Chapter 65
Meredith ran around her room pulling things out of the closet. Her shift started in an hour and she wasn't going to have time to come home and change before she would have to catch the night bus to Hogsmeade. She cast a shrinking spell over a green long sleeve shirt, her favorite jeans and her tan dragon hide boots and tucked them into her shoulder bag. She was headed down the stairs when her dad called from the living room.
"There's someone at the fireplace," he said. Meredith tugged her jacket on and grabbed her shoes.
"Oh lord, I'm gonna be late," she grunted going into the living room. She paused when she saw Mrs. Weasley's in the fireplace.
"Mrs. Weasley," she said politely sitting on the floor. "What can I do for you?"
"Good to see you dear," Molly said. "I won't keep you long I know you're very busy these days but Dumbledore mentioned that you would be attending the Third task, and as Arthur and I have been invited as well I thought perhaps we might travel together." Meredith smiled softly. She was touched that Mrs. Weasley had thought of her. She hadn't really been in contact with the Weasley's since leaving Hogwarts.
"That would be great actually," Meredith said. "I don't get off shift till 3:30 and the night bus is not too comfortable."
"Of course dear," Molly said. "We'll come and get you and you can side along apparate with us. There's no reason you should have to take that dreadful night bus."
"Thanks Mrs. Weasley," Meredith said.
"Oh now," Mrs. Weasley said. "You're an adult now, call me Molly dear."
"Um…okay," Meredith said. "I need to go. I'm going to be late for my shift."
"We'll see you tomorrow," Mrs. Weasley called. "3:30." The older woman's face disappeared from the fireplace and Meredith quickly tugged on her shoes.
"I'll see you later love," Remus said giving her a quick hug. "Give Harry my best."
"I will," Meredith said dashing out the door. She barely made it to subway before it left. She hopped on board and sank into a seat, out of breath. She leaned back and closed her eyes and tried to put the Third task and Harry out of her mind. Lord, she would be so happy when this whole thing was over. She'd barely slept the last week. Not only was she worried for Harry, but now Sirius seemed to be giving her the cold shoulder. Ever since she'd come home after spending the night with David he'd been distant with her and she couldn't understand why. Sirius had to understand that she was an adult, and that these decisions were hers to make. Her dad hadn't brought it up either but at least he wasn't treating her like she'd committed a crime. She opened her eyes as the train came to a stop to let more passengers on. She smiled a little as she saw a young man holding the hand of a small girl no more than six years old.
"Hold daddy's hand, Gracie," the man said to the little girl. The little girl looked up at her father with a small pout but did what he said. Meredith couldn't help but smile. Had she ever pouted when her dad had told her to hold his hand? Probably not. She leaned back in her seat and tried to remember being six years old. Her dad had been her whole world. She'd know that Remus Lupin wasn't her real father even then but it had never mattered to her. Just as it had not mattered when she'd learned who her real father was. Sirius had told her that he understood how she felt about Remus, but sometimes she wondered. The train came to her stop and she pushed all thoughts of anything but medicine out of her head.
So far it had been a light shift. No major trauma's had come in and Meredith had spent most of the day catching up on charts and restocking potions. Her eyes were becoming unfocused as she stared at the chart in front of her. She should probably grab a quick nap. She set the chart aside and stood up, feeling her back pop. She found an empty on call room and crawled onto the bunk. She didn't know how long she'd been asleep when she felt someone else come into the room. She opened her eyes as she felt a heavy body sit on the bunk beside her. She turned on her side to make room for David on the bunk. She hoped he'd come in here for sleep, because did not have the energy for anything else. She relaxed a bit when she felt him spoon up behind her and wrap his arm around her waist. She squirmed a little as he nuzzled her neck. He must have been on shift for awhile because she could feel the stubble on his face.
"I'm sleeping," she grunted as she felt his hands wandering.
"So am I," he muttered even as he kissed her shoulder.
"I'll hex you," she mumbled.
"You'd miss me," he said.
"Not that much," she said. She heard him chuckle. He might tease her but in her heart she knew he'd never force her. She turned enough to give him access to her mouth. She parted her lips as he sealed his mouth over hers. When they parted due to lack of air she turned away and closed her eyes.
