"Say that again, only this time more slowly."
"We were walking down to see Hagrid and Ogg, then Snape and Malfoy ambushed us. They asked us where James and Remus was. Lionel told them to shove it 'cause they were blocking the door to the grounds. 'Course they didn't. They just sneered, as usual, and they pointed their wands at KayCee and Lionel, and Nott came, pointing his at me.
"Lionel, KayCee and I wouldn't have any of that, so we also took out ours. Then, there was a bang, a flash of... purple, or was it blue? Anyway, it was a flash of light and KayCee was lying there, cold, and Lionel was duelling Snape and Malfoy, and Nott was trying to restrain me. I kicked of course, then he ran away, howling like the baby he is.
"Lionel was still duelling, and I went to KayCee, and trying to wake her up. Then McGonagall showed up, gave Snape and Malfoy detentions and went over to KayCee, felt her pulse and told us to come to the Hospital Wing. She waved her wand, and KayCee floated onto a magical stretcher, and I went to get you, so here you are," Bridget explained, wiping her hands on her jeans.
She started to go pale and whispered, "I thought she would be dead for sure. She was cold and everything!" Bridget blanched even more, then sunk onto a bench. Lily didn't know what to say, so she said nothing as her friend wallowed in sadness. Lily herself was in a state of shock, but of course none as serious as Bridget.
Madam Eller and her assistant, Madam Pomfrey, made their way over to the two girls.
"Miss. Williams is stable, but she's in a coma. It's a light coma, she'll probably wake in a few weeks."
Bridget gave a huge sigh of relief and gave a shaky laugh. Lily squeezed the edge of the bench and nodded at Madam Eller, who went over to another patient. Madam Pomfrey hurried after her, her heels clicking against the tiles.
Lily suddenly realised someone was missing.
"So where's Lionel?"
"In there," Bridget jerked her thumb, pointing at an empty classroom.
"Mind you don't disturb him for a while. He's very... touchy. It'd be awful, seeing your best friend, one that you had a terribly huge crush on, like that," Bridget added in a low voice, "Specially since KayCee has a 'bun in the oven' so to speak. This wouldn't be too great for the child."
"'Course not. I read in a book that the first few months are the most important for the baby," Lily said in a hoarse voice.
She knew that Bridget and herself were probably overreacting.
"Madam?" asked Lily, a tone of urgency in her voice as she realised another thing. Madam Pomfrey looked at Madam Eller, who was busy working with another patient, and hurried to them.
"Yes?"
"KayCee... she's expecting," whispered Lily.
Madam Pomfrey gasped, looking scandalised. Bridget gave a 'what do you think you're doing?' look to Lily.
"So, would it be possible for KayCee's... would it be possible for her 'bun' to receive food?"
Madam Pomfrey looked around, then whispered to Lily, "It is possible... but it's only just been approved..." she trailed off uncertainly. She sighed and gave a hopeless look to Lily.
"I'm only an assistant. I'm not even sure if I'm supposed to be in this field of healing. I'm probably suited to desk work at St. Mungos," she mumbled at Lily dejectedly. Lily thought quickly.
"Well... I think that you're a great assistant. You're better than those working at the desk job at St. Mungos. After all, they are failed assistants. You're not going to fail. You're the best young Healer that I've met. Maybe one day, you're going to be the Head Healer at Hogwarts, with a young Healer following you and asking for directions from you," said Lily, proud of her choice of words.
Immediately, Madam Pomfrey brightened.
"Really? You honestly think so?" she asked, her eyes shining with hope.
"Of course I do. I wouldn't have said it if I thought otherwise," replied Lily, smiling at Madam Pomfrey.
Madam Pomfrey paused for a moment, thinking.
"Alright... alright. I think I'll try it... Yes, yes, I think I will. If it fails – if I fail, then maybe I'll try another job... No use being a Healer if you don't Heal anyone..." muttered Madam Pomfrey. She glanced at Lily in an insecure way, and Lily smiled encouragingly.
Madam Pomfrey smiled back, and almost skipped back to KayCee.
"What did you do?" hissed Bridget.
"I helped KayCee's child have a better chance at survival."
"Survival? Survival? What is this, a jungle? Some sort of game? Do you realise that you've told an important secret to an assistant – "
"Yes, I do realise that. I believe that the assistant is trustworthy."
