Chapter 43- Teddy's Final Card
Ruby felt herself snap into Healer mode with alarming speed. They wheeled Teddy into the trauma room and she hooked him up to monitors and wordlessly carried out Kyle's instructions. It was only when Teddy called her name that she looked at his face, she was trying to imagine he was just another patient.
"Rubes?"
"I'm here Teddy, you'll be fine."
"Hamish?"
"Where's Hamish?" Ruby asked, snapping around to her Uncle who was standing by the door looking like he might pass out.
"Uncle Harry! Where's Hamish?"
"They're bringing him." He said, moments later he was almost thrown aside by James wheeling in Hamish. A Medi-witch ran in and Ruby looked at her uncle and cousin.
"Get out, I'll find you."
"Ruby…"
"Out!" Ruby shouted, turning back to Teddy.
He had a large chest wound and his neck was covered in a hastily applied bandage.
"F7, twenty mills in ten." Ruby told the Medi-witch, Kyle nodded and then moved over to Hamish.
"Rubes…hurts…"
"I know, the Potion's coming, I promise, just stay with me. Are you hurt anywhere else?"
"No, Hamish….he pushed me out of the way…" Ruby glanced over at Hamish and was shocked to see the amount of blood on his legs.
"Ruby, I need you." Ruby ran over to Kyle and he had her push down on a large stab wound to Hamish's groin.
"Hamish! Hamish, wake up!"
"…Ruby?" He mumbled.
"Yes, stay awake."
"'kay…Ted?"
"You'll both be fine." Ruby looked up at Kyle as she answered and she could tell that Hamish might well not be.
"Get him, Ted?" Hamish mumbled, louder.
"Yeah…one hit mate…"
"Worth it…" Hamish said, his voice fading.
"Damn it, get the spinal team down here!" Kyle ordered as Ruby tried to rouse Hamish.
"Intubate him now, I'll take over the pressure."
Ruby obeyed without question but as she pushed the tube into Hamish's mouth she could feel her hands shaking.
"Get a grip!" She scolded herself, it worked and within a minute a machine was helping Hamish to breathe.
She moved back over to Teddy and saw that he was whacked out on the pain Potion, he was even smiling.
"This is great, Rubes."
"I know, can you stay still please?"
"Why?"
"Because there's a piece of metal in your neck, you can't have a scar Vic would kill me."
"Ha-ha! She would, she so would!" Thankfully Teddy stayed relatively still and Ruby was able to remove the metal and apply a dittany spell.
It was another two hours before Teddy was stable and Hamish had been moved to theatre, Ruby sat down shakily on a chair next to Teddy's bed and held his hand. He was heavily sedated but it calmed Ruby down.
"Do you want me to go and tell them?" Kyle asked, looking up from a clipboard.
"No, I'll do it."
"Let me clean your robes, nothing calms a family more than a bloody Healer!"
"Thanks sir."
"No problem, don't forget to put in for overtime, you should have left an hour ago." Ruby nodded and walked into the corridor.
The families had been put in separate waiting rooms and Ruby went into Hamish's first, she knew once her family saw her she wouldn't get away.
She pushed open the door and saw a middle-aged couple, a school-aged girl in a Muggle school uniform, a girl about Ruby's age and Alice, Professor Longbottom and Scorpius.
"Ruby, how is he?" Alice asked, springing up quickly.
"Hello, I'm Ruby Weasley, trainee Healer…"
"We know!" Alice cried, looking annoyed.
"Alice." He father scolded, Ruby looked over at Hamish's parents who looked pale and worried.
"I've been looking after Hamish. He's in theatre at the moment and he probably will be for at least another four hours…"
"Four hours?" The young girl said, looking terrified.
"How hurt is he?" Hamish's mother asked.
"He's seriously injured, I'm not sure what happened but I'll find out for you. He's lost a lot of blood and he's got a stab wound to his groin and his back is very damaged…"
"Will he be paralysed?"
