She thought her life was over – but fate gave her another chance, in a world of magic. Now, running around Hogwarts with James Potter and his friends, she's about to make choices that will change the future in ways she never thought possible…
Marauder's Phase
CHAPTER THIRTY
Chocolate Cures Everything
"Shocking business…shocking…miracle none of them died…"
"Yes, I quite agree…I couldn't believe it though…Dementors here? What is this world coming to? Why did they come here?"
"The matter will have to be looked into, definitely…especially since four of my students were involved…naturally, these are not ministry Dementors we are dealing with?"
"Oh no, nothing like that Professor."
I didn't recognise the first voice, but the second two were quite obviously Madam Pomfrey and Professor Dumbledore. They sounded very close and yet very far away, and I kept my eyes closed. I wanted toile here, on this comfortable bed, forever.
"But Minister, how can this be so?" Came Professor McGonagall's voice, and the voices were getting nearer. So were the footsteps. I frowned, with my eyes still closed. Were they going to come and ruin my nice rest now?
"Minerva, I assure you that these matters will be dealt with in the meantime," And the voices and footsteps stopped just outside the door. "I must advise you to keep a very close watch on your students. The fact that it was Miss. Pax that was involved tonight may be no mere coincidence…"
"What do you mean by that, Minister?" Professor McGonagall asked sharply, and I realised at once that she and Professor Dumbledore must be talking to the Minister Of Magic.
"Oh, just that having an unregistered student suddenly show up at Hogwarts has created a lot of paperwork for us all – we're trying to track down the girl's family," (And here my heart gave a very painful jolt because I knew, without a doubt, that they would not find anybody by the surname of Pax). "And here she is getting herself and her friends attacked by a dozen or so Dementors!"
"You're saying it like this is her fault, but surely you cannot believe that!" Professor McGonagall sounded angry now, I could hear the same tone in her voice that she used when she yelled at Peter Pettigrew for something or other he'd done. "Minister, I must ask that you…"
"Please, both of you keep your voices down!" Madam Pomfrey said, also angrily but in her own way. "My patients are all trying to rest, I've just spent half an hour calming down Mr. Lupin and Mr. Pettigrew, and telling them they couldn't stay up here which did not impress them…they would have slept out here in the hall if I hadn't told them to go back to their common room…"
"Well I wonder why," Professor McGonagall said. "You hardly ever see those four out of each other's company and, once Miss. Pax arrived, she and Miss. Evans seemed to become a part of their group. Mr. Lupin was quite distraught even after his and Miss. Pax's Patronus charms chased off those Dementors…"
So I had done it after all.
I sat bolt upright in bed and opened my eyes, squinting around me into the bright hospital lights. On the bed to my right I could see Sirius, lying pale-faced and very still, except for his chest, which was rising and falling with his deep, even breathing. He was alive.
To my left was Lily, also alive and, two beds over was James, also not dead.
The enormous relief I felt slammed into my chest so hard, that tears found their way into my eyes and slid down my face. I reached behind me and took my pillow, clutching it to my stomach, just so happy that we were all alive and well. We were alive – and I had helped.
Remus had done most of the work though, and he should be here…I had to find a way…somehow…
To tell him how I'd managed to conjure up the Patronus charm this time.
I didn't know how but, for now, all I wanted was to see his face, the face that had encouraged me to fight for our lives.
For our souls.
"Yes but knowing what we know about the girl…should we not tell her that she…I mean, these are dark times, dark times indeed…and if the girl is truly what you say she is, then…" The Minister trailed off, and the call died in my mouth. Were they talking about me?
What did they know about me?
"Minister," Dumbledore said in a quiet voice. "I hardly think that she needs to know…the graveness of the situation is not something she needs right now, not with exams coming up…and she is too young even now to bear the responsibility of such a position. I think that there will be plenty of time for her to learn all of this later, when the need arises…for now, let her rest, and enjoy herself, while she can…"
"Alright then, if you think it best for us to wait…"
"I do." Dumbledore sounded firm, and I decided that I had heard enough
"Madam Pomfrey?" I called out in a soft voice, hoping she could hear me. I was suddenly very afraid to speak, and for the life of me I knew not why. I glanced over at Sirius, still sleeping soundly beside me, and felt my heart relax. "Madam Pomfrey?"
The doors to the hospital wing opened, and Madam Pomfrey came bustling in, followed by Professor McGonagall, Professor Dumbledore, and a man I did not recognise.
My attention was on Madam Promfrey. She was carrying the largest block of chocolate I had ever seen. It looked like a small boulder. I stared at it.
"Ah, you're awake." She said, smiling at me.
"Yes, Madam Promfrey umm…" She had begun breaking the chocolate apart with a small hammer. I hoped she'd let me share it with Sirius, Lily and James, or else I'd come out looking like a walrus. "Can…can Remus and Peter come in now? Please?"
"Not now." Madam Promfrey said fussily, handing me piece of chocolate that looked like the All-Spark Shard from Transformers. I stared at it incredulously. She couldn't actually expect me to eat it, could she?
As if she read my mind, Madam Promfrey fixed me with a steely glare. "Eat!" She ordered and, just to keep her happy, I took a small bite off the shard, and felt warmth spread suddenly from the tips of my fingers to my toes. I sighed. I should've expected that. In this world, chocolate cures everything.
As if awakened by the presence of chocolate, Sirius' eyes suddenly fluttered open, and he sat up. In about three seconds, Madam Promfrey had handed him a piece of chocolate, which he accepted much more readily than I had.
"Thanks," He said, before turning to me and, reaching across the gaps between our beds, took my head. "Emmy…are you…okay?" He asked, looking right into my eyes.
Seeing him alive, when I'd thought we would all be dead, made tears slide down my face again, and I nodded silently before taking the largest bite of chocolate in the history of the world.