AKI- Thanks for the reviews. Here is the long awaited next chapter. Hope you like. Hint: when you finish reading, leave a review!
Chapter 14
Hospital Wing
The four Titans walked through the forest into the early hours of the morning. Robin checked less and less frequently to see if they were on the right path. The others were walking (or floating in Starfire's case) with hunched shoulders, half-lidded eyes, and yawned numerous times every few minutes. The incomplete team was very tired and obviously wanted nothing better than to lie down in the bumpy forest floor and sleep for a day or two. The only thing that kept them going was the hope of Raven being nearby.
They were nearly ready to give up. To drop dead on their feet as they walked. But that was before they reached the clearing. The trees opened up and the forest finally ended and what they saw threw the gap of the trees took their breath away.
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Raven groaned as a sliver of consciousness was granted to her. She had a pounding headache and she wished nothing more than to slip back into blissful sleep. She opened her eyes a slit and waited as they focused on the ceiling. It was high vaulted ceiling filled with bright morning light. This wasn't her room. She noticed that her bed was also unfamiliar. Why was she not in her room? Her room had a low ceiling, was dark at all times of the day and night, and her bed was big and round and the mattress was a bit stiffer.
Raven closed her eyes and turned her head to the side on a flat pillow, moaning with effort. She saw threw the gap of the portable curtains that surrounded her bed a large, empty room filled with empty, neatly made beds with starch white sheets and pillows. It looked like a hospital room, but had a distinct medieval quality to it. Maybe it was because of the ancient wooden door that stood ajar on the far end of the room or the tall iron rimmed windows that arched at the top.
The lone Teen Titan did not have a clue were she was, until the memories of the last few days, especially the last night, came rushing into her already pounding head. She remembered having to conjure shields for those evil, evil men and all the spells that had flown between the groups of wizards and witches. Then Raven recalled the feeling of one of those spells hitting her. Her whole body had seized up, blackness covered her eyes and unconsciousness took over her mind, but that did not answer the question of where she was. Was she in the school?
Raven closed her eyes again and tried to fall into nothingness, but it was hard with her head hammering so badly. She could hear birds twittering, almost to the Goth's annoyance, outside threw the window panes; she also heard footsteps…and voices? Muffled, distant voices that Raven could not hear distinct words. As time slowly progressed the voices became louder and clearer, Raven assumed they were coming from past the door, and she could catch snippets of the conversation.
"So you are saying, Severus," said a male, questioning tone, "That when you went back after the attack that the captives were missing and that Voldemort has not found them of late?"
"That is correct, Headmaster," answered another male voice, but it was smoother and a little…creepy. It continued, "The Dark Lord was furious. First his attack was foiled; he lost the girl, and then the captives." The footsteps and voices stopped outside the door.
Raven's mind was racing as she tried to piece together the puzzle of what she had missed. The Dark Lord's, Voldemort's, attack did not work and her friends were out. She could not believe how well things were turning out for her.
One of the two men began speaking again, "Excuse me, Headmaster, but I need to get to my first lesson."
"Oh, yes of course. I will just be checking in on our patient." The door to infirmary opened to admit a man, who in Raven's opinion looked like he stepped out of a picture in a child's story book. He had long silver-white beard and hair that was long enough to be tucked into his belt, black leather boots, and perched on his head was a tall pointed hat that matched his scarlet red robes that seemed to be made of silk or satin. He walked out of view of the gap on Raven's bed curtains and knocked on a door on the side wall that Raven was unable to see, but she heard creaky hinges of a door swinging open and a brisk woman's voice answer the man's morning greeting.
"Morning, Poppy. Have you checked on her yet?"
"Not yet this morning, but I was just about to," she said tersely, but then soften in tone and in volume, "The poor dear, what she must have been through, if the rumors are true."
"It is sad what Voldemort will do for power, even blackmail children to do evil for him."
"Yes, yes," answered the woman, Poppy. Though Raven did not see it, the nurse had shuddered at the name of You-Know-Who. The Titan pushed herself up on her elbows heard swift approaching footsteps before her privacy curtain was torn aside by a middle-aged woman.
