An: No Hermione perspective in this chapter, all about Ilena caring about Hermione and how she's so impossibly in love.
And Hermione gets help, but Ilena's far from happy with the Hogwarts idea of help...or what she thinks is their idea of help.
The musical reference: Time- Chase Status. I've created a playlist for every song I've included in this story. I'll add more as chapters go up. -if not allowed I can just erase the link. No biggie, just don't ban me for it)
https/open./playlist/5ih5j0wYuK5LSO4nYWtcoO?si=5L12WL13TD2EIokaleLcPw _branch=1
Ilena's POV
"I don't know" He knows he's going to win. One of the many things he can think ahead for is this. Whilst I can only see what's immediately in front of me. I'm gonna lose, I might as well kill as many of his soldiers as I can before he decimates all of mine. "Knight to D5?"
He tuts whilst we both watch my chess piece shrug helplessly. I swear the thing just rolled his little carved eyes as well. "You can't move him there, it's two to the left and one forward, or one to the left and two forward. Not two and two."
"It's still an L shape" I defend myself. "It should count."
"Well your knight won't move until you get it right" he slumps back smirking at me like easy meat. He's not wrong, but I hate the look all the same. "I don't mind, you've got a second chance to consider your options. Choose it wisely this time, because I'm sure your knight is majorly relieved he escaped a horrible fate."
"You won't be so lucky when I plow my knuckles into your chin, you bighead" I warn him. He knows better than to not heed it.
"Now Ils, as leaders of opposing armies we've got to settle this on the battlefield. Not via a brawl in the throne room."
"Oh come on, have you ever been in a history lesson. The Greeks tricked their way to victory at Troy, the Vikings raped and pillaged, and the Nazis...need I say more. If chess was real war, my knight can go wherever the hell I tell him too."
"Hey guys" Hermione's boys are suddenly slouched against the wall over us. One is peering anxiously up the stairs behind me, I know that helpless feeling well. And the other is eyeing our board with keen interest. Harry was the one to speak, and the one who does so now. "She still up there then?"
I must mirror his expression to the last bit of skin, looking behind me even though I know she's not there. "Yeah."
"What did Madam Pomfrey say?" he asks again.
"A load of-"
"She said" Joe cuts off my colourful explanation "that Hermione's hormone levels are normal for her age. She's only slightly sleep-deprived. She's under no influence of a spell or potion."
"We already knew that" I hiss in annoyance.
"She has to rule out a physical or magical connection. If it had been something like that, Hermione would be better already" Joe defends her. Tooth and nail.
"Well she isn't. And now Hermione is a simple document away from a hospital bed at St Mungo's" I argue, feeling the hot feeling rush back through my bloodstream.
Joe pinches the bridge of his nose, sick to death of arguing with me. And I don't know why he is, he cares for her too but he just accepts what's happening.
"St Mungo's? That's the last place she needs to be" Thank you! Harry Potter, where have you been all evening!
"I knew they'd do this. Send her away. She can't be saved with magic. They might as well give her a lobotomy because they can't seem to contemplate how words can be medicine."
Joe's voice raises above mine now, the game and any hopes of a jovial atmosphere extinguished. "Nobody has said anything about St Mungo's, that's just you jumping to conclusions. Unlike you and Harry, and no offence by the way, I know the standard reaction to a student displaying depressive behaviour. The first step is to rule out anything magic, because we know that magic can manipulate people."
Ron provides his own input on the side of Joe's argument. "It used to be incredibly common for your drink to be spiked, or hexed from a distance, particularly in my parents day."
"Voldemort?" Harry asks, expecting his assumption to be revealed as fact.
"Yeah that stuff spiked during his rise, as well as Grindelwald's, but truthfully it's been a problem since Hogwarts began" Joe demonstrates his knowledge.
"But we know it's not magic" I grumble, feeling like a broken record.