"Oh now that's just cruel," she heard him mutter as she drifted off.
Meredith tapped her fingers against the table as she watched the clock. Two more hours on her shift. She stared at the steaming cauldron where a batch of pepper up potion was brewing. There was nothing more to do with it really, just watch it simmer. She almost wished there was a critical patient or an interesting case on the floor to occupy her mind until she could leave. She had been so antsy for the last two hours as the end of her shift and her trip to Hogwarts approached. As much as she wanted it over and done, the closer the third task came the more agitated she was.
"Good heavens Meredith," she scolded herself. "You'd think you were the one performing the task." She'd been driving Healer Rosenbaum and her fellow HIT's crazy with her anxious fluttering.
"Lupin," Rosenbaum barked coming into the lab. "Healer Nieman needs another pair of hands in surgery room eleven." Meredith glanced up.
"Is there actually a surgery?" she asked. David had a bad habit of using surgery as a cover up for wanting to get her alone. Fortunately Rosenbaum found it amusing, if not a bit annoying.
"Oh yes," Rosenbaum said. "I made him show me the patient this time." Meredith grinned.
"Get out of here," Rosenbaum said. "I'll send Ganesh to finish this potion off." Meredith nodded heading to surgery room eleven.
"What do we have?" she asked once she had done the sanitizing spell and stepped into the room.
"28 year old female sliced into swiss cheese," David said not looking up from the table. Meredith approached the table and saw that David had frozen the woman who had a least twenty long cuts over her face and body.
"Most of the ones on her face and arms body are superficial," David said as he attempting to mend a long cut that stretched from the woman's clavicle to her navel.
"Doesn't appear that the curse cut any major arteries," Meredith said as she began to mend a large cut on the woman's thigh.
"How do we know this was a curse?" the other HIT in the room, who looked rather pale, said.
"Because my wand is sparking like a firecracker," Meredith said. "This was definitely a curse, and a dark one too."
"Right on the money Healer Lupin," David said. "Though I must say, I'm stumped what curse could have done this." Meredith raised her eyes and found David's boring into hers.
"Not one we learned about at Hogwarts," Meredith said moving from the mended cut on the woman's thigh to the especially nasty one at her hip.
Healing the woman's numerous cuts had been exactly what Meredith needed to take her mind off of Harry and the third task however it did not leave her with a lot of time. Meredith quickly jumped out of the shower and ran a quick dry spell over her hair. She only had about 5 minutes before the Weasley's would be there to pick her up, but she was not about to greet her old school mates parents covered in blood. She pulled her clothes that she'd pack out of her bag and got dressed quickly. She ran a brush through her hair and checked her appearance. She may not win any beauty pageants but she felt she was at least fit to be seen in public.
"Heading out?" David said coming into the locker room as she was shoving her dirty robes into her cubby.
"Yep," she said. "That last surgery put me behind schedule."
"Time well spent," he said smugly. "Rosenbaum said you were bouncing off the walls. Figured a good surgery would take your mind off your worries and relieve me of Healer Ridley's incompetence. I swear that girl belongs in a beauty parlor not the surgery room. "Meredith did not say anything. Though she agreed that Lenore Ridley had no business in a surgery room, she never liked to put down her fellow HIT's. Instead she only tossed her filthy robes in her locker and grabbed her jacket.
"I need to go," she said. David nodded and pulled her into a kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck, taking in his scent. She was reluctant to part from the kiss for some reason. She had kissed him more times than she could recall but for some reason she felt the need to savor this kiss. But finally she had to part from him.
"I'll see you later," she said.
"Give Potter my best," he said. She grinned and turned away heading for the exit.
"Healer Lupin signing off," she said to the mannequin. She stepped outside onto the street and shielded her eyes from the summer sun. She had a feeling she would need her jacket later but right now it was rather warm. She glanced around her looking for Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.
"Meredith!" Meredith turned and saw the round smiling face of Molly Weasley. She felt her face get hot though, when she saw Bill with her rather than Mr. Weasley.
"Oh it's so good to see you dear," Mrs. Weasley said pulling her into a tight hug. "It's just been too long."
