Surrounded by green light, Alex panicked. Where am I ? The answer came to her, perfectly logical. Oh, I'm swimming in the lake. She surfaced to find Severus Snape bobbing nearby in a straight-backed wooden chair.

"You're late," he told her, scowling.

"You kicked me," she retorted. "Bastard. If I had my wand, I'd curse you..."

The giant squid swam by lazily, wearing a lime-green robe. "No magic for at least a week," it cautioned.

This is just too weird, Alex thought. She sank beneath the waves.

-----

Alex woke to find herself in a narrow hospital bed. The infirmary ? No, there was a view of Muggle London out the small, grimy window. Severus snored in a squashy chintz armchair next to the bed, his feet propped on a tufted ottoman. Wow. He really does look like shit, she thought. At least this time he let someone set his nose. A soft cough came from the end of the bed.

"How are you feeling ?" It was Albus Dumbledore, looking perhaps a bit more tired than usual, but otherwise exactly the same as always in his ornate hat and robes.

"Um. Not too bad," Alex said. She ached all over. She realized her left arm was in a sling. "Please tell me I look better than he does," she added, jerking her head toward Snape.

"Severus regained consciousness yesterday afternoon. Refused to leave your side." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he put a finger to his lips, requesting quiet. "He'll be ever so annoyed to have dozed off and missed you waking up."

Heh. I'll bet anything Dumbledore conjured the comfy chair. The headmaster's words finally sank in. "Yesterday... how long have I been unconscious ?"

"Close to two days. You're both lucky to be alive."

Vague memories returned – the flare of green light, the rushing wind. There is no defense against the killing curse. Alex's eyes filled with tears. "Remus-"

"Is also a very lucky man," Dumbledore said gently. "He's unconscious," the headmaster went on, "and will likely remain so for some time. He was weak, terribly weak, when they brought him in. And of course the transformation will have sapped his strength even further. Remus Lupin has a long recovery ahead of him. The full moon was last night," Dumbledore explained, seeing Alex's bewildered look. "The unnatural strength that lycanthropy confers is probably the only thing that allowed Remus to survive."

"But Bellatrix Lestrange cast the killing curse at Remus," Alex blurted. "I heard her. I saw it." She shook her head, trying to clear her mind. I must still be passed out. Dreaming. Remus is dead. "No one can defend against avada kedavra. Not even a werewolf."

"But was it Remus that she intended to kill ?"

Frowning, Alex remembered Bellatrix rising to her knees, pointing her wand. "No," she admitted. "No, I think she was aiming for... me." She remembered the wild, insane look in the Death Eater's eyes as she'd started to cast the unforgivable curse. "So you're saying Remus just got in the way ?"

Dumbledore nodded. "In a manner of speaking. His reflexes are incredibly fast when the moon waxes full. It's my theory that he and Bellatrix cast at the same moment. Curse and counter-spell. Neither could overcome the other. The opposing energies of the two spells, unable to disperse, finally exploded. Quite literally, Remus Lupin brought down the house. Alastor Moody crawled from the rubble and alerted other members of the Order."

That's right. Moody was there. And... that other guy. Alex felt a pang of guilt. She couldn't remember the blond wizard's name. "What about the others ?"

"Sturgis Podmore walked away with a fractured wrist. After a dose of Skele-Grow, he's as good as new," Dumbledore chuckled. "Both Lestrange brothers suffered minor injuries. They're back in custody." His features hardened briefly. "Let's hope they remain there. Bellatrix never regained consciousness. She died early this morning."

A green-robed Healer pulled aside the curtain screening Alex's bed from the rest of the ward. "Ah, you're awake," he said, checking her chart fussily. "I am Galen Ardmore." Conjuring a bottle of medicine and a large spoon, Ardmore wordlessly poured out a dose. Dutifully, Alex took it like a child, eager for the medi-wizard to leave so she could continue questioning Dumbledore. Ardmore gave Snape a look of disapproval as he took Alex's pulse. "He shouldn't be out of bed," he commented. "Not that anyone can make him listen to reason. Worst patient I've ever had." Finally, the Healer left.

"Sir, what happened to Moody and Lupin ?" Alex asked. "We had a plan... obviously it didn't come together."

"Plans so seldom do, even for someone as knowledgeable as Alastor," Dumbledore said ruefully. "Rabastan Lestrange was ready when they came in the front door. He was always an exceptional duelist. Faced with two mages instead of the expected one, he fled into an adjoining room. Remus and Alastor pursued him. That's when Rabastan knocked them both out cold. Poor Mad-Eye," Dumbledore said, "in the dark house, even he didn't notice the vial of poison gas in Rabastan's pocket. Rabastan merely flung the vial to the floor and cast a Bubble-Head Charm on himself."

So much for constant vigilance, Alex thought. Under Dumbledore's kindly gaze, she immediately felt ashamed of herself. "It wasn't Mad-Eye's fault," she admitted. "But how did they get out of it ?"

"Again, it was Remus' uncanny strength. He was able to fight off the effects of the poison and defeat Rabastan, but of course it took precious time. You'd already gone ahead into the cellar alone," Dumbledore said, his voice neutral.

Alex felt herself blushing. "Well, I didn't hear any dueling going on," she said defensively.

"Rabastan had placed Imperturbable Charms on all of the doors," Dumbledore said, still in the same bland tone of voice. "Apparently he didn't want his brother and sister-in-law alerted to your arrival until he'd finished with you."

Alex didn't have anything to say to that. Eew. She found herself unable to stifle a yawn. Merlin's beard, I'm so sleepy. Must be the medicine the Healer just gave me.

"Lucius Malfoy got what he wanted, at any rate." There was just a trace of sharpness in the headmaster's tone as he said Malfoy's name. Alex blinked at him, still at a loss for words. "Yes, Severus told me everything," Dumbledore twinkled, "or nearly so. I find that Severus is never able to bring himself to tell me everything." He glanced at the sleeping potions master, huddled incongruously in the floral armchair. "I think Severus must feel like a marionette at times, with myself and Voldemort alternately yanking at his strings," he said sympathetically. Alex managed a nod, then yawned again helplessly. "You need rest," Dumbledore said kindly. "We'll talk again when you're feeling stronger." Her eyes had closed before he'd left the room.