Chapter 49 St. Mungo's

Senna woke up in a dimly lit room with flickering candles that cast dancing shadows against the walls. The air was thick with the smell of potions and magical remedies, and she could hear the faint whispers of spells being cast in nearby rooms.

Senna stirred, but her movements were limited. She realized her torso was wrapped tightly with bandages. Surprisingly, she didn't feel any pain.

Although she felt no pain, Senna knew something serious had happened. She closed her eyes again and focused on breathing, trying to remember.

Senna's memories came flooding back, and she sat up, trying to piece them together. She remembered the match, the pain of being impaled and crushed by the dragon's claw, everything going black, and then meeting Death herself.

She must have been brought to St. Mungo's for treatment.

Senna slowly shifted her legs off the bed, feeling a bit dizzy from the sudden movement. She looked around the room, taking in the details. The walls were made of wood and stone, and there were shelves filled with jars of potions and other magical remedies. She could hear the sound of footsteps and muffled voices outside.

She took a deep breath and tried to stand up, but her legs felt weak and unsteady. She sat back down on the bed, feeling frustrated and confused.

Maybe she just needed more rest... She laid back down, and sleep took her.

Senna gradually regained consciousness, her mind slowly clearing up. There was a warm and comforting pressure around her hand.

She heard some voices that she recognized, engaged in an unfriendly discussion. Viola's voice sounded bitter and sarcastic as she asked someone, "Did you have a tough day at work?"

Tonks replied with a deep sigh, "You have no idea."

"I can imagine, since the Ministry's actions are complete nonsense. I doubt they've hired a single competent person in the last ten years." Her tone was condescending.

There was a brief pause. Tonks spoke up, her voice apparent with frustration. "Is this your normal demeanor, or are you being rude to me because you don't like me?" she asked.

"Well, I don't like you, that's for certain." She mused. "But it really depends on who you ask."

"And why is it that you don't like me?"

"Does it matter?" She could practically hear Viola rolling her eyes.

"No, I suppose it does not. But I'm going to be around a lot since I've been assigned to keep her safe—"

Viola gave a short bark of a laugh. "Yeah. Right."

"Richmond." Tonks was frustrated. "I have my orders. If you insist on making the both of us miserable—"

"Do your orders include talking so much?" She sneered at her.

Senna heard feet shuffle. "You spoke to me first, as I can recall."

Then, she heard Viola standing up, and the warmth around her hand disappeared. She frowned. She wanted the hand back.

"Shut up—both of you." Senna ordered. Her voice was raspy.

Her two visitors gasped, surprised that she had awoken.

Tonks rushed forward, but Viola put herself between them, and enveloped her in a tight hug, tears streaming down her face.

"Oh, Senna!" She cried.

Senna patted her on the back comfortingly. Her gaze then shifted towards Tonks, who was standing by the edge of the bed, looking a bit uneasy.

"Hi," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. The warm embrace felt very good.

As much as she wanted to stay here, forever, there was much to discuss.

"What... happened?"'

"You nearly died. That's what happened." Viola said it like an accusation, tears still streaming down her face.

"Oh yeah, I remember that part." Senna waved a hand dismissively, "And it wasn't just that I almost died... I really did—just for a moment, though." She smiled, amused.

Viola glared at her with her tear-filled eyes. "Is this... funny to you?"

Tonks interrupted them. "That explains the curse's dissipation. If you had died, even for a moment, the curse died too."

"Oh!" Senna's hand flew to her neck. "Is it really gone?" She asked hopefully.

"Yes." Viola sniffed, "The mark was gone by the time I got the dragon off you."

Senna's eyes widened in disbelief. "You got the dragon off me?"

"With the help of staff." Tonks added quickly.

Senna's eyes returned to Tonks. She was still pale and thin and looked like she hadn't slept for days.

She leaned into Viola's ear. "Thanks for saving me." She whispered.

Her closeness to Viola seemed to make Tonks shift uncomfortably. Senna felt bad for her but didn't know why she didn't just leave.

"So, how long was I asleep?" Senna stretched her stiff limbs.

Viola hesitated for a moment before reluctantly revealing the information, "It's been a few weeks."

Senna stopped her mid-stretch, appalled by this news. "What do you mean a few weeks? Did I miss the next match? What day is it?" She tried to clamor out of bed, but Viola held her down.

"Stop, stop!" Viola tried to keep her in bed. "There are no more matches, the tournament was suspended, stop!"

Senna suddenly ceased her attempts to get out of bed.

"What?" She asked, shocked. "What do you mean the tournament was suspended?"

She updated her on what had happened in the wizarding world while she had been unconscious. She told her about the recent attacks on muggle-borns and half-bloods, and how the Ministry was struggling to maintain order.

Senna listened carefully, feeling a sense of unease at the news.