"So the next step is ruling out Legilimency" Joe returns. "Through Legilimency you can plant negative emotion, it's not just about reading minds. And the only person in this castle capable of giving a correct diagnosis on that is Dumbledore. And that's why she was told to see him."
"And when they've ruled that out, what then?"
Joe hesitates because he knows I've got him on that part, I'm kind of making him prove my point. "Then she'll need to see a qualified mental specialist."
"At St Mungo's. Don't give me bull and say they are professionals, mental illness is seen in a completely different way in the Wizarding World. The only answer is to use actual remedies, they don't believe in the power of therapy."
"If Dumbledore doesn't think she needs to, then Hermione will not be going to St Mungos" Joe insists.
I never heard the footsteps behind me, but I should've known by the upward glances of the two boys in front of us. However I didn't, the only knowledge I had of a presence was just after Joe finished speaking. "He does."
I just moved so fast I made myself dizzy, but I don't care. This can't be true. "He's wrong."
Hermione looks as weak as she sounds, yet like she said earlier, not a single drop of moisture in her eyes. I'm here nearly blubbering, you'd think I'm the depressed one. "Dumbledore says my lack of emotion is subconscious, that I'm holding something back and I might not even know I'm doing it. He's contacting St Mungos now and instructed me to...well, pack."
No. She doesn't need to be managed with potions, that won't fix anything. "I won't let this happen. I will get you to a therapist if I have to be expelled for it."
She might have stopped me if she'd had the energy, but instead I breezed past. Joe tried, but gave up in favour of tailing me. Before anyone knew it I was breaking the Headmasters door down.
If he was surprised, angered or confused; I saw no physical evidence on his face. It's more like he was expecting me to barge in. Maybe he did, maybe he didn't, but he definitely won't know what hit him after I'm through. "She is NOT being drugged into a charade of normalcy. I won't have her brushed under the carpet. If she's going anywhere its going to be with me, and it'll be as far away from a hospital as humanly possible."
"Sorry Professor" Joe dares to apologise and undermine my conviction. "We've just-"
"Just nothing!" I shut him down. "I knew the stupid system would let Hermione down. I suspected Pomfrey would be powerless to help. But I never thought Albus Dumbledore would ever knowingly decide something that goes completely against a students best interest. You don't know how to help her, so you palm her off. Well I'm not going to let you do it."
Joe looks frightened, and maybe he's right to be. It isn't wise to piss off the worlds greatest sorcerer. But I'd fight a billion sorcerers if they stood in the way of Hermione's recovery. Her true and deserved recovery. Besides, he doesn't look like he seems to mind.
"Ils, you've said your piece, now-"
"I haven't even started yet, so you might as well pipe down and wait outside" I snap at him. "And tell Hermione to not pack anything until I come back out."
Joe was about to refuse my order, until Dumbledore echoes me. "Perhaps that would be best Mister Moon. Although she may not appear so, Miss Granger is bound to feel a little despondent. Myself and Miss Ljomberg are perfectly capable of sorting out this unfortunate situation."
The little Teacher's Pet obeys him, shooting a withering look towards me, which I counter much more fiercely. I hear the door click and I'm away again. "An unfortunate situation huh? Is that how you see things? It's such a shame isn't it, such a waste of talent."
"I think our wavelengths may have been grossly entangled" Dumbledore tries to downplay this like a huge misunderstanding, but I'm not biting.
"You're sending her away to people who'd rather sedate and silence her, than properly help her. Where's the confusion?"
"That is a mightily pessimistic view of our version of mental health practices" Dumbledore chuckles.
"An accurate one I think you'll find."
"And you know this how?" Dumbledore enquires, expecting to be enlightened.
"I know people" I reply vaguely. I don't really like to talk about them.
"And who might these people be?" of course he had to ask.
"Patients. Admitted for mental evaluation just like Hermione. They knew what to expect but I thought it couldn't be as bad as they said it was. Hell, how wrong was I? They went in with me thinking they'd get guidance and support, and came out unable to say their own name. Lesson learned."
