Chapter 19: Lone Witness

"They're coming back," Nadia whispered, speaking for the first time that morning.

"What?" I turned my head, looking from my bed to hers. The sheets looked especially white under the harsh sun's rays. "How do you know?"

"They're the Ministry," Nadia laughed bitterly. "They can sniff out any sort of problem and when they find one, they don't leave it alone until they've 'dealt with it.'"

"You sound like you're speaking from experience," I commented. She stared at me.

"Why aren't you running away?" Her voice was still slightly thick, but she was much easier to understand. The extreme swelling in her face had gone down significantly and now quite the opposite was happening; her cheeks were sunken in, the bones jutting out harshly like she hadn't eaten in weeks.

"What do you mean?" I asked, moving my body so I faced her, several beds away.

"I attacked you. I almost hit you with this," she gestured to herself.

I shook my head. "I don't remember much," I started slowly. "But it's coming back to me. I just remember that...that you didn't mean to hit me with that spell. I don't know how it got you, somehow. I didn't fire it."

"I did," Nadia spoke up. "I fired it as a warning spell and it bounced off one of those damned torches."

"Veritaserum? Kingsley doesn't want...sort of thing, but...no memories...many other options."

They all turned and looked for Nadia to me.

"What about...Weasley girl? Doesn't remember...if it will still work on her." I exchanged looks with Nadia. At the mention of Veritaserum, her eyes had gone wide and panicky.

Earlier that morning, before any of my family had come yet, the Ministry workers had made their reappearance. They were talking now, across the room, deciding our fates. Somehow last night Percy had won the argument concerning wether this case would see the court or not. So now we were conducting a sort of trial of sorts in the hospital wing.

"...best option," one of the men seemed to be deciding, and he took out a small vial from his pocket. McGonagall, who had come as well and was standing beside Kingsley, let out a small gasp.

"This is an invasion of privacy," Kingsley was saying in a dangerously low voice, but somehow it boomed throughout the whole room. The Ministry men jumped. "These girls are both barely of age, and they have very recently suffered traumatic injuries that could cause a potion such as Veritaserum to-"

"Kingsley, you know as well as I do that the Wizengamot won't wait," the tall, thin man hissed. "It's this or something worse. Which one do you want to take it then, Kingsley?"

"You will refer to the Headmaster as Professor Kingsley in his own school, Mister Ulley," Professor McGonagall said in a tight voice, and he inclined his head in a tiny, uncomfortable nod at her.

"Professor Kingsley then." Ulley managed to pack as much loathing into those two words as possible.

"Madame Pomfrey has told us that memory loss and Veritaserum do not go well together. Therefor, the potion will have to be administered to Miss Leonov, unless she has any-"

"What? No!" Nadia cried out. "No, I can tell you what happened! I fired the curse and it rebounded off one of those torches in the wall!" She said desperately.

"Is that so, Miss? Unfortunately, that is not enough for the Wizengamot. Stan, you can check her story out, and we'll give her the potion." One of the men-the potbellied one-swept out of the room and the other two advanced upon Nadia. She was openly crying now, looking positively frantic-

"Wait!" I yelled, jumping out of my bed and running forward, sitting on the edge of her bed and putting my hands up so they couldn't come any closer. "Stop, she doesn't want to," I pleaded. I wasn't sure why I was suddenly defending this girl, who'd gotten us into this mess in the first place, but I felt the need to protect her because now I knew the story: she hadn't intended that spell for me. "My memories coming back, you can-er-cross examine us when that happens, it won't be much longer," I tried to convince them, and they both tried to hide their laughter.

"You've been watching too many muggle crime shows," the first one-Ulley-smiled mockingly. "That's not how the law works in real life."

"Well, the law isn't fair," I snapped childishly before I could help myself.

"Law is always fair, miss," the second man-short and oddly muscled for his height-said in a squeaky voice.

"Stop where you are!" We all jumped as the hospital doors flew open, slamming into the walls as a dark, tall figure strode through. Nikola. "I forbid you to administer such potions on my student! You will need signed permission from a parent and as such, you will never get that."

