CHAPTER SEVEN. LOVE ETERNAL
All disclaimers etc in Chapter One
Genre for this chapter - Angst. Pure and simple. Contains some not very nice things.
Nat and Oscar were in the middle of Potions attempting to concoct a Hair-Restoring potion while Professor Snape prowled the dungeon adding his caustic comments and, rarely, a word or two of praise.
" Is it supposed to look like boiling snot, d'you think? " Oscar whispered and Nat couldn't control her giggles. Professor Snape swept down on them, his lip curling into a sneer.
" Williamson, Miss Weasley-Potter. You find this lesson amusing? "
" No sir. " replied Oscar, giving the Potions Master a wide-eyed look that fooled no one. Whatever Snape was going to say was interrupted by a loud knock on the dungeon door.
" Enter. " said Snape and in walked Darius McEvoy, a very good-looking Ravenclaw fourth year. Nat could //feel// Deborah melting from half a room away.
" Yes? " said Snape.
" Please, sir. I'm to take Natasha Weasley-Potter to the Headmistress. Immediately, sir. " he added as Snape opened his mouth to protest.
" Very well. Take your things with you. " said Snape curtly to Nat who had gone extremely pale. Wordlessly she packed her bag and followed Darius out of the dungeon, only too well aware of the sympathetic glances from her fellow Gryffindors. On the second floor she saw Professor Longbottom waiting anxiously beside a repulsive stone gargoyle.
" Thank you, Darius. " said Professor Longbottom. " I've been summoned as well. " he said to Nat. " Let's see what's happened. Caerphilly Catapults! " he said to the gargoyle which sprung to one side as the wall behind it split in two Within seconds they were outside a stout oak door. When Professor Longbottom knocked, a voice bade them enter.
" Ah, Natasha. " said Professor McGonagall. She did not smile and Nat's worries increased a hundredfold. " Sit, please. "
She cast her beady eye over Professor Longbottom. " You as well, Neville. I have arranged for your classes to be covered. I may need you. " He merely nodded and sat beside Nat.
" There's been an accident. " said Professor McGonagall gently. " Your father has been very badly hurt. "
" No!" Nat whispered.
" Ron or Harry? " said Professor Longbottom sharply.
" Yes, of course. It's Mr Weasley...on an assignment...ambushed..." Her words seemed to be coming from miles away.
" Pa. Oh, no..." whispered Nat. It was as if her world had fallen apart. She felt a comforting arm go round her and she breathed in the warm smell of newly dug earth as Professor Longbottom held her.
" I must go to him. Please, Professor. Dad must be out of his mind with worry. "
" Of course you must go, my dear. Go and get what you need and I will arrange a Portkey. Neville, will you go with her? "
"Yes. Is he at St Mungo's? "
" Yes, the Magical Injuries wing according to the letter. I will inform Severus of where you are. "
Within a very short time Nat was back in the office clutching an overnight bag. The other two were waiting for her. On McGonagall's desk was a very tatty four-day-old Daily Prophet.
" Take as much time as you need my dear, "said professor McGonagall." When you are ready to return to Hogwarts, send me an owl. " What looked suspiciously like a tear formed in her beady eye. " I hope he'll be all right. "
Nat tried to smile but her face felt frozen.
" All you have to do is touch the paper. " said Professor Longbottom helpfully.
Nat did as she was told and felt a vicious tug somewhere round her navel and a sensation of flying...
Within seconds they were standing at the forbidding entrance to St. Mungo's Hospital.
" This way, " said Professor Longbottom, striding off determinedly.
" Are you sure, Professor? " asked Nat, hurrying to keep up.
" Oh, I'm sure. " he replied grimly.
He made enquiries at the entrance to the ward and they followed a white-robed Healer to a single room.
" He's in here. " she said. " Prepare yourselves, I'm afraid he's had quite a battering. We've done all we can; it's up to him now. "
Nat opened the door but paused on the threshold. There had to have been a mistake. That couldn't be her Pa, that broken thing on the bed...Her eyes caught up with her brain and it was all she could do not to scream aloud.
The unmarked part of Ron's face was whiter than the pillow it rested on, throwing his freckles into sharp relief. Livid purple bruises marred the rest of his visible skin and his right arm was in a heavy cast. Various tubes added fluids and removed waste from his comatose body while a hunched figure clutched his unharmed hand tightly. Her Dad. She opened her mouth to speak but nothing emerged.
