Okay here's how it works, want me to update on Tuesday? Then review when you visit. Alright? I expect at least 8. At least! Haha. I get almost 100 hits per chapter, so it's sort've sad that I only get reviewed by three or four of those people... and yes, I do check the hits, because I'm a nerd 8-) Is it because I update too much? Because I can start updating once a week like everyone else... just kidding. I'm too excited to get my stuff out there!

And although I don't like to advertise my own work, I've written a pretty funky one shot (Numb), so if you've got the time, give it a visit.

Anyways, on with it then.

Chapter 26

Members of the ministry came in not long after that, and I lay there immobile but quite awake, my body set into shock. I looked at Remus, also immobile and counted the space between his blinks.

Ten seconds. Seven… four… I held my breath every time he closed his lids and prayed for them to open again. There was no visible damage, but his features had a rather pale pallor, and his cheekbones stuck out of his incredibly gaunt face.

I had laid there for what seemed like forever, gathering in a pool of my own blood. I could see my reflection in it, and at that point I was positive I was going to die. The pool got larger and larger until I couldn't support my head, and rolled onto my back, no longer able to see Remus' face. My robes were absorbing it, and I felt filthy. I was going to drown in a pool of my own blood.

I gradually lost feeling in my toes and up my legs. Finally there was someone talking to me. I couldn't see their face. He was talking rather quickly and I stared up at him dazed. I blinked, and he turned and shouted, and looked at me again, shaking his head bewildered.

"Sleep…" I whispered. His face came into a golden haze.

"What?" he said, his face confused. "Look miss, we're going to help you the best we can, but I need you to try and stay awake." He looked at me closely and I saw his eyes were green.

"Pain… let sleep," I said again, trying to make my point clear. My lips felt much to big for my face, but why was he scratching his head? I felt my shoulders lifted first, and then my body down all the way to my feet. Why couldn't he understand me?

"I think she might have been attacked up here," the man said, motioning to his head. A rather large woman was now standing over me, apparently his assistant.

"No!" I said a little louder. "Hell- p pain." I knew my words were incomprehensible, as they looked at me oddly.

"We're going to get help alright sweetie? Just keep talking," she ordered. I wanted to smack her big fat face!

"Make me sleep!" I groaned. " Get Remu— No pain!" My words were loud now, and my voice was scratchy and desperate.

"I think we should put her under," said one. Yes! I thought, but get Remus first.

Everything moved and flipped. I started to see elephants and owls and monkeys, and I groaned. Everything swirled into a sweet void.

§

I groaned and moved, letting my lids open on their own time. The room grew increasingly familiar except for the light curtains on either side. Numerous vials and containers sat on the dresser to my right. To my left was a dresser stocked to the top with cards and candies of some sort. A rather awkward button floated in mid air.

The ceiling was speckled with white, and I managed to blink a few times, getting used to the light.

I awkwardly maneuvered myself to a sitting, breathing heavily. I extended my arm to press it, and realized I was covered in bandages. They were wrapped up both arms. I lifted up the sheets and saw that both my legs were as well. I sighed and pushed the red button hard.

Immediately there were two people in my room, each in violent lime green robes.

"We'll let your father see you in a moment Beth. I'm Healer Greene," said the woman. She had gorgeous dark skin, and her green eyes slanted on her face, heavily lined in black kajul. Her assistant was a scrawny little thing, with cheekbones up to her temple. She blinked at a rapid rate, her auburn hair tied back in a messy bun.

"I need to see," I gulped and the soreness of my throat struck me. "What day…?"

"It's August seventh Beth. Now I need you to tell me, are you sore or itchy anywhere?" She held a clipboard close to her large bosom and smiled kindly.

"I… I'm fine. I need to see Harry and Remus," I panicked. "Oh God! Remus! Where's Remus!" My heart skipped a beat as I screamed his name. "He was hurt. He's a werewolf I need—REMUS!" I screamed. I swore I heard him answer, but it could've been in my head. There were suddenly dots scattered in my line of sight. My arms flailed widely and my cheeks burned.

"Beth! Beth!" Her voice was surprisingly loud, and the trainee healer walked towards the bed. She grasped my hands with her bony fingers and smiled. "Everyone's fine. I need you to answer the doctors' questions first, and then we'll answer yours."

She continued to rub the top of my hand as I answered all the questions about where I lived and what I last remembered. She asked my name and my birthday and personal questions I would never have answered if someone else had asked them. After looking at her clipboard a final time she dropped it to her side and looked upon me from the end of my bed.