"It's good to see you too," Meredith said trying to calm the butterflies in her stomach. "Um, hi Bill."
"Oh yes," Mrs. Weasley said turning to her oldest son. "Arthur was called away at the last minute, some emergency at work so I asked Bill to come along."
"It's great to see you Meredith," Bill said. "I barely recognized you." Meredith smiled and blushed.
"Stop it!" she ordered herself. She was being stupid. Just because she was face to face with her school girl crush was no reason to act like a silly thirteen year old. She was an adult, she was involved with someone and she was a healer for heaven's sake. No, she would not act like an idiot regardless of the fact that Bill was at least ten times more handsome now than she remembered him.
"It's great to see you too," she said extending her hand. Tingles ran up her arm as Bill took her hand and she forced herself to ignore them.
"I was just saying to Arthur the other day," Mrs. Weasley said, "that it's such a shame we don't see you more. But I suppose with your busy schedule. Lord, knows we barely see Percy much these days either."
"How is he?" Meredith asked.
"Not good," Bill said. "This business with Crouch disappearing has the ministry scrambling. Percy's been hauled in for questioning about those instructions Crouch has been sending in. He's under a lot of strain."
"I can imagine," Meredith said.
"Yes, well," Mrs. Weasley said waving a hand. "Now's not the time for such matters. We should be getting off to Hogwarts. Don't want to be late." Meredith felt the nervous tingle come back as Bill offered her his arm.
"Please dear Merlin don't let me vomit," she prayed as she wrapped her arm tightly around Bill's.
"Off we go then," Bill said. Meredith felt the breath knocked out of her and then she was standing in front of the gates of her old school.
"You all right?" Bill asked. Meredith shook off the wooziness and smiled.
"Just fine," she said. Her mood brightened as she saw her old head of house heading toward them.
"Molly, Bill, Meredith," McGonagall opened the gate and ushered them in. "Welcome, welcome. The champions families are gathering in the east parlor. If you will follow me." Meredith felt a warm feel of nostalgia as she entered the hall of her old school. It looked exactly as she remembered it, down to the last portrait on the wall and yet it seemed different. Smaller. She was ushered along with Mrs. Weasley and Bill through the great hall into a small antechamber. They had been there about five minutes when the door opened again and Professor Sprout ushered in a man and a woman whom she assumed were Cedric Diggory's parents. Meredith wasn't sure but she thought she had seen Mr. Diggory somewhere before. A dark haired man with a thick black mustache and his dark haired wife were escorted in by Professor Snape who Meredith made sure not to make eye contact with, and finally Professor Flitwick ushered in a two tall blonde people with a small blonde haired girl with them.
"The champions shall join you in just a moment," Flitwick said in his small squeaky voice.
"How does it feel being back here?" Bill asked her once the door to the antechamber had shut.
"Kind of strange," she admitted. "I know it's been less than a year but, it seems like a whole different lifetime."
"I know what you mean," Bill said winking at the portrait of the fat lady's friend Violet.
"Ah, Molly," the man whom Meredith assumed had to Mr. Diggory greeted Mrs. Weasley.
"Good to see you Amos," Molly said. "I don't believe you've met my oldest boy. Bill this Amos Diggory. Amos works with Arthur at the ministry. The Department for Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. This is my oldest son Bill. And this is Meredith Lupin, an old friend of Percy's."
"Lupin?"Mr. Diggory said. Meredith met Mr. Diggory's eyes cooly for she now remembered where she knew him from. He'd been there at the trial, in the seat next to Dolores Umbridge.
"You would be Remus Lupin's daughter then," Mr. Diggory said uncomfortably.
"I am," she said proudly.
"Well…well," Mr. Diggory said. "How is your father? Adapting well and all…um…taking his potion?"
"Now, now, Amos," Molly said catching Meredith's stormy look, "You know Remus has always been a model citizen despite his condition."
"Of course, of course," Mr. Diggory said. "Never any trouble from him, good man. Can't say the same about…" Whatever Mr. Diggory might have been about to say was cut off as the door opened and the four champions entered. A beautiful blonde haired girl, a dark brooding looking boy, another boy she recognized as Cedric Diggory, and Harry.
