Ashley sat tensely, watching the healers hurry here and there, jumping eagerly every time one appeared to come her direction. She was sitting in the waiting room of a strange hospital, apparently St. Mungo's, according to Adriana Lupin, Remus's mother, who sat beside Ashley, watching Romulus pace, concerned. Deciding to review what happened still mildly shocked about it all. Both Mr. and Mrs. Lupin turned out to be magical, when she arrived with Romulus to their house; they rushed inside, bringing Ashley with them. She expected to get their keys to drive to the hospital, however, instead they brought out a pot of some powdery substance, throwing it into the flames of their fireplace. The fire turned a green, before Romulus (who continued carrying his only son) and Adriana (who dragged Ashley with her) stepped into the flames and said clearly, which was a harder task then it sounded, "St. Mungo's!"
The next thing she knew they were spinning, the green flames still encircling the squashed group, finally, as she was getting nauseous, they stopped, clambering out of the fireplace. A few doctors rushed up and took Remus somewhere, Ashley supposed an emergency room, and the Lupins' got checked in. A healer briefly examined Ashley, before being pronounced all right, and being returned to the waiting room to sit with Remus's family. Now, she was suffering severe anticipation awaiting word of her friend. It seemed like hours had passed, and every minute the tension was developing stronger and stronger, it was suffocating her. Right when she was certain that she was about to explode, a healer came up, saying rather solemnly "Mr. and Mrs. Lupin?"
Monotonously, the two parents hurried together to the man, Ashley rose, deciding to follow suit. Adriana, as soon as she reach him, blurted "Is my baby going to be all right?" The doctor gave her a reassuring smile, "He's going to be quite all right, he's now resting, this young lady here can visit him; the nurse will show you the way, there you go. However, there is something about his condition that I'd like to discuss with you in private."
Ashley quickly followed the nurse as she led her to her friend's room, mentally cringing as the moment of the wolf biting Remus replayed hauntingly in her mind. Over and over the words played in her head 'It's my fault, it's all my fault.' Why hadn't she listened to him? How come she had to be so thick and stubborn that she disobeyed the adults just to be brave, why'd she have to drag Remus into it at all. It was her fault that they had nearly died, that Remus had nearly died, if it was for his father... She shuddered, horrible images playing in her mind's eye. After what, to her, seemed like forever, the nurse finally reached the correct door, allowing Ashley to enter.
Remus was asleep in bed, all the blood that had been splattered across him was now cleaned, and he was so pale anymore, though he did seem a bit green and peaky. Even his breathing, which was choppy and barely there when taken away, was now rhythmic, rising and falling and he inhaled and exhaled. Up, down, up, down. Ashley smiled slightly; knowing how lucky they were to escape with only Remus's injured shoulder, and the bump on her head. Sighing a bit relieved and a bit bored; she sat lightly on Remus's bed, wisps of flaxen hair falling forward into her face. She studied the room, or appeared to, actually she was recollecting the incident. Now that she was calm, she noticed many oddities of the situation. Wolves were native their, so how did this one get there? Also, wolves were the type of animal to travel in packs, yet this one was strangely solitary. Why was that, where did it come from?
That was all, there were also the minor deformities that she had to consider, wolves were her favorite animals, and she had studied into the different breeds. None of the breed that she studied looked quite like this one, its pupils and snout was peculiarly shaped, not to mention that the tail was tufted, and the paws abnormally large. After much though, Ashley decided that it was a rare type of breed, and that possibly Romulus Lupin knew what kind it was, she'd have to ask, later though.
After a long period of time, Adriana and Romulus entered the room, Adriana immediately sat at the side of her son's bed, brushing his hair off his forehead, lines of worry creased her face, "Romulus, he's burning a fever."
"That's one of the symptoms the doctor mentioned; just make sure in doesn't get too high."
Ashley looked at the adults astonished, when they didn't inform her of what they were talking about, she finally burst, "Symptoms? Symptoms to what! He's all right like the doctor said, right? Right!" Romulus looked at her as if he just noticed she was there, he came over to her and bent down, answering in a forcefully calmed tone, "Yes, Ashley, Remus is all right, it's getting late; about time I took you home. You must be dead tired!"
Ashley tried to deny him and probe for more informative, however, she interrupted herself with a massive yawn. Romulus took this as a point made and led her out of the room to the fireplace they had entered from. Ashley wouldn't be defeated so easily though, and she chattered all the way to their ticket back home. "Mr. Lupin, you're hiding something from me, I know it, that was no ordinary wolf, something strange is going on. Mr. L, Please tell me! I promise not to tell anyone, I swear! Please? Please? Please? What's wrong with Remmy? Huh, huh, huh, huh?"
Romulus finally snapped back, irritated by her constant chatter, "Ashley! It's none of you're concern, I say that you should be more worried about what you should tell your parents about sneaking out, endangering my son, just to go rampage in the forest at night. Especially when Adriana and I warned you not to." After that, Ashley was silent, not speaking a word even as they traveled by floo powder, or when he worried parents opened the door and hugged her. Silently she turned and watched as Romulus walked back to his house, ponderous of everything that happened that day. When he disappeared from sight, she finally turned back to her parents, letting them lead her back into the house, telling her how worried they were, and how happy they were that she was safe.