Dumbledore looks at me compassionately, like I'm asking him to cry me a river. "That must've been a difficult lesson to learn."
"It stayed with me. And maybe they've changed their ways, or have different intentions entirely for Hermione, but I won't take that risk."
"I understand your reluctance-"
"Reluctance?" That isn't my position at all. I'm not reluctant to let her go, I'm refusing forthwith.
He continues as if I didn't interrupt him "but we can do nothing for Hermione here. There's no other place suitable, no other people with a better understanding of this type of wellbeing."
"You mean no other you'd rather have deal with her problem" I bitterly rephrase.
"I'm afraid you're mistaken"
"You know she doesn't need to be stuffed full of potions!"
"What is it that Muggles administer for depression sufferers? Anti-depressants if I'm not mistaken" Dumbledore wants to play that card. Fine.
"They are a treatment for depressed people yes, sometimes people take them willy-nilly because they want to feel better immediately, but a pharmacist or doctor would only advice someone to take them if the depression doesn't pose a threat to their physical wellbeing. Or if they've tried therapy first and it didn't work."
"And I doubt it cures depression either" Dumbledore comments.
"It manages symptoms. But this misses the point entirely, depression isn't only treatable by medicine. The cure comes in understanding why you feel the way you do, and therapy is the only way Hermione is going to do that."
"I agree entirely. Which is why I know you've misunderstood the situation" Wait what, he just said St Mungo's was the only place suitable for her. He said that, didn't he?
"You're sending her to St Mungo's? Hermione was told to pack her stuff?"
"Yes, and I'm sure you're picturing her laid out on a hospital bed, heavily sedated. If that's the case, why would she have the need for a change of clothing? Why would she need bring her possessions if they are not required?"
He got me there. If Hermione would only be wearing a hospital gown, a large trunk full of clothes and utilities wouldn't be necessary. "So she's not going to be bedridden, she's still going to a place I don't trust."
"Yet again you misunderstand. It is your assumption that I've booked her a bed at St Mungo's, and I have not mentioned that organisation once during this conversation."
That's a lie. He plainly said that...No, that was me. Okay he didn't say their name but if he can only stop being pedantic, and admit that's where she's going. "Hermione said you were contacting them. She lying then?"
"No, she was reporting the truth. I have contacted St Mungo's, who pointed me in the direction of OcclVision" He replies.
I'm beginning to see now why flying off the handle isn't often advisable. "Erm, who are they?"
"A few years ago several experts in Wizarding healthcare reported similar failings to those you mentioned moments ago, and highlighted the Wizarding community's shortcomings regarding the mental side of healthcare. Together they formed a consortium and became joint owners of a business dedicated to treating mental health with a revolutionary treatment."
OcclVision. Occlumency. What was it that Joe said before, Legilimency can plant emotion. So might it be conceivable that Occlumency can do the opposite, or something like that. "They use Occlumency."
"Like your therapists, these experts will help Hermione the best they can to get to the core of her depressive state. When she's found that, she will then be taught Occlumency. With Hermione's own mind power, she will attempt to dispell those negative feelings...if it's required of course. She may just be able to resolve them herself, without Occlumency."
Well crap. That's not just as good as Muggle therapy, it's better. It's magic, but designed to help her organise her thoughts, and resolve her issues. It's magic that she gets to control. And at the back end of it, she's learnt a new magical skill for life.
And like he said, it might not even come to the Occlumency part. Because these people will talk to her first, and if she was fine with it I wouldn't mind if they used Legilimency to speed that process along. This was healthcare that actually cared.
I just want her to come back and smile properly again.
"Professor...I think I owe you a massive apology."
