Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world belong to J. K. Rowling
Part 3/Chapter 22
There was an enemy a lot more dangerous than a few teenagers, now active. He had three helpers, as he far preferred to wait in the background himself. Only one of his helpers could perform the Death Curse, which took practice, and each successful practice left a dead body, which didn't always go unnoticed. But Cilius Malfoy, the uncle of Haslett, had been reading 'A Medical Biography.' Blood replenishing potion never worked with Bellamy. And the spell that Cilius taught his helper, made a wound that ordinary magic could not overcome. The third wizard would attack Bellamy's head, rendering him unable to help himself. Those two spells didn't make a streak of light, as the Death Curse did, so Bellamy would be less likely to see them in time to avoid or deflect them.
Bellamy had decided to start apparating straight to the workroom, although he usually preferred not to remind people that he could ignore anti-apparation magic. He might still live a long time, and people might forget if he didn't remind them. But Pat had a last minute request, that Xander should be left with her as additional protection for when she went shopping.
Bellamy put down his dog, told him to go to Pat, forgot his intention to avoid the Atrium, and arrived in the usual place, at the expected time. Three wizards waited, ready. The green streak of the Death Curse called up an instinctive response, and was batted to the ground, but two other spells hit him, one on his head, and the other slashed a wicked wound across his chest. The culprits disapparated instantly, without waiting to see the results of their actions, too fast to be brought down by Heather and Scott, who waited for Bellamy. An innocent witch was accidentally stunned by Scott.
Bellamy sprawled unconscious, lying on his back and bleeding heavily, still in the apparation zone. A clerk raced for one of the Ministry healers, but Scott didn't wait. All aurors are taught basic first aid, and Scott said the incantation that was supposed to stop the bleeding. There was no effect.
Young Healer Pertwee arrived at the run, and he, too, tried to stop the bleeding. Graham arrived. Tony Pertwee looked up in relief at the experienced healer. "I can't stop the bleeding."
Graham made his own spell, and when it didn't work, said, "It's the Hendrix Curse."
Tony held a sensor device to Bellamy's forehead. "He's very deeply unconscious." He tried a spell that was supposed to revive him. There was no effect.
"It's more than just a stunning," said Graham, keeping his head.
He looked at Julia who'd just arrived and spoke urgently, "Get Pat. He just might wake for Pat."
Julia nodded, and turned to Dianne, hurrying toward them.
Graham and Tony used a portion of Bellamy's cape to press hard against the wounds, trying to slow the bleeding by physical means. There was blood everywhere now. Bellamy's clothing was soaked, and there was a spreading pool where he lay. Graham was talking to him, insistently, loudly, clearly. "Bellamy, you've got to wake up. Only you can stop this bleeding." Again and again. "Wake up, Bellamy. Don't let them win."
Dianne Abercrombie appeared in the apparation zone on Bellamy's property. A redheaded child streaked toward her, riding a pony, and aiming her wand. Several dogs barked loudly, and Katrina was approaching at the run. Her wand was drawn, too. Margaret pulled her pony to a halt, almost on top of Dianne. Dianne spoke urgently, "My name's Dianne Abercrombie. Bellamy's badly hurt, and we need Pat straightaway."
Margaret hesitated, then wheeled her pony and raced for the house. She was at the house by the time Katrina arrived at the apparation zone. Pat came out of the house, swung a leg over another pony, and galloped to join Dianne and Katrina.
There was very little delay, and Pat was by the side of Bellamy, who'd been pulled a little away from the apparation zone. Graham looked up with relief. "He might wake up for you. Only Bellamy himself can fix this bleeding, but we think there's been some sort of a stun spell as well."
Pat knelt at the side of her husband, ignoring the blood soiling her clothing. She took his hand, and started to talk, insistently, just as Graham had been doing. He had to wake up. He wasn't allowed to sleep. He had to wake up. A slight frown crossed his face. Pat continued with the insistent command.
Bellamy frowned again, and complained, quite clearly, but without opening his eyes, "I can't wake up, they hit my head!"
But Pat told him that it didn't matter, he had to wake up, and fix the bleeding.
Tony still held a sensor device to his forehead. "Graham?" he said.
Graham looked at the monitor. It still indicated a very deep state of unconsciousness. But there were spikes, sudden fluctuations, as Pat insisted that he wake up.