"Now Beth, what do you need to know?"

My pulse raced but I gulped in a large breath of air. "My friend Remus Lupin. He was hurt, I need to see him."

The healer gave me a broad smile. "That I can do." She strolled over to the curtain on my left and pulled it backwards. It revealed Remus, in all his glory, bandaged to under his armpits, but otherwise alive.

I burst into tears. "I was counting, you were blinking! And then—and then they couldn't understand…" I trailed off, my breath coming in large gasps. Remus gave his grim smile and I saw a tear roll down his cheek.

"We're alright Beth. I'm here and I'm quite fine. Stop crying… please." His voice was deep from his stomach.

"I—I just," I stuttered. "Okay." I let out a sigh and hiccupped. I wanted to spring out of bed and go and hug him, but I couldn't feel my toes. The healer went to close the curtain and I jumped.

"Don't! Please," I lowered my voice. "Please don't close it." She looked at Remus.

"Is that okay with you Mr. Lupin?" He nodded his head, as I knew he would and I grinned helplessly, the salty taste of tears on my lips.

"Erm… why can't I feel my toes?" I asked quietly. The healer looked back at me grimly and stood professionally at the end of my bed.

"The hex that was thrown at you caused a lot of nerve damage." I looked at her startled and she quickly continued. "You will be fine, but the cuts will sting quite badly when we take the numbness off, however, because you are awake you can take a pain killing potion. We couldn't do it to you while you were asleep because chances were slim that you would wake up because it is such a heavy medication. However, like I said, there will be some potions you will take now that you are awake because the circumstances are different. Is that it?"

"Is it… will it leave scars?" I asked quietly. I hoped Remus wouldn't over hear.

"Only on your forearms. Your face and legs might have thin white lines for a while, but they'll grow fainter, and we actually are quite experienced with tiny scars. Unfortunately, your arms are cut deeper, so when all is said and done, you'll probably have a few faint lines, but nothing very noticeable. Anything else?"

I shook my head and she smiled. "My trainee—I'm sorry, this is trainee Healer Rose," the red head waved ecstatically from behind the Healer. "She'll be administering your medications. You'll heal quite fine." I nodded.

They left the room quietly and I looked over at Remus, whose head was leaned back on the pillows, his eyes closed and slightly dozing.

"Remus?" I whispered.

"Yes?" he said, his eyes still closed.

"Has my Father been here?"

He looked at me briefly, and then turned back. "Yes, he has. So have Harry and everyone else. They're constantly coming back and forth between your room and George's. He was stabbed, but he'll be fine," he reassured me hastily. "No one was… seriously hurt."

I knew from his voice something was wrong. He had always been stressed to a point beyond belief, but his voice was not just stress or over protection, it was a deep pain.

"Remus?" I said again.

"Hmm?"

"Who died?"

There was a silence as he didn't move for a moment and confirmed my worst fears. Remus opened his eyes and pushed himself up in a sitting position. He threw his legs over the side of the bed and limped over to mine. He grunted while sitting down, and when I leaned forward to give him my arm he shook his head. He managed to get as comfortable as one could get. Turning to look at me, Remus pulled himself a little closer.

"Ginny, Hermione, and most of the Weasley children are fine."

"Most?" Fear coursed through me.

Remus took a deep breath. "… Bill was hit with the killing curse. He couldn't dodge it."

I gasped and hot tears streamed down my cheeks. "Hell." I whispered. I couldn't believe it. He was gone. My scar faced ally and dancing partner had left this world for good. I gulped in a deep breath of air, my face burning.

"He… we think he's happier Beth," Remus said, now crying. "He's with his bride now, remember?" He smiled sadly through his tears.

I pulled a pillow from behind my head and plunged my face into it, bawling.

"No!" I screamed into it. "No, no, no, no!" The muffled screams in my ears were painful to hear, and pain chopped my heart in half.

"Beth?" I looked at him. "Don't do anything stupid. Not for Harry, or the Weasley's, but for yourself. Just promise me."

I stared at him, confused yet totally aware. He knew. "Promise."

Remus paused for a moment, looking into another world. His gray eyes looked me out. "His funeral—"

I cut him off. "There isn't a funeral! He's NOT dead! Do you hear me?" I put the pillow to my face and screamed again. Remus moved forwards and pulled my body towards him. I took the embrace with what little dignity I had left, and cried into his shoulder.