The two Ministry men stood speechless as Nikola came and towered over them both, looking both threatening and imposing as he glared from under his thick eyebrows. "I know the law," he said in a gruff voice, taking the short man's robes in his hands and lifting him off the ground until he was at his eye level.

"Who are you, sir? I demand you set my colleague down!" The tall man pointed his wand at Nikola. "By Order seven seven eight of 1798-"

"Shut up," Nikola snapped, setting the man down. "You're not giving her Veritaserum and that's the end of-"

"Wait!" Someone yelled from the doors, and for the second time a figure ran in through the entry, bolting toward us and skidding to a stop. It was Laine.

"Stop, I saw what happened!" She cried. "Give me the Veritaserum, I saw it!"

"And what exactly did you see, little girl?"

"She fired the spell as a warning shot and it hit off the torch, and bounced back-"

"That matches up with the others' stories," one Official said quietly to the other. "If we can give her the Veritaserum-"

"Yes! Yes, I'll take it!" Laine cried, setting herself down on the bed and folding her hands. "I'll do it!"

"Miss Meadows, your willingness is commendable...if I may ask, why did you not come forward until now?" Kingsley asked kindly, stepping next to her.

"I only just heard what was going on," Laine said shakily. "The whole school knows."

I let out a small groan, putting my head into my hands.

"Of course, because we were trying to keep this as quiet as possible," Kingsley smiled slightly. "So everybody knows."

Later, after Laine had been given the Veritaserum, the Ministry workers were finally satisfied. Laine left without so much a glance at me, but I didn't even care. I was too relieved. The stories had all checked out and Kingsley had banished the Officials from the school. I happily munched on a pumpkin roll, and despite everything else that was going on, I was elated because of the legal mess I'd narrowly escaped. Now that I thought back, I was certainly glad I didn't have to take the truth potion because there were so many secret the Ministry couldn't know. Fred, Melody, the fact that I turned into a wolf every month with Melody...

"Madame Pomfrey?" I called from across the hospital. "Can I leave yet?"

"I'm sorry, Miss Weasley," she said, coming over with a tray heaped with food. "But you've got to stay one more night, that concussion medicine is still working. Here's your supper," she said, giving me a kind smile and setting the heavy silver tray on my lap.

"Thanks," I muttered, taking in the sight of the buttered rolls and potatoes with gravy, the chicken and bowl of fruit salad. Pomfrey gave Nadia her meal as well, and we ate in silence.

"Roxanne?" Her voice broke me out of my mental agonizing of the events that had happened today.

"Hm?" I said distractedly.

"If you ever tell anyone I said this I'll deny it and then duel you again," Nadia said very seriously. "But...I'm sorry for...all of that," she muttered.

"Wow, Nadia, you must really have hit your head hard or something," I exclaimed. "Just out of curiosity, why didn't you want to take Veritaserum? I mean, it wouldn't be my favorite thing either, but you looked really scared. And your Headmaster even came in and kind of vouched for you."

"Oh," Nadia looked rather uncomfortable. "Don't make me regret apologizing to you, Weasley," she snapped, and I snorted quietly. Stefan came in and talked to his sister in Bulgarian or whatever the hell they were speaking.

To be honest, right now my buttered bread rolls held more interest for me than Stefan. I really hated his guts at the moment. I didn't need to him to get Fred back, I could do it on my own! I didn't need anyone!

"Weasley," Stefan said quietly, standing at the side of my bed. I looked up at him with pure loathing.

"Stefan, I don't want to talk to you," I said in a calm voice. "I hate you."

Instead of yelling, or saying he hated me back, he just nodded and turned away. I bit my lip to keep from yelling out at him. Fight back! I wanted to scream. Say something!

But he didn't.

"Shhh mate, she's sleeping!" I turned over, opening my eyes to see Scorpius and Al sneaking forward in the dark hospital wing, holding yet even more gifts and presents. I already couldn't get out of my bed without stepping on at least three desserts or stuffed animals or cards...I didn't know where I was even going to put these new things.

My eyes flickered guiltily to Nadia, and to her barren bedside. No one had brought her anything, except Stefan.

