Dream & Shadow

34* Deliverance

Cirrus clouds decorated a bright azure sky. The rooftops of central London reflected the sunlight here and there. Green oases breathed air into the overcrowded city. The morning rush hour finished hours ago, and the horns of impatient car drivers took a break until everybody returned from work. The flat roof of St. Mungo's provided enough space for a walk with a magnificent view across the muggle metropolis. Leonor recognized neither the sky-blue appearance of the early summer day nor the voices of strangers that echoed to the top of the hospital speaking about trivialities like weather or the plans for the weekend. She leaned against a tree trunk staring into the distance.

Footsteps resonated from the metal steps leading to the observation deck with the magical botanical garden. Leonor turned only when a male voice addressed her cheerfully.

"I always wonder why all healers sit in the staff restaurant with the bewitched weather if they can have this view! Or maybe I need to thank them for a quiet lunch up in the air!" Richard smirked, snatched a delicious looking apple and bit into it. Leonor agreed silently and pocketed the pages in her hand quickly without creating too much attention.

"Have a seat!" Richard pointed to the bench next to the apple tree. "I hope you enjoy the day to the full. It's entirely your merit that Lucy and Alexander return home."

"They go into a retirement home," snapped Leonor. She liked to be alone; there were many things to consider.

"Still, better than agonized by their own mind in a hospital bed."

"True." They sat in silence while Richard relished the cracking bites of the rosy-cheeked fruit. Lucy and Alexander lived now a very simple-minded life. They would need support, but at least managed the daily routine almost themselves. The medicine wasn't too late for them, but it was too late for the Longbottom's. The torture drove them into irreparable insanity.

"Good to meet you up here before the ministry will pick the muggles and guide them safely back into their world." Richard paused again. "Leonor, why do you refuse to go to Brazil? I mean you are brilliant at research. You and Brian! That could really be successful!"

"I thought you nominated a potions master to join Brian?"

"We did, we had to. But I still prefer you after you found something to ease the Crutiatus Curse."

"And if it is not just thanks to me?"

Richard gave Leonor a surprised and searching look, but she didn't explain further.

"What does that mean?"

"Richard, it's secret. You know the formula, the ingredients, but nobody else can know or everybody is in grave danger. You promised to keep it to yourself for use at the hospital in emergencies."

"It would be perfect for the periodicals, something to enlighten the potion's community. Why all the secrecy?"

"—to cure those that aren't beyond help. The attackers must not know, or they are going to kill instead."

"You should publish your result. Especially if you achieved it in such a short time."

"Richard, it's investigated much longer than you might think!"

"You had help?"

"Yes."

"Is the guild behind it? They tended to control the St. Mungo's research in the past with generous cash infusions. The guild's senile pair of chairmen was always keen to investigate the 'Unforgivable Curses'!"

"No," lied Leonor and Richard frowned at the quick answer.

"—the Professor?" he bored deeper.