After having a lot of trouble with the last chapter, this one came quiet easily. hope you all enjoy; reviews would be appreciated.
Chapter 17: Blood
Theo didn't think about the crowd, or the broom, or the fact that it was Malfoy. He took off towards the Gryffindor goal posts, pointing his wand at Malfoy and shouting out the spell to slow him down. When Theo was close enough; and when Malfoy was falling slow enough, he conjured up a stretcher and caught the falling Seeker.
Not slow enough. Malfoy hit the stretcher with some force and bounced back up. Theo circled tightly around the stretcher, holding him down, and slowly they descended.
The other players started circling around them, but Madam Hooch kept them back. Theo could hear the crowd, could hear Smith, could hear Goyle shouting at him to hurry up and land so that Malfoy could be healed.
But Theo didn't hurry. Malfoy had a serious head injury, and more than likely a spinal one as well - that dislocated shoulder might not have been all that had been damaged in that second impact - Malfoy needed to be moved with the utmost care, and as slowly as possible.
Not that Theo didn't want to hurry up himself. Just sitting there looking at Malfoy's horrific injuries with no way to help him... he was defenceless, just like when -
I am not defenceless, I am getting him down in the safest way possible. I am assessing the damage done to him; his panting and shaking, but he isn't losing blood too fast. I can immobilize him just in case he does have a spinal injury, and then he won't be able to make it any worse as I stop the bleeding. See, I'm not helpless. This isn't like with Alice, I can help, I can make it right. Just don't panic! I need to make it right. For Alice.
Theo fought back his panic - he could not fall apart like he had yesterday, at a mere comment about Alice's death. He needed to be able to heal this bag of bones and blood that had once been Draco Malfoy.
You've seen blood before, and it didn't destroy you. Don't let Alice weigh you down; she would hate it if she stopped me becoming a Healer!
The panic was in its place, and Theo was certain that if there was life after death, then Alice would be next to him, helping him. He was almost to the ground now, and he was ready to help Malfoy. He looked over his patient again, trying to work out what else he could do.
He called out for someone to get Pomfrey; while he could save Malfoy, he wouldn't be able to fix him up enough to be moved. His skull was all smashed up, and through the blood Theo could see some specks of white stuff. There was a lot of blood - almost impossible to tell that Malfoy was a blond - and Theo kept expecting to have to fight off the panic... but maybe his inner monolog and the calming drought he had taken were working better than ever. Even the smell wasn't too much.
The smell of death. Blood and fear and shit and piss. Theo hoped Pomfrey wouldn't be too long... How long could he keep Malfoy alive without causing permanent damage?
Theo's feet were on the ground now. He eased Malfoy down, immobilized him, and made sure his airways were clear. They were clear, but Theo didn't want to risk pouring the painkiller potion down his throat. He got the syringe out of his emergency kit, filled it with the potion, and injected it just above Malfoy's heart. Then without a single thought of the crowd or his own feelings, he began work on the skull. On stopping the bleeding.
As the blood stopped flowing, Theo noticed that not all of it was coming from the head. Malfoy was crying, and the tears in his left eye were of blood. Blood and a black jelly seeping out of the corners of his eye. The vitreous humor - the black jelly that filled the eye and kept it round, usually only visible through the tiny opening that was the pupil.
If the vitreous humor was leaking... there was nothing Theo could think of that would cause it to leak anywhere but into other parts of the eye. Unless...
Unless of course the entire eye had been destroyed. If the whole thing had been ripped to pieces, then there was nothing that could be done. Sure it could be refilled and sewed up with magic, but the result would give Malfoy worse vision than if he had just been given an artificial magic eye.
It would have to been taken out. If it was leaking, then some of the discharge could get into the wounds in his brain. And Theo knew that Pomfrey would need easy access to his brain to stop any internal bleeding. An empty eye socket would be ideal.
But how could it have been ripped apart? His doubt said. Eyes are tougher than they seem; and it's not like Malfoy had been stabbed. If he was wrong, then Theo would rip out a perfectly good eye, heal the optical nerve so that the eye couldn't be easily reattached - and it wouldn't be feasible to reattach it anyway. The eye would dry out or get dirty, or 'die' once cut off from a blood supply. Theo could be ripping out a perfectly good eye... and what kind of Seeker would Malfoy be then?
