Fragments of Us
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Warnings: None for this chapter
Chapter 47 – Shattered
Poppy Pomfrey caught her breath when the Headmaster of Hogwarts hurried through the double doors of the empty Hospital Wing, guiding a stretcher before him. When she looked at the still, white form of the young woman and realized who it was, the stricken look on her own face mirrored Dumbledore's.
"Poppy, we need to activate the Annex – quickly. We cannot afford to have Umbridge discover the presence of Order members, particularly Kate, on the grounds," Albus spoke urgently, gesturing to the far end of the room where a tapestry of Humbert, first Healer at Hogwarts, covered the entirety of one wall.
Poppy led the way, while the Headmaster followed, still gently guiding Kate's form through the air. When they reached the tapestry, Poppy raised her wand and the fabric rolled up neatly, displaying an ancient, metallic shield that had been permanently embedded into a stone block. The block, darker than its neighbors, was distinctive in that it came from the site known to Muggles as Stonehenge, an historical and mystical place purported to have healing powers beyond those known to either world. It concealed a room that provided occupants an atmosphere of tranquility, peace and stillness designed to maximize the potential of magical healing. It also provided protection from outside influence or discovery, ensuring that Dolores Umbridge would not find it. It was a room at the heart of the school and its occupants had the considerable protection of Hogwarts while within its walls. It was in this room that Kate would rest and Healer and Medi-witch would treat her. It was here, also, that Order members could safely gather in these first few hours to wait for news on her progress. Albus unsheathed his wand and, with Poppy, touched the five sections of the shield in turn, each murmuring the required incantation. Silently, the shield began to glow and expand until it encompassed one-third of the wall before them. The center of the shield shimmered and then popped out into the shape of a large, intricately engraved doorknob. "Alohomora", Albus said, softly then watched as the doorknob clicked, turned and the door slid inward, revealing the room beyond.
"Come, Poppy," Albus took her elbow. "Healer Selkirk will be here momentarily. Kate needs to be settled so that no time is wasted once she arrives."
Poppy gently settled Kate on the bed in the center of the room and watched as it immediately adjusted itself to fit her height and to accommodate Poppy's immediate diagnostic needs. Through the entire process, Kate never moved, other than a periodic shudder that Remus assumed was left over from Malfoy's attack.
Albus looked around the room, noting that it was stocked with all manner of herbs, potions, magical and non-magical bandages and other instruments used by those in the Healing profession. One wall held up-to-date volumes of medical journals from all areas of Healing, arranged by malady to facilitate use.
A three-quarter wall separated the patient's side of the room from another section, which acted as a sort of Great Room where friends and family could gather to await the recovery of their loved one. Individual bedchambers, each with its own, private bathroom, were located off the Great Room and a small, fully appointed kitchen was built into the opposite end. The room was charmed to withhold sound from the patient, ensuring their rest and, hopefully, their prompt and complete healing.
A slight sound caught Albus' attention and the Headmaster hurried to the Hospital Wing to address it. There, he found Remus, Tonks, Bill Weasley and Healer Selkirk entering the room.
"Molly," Albus greeted her warmly. "I wish that we were meeting on a happier occasion."
The Healer's face was sad. "Such a nice girl, Albus. Please, from what Remus has told me, I need to see Kate immediately."
At his nod, the group made their way to the Annex door, with only Albus and the Healer moving into the room. The others stood gaping at the doorway, stunned at its appearance. All had spend countless hours in the Hospital Wing for a variety of illnesses and injuries – particularly Remus – and no one remembered seeing this room.
The Headmaster noted their stunned faces and, after watching Molly move swiftly to Kate's bedside, he came back to them.
"The Annex," he said, watching comprehension dawn on Remus' tired face.
"An ancient room with magical healing and protection properties," the werewolf said softly, peering inside. The Healer had conjured a privacy draping around the circumference of Kate's bed and, as a result, neither she nor her patient was visible.
"Very good, Professor," the older Wizard replied. "And there is a room for family and friends to gather throughout the treatment to be close to the patient. It is completely undetectable. If someone not associated with the patient – or given express permission to access the room were to be standing directly in front of it, they would be unable to see anything but the tapestry. I am a man of caution, however, and will ensure that the door is not left open at any time that I am not personally here." He paused and looked at the exhausted and worried faces around him. "You should go inside and sit down. Have some tea to take off the chill," he added, his own concern for them evident in his tone and demeanor.
Bill and Tonks thanked him and, with one last look at Remus from Tonks, made their way into the Annex. Remus stayed behind, putting his hand on the Headmaster's arm. "I need to speak with you," he said.
