The Marauders: Year Four

Poppy's Administrations

Poppy's Administrations

The whole lot of the Resistance had disapparated to the edge of the grounds of Hogwarts, just outside the gates, and Hagrid was waiting, along with Professors McGonagall, and Flitwick. As they appeared, cracking into view, battered and war torn, they were greeted and helped into one of several waiting thestral-draw carriages that Hagrid had at the ready.

Bilius was sobbing as he and Frank appeared, both leaning on the other, barely standing up. McGonagall quickly helped Frank into the cart and pulled Bilius aside as he started to cry out, "He's dead -- he's dead -- Alex Tinnamin... He's gone, I'm the only one left..." and McGonagall hugged Bilius to her as he started to speak incoherently about the Grim...

Charlus carried Lily who clung to him, her cheek against his neck as he made his way to the cart, followed by James, who stayed directly beside him, one hand on Lily's foot, as though his touch would protect her further from the dangers that were behind them now, and Dora followed, unable to ignore how her son's eyes flashed as he looked at the girl...

"Where's Dumbledore?" asked Flitwick, looking among the already arrived... and as though in response, the cluster of Ali, Honey, Sirius, and Dumbledore apparated and Peter let out a squeal and ran for his mother, his arms outstretched and catching her as she stumbled out of Dumbledore's grasp.

Remus ran for Sirius the moment he'd appeared, clutching onto him, pulling him against his chest so tight that Sirius could hear Remus's heart beating double-time within him. Sirius's fist balled around the fabric of Remus's moony-sweater and he broke, hot tears searing the edges of his eyes as he choked out, "Remus what've I done? What've I done? I've killed somebody, Remus, I'm a murderer..."

"No, shh, you're not, you're not..." Remus breathed, clutching Sirius tightly, "You were being used as a tool by an evil wizard, it's not your fault... It's not your fault. You were so strong, Sirius..."

But Sirius couldn't stop sobbing and clutching onto Remus, and Remus just held him tight, rubbing his back and rocking him gently.

When everyone had loaded into the cart that was going to, Hagrid urged the thestrals along and those that were walking followed up the hill - the Prewett brothers, Kingsley, and Alastor Moody, walking, talking, discussing what had happened... agreeing they needed to return to the manor as quickly as possible to retrieve evidence so that they could make arrests on the identified Death Eaters and issue warrants for any and all of the hooded, masked figures whose faces had been covered, unable to be identified... They also had immense loads of paperwork to do in the Honey Pettigrew case, a reported death to reverse...

When they arrived to the castle, they were all brought to the hospital wing. Within minutes, he beds in Pomfrey's ward were full, extra beds magicked in. She hurried among her patients, fixing all she could. Frank's ear would never be fully whole again, and Mrs. Longbottom stood beside him, holding his hand and crying as Pomfrey healed the cuts and bruises, gave him Skele-Gro for his broken nose, and several pain killing potions. Frank told her about the duel with Rudolphus, and the anger on Voldemort's face when he'd told him he wasn't much to look at, and Ali sat on the opposite side of the bed, holding Frank's other and once Pomfrey was done with him...

James sat on one bed on the edge, refusing to lie down or to let Pomfrey look at him until she'd cleared Lily first and Lily groaned as Pomfrey pressed her fingers into the bruises on Lily's back where the spell had struck her. "Particularly nasty stunner," Pomfrey said, and she administered a potion to reduce the swelling.

Turning to James, Pomfrey said, "Now let's see what's wrong with you..." She magicked a new tooth into James's mouth, and repaired his glasses, gave him a bit of Skele-Gro for his nose.