"I'm awake," I yawned, grinning. "And I feel fine, I'm missing so much school and I wish I could just get out of here," I grumbled quietly, patting the edge of my bed. Scorpius and Al sat down, wearing identical grins.

"So duelling with Durmstrangs, ay Roxie?" Al grinned and I rolled my eyes.

"I'm surprised you're not mad at me," I said to Al, half-teasing.

"Ah..." he and Scorpius exchanged a look. "I broke up with Nadia."

"What?" I blurted, then covering my mouth. I didn't want to wake her up. "Why?"

"Because," Al said darkly. "She's the reason you're both in here."

"How do you know that?" I protested. "I don't even know that. My memories aren't coming back like Madame Pomfrey thought they would. It's all pretty hazy."

Al just shrugged, and took my hand.

"Thank you," I whispered, squeezing his fingers. He looked so much like a younger version of Harry.

"Bloody hell, are these Audrey's pumpkin rolls?" He asked loudly, diving for the basket which I had emptied halfway. "'N I haff shome?" He asked, his mouth already full.

"Go ahead," I snickered, and he smiled with a closed mouth around the pastry.

"Rose!" I waved my other cousin over, trying to hide a smile as Scorpius jumped straight into the air, coloring red and suddenly unsure what to do with himself. He ran his fingers through his hair, flattening it, then stuck it back up. He straightened his robes, then folded his hands. Then he set them on the bed on either side of him. Al and I exchanged a look and tried not to laugh.

"Hey Rose," he said nonchallantly as she sat down on the other side of my bed, and barely spared him a look.

"Hey Roxanne, hey Al," she said, pointedly ignoring Scorpius, who deflated slightly. "How are you feeling?" She gave me a hug, her red hair pulled back into a thick braid.

"I feel perfectly fine!" I griped. "I really think Madame Pomfrey shoulder just-"

"-let her out because she's missing so much school," Al and Scorpius finished for me, and I looked at them, wounded.

"Am I that predictable?"

"You've been telling anyone who will listen all day," Scorpius explained.

"Oh."

"Well, Roxanne, since you're feeling okay, I'm going to tell you that I've decided to fly in the National Broom Races! Yay, right!?" She clapped her hands, and I fixed her with a stare.

"Why is everyone so keen on killing themselves off this year?" I grumbled. "You, Al, Teddy-"

"Wait," Scorpius interrupted and he looked at Rose with a look of pure terror on his pale face. "You're-you're flying in-in the Races?"

"That's what I said, isn't it?" Rose coolly examined her fingernails.

"Well-that's-that's fun," Scorpius blustered, face turning red. "Funny, ha ha!" We all looked at him oddly. "Cause, um...I signed up too. I'm racing as well," he nodded, looking like this was news to him.

"What? That's awesome, mate!" Al exclaimed, standing up and fist bumping Scorpius who looked rather shaken.

"Er, yeah," he muttered, eyes flickering to Rose. "So that's...that."

"We should go," Rose said softly, looking at her folded hands. "Roxanne probably wants to sleep."

"Er..." I trailed off. "Thanks for coming, guys. Take some candy if you want, I have plenty," I tried to fill the awkward silence Rose and Scorpius had created. They managed to look at each other for two seconds before looking away again. They walked out, and I watched as Al broke off from the rest of them and went to stand near Nadia, who was breathing deeply in her sleep. He conjured up a small collection of several flowers, and stuck them into the water pitcher at her bedside. He watched her for a moment, hands folded behind his back. Then he left, and I a loneliness settled over me. Loneliness for Stefan...no matter what I'd said, what he said-I didn't hate him. Quite the opposite in fact, I was just too thick to tell him. I'd never tell him.

But I missed him.

How are you feeling, Roxie? Fred's voice floated through my head and I burst into a huge grin, nearly squealing with delight.

Fred! I said happily. You're finally talking to me again!

Well, he started. I've realized you're going to try and pull me out no matter what because you're rather stubborn, you know. I'm not exactly sure which person you got that from because we've got quite a lot of stubborn people in our family...although don't tell anyone, but my money's on Ginny. I could practically see him laughing and winking at me.