Dumbledore nodded and the two men entered the Annex, where Albus led them to one of the bedrooms and closed the door. Remus cast a silencing charm then sat in one of the two chairs in front of the small fireplace while the elder wizard seated himself in the other.
"What is it, son?" Albus asked, kindly.
"When Kate's condition is known, we will need to communicate with Sirius. It will need to be in person and I fear that it will be impossible to keep him at Headquarters knowing that Kate is here and, possibly, badly hurt," Remus spoke urgently.
Albus nodded. "I've thought of that, but the danger is too great to permit. With Umbridge ensconced in this school, even you are in danger here."
Remus was determined to remain firm. "But not in this room," he insisted. "It is unplottable, unrecognizable, invisible to all but we few. Umbridge has no idea of its existence; she's never been bright enough to do much research, after all. You are the Headmaster of this school and you have extraordinary power. You can allow direct Apparition into the Annex; I know that you can. Albus, this is not some 4th year hormonal entanglement. These are not two children. Sirius and Kate have given almost everything in this fight and they are committed to each other. Losing her is his greatest fear. I cannot allow him to be imprisoned in that hideous house when we can make this happen and they can be together. Please Albus. I'm not above begging and will do so if that's what is required for you to agree." Remus stopped speaking, the intensity of his words draining the last of his energy.
"Very well, Remus," Albus said, seeing the truth in Remus' impassioned plea. "But we must wait until Healer Selkirk gives us her full report before we make any such move. It shouldn't be long."
"Thank you," Remus said, sincerely.
They rejoined Bill and Tonks, to wait for the Healer to complete her examination. Thirty minutes into their wait, Kingsley joined them. Spear and Mulciber were in custody in the Ministry's holding cells. They were hopeful that the overnight incarceration might prompt Spear, at minimum, to provide useful information as to the location of the remaining nine Death Eaters and, of course, evidence against Lucius Malfoy. If not, both would be transferred to Azkaban to await trial.
Albus stood and looked over at the doorway leading to the patient's area. Remus and the others followed his gaze and watched as Healer Selkirk entered the room, fatigue and sadness etched on her kind face. Remus felt his heart sink into his stomach and Tonks' fingers clutch at his arm as Albus indicated a comfortable chair and invited the Healer to sit down.
"Molly," he began. "How is she?"
"She was subjected to repeated application of the Cruciatus Curse over an almost sustained period of approximately five minutes," the Healer reported, her voice quiet. She remains unconscious and may be so for several hours, at least. The initial convulsions have stopped, but her nervous system has been through an enormous strain so there are repeated, periodic tremors. The Dark magic used in the casting of this curse was particularly … vicious. I've given her potions to help manage the pain, replenish her energy levels and soothe her nerves. Sleep will help the healing process, as well. She's also suffered some deep bruising. I don't want to use more magic than necessary until we know the extent of the effect of the Cruciatus Curse. For now, I will let them heal naturally."
Remus longed for the answer to the one question he couldn't ask: Tonks was not aware of Kate's pregnancy. "Will she recover?" he asked instead.
Molly looked at them all. "I will be candid. If you're asking me if she will live, I believe she will. 'Recovery' is another matter. She's been tortured, Remus; it wasn't over weeks or days or even hours, but the malevolence with which the curse was applied was unlike anything I've seen in recent memory. She is a strong woman and she will need every ounce of that strength – both emotional and physical – to get through this."
"We need to tell Sirius," Tonks said quietly to Remus, who nodded in return.
"Albus, may I Apparate from here?" he asked the older Wizard. In response, Albus rose and, raising his hands toward Remus, he murmured an incantation.
"You may Apparate in and out of this room," Albus said to him. "I will do the same to Sirius when he arrives; you'll need to do a Side-Along Apparition this first time."
Remus nodded, taking a moment to squeeze Albus' arm. "Thank you again, Albus." He nodded to Tonks then, picturing the kitchen of Grimmauld Place, he turned on his heel and Disapparated.
XXXXXXXX
Seconds later, Remus was standing in the kitchen of Headquarters. He looked around quickly, but Sirius was not there. On a hunch, he headed down the hallway to the porch and was rewarded by the sight of his best friend, sitting in what had become Kate's chair, reading.
"Padfoot," Remus called quietly and Sirius' head snapped up from his book at the sound of Remus' voice. Remus' heart clenched as he saw Sirius' gaze dart into the hallway behind him. When he did not see the person he sought, Sirius' face paled but he straightened his shoulders and rose, moving toward Remus with the air of a man walking to the gallows.
"Mooney," he whispered.
