Blood and Healing

A/N: This is part of the rpg Blood and Healing located at bah-rpg on lj. All post will be posted there first, then here a day later. The RPG is DH compliant and runs in real time.

Padma Patil- From Hogwarts to Healer

One of the Patils. Parvati's twin. A lot of time that is how I am viewed. It can be difficult to have an identical twin, especially one that's often in the spotlight. Yet, I am more than those things. I'm Padma.

When we were younger, we were inseparable. She and I were best friends. We told each other everything. We could finish each other sentences and could even tell what the other was thinking without a word passing between us. Only our parents were able to tell us apart, until our tenth birthdays. Mum and Dad gave us both necklaces with our first initials on it. Mine was silver, while Parvati's was gold. Perhaps that is why I grew to favor silver, though that could also be due to our houses.

It was shocking, at school, that we were separated into two different houses. It was hard to not always be with my sister. We had some classes together and saw each other often. However, over the years, we started to drift apart. She became best friends with Lavender Brown. We still were close, as twins are, yet there was distance there that hadn't been there before Hogwarts. Our interests changed. She started to focus more on wizards and looks while I continued to study. I made friends, but not any I was close to, like Parvati was with Lavender.

When we signed up to be a part of Dumbledore's Army, we became closer though. In some ways, it was like having my best friend back. While I was glad we knew how to fight, I hadn't expected the need to use what we learned.

The attack on Hogwarts was horrible, resulting in the death of Headmaster Dumbledore. My parents had wanted us to leave school, but Parvati and I protested. Finally, we were allowed to return. Yet, school was worse than it had ever been. I was hit by the Cruciatus Curse more than once and eventually fled with other DA members to the Room of Requirement.

I fought side by side my classmates when Voldemort and the Death Eaters attacked. I even saw him be killed by Harry Potter. Parvati and I were reunited with our parents, who had been forced to go to India without us. They had been attacked more than once and it would have been likely that they could have been killed if they had stayed.

Once we were finished at Hogwarts, we went to India with them, even though Parvati and I were of legal age. I was grateful for the change. I spent my days in the warm Indian sun, exploring the various temples and the nature surrounding the city we were living in. The nightmares I had been experiencing since we went to the Room of Requirement slowly faded. And I met a boy who would change my life.

The scent of the lotus blossoms surrounded me in the humid, jungle air. I close my journal and lean my head back against the tree I am sitting by.

I hear an odd rustling and open one eye just to see something jump down from the tree. I scream and jump to my feet as quickly as I can, stumbling on the hem of my sarong. That's when I hear laughing.

It's a young boy. He can't even be ten yet. He is finding this very comical apparently.
"You shouldn't scare people like that," I protest.

"It was rather funny," he is holding his side.

"I thought you were a tiger," I admit.

"But a tiger would have jumped on you and you wouldn't have had a chance to scream," he answers matter of factly. It makes me shiver, despite the warmth.

"Are you scared?" He seems to enjoy this idea.

"No," I answer as I pick up my journal from where it fell. I brush off the cover, glad to see there isn't any damage done to it, then turn to leave.

"What's that?" he asks, reaching for it, but I hold it up over my head so he can't reach it, though he does try.

"It's my journal," I answer, walking down the path toward home again.

"What do you write about?" he asks, jumping in front of me. This child truly does not understand that I am trying to leave.

"Whatever I like. What I think, how I feel, things I see. Like boys jumping out of trees," I add.

"At least make sure you have my name. Aiman. A-I-M-A-N," he spells, looking proud, as if being written about in my journal is an honor. "And if you want something else to write about I know a place that very few know about. You have to keep it a secret though."

I can't help but be intrigued by this. "Alright. Just don't jump out of anymore trees."

He smiles. "I won't. And I promise, I'll protect you from tigers." He takes my free hand and starts to lead me down the path, keeping up a constant stream of chatter with only limited input from me.

I thought after that day, I wouldn't see the young boy, who stated he was nine, ever again. Yet, the very next day, I found him once again hanging from a tree. He became a constant shadow. At first, I used to be annoyed, having enjoyed my months of solitude in the jungles, returning at home only as the sun was setting. Parvati was more interested in clothing and the boys there, so I spent my days alone. Yet, Aiman did not seem to understand my want for silence and peace. Eventually, I found myself getting used to him. In fact, I started to enjoy having his company as I explored the jungles. Sometimes I might find him hanging from a tree, or waiting by one of the many paths. No matter what, he seemed able to find me. We saw amazing things together. We saw a tiger caring for her two cubs. A beautiful waterfall that led to a pool that was so clear, I could see the bottom without any trouble. Ruins from hundreds of years ago, still standing, majestic.