"I wouldn't accept it Miss Ljomberg, for I would never begrudge genuine passion. You gave me a very good rendition of your character, and the impression I have is of a fiercely loyal person befitting of the house of Hufflepuff. Furthermore, I wish every student had the fire to fight for their loved ones like you, towards anyone regardless of their authority or position."
Well that was nice of him to say. I mean, I might have completely made myself look mighty silly, but I do know I totally kicked arse at the same time. "Thank you Professor. Not just for the compliment, but for truly looking out for Hermione."
Dumbledore smiles and twinkles his eyes. "I'm sure you're eager to see Hermione before she leaves us, hopefully only temporarily."
"Absolutely" I bid him farewell rather awkwardly. "Well, goodbye then Professor."
"Have a good evening Miss Ljomberg"
So that just happened. I went in there ready to explode like an atom bomb, I got defused and turned into a bit of a clown, and I came out of it with praise. It could've been very much worse. I can still hear his words now, "I wish all students had the fire to fight for their loved ones like you." Yeah, that sounded good.
Hold up. Loved ones. Not friends. Fight for their loved one.
He can't know...nah, rubbish. Best friends can be loved ones, don't make anything out of nothing.
"Hey, can I speak to you for a moment?" Look at me initiating a grown-up conversation. Yesterday my primary concern was about whether eating so much potato salad before my run was a good idea. The answer; probably not, but I got away with it. And today I'm thinking solely and exclusively about Hermione's ordeal. Plus the fact I won't be seeing her for the foreseeable future.
The guy in a weird purple uniform, looking like a graduate from Zonko's university, turns to regard me. "If you ain't a friend of Missus Granger, I can't disclose any information regarding her care."
If there was a time to take a strong cockney blokes accent seriously, this was the time. Still didn't make it any less amusing. "I am her best friend, I want to ask-"
"And 'ow do I know that, castles full of snooping kids?"
Gee, what a chill guy. "I know more about "Missus Granger's" situation than you pal, there's nothing you can say I don't already know. So rein your neck in, and answer my damn questions."
He certainly looks like he just realised he talked down to the wrong person. "My apologies Miss, meant nothing personal. Me boss thinks I don't assert meself you see, I get drawn into chitchat easy as that. Got complaints cos I am not discreet or something. I love this job, one more strike and I'm finished."
Not a bad guy after all. "You know you can be assertive without calling people "snooping kids", right? Just a tip" I lightly punch his shoulder just to put him at ease. He won't be getting complaints from me. "So what are her living arrangements going to be like? Have her parents been informed?"
"That's been sorted out already, her folks are already waiting back at base. And it's just like this place. 'Cept smaller, far less
people, foods a bit naff but better than pub grub."
"Actually, I was thinking more about her room, if it's just four walls and a bed or a deluxe one-person bedroom suite?"
"Don't you worry, she ain't on 'oliday in...some hot country, but she'll get a decent kip in a comfy room every night" He finishes with a wink that slightly unnerves me.
"Riiiigght, and is she allowed scheduled visits? Are we allowed to write to her?" Listen to me, I sound pathetic.
"She's not being banged up, she's got all rights to speak to whoever she wants"
"Thought we'd find her here" Joe arrives on the scene, lightly pulling Hermione along by the hand. Her eyes look up from the ground and meet mine. I hope she knows how much I'll miss her. She braves a tiny smile, doesn't seem convincing.
Harry and Ron cart her trunk forwards huffing and puffing from strain, either they never thought of a levitation charm or they are crap at performing one. How did they make it past first year?
Joining us too is the rest of the club. Alex leading Lucy, leading Dom leading Rwe
The guy who I don't know the name of, and a job title I'm not confident on either (courier, transporter, porter; who knows), takes action. "Good stuff lads, I'll take this load of your backs." I don't know what makes me most surprised, that he elects to literally carry the hefty great box in his arms, instead of maybe making it lighter or levitate it like they failed to do. Or that he seemingly has unbelievably surprising strength to compensate his lack of smart thinking.
