Whoo! Second chapter… This is where the first change is. Let's just say I mixed up two types of aphasia and mashed bits of them together by mistake. Instead, Remus has a different issue...

Poppy Pomfrey had been through a lot that night. She had saved some, but could not save all. And that was bloody annoying.

Take the Lupins, for instance; they were DOA at the Great Hall; yet she wished she could do something to save them, to bring them back.

Another injured patient was brought to her; bother, she'd need a Diagnosis spell for this one.

When the patient yelled and squirmed, the spell missed and hit two of the dead.

An assistant sighed sympathetically and shooed her away gently. "I'll treat this one, Madam. Take a breather." she said. "Oh hang on, you might need to check the Diagnosed first."

Poppy turned to tell her it was no use, she had 'diagnosed' the dead - and then she saw the blue light. Blue, not yellow. The spell was working.

Poppy moved closer. It's probably just showing where they were killed...

Then she saw it was light blue - the colour of treatable injuries. If there was no hope, the blue would be darker.

She hurried forward, hardly daring to believe it. The second good surprise was when she saw it was Remus and Tonks.

Then she saw their injuries. Oh dear. Well, Poppy Pomfrey was never one to back down from a challenge.

Remus was affected with a severely cracked skull and blood-clotting curse. A very nasty sort of blood-clotting curse. Tonks had a punctured lung and was in the grip of an internal damage hex. They both had had slashing and blood-draining curses used on them, too.

Poppy looked around when she heard the voice. Harry Potter – that foolhardy, accident-prone boy – dead?

As all but the most injured moved outside, Poppy acted. She took Tonks and Remus into an antechamber off the main hall, along with several other severely injured patients. Stabilising them, she quickly moved the true dead onto the platform at the edge of the Hall; surely they wouldn't be touched there, if a last stand was launched (as she thought it would be).

She kept the antechamber door open so she could hear. She trembled with rage as she heard the lies spouting from the snake's mouth. It turned to fear when she heard the Longbottom boy; not another brave fool...

Her thoughts paused at this. Longbottom, a brave fool? He'd certainly grown up in this war, especially over the past year...

Then Tonks coughed, and blinked.

#

Remus heard an odd buzzing; the hum of a spell, and someone muttering. Then he felt a distinct pain in his head, and left arm. Everywhere else ached dully, too. He blinked. His brain felt really fuzzy. I must have had a really rough full moon...But then, why do I feel different? I'm...all out of proportion…Something didn't feel right about that thought; yet, it must be the case. After all, his last memory was of…

He then realised with a jolt he was holding onto someone's hand. He flexed his fingers, and the person squeezed it. Hmm. Soft hands...a woman? But what...

He felt the motion of levitation. They were lowered somewhere to rest – on a table, judging by the hard surface. Stranger still. He felt the pains in him lessening as the healer – Madam Pomfrey, he decided (who else could it be, after all) – healed him and...the woman. She was tutting to herself.

She left them briefly – he heard her go out to another room, move some things around, then walk back towards them. She checked on them again and then sighed. There were other…sounds…too, but listening – concentrating – too hard made Remus' head ache, so he stopped.

She muttered something about "brave fools". Typical Madam Pomfrey. His lips tried to smile, and he heard the woman cough.

Then both of them opened their eyes.

Madam Pomfrey smiled. "Good, you're awake. Oh no you don't," she added as the woman tried to sit up.

Loud sounds of battle burst painfully in Remus' ears. Madam Pomfrey cursed (which caused her patients to start in surprise and then smirk) and blocked the door with Shield and Disillusion Charms.

Unnoticed by the matron, Remus sat up slowly. His head spun for a moment, then he focused on examining himself. What the hell? I – I'm an adult! Several years an adult. But I thought... Then he caught sight of something that was even stranger. He had a wedding ring.

He looked up to find "the woman" and Madame Pomfrey (who looked a few decades older than he remembered) were staring at him.

Poppy conjured a back rest for him (and "the woman", who had sat up as well).

"The woman" said, "Remus, is everything okay?"

Remus bit his lip and looked at their entwined fingers. Her concern was genuine, he could tell. She was wearing a ring too...which meant...

He realised "she" was still waiting for an answer and so replied, "I...don't know. What date is it?" Oh, Merlin, even my own voice is different.

Pomfrey said, "2nd May 1998."

Remus froze. "Oh." he said, "Then...why is my last memory on..." he hesitated, "October 31st 1971?"

The woman gasped. Pomfrey glanced quickly at her, then said, "Let me check you over."

Remus was then subjected to a check over that blocked his view of "the woman".

"She" said anxiously, "What's wrong with him, Madam Pomfrey?"

Poppy said, "He has concussion from a cracked skull-" (oh, that explained the heavy bandaged feeling on his head) "-and was also suffering the effects of a severe blood-clotting curse, which in this case means he has been deprived of oxygen for a time."

Remus frowned. Tonks looked worried. "That shouldn't have been enough..." she muttered. Then her experiences with Muggle relatives gave her a worrying idea. "Lack of oxygen? Could he have...?" she looked questioningly at the matron, who sighed.
"That's what I meant, dear. But it was only minor and I can treat the effects. As for you-"

They were all distracted by a scream from outside – Tonks did not quite hear the words thanks to an Exploding Jinx, but she did hear "you bitch". Remus stared as a flash of red hair ran to face the 'bitch'.

The Woman muttered. "Bitch is Trixy. Damn, that woman better kill her..." at Remus' questioning glance, she elaborated, "I think 'that woman' is Molly Weasley."

Remus bit his lip and squinted past the Charms blocking the door, then the Woman hissed in delight as Bellatrix fell...

Tonks smirked. "I knew she'd be killed by a mother," she muttered.

There were shouts of surprise as a flourish of silver revealed... "Harry," the woman breathed. They watched carefully. A lot of things didn't make sense (that was what Voldemort looked like now? And could Harry really be…?), but Remus nearly choked when "Harry" revealed Snape's interest (he wasn't the only one).

Then the spells were cast, and the monster fell.

So, what do you think?