" Harry. " said Professor Longbottom softly.
The figure spun round and Nat felt real fear for the first time in her life. She barely recognised the man who sat there ravaged with grief. His eyes were swollen almost shut with crying and his expression was that of a man who has flown over the slopes of hell, never to return. If anything happens to my Pa, she thought, Dad will follow him almost immediately.
" Nat! " croaked the figure and she ran to him, throwing her arms around him and holding him tight. " So glad you're here. " he muttered. She felt something warm splash on her wrist. He was crying again. Nothing would ever be the same again, she thought.
" It's all my fault. " Harry was saying in a monotone to Professor Longbottom. " I pushed him away with my stupid jealousy. I didn't trust him, not even with a witch. Poor Maria, she's been frantic since it happened. But they got the bastards that did it. " he concluded with relish and Nat shuddered in his arms. His tone left no doubt as to what had happened to the would-be assassins.
She pulled free of his embrace and walked to the window, gazing out at the night sky. It was pitch black. Even the stars are in mourning, she thought despairingly.
When the hand landed on her shoulder she let out a shriek of terror, turning to see her beloved grandparents.
" Come and sit, Natasha. " said Molly kindly. " Your voice as well as ours might help to bring him round. There's no way we can persuade you to go to bed anyway. "
Nat took a chair beside her grandma and listened to her Dad pleading with her Pa not to leave him.
" Ron, I don't want our last words in this world to be angry ones. I love you. Only you. Don't leave me, us. Remember Nat needs you as well. She's already lost one father; she can't lose you as well. Come back to us, darling. "
The room was warm, the sound of well-loved voices was soporific, and way too much had happened since that morning. Nat rested her head on Molly's shoulder. She'd shut her eyes for just a second, her Pa wouldn't mind....
Next thing she knew someone was shaking her roughly.
" Natasha. Natasha, wake up! "
She awoke with a start. It was her Dad, his face as white as a sheet.
" Wake up, darling. " he said solemnly. " It's all over. "
TBC
All disclaimers etc in Chapter One
Genre for this chapter - Angst. Pure and simple. Contains some not very nice things.
Nat and Oscar were in the middle of Potions attempting to concoct a Hair-Restoring potion while Professor Snape prowled the dungeon adding his caustic comments and, rarely, a word or two of praise.
" Is it supposed to look like boiling snot, d'you think? " Oscar whispered and Nat couldn't control her giggles. Professor Snape swept down on them, his lip curling into a sneer.
" Williamson, Miss Weasley-Potter. You find this lesson amusing? "
" No sir. " replied Oscar, giving the Potions Master a wide-eyed look that fooled no one. Whatever Snape was going to say was interrupted by a loud knock on the dungeon door.
" Enter. " said Snape and in walked Darius McEvoy, a very good-looking Ravenclaw fourth year. Nat could //feel// Deborah melting from half a room away.
" Yes? " said Snape.
" Please, sir. I'm to take Natasha Weasley-Potter to the Headmistress. Immediately, sir. " he added as Snape opened his mouth to protest.
" Very well. Take your things with you. " said Snape curtly to Nat who had gone extremely pale. Wordlessly she packed her bag and followed Darius out of the dungeon, only too well aware of the sympathetic glances from her fellow Gryffindors. On the second floor she saw Professor Longbottom waiting anxiously beside a repulsive stone gargoyle.
" Thank you, Darius. " said Professor Longbottom. " I've been summoned as well. " he said to Nat. " Let's see what's happened. Caerphilly Catapults! " he said to the gargoyle which sprung to one side as the wall behind it split in two Within seconds they were outside a stout oak door. When Professor Longbottom knocked, a voice bade them enter.
" Ah, Natasha. " said Professor McGonagall. She did not smile and Nat's worries increased a hundredfold. " Sit, please. "
She cast her beady eye over Professor Longbottom. " You as well, Neville. I have arranged for your classes to be covered. I may need you. " He merely nodded and sat beside Nat.
" There's been an accident. " said Professor McGonagall gently. " Your father has been very badly hurt. "
" No!" Nat whispered.
