Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Unanswered Questions
It wasn't a long wait. But it was certainly an uncomfortable one. Lockhart glared at us from his position on the floor being the main reason for the tension hanging in the air. With his wand still pointed at the tied-up teacher, Adrian shifted his weight between his feet. His enraged expression hadn't changed. Despite the current atmosphere. Meanwhile, I was still working on catching my breath. You'd think that all the times I've spent panicking, I'd be in better shape.
Adrian cleared his throat; his eyes flickering to me. "Your hand, how bad is it?" He asked in reference to the wrist I was holding close to me.
Studying my abused skin the best I could in the poor lighting, I took my time answering. "It's not my hand. He hurt my wrist". As if that was better. Although, I suppose a wrist does have fewer bones than a hand. It is probably easier to heal. "Nothing's broken, I think". Conducting my own assessment, I talked Adrian through my findings. "I can move it. It just hurts and my fingertips feel like they've fallen asleep".
Adrian wrinkled his forehead as he processed the information. "You're pale and shaking. You look like you really need to sit down".
I was pale? The shaking I understood. But I didn't feel faint or cold or anything else that would cause a change in complexion. "Sit where? I'm not going to sit on the floor", I argued. I've already spent more than enough time down there, thank you very much.
Adrian didn't seem to understand my refusal. "If you're worried about getting back up because of your injury, I'll be able to help you once the teachers get here".
"I'm not going to sit on the floor as we wait for help. That's going to make everything look worse than it is when the teachers do show up", I countered, making a gesture in Lockhart's direction. "The tied-up deranged psychopath will tell a good enough story. We don't need to add any additional sights".
Rolling his eyes, Adrian gave me the impression he found my resolve to remain on my feet meaningless. "Holly, go wait by the stairs, I think there's a place to sit over there", he said. As if telling me that for the third time was actually going to make me listen.
"I'm not waiting by the stairs", I refused with a shake of my head.
Adrian let out an exasperated noise. "I can handle this on my own. You're clearly uncomfortable. So just wait for me from a safer location".
"I'm not leaving you alone with this loon". Lockhart's eyes bounced back and forth from Adrian and me like a ping-pong ball. If it wasn't for the silencing spell he was currently under, I wonder what he would say. Or if he would say anything at all.
Grinding his teeth together; Adrian forced out, "I won't do anything; just stand guard. I promise". It sounded like it hurt him to make that promise.
"No", I answered without pause. "I'm not leaving you". And then we were off. Bickering like a couple that has nothing else to do in their free time.
When help finally arrived in the form of Lee, McGonagall, and Snape they walked in on Adrian angrily asking, "Why are you so bloody difficult?"
I raised an eyebrow; aware our audience had grown, but at the moment, who cared? "I'm difficult?" I asked rhetorically. "Mr. stiff-neck is calling me difficult".
Adrian opened his mouth, but McGonagall interjected before we could continue this lovefest. "What is going on here?"
Adrian and I killed a moment before answering McGonagall. It passed with us staring each other down. Merlin, help me. If we were just a few years older, we would have different means to work out our tension.
Squaring his shoulders Adrian turned his eyes to McGonagall; all the while his wand trailed on Lockhart. "That needs to be taken to Azkaban". He gestured rudely to Lockhart's immobilized form. "Holly needs to learn self-preservation, and I need to reflect on my life choices".
Well… that was one way to bring everyone up to speed. I thought as I glared at my boyfriend. None of those life choices he wants to reflect on better include our relationship. McGonagall turned towards me as Snape and Lee stared at Adrian with different expressions of emotion. Snape's expression was more irate. While Lee's expression was more concerned. It hadn't been easy to get Lee to go get the teachers. He might be regretting leaving the two of us alone with only Lockhart as company. "Jordan said Professor Lockhart locked him inside a closet and attacked you".
I swallowed a lump that formed in my throat. Yeah, that happened. But did I really want to admit it? I'm not sure how I could answer any related questions. McGonagall knew about the spoons game. That part would at least make sense. But everything Lockhart/Riddle had said. From insinuating he was going to take me with him, to telling me I needed to obey him… "Um". My voice came out quiet; sounding meek compared to how I talked to Adrian just seconds ago. "Yes". It became hard to look McGonagall in the eyes. Were my shoes always this dark brown color? I thought they were more black than brown. "But I'm okay". I spoke quicker. "Adrian got here before anything could… get worse". Please let that be enough to put off any questions I couldn't answer.
