Lily, it was Alice. I just fetched the potions.)
"Ma hai giocato un ruolo. E vi ringrazio per questo, Hestia," Lily replied with a warm smile. (But you played a part. And I thank you for that, Hestia.) Switching back to English, she looked directly at Alice and said, "Alice, thank you so much. I owe you my life."
Alice shook her head, her eyes bright. "You don't owe me a thing, Lily. I was just doing my job. And we're friends." She paused, tilting her head. "And friends don't hold friends in debt."
Lily grinned. "Alice, I missed you."
"I missed you too," Alice whispered, leaning over to hug her.
After she leaned away, Lily's green eyes latched onto Hilary's tentative hazel ones. "Hils," she greeted quietly.
"Lils," replied Hilary in the same volume, looking worried. "Are you all right?"
"Peachy," answered Lily with a grin. "I seem to be smiling a lot, right?"
Hilary nodded.
"I'm happy," declared Lily. "We're in the land of paradise, I'm conscious, I'm surrounded by my friends, and… I'm single!" she sang.
James winced, but didn't voice his opinion.
"Okay, Lily, you need to rest," Alice scolded, but with a large smile on her face, thrilled that her best friend was alive and conscious. "But we can talk later." She winked.
Lily laughed. "Later," she repeated, with a wink of her own. Then her smile faded slightly. "If you girls are leaving, could I just talk to the blokes for a bit?"
Cassie nodded. "Don't try to steal my man now, Lily," she teased.
"Okay, I'll try," Lily shot back, grinning.
The girls departed, waving with big smiles.
Once they were gone, Lily looked at the young men. "Have you been taking care of them?" she asked, with a false stern look and tone.
Kyle laughed. "I guess you could say that, Lily. But mostly I've been around these other blokes. They're good people."
Lily smiled. "That they are, Kyle." She looked toward Remus first. "Read any good books lately, Remmy?"
"Don't call me Remmy, and no, I haven't. I've been enjoying the beach," Remus answered.
Sirius gasped. "Not reading? Oh my Merlin, call the Healers!" he shrieked.
"Did you just shriek?" asked Frank.
"No! Well, it was a manly shriek."
"Sure…"
Lily giggled. It felt good to be back within her group of friends. "Well, we should probably heed Healer Longbottom's orders, shouldn't we?" As the boys nodded and made to leave, she called after them, "Sirius? Take care of Hilary, won't you? She seemed… off today."
Then the door swung closed behind them.
x.o.x.o.x.
"Lily?"
Lily woke up from her light slumber to find her oldest friend standing in the doorway, holding a mug of green tea. She could tell by the aroma wafting toward her.
"Hilary," Lily replied warmly.
"C-can we talk?" Hilary asked hesitantly, stepping fully into the room.
Lily arched an eyebrow. "Of course. Why would I say no?"
Hilary shrugged. "I don't know. I'm just feeling a little… insecure."
"Let's go on the balcony and you can tell me why the confident Hilary Potter is, all of a sudden, insecure," suggested Lily, swinging her legs off the bed and jumping into a standing position.
Again, her friend shrugged. "Fine by me."
x.o.x.o.x.
Soon, all the girls had joined Lily and Hilary on Lily's balcony. Stretching before them was the wide expanse of ocean with waves crashing on the shore, and lights from the boardwalk shimmering in the distance. Right in front of them was a lightly swaying palm tree, swayed by the light breeze.
Sipping her green tea, Lily implored, "Please tell me about what I have missed since I was knocked out."
Their statements all ran together.
"Nothing much."
"I'm pregnant."
"Sirius broke up with me."
"I'm pregnant."
"Not much either."
x.o.x.o.x.
A/N: A very short chapter, but what did you think of the end? I start school tomorrow, so updates won't be too frequent. Until next time… (and please forgive me for the short chapter)…