"We don't know yet, we'll know more when the surgery is over."
"But…he'll live, right?" The older sister asked, holding her father's hand.
"I really can't say, I'm sorry."
"Who's doing the surgery, Rubes?" Scorpius asked quietly.
"Spanswick." Ruby replied before looking back at the family. "He's an excellent surgeon, I promise he'll do his best."
"How's Teddy?" Professor Longbottom asked.
"Critical but stable, I need to go and tell my family, Healer Kyle is in his office if you need him, Alice can you show them?" Alice nodded looking pale.
"I'll come and find you in a bit, Rubes." Scorpius said softly. Ruby nodded and left the room.
She walked straight into the other relative's room without waiting to knock. Her entire family were there, including the Hogwarts kids and Uncle Charlie.
Ruby felt a flicker of annoyance, if Teddy had died then she would have had to tell them all in one go!
"How is he?" They all asked, practically pouncing on Ruby. She shut the door and turned back to them.
"He's stable."
"Stable? What the fuck does that mean?" Asked Aunt Ginny, seeming to grow larger in sheer anger.
"Gin!" Uncle Harry said quietly.
"He's hurt his chest and his neck and lost a lot of blood but…"
"A lot? Like how much?" Vic asked, moving forwards.
"Umm…"
"Let Ruby talk!" Hugo yelled, a very uncommon occurrence, Ruby smiled at him slightly in gratitude.
"He's sedated at the moment but two of you can sit with him. We'll know about his recovery tomorrow when we reduce the sedation and…"
"Will it be safe?" Dom asked.
"I'm sure…"
"What if doesn't wake up?"
Ruby looked at her family for another second and then turned and practically ran back to her office. Kyle was just coming out.
"Sir, can you talk to my family please?"
"Of course, where are they?"
"Room two, they wouldn't let me talk."
"I'll talk to them, have a lie down."
Ruby had barely sat on the sofa when the door opened and Scorpius arrived. He sat next to her and she crumpled into him.
"Have you spoken to them?" He asked, stroking her hair.
"I tried to, I sent Kyle in."
"That's probably for the best, have you eaten?" Ruby shook her head and Scorpius fished around in his pocket and pulled out a chocolate frog.
"Here you go, eat it, I'll make you a cup of tea."
He stood up and Ruby opened the box and ate the chocolate in one bite, the box slipped out of her fingers and when she leaned down to pick it up her fingers froze over the chocolate frog card.
"Ruby? You okay?"
"I can't believe it." She whispered, picking up the card.
"What? I didn't know you collected the cards…"
"I don't but…Teddy does and it's…" Ruby lifted up the card to show Scorpius. His eyes widened in surprise.
"Merlin's Beard! I've never even seen one!"
"We've got one at home but it was just sent to us when they published it, we didn't get it in a frog, they're so rare that Uncle Ron thought they didn't really make any! It's the only one Teddy hasn't got!"
"Can I see it?" Ruby passed it to him and he read aloud.
"Eliza Potter now Weasley, 1991 to present. Also known as The-Girl-Who-Jumped. Creator of the cure for lycanthropy Potion, Remus' Remedy. Responsible for neutralising the threat from Dementors. Creator of the Strongest Wand Wall in the world. Awarded two Order-Of-Merlin First Classes. Pivotal role in the Second War with Tom Riddle. Gifted at Transfiguration and Senior Unspeakable in the British Ministry for Magic. Married to Fred Weasley, owner of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, and mother to three girls and one adopted son.' Wow, that's pretty detailed."
"Well, she's done a lot. Can I give it to Teddy?"
"Of course, I don't collect them."
"Thanks, I'll wait till…" The door knocked and when Ruby looked over to it she saw her mother enter, followed by Aunt Minnie.
"Did Kyle…"
"Yes, he's explained everything, the family are sorry they wouldn't let you talk." Her mother said, kissing Ruby on the forehead.
"Look what Ruby found." Said Scorpius, passing her mother the card.