"Meredith," Harry spotted her first. She opened her arms and pulled him into a hug.
"Dumbledore said he'd asked you to come but…"
"You thought I wouldn't?" Meredith said. "Shame on you Harry, thinking I'd abandon you when you need my support the most." Harry grinned.
"Now, now don't hog him," Mrs. Weasley said coming over. "Harry dear, oh let me look at you. Well, you're only slightly worse for wear. Oh, we've been so worried."
"I'm all right," Harry said giving her a hug. Meredith smiled at the sight. She glanced at Bill and found him staring at the blonde girl. She didn't know why but she felt a small pain in her heart.
"Meredith Lupin?" Meredith turned and saw Cedric Diggory looking at her.
"I don't know if you remember me..."
"Of course I remember you Cedric," Meredith said smiling at the boy. "Congratulations on getting so far in the tournament."
"Well," Cedric said looking at his feet. "The truth is I wouldn't have survived the first task if Harry hadn't warned me about the dragons." Cedric looked over where Harry was deep in conversation with Bill and Mrs. Weasley.
"He's a good person, Harry," Cedric said."I feel bad for him. Thrown into this thing he didn't volunteer for." Meredith looked at him in astonishment. He was very different from that boy she'd given a telling off to her fifth year. She was momentarily distracted when she noticed Fleur looking at Bill with a bit of interest.
"So Harry," Mrs. Weasley said. "How about showing us around. It's been so many years since I've been here."
"Yeah, sure," Harry said. Meredith followed along as Harry led them through the Halls and out on the ground. Her heart was heavy as she passed the tapestry where she had caught Percy snogging Penelope Clearwater, the window under which she and Patricia had sworn their blood oath, the tree where she sat doing homework with her friends. When they walked past Hagrid's hut Mrs. Weasley recalled caretaker when she was in school.
"He was a large man named Og," she said fondly. They walked past the whomping willow. Meredith felt a small twist in her heart. This is where her life had changed. This is where she had met the man who was her birth father for the first time.
"Thank goodness you were there that night," Harry said beside her. Mrs. Weasly and Bill were a short distance away, Mrs. Weasley was pointing to the willow and telling Bill a story she couldn't hear.
"Have you seen him lately?" he asked her. Meredith shook her head.
"He's not been around for awhile. I think he prefers the cave so he can be close to where you are."
"When I saw him after the third task he seemed I don't know, tense when I mentioned you." Meredith shook her head.
"We had a disagreement that's all. He's having trouble accepting that I'm not a baby any more." Harry nodded. The bell rang for lunch and they headed back to the castle. They found seats at the Gryffindor table. Ron was pleased to see his mother and oldest brother but Hermione received a rather cold greeting till Harry assured her the he and Hermione were not dating as Rita Skeeter's article had indicated. They sat down for lunch after Meredith said hello to Fred and George and received a hug from Ginny. Meredith turned to the dark haired fourth year beside her.
"Hi Neville," she said.
"Oh, um hi," Neville said shyly. Meredith smiled. Some things never changed.
"How are you?" she asked.
"Um...I'm fine. Uh, just took my last exam. Never been too good at History of Magic."
"Hmm, I never was either. I preferred Herbology."
"Really," Neville said. "That's my best class."
"How is dear old Professor Sprout?"
"Her class was really interesting this year. Professor Moody gave me this book," he held up a copy of Magical Water Plants of the Mediteranean.
"I've never read that one," Meredith said. "So how do you like Professor Moody?" Neville shrugged.
"He's all right. Your dad's still the best we've ever had. Everyone was real upset when he resigned."
"Yeah," Meredith said thinking about her dad in that muggle grocery and sending evil thoughts toward Snape.
They sat around eating and talking until finally it was time to go down to the quidditch pitch. Everyone wished Harry good luck and gave him several last minute hints before they went to the stands. Meredith found herself seated between Ron and Bill. She looked at Bill's face and found him transfixed on the little blonde girl.
"I thought you came to support Harry," she said stiffly. Bill looked at her.
"I did of course come to see Harry. But that Fleur Delacour, she's just something else."
