Chapter 99
“Mia, how long was I unconscious?” I whispered in my best friend’s ear, inhaling the scent of her shampoo with pleasure. “How I missed you…”
For a couple of minutes, I hugged my best friend like a lifeline, but then I pulled myself together and pulled away. At that moment, my emotions were in total chaos, there’s no other way to put it. I was back in MY body and MY world! The realization of this made me want to sing, laugh, walk on my hands, and cry with joy. But! Just a few minutes ago, one of the criminals had stuck his dirty fingers inside me, or maybe something else as well; I clearly felt it before I lost consciousness. And before that, I’d spent almost a month in the hospital, a weakling, and then been choked and brutally beaten for almost a whole day. And the realization of this made me want to scream at the top of my lungs, sob, throw a tantrum, or start shooting randomly at everyone around me. And all at once! I was literally bursting with emotion, but Hermione’s strange behavior sobered me up a bit and made me wary.
The curly-haired girl looked me over thoughtfully, swallowed, and took a step back. Then she lowered her head guiltily and started fiddling with the hem of her robe! And I know for a fact that Mia only does that when she’s really worried and anxious. A lump of ice formed in my throat, and I glanced around in panic, but the hospital wing looked quiet and peaceful, as usual—maybe it’s hard for me to judge. Actually, this was my first time here; that incident when I was a baby doesn’t count. A white ceiling, rows of made-up beds separated by white screens, a bedside table filled with various bottles, and me—gazing at it all with frantic pawns instead of eyes. My gaze fixed on the window, but the heavy leaden clouds made it impossible to tell the time