"I need to speak with you," Remus said, advancing into the room and sitting in Sirius' chair. "Come."
Sirius stared at him for a moment, blinking rapidly, then returned to his chair and lowered himself into it, his eyes never leaving Remus' face. "She's gone," he said, his voice breaking. "I've lost her, too."
Remus shook his head "No, Padfoot, Kate's alive," he said. "She's at Hogwarts; in a special area of the Hospital Wing called…"
"The Annex," Sirius whispered, his expression one of pure fear. "She's been tortured."
"I should have known that you would know about the Annex," Remus said. "Yes, Sirius, she's suffered the Cruciatus, I'm so sorry."
Sirius' face grew dark and, if Remus had not been familiar with Sirius' temper, he would truly have feared for his own safety. "Who?" he asked, his voice shaking.
"Lucius Malfoy," Remus replied. "She's unconscious, or was when I left. Albus has brought in a Healer from St Mungo's to treat her. Bill, Tonks and Kingsley are there now."
Sirius spoke urgently. "Make sure she's never alone, Remus. Take turns, do what you have to do to make sure someone's always there with her. Make sure she knows you're there. And...tell her that I love her."
Despite the gravity of the situation, Remus smiled at his friend. "Tell her yourself," he said softly.
For the second time that night, Sirius' face shot up toward Remus'. "What?"
"Tell her yourself," he repeated, standing. "Sirius, I'm not here to give you a report and leave. I'm here to bring you back with me. I'm here to bring you to Kate."
Sirius stared at Remus for a moment longer. Remus watched his eyes fill, but was not expecting the man to leap from his chair and throw his arms around Remus neck. He recovered quickly, however, and hugged Sirius tightly for a moment. Sirius stepped back, rubbing at his eyes. "Thank you, Mooney," he croaked. "I know this is only happening because you fought for it."
Remus smiled. "Maybe a bit," he acknowledged. "But I didn't have to fight very hard."
"Thank you," he said again. "Can we go now? Can you take me to Kate now, Mooney?"
Remus extended his arm and Sirius linked his own through it. Moments later, they were both standing in the Great Room of the Annex.
It took Sirius a moment to acclimate himself; he had not Apparated any appreciable distance for quite some time. As he paused, Tonks approached him and hugged him tightly. Sirius embraced her in return. "You ok, kid?" he asked her.
Tonks could only nod. Sirius patted her cheek then saw Albus standing a few feet away. He strode over to him and looked him directly in the eye. "Thank you for this," he said. "May I see Kate, now?"
Albus nodded and gestured toward the side door. Sirius strode to the door, pausing just at the threshold to take a deep breath. He walked into Kate's area of the room, his eyes never leaving her.
She's so pale, he thought to himself as he approached the bed. The deep red of her hair was a stark contrast to both the linen on which it rested and her complexion. A chair had been placed next to the bed and he sat down in it, moving it as close as possible and reaching for Kate's hand. He drew a sharp breath at how cold her skin felt and the slight tremble of her body reminded him of exactly what she had been through.
Sirius watched Kate's face and was disconcerted to note that not a single eyelash flickered. It was this stillness, so alien to her even in normal sleep that was most disturbing to him. He took several deep breaths in an effort to calm himself.
His life was lying in this bed.
Sirius began to shiver from a mixture of fear and the chill that permeated the castle. He was grateful that Kate didn't feel it as she was lying under a warming blanket designed to keep her body temperature at a normal level.
Sirius brushed his fingers against her cheek then leaned over and kissed her lips gently. "I love you," he whispered. "I don't know if you can hear me, but if you can, Katie-girl, know that I'm here and that I won't leave until I can take you with me." He watched her face closely but there was no change, no discernable movement. Her hand trembled in his as another of the post-Cruciatus tremors ran through her system.
The thrum of magic in the room was palpable and it peaked in the area immediately around and over the bed. Sirius knew that this room was possessed of healing powers over and above anything found at St. Mungo's. Despite knowing that Kate was in the absolute best place, Sirius was suddenly consumed with the need to speak with someone - Albus, preferably - who knew of her condition, to hear all of the details for himself. Sirius brought her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers gently. "I'll be right back, love," he said softly. "I won't be long." With a final look at her still face, Sirius rose and went to the doorway of the adjacent Great Room where he saw Remus, Kingsley, Albus and a woman he didn't recognize in deep discussion. He quickly withdrew back into the room, not wishing to be seen by anyone other than those who already knew about his situation.
