Thanks for reading, everyone! I haven't done many serious fics, so I appreciate your comments.
Jenny: Yeah, I had this up before, but for some reason it got screwed up. . . *shrugs*
Oh, and if you can't figure it out, Asa Cortez is originally from Spain.
Penelope Clearwater barreled into someone, receiving a crude insult in return, but she barely noticed. The swearing wizard was merely an obstacle, nothing deserving attention. She fled down the street, wanting to get as far from Percy and that office as she could. Last night's confused curiosity had been replaced by a horror unlike anything she had ever before felt. Except that basilisk in her mirror five years ago. But this was comparable.
Fatigue overwhelmed her at the edge of the town. It was far enough. She collapsed into an untidy patch of grass, her lungs screaming for proper breath. Her face was wet with sweat. No, tears. She hadn't realized she had been crying. She glanced back at the village. Shouldn't Percy be coming after her now? Soon? He had always been stubborn, determined to get his way. It was one of the qualities that had first attracted her to him. It was one of the qualities that later repelled her. But even as she had said her goodbyes, she had never expected what the last two years had brought.
She had barely believed the news: Percy abandoning his family; Percy trying to murder his own father; Percy a Death-eater. But it hadn't taken long for the truth to sink in.
"You don't know what happened that night." Percy's words, unwelcome, echoed in her head.
"I do so," she muttered. "You revealed your true colors, your true alignment. You tried to kill Arthur Weasley." She reflected on her words. Reasonably convincing. One didn't need much more information than what had been given. Death-eater monster, trying to con her.
"Damn you, Percy!" she screamed. She pulled herself to her feet and furiously wiped her eyes.
"Someone doesn't sound very happy." The voice was surprisingly close.
With fresh embarrassment, Penelope whirled around to see a woman standing about fifteen feet away with a basket of herbs clutched in one hand. "Healer Cortez!" she exclaimed.
"Miss Clearwater," Asa Cortez replied. She was a small woman, shorter than Penelope, but stockier. Wisps of black hair, streaked with grey, had slipped from a messy braid and now clung to her face, framing dark, worried eyes. Yet she gave a warm, concerned smile. "I heard you. . . ranting. ¿Usted bien? Are you all right?"
Penelope nodded and wiped the rest of the tears from her eyes. "Yes, Asa. I'm fine." She smiled wryly. "I'm more embarrassed someone heard that."
Asa laughed. "Privadamente delirio es siempre público. But you did sound quite angry. Furious, actually. At a young man?"
Fury certainly described her feelings. Still, it was comforting to have someone to vent to, and Asa was offering that. "No one really. An old boyfriend. I suppose. . . I suppose I still think about him on occasion."
"Clearly in a bad way." Asa took Penelope's arm. "Come. We should return. Did you speak to Dormand?"
The blood rushed to her face. "No," she admitted. "He wasn't in."
"Hm." The elder woman frowned, revealing the small wrinkles around her mouth. "And we need permission to expand the research area soon. He doesn't even have time for my most lindo aprendiz?"
Penelope had to smile at that. "Oh, I'm not the prettiest healer-in-training here. Just the best."
"Of course you are, Miss Clearwater."
After that, there wasn't much left to say. Penelope followed the Chief Healer toward their tavern, only half-listening as Asa Cortez talked about possible medicinal value and some new healing spells she had recently read about.
"Asa," Penelope said suddenly. "What news have you heard recently?"
"About spells?"
"No. News from. . . well, from the main world. Have they caught any Death-eaters? The ones that infiltrated the Ministry?"
Asa seemed surprised. "I believe they've found a couple over the past few months. Are you worried about the war extending out here?"
"Into the middle of nowhere? Not really. I just miss regular news."
"It is a bit scary, I admit. Sino nosotros voluntad estar bien. I wouldn't worry too much." Then she stopped and faced Penelope. "Something else bothers you, doesn't it?"
The Healer's eyes, despite their warmth, were powerful, and Penelope found herself squirming under the gaze. "That boy you heard me ranting about. . ."
Fear washed over Asa's face. "Yes?"
"There was an incident at the Ministry a few months after they announced You-Know-Who's return. One of Dumbledore's men—Arthur Weasley—went to speak to someone who claimed to have information. His own son was there instead. He tried to kill Arthur."
Asa nodded. She still looked fearful, but there was also confusion, as if she wasn't sure where this all was leading. "I remember the incident. That young man was a traitor of the worst kind. To have been caught up in such a horrible group. . . and he came from such a good family, I hear. Muy infortunado. At least that's when they discovered him. Didn't he disappear after? Run and hide?"
It made Percy sound like a coward. Penelope laughed to herself. And he was. "Yes, that's what he must have done."
"But I'm afraid I don't understand why you brought this up," Asa continued. "Did you know him? I take it, then, that he wasn't an old boyfriend."
"No. I just knew him from school. An acquaintance."
Asa laughed, no longer worried. "Then what? You didn't seem him lurking about, did you?"
"No," Penelope found herself saying.