Eventually an unmanned trolley comes rolling by and he simply drops the trunk in there, dusting off his hands like it's no sweat. Ignoring more than one odd look, he focuses on Hermione. "You all set my love?"
Eww, I was just starting to like him. Hermione nods anyway, dropping Joe's hand and stepping forward almost on autopilot.
"Got any questions? I doubt there's many left to ask after your friend here had a go" He chuckles at my minor embarrassment.
"Excuse me for caring"
"Still, in all seriousness, do you have any questions Miss Granger?" He steps right up to her, looking down compassionately.
Hermione shook her head, she just wants to get going I think. "Right then, I'll let you say goodbye, take as long as you need."
The first person she turns to is her boyfriend beside her. I know I've been on his back all afternoon, and maybe that was unfair of me. Being the mature, level-headed, all-round-decent guy comes at a price. He can't show how he truly feels because it's other people's needs that come first. Now, he could display the emotion he held back on.
"Depressed huh? Is my company really that lousy?" he tries to joke, but holds little to no conviction in it.
She lightly takes his chin in her hand and tugs her down, kissing his jaw and part of his lower lip. "It's always me with the problem Joe, not you. I'm sorry about that."
Joe shook his head "don't apologise. You're worth all of it." He holds her close and rests his chin atop her head. They actually fit quite well together. I feel a light touch to my right and see Lucy consoling me with a smile, and Rose too had a face full of apology.
Now wasn't the time to feel hard done by, it's not about me. Hermione's return to happiness is what matters.
"Get better eh?" He tells her after she pulls away.
"Yeah. I intend to. Feeling like this isn't exactly my preference" Hermione nudges him, at least she still knows how to tease.
She then gets a hug from Alex, well that's a sight you don't see everyday. I wonder if there's an extra influence in play there, like the glow of romanticism. Or maybe she's just grown fond of her brother's girlfriend. Nobody knows but her. "Kick depression's arse for us."
Next is Dom. "I reckon you deserve a break anyway. Take care of yourself Granger."
"You too Dom. And Alex, it's good to see you truly smile for once, I want to see more of it when I get back" Hermione tells her sternly.
"Yes Miss" The Slytherin girl responds. Hermione was right, she's certainly not hiding her newfound happiness. But who the heck is responsible for it? I'm ninety percent sure it's not Lucy.
Speaking of whom, it's her turn next. I'm not expecting hugs and kisses there, but nice words ought to be exchanged. "You couldn't be in better hands Hermione, OcclVision are incredible."
"Good to know" Hermione replies shortly. She probably would've cut their dialogue off there, if she didn't glance back and see me. "Make sure she looks after herself, I don't want to see her move into the room next to me in a week's time."
If I do it'll be because I'll miss her terribly, and won't spend another minute away from her. But obviously it won't be happening, I'm not going anywhere.
"I'll look after her. You have my word" Lucy promises.
Rosie steps up next, hugging her tight and whispering what I believe to be words of encouragement in her ear. Hermione nods at whatever she told her and was reluctantly released.
Her boys practically jump her, holding her between them. There are tears in Harry's eyes, and Ron's face and ears are red as his hair. My heart goes out to them. Their glue, their spine, their guardian angel had finally buckled. They feel powerless to help, responsible for much of her stress and abhorred having to survive school without her. They never had to before.
The latter spoke first. "I'm sorry about what I said earlier. Without you around we'd probably die eventually, suffocated by our own body odours. And I'd have you boss us around all day and all night, as long as you're okay."
"Oh Ron, you know I don't take it to heart. You're annoying and a wild animal at times, but that's how I love you. You're a brother to me, and I'll always be there for both of you" Hermione reassures truthfully.
Harry wipes at his eyes under his glasses. "I feel like the crappiest friend in the world. Every time I thought I was depressed you were there. I think the only reason I wasn't was because I had you to knock sense into me. And now it was my time to return the favour, and I failed you."