At last, Bellamy opened his eyes, "What?" in a complaining tone.
"You have to fix the bleeding. You have a wound."
Bellamy rolled his head slightly, fretfully. Graham said urgently, "It's the Hendrix Curse, Bellamy. Fix the bleeding."
Bellamy frowned, and closed his eyes again.
Tony said, relieved, "I think he might have done it." Carefully, they pulled away the blood-sodden cape from the wound. The area was cleaned with a spell, and Graham ran his hand down a slight furrow across the chest.
There was a lessening of tension. An audience surrounded them now, watched alertly by Heather, Scott and Ryde. Tony used another monitor. "He's still critical," he said worriedly.
Graham looked at the figures, and said, "I've seen him almost as bad, and he's come back without trouble. I'm more worried about his head. I don't know what they've done."
Pat stood, casting a look around. "He's going to get better, and he would hate to be watched right now." The wizards and witches looked at the tall woman, and only one thought disdainfully that she was just a muggle. Most of them drew back, but few of them left.
A group of wizards who'd been waiting for his attention muttered among themselves. "Critical," one repeated the healer's words. If Bellamy died, that one would always have the unattractive face of a pig. Another went to scratch his nose, and nearly stabbed himself in the eye with a curving thorn that grew from his wrist. They supposed they might as well go home. It was obvious that he wasn't going to be doing any healing today.
Bellamy may have been critical, but the wizard hospital was not safe for him. He was taken home, and Graham, with Dianne's full approval, would stay as long as required to help care for him.
Ursula was a qualified nurse, and Archie or Sidney could help lift when needed. Graham said that he'd lost a lot too much blood, but Pat knew that it was the head injury he was most concerned about. Again and again, he put sensor devices to his head, and looked worried.
They'd discussed it a long time ago, but now Pat saw the spells that Ursula and Graham used, just to get a little water into him. He was too deeply unconscious to take food, and Graham said to Pat not to try and wake him yet. He might make the effort for her, but it could do harm. They would just wait. Bellamy was in his own bed, and Pat had not stopped sharing it just because he was ill. If it did get wet or messy, as he continued unconscious, Ursula could fix it very easily with a spell, just the same as she cleaned Susan's nappy sometimes.
It was early morning, four days after the attack, and Ursula had only a half hour ago dried and cleaned a wet spot in the bed, and Graham had made a couple of quick checks.
Pat looked at her husband. He lay on his side, as they'd put him. He was getting far too thin, she thought, and Graham had admitted they didn't know how to heal the damage to his head. Perhaps, this time, he would die. Pat was showered and dressed, but she slipped back into bed anyway, and cuddled against his back, putting her arm possessively around his waist. She lay quietly like that a long time.
Graham poked his head in, and went back to the lounge-room. There was nothing to do but wait. He picked up his book, 'A Medical Biography,' although he'd read it years ago, the moment he found out about it. As Esme Rutherford had said, the great wizard had a unique physiology. It was very interesting. But Bellamy was his friend, too, and Graham was worried.
Bellamy woke. He felt a great contentment. It was his wife, who loved him and held him, and he was reminded of another who'd loved him and held him like that. Pat hadn't realised he was awake, and jumped when he quietly spoke to her. "Mario used to hold me like this, all night, every night."
He turned to her, surprised to find himself so weak. He raised a hand and touched his face, and then raised both hands, and he was clean shaven. "I don't remember what happened," he said.
Pat smiled at him. "You've been ill."
Bellamy said that was pretty obvious, and pulled himself to the side of his bed, sitting for a moment, as his head swam. "I need a shower," he muttered to himself, and lay down again, frowning and closing his eyes.
Pat gently stroked his forehead. He was asleep again, but Pat went to find Graham.
Graham smiled all over his face when he looked at the results on his monitors, even though Bellamy still slept. "I think he'll be fine," he said.
Pat stroked his forehead again, possessively, before going to Susan, currently in the care of Margaret.