It's Malfoy... the bastard who killed Leia, who taunted Hermione and Blaise. Why should I care so much?
It matters because I'll be the one doing it. The Hippocratic Oath remember? I can't judge my patients, I have to heal them. Now, should I remove Malfoy's eye? Or do I patch him up and wait for Madam Pomfrey? She'll know what to do... but most of that stuff will end up on his brain. He'll have brain damage as it is, but if I delay it...
Theo put it off and got back to the skull, he cleared away blood and other fragments. Now he could see some of the damage. He used a hair-loosening spell to swish Malfoy's hair out of the way, and now he could see the healed gashes, and the bulgers under the skin where skull fragments were sticking up at awkward angles. Theo had only been concerned with stopping the blood, but now he began to heal the bone. He made sure the skull remain fragile and slightly fragmented; Pomfrey would need to see where the worse damage was to fix the brain.
Her view shouldn't be obstructed by hair either. He used a hair loosening spell to swish Malfoy's hair away from the worst wounds...
And saw a bump.
He looked closer... that bump wasn't natural. And the red on it wasn't all blood. Rust... this had been on Malfoy's head a while.
No, not on... in. It was the tip of a tiny nail.
A medical instrument? Unlikely. But still not that safe to play around with.
Except Malfoy's eye wasn't looking so good. it was sagging, and sinking, and more vitreous humor was seeping out.
But how could that have happened?
Theo would have to pull it out to examine or heal it. Given the way it looked, Theo doubted Malfoy would still have much vision in it, but he was still a bit hesitant.
I'm not going to let the damage to his brain get any worse; if I make a mistake, it won't be because I was too scared to do anything!
Theo used a healing spell, even though he knew such spells were generally useless on eyes. Once confident he had no choice, he used his wand to slowly pull out Malfoy's eye.
It wouldn't move.
The nail! It was right above the eye, and if it was long enough to pierce his eye when he was hit...
It had to come out! It obviously didn't have any safety charms on it and if it had destroyed the eye, what was it doing to the brain?
Theo laid a cloth out on the ground next to him, and then removed the nail with a simple extraction spell. The spell made the nail disappear from Malfoy's head and reappear on the cloth.
I shouldn't feel sorry for those that are inferior to me. I shouldn't care what happens to those that are different... those dirty dirty muggles. They mean nothing! I am better than them!
Theo paused for a second as the strange thought entered his mind. For a second he remembered who he was, and that there was a crowd around him, his bloody and unconscious enemy, the thin nail on the cloth that seemed to be rotting away, and that Alice...
He pushed it all aside, concentrating only on shooting a healing spell where the nail had been, and then he began to pull the damaged eye out again. Slowly, gently, and despite the obvious damage, once it was out he kept it attached to the optical nerve. Just in case there was something Madam Pomfrey could do.
Now the socket was open, and Theo was able to poke his wand in and clear up some of the blood and vitreous humor. He then began to shoot his healing spell in there too. He wasn't at it long when Pomfrey joined him, followed closely by Crabbe and Goyle. He briefly told her what he had done. She thanked him and then told him to stand back with the other students. He thought maybe he sensed praise in her words... but she had no time to praise him. Malfoy needed her attention.
Maybe he should have stayed and watched her... he might have learned a lot... but he couldn't. Now that he wasn't so completely occupied with saving Malfoy, the blood was beginning to disturb him.
He had just ripped out Draco Malfoy's eye. And now he wondered if it really was necessary. It had been so gory, just like...
Theo couldn't stay there watching Malfoy. He turned and walked away, painfully aware of the crowd that parted for him... that looked at him with shock and awe and disgust. Never before had he wanted to hide so much.
Why do you want to be a healer? He asked himself did you think it was all spells and potions? Did you think there wouldn't be blood?
Yes, I knew there would be blood. But I'm not a defenceless little kid anymore. I can stop the bleeding! I can stop it! And I did stop it!
He went to the grandstand, and soon found a bathroom. He gripped the edge of the sink and fought down the urge to vomit. He had stopped the bleeding. He stopped it! STOPPED IT! Why did he still see Alice then?
