Rachel returned to the gazebo with a smirk on her face and a vial in her left hand. "What's that for?" Harry asked as she sprinkled the vial's contents around the gazebo entrance. "One of the wards." She said it as though it was the simplest thing in the world. "You can step out now," She gestured to him. "Let's go and get this over with, I have work to do, you know." "Fine." Harry exited the gazebo rather stiffly. "Let's go then." Rachel took him back to the front gate, that she made extra sure was properly closed behind her. "Where is your transport?" She asked, crossing her arms and looking around for anything that could have gotten him there. There was no way that anyone but a Malfoy or an approved guest could get within a hundred mile radius of the manor by any magical means. "Hold on." Harry let out a shrill whistle and a full-grown hippogriff landed in front of them. "Hullo, Buckbeak." Harry pat Buckbeak, who gave him an affectionate peck. "You see, what you have to do is b-" "I know what to do with hippogriffs, Potter!" Rachel snapped. "I'm not a Longbottom." She approached the hippogriff and curtseyed, a skill she was particularly adept at due to her upbringing. Buckbeak did not hesitate to bow to her, walking forward to meet her where she stood. "Aren't you beautiful..." She cooed to the creature as she stroked his feathers. "We should be going." Harry interrupted, mounting as he spoke. "Fine." She mounted behind him gracefully. "Where to then?" "We have her at St. Mungo's." Harry said grimly. "I see." "Can I ask you something?" He turned around to face her, his face a bit softer than before. "You just did, Potter," She drawled. "However, you may ask me another question if you wish." "How can you just kill someone so easily? How is it that you can murder so many people, take their lives away from them, and not feel the least bit of remorse?" "I believe that was two questions, Potter." She looked away, a frown etched deeply into her mouth. "Please, I'd like an answer." He pressed. "Do you feel sorry for swatting a fly? Killing a spider?" She turned to him, a crazed look on her face. "To me, that's all these creatures are. Vermin."
Harry gave her a look of half disgust, half pity and turned around with a sigh. "We're here." He waited for Rachel to dismount first so he could swing over with more ease. "I'll show you to the room." Walking past all the screams of pained individuals in the intensive care wing, Harry felt a sickening sensation in his stomach. Rachel, however, went past as though it were nothing but ordinary, not even flinching as a wizard with one leg and a newly made stump that spurted blood was wheeled in through a set of double doors. Harry stopped outside of a half-open door and rapped on it lightly. "Come in!" A female voice called from within. "Oh, Harry! It's you!" Ginny beamed up at him from the bed. Harry walked over and gave her a gentle hug while Rachel stood in the corner of the doorframe, arms crossed and a bored look on her face. "Can we get this over with, please? I do have a life." She drawled, a small yawn preceding her words. "What's she doing here!" Ginny shrieked, reaching for a pocket, the usual place she hid her wand. "She is here to help, Gin." Harry soothed. "Help!" Ginny fumed. She's the one who did this to me in the first place!" "And that is PRECISELY the reason why I am the only witch who can REMOVE the curse." Rachel pointed out with evident sarcasm. "Now, do you want my help or not- because I could care less if you die. HE seems to care though." Rachel gestured towards Harry, who blushed a tinge. "Fine," Ginny grit her teeth. "Now, that wasn't very polite, was it?" Rachel mocked. "For Merlin's sake! Must you be so INSUFFERABLE!" "I don't HAVE to be," Rachel shrugged. "It's just more fun that way." "Would you please just do what I brought you here to do?" Harry clenched his hands. "Fine." Rachel reached into the folds of her cloak and came out with a knife. She walked over to Ginny and pulled her arm out towards her. "Bite down on this." She handed Ginny a piece of rolled-up gauze and Ginny put it between her teeth, closing her eyes at the pain of the blade biting into her flesh. Rachel cut her own forearm and waved her hand over it, making the liquid that dripped from her gash pour clear. She pressed the two wounds together and said a few words in what the others thought to be Latin. Ginny cried out at the blinding pain, yet Rachel seemed unaffected. After the tests she had been through for Death Eater initiation and her marriage, Rachel was quite used to pain. A flash of bright red emitted from the combined cuts as Rachel finished her chanting and then she pulled apart from Ginny, who had passed out from strain. "What did you do to her?" Harry blanched. "If you hurt her..." "I did not hurt her, Potter." Rachel said firmly. "She just couldn't take the pain, she's asleep." Rachel pointed her wand at the cut on Ginny's arm and the wound closed. Then, she turned to her own wound, licking up the combined blood of her and Ginny before closing it herself. "That's disgusting!" Harry cringed. "To each his own." Rachel shrugged and gave him a malicious grin. "And now, I must depart." She grabbed up her cloak and headed for the door. "Not so fast." A hand grabbed her arm from behind. "You're not to get away so easily, Rachel." She turned around to come face to face with Mad-Eye Moody himself.
