Chapter 2

Harry must have cried himself to sleep. When he woke, it was dawn. Harry felt the soft tickle of dew drizzled grass against his cheek. He looked to his side and saw that Elizabeth was still asleep. He got up, brushing the dirt from his robes, and picked up his friend, cradling her in his arms.

Elizabeth didn't stir until they were back in Gryffindor Tower, and Harry was tucking her into his bed, seeing as he was not allowed in the girls dormitory.

"Harry…what happened?"

"Shh…" Harry said, pulling the covers around her. "Rest, Liz. You'll need it. I'll tell McGonagall where you are."

He hurried off to Transfiguration. When he got there, he was surprised to find he was actually early. He heard the murmur of voices from within the classroom.

"Albus…I'm worried about her. Brain cancer…how are we going to deal with that? You know there is little chance she will survive. And the care she will need…not even St. Mungo's is equipped with the kind of things she will need once her condition deteriorates…"

Another voice, Dumbledore's voice, cut in.

"Minerva…I've spoken to Poppy about it. I've also contacted St. Mungo's. The amount of equipment she would need…it would not work in the magical world. Poppy and I have agreed…the only way to keep Elizabeth alive as long as possible without suffering would be to bring her back to the Muggle world…cut her off from all things magic."

There was a pause. Then "But Albus…she knows too much. What if she lets it slip that there are still wizards right here in Britain? She is, only a child, still."

There was a longer pause this time, and Harry strongly suspected Dumbledore was stroking his beard, as he always did when thinking hard.

"A Memory Charm…but it would have to be highly selective. We have to leave her with the knowledge of her cancer…but without any remembrance of magic. Therefore…the best and easiest way to do this would be to leave her with the memory of magic…but have her believe it was all a highly elaborate dream."

More silence, then a whisper "The Mistain Charm?" Dumbledore must have nodded, for Professor McGonagall let a single whisper fall from her lips. "All right."

A minute later, Dumbledore came out of the room, his long silvery cloak swishing around his ankles. By then Ron and Hermione had arrived too, and Harry told them in a whisper what he had heard.

"They're going to banish her from the magical world just because of a medical problem?" Ron whispered, looking worried, and a little perplexed. Hermione, on the other hand was nodding slowly. "Yes…" she whispered "…yes." Harry and Ron stared at her.

"Would you mind explaining for us lower life forms?" Harry said irritably. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"See, all the usual stuff they do for a person with cancer involves electricity. And, like I've been telling you for the past three years, if you'd read Hogwarts: A History, you'd know that that stuff doesn't work around magical communities. And she can't keep switching back and forth from the magical world to the Muggle world for her treatments, it's too risky. What if she got really sick? Or what if the Muggles wanted to know where she lived? It'd just be too complicated…"

While Hermione continued her lecture, Harry held his head in his hands. Not only was he going to lose his best friend, but he wouldn't even be by her side if and when she died. Life wasn't fair, thought Harry bitterly, not one bit.

The next day, just before dawn, Dumbledore woke Elizabeth and explained to her what was going to happen. Silent tears started streaming down her face like that night down by the lake. That night seemed so far away now.

Dumbledore handed her a small goblet filled with a few inches of a bright red potion. "This potion will make you fall into a dreamless sleep. You will be easier to handle that way, and it will postpone any awkward questioning. When you wake up, you will remember this, and everything connected with magic, as if it were a dream." Elizabeth swallowed hard, and, with a trembling hand, took the goblet and sipped its contents. Within seconds, she was fast asleep.

Dumbledore gently picked up the limp girl and cradled her in his arms. Faint streaks of light were arching over the sky by the time he reached the Leaky Cauldron. He took a deep breath. This was the last leg of the sad journey he had been forced to make. He stepped inside and walked through the deserted pub. On the other side was a deserted Muggle street, which included a hospital. The lights were still on inside, a hospital never sleeps. Dumbledore gave a long sigh and tenderly lowered Elizabeth, still in her nightgown, to the cool concrete in front of the hospital. As he did so, he was reminded of another night, twelve years ago, where he had also lowered a child to the concrete of a doorstep. Harry Potter. And as Dumbledore turned away from the small girl, it struck him that just as he had waited for the course Harry's future would take; he would also have to wait for Elizabeth's.

A/N: So how do you like my new story? Please review!