" Ron or Harry? " said Professor Longbottom sharply.
" Yes, of course. It's Mr Weasley...on an assignment...ambushed..." Her words seemed to be coming from miles away.
" Pa. Oh, no..." whispered Nat. It was as if her world had fallen apart. She felt a comforting arm go round her and she breathed in the warm smell of newly dug earth as Professor Longbottom held her.
" I must go to him. Please, Professor. Dad must be out of his mind with worry. "
" Of course you must go, my dear. Go and get what you need and I will arrange a Portkey. Neville, will you go with her? "
"Yes. Is he at St Mungo's? "
" Yes, the Magical Injuries wing according to the letter. I will inform Severus of where you are. "
Within a very short time Nat was back in the office clutching an overnight bag. The other two were waiting for her. On McGonagall's desk was a very tatty four-day-old Daily Prophet.
" Take as much time as you need my dear, "said professor McGonagall." When you are ready to return to Hogwarts, send me an owl. " What looked suspiciously like a tear formed in her beady eye. " I hope he'll be all right. "
Nat tried to smile but her face felt frozen.
" All you have to do is touch the paper. " said Professor Longbottom helpfully.
Nat did as she was told and felt a vicious tug somewhere round her navel and a sensation of flying...
Within seconds they were standing at the forbidding entrance to St. Mungo's Hospital.
" This way, " said Professor Longbottom, striding off determinedly.
" Are you sure, Professor? " asked Nat, hurrying to keep up.
" Oh, I'm sure. " he replied grimly.
He made enquiries at the entrance to the ward and they followed a white-robed Healer to a single room.
" He's in here. " she said. " Prepare yourselves, I'm afraid he's had quite a battering. We've done all we can; it's up to him now. "
Nat opened the door but paused on the threshold. There had to have been a mistake. That couldn't be her Pa, that broken thing on the bed...Her eyes caught up with her brain and it was all she could do not to scream aloud.
The unmarked part of Ron's face was whiter than the pillow it rested on, throwing his freckles into sharp relief. Livid purple bruises marred the rest of his visible skin and his right arm was in a heavy cast. Various tubes added fluids and removed waste from his comatose body while a hunched figure clutched his unharmed hand tightly. Her Dad. She opened her mouth to speak but nothing emerged.
" Harry. " said Professor Longbottom softly.
The figure spun round and Nat felt real fear for the first time in her life. She barely recognised the man who sat there ravaged with grief. His eyes were swollen almost shut with crying and his expression was that of a man who has flown over the slopes of hell, never to return. If anything happens to my Pa, she thought, Dad will follow him almost immediately.
" Nat! " croaked the figure and she ran to him, throwing her arms around him and holding him tight. " So glad you're here. " he muttered. She felt something warm splash on her wrist. He was crying again. Nothing would ever be the same again, she thought.
" It's all my fault. " Harry was saying in a monotone to Professor Longbottom. " I pushed him away with my stupid jealousy. I didn't trust him, not even with a witch. Poor Maria, she's been frantic since it happened. But they got the bastards that did it. " he concluded with relish and Nat shuddered in his arms. His tone left no doubt as to what had happened to the would-be assassins.
She pulled free of his embrace and walked to the window, gazing out at the night sky. It was pitch black. Even the stars are in mourning, she thought despairingly.
When the hand landed on her shoulder she let out a shriek of terror, turning to see her beloved grandparents.
" Come and sit, Natasha. " said Molly kindly. " Your voice as well as ours might help to bring him round. There's no way we can persuade you to go to bed anyway. "
Nat took a chair beside her grandma and listened to her Dad pleading with her Pa not to leave him.
" Ron, I don't want our last words in this world to be angry ones. I love you. Only you. Don't leave me, us. Remember Nat needs you as well. She's already lost one father; she can't lose you as well. Come back to us, darling. "
The room was warm, the sound of well-loved voices was soporific, and way too much had happened since that morning. Nat rested her head on Molly's shoulder. She'd shut her eyes for just a second, her Pa wouldn't mind....
Next thing she knew someone was shaking her roughly.
" Natasha. Natasha, wake up! "
She awoke with a start. It was her Dad, his face as white as a sheet.
" Wake up, darling. " he said solemnly. " It's all over. "
TBC