Saviour of Magic

Costly Mistakes

"Minister?"

Sirius' head snapped up. Dylan and Astoria looked at each other worriedly. The Healer's face was devoid of expression.

"Sir, Lady Black was in a terrible condition when she was brought to the hospital," she said. "Apart from losing limbs, her internal organs also suffered massive damage. When we were in the process of healing her, we discovered that the area of the bombing had been poisoned with chaotic magic. It interfered with our attempts to heal her."

Tears flowed down Sirius' face as he held Dylan's arm tightly.

The Healer took a deep breath. "I'm afraid we couldn't save her."

Dylan felt his eyes moisten as his father cried heartbreakingly. He closed his eyes and desperately tried to remember the good times he had with the only woman who had ever shown him the warmth of a mother's hug. The woman who had adopted him as her son despite knowing whose child he was; the one who had selflessly provided him, the orphaned son of a sworn enemy, a home, and loved him as her own.

And that woman, his beloved mother, was now dead?

The floor and walls began to tremble slightly. The grey eyes were glowing, burning with anger. The windows in the corridor cracked due to his rage and the Healer actually swallowed in nervousness as she witnessed Dylan's raw power. He looked furious.

A soft touch brought him to the present. Astoria intertwined their fingers and whispered softly to her husband, "Please calm down. Not here, not now … please …"

Dylan took deep breaths in order to reign in his anger. He couldn't lose control; not unless he wanted to destroy the building.

"I want to see her."

"Minister, I –"

"I want to see my wife," Sirius said forcefully. The Healer nodded reluctantly. She ushered them inside.

Amelia's body was covered by a white sheet, but her face was visible. Sirius gently touched her pale face, shaking due to the sobs that were threatening to come out. Dylan conjured a chair for his father, who collapsed, holding his wife and crying.

"Dad?"

The group turned towards the door to see the panicked face of the fifteen-year-old Rigel Black. The teenager immediately rushed towards his father.

Dylan and Astoria quietly left the room. The Blacks deserved their privacy.

HP*SAVIOUR OF MAGIC*HP

"What?" asked Harry, shocked beyond belief.

"G-Grandma's dead?" whispered Belladonna.

"Dylan, what are saying?"

"I'm sorry, Harry," Dylan said, his red-rimmed eyes filled with tears. "Apparently, the site was contaminated with chaotic magic. She was already very badly wounded and it interfered with their healing magic. There was nothing they could do."

"Oh, Merlin, what torture is this?" moaned Daphne, burying her face in her hands. If Amelia couldn't survive the experience, what chance did her eight-year-old son have?

The door to Healing Room 9 opened and the Healer walked out. Harry and Daphne stood up immediately.

"How is he?" asked Daphne immediately.

The Healer paused. "Your son is alive, Lady Potter. We found traces of a full-body shield when he was brought to us. I suspect either Lady Black or Mr Croaker cast it on him before they escaped. Without that shield, he wouldn't have survived."

"Thank you," whispered Daphne under her breath, hoping her message was conveyed to the souls of Amelia and Croaker.

"Unfortunately, not everything is good news. While his limbs were all intact, the shield was still not enough to save him from the effects of the bomb. Some of the debris managed to penetrate a few vital organs. We healed him in time, but during the procedure, we realised that he was infected with chaotic magic."