Time Heals Everything

Later the Order arrived inside the hospital wing. Albus had lifted the apparition spells around Hogwarts for their easier and faster return. Madam Pomfrey in her apron and robes was a flurry of activity lying both Minerva and Molly into the nearest beds.

Luckily the Hospital Wing was empty, except for Ginny who had helped her prepare everything for the arrival of the two patients. Ginny had been waiting for the Order's arrival. After all her whole family was in the Order and her mother was a victim of these awful death-eaters. And Professor McGonagall too. She wanted to know that both would be alright in the end. She wanted to see with her own eyes that her mother was still alive.

Albus starred at Minerva, lying motionless in one of the beds. Gently he brought Poppy to a halt and asked her quietly:

"How is my wife? Will she be alright? Can you help her?"

"I don't know yet, I haven't checked her yet. Poor woman! She is in shock, Albus. How could they do that to her?" Poppy asked him repulsed. Anger was a constant companion to her in the last days and now it flared anew, seeing Minerva obviously broken.

"I'm afraid that…She won't remember anything if you think that would be better. I could obliviate her. She is in Hogwarts now and she's save."

"I don't know, Albus. It is better for her to know, I guess. She will be altered and she has to know what caused it. She is strong enough to handle the truth." Poppy scooped a bottle of dreamless sleep potion out of her pocket, which she had always on her. Turning away from Albus she pretended to check how much was left in the bottle and added under her breath: "I hope she is strong enough to come back to the living."

She poured a generous amount into a goblet and lifted Minerva's head off the pillow. She tilted Minerva's head a little and poured the liquid into her mouth. Poppy waited a moment until her friend slipped into a deep peaceful slumber. She smoothed back Minerva's black hair, which was very untidy and there were splotches of blood in it, but right now she looked to be untroubled. Almost serene.

Albus meanwhile, remaining with the mediwitch, was hovering over the bed watching.

Poppy said anxiously, "At least she's asleep…I think I'd better examine her. Albus, please allow some privacy for a moment?"

"No, I must see what they did to her. I must know so that I can comfort her later and reassure you that I am not repulsed by her."

Poppy looked at him for a long moment. Trying to decide what would be better for both Minerva and Albus ... and for their marriage.

"I have to ask you to remain calm and quiet. Please, leave when you feel you can't handle anymore but do not get in my way. May I start now?"

"By all means," said Dumbledore politely. He stepped back from the bed and in a whirl Poppy enclosed the white curtains all the way around the bed to protect the three of them from the other Order members.

Poppy, using all her effort to stay calm, undressed Minerva. It was not that hard because alls he was wearing was a cloak, Sirius had put it on, and a blanket wrapped around her body. Once naked Poppy saw that Minerva's skin was covered with bruises and cuts.

"Oh no…poor Mina," said Poppy sadly. Tears were sting in her eyes. But she had to control herself and was not yet allowed to let them fall. Later in her bedroom she would cry for her friend.

Dumbledore was standing very still. He tried desperately not to betray his feelings in front of Poppy. She would kick him out. But he couldn't hold back the anger and hatred rising in him. He noted gravely, "Yes. I know they have been very rough on her, Poppy! She is weaker than i have ever seen her before. Please do your best."

Poppy's eyes widened and a fleeting look of horror flashed on her face. She had just found the courage to look below Minerva's navel. What she found there took her breath away. Minerva's inner thighs were black and blue with bruising and a constant trickling of blood came from between her legs.

Poppy stuck her hands into the woman's pelvis nervously. She tried to prepare herself but was obviously unsuccessful. She gasped and Albus peeked at her in alarm.

"What?"

"I don't ... I can't ...," she said nervously to Dumbledore. "She is bleeding! She ..."

Dumbledore felt apprehension rising inside him.

"What do you mean precisely? I can see all the cuts ..."

Poppy groaned in despair and reported, "Her walls are badly stretched, Albus. She also has internal bleeding. She is torn terribly. She could easily have bled to death. It's a wonder she's still alive."

"Can you do something for her?"

"I'm not sure, Albus, but I will be my very best."

"I know. Can I help you?"

"Yes, could you get the bruising balm from my office and the blood restoring potion and the scroll with the charm against haemorrhaging on it ..."

There was a loud clanking noise from the other side of the curtains. Albus had immediately turned to gather the required things. There were also several shocked gasps from the other Order members. Poppy closed her eyes and braced herself. Ignoring the obvious distress from the others, she went on:

"...and the potion against syphilis and other sexual diseases. Please, Albus."

There was a distinct pleading note in her voice.

"Of course, Poppy. Anything else?"

Everyone could hear the immense effort it took Albus to remain calm and not yell and curse openly. That just wouldn't help Minerva and right now his first priority was his wife's health.

"No, that is all at the moment."