It's going to be so nice when you're back, I thought excitedly. Dad's going to...he's going to...I don't know, but it'll be amazing, I laughed slightly. He misses you so much. Whenever he leaves he touches your picture on the mantle.

Ah, sentimental Georgie. I miss him...I miss everybody. Death Eaters don't make the best company. You know, I'm not supposed to tell you this, Roxanne...Tonks is here.

WHAT?!

Ouch! Not so loud! You splashed me with the force of that yell, Missus. Yes, Tonks is here and she'll FLAY ME ALIVE for telling you that.

We have to save her too! My first instinct was 'I've got to tell Stefan!' But then my heart sank when I remembered what sort of state our relationship was in.

Roxanne? Fred asked tentatively. I know you want to...want to have Stefan be the one to help you, but...I can't believe I'm saying this...what about Malfoy's kid? Scorpius? What kind of a name is that, anyway?

I dunno. I shrugged even though he couldn't see me. Why not Stefan? Did Fred know about the current-ahem-situation our relationship was in?

-calm down! I heard Fred saying, but the voice was faint. I'm not actually saying anything, Avery. Stop or I'll-oh, Roxanne! I mean I just think it might be nicer to try to use someone else, maybe someone who has more of the same ideas as you-

Abruptly Fred cut out and was gone. What was that supposed to be? I wondered. Avery? That sounded familiar...he was a Death Eater we'd learned about in History of Magic. I shuddered...what was he doing around my uncle?

"And now I just found out my cousin-well, he's not really my cousin but he pretty much is-his Mum's alive too!" I was whispering feverishly to Scorpius, who was looking rather pale and extremely scared as I dumped the whole story on him. "Are you feeling alright?" I asked, concerned as I grabbed his arm when he began to sway.

"I just...give me a moment," he said slowly, looking out over the grounds of Hogwarts. We were in the Astronomy tower with the rest of our class; we had finished our test early and and been instructed to go look at the sky. Which we weren't doing a whole lot of.

"Do you want me to explain anything else?" I asked tentatively. "I know it's a lot to handle..."

"So you've...you've been communicating with your dead Uncle all year?" He asked shakily. "Who else is up there, Roxanne? Is Voldemort-" he brought his voice to a whisper. "Is Voldemort there?"

"No way," I said firmly, shaking my head. "He split his soul too many times, he wouldn't have been strong enough to hold on. There are some Death Eaters though, like I said."

Scorpius took a deep, shuddering breath. "I trust you," he whispered. "And if you think we can get Tonks and Fred without bringing back any other unwanted visitors...then I'll help."

"Yes!" I punched a fist in the air, throwing myself into his arms.

I laughed as he swung me around, grinning. He set me down on my feet and pecked me on the forehead.

"You're like a little sister to me," he admitted. "Mum didn't want to have any more children after me because she said I ruined her figure," he said glumly. "I always wanted a little sister."

"I always wanted a big brother!" I exclaimed. "Seriously, it's like we're unbiological siblings. I bet if we kissed it wouldn't even mean anything," I challenged, and Scorpius laughed a bit.

"Really?" He raised an eyebrow, grabbing my upper arms. He pulled me forward and pressed his lips to mine. He was a good kisser, but there was nothing...there.

"Nope," I shook my head, patting his cheek playfully. "Not that you aren't nice-looking, but that was kind of like kissing a cousin."

"Oh, gross," Scorpius exclaimed, taking my hand. "Come on, let's ditch class. I want to see if I can go to this mental land place or whatever you're talking about where you train..." we turned to walk away, and I stopped suddenly, my arm yanking out of Scorpius's as he continued walking.

"What?" He looked back at me.

"I thought I saw someone...never mind," I shook my head. "Let's get back into class and we'll leave after."

As we walked back in, arm in arm, Anna's accusing stare cut straight into me. Was she the face I'd seen watching us?

I looked at her with a question in my eyes, but she left me confused until the bell rang.

I saw her whispering to Rose on the way out, and a feeling of dread washed over me as I passed them quickly. I didn't have time to deal with my ex-friend Anna, I was meeting Scorpius-

"Roxanne!" She shouted angrily and I picked up the pace, pretending I didn't hear. "Roxanne! Stop! I know you can hear me!" She and Anna popped up on either side of me and we stopped on the staircase, both of them looming over me two steps above. The rest of the students trickled down around us, and I felt sick to my stomach.