Finally, she revealed that the tournament was put on hiatus because of Struan.

Struan Riddle had committed another murder the day after the match.

"But... that doesn't make sense." Senna started, "He's killed loads of people. Why would they suddenly decide to stop the tournament now?"

"I don't know." Viola shook her head. "You're right, though, it's strange. The Ministry has always made a point of not halting anything because of his actions, so the Dark Prince doesn't think he has any power over them. But after that murder... They just shut down everything."

"Why? What is so significant about this murder?" She asked.

But Viola just shrugged. "I don't know… The Minister of Magic is absent at the moment. I asked around, but no one knows what's happening."

Senna turned to Tonks. "Auror Tonks, do you know what is going on?"

Viola's green eyes flickered with irritation at the mention of Tonks.

"There were safety concerns, and the Ministry decided it was best to cancel the remaining matches. But the council has yet to make a final decision, we will know by the end of winter break. We are taking Riddle's threats very seriously and are acting accordingly." Tonk explained in a manner that sounded rehearsed.

"Thanks, that cleared it right up." Senna retorted.

A cool mask came over Tonks' face. And she didn't say anything else.

The healers came into her room then, and were taken aback by how alert Senna was. They had probably expected her to be groggy and confused after being unconscious for so long. But she was fully conscious, with great energy levels and clarity.

"I can't believe it," The lead healer exclaimed as he examined her. "You're..." he seemed to struggle with the words. "Healed."

It seems that Senna's recovery was nothing short of a miracle. Despite the severity of her injuries, she managed to pull through and survive. Whether it was because she had stepped through a veil with Death herself or a testament to the skill level the healers at St. Mungo's had—she did not know for sure.

But she was very much alive.

In fact, she felt more alive than she ever had before. Something had shifted within her. She was overcome by an inexplicable feeling of vitality, as if every fiber of her being was buzzing with power. Her senses were heightened, and she felt as though she was the entire universe in one being. It was as if a long-dormant spark within her had been reignited, and she was now more in tune with herself and the world around her than ever before. She couldn't quite put her finger on what had caused this profound transformation, but she knew that it had something to do with meeting with Death.

When the healers asked her how she felt, she intentionally left this part out. She did not want to end up in the psychiatry department.

The nurse insisted that she help Senna to the bathroom, but it was completely unnecessary, and she shooed the nurse away for a much-needed shower.

When night fell, Viola's parents came to collect her. To her astonishment, they acknowledged her existence.

"It's good to see you are doing well." Viola's father was tall, thin, and confident. His voice did not waver as he spoke to her.

"Thanks," Senna said, unsure of how to proceed with the formalities of greeting her girlfriend's parents. She sat in awkward silence, wishing she knew what to say.

Viola voiced her reluctance to leave, "Can't I stay here tonight?" she pleaded with her parents.

"No, Viola, but we'll come back tomorrow, okay?" Her mom reassured her.

Sensing she wasn't going to be able to win this argument, she switched to buying more time. "Fine. Can I have a moment alone with Senna?"

Her parents nodded and left the room.

She turned to glare at Tonks. "Do you know what alone means, Auror?"

Tonks didn't react, her face remained a calm mask, but she saw that Tonks' hair had turned a shade darker. "Yes, Richmond. And I'm afraid that I cannot fulfill that request."

"Let me guess—Rufus Scrimgeour's orders?"

"No," Tonks' voice was calm. "The Minister of Magic himself."

This caught Viola by surprise, but she didn't comment.

"So your father actually spoke to me." Senna grinned, amused by this fact.

Viola's face, which had been serious, couldn't help but return her smile. "Perhaps seeing that you'd literally die for his only daughter made him warm him up to you, just a bit."

"Perhaps." Senna chuckled, "A bit."

Viola smiled at her, placed her hands on the back of her neck, and then kissed her. She was taken aback by Viola's forwardness. Her girlfriend was typically reserved when it came to showing affection in public. During their reunion before the match, when they both thought they might not survive, she had even pushed her away. But now, she seemed to have no shame, and she pushed her tongue into her mouth.

Senna wanted to protest, as it was so uncharacteristic of Viola, but it felt too good, and she was helpless. Viola kissed her deeply, and a moan escaped from before she could help it. And then, far too soon, she pulled away.

As she prepared to leave, she looked back at her and said, "I'll see you tomorrow. Please promise me that you won't do anything stupid until then."

Senna, still feeling a bit stunned from the kiss they had just shared, managed a smile and replied, "I'll do my best."

Viola exited, but not before Senna caught a wicked glint and smug smile when her green eyes flashed towards Tonks.

And now she was alone with her 'bodyguard'.

The room fell into a long, awkward silence after Viola left. She wished Tonks would drop the absurd Auror formalities and just tell her what was going on, but the silence persisted.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she took a deep breath and spoke up. "What have you been up to these last few weeks? How are you holding up?"

