SARLANDA

January blizzards were in full force, but that didn't stop the stream of people who couldn't seem to stop hurting themselves. At least most of them looked like accidents, but the people who ended up in the curse ward had very shifty stories. Christmas had been an absolute nightmare, and she had worked for nearly thirty-six hours straight. On top of that, they had lost three staffers (mysteriously, of course), and it was all hands on deck.

"Today's the day, isn't it?"

"Should be."

I still thought it a miracle that I had managed to brew this potion with everything else going on, but I carried a vial of bright blue liquid to the ward where Launa resided. Toolley followed me, carrying the reference book we've been using for the past few months.

"It looks just how the book says," Toolley commented, motioning to the potion. She sounded as nervous as I felt, but I didn't dare let anyone see that.

"It'll work," I said, pushing open the door. Donatello was there already, checking over Launa.

"Are you ready?" he asked, pulling out his wand. He and Toolley were to perform the final incantations while I administered the potion. I took a deep breath and unstopped the potion.

"Let's begin."

I held Launa's jaw and gently pushed her mouth open. She twitched a little, and I started pouring the potion into her mouth. She jerked violently, and I lost a few drops of potion before Donatello and Toolley's spells took effect, holding her in place. I tipped the vial, and the last of the potion was gone. Launa started writhing despite the incantations, and her eyes snapped open. Eyes full of terror, her jaw dropped in a silent scream. I pulled my wand out. It was now or never.

Slowly, as I waved my wand, the shaking started to quiet, her face relaxed, and she dropped.

Toolley and Donatello stopped, Toolley panting and Donatello looking between Launa and I.

"Did it… work?" Toolley asked, putting her wand in her robes.

"Renervate," Donatello said, pointing his wand at Launa.

Launa's eyes blinked open, no screaming, no squirming. It took a few moments before her eyes focused, and she looked around at us.

"Wa…?"

"Launa," I said, trying to contain my excitement. It worked. She was awake. "Don't worry, you're in St. Mungo's."

"Miss Malfoy, I will leave her care to you," Donatello said, and he and Toolley left to attend to other patients.

"Launa, what do you last remember happening?" I asked, pulling a chair up next to her.

"I… um…"

"Take your time."

We sat for almost five minutes in silence while Launa tried to get her bearings. Finally, she cleared her throat. "I, er, I was at 'Ogsmead with 'Ayden, and I believe we went for a drink…" She frowned again. "Zat is all I remember, I'm sorry."

"It's okay," I said, conjuring a glass of water for her. "You're safe now." I let her drink before I continued. "You were cursed. You touched a necklace that would have killed you had you put it on."

"'Ow long 'ave I…?"

"Nearly two months."

She nodded and blinked back tears.

"Do you want me to go ahead an send a Patronus to your dad?"

She nodded again and I turned my head before the tears slipped down her cheeks. I took to the hallway and conjured my Patronus, giving it a message for Remus. I would wait until he saw her before I would contact anyone else. I would have Jennifer take her back to Hogwarts, maybe tomorrow if she was feeling better. I would have to have her at least overnight, if not for a few more days. She might require some—

"Sarlanda!"

Remus Lupin rushed up to me, looking entirely winded and disheveled. "Launa, she's really…?"

"She's awake," I said, opening the door for him. He rushed inside, and I heard him greeting his daughter. I shut the door and headed for the potion storeroom and to check in with Donatello. Remus and Launa would want privacy for a while.

No one was in the storeroom, so I took a vial of Pepperup Potion and left to find Donatello. He was in another ward, overseeing the reversal of some nasty cursed boils.

"Miss Lupin is fully awake," I reported. "Her father is here seeing her. I'm going to administer a Pepperup Potion and monitor her overnight, but if everything checks out, I think she'll be okay to return to school tomorrow."

"Good." Donatello seemed dismissive, so I turned to leave. "Oh, and Miss Malfoy?"

"Yes?"

"Excellent job."

He didn't see it, but I had a small smile on my face as I left the ward.

By the time I was back to see Launa, Remus was still sitting with her, but they both looked remarkably better. Remus was even smiling.

"Alright Launa, I need you to drink this," I said, handing her the potion. "I'll be keeping you overnight, just to make sure that you're feeling top notch, and if you pass, you'll be back at Hogwarts in the morning."

She smiled. "Merci, Sarlanda." She drank her potion and her face heated to a bright red as the potion took effect.

"You might have some bad dreams for a bit, so if you do, go talk to Madame Pomfrey. I also suggest you not go to Hogsmead for the rest of the term. Or anywhere alone, really. Jennifer can tell you more about what happened when she gets here."

"Okay."

I left them again to send another Patronus, this time to Jennifer. "Launa is awake," I told my wolf. "You need to bring Hyden here as soon as possible. I'm sure you'll both want to see her."

I waited down in the lobby for them. I didn't want to kick Remus out, and I also didn't want to eavesdrop on their conversation. My time was better spent preventing Hyden from charging into the ward the second he arrived. In less than half an hour, Jennifer and Hyden arrived, Hyden looking very panicked.