"How did you know Miss Weasley and Mr. Jordan were in danger?" McGonagall asked, offering me a small respite.
"It was just a case of being in the right place at the right time", Adrian answered. His voice was too smooth, too put together. In any other circumstance, in front of any other audience, I'd call him out on it. "I heard what sounded like a struggle. When I got closer, Holly was on the floor. Her legs were under the leg locker curse, and that man was standing over her, pinning her wand arm down by stepping on it. She was scared and it looked painful. I made him stop and I made sure he couldn't fight back". Whenever Adrian referred to Lockhart his tone adopted a nauseated quality.
More time passed in silence. But it was the short reprieve I needed to work up the courage to look away from my shoes. McGonagall wasn't looking at either of us anymore. Her gaze was focused on the detained man on the floor; lips pressed together so harshly they lost all color. Lee stood next to her. He looked at Lockhart too; except his expression contained a mixture of uneasiness and appreciation for Lockhart's current state. It probably felt cosmic to see a bullying teacher who had been terrorizing students for a long time with his in-class demonstrations be knocked off his high pedestal.
Meanwhile, Snape was staring at Lockhart with disdain. Had he already formed his opinions about this situation and the man laying on the floor?
"We'll need to get Professor Dumbledore and the aurors will have to be notified", McGonagall said; taking charge. "They'll ask you to give a statement, Mr. Jordan, and Mr. Pucey". Her line of vision swung to me. "They will ask for you to give a statement too, Miss Weasley. I'm sorry. I know you weren't ready earlier. And this time, we will have to inform your parents".
Biting my lip, I nodded slowly. McGonagall was right. I wasn't ready to come up with a believable story my parents and law enforcement would accept. But as soon as McGonagall and Snape had become involved, I figured it was unavoidable.
Folding his arms, Snape spoke up. "I'll wait here if you would inform Professor Dumbledore". He spoke only to McGonagall.
McGonagall appeared to find that agreeable because she turned towards us students. "You three may wait in my office. We will join you shortly".
That sounded like a plan. Or at least the start of one. Lee turned around to obey McGonagall's order. The first time he had done so without giving her any cheek. And I was ready to follow, but a hand grabbing my good wrist prevented me from doing so. "I'm taking Holly to the hospital wing". Adrian announced; only addressing Snape and McGonagall.
I blew hot air out of my mouth. Oh, good grief. "I don't need to go to the hospital wing", I said; pronouncing each word slowly and clearly.
Acting like he hadn't heard me, Adrian repeated himself. "I'm taking Holly to the hospital wing".
I looked towards McGonagall for help, but she focused on the fourth-year Slytherin; calculating some invisible equation that she could see on his face. "Yes. Perhaps that would be wise. Thank you, Mr. Pucey".
And then the grip on my wrist that stopped me from moving forward was leading me towards the staircase. Lee walked in front of us, leaving me to assume he would be accompanying us to the hospital wing. I couldn't blame him. I wouldn't want to wait by myself in McGonagall's office after what just occurred. But before Adrian and I could get very far, Snape halted us by placing a heavy hand on Adrian's shoulder. Hunched over, the potions master murmured something in Adrian's ear. It was too low for me to catch, and all Adrian did was respond with a deep nod of agreement before continuing. Leaving me to wonder what that had been about.
Sitting on a bed in the hospital wing with my legs hanging off one side, I watched as Adrian cast the same spell over and over again. It was the disillusionment charm that the fourth-years had been working on in Flitwick's classes. Every flick of his wand resulted in a white light as a tin cup sitting on a bedside table flickered in and out of sight. "Why are you doing that?" I asked, but I didn't really care to know. Asking just brought me a distraction from everything that was playing out. Adrian knew about Horcruxes. Which, I already knew. But in that classroom with Fred, George, and Harry he had blurted it out. Which meant that Harry now knew about them too. And now we had more help than we wanted when it came to figuring out how to destroy the damn diary.
"They'll get around to questioning Lockhart eventually", Adrian answered without interrupting his casting. The they he was referring to were the aurors that we knew had been summoned. "He'll tell them I used an unforgivable on him". We weren't worried about being overheard. After Madam Pomfrey had done a quick scan to make sure I was telling the truth about my physical state, she retreated to her office to report her findings to Dumbledore and my head of house. Though, she left my wrist unhealed, saying that the Aurors would want to see it.
And Lee left before we reached the hospital wing, promising to get Fred and George when I asked him to. Giving Adrian and me a few moments to ourselves. "I can lie and say I don't know any of the unforgivables and they'll believe me because I'm a student", Adrian continued. "But in case they cast prior incantato on my wand, I need to make sure it doesn't show up in my recent spell history".