Tonks didn't answer at first. And after a minute passed, she figured they weren't on talking terms.

"I've been here, mostly." Tonks said slowly, "Since the tournament."

"Ah." Senna pretended this didn't bother her. "They still have you here, spying on me?"

She did not get an answer. Tonks just stared into space, her arms crossed.

"Well at least you don't have to be sneaky about it anymore." She continued, "Now that they've got you here under the disguise of my bodyguard."

More silence ensued.

Senna noticed how tired the Auror looked. Her skin was pale, and there were dark circles under her eyes.

Senna sighed, feeling a little sad for her former friend. "Are we alone?" She asked her, "Like, actually alone?"

Tonks turned to her, her tired hazel eyes curious. "Yes. We should be."

Senna stood up then, and walked towards the Auror. Tonks was shorter than her, like most girls, and it made her seem delicate, despite the fact that she was wearing the Auror's uniform. She took in her thin and tired frame. "Then just drop the act."

"What?" Her eyes widened with surprise.

"Drop the macho Auror's act and get into bed." She commanded.

Tonks appeared to be quite perplexed. She didn't know what to make of her demands.

"Look, you're exhausted. You look worse than me—and I was crushed by a dragon not too long ago. You can't do your job if you let it kill you first. Just rest. No one's watching." When she saw Tonks just staring at her, she added, "I promise I won't leave this room or do something stupid."

Tonks stared at her, still unconvinced. A war raged in her eyes.

"If you don't trust me, then get that stupid orb of yours."

"I—" Tonks swallowed. She paused, deliberating something. "I can't." She finally finished.

Senna closed her eyes for a moment, surprised by how that statement hurt. She thought she was over Tonks, so why did her not trusting Senna hurt? She knew she saw her as the spawn of evil.

"Lay down, get some rest." She pushed anyway. "I can't have my bodyguard collapsing on me. What would happen if the Dark Prince just waltzed in here?" Senna put the back of her hand on her forehead in fake horror.

It worked. The corners of her lips threatened to turn upwards. And Senna noticed she had moved an inch towards the bed.

"He'd need his full army to break into this place." The Auror said, her voice was a little more relaxed. "Besides, if I take your cot, where are you going to lie down?"

"I've been lying down for two weeks. I think I would like to stand for a change." She felt relieved when she saw that she had sat in the cot.

Senna looked around the room, then noticed a mountain of wrapped parcels on the table across the room.

"What's this?" She walked over to the table, examining the parcels.

"Gifts from your fans, I think." Tonks told her. She yawned and scooted farther into the bed.

"Seems like an excessive amount of get-well presents." She eyed the sheer number of parcels.

"Well, it's not just get-well gifts." Tonks told her. "You missed your birthday."

Senna was surprised that her seventeenth birthday had already passed while she was unconscious. She sat in her room, staring at the birthday letter she had just received from an unknown fan. She was now considered an adult in the wizarding world. She didn't know how to feel about it. On one hand, she was excited to have more freedom and independence, but on the other hand, she felt a bit overwhelmed by the responsibilities that came with being an adult. She had always been a rebel, but now she had to be more careful with her actions and decisions. She sighed and put the letter down, feeling a mix of emotions as she sorted through the parcels.

"I'll just close my eyes for a bit..." Tonks said tiredly.

But not even a minute passed, and then Senna heard snoring coming from behind her.

Senna quietly observed her sleeping, trying not to disturb her peaceful slumber. She couldn't help but think about how beautiful she looked, even as tired as she was, with her messy hair falling over her face and her chest gently rising and falling with each breath.

Senna's heart fluttered in an odd way...

She looked away then, and decided to preoccupy herself with the mountain of gifts. She put aside the gifts from Viola, Hannah, and Professor Snape, deciding to save those for last. But the card and gifts didn't distract her as well as she'd hoped.

Tonks would never choose her. Her loyalty was to the Ministry. And She was okay with this. And besides, she had Viola now.

But she couldn't help but miss the old Tonks. The way she had walked with a spring in her step, eyes bright with joy. Her laughter was infectious, and those around her couldn't help but feel lighter in her presence. She seemed carefree, unburdened by the worries of the world. It always seemed like she was dancing to a tune only she could hear. Her enthusiasm for life was contagious, and she radiated positivity wherever she went. She was the kind of person who could turn a cloudy day into a bright and sunny one, simply by being there.

But Tonks was different now. Her eyes were often bloodshot with dark circles underneath, and her once brightly colored hair was now a dull brown. She seemed to be carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders, as she worked long hours with no break in sight—and Senna couldn't help but feel responsible.

It was all because Senna had come to Great Britain.

And Senna wanted to make things right.