"Harry Potter, I will knock more sense around your head if you continue to say things like that" She sure can still get angry. "This is not your fault. How could you possibly know when I only found out today? There's no way you or anyone could've known. And I was there for you because of the fact you're there for me too, in ways you don't even understand."
She pulls his messy head towards her and kisses him on the crown. "So stop being a prat and let me tell you I love you, you sensitive little knuckle-head."
The brotherly-sisterly trio break away from a rather emotional exchange, I don't think any of us can top that. But I'm gonna try.
"Crikey, you guys would reduce a goblin to tears" The uniformed man splutters behind a handkerchief. He goes back to pretending to not be listening, whilst Hermione steps closer to me.
I've been there throughout this ordeal with her today, batting for her, screaming at much more powerful people for her, stressing over her every second. And now when she's about to embark on the road to recovery, I can't even look her in the face.
The next thing I know her arms are around me and I have to lean into her body like a war-torn soldier. "Is this the part where Dorothy says she'll miss the Scarecrow most of all?" I mean this is rather uncannily like the farewell in Wizard of Oz. If you think about it, that story was about overcoming depression too.
"I wouldn't ever say that, I always thought that line was a little harsh regarding the Tin Man and Cowardly Lion, right in front of them too" She's got a point. "But nevertheless, I will miss you of course. If it weren't for you, I might have exploded and been in a much worse mess than I am now. Thank you."
"What you thanking me for, it's my job to worry about you?"
A cute smile forms on her face. "I heard you terrorised Dumbledore over the St Mungo's thing. You know, before you found out I wasn't even going there."
"Yeah, alright. Not my wisest move" I can't help but snicker a little too.
"I think it was brilliant. It's the first time I've ever condoned someone shouting at a Professor. You proved in the best way that I'm still incredibly important to you, and I will never question it again. But... don't make a habit of it."
"Hard luck. I'd do it all again" I proclaim.
She rolls her eyes and pulls away. Those eyes are so close, looking over my face like it's made of precious jewels. I've dreamt of her looking at me this way. It's only platonic appreciation, and I force myself to remember that.
I nearly choke when she started leaning in, but her lips land squarely and safely on my cheek. Still more than I was expecting, but nowhere near what I wanted. "Don't have too much fun without me."
I can only stared blankly back at her, she isn't really joking that much. She still doesn't get it. Too much fun isn't possible without her, if it's fun at all. "If I could find time around being concerned for you, I'll remember that. But I don't think that's going to happen."
"Then try" She grabs my hand pleadingly "Knowing you'll all be here ready to welcome me back, it's one of the only things I've got to hope for. If they can do it, so can you. I need to be able to leave knowing you won't have a rough time too. And if you say you can't do that right, then I'm not going."
No. Not after everything we've been through today. And if I'm too wimpy to handle a bit of distance, then I don't deserve to be her friend or anything else. "I can. I promise I'll be okay."
She nods stiffly and finally backs away. "Okay then. I'll see you soon."
I watch her turn to the uniformed man and he takes a step away from the trolley he was leant up against. "If you're ready we can head out to meet Dumbles by the gate, then it's off to Galway to get you fixed in the ol' noggin'."
I'm seriously blowing hot and cold with this guy. I hope the professionals are much more consistent, and are reliable.
"Come on Ils, we better scram before we change our minds and never let her leave" Joe slings his arm around my shoulders, turning me around, taking me away from the guy taking my best friend away for mental health treatment.
The others are already gone, and it's just me and him dawdling our way back through the castle. Two close friends, with a shared hearthrob and a bond as strong as it's always been. Loving the same girl was tearing us apart, but now it is uniting us.
"Do you feel as conflicted as I do?" I ask him.
"You mean like I'm caught between a rock and a hard place. Like half of me thinks this was a bad idea, and we can't trust these Occlumency geniuses. Whilst the other half knows this is the best thing for her. That what you mean?"
