CHAPTER 4
James is at St. Mungo's, and in a bad way.
Landing with a thud in the hallway, Lily screamed at the nearest healer, who came rushing over to help her. Levitating him in the air, the healer instantly took him into an emergency room, where Lily was stopped abruptly by a stern looking matron. "Only family in Emergency Room. Sorry, you'll just have to wait outside."
Lily sank to the floor, her head in her hands, "He has no family. They're all dead. Please just let me in there. I'm practically the closest to him anyway."
The nurse surveyed her critically, "No family", she mused, "O.k. darling whatever you say. If you're so close to him, perhaps you can tell me who he is, and how he managed to sustain those injuries."
Lily, knowing she was in trouble, attempted to create a quick lie, when she heard two voices behind her.
"Lily, Where's James?"
"Oh Remus", Lily broke down in convulsive sobs, "They took him into the emergency and they won't let anyone in except family, and I tried to tell them he has no family and I'm the closest, but they won't listen, and I need to get in there. Besides, how are they meant to treat him if they don't even know what spell was used to bring him to that state?" Lily began again to sob, as a strong set of hands reached out to grab her,
"It's ok. Lily", Dumbledore spoke quietly, then to the matron, "Mr Potter's entire family was murdered by Lord Voldemort and his supporters over the course of the last year. I have been placed as his godfather, if this event should occur, and therefore, I should be allowed to visit James. Also, Ms. Evans and Mr. Lupin were present at the attack, and may be able to provide important information toward his recovery. They will be entering with me. That will be all thankyou", and he strode past the matron, beckoning Lily and Remus to follow.
Once inside, Lily was overwhelmed by the rushing and yelling hurried conjuring of spells, "It's not a result of cruciatus, the wounds wouldn't stay open", yelled one, "Can't be the work of a poisonous dagger, it wouldn't have resisted all our antivenoms", cried another, "It must be from an illegal, privately created spell, no counter curses that would match this kind of injury have worked", concluded the head doctor, "Get an auror out here to assess spell properties and see if it can be created so that we can heal it. In the meantime, get this boy blood replenishing potion intravenously, and rebind the bandages, we'll need more than necessary. Also, a numbing potion. If he does wake up we don't want him in pain. Oh hello, you must be his immediate family", the healer said surveying them grimly, "I'll need a name, previous maladies, a situation, and anything you can tell me about this injury."
Dumbledore stepped forward, "Name's James Potter. He's my godson. All his immediate family is dead. This is Lily Evans, Mr Potter's girlfriend and Remus Lupin, Mr. Potter's best friend. His other friend will probably arrive shortly. We know very little about hi injury. It was performed by a death eater, so it really could be anything."
"Death Eaters at Hogwarts?" the healer questioned incredulously.
"Some of my students managed to escape my eye and leave the castle. They apparated from Hogsmeade. Is there much hope for Mr. Potter at this point?" questioned Dumbledore, at which Lily broke into sobs.
"Well, he's very weak, and he has lost an extreme amount of blood, and the wound does not seem to be healing. It has been a huge shock to Mr. Potter's system, and we really cannot hope to see any recovery until the Auror's can determine the spell used, and even then, the shock to his body may be too great to make a recovery." The healer replied grimly. Just then Sirius burst through the door, "Lily, where's Prongs? Did they heal him? Can we see him yet? It was only a cut right?" then seeing everyone's expressions changed his tact, "O.k. What's the problem?"
Lily spoke first, "We don't now what spell was used. And even if we do know it, his body might be under too much strain to recover."
Sirius' face went from tense, to a deep anger, "I'm gonna kill that little rat, doing this to Prongs. No, I have a better idea. I'll torture him, then kill him using the exact same curse he used on Prongs. After I get it from using extreme torture and then I'll…"
"Or", Dumbledore cut in, "You could take this bottle of Veritaserum, and question him as to what spell he used on James. Possibly a much more legal option if you get Moody to approve it. He's the one on the interrogation, I believe. Sirius, Remus, If you will go, I think Miss Evans and I will stay here for the time being. You may return when you get the spell. Miss Evans", he motioned towards the ward rooms for serious injuries, "Lets go Miss Evans. You can go and see him now."