"Good, you're awake," she commented, back in her cute tone. As far as Raven could figure, she was not in trouble. The woman began setting things that were held precariously in her arms on the small bedside table rather harder than necessary. She poured from a clear glass bottle an opal blue potion into a brass goblet and shoved it into Raven's hand. The woman bustled around, putting a hand to Raven's forehead to see if she had a temperature. The old gentleman stood bemused in the distant waiting patiently. After the woman was sure Raven had not contracted a fever she stood up straight.
"It's not poison," she commented at the untouched goblet. Raven brought the goblet to her lips; she could feel the magic coming from it. She downed it one gulp, it had a sickly sweet taste, but the moment she swallowed it the throbbing in her head vanished and her achy muscles felt as good as new.
"You might feel well now, but there is no medicine like bed-rest," she said to Raven and added to the man in the distance, "Please don't distress my patient for once, Dumbledore."
"Don't worry Poppy, I won't let her out of bed," the man called Dumbledore answered the woman called Poppy how looked like she did not believe him for a second, but nevertheless went through the side door she came from.
The old man approached Raven's bed, hands firmly clasped behind his back, whistling quietly, while standing adamantly out the window. Raven scrutinized him with her purple eyes as her approached.
"Ah, Madam Pomfrey, our school nurse," he commented gesturing toward the door the woman had exited through a few seconds previous, "She has always been a little, shall I say, over-protective. Not that there is anything wrong with that of course."
Raven was not sure if the elderly man was expecting an answer or if the casual comment was rhetorical. She sufficed with a small nod. The man store momentarily out the window, as though giving Raven intentional time to get her thoughts together before he continued.
"Oh, forgive me for not introducing myself right away; I was just admiring what a fine day it is." Raven spared half a glance out the window next to her bed before her eyes flickered back to the man at her bedside. "I am Professor Dumbledore, Headmaster of this school," he said cheerfully.
'So, this is the top dog,' thought Raven. This is the person she had to answer to, before she opened her mouth to even explain, he had held a hand up to stop her.
"It is quite alright. You were not in complete control of your actions, and because no permanent damage was done, I think I will forgive you," he said nonchalantly, but for the first time looking at her directly in the eyes. They were crystal blue eyes and Raven felt as they could see right through. Through all her troubles, pain, lies, and secrets, even the mask she was wearing now. Raven adverted her eyes.
"But, my friends," it came out sounding more vulnerable than she would have liked.
"As far my knowledge goes of late, they have somehow managed to sneak out of
Voldemort's capture. So, don't worry too much, my young Teen Titan, or Madam
Pomfrey will have me thrown out."
Raven did not comprehend what he said at first, but she did, she looked up at
him in surprise and could not help but grin slightly at his mischievous smile as she asked,
"How did you know?"
"What my adversary does not know that I frequently take time out of my day to
read Muggle newspapers. A few summers ago when I was vacationing in the States I read
an interesting article about some American superheroes. I have not been able to put them
down since. And if I am to believe the other Titans are as good and smart as the press
portrays them, I'd be pretty sure they are looking for you right now, and probably close."
Just then their conversation was interrupted by the swift pounding of approaching
footsteps and heavy breathing. Abruptly, the hospital wing's door was flung open and in
ran a girl with vivid red hair that looked like flame as it flared out behind her as she ran
and skidded to a stop in front of Dumbledore. She took a few deep breaths trying to be
able to speak. Raven noticed when she stood straight that she was a fairly tall, thin girl,
almost gangly, and could not be much younger than Raven. She was dressed in a robe
that had obviously black at one time, but was now a faded gray and had a crest
embroidered over her heart.
She began to speak in broken fragments, "Professor…I was in my Care…of
Magical Creatures Class…Hagrid sent me to get you…not in office…must have been
five minutes to find you… we found them…they found us, more like…"
"Calm down, Miss Weasley. Found who?" asked Dumbledore.
"Them, "she answered again, staring pointedly at Raven.
Dumbledore understood immediately…so did Raven.