He looked at his reflection. He was pale and bloody. But he didn't throw up.
He just gripped the basin harder and cried as Malfoy's face kept merging into Alice's. He cried as Malfoy's gasps turned into Alice's screams... and back into gasps again. He had stopped the bleeding, but all that had given him was a new nightmare. Had he really expected anything different?
But he didn't throw up or have another panic attack. He kept the flashbacks away. He just kept crying.
He looked up at the mirror again, and saw that some people had entered. Harry Potter, holding a strange map, and Hermione and Blaise, Xanthe and Weasley. Even Urquhart and Bletchery, and behind them, Professors Zabini and Flitwick.
No-one said anything. Professor Zabini just walked towards him with her arms outstretched, and he collapsed into her embrace.
With the support of his friends, he cried until he felt human again.
:Later:
"Is he going to make it?" Deepvoice asked.
"He will live" Dumbledore said "the question is whether or not he'll wake up again."
"I heard that he was treated by a student first. A Student!"
"Madam Pomfrey doesn't go to Quidditch games. Draco was lucky that there was a student medic on hand. If Mr. Nott hadn't been so quick then Draco would be dead now. None of the teachers at the Pitch would have been able to do what Mr. Nott did quick enough to help; we were right to let him treat Draco."
"Nott? Peter Nott's dirty lice-ridden son saved Draco?"
"Yes. If Draco wakes up, he will have a life debt to Theodore Nott."
"Well... so be it. If Draco wakes up, then I don't really care who I have to thank."
"Yes you do. It's in your nature to judge people. We need to stop the act; You're not detached enough for your Deepvoice persona to aid your Occulmency, and I need to know how this situation is effecting you. Lucius, I need you to talk to me as Draco's father."
Deepvoice completely blocked his mind. His first thought was that Dumbledore was no different from the Dark Lord; Dumbledore had needed Draco's mission to succeed, and now that Draco had failed he was through with the Malfoys. He didn't care about the fake personas and acting that Lucius was using to cover up his Occlumency - he had said his name, and now when the Dark Lord used his Legilimency he would notice something being concealed... would be able to find this fantasy and realise it's truth. Dumbledore had peeled the mask back already, and was trying harder to expose him.
"Lucius, this will not expose you to Voldemort" Dumbledore said "you're son is fighting for his life and your mind isn't organizing things properly. I merely need to befuddle you a bit and no-one will be able to make any sense of this. However, I need to know where your hart is. Because Draco has failed; even if he were to wake up tomorrow, his injuries won't heal enough for him to fix a vanishing cabinet - or to even walk up and down the stairs at this school - for a very long time. Draco is going to be transferred to St. Mungo's as soon as his neck is healed enough for him to travel, and Madam Pomfrey doubts that he'll be back this year. So Lucius, now that Draco has failed, what will happen to your family?"
His family. There was still hope; Narcissa's pinning of Pius Thicknesse was very important to the Dark Lord. Even though Lucius and now Draco had failed, their family was safe as long as Narcissa succeeded.
But what would people say about Draco? He hadn't been to see Draco yet - after this meeting he would leave and then Professor Snape would go to the manor to tell them what had happened - but he had read Pomfrey's report; Draco was damaged for life.
What use was he in the Death Eater world now? Now more than ever, Draco needed Dumbledore's world to prevail.
It was the thought of Draco being treated as an inferior in the world Lucius had for so long strived to create made him obey his former teacher. He removed his hood, his mask, and his voice disguiser. Now he was Lucius Malfoy once more.
"Are you alright Lucius?"
"Is that a trick question. Of course I'm not."
"No, of course not. Oh, you were right about the pin. Both about it not being fully absorbed and about its removal being inevitable. Mr. Nott had to remove the pin ... and it was still intact enough that we could hear the idea."
"You heard it?"
"'I shouldn't feel sorry for those that are inferior to me. I shouldn't care what happens to those that are different... those dirty dirty muggles. They mean nothing! I am better than them!' You know, I think I can see where you and Narcissa went wrong."