"What?" I raised my eyebrows questioningly.

"I saw you kissing Scorpius!" Anna exclaimed angrily. I looked to Rose, eyes flying open. She didn't actually believe Anna, did she? But she was refusing to meet my eyes, looking at the ground, hurt. I mean, I had kissed him, but it was barely a peck! Surely...

"What a thing to do, Roxanne, pretend you don't like him for al these years then swoop in and take him so neither of us can have him!" Anna gestured to herself and Rose and Rose whipped her head up, glaring at me furiously like she wanted nothing more than to see my head on a platter.

Something in me snapped.

"Leave me alone! You've got a boyfriend, you backstabber, and you!" I pointed to Rose. "You know I'd never do anything to hurt you, so what are you doing listening to someone like her?" I pointed to Anna. I knew I was being harsh, but at this point I was so enraged I didn't care. First Stefan, then Anna and Laine, and now Rose too! I was losing everybody, and the only thing that made sense to me in that moment was to lash out.

"I thought you were smarter than that," I hissed at Rose. "Scorpius is like my brother, okay? We kissed, but it was just a peck, to see if we even felt anything! We didn't!" I said desperately. "You have to believe me!"

"You're despicable," Rose finally growled. "And you're just like Dom."

With that I turned and ran, flying down the stairs and shutting myself in the Room of Requirement, where Scorpius was waiting for me.

"Are you...are you alright?" He looked slightly concerned as I flung myself down on the couch. Right now, the room looked like some sort of mash-up between the Ravenclaw and Slytherin common rooms, perfectly suited to its occupants.

"Fine," I said waspishly, not wanting to talk about it. "Let's just try this. Remember what I told you?"

Stefan nodded and we both moved to the floor, plush rugs cushioning us. The fire crackled from the wall, warming us as we closed our eyes and let our emotions drain away. I grew calm and sleepy, and could practically feel myself slipping over the boundary between this world and the next. I didn't even need to use the spells anymore but I heard Stefan in front of me chanting them under his breath.

Soon I opened my eyes to see the Spirit realm, and I felt strangely solid. I brushed my hands over the grass; the blades bent down and sprung back up where my fingers had brushed them, and I lost so much concentration that I ended back in the Room of Requirement straight away, gasping.

"Where were you?" I asked Stefan, shooting my eyes open to see his face scrunched up and turning red.

"It's not working," he groaned, looking constipated.

"I think you're trying to hard," I observed. "Just calm down. Let it happen. It'll be like water flowing over you. It will come to you, not the other way around," I said, cringing at how very much I sounded like some sort of combination between Sybil Trelawney, the retired Divination teacher, and Luna Scamandar.

It took nearly ten tries and over an hour, but finally Stefan flickered into existance in the Realms beside me, and I nearly cried with relief. This time we had materialized in a clearing in the woods, the grass tall and tickling my ankles.

By now we had attracted a small crowd of souls watching discreetly from behind bushes and trees, peeking out to look at us and whispering about the new boy.

Hopefully none of them were Death Eaters.

You've got to be compatible to do the anchor spell, Fred's voice floated out to me, even though I didn't see him in the clearing. You've got to trust each other.

"This is incredible!" Scorpius exclaimed, bounding around. "I thought you said I was going to be like a ghost here?" He questioned, flopping on the ground. "Hello?" He darted behind several trees, scattering a few souls who floated away, quickly turning into orbs of light and flitting into the sky.

"Don't scare them! Shh! Scorpius, come back!" I said, panicking as I kept my feet rooted to the spot. I had to remember where we'd came in, or we'd never get out.

"Scorpius!" I hissed, and finally I saw his blonde head bobbing over towards me once more. He had a huge grin on his face.

"Roxanne, this is amazing!" He grinned, running over to me.

