Scars of the Future
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, both Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. Theywere created by the amazing minds of J.K. Rowling and J.R.R. Tolkien.
A/N: This fic was not created by myself alone. It was done inscript format over Instant Messenger by myself and Animagus-Spirit. This fic and most of the events in it are her brilliant ideas, I have just taken the task to write it. Therefore, this fic is dedicated to her. You're the greatest!
So much for posting regularly. I've been editing like crazy on top of all the other crud I have to do.
Someone commented that if Voldemort went to Azkaban he'd take control of the dementors. A very good point, but I'm not sure if I totally agree. He absolutely could, but without a wand and at their mercy, they might just be happy to have another soul to feed off of. I think it's one of those areas that's just take it as you want. Thanks for pointing it out, though!
Chapter 23: Aftermath
"Oh, Ron, Ginny…!" Molly pulled her youngest son and only daughter into her embrace and held them tightly, then did the same with Harry and Hermione. She couldn't speak for the relief she felt that they lived, and merely looked upon them with love. All anger she had forgotten.
She turned then to Sirius and Aragorn, and her face clouded with worry when she saw Frodo and Tonks. "Have they—I mean, are they all right?" she questioned softly.
Sirius sighed. "Tonks should probably be sent to St. Mungos soon, but Aragorn says he'll look at her. Frodo…" he trailed off and shook his head as he carried Tonks past Molly. Remus followed. "It'll be daylight soon," said Sirius. "You should go upstairs before you transform back…I doubt we'd want to witness the aftermath of that," he added with a grin, trying to lighten the solemn mood. Remus grunted and trudged up the stairs.
Molly closed the door behind Merry, who was the last to enter the house. "Aragorn?"
He turned to her, and she could see that his eyes were moist with unshed tears, and wet tracks lined his face where tears had already fallen. "We've lost one dear to us," he choked, causing the tears to leak again. He found he could say no more, and turned away.
Aragorn took Frodo to the room he had shared with Sam and laid him on the bed. He sat down beside the Hobbit. "Frodo…" he began, but couldn't finish. There was nothing to say. He planted a soft kiss on Frodo's brow and stood. Frodo did not acknowledge any change. He stared blankly as tears continued to trickle down his face.
Aragorn turned to Merry and Pippin, knelt, and pulled them to him. He held them tightly as they wept anew, and Aragorn's own tears fell silently. Finally, he pulled away. "I must see to Tonks and aid her in any way I can. I will come back shortly, but remain with him for now…. Your presence may bring him some comfort."
The Hobbits nodded and crawled up on the bed beside their cousin. They each took a too-cold hand and held it tightly, unable to find any words of comfort to speak. Their actions would suffice well enough.
Aragorn walked back through the house to the sitting room. Tonks lay on the settee with Remus, now human once more, sitting next to her and holding her hand. Sirius stood by the window, looking out at the street. He and Remus glanced up as Aragorn entered.
"Has she woken?" he asked.
Remus shook his head sadly. "No."
Aragorn knelt beside the couch and took the hand Remus wasn't holding. He placed his other hand on her brow and whispered words in a tongue neither Sirius nor Remus recognized. Tonks's eyelids fluttered and cautiously opened. After several seconds she was able to focus on Aragorn. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
"You are back at Number Twelve," he said with a smile, "and I am Aragorn, a healer and friend. Do you remember what happened to you?"
At first she didn't seem to understand him, but Remus gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and she saw him and smiled slightly, then looked back at Aragorn. "I was captured… tortured…thrown in a cold cell…not much more to say, really…." She coughed.
"I can't image they fed you much," Aragorn said.
Tonks shook her head. "Some bread…some cheese now and then…scraps mostly…"
"And water?"
"Not enough," she said, and the dryness of her voice proved it.
"When's the last you were given anything? Can you remember?"
She closed her eyes tightly. "All a blur…not too long, I think. Someone brought me water…not one of them."
"That would've been Frodo," confirmed Sirius, who had moved to stand behind the couch when Tonks had come to.
She nodded slowly. "He said…said you would come."
"We did come, and Voldemort has been captured and will be taken to Azkaban promptly," told Aragorn.
Tonks's face lit up. "We got him then?"
Remus smiled tenderly. "Yes, we got him."
Tonks smiled with him, but then moved her gaze back to Aragorn's face. "Tell me…" she croaked tiredly, "how…am I?"
Aragorn frowned. "Malnourished and feverish, and I believe you're an easy target for pneumonia, if it hasn't started to develop already."
She sighed. "St. Mungos then…?"
"I believe it would be best," Aragorn said. "I could bring you back to health here, but recovery would be quicker if you were in a hospital."
"I'm so tired…"
"You needn't be moved today," Aragorn said. "At least not right now. I am sure Remus and Sirius wouldn't mind taking you later today, or at most, tomorrow."
"Thanks…" she said.
Molly bustled in then, carrying a tray bearing several teacups. She set it on the table. "I made tea," she said, face white with anxiety for Tonks. She handed Sirius, Remus, and Aragorn cups, then went to Tonks's side with another.
Aragorn stopped her. "Wait," he said. He stood and went to his healer's pouch on the table, and from it took a few athelas leaves. He crushed them into the teacup. A refreshing fragrance filled the room, and all were calmed. "The tea may taste somewhat bitter, but it will help."
Tonks drank in small sips, and admitted that although it was indeed pungent she felt better. Her eyes began to droop shut, but Molly would have none of it.