"Uh huh," Meredith muttered. The stands went quiet as Dumbledore stepped out onto the field.
"Good evening everyone, and welcome to the final task of the Triwizard Tournament. Our champions will negotiate the maze to find the triwizard cup at the end. As the tournament stands now we have Cedric Diggory and Harry Potter tied for first place. Viktor Krum in second place. Fleur Delacour in third place. I want to wish all champions good luck." Meredith applauded along with everyone else. They watched as Dumbledore gave the champions their instructions. Harry and Cedric entered the maze first, followed by Krum, and then Fleur.
"And now we wait," Hermione said. The sky got dark and the air got chilly. Meredith pulled her jacket closer. They all gasped as red sparks flew into the air.
"Someone's in trouble," Hermione said behind them. Meredith held her breath as the teachers hurried into the maze to where the sparks had been sent up.
"It's Fleur Delacour!" someone yelled. "She's been stunned!" Meredith felt a sense of unease. What was in that maze that could have stunned Fleur?
"I've got a bad feeling about this," she said softly. Her heart jumped as she felt Bills arm go around her shoulder.
"They've been in there for nearly two hours." Mrs. Weasley said. "What could have happened?" Meredith was watching the maze as if in a trance.
"Come on," she whispered. "Come on."
"They're bringing someone else out," Ron said.
"It's Krum," Fred called out.
"Looks like he's been stunned too," George said.
"I guess we get a Hogwarts victory after all," Bill said tensely. Meredith glanced at her watch. It had now been two hours since Harry and Cedric disappeared into the maze. One of them should have found the cup by now. All of sudden there was a pop and both boys appeared both of them gripping the cup. The crowd went wild cheering and yelling and shouting "HOGWARTS! HOGWARTS!" But Meredith was not cheering. Her gaze was transfixed on the boys.
"Something's wrong." No one heard her as they were cheering and hugging. Her mind in a fog, Meredith pushed through the crowd and made her way down to the pitch. Cedric was not moving and Harry was bent over the other boy. He appeared to be shaking. A wave of dread washed over her as she moved closer and closer to the two boys. As she got close enough to see them both clearly her heart nearly stopped in her chest. Harry was sobbing and Cedric...Oh Merlin! He was stone cold still and his lifeless eyes were frozen in a look of shock. Cedric Diggory was dead. A scream pierced the night and with a start Meredith realized it was her screaming.
Meredith's vision blurred as the world swam before her.
"Cedric Diggory's been murdered!" "Harry!" "He's back! Voldemorts back!" "My son!" "Let him go Harry!" Voices ran together as Dumbledore and the other teachers rushed out onto the pitch. Meredith felt as though her stomach were turning onto itself as she backed away from the scene. She grabbed a bench for support as she bent over and retched onto the grass. She felt a wave of disgust at her own reaction. She was a healer for Merlin's sake. What was wrong with her? She looked up and saw Harry being dragged away by Mad Eye Moody. She sighed. Oh Harry, she thought. What you must be feeling right now?
"Meredith!" She turned slowly and saw Dumbledore rushing up to her. "Where is Harry?"
"I just saw him," Meredith piped up. "Professor Moody took him that way." SHe pointed to the castle.
"Are you certain?" Dumbledore said frantically grabbing her shoulders. Meredith nodded. Dumbledore was off in a flash.
"Minerva! Severus! Come with me!" The headmaster yelled. The two teachers asked no questions as they rushed after him. Meredith was confused, but then it hit her like a bolt of lightning. Harry had been screaming that Voldemort was back. Someone as paranoid as Mad Eye Moody would not have taken Harry from Dumbledore's side.
"Oh Merlin," Meredith cried running after him. She was so stupid. If "Mad Eye" or whoever he was hurt Harry she would never forgive herself. She quickly caught up to her old professors as they raced into the castle down the hall to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Dumbledore raced to the office and whipped out his wand. He threw open the door and yelled "STUPEFY!" Meredith followed the teachers into the office. "Mad Eye" was against the wall four wands pointed at him. Harry,who was shaking and had tears running down his filthy face saw her and ran to her. Meredith wrapped her arms around the boy who was clinging to her like a life line.