"She's alright, Hyden," I reassured him. "Remus is in there right now, so don't go charging in."

He nodded, but he still walked faster than Jennifer and I did. At least he knocked and waited for Remus's "Come in," before he threw open the door.

"Launa."

I watched Hyden's knees go a little weak. I charmed a chair to bring him over to her bed, sitting opposite of Remus. He didn't say anything, he just held her hand in his, his fingertips tracing over and over again on the back of her hand.

"Hey Launa," Jennifer said, sitting next to Hyden. "How do you feel."

"Better since the Pepperup Potion," she answered. Her complexion had returned to its normal honey color, a much better look on her than the death pale.

"Great. What do you remember?"

"Just zat 'Ayden and I were in 'Ogsmead. I remember being in ze Three Broomsticks, and then waking up 'ere."

"What did happen to her, exactly?" Remus asked, looked between Hyden and Jennifer. Hyden didn't look like he could talk, so Jennifer did.

"We believe Launa was put under the Imperius Curse. When she left Hyden to go to the bathroom, someone must have cursed her then and given her the package that had the necklace in it. Hyden said that Launa was insistent on leaving and giving the package to Dumbledore."

"Dumbledore?"

"Yeah. Only, Hyden and Launa barely got out of the village when they got in an argument. Hyden tried to take the package from her, and in the process, it ripped open. The necklace barely grazed Launa's wrist, but it was enough to curse her." She locked eyes with Launa. "Launa, don't push yourself, but try and really think. If you can remember anything, even the smallest detail of who did this to you, we may be able to catch them. If not, it's okay. If they're going after Dumbledore, they're bound to try again. We can catch them other ways." She sighed, running a hand through her hair. "And please, all of you, don't go places alone. We're at war, and Hogwarts isn't as safe as it used to be." She stood up. "I'm so glad you're awake, Launa. I'll let you and Hyden have some time together, and then we'll make plans for you to travel tomorrow, alright?"

"Alright."

I gave Remus and look, and he followed Jennifer and I out of the ward. "Sarlanda, I can't even express…" he started, but his voice faltered. "Thank you. She's everything to me."

"She really should be at one hundred percent tomorrow, but make sure she talks to someone, you, Hyden, anyone about what happened. Otherwise she's going to be having some terrible dreams for a while," I said, and Remus nodded.

"I have to get back to work," he said, pulling his cloak closer around him. "Again, thank you."

Jennifer and I watched him leave.

"I'm due for a break, if you have time to talk," I offered, and Jennifer nodded. She followed me into the break room we shared with the floor above, and it was thankfully empty. I waved my wand and started making us coffee, sliding her a steaming mug when it was finished.

"Thanks," she said, taking a long drink.

"I just haven't seen you in a while," I commented, blowing gently on my drink. "I heard you and Cedric went to Slughorn's party at Christmas."

"We did. It was… interesting."

"Why?"

"Dumbledore wanted me to." She drank again. "Judging from the conversation I had with Slughorn, I reckon Dumbledore wants me to guilt him into spilling something."

"Come again?"

"Cedric and I have a theory that Slughorn taught Voldemort when he was in school," she said. "Meaning he will know some stuff about him that no one else will know, especially if Voldy was in the Slug Club. Since Dumbledore's been showing Harry and I a bunch of memories about Voldemort, Cedric reckons that Slughorn is back at school so Dumbledore can get a memory from him."

"But where do you come in?"

"He also taught my mum." Another glup of coffee. "And I look just like her. I sort of guilted him into talking about her. He was really torn up about her death, says she was his favorite." Another drink, and she set the now empty mug down. "That was probably why he quit."

"Hmm." I turned this information over in my mind. "What if… Slughorn unwittingly taught Voldemort something that helped him become more powerful?"

"Maybe. Probably. I don't know. I'm hoping Dumbledore will shed some light on the situation when we see him next." She fiddled with the handle of the mug. "I know you're not in deep anymore with your family, but have you heard any whispers about Lance?"

I frowned. "No? Should I have?"

She sighed again. "No, I just… he's been lying low. It's kind of freaking me out."

She was biting at her lip – she did that a lot when she was anxious. "Jennifer, he may be busy with whatever Voldemort has him up to. But I promise that I will pass any information I have on to you. I'll keep my ears open."

"Okay, thanks," she finally said. She didn't look terribly relieved, but had at least stopped chewing on her lip. "I'd better go collect Hyden."

"Certainly. I'm looking at discharging Launa around nine tomorrow morning if you can get here by then."

"Sure," she said, and we rose to leave. She turned left to head back to the ward, and I headed right to seek out a new assignment from Donatello. I needed the distraction – I shouldn't let my mind start imagining what Lance could or was up to, and maybe I would get sent to a ward where I could do some snooping for information.

But at least today, I had made a difference. The look on Remus' face was one I wouldn't readily forget, and I wanted to make more people feel hope again. It was all I could do in the meantime.

Happy Update! I hope you enjoyed this brief chapter from Sarlanda. You'll be hearing a LOT more from her, especially as we more closer to the endgame.

As always, feedback is appreciated!

Thanks,

Icamane