Bridget changed tactics.
"Then you have to realise that if it gets out somehow, KayCee's gone. It's a shame in the Wizarding World to be knocked up when you're still in school! She's not married! She'd be shunned; laughed at! An outcast! A single mother, she won't get a job – "
"And you think that would matter to KayCee? To be ranked bottom in a superficial list? In social life? Besides, it's not the 1950's! KayCee will not be so shunned that she wouldn't be able to cross the street! And what if she aborted the child? Would you want that? A being, killed before it had a chance to live! Would you appreciate it if you were killed before you had a chance to prove your worth to the world?"
"I almost was! I'm a Veela, abandoned by my parents, who died before I met them properly! My mother who was an outcast! My father who never knew I existed! Is that fair? Is it fair to be left without parents – "
"But you had parents! A family who loved you! A family of friends here, who love you for who you are, not what you are!"
The heated debate ended there when Remus walked past. Lily could see him wiping his tears on the edge of his sleeve.
After Lily gave Bridget time to calm down, Bridget walked over to Lily, who was curled up on the couch in front of the fireplace in the Gryffindor Common Room, rereading Great Expectations.
"Hello," mumbled Bridget, unsure whether or not Lily was going to snap at her.
"Hello," said Lily mildly, turning a page of her book.
"Lils, I'm sorry – "
"Think nothing of it. It was just a little disagreement."
"No, I will think nothing of it. I think that you were right and I was wrong."
"Oh?" asked Lily, glancing up at her friend. Bridget twisted her hands in her lap.
"Yes, I think that you were right. It would be unfair to both KayCee and her... offspring if the child died or got aborted. I think that telling the assistant was a good thing to do; and I trust your judgement that you think that she wouldn't breathe a word about KayCee."
Lily sighed, closing her book.
"You do realise that what we are discussing isn't child's play. It is very serious, and it could cost the life of an unborn, and maybe the life of the mother if she is desperate and affected by depression."
Bridget's eyes widened; she had obviously not considered that.
"So, as she's not present, we have to decide whether or not we feed the child while the mother's in a coma."
"What do you suggest that KayCee would want to do?"
"I think that KayCee is scared, confused and would not care currently if the child survives or not. She has a tough shell, one that has many cracks in it. The fear, and confusion sometimes shows in the way she acts, and in her eyes. I don't think that her opinion would count at the moment. Perhaps she would deeply regret it, perhaps not. So, it's the decision between us two girls."
"Speaking of girls, where's Lionel?" asked Bridget, straightening suddenly.
"I dunno. He's probably still in the classroom," shrugged Lily.
"Doesn't his opinion matter?"
"He'd be torn. He would, in a way, want the child to die, yet he would want what would make KayCee happy, and I think that he's realised that in the long run, having this child would make KayCee happy."
Bridget frowned.
"I don't like this, we're choosing to between life and death, for one or maybe two people."
"Well, we'll let the child live, shall we? Besides, if KayCee doesn't want the child, I know several good orphanages."
Lily paused, waiting for Bridget's answer.
"Yes, that-that's a good idea."
Lily smiled at her, and reopened her book. After a while, Bridget got up and went to her dorm.
"Goodnight, Lily."
"'Night Bridget," Lily replied before she went to the Head's Quarters and she soon fell asleep.
Musical laughter rang in Lily's ears as she abruptly woke. The laughter seemed familiar somehow. Yawning, she stumbled out of bed, and shuffled towards the sound.
Again, the door to James' room was ajar.
Why doesn't he close the door? Wondered Lily irritably.
However, she was distracted by glow of the pixies. They danced as they did before. Lily was just as entranced, and this time she sunk to the floor, watching them enjoy their small selves.
As the sequence ended, and as Lily grew more awake, one of the pixies held out a tiny hand in a shy manner, as though expecting someone to take it. The other pixie's smile faltered and he shot the female pixie a warning look, grabbed her hand and both disappeared in another wisp of smoke.
It was then that Lily realised that James had also been watching the pixies.
"I wonder..." Breathed James as he got up and paced the room.
"I wonder what would happen if I had taken that hand?" he looked back at the dish of ashes.
Lily slowly got up, and crept back to her room, leaving James in his speculation.