"Moody," Harry cried. "He's a death eater."
"This is not Alastor Moody," Dumbledore said grimly. "You have never met Alastor Moody." Meredith's eyes widened as Moody's face began to twist and shrink. Moody disappeared and in his place was a pale looking man with thin pale hair.
"Barty Crouch Jr." McGonagall said in astonishment.
"Severus," Dumbledore said flatly. "Get me your strongest truth potion." The potions master nodded and left the room swiftly. Meredith shifted her hold on Harry who seemed to be having trouble standing. Looking down at Harry's leg she saw he was badly injured.
"Miss Lupin," Professor McGonagall said. "Take Potter to the hospital wing."
"NO!" Dumbledore said firmly causing Meredith to stop.
"Albus," McGonagall said. "He's hurt he needs..."
"He has to hear this," Dumbledore said firmly. "He has to know." Snape returned at that moment and poured the Veritaserum he had brought with him down Crouch's throat. Meredith watched in astonishment as Dumbledore questioned the man. Apparently, Crouch's son had been saved from Azkaban by his dying mother. Using Polyjuice Potion, Crouch JR. had changed places with his mother and had been kept under the Imperius Curse so his father could control him. It had been he who set off the dark mark at the world cup, his father taking him their under an invisibility cloak. Bertha Jorkins, who worked for Crouch had discovered this and Crouch had erased her memory. But Voldemort had found Bertha and gotten the secret that one of his loyal death eaters still lived. Voldemort had come for Crouch Jr. and under orders from his master had kidnapped the real Moody and taken his place teaching at Hogwarts. He'd tricked the Goblet of Fire into selecting Harry and done everything to ensure that Harry grabbed the Cup which he'd transformed into a Portkey that took him to the graveyard where the Dark Lord used Harry's blood to rise again. It was all so incredible. And now the Dark Lord was back. Oh Merlin, Meredith thought.
"Miss Lupin," Dumbledore said his voice void of emotion. "Take Harry to my office and wait for me there. The password is cockroach cluster." Meredith thought, with how Harry must be feeling right now the hospital wing was probably a better place for him, but Dumbledore's tone would brook no objection.
"Yes sir," she said. "Come on Harry." She half guided half carried the fourteen year old boy down the hall to Dumbledore's office.
"Cockroach Cluster," she said to the gargoyle who swung open and allowed them to enter. She sat Harry down on a bench and sat beside him. Harry leaned his head on her shoulder and released a huge sigh of anguish. She wrapped an arm around his shoulders and let him cry. She really ought to tend to his leg, but she sensed that was not what he really needed now. It was too much, she thought. Too much for a kid to go through at fourteen. Lord, to think when she was fourteen her biggest worry was passing her exams and coming up with a better jinx to hit the Slytherins with. She squeezed his shoulder as she felt his hand tighten it's hold on her jacket. It was a though he needed this small human contact just to keep from fading away. They looked up as Dumbledore came in, closely followed by a big black dog which quickly morphed into Sirius. Sirius hurried over to Harry and pulled him into a hug. Meredith glanced at Dumbledore who had sank behind his desk. She had never seen the headmaster look so old.
"Harry," Dumbledore said. "I know you have been through a great deal tonight. I know you'd like nothing more right now than to forget it all, but I must ask you to tell me what happened in the graveyard." Harry tensed beside her and she squeezed his hand. Harry looked at her and she tried to give him a look of encouragement. Harry took a deep breath and began. He told them of grabbing the portkey, of him and Cedric being transported to the graveyard where Tom Riddle, Voldemort's father, was buried. He choked up a little when he told of Peter Pettigrew killing Cedric and using his blood to bring the Dark Lord back. He told them of the Death Eaters that had come when their master summoned them. He spoke of fighting the Dark Lord and what happened when their wands connected.
"You saw Lily and James?" Sirius said his voice catching a little.
"Their ghosts," Harry said. "They told me to hold on. Cedric asked me to bring his body back to his parents." Dumbledore sat unspeaking at his desk.