Bellamy woke again a couple of hours later, saw that he was alone, and used the opportunity to sneak off for a shower. He'd been sick before, and knew his nurses were apt to try and prevent him doing that. He was very shaky, and relied on an instantly conjured cane. No-one rebuked him, and he found that his bed had been freshly made with clean sheets when he returned - properly laundered sheets, he could tell from the smell of sunshine on them, not just sheets that had been cleaned with magic. But he was already very tired again, and his eyes were closing even before Graham completed his checks. It wouldn't take long probably, but right now, he only wanted to sleep.
A few days later, he sat outside in the sunshine. He was still thin and weak, but improving every day. Young Margaret sauntered up to him. Without preliminaries, she stated, "I saved your life, you know!"
Bellamy smiled at her. "They told me. You were very quick, you didn't attack the wrong person, and you told Pat straightaway. You did very well indeed."
Margaret smiled. She thought she'd done well, too, and Margaret was one who would always like to be appreciated. She surveyed the boss. "You're too thin!" she announced. "I'm going to bring you a snack and you have to eat it."
Bellamy grinned wryly. But that was all right. He was hungry. Five minutes later, the little girl returned, now accompanied by Peter and by Ursula.
Ursula twinkled at him. "Margaret made it," she said. Bellamy looked at the wonky birthday cake, and told Margaret how clever she was.
Luckily Peter was happy to share the cake - Bellamy suspected that Margaret may have left out an ingredient. And she watched him far too closely to get away with vanishing a portion.
"I have to go and help Pat learn to ride now," Margaret announced, when he'd eaten enough to satisfy her, and a little later, Bellamy saw Pat and Margaret, Pat riding the bay gelding, Josh, Margaret on her pony.
Later that evening, Bellamy mentioned to Pat that he'd like to more thoroughly inspect that particular area of Wales on horseback. Pat smiled, "What do you think I've been on Josh so much for? I want to come with you."
Bellamy was surprised, "What about Susan?"
"Well, Archie, Peter, and Paul all ride well, and Victor, of course, and if we took one or more of those, you men can take turns holding her as we ride."
Bellamy smiled at his wife. "If you and Susan come with me, we can just keep going till we find it. I have a feeling that it's in that small area of Wales. And I'm not fit enough to apparate all around London at the moment anyway."
"It's the Pluravista on Saturday night," said Pat, "And while I'm not the special guest, I've promised Alison I'd go with her."
"Taking Therese or Katrina?"
"Therese. She can apparate with me. Sidney and Kitty are going, too, and Sidney has the potential to work magic without a wand in an emergency."
Bellamy was satisfied. The organisers didn't know to expect the wife of the great wizard, but would probably be happy to see her. Pat had won a lot of respect in the wizarding world, far more than she'd ever had in her own world, except for that small circle of intellectuals that she'd been a part of.
Bellamy staggered a little as he rose, but claimed he'd be fine by Sunday, and they'd leave then.
That night, as the hot water bubbled around them in the spa, he built up a picture of Mario for her. "He was so kind," he said. "I think it was the great quality about him - he was kind." The blurry edged picture showed a blunt, plain face, with black hair rather untidy. "He was big, and furry like a bear."
Pat looked at the man whom she thought had had a sexual relationship with her husband. "He slept with you?"
"One night, they told me I'd be sleeping in the double bed on the floor, and Mario got in with me, and wrapped an arm around me. It felt so good to me. Such a feeling of comfort and warmth." Pat was quiet, and Bellamy answered part of her question; "He never had sex with me in bed." He continued. "I never thought about it at the time, but it must have been difficult for him. But he just held me in his arms, loved me, and shared his warmth."
"The others had sex?"
"With each other, all the time, nearly always out of my sight."
"The six of them?"
"They paired off a bit, but it was never exclusive. Bruno and Angelo for instance, often went together, and Mario and Nino, and the twins with each other."
Pat nearly asked, but then left it. And Bellamy only showed her images of his special friend, most blurred, one very blurred, telling him persuasively that he had to eat, but then there was another one, quite clear, and Mario looked at him baffled. "I was translating, I think, and he could never quite comprehend that his simple boy could speak so many languages."
Saturday night, Pat went with Kitty and Sidney to the Pluravista, without incident, except that Pat found many freshly qualified witches and wizards introduced to her whether or not she was the honoured guest. Dianne, as the Minister for Magic, was the honoured guest, and Pat was able to tell her that Bellamy was recovering quickly now.
***chapter end***
