Lucy Snape and the Return of Lord Zuc (Book Four)

Celebration of survival

Chapter 18: Celebration of survival 

The embers of the glowing sun were beginning to fill the nights sky, students’ exited voices filling the school. Even though the first task had ended several hours ago, the vibe it had bought still lingered between the children.

Some were dancing, some were introducing themselves to others, and Hogwarts had never been so alive in friendship.

The hospital wing was alive too, sadly. Many children where scared from the battle, but their enthusiasm, strangely, remained untouched. Even the seventh years with burns didn’t mind, they were too engrossed in the moment to care. Lucy was cooped up on a bed, sitting up and smiling happily. She was a hero and inspiration to them all, and Lucy couldn’t have been happier.

"Hey," a first year asked. "Can - Can I have your autograph?"

Lucy smiled at the trembling boy, who seemed more afraid of her than the dragon that had blown him off his seat

“Sure! Why not, but don’t let anyone else get one” she winked, and the boy relaxed instantly. She was secretly handed the paper and she did a signature, she’d made one up only days ago and the preparation had done well.

“Hey, Lucy, well done!” a Durmstrang applauded her as he smiled. He’d just helped his friend stagger into the hall with a faulty leg.

The boy trotted off and Lucy was left to gaze at the sight of the full wing. She felt more confident than she’d ever been, that rare confidence she’d always felt when she was sacred it had filled her, but the fact she’d slayed a dragon blew that out off her body.

“Lucy how’s your hand?” Madam Pomfrey asked as she took her hand meekly and checked it.

“Much better, thanks” she replied. After a check, Madam Pomfrey left, but Lucy wasn’t alone for long.

“Can you come out yet?” Shona bolted her the question. Lucy jumped out of her skin.

“How - ?” was all she asked as Shona then flashed her the magical stick “Shona! We nearly killed the entire faculty with an object from that room, I don’t think its wise to do it again”

Shona sighed and nodded in agreement. She put the stick away and waited for her reply

“I guess” Shona said blankly. She did a dance and Lucy picked up the golden egg beside her and was dragged out of the hospital wing by Shona, many clapping her as she closed the doors.

They swam through several fans all eager to get a sentence in to Lucy. Colin Creevy took repetitive pictures of her until Shona shoed him off.

“God!” Lucy said at Shona as they ploughed round the corner

“You’re a hit, Lucy! You’ve given us a great name”

“Us?” Lucy asked confused

“Oh ‘the gifted’” Shona expressed the words comically, “Nobody even cared about us before that! You’re the word of the town; even Hogsmeade is going barmy over us! Especially you, Lucky!”

 They reached the dungeon, Shona describing how cool the fans where and how harry had wished her best in finding out what the egg meant. As they got further down though, Lucy got the suspicions feeling something was going on. First of all, there where a couple of students actually lingering in the hallways, Most times no one even dared set foot in this place except for the Slytherin’s, even then they only hurried out.

Secondly Lucy’s ears were picking up a faint vibrating noise, of what sounded like music being played at high volume. Last but not least, Shona was very bouncy.