CHAPTER FIFTY THREE

Four days later, no one had seen Lilly back at Hogwarts and people were starting to worry. Damien popped in each day to drop off April and make sure she was OK. She had spent the last few days talking to people in what was once the Chamber of Secrets.

April had apparently filled it full of chairs and candles turning it into a common room for anyone to go to.

Many people had had problems after Lilly exploded at the aurors. Flash backs and night terrors had returned and mostly what was needed was for them to be told it was OK, it wasn't their fault and that there was nothing wrong with what they were feeling.

If there was anything April had learnt it was that a few kind words and half an hour of listening did everyone a huge amount of good.

Hermione sat staring at the half sewn, red cushion cover in front of her. She made up her mind and put it aside. She let Sarah know where she was going and disapparated quickly.

She felt her breath quicken and the air felt like it was growing thicker with every breath. She walked up to the door and knocked quickly, before remembering there was a doorbell.

A tired looking Damien opened the door and smiled, "Hermione, come on in." He stepped back and guided Hermione though to the sitting room, "Can I get you something to drink? Tea? Coffee?"

"Coffee please." Hermione smiled as a fudgy cat jumped on to her lap and made herself comfortable.

Damien handed her a hot cup and sat down on the other sofa.

"I'm sorry to drop by without warning." Hermione said stroking the cat.

"Don't worry. We very much have an 'everyone welcome' policy here." He smiled and sat back, "Is there any reason in particular you've come?" He asked smirking.

Hermione smiled, "Did April teach you that?"

He grinned, "Nope, always had a talent for knowing what people are hiding, kept me safe for a lot of years."

"I wanted to know if Lilly is OK, people are worried. It was very….dramatic."

Damien laughed, "Well that's one way to put it. She's asleep at the moment but she's going to be OK."

They talked for a little while longer, Damien reassuring Hermione as well as he could that Lilly was all right and not buried in the basement.

"I'm just going to nip to the loo, is that OK?" Hermione asked after she'd finished her coffee.

"Yep, just up the stairs on the right. Do you want another cuppa?" He asked

"No thank you, I best be getting back to Hogwarts. I can't believe how close we are to finishing."

Damien smiled and took the cups back though to the kitchen. Hermione walked slowly up the stairs, she didn't really want to leave, this house always oozed of home and warmth, but at the same time she wanted to be helping at Hogwarts.

She went to the loo and then started down the stairs again before stopping. She gritted her teeth and pushed open the first bedroom door, it was empty apart from a few piled up boxes and a pretty pair of elephant printed curtains that hung in the window. The next was a neatly made up bedroom that she remembered was the guest bedroom. It seemed like a long time since she'd stayed. The next she assumed was April's from the mess and pile of Charlie's clothes lying at the end of the bed.

There was only one door left and Hermione could feel her heart beating loudly. She pushed the door open just slightly and peaked round.

Lilly lay in the bed fast asleep, clutching at a stuffed dinosaur. There wasn't much light but Hermione could see she was covered in a million inch long cuts, tiny thin ones like paper cuts, each with their own perfect, round, dark purple bruise. It looked like agony.

"It's not her best look is it?" Damien asked from behind her.

Hermione jumped and spun round quickly, "I'm sorry...I just...I..."

"Calm down, worry not. It's OK. You should have just said you wanted to see her." Damien smiled and Hermione let out a deep breath.

Damien pushed the door open further and sat down on the bed. He stroked Lilly's face to wake her up slowly. She mumbled something and rubbed her eyes before sitting up.

"Hermione, are you OK?" Lilly mumbled trying to think through the brain fog.

"I'm fine, are you OK?" Hermione took a few steps into the room.

"I will be." Lilly gave a little half smile.

"It looks like you're in a lot of pain." Hermione mumbled

"I've had worse. I'm mostly just tired." Lilly flopped her head on Damien's chest, it was to much effort to keep it up.

"Come on, back to sleep sleeping beauty." Damien said, laying her back down and giving her a quick kiss on the forehead.

Hermione backed out the door followed by Damien. They walked down the stairs in silence and Hermione moved towards the door.

"She knew it would happen." Damien said quietly, "She knows the cost."

"It seems so easy for us, wave a magic stick around and that's that." Hermione said quietly.

"It's a different magic, blood magic always comes with a price." Damien tried to explain.

"I hope to see her soon." Hermione smiled, "We miss her."

Damien nodded, "I'll pass that on. It'll mean a lot."

Hermione said her goodbyes and took one last look up the staircase before disapparating back to Hogwarts.

Two weeks later a sore and bruised Lilly arrived back at Hogwarts holding April's arm.

"Diapparting is no fun normally but now..." Lilly complained rubbing her head. Most of the bruises had faded now so she only looked terrible in certain light.

"Lilly you're back." Ron said, handing Aria back to Louise and coming over to give Lilly a hug, "You OK?"

"I will be." Lilly smiled, April rolled her eyes.

"Come on." April smiled and lead them through to the great hall. It looked amazing. All the walls were painted and the five huge tables had been moved into place. People were working on carving details onto the chairs for the head table and the house symbols onto the long house tables.

"Where's Ginny and Frank and Alice?" Lilly asked looking around.

"Ginny and Molly are working in the Gryffindor common room decorating the dorms and Frank and Alice are in the potions room. They have a knack for sorting." Harry said coming over and giving Lilly a hug, "It's good to see you."

"It's good to be back." Lilly smiled, "Well I'd best go and make myself useful." Lilly turned to walk back out the hall.

"NO!" April shouted and grabbed the back of Lilly's hooded jumper, "No way in hell. You are working with Zoe from now on."

"I don't think chasing kids around is going to be 'light duties'" Lilly joked, "Not that I'm complaining."

"Louise and Ron have taken over children duty." April told her, readjusting the cloud under her knee.

"Ok now I'm complaining." Lilly huffed jokingly.

"Zoe is working on a special project. It makes the most of your skills." April told her, "Room 49."

Lilly huffed and looked around her.

"They haven't been back." Harry told her softly, "The auras, they haven't been back since you sent them packing."

Lilly smiled, relived, "I'm glad. Right room 49, off I go." She turned and walked out the door.

"LILLY!" April called after her, Lilly poked her head back round the door, "Other way."

Lilly pulled her tongue at her sister and walked down the opposite way.

Class room 49 was due to be a study room for years 5-7. It was a large open room with huge windows letting the sun in. Comfy desk chairs were set around tables that seated six for people to work in groups.

Zoe was already sat at the teachers desk, a beautiful old wood desk, carved with gryffins and hawks.

"Lilly Parker reporting for duty." Lilly smiled.

Zoe looked up and waved her over, she was surrounded by what seemed like scraps of fabric, beads and thread.

"What exactly is this special project?" Lilly asked, pulling up a chair.

"We're making a sorting hat." Zoe smiled, "Well the actual fabric bit. Harry and Hermione have said they're going to attempt the spell."

"Very cool." Lilly said feeling a lot happier about 'light duties' "Wait didn't they have one already at the sort-of-Hogwarts they have going on?"

"They did, only it burst into flames on a student when they sorted this years lot last week. Apparently it couldn't make it's mind up between Gryffindor or Hufflepuff." Zoe explained trying not to laugh to much.

"Seriously?"

Zoe nodded.

"Well we'd better get sewing then."