"Yes, we have also realized our mistakes. We used the word "inferiors" and also made him think he was "better than them". Of course, a child's mind can be moulded much easier than an adult mind, and he took "them" to mean not only muggles, but well, everyone. He sees the whole world as inferior to him, and as a result he has no empathy for anyone."
"Not only that, but you told him not to care about anyone who was different... which would be bad even in an adult, since everyone is different."
"It was one of Cissy's first attempts, and these things are rarely done on young children!"
But you did it! Both of you! You tried to alter your son's mentality... you wanted to control his mind, soul, and will."
"I know! I just... I knew he would end up like Julius if we didn't do something!"
"Your little brother? I remember the two of you getting along quite well in Hogwarts."
"It got worse after I graduated. If you knew Jules at all you would know that he wasn't like the rest of us. He took on everyone else's problems, he thought it was his responsibility to make everyone happy. Even the umm... you know."
"He married a Muggleborn woman. When I heard that I knew the two of you wouldn't be getting along anymore."
"It's just... he was such a great little brother. So talented, with his whole future before him. But he... he had to look at those people and care about them too. He wouldn't listen to reason... he just let his emotions guide him when it came to people."
"Empathy. And I believe that was one of the traits you had wished Draco had more of?"
"Had any of. Still had any of. He had plenty of empathy when he was seven. That's how this all started. He was lonely and had a window that could see the local muggle playground. He didn't see that many wizard children, and the ones he did get to play with he didn't really get along with. We should have known he would go to the playground."
"You said it yourself Lucius, wizard children and muggle children aren't any different. They just want to play and make friends and feel like they belong."
"He met this little Asian boy; most of the families in the town are white, so the other kids were really mean to that one little boy. The muggle society at its finest right?"
"Wizards have in the past been guilty of racism against other wizards. It is not simply a muggle fault."
"Well if you really knew Jules, then you'd know what he'd have done. And Draco was just the same; he befriended the little Asian muggle boy and helped him stand up to the bullies. Draco's first friend was a muggle."
"And because he made friends the way other children did, you had to change him."
"Julian took his Mudblood wife and fled to Australia. I have nieces and nephews that I'll never meet. I lost my brother to your muggle-loving crap; I wasn't going to lose Draco too!"
"Julian lost you to your muggle-hating crap Lucius! It is your beliefs that have caused all the harm here. You didn't lose Julian Lucius, you drove him away. Threatened to kill him! And because of your hateful beliefs, you've destroyed Draco too! Draco has spent eight years unable to have any sort of real relationship. And now that the pin is out, we have no idea what he'll be like if he wakes up."
"He will wake up! Not only that, but he'll be just, like, Jules! That's why I'm having this conversation with you, that's why I betrayed everything I ever believed in! Because I saw that the pin hadn't been absorbed. What we had given him was so totally against his nature that he couldn't absorb it all. Eight years and that way of thinking was still being rejected. I knew then that it never would be who he really was... and eventually it would come out and Draco would be just, like, Jules! Except, in my world someone like Jules would be killed. Don't say I destroyed Draco; I'll help you win this war... now that the pin is out I need to help you more than ever, because your muggle-loving world is the only one that Draco can be safe in!"
There was a long pause. Lucius was gripping the edge of Dumbledore's desk, struggling to hold back his tears. He noticed that Dumbledore wasn't looking at him. Lucius wondered if his whole world was really so twisted that he didn't deserve to be looked at. After all, look what had happened to Draco.
"I trust you Lucius" Dumbledore said "you may never come to agree with me, but you will do anything to save Draco. It often surprises me, when I meet a man so twisted and evil, and then I see that he can be redeemed after all."
"Not everyone can be redeemed."
"No. Only those that wish it can be redeemed."
"I don't wish to be on your side."
"You'll do anything for your son... it is the most purest form of love. Lucius, even if we disagree, we are on the same side here."
"Very well. I suppose I better get home so I can be told that Draco is in a coma and permanently disfigured."
"Lucius..."
"Yes?"
"I think your wrong about Draco waking up and being like Jules. He was driven by artificial hatred and intolerance... but beneath that, he was raised with your ideology. With your beliefs. I think he will wake up being the same Draco he was before the accident... except confused and in pain. Of course, with his empathy and compassion unlocked, I'm not sure if he'll stay that way."