"There is much we have to do, but now you must rest Harry. Meredith if you would take Harry to the hospital wing." Sirius morphed back to his dog form, as Meredith helped Harry to his feet. When they arrived at the hospital wing they saw Ron, Hermione, Mrs. Weasley and Bill waiting for them.
"Harry," Ron said. Meredith held up her hand.
"I know you all have questions for Harry," she said in her best healer voice, "but they will have to wait. Harry has been through hell tonight and he's just been forced to relive it. Right now he needs to sleep." None of them questioned her. Meredith took Harry to the bed. Madam Pomfrey brought out a pair of pajamas and Ron helped Harry into them. Once Harry was settled into bed they all grabbed chairs and settled themselve around his bed. Harry's eyes drifted shut and he was asleep in moments.
Hours later everyone was asleep in their chairs around Harry's bed. Everyone except Meredith who sat by the window staring out. Cedric Diggory's lifeless face was haunting her. She was disgusted with herself for reacting the way she did. She was a HEALER for Merlin's sake! She thought of David's disdain for those HIT's whose quaked in the face of such things. What would her boyfriend, who thought she had such a gift, think of how she had reacted.
"Are you all right?" Bill said sitting down next to her.
"I can't get Diggory's face out of my mind," she said. "I don't know why I reacted like that. I'm a healer." Bill nodded and took her hand.
"I was only a child during the war, but I remember what it was like. Everyday there'd be a new name in the paper of someone who'd been killed by the dark lord and his death eaters. Mum and dad would read about it, say what a shame it was and then move on. But one day the name Marlene Mckinnon came up. Mum got real upset and I couldn't understand why. Dad told me later that Mum and Marlene McKinnon had been dorm mates when they were in school. I guess when it's someone you know, even if you didn't know them well, it's different." Meredith realized what Bill was saying was true. She hadn't known Diggory well but she had memories of him. She'd spoken to him, seen what kind of person he was.
"I guess you're right," she said with a sigh. "Everything will change now that he's back. More people are going to die. People we know."
"I know," Bill said. "But we'll fight him. And you know what, we'll win. Because we have something to fight for." Meredith sighed again.
"I don't want to feel helpless, Bill. I don't want to just sit around watching people I know die." Before Bill could respond the door of the hospital wing flew open and an irate Dumbledore strode in. Everyone who had been sleeping stirred and sat up.
"The situation has become much more complicated," Dumbledore announced. "Cornelius Fudge brought a Dementor with him to question Crouch and before anyone could say anything the foul creature swooped down on Crouch and administered the kiss. Barty Crouch Jr. is now worse than dead." Everyone in the room gasped.
"And to make matters worse," Dumbledore continued. "Fudge refuses to believe that Voldemort has returned."
"What?" Harry shouted sitting up.
"The man has become so in love with his position, he will not accept anything that would undermine it."
"But Voldemort is back!" Harry cried from his bed. "We've got to fight him."
"We will Harry," Dumbledore assured him. "We have a lot of work to do. Molly, I assume I can count on you and Arthur."
"Absolutely Albus," Molly said firmly.
"I will need you to send word to him quickly, let him know the situation."
"I'll go to Dad," Bill said standing. "I can leave right now." At Dumbledore's nod Bill kissed his mother's cheek and strode quickly out the door. Meredith watched him as he left.
"I think it is time you revealed yourself," Dumbledore said to the black dog. Mrs. Weasley shrieked as the dog morphed into Sirius.
"It's all right Mum," Ron said quickly. "Sirius is innocent." It took several minutes to convince Mrs. Weasley to stop shrieking but finally she was calm. Whether she believed Sirius truly was innocent, Meredith could not say, but she was at least willing to go with the flow for the moment.
"Sirius," Dumbledore said. "I'll need you to talk to Remus, Arabella Figg, Mundungus Fletcher, the usual crowd. And the Tonkses if they're willing." Meredith's heart was beating hard in her chest. This was really happening. They were really at war. People she loved were involved in this. She couldn't stand back and do nothing.
"I will go to my Dad and the Tonkses," she said standing up. Dumbledore was looking at her hard.
"Meredith," he said slowly. "are you truly prepared to do what must be done? " Meredith stood up straight and looked her old headmaster straight in the eye.
"Yes, I am."