"Sort of, except for me there's also crippling fear. That she takes months and months to come back healthy. That she might not come back the same. That I might be part of the problem, and hence will cut me out of her life. No logic to any of those fears, just me seeing the worst case scenarios. I fear knowing that...that I love her so damn much, and I fear not knowing if I can take much more of this constant heartache."
What can he say to that? Nothing he can say will take away those fears, and my pain. It's selfish to think he doesn't know how I feel, and to say he's not in pain. I sometimes wonder if he looks at me with envy when Hermione and I are together, even though he knows she's his and I wouldn't do a thing to tarnish that.
Did he notice the fact her goodbye to me lasted longer than her goodbye to him? Does he see anything in that? Does he feel like the Tin Man because Hermione seems to care about me more these days, than him?
He wouldn't be human if those thoughts didn't cross his mind, so I damn well know he's taking this hard too. I would not blame him if he resented how hard I fought for Hermione, and tore into me the moment we rounded the corner from her.
If I had platonic feelings, he wouldn't have confused my conviction as anything other than sheer loyalty. But he knows my feelings far exceed that, and so to outshine him like I did earlier must've stirred some bad blood.
However he's now playing the guy that's going to get me through this tough period, as well as get himself through it. Only a bloke like that deserves Hermione's heart.
"So confession time" Joe breaks the silence. "You know how I was instructed to leave Dumbledore's office, well I kinda didn't go down immediately. I was curious to know what else you were going to yell at him, so I listened from the other side of the door. Just for a couple of minutes."
"Okay" I reply, there's a point to this.
"These patients you spoke of, you know, that went into St Mungos and came out changed for the worse. Who were they?"
Right, he wouldn't have known about them. "The story is completely true. I said I knew them, and I did. At eleven years old though, the adult people you know, you know because of your parents. It was my mum I was truly talking about, the first year we came to Britain, we were being shown around Diagon Alley when we met this magic couple. Befriended them easily, they were like our family's search engine of the wizarding world."
"And with your accent back then, they done well to hear your questions" Joe laughs because we both know how true it was. My English-speaking tongue was utterly dreadful. I could write English reasonably well, and I vaguely knew what I was being told, but my voice was the slowest to educate and the hardest to execute.
"It was a second language to my parents, so they did all the talking really. They weren't British born either, they've been here since the late 70's after twenty and twenty-two years in Poland."
"Wait...were they the...Milanski's?" Joe asks, like he's reading names off a piece of paper instead of actually knowing who they are.
Frown of suspicion is in place, because he's definitely not meant to know them. I'm certain I've never uttered their names, and even more certain my parents haven't. "Yes, that's exactly who they were. And how exactly do you know them?"
"Their name is above ours on your family's phonebook. Moon, Milanski's, yes?" Oh right, he was obviously too busy snooping that one time my dad wrote their number in.
"You know, I ought to grass you up. I bet my dad doesn't know you saw, and you claim you're polite and considerate?"
Joe balks at my joke threat. Not to say my dad wouldn't care, because he absolutely would. Nosy Joe wasn't the problem. The Milanski topic is a very sore affair for him and my mother even presently. Joe has hardly done a misdeed, just saw a name he knew zero about that stuck in his mind years later. But it was unwritten law that nobody outside the family should know of them.
"He doesn't have to know, don't worry."
Colour floods back into his face and he releases a relieved breath. "Thanks Ils, though I know you only said that to mentally torture me."
Piss poor choice of words there Joe. "The Milanski's 'mental torture' is no laughing matter though."
"You know I didn't mean it like that. What happened?"
"Well, lets say the Milanski's didn't come as a duo. There was a third, a girl about my age. She was set to go to Hogwarts in my introductory year, but a serious illness forced her invitation to be postponed a year."
"So she would be in my year?" Joe works out like a genius...not.