"You can sleep, dear, but not yet. Remus, if you could carry her into the bathroom so I can get her cleaned up…I've already brought a clean pair of robes in there for her."
Remus made to do so, but Tonks protested. "I can walk," she assured, but when she tried to stand she faltered. Remus put an arm around her and guided her out of the sitting room, followed by Molly.
Aragorn sank onto the couch and drank deeply from his cup. He closed his eyes. Sirius sat down beside him.
"You should rest," he said.
Aragorn shook his head. "I haven't the time. There's still much to do. I need to see to Frodo, and when Gandalf and the others arrive we will need to speak together. There will undoubtedly be more wounded…"
Sirius gripped his shoulder. "Relax. Any other injuries will be from magic, and I doubt you can do anything about that. They'll go to St. Mungos, and they probably won't be back for awhile anyway, so rest until then. And Frodo…does he have any physical injuries?"
"A few cracked ribs from when he was thrown. Otherwise, no, not physical."
"Remus and Molly can mend bones within seconds; let them take care of it."
"I cannot merely abandon him and Merry and Pippin," Aragorn pressed. "Not after what has happened. No, I need to be with them."
Sirius sighed. "Very well."
Remus walked back into the room and downed his now cold tea in one gulp. He grimaced and set the empty cup on the table. "Will she be all right?" he asked Aragorn.
Aragorn nodded. "Yes, she will.
Some of the tightness in Remus's demeanor seemed to loosen and he sat down. The three men remained silent for a few minutes, thinking back on the events of only a few hours before.
"I must return to the Hobbits," Aragorn said, standing. "Call for me if there is need." He left the room and strode down the hallway. When he entered Frodo's room he found the Hobbits in nearly the same positions they had been in when he left. He sighed and closed the door, then sat down on the bed.
"Has he said anything?"
Both Hobbits shook their heads. "He hasn't responded to anything we've said," Merry answered.
Aragorn sighed. "You should sleep. It has been too long since you've rested."
"We won't be able to sleep, Aragorn, tired as we are," said Pippin.
"I can prepare a sleeping draught for you, if you wish, but I will not force you to drink it."
Merry and Pippin looked at each other, and then Merry nodded. "Perhaps you should. Sleep may help…at least if we're rested we can handle…handle things more easily."
"As you wish," Aragorn said. He looked at the still form of Frodo. "I will prepare one for Frodo as well. He may not agree to drink it, but he must." He stood and retrieved his healer's pouch from the sitting room, then prepared the draughts in the kitchen. He carried them back to the Hobbits.
"Give Frodo his first," instructed Merry. "I doubt he'll accept it, and you made need help getting him to drink."
Aragorn nodded and lifted Frodo into a sitting position. He held the cup to his lips. "Drink this, Frodo."
Frodo turned his head away. "No," he croaked. "I don't want to sleep."
"Frodo, you must sleep. In your state rest is necessary."
"No."
"Please, cousin, Mer and I are both drinking it. It's just as hard for us…but at least this way we can forget for awhile…"
Frodo seemed to be fighting back another wave of tears. Merry took the cup from Aragorn and pressed it to Frodo's lips, who allowed the liquid to be tipped into his mouth. He swallowed without protest, and it wasn't long until his eyelids began to slide closed. He forced them open and grabbed Aragorn's tunic. "Don't let him be killed," he said firmly.
Aragorn was confused. "What?"
"Voldemort…I must…speak…with him…" His head fell forward onto his chest and his grip on Aragorn's shirt loosened.
Aragorn pulled the quilt over Frodo's still form. "As you wish, Master Baggins. If only it is not yet too late."
"You mean to let him see Voldemort?" Merry asked, a bit taken aback.
"Can you think of reason why he shouldn't? Voldemort will be closely guarded at Azkaban, and will have no weapon."
"Do you think it's good for him though?" inquired Pippin.
Aragorn sighed and nodded. "Yes. Voldemort has hurt Frodo deeply. If Frodo speaks to him it may help alleviate some of his pain, and help him come to terms with his loss." He paused and took the remaining cups. "Now, drink and forget."
Merry and Pippin drained the glasses and climbed in beside their cousin. They were asleep within moments. Aragorn stood and looked into the sitting room. Sirius was the only one present and stood once more looking out the window.
"Any sign of them?"
Sirius shook his head. "No," he said, turning around. "Molly and Remus took Tonks upstairs and gave her a sleeping potion. She shouldn't come around for a couple of hours at least."
"Good," said Aragorn, nodding his approval. "Where have the children gone?"
"Sent them off to bed with sleeping potions as well. I was surprised Harry took his, actually."
"Very well. I suppose I'll look in on Tonks before I retire."
Sirius chuckled. "No you won't. She's alright for now. If anything changes I'll find you."
"What about you, Sirius? Do you intend to sleep?"
Sirius shrugged carelessly. "Eventually. I can go awhile without sleep if I need to, and someone should be here when the others arrive."
"Why does that person have to be you?"
"Why doesn't it?"
"Fair enough," Aragorn sighed. "I'll be just down the hall if you should need me."
"Good morning, then," Sirius called after Aragorn as he left the room.
Aragorn returned to Frodo's room and pulled the drapes closed, blocking out the garish morning sunlight. He collapsed onto the empty bed in the room—formerly Sam's bed—and fell asleep with it still made.