He cautiously peered around the corner, then reached into the pocket of his robes and withdrew one of Fred and George's Extendable Ears. Probably the only one Molly didn't confiscate, he thought to himself. Fitting that I would have it! Sirius bent down and placed the magical ear at his feet then withdrew his wand and gently sent it along the floor until it was close enough to the group to pick up their conversation but could easily be withdrawn if in danger of being noticed.
"…complication to her overall condition," the older woman was saying. "She's been weakened by her injuries and the curse-related trauma to her system is, in my opinion, significant."
Remus spoke up. "Is there a way to know the extent of the damage, if any?"
The woman shook her head. "It's too soon, really. There have been so few cases like this one, as you can appreciate, I'm sure. Really, all we can do is wait."
"Have you no idea, Molly, of the time-frame for knowing? Surely, there must be some point of reference – if not for this specific curse, then for general spell damage and the complications it brings to this overall condition?" Albus reasoned.
Sirius frowned. What 'overall condition'? He thought back to the weeks just after the holidays and recalled her 'nervous stomach', but she'd been fine since then.
"Perhaps," the woman – no, Molly – was saying. "I'll have to research a bit further. For now, though, I'd like to get back to my patient."
Sirius gave a great tug on the string and managed to get the device back in his pocket before the group broke up. Casting about for a plausible hiding place, Sirius saw a door close to the near corner of the room, on the opposite wall from where he stood. He hurried over and yanked it open and found a small storage closet. Slipping in gratefully, he closed the door almost completely, leaving a slight crack through which he could observe the Healer as she worked over Kate. As he stood, he watched as the Healer wove intricate patterns over Kate's body with her wand as a magical pen flew across a parchment on the bedside table, recording the detail of her readings. Sirius knew next to nothing about Healing – just a few rudimentary healing spells that he used on Remus the morning after his transformations. The shimmering arcs of color floating above the various parts of Kate's body were a mystery to him and he wanted nothing more than to be able to discuss Kate's condition with her Healer. One more thing I can't do for her, he thought to himself. As he watched, Sirius noted that the arcs over Kate's ankle, head, shoulder and abdomen were paler and shimmered less than those hovering elsewhere. As he could see a dark bruise covering most of her left shoulder, Sirius assumed that these were the areas of greatest injury. With a final wave of her wand, the arcs disappeared and the Healer approached the head of the bed to retrieve her parchment. Sirius watched as she paused and touched Kate's cheek gently, her face full of care and concern. I like her, he thought to himself. We can trust her, Katie-girl.
He stayed hidden away for a few moments longer until the Healer turned and, parchment in hand, returned to the Great Room. When he was certain she would not return, he stepped out of the storage room and closed the door quietly behind him. A noise from the opposite doorway made him jump and he looked up to see Remus standing there.
"Ok, Padfoot?" he asked, quietly. At Sirius' nod, he entered the room and went over to Kate's bedside. Sirius followed.
"Has there been any change?" Sirius asked his friend.
Remus shook his head. "Healer Selkirk – Molly – is reading the testing results now. We should know in a bit, I would suspect."
"I like her, Remus," Sirius said after a few moments. "She cares about Katie."
Remus nodded. "Yes, I got that impression, as well."
"She doesn't know about me, does she?" Sirius asked.
"No, Padfoot, she doesn't."
"We can trust her, can't we? We know that she's on our side, right?" Sirius looked at Remus.
"I believe so, but we can speak with Albus if you'd like," Remus replied.
"I want to be able to move freely here. I'm staying, Remus. I'm not leaving Kate until she can come with me. I promised her that earlier and it doesn't matter whether or not she heard me, I know what I promised," Sirius paused. "I also want to be able to talk to the Healer myself, ask questions for myself."
Remus placed his hand on Sirius' shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Let me go and see if Albus can speak with us now."
Moments later, Remus returned with the Headmaster in tow. Albus nodded to Sirius, but went over to Kate before he spoke. He touched her hand gently then returned to where Remus and Sirius were standing.
"Remus tells me that you would like to have Molly Selkirk made aware of your situation," Albus said to Sirius, who nodded in reply. Albus smiled warmly. "You are absolutely correct in feeling that she can be trusted. It would certainly allow you more freedom of movement, as you will both be staying here during Kate's treatment. I don't expect that the storage closet is very comfortable for you."
Sirius gave him a small smile. "I've been in worse places, Albus."
The older wizard's face grew more solemn at that comment and he leaned over and patted Sirius' arm affectionately. "You've been through more than your share of hardship, my boy," he said. "Come with me."
A few moments later, the three wizards walked into the Great Room where Molly Selkirk was just finishing her review of Kate's chart. She rose to greet them and Albus brought Sirius forward.
"Molly, please let me introduce you to Sirius Black," Albus said, smiling.