They're Alive?! (A Harry Potter Fanfic)

Chapter 12: Aftermath Part 1

Chapter 12

It all happened so fast. The moment the words left his mouth, a deafening silence engulfed the entire Hospital Wing. James, Lily, and Madame Pomfrey all stared at the eleven-year old sitting upright on the metal bed in front of them with their mouths hanging open. Not even a second passed by when Harry's eyes suddenly rolled up to his head and he fell back on the bed, violently spasming and foam forming at his mouth like he had been poisoned.

"What's happening?!" Lily asked fearfully. She jumped up from her seat and tried to get a hold of Harry. Madam Pomfrey was quick to pull her away from the boy before she could even touch him and snapped at James to do the same.

"No! Stop! He's-" Lily screamed as she tried to get away from the healer.

"Lily! Stop! He has to get through it! If you hold him down he might die!" the nurse yelled. She tightened her grip around the redheaded professor but Lily was having none of it. James wasn't any help either. He was shaking so badly that she knew she couldn't trust him to help her with his screaming wife. He looked torn and very unsure of what he should do. Fortunately, he wasn't making it difficult like Lily was.

"No... no... Please! Help him! Help him, please!" Lily sobbed as she fought harder against the older woman's grip. Madam Pomfrey was having none of it. She only tightened her grip on her more, if that was possible.

"It'll be over in a few minutes! He'll be fine!" she tried to reason. Lily continued to struggle against her but Madame Pomfrey didn't budge. As soon as her words left her mouth, Harry slowly stopped shaking and he laid still on the bed. Lily gasped and she pushed the healer's arms away from her. Madame Pomfrey didn't bother stopping her this time as she, too, moved towards Harry.

"Harry?" Lily whispered fearfully, placing a tentative hand on the boy's shoulder. She didn't receive a response and she felt dread coursing through her. She shook Harry's shoulder gently. "Harry? Harry, wake up... w-wake up."

James finally decided to move towards his wife, pulling her away gently from Harry. As he expected, Lily protested but he saw the irritation in Madame Pomfrey's eyes. He knew that look. That look meant that she needed some time alone with the patient. He might as well make themselves scarce before she decided to kick them out.

"Lily... Lils, come on..." he whispered gently, guiding her away from the bed.

Lily was arguing weakly against him but she didn't have the strength to pull away from James. She had used up most of her energy trying to get away from the school nurse. She didn't even know the woman was that strong. James was only thankful for that. He didn't want to deal with a fitful Lily.

He reached the furthest bed away from Harry and had Lily sit down. He needed to talk to her.

To her credit, Lily didn't make much of a fuss. She just stared blankly ahead of her, as though in a daze. In a way, James was too. 

He knelt in front of her and said, "Would you like a glass of water? Something to calm you down?"

Lily shook her head. James sighed and stood up slowly. Outwardly, he looked calm and composed but inside, he was disoriented. How was he supposed to start this conversation? Harry just dropped the bomb on them just like that. One moment, they were his worried teachers and then the next...

"Lily... about... about what Harry said..." James started. "I... you know you and me aren't..."

"No. No, James. No." Lily said, stopping him. "He knew Petunia. He... he said... you heard it, didn't you?"

"Lils... I... all of this that's happening..." James said, slowly. What was he supposed to say? That everything was weird? Unreal? Entirely impossible? How were they supposed to take in... everything? Harry just said out loud that he thought he and his wife were his parents. What was he supposed to do? Shake his hands and congratulate him?