Slowly Poppy went over every bruise, covering it generously with bruising balm, and every cut, cleansing it and healing it with a touch of her wand. After thus taking care of the outer injuries, she turned her attention to the inner injuries. Fortunately there were no broken bones but some muscles were torn slightly from the spasms of the Cruciatus-Curse. She healed them too and told Albus that his wife would need massaging for a long while after recovery to loosen the muscles and make them smooth again. While she was working on Minerva, poppy also glanced over to Molly's bed every now and again. Molly was healed by Narcissa and Ginny together. They were currently applying bruise balm on the many black, blue and purple blotches all over her body. Molly though had deep wounds, inflicted by a knife according to Severus. Poppy would have to take care of that herself. Minerva however had a number of wounds on her chest. Still bleeding lightly. Those cuts had obviously been reopened numerous times, never allowing them to heal.

"Ginny, Mrs. Malfoy, when you are done with treating the bruises call me over."

Ginny's hands trembled violently as she applied the balm to the various bruises on her mother's arms. She was very careful not to touch the cuts and cause her pain. Molly looked down at Ginny's red head which was bent low over her right arm.

"I'm fine, my little darling", Molly said quietly but firmly.

Ginny narrowed her eyes at her mother.

"Sure you are", she said. "You look like you've been run over by the Hogwarts Express. Or a herd of hippogriffs."

"Yes", Molly said, and touched her split lip gingerly. "Well. Yes. Other than that, though ..."

"Are you hungry? lay back, Mum, I'll make you some tea, then maybe a little supper."

Molly wasn't hungry, didn't want tea, and particularly didn't want to lay back. she wanted to sit next to Minerva. she could see clearly that something had occurred that had somehow broken that strong and independent woman. But Ginny was already getting a teapot from Madam Pomfrey's office and Molly couldn't find the proper words to stop her. All of a sudden , Molly seemed to have no words at all. She turned toward Arthur, helpless.

He understood his wife's feelings and stepped forward. He took the teapot from Ginny, murmuring something too low for Molly to catch. Ginny frowned at him, glanced at her mother, then back, still frowning. Then her face changed a little and she came toward Molly, looking searchingly into her face.

"Can I please hold you?"

Never before had Molly heard her daughter's voice this lost and scared. her arms opened automatically and wrapped around Ginny tightly when she flung herself at her mother. She had dreamed about her children while in the hands of those death-eaters. Trying desperately to cling to sanity and life. She had pushed all thoughts of Arthur away from her, it would have been too painful to think of him while Lucius ... Molly swallowed hard and began trembling.

"Are you sure you're all right, Mum?" The worried frown was back between Ginny's brows, but this time Molly could muster a few words of reassurance.

"Thank you, darling. That was very nice. The balm is helping a lot", she said with complete sincerity. "All I want just now is sleep."

"Go now and tend to your brothers", Arthur said softly. "I'll mind your mother."

Poppy had observed this little scene from the corner of her eye. It was very sweet to see Molly back in the circle of her family. But now her focus was drawn back to her patient. She had gently washed the blood of Minerva's chest and had revealed the deep cuts. Now she bent over them and gasped in shock. Albus was at her side in a flash.

"What is it?" she voice was panicked and scared.

Poppy couldn't speak. her gaze was fixed on Minerva's chest, eyes wide with horror.

In the other bed Molly closed her eyes. She knew what Poppy had discovered.

Albus bent over his wife and his jaw dropped in terror. There on Minerva's chest was the Dark Mark, carved into her flesh. Albus couldn't contain his anger. He just couldn't. his magic broke free and sucked the air from the room.

"Get him out of here and try to calm him! Severus! Alastor!" Poppy screamed.

Both men fought their way over to the infuriated Albus Dumbledore and dragged him from the room. Filius followed them, knowing that Albus would not calm down if he couldn't watch poppy heal his wife. He drew a circle in the air with his wand and in it appeared the image of the Hospital Wing.

Poppy waved her wand over Minerva's chest and slowly the wounds began to heal themselves. They were too deep, though, and would leave scars. Minerva was marked from now on.

From her chest, Poppy went further down and returned to Minerva's pelvis. She would now heal the tears in Minerva's vagina and anus. The tear in her anus was no problem at all. But when Poppy wanted to heal the vaginal tears, she noticed that they had not healed properly. To the contrary, the tears had been reopened with each rape and were now infected. Poppy bit her lip, hard enough to make it bleed. Tears were silently coursing down her face and falling onto her patient. When she wanted to heal those tears, she had to reopen them for one last time and clean them with the strongest cleansing potion she had in store.

It would be so much easier if Minerva was unconscious but Minerva was awake. She wasn't speaking and her eyes were starring sightlessly off into the distance but this would hurt her extremely. Poppy steeled herself and put her wand over Minerva's abdomen.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Minerva's scream echoed through the quite Hospital Wing. She started to thrash around but suddenly two arms wrapped around her holding her firmly.

"Shhh. Minerva, it's me. Molly. Everything is alright. We're in Hogwarts and Poppy heals you. It's fine. I'm here."

Molly spoke quietly and reassuringly, stroking Minerva's back with gentle hands. As suddenly as she had started fighting, she relaxed again. Clinging to Molly, she muttered something Poppy couldn#t catch.

At the other end of the room, Harry held Hermione in his arms. His friend was sobbing into his shoulder. Her strong mentor had apparently broken down completely and she couldn't stand the sight of it.

Albus had involuntarily caused the windows to explode and Filius started to doubt his decision to show Albus the healing of his wife.