"It's dangerous," I corrected. "Scorpius, there are Death Eaters here. They could easily carry you off...although they still seem to be like ghosts, they can still hurt you. Trust me, I know," I said darkly, finally managing to put a slight damper on Scorpius's mood. "Now come on, take my hands. We're going to try the spell." I pulled the book out of my pocket and recited the lines, opening my eyes and expecting to see all the light that Stefan had produced when he'd done it, but...nothing.

"Did it work?" Scorpius asked. I shook my head, frustrated. I was growing more panicky by the second; the forest had grown oddly quiet, and I could have sworn we'd moved. I could hear my heart pounding and my blood rushing.

"We've got to try it again," I snapped. "Scorpius come one, concentrate," I pleaded. I took his hands again and focused hard on Scorpius, our friendship, everything...but I didn't feel the same connection I had when I'd done this with Stefan.

"Argh!" I let out a yell, and Stefan's face bloomed behind my closed eyelids, as lifelike as if it were right in front of me. I fell to my knees, clutching my head. My whole body ached and my heart was heavy as memories of Stefan washed over me. His lips on mine, the sound of his laugh echoing in my ears, the feel of his arms around me. The way he talked, and ran his hands through his hair, and found small excuses to touch me, even just to brush his fingers over my arm. I squeezed my eyes closed and let out a small shriek as Scorpius put a hand on my shoulder.

"Roxanne, we don't have to do this now," he said softly and I opened my eyes to see him crouching next to me.

"Yes we do," I cried, voice shaking. "We've got twenty-no, nineteen-days! And we've still got to train you!" I said desperately, blinking hard and fast.

"Roxanne, this is all in our heads," he said gently. "So it's never going to work when you're letting your emotions get the better of you." I wanted to snap at him, to tell him he was wrong, but I knew he wasn't. I nodded and let him pull me to my feet, and I leaned on his offered arm.

"This isn't where we were," Scorpius's voice turned panicky as he took in the new scene, the trees woven tighter together than they had been in the clearing.

"It's okay, this is what happens in the realms," I sighed. "They're tricky. "Come on, we've just got to find that clearing again. I know what it looks like, I've marked it so we can find it again."

We started walking in silence.

"Hey!" I let out a scream as a face materialized in front of us; I didn't know him, but he looked to be about the same age as Uncle Fred, or a bit younger. "I know where you came, it was over there!" He pointed, his face eager. Scorpius and I stopped, exchanging a look.

"No, no!" The air thickened in front of us and a girl popped into existence, her hair short and features delicate and pixie-like. "He's lying, he's a Death Eater!" She squeaked. "It was that way, I saw you!" She pointed in the opposite direction and both of the souls glared at each other.

"Listen to me!"

"No, no, listen to me, I was here first!"

"He's lying, I saw him, that's Avery, he's disguised!" The girl shrieked, and I closed my eyes, feeling power well up from my feet and into my fingertips. I crossed my hands, palms flat, and then flung them out at both souls in a basic defense pattern the book had taught me.

Shrieking, they both tumbled backwards, and Scorpius shot me a surprised look.

"Which one of you is telling the truth?" I yelled as they came to a stop on the ground and floated back, looking rather disgruntled. Then I pulled another trick, bringing my hands palms down as another gust of magic propelled itself from me.

The girl's image flickered, and just got a moment I saw what was underneath.

"This way!" I screamed, grabbing Scorpius's hand and sprinting forward the way the boy had pointed, crashing through the bushes, thorns pulling at my skin. It was odd, being solid here. Maybe it was because we were getting closer to March 21st.

"I'll get you!" The girl-the Death Eater-howled, surging forward and reaching her hands for us, face twisting into a horrid scowl. I whipped my head around, watching in horror as she underwent a hideous transformation into an ugly, fat Death Eater. Her voice deepened and she snarled meanly, pouring on the speed as she chased after us.

"This way!" The boy darted in front of us and gestured toward the right. We changed directions and I nearly cried with relief as we burst into the clearing. We flung ourselves to the ground as a violent gust of wind pushed us flat, sending us skidding forward. We rolled over and jumped to our feet, but the Death Eater wasn't there-

"Behind you," he said mockingly and as we spun around. He swung a fist that rapidly grew larger and larger as it got closer.