I nodded to show I heard him because I didn't have anything to add to the conversation. The hospital wing doors flung open and two redheads scurried in followed by a third at a more composed pace. "Holly", Fred and George exclaimed as they reached my hospital bed, shoving Adrian out of the way in the process. Both of them threw their arms around me and tucked their chins over each of my shoulders.
"Why is it every time we leave you alone, you get hurt?" George asked. Although, his question sounded more like a complaint than an inquiry.
"Lee said Lockhart shoved him in a closet to get to you and said a lot of weird things about kidnapping you", Fred said, squeezing me tight. My nose wrinkled. I could barely hear Lee through the closet door. How had he heard Lockhart say those things? Had Lockhart/Riddle made the big-time villain mistake of revealing his dastardly plan to Lee before he confronted me?
"We're not leaving you alone", George announced.
"Never again", agreed Fred.
"We'll glue ourselves together".
"We'll get those muggle Auror things Dad's always been curious about, what are those called?" Fred asked.
"Handcuffs", I supplied, leaning into their embraces.
"Yes, those, and we'll wear them", George said.
Behind Fred and George, I could see the alarmed expression growing on Adrian's face. Of course, never leaving Fred and George's sides again meant no more private dates or intimate conversations. Fred and George would be perpetual third wheels (Or rather Adrian would become the third wheel since Fred, George, and I were already a complete set). I understood Adrian's horror at the thought. I knew it was impractical and just an initial reaction to everything that happened this evening, but… "I agree. Let's never separate again. I'll have to move into your dorm room".
Before Adrian could make any rational rejections to this plan, the third redhead approached; leaving Fred and George to make all the crazy plans they wanted as us triplets clung to each other. Most of those plans involved kicking out one of their no-name roommates to the curve. But I was only half listening. Because in front of me another interesting scene was unfolding.
"Thank you", Percy said. His voice sounded a bit misty as he held out his hand. Still slightly unnerved, Adrian was slow to take it. But when Percy had a good grasp on Adrian's hand, he shook it furiously up and down. "For everything", Percy kept going and Fred and George discussed how we might handle the bathroom situation if I moved into their dorm. "Jordan said Holly was…"
Adrian stepped up when Percy struggled to find the right words. "It's alright", Adrian assured as he took back his hand. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to stop it sooner".
The hospital doors flung open for a second time, letting in another redhead. This time it was an enraged redhead. "Mum!" I said, a bit startled. Although I knew she would have been notified. Fred and George broke our hug so they could watch Mum's approach too. Likewise, Adrian's and Percy's heads snapped in the Weasley matriarch's direction.
Resembling a tornado of homespun fabric and ginger hairs, Mum charged the bed I was sitting on. Fred and George were brushed aside, and I was in her arms before I could get another word out. She smelled like gravy and potatoes; giving me a good guess what she and Dad must have had for dinner. Her arms were like steel around me, but I didn't mind. In this instance, it didn't feel like a restraint. It reminded me more of a life vest.
"I'm okay, Mum", I tried to assure her. But I'm not sure if my words reached her. "Adrian got there before anything could happen".
Mum pulled back to stare at my face. Questions swam in her eyes like koi in a pond. She opened her mouth to release the floodgates of words. However, there must be a drought because not a single sound escaped her.
This was one situation no parent was prepared for. "I'm okay, Mum", I repeated. It felt funny to be the one offering comfort when I was the one freaking out earlier this evening. But it wasn't what Mum thought. It wasn't what anyone thought. Except for Fred and George. Of course, they'd know more. So, I had to limit their grief as much as possible. No sense in playing the victim when I wasn't one. At least, not entirely.
With a legal guardian present, things started to pick up the pace again. Adrian was asked to wait in Madam Pomfrey's office for his parents while my brothers were sent back to Gryffindor tower with great reluctance and a lot of assurances from Mum. The adults filled my mum in about everything that happened. First, it was Madam Pomfrey ensuring Mum that I was physically unharmed aside from a bruised nose and wrist, and a bump on the back of my head.
Then it was McGonagall explaining everything that had happened up to this point. Starting with the detention I had spent in Snape's classroom. McGonagall even felt moved enough to apologize that things had progressed this far.
After that, the conversation turned to the next steps. Primarily my right as a minor to have a parent with me when the aurors came to collect my statement. And I knew that this nightmare was far from over.