"Yes. But thanks to cruel luck and the lack of expensively produced life-saving potions, she didn't get to see Hogwarts at all. She died before the academic year was out."
Joe's face seizes up into a trademark Joe-is-gutted expression. "Bloody hell, that's rough."
"That's not down to St Mungos, oh no. When you're physically ailed they are top class. Just because they were powerless to cure Ashley's illness because of the insufficient supply of that particular rare remedy, doesn't mean they didn't make Ashley's last leg extremely comfortable. And maybe even bought her weeks of extra lifetime."
I can see Joe trying to word the question about their mental health situation, without looking tactless. It's better if I just tell him. "Jolanta has a family history of bipolar disorder, hers was triggered by Ashley's death. Left to cope with her developing mental illness, AND his own grief, Emeryk too eventually had a breakdown."
Unknowingly on my part, though perhaps led by Joe, we find ourselves crossing the wooden bridge towards the Forbidden Forest. A good place to stop actually, a mile deep ravine is a very apt choice of backdrop for this deep conversation.
"What did you guys do?" Joe doesn't give me much time to take in the view.
"Nothing up until the point we found out, which was too little too late. Months of complete silence, no incoming phone calls or answer on their end, our letters came right back unopened. My mother was so upset she travelled to the UK alone, via all muggle transportation available, and knocked on their door."
"And they weren't there?"
I can only imagine what my mum saw when Emeryk opened the door. She never went into detail, but seeing my mother cry for the first time in my life, couldn't have been a joyous sight could it. "They were, in body they were there. But all the traits of Emeryks character was gone, a husk of the man he used to be. And even though Jolanta seemed fine at first, excited even to see my mother, one concerned comment about Ashley and she ended up attacking my mother."
This shocks Joe. "Was she okay?"
"Superficial damage aside, yes. Our family had lost contact with the only magical people we knew though, and truthfully our closest friends. We don't get many true friends because of our money, the Milanski's were also a second family to me and Sabina."
Joe's arms around me feel odd, brotherly. On Hermione it would be romantic, and that's definitely not part of his intentions with me. It does feel good, he's got soft billowy muscles around his arm area. "I'm sorry Ils."
"My dad returned with my mum and eventually convinced them both to get themselves admitted. This is the part before where I said we'd heard bad things about St Mungo's mental health care. For them, there weren't many other alternatives and we knew Mungo's had been fantastic with Ashley."
"You can't be blamed for thinking that, it's the only place you knew to send them, and trusted" Joe assures me.
"Phhsh, yeah bad mistake. We made contact with the hospital three months later, and what do we learn? They'd discharged them, and all they'd been doing is using various insignificant potions. Ones that make you sleep, or take away your aches, or make you happy for an hour. The Milanski's got worse, the hospital gave up."
Even Joe can't help shake his head. "I almost can't believe they'd be that incompetent."
"We didn't hang about though, we got proper mental specialists to takeover their care...not disclosing their magic status of course. If they'd received them the first time, the Milanski's might have been out and living their lives again by now. St Mungo's nearly ruined them completely."
"Nearly?" Joe quizzes. What, did he assume they're dead?
"Yes, nearly. They are predicting that the Milanski's will be fine in three years, they're progressing."
He definitely did think they had died, hence why he's struggling to talk now. "They wouldn't still be in our phonebook if they were dead Joe. The number is for their therapist to answer."
"Right, just thought...this tone of conversation was leading down that path...nevermind, forget it" What a wally. "I get now why you felt so passionately before. Sorry I gave you a hard time."
I have to concede something too. "That was then, I'm basing St Mungo's on the one bad incident. Hermione might have been fine. And I'll always thank them for doing their best for Ashley."
"Here's to hoping OcclVision do the same for Hermione" Joe raises an invisible champagne flute.
"Amen. Clink" Nothing like a bit of corny acting to lighten the mood. I promised to try and I'm trying. With Joe in the trench with me, it might not be as hard.