"He won't. It's just not in his nature."
"Of course, Healer Patrov came up with another theory."
"Who?"
"His a Mental Healer from St. Mungo's. He says that the area responsible for memory has been damaged... however since the pin had a nice little imprint of what he was like at eight years old, those memories may be the clearest for him. Draco could wake up thinking his eight years old and planning a new way to get to the playground to play with his muggle friend."
"Maybe that would be for the best. But what would... did you say this Healer Patrov knows about the pin?"
"Yes, his spent the last hour studying it."
"Who else knows?"
"A lot of people. Mr. Nott was questioned by Aurors, and there are a lot of Healers working on Draco at the moment. Plus we had to tell his gang how he was going."
"You told all those people? You idiot! Don't you know what he will do if he finds out Cissy failed to make a successful pin for her own son?"
Dumbledore went pale... but after only a moment of horrid realization, he threw some floo powder into the fire.
"You come with me... I'll get my people to get Narcissa out of harm's way. I'll get Viper to try and distracted Voldemort. We'll get her out... but if something goes wrong, then you'll need an alibi."
Lucius followed Dumbledore through the fire place. He didn't want an alibi, he wanted to keep his wife safe as they waited for Draco to wake up. But he knew that it might already be too late... and in that case it was more important than ever that Lucius was able to serve Dumbledore.
He had to save Draco.
:Meanwhile:
Avery never liked killing other Purebloods, but he felt great satisfaction as bitchy Narcissa Malfoy cowered before him, her empty hands held up between her face and his wand.
"The Dark Lord is very disappointed in you Narcissa" He said "Was the control you promised even possible? Was someone supposed to come along after Thicknesse was in power - and in our utmost trust - and take the pin out? Would we have Thicknesse turning around and betraying us just because you were too incompetent - or too treacherous - to do a job properly?"
"I don't know what you're talking about. Please, just put the wand away!"
"You know perfectly well what we're talking about. Oh, but Hogwarts is slow to tell parents when their little kiddies are hurt, so you'd be surprised we knew."
"Hurt? What happened to Draco?"
"Xhang was one of the Healers who went to Hogwarts to treat Draco after his little Quidditch accident. He found out about your failed pinning and got word to the Dark Lord while they were yanking out Draco's eye."
"His... oh Merlin what's happened to Draco?"
"If I was you, I'd be more worried about what's about to happen to you rather than little Drackey. After all, he will probably live. If you can call being a one-eyed brain damaged gimp living. You on the other hand, have failed for the last time."
"Probably? No! No please, you have to let me see him! He needs me!"
"Don't worry Cissy. From what Xhang tells me, Draco wouldn't even notice if you were to visit him or not. In fact, he may never wake up again."
"No!"
"Oh yes. And if he did wake up, he'd probably wish he were dead."
"No! Oh Merlin no! Please you have to let me go to him!"
"You know Cissy, you're quite beautiful when you're begging for your life" He had been transfixed with the way her cries made her well busted chest heave up and down, and he couldn't help but eye the rest of her very attractive body. Oh, what is it that makes vulnerable women look so appealing?
"You know what?" he said "maybe if you could do a little something for me; make me feel good enough, I could prolong your life long enough for you to see your little brat one last time."
She looked at him with the terror many women had shown him before. But beneath that terror there was something else; a deep longing for what he offered.
"Yes" she said "please, anything. I'll do anything, but please let me see Draco!"
"You really are cute when you beg" he said, as he used his free hand to brush his robes aside and reach for the belt of his trousers.
He suddenly jerked his hand away as he heard loud cracks just outside the Manor. People were apparating here, but who? Back-up? No, that would be unneeded. Aurors? No, the Malfoys weren't traitors. Visitors? It didn't matter, he had to leave now.
"You have visitors Mrs. Malfoy. It looks as if our time together has been cut short. In your case cut short quite literally."
"Wait, no! Draco!"
"You'll see him in hell"
"Draco!"
"Avada Kedavra!"
She died quickly, with her son's name still on her lips and tears in her eyes. Oh she looked beautiful sprawled out dead on the tiled floor, but he had no time to admire her. He stepped into the nearest fireplace and flooed away just as the Order of the Phoenix forced the front door of Malfoy Manor open.