One day, Aiman convinced me to climb a tree with him, after I transfigured my clothing into jeans, a shirt and trainers.

"Padma?"

"Yes?" I ask as I grab another branch, pulling myself up a bit further, following him. I am focusing on where to put my feet and hands, trying to follow the same path he did.

"I'm going to marry you."

I don't know whether I should laugh or not. I manage to hold it back though, when he glances back and I see he is serious, a hopeful expression on his face.

"Marry me?"

He nods, begging to climb again and I follow. I'm not used to this type of activity. Climbing is much harder than it looks.

"Don't you think I'm a bit old for you?" I ask.

"No," he answered simply. "You're pretty though. And nice. I love you." He flashes a smile back at me and I can't help but return it.

"Thank you, Aiman." I pull myself up to another branch, I finally stop there, sitting on it. When he sees this, Aiman stops and sits on the branch above me. "Why don't you wait until you're a bit older before deciding who you will marry."

"I'm almost ten," he protests.

"I'll make you a deal. Bring it up again when you're twelve, alright?"

He thinks this over then nods. "Alright."

These times don't last though. I know I can't spend the rest of my life in the jungle, and my parents don't help. They protest that I need to be with peers my own age and think about either marriage or a career.

Parvati had decided she wanted to move back to London and wanted me to move with her. It was an odd request, since our time in India had led to us growing further apart. Yet, maybe it would help bring us closer. Yet, could I give up life here? I was beginning feel at home in India.
Then, in an instant, all that changed.

"Aiman," I glance around, nervous. "We have to get back, please."

"Are you scared?" he asks. I manage to see the full moon through the thick foliage and nod.

"Yes, are you happy now?"

He takes my hand and smiles. "Alright. Though I will protect you," he assures me, a spear in his hand. I wish he had a wand. I do, but I'd feel better if we both did.

We start to walk back, much slower than I'd like.

I freeze when I hear a howl. It's far off, but still too close if I can hear it. I look around, a bit nervously.

"Padma, I'm going to keep you safe."

"I know," I manage a smile, though it is forced. Something about tonight feels different. I
feel nervous and can't help looking over my shoulder. I feel as if someone is watching us and I pull out my wand, glad Aiman and his family are made up of witches and wizards. It would be hard to explain any other way.

Aiman drops my hand and scrambles up a tree before I can protest. "Aiman!" I call to him.

"I'll be right down. This has some of the best fruit in the area."

"Come down here right away," I protest, feeling a bit panicked.

"Then you go."

"I'm not going without you," I answer. Then, I hear a cracking sound. I wheel around, my heart pounding. I see nothing at first, then glowing eyes and I hear a low growling sound.

"Aiman…Aiman," I whisper. No answer. "Stay up there," I manage to whisper a bit louder as I slowly back away.

My heel catches on a root and I fall back, losing my wand. I scramble to my feet and see the werewolf rushing toward me. Panic overtakes me and I start to run as fast as I can, hitching my sarong up so I don't trip on it, feet flying faster than ever before.

I steal a glance behind me and see nothing. I turn back and stop short. There it is again. A werewolf.

I can't help it. I scream. How could I have lost my wand like that?

The werewolf comes closer then rushes to cover the distance before I can react. I'm certain I am going to die.

Then I see a flash as a figure leaps out. Aiman. He slams into the werewolf and jabs at it with his spear. "Aiman no!" I scream.

There is a blur of fur and cloth. I hear a snarl and a shout of pain. Then a howl and both fall to the ground. I rush over and see that the werewolf has been stabbed. It shudders, changing into a person before falling still, eyes wide open.

I turn away and go to Aiman. I see he is alright, then gasp seeing he's been bitten. He looks up at me, eyes wide, scared. "It's okay," I assure him, picking him up in my arms. Then I run for the village. There has to be something that can be done.

Aiman lived through his ordeal, but was forever scarred. Once a month, he changes into a frightening beast. A werewolf. He is kept locked up during that time. He stopped seeing me after that, ignoring me when I went to his house, and his family blamed me for what happened to him. It broke my heart and after three months of this, unable to even write in my journal, I returned back to London with Parvati, sharing a flat.

She decided to pursue a career in modeling, loving clothing, make up and dancing. On the other hand, I started training to be a healer, focusing primarily on children. I can't make Aiman better, nor can I change what has been done to him. However, I can help other children.
I work at St. Mungo's now, going out with Parvati when she insists, though her lifestyle is not one I would enjoy. I prefer books to bright lights and a comfortable pair of trainers compared to the latest fashion in footwear from France.

My life might not be that exciting, especially compared to Parvati's, but it is mine. She keeps insisting I go out more, mingle with people. I tell her, who knows, maybe I will. It is a New Year after all.