"Is that…Let me see!" Aunt Minnie said, nearly ripping it out of Eliza's hand.
"Haven't you seen the one at home?" Ruby asked.
"No, I was told it was lost." Aunt Minnie said, her voice clearly annoyed by the fact.
"It's not lost, it's in the basement behind Uncle George's picture." Ruby said, confused. Aunt Minnie finished reading it and then passed it back to Scorpius.
"It's nice to read it at last." She said, with an irritated look at Eliza.
"It's embarrassing! What was I supposed to do, frame it above the fireplace?"
"Yes!" Said Ruby, Aunt Minnie and Scorpius at the same time.
"Are you going to give it to Teddy?" Her mother asked, after rolling her eyes.
"Yes, tomorrow, when we wake him up."
"You should go home Ruby, you look exhausted." Aunt Minnie said, Ruby shook her head.
"I won't be able to sleep until Hamish is out of surgery anyway, I'll stay here."
"Nothing will happen with Teddy tonight, will it?"
"No Mom, he's stable, go home." Her mother looked unsure but Aunt Minnie put her hand on her shoulder.
"Come on Eliza, you must be tired, especially as you were working today." Her mother froze.
"Did you…?" She started, looking at Ruby.
"No! I didn't tell her, I swear!"
"It wasn't Ruby, I have many sources, come on."
"Are you working tomorrow?" Her mother asked.
"Yeah, early shift."
"Harry's staying here, get him to let me know if…"
"I promise." Ruby said, when it seemed like her mother's voice would fail.
"Has everyone else gone home?"
"Except Harry, Fred, Vic and James, they're sleeping here."
"Will you be alright on your…." Ruby started but her godmother cut across her.
"I'm taking her to the Manor, no arguments Eliza so don't waste your energy trying!" Her mother looked uncertain for a moment and then nodded.
When they left Scorpius sat down next to Ruby on the bed and she leaned on him.
"How bad was Hamish?"
"Bad. I think he might need a career change." Ruby said, rubbing her head and closing her eyes.
"As long as he makes it." Scorpius said softly, Ruby nodded wishing she could reassure him.
After twenty minutes Ruby and Scorpius walked into the relative's room holding her family and Ruby sat down next to Vic.
Even devastated her cousin still looked beautiful. She had tear tracks down her face and was holding a cold cup of tea.
"Rubes, have a muffin." Said James, literally throwing her a muffin. She caught it easily and took a large bite from it and swallowed. She had a moment of delight before it was replaced with fear, she cast a look at Vic and saw a warning look on her face.
"Shit!" She muttered quietly, putting the muffin on the table.
"I've just remembered, I'm needed up on Paeds."
"I thought you should be home by now?" James said, looking confused.
"Yeah…but…I…"
"Of course, Penny wanted to see you about those books for Annabel, I'll come with you Poppet." Her father said, standing up.
Scorpius followed them out and went to sit in the room with Hamish's family in, he had clearly not realised anything was wrong.
"Come on, Penny might have a room for you to wade it out in."
"Thanks Dad."
By the time they arrived in Paeds Ruby was already feeling very sick, her father walked into Penny's office and then came out with her.
"I've got a free room, come on." Ruby nodded, not trusting herself to speak.
To her father's endless credit he stayed with her for the entire five hours, holding up her hair and giving her small sips of water. After three hours Scorpius arrived and realised what had happened.
He regularly popped in and then went back to find out if there was any news about Hamish.
"I'm going to kill James." Ruby mumbled feebly.
"I'll prank him for you."
"Thanks Dad."
"What are father's for except to prank the boys who made their little girl's cry?" Ruby smiled and nodded, she wished eating the cinnamon had been worth it.
A/N Reviews would be lovely!
xX Mizz Alec VolturiXx- Thanks.
Luna- Well summed up. My legs are still bothersome but they're getting better thanks.
girlwholived-Haley Potter- Thanks!
Scorubes4life- I'm looking forward to telling Neville!