He felt no remorse.
:Later the Night:
Harry had retreated to his dormitory; the mood in the Common Room was just downright awkward. If they had won the game they would be celebrating, or if they had lost everyone would be moping, but the entire house seemed completely unsure what to do about this draw.
Or what to say about Malfoy. Most of Harry's housemates were happy to say that Malfoy deserved what he got. Most of the house were happy to rubbish him, and while Harry agreed with everything that was said, he couldn't help but hear that crack as Malfoy's skull split open. Or see the blood on Theo's Healer robes as he stood shaking over the bathroom sink.
Had he really wanted to hurt Malfoy that badly? He had bloodied Malfoy's face too, but he hadn't been sickened by that. Why was he now feeling sorry for that arsehole?
"Hullo Harry" Ron said, poking his head through the doorway "mind if hang out with you up here?"
"Of course. This is your Dormitory too."
"I know" Ron said, sitting down on the end of his own bed "It's just... I'm sorry Harry."
"What for?"
"Well... we came together well enough for the game, but things have seemed a bit well, strained since yesterday."
"Well, you were rude to me and ditched me."
"Yeah but... well, you lied to me."
"I didn't lie to you"
"You said I was the first friend you'd ever had. But, you were friends with Blaise Zabini long before you were friends with me."
"But, Ron I was four. I don't even remember being friends with Blaise."
"I remember meeting Luna when I was four"
"Well good for you. Ron, I didn't lie to you; I don't remember playing with Blaise Zabini when I was four"
"I thought I was special"
"Oh god. You are acting as if I'm a hot girl and Blaise is your rival"
"What the hell is that meant to mean? And why do I get the feeling that the idea came from Blaise? Hey wait... I'm not gay!"
"I didn't say that"
"Of course not, but it's what your implying. I don't fancy you Harry; you aren't that special!"
"Ron... hang on, are you gay? I mean, the way you're talking kinda makes me think that maybe, well...,"
"Oh for Merlin's sake Harry, if you must know, I fancy Hermione."
"Oh. ...Really?"
"Yes. Please don't tell her."
"You got it, not a word. When did this happen?"
"I don't know alright? Now will you stop saying I might be gay for you?"
"Yeah sorry. But what did you mean before then, about me being special?"
"I can't say. You'll just think I'm being all gay or sissy."
"I won't, promise."
"Well, Harry your famous."
"Don't remind me. And please don't tell me that that is the only reason we're friends."
"Of course not! It's just, you could have been friends with anyone. Malfoy was practically begging to be your friend, and his rich and comes from a good family, and he already had Crabbe and Goyle... I actually thought you would shake his hand."
"What, and make friends with that git?"
"I know, stupid right? But Harry, you didn't have to stick with me. You could have been best friends with anyone. But you stuck with me... ugly stupid poor Ron Weasley."
"You're not ugly or stupid. And I don't care how much money you have."
"I know... but I've always been the least talented and likable in my family, and even at Hogwarts it was the same story. Yes I have Hermione, and Neville and Dean and Seamus... but you're the only one who has ever thought that I'm well, awesome."
"That's not going to change just because I'm friends with Blaise."
"But it is changing! You share more classes with him then me, and the two of you talk about muggle things that I don't even understand. He makes you laugh and his more talented than me at everything. I've been replaced. And now I'm not even the first friend you've ever had."
"That's stupid! I can't just replace you; you're my best friend. And you'll always be my best friend. And the very first friend I ever remember having."
"Thanks Harry. But I can tell that... never mind. So, what do you think is going to happen to Malfoy?"
"Theo reckons he'll have permanent brain damage and will probably lose his eye for good."
"Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. His lucky Theo is well, Theo. If I was medic I would have just let him fall."
"So would I. But, I think I would regret it later."
"Why? With Malfoy gone, I bet things will start to quieten down. Unless Crabbe and Goyle can lead this Slytherin Inquisition."
"I don't think Malfoy was the leader of that. I think it was Parkinson. Either way, they all seemed to be gits at the table yesterday without Malfoy to stir them up. Things aren't going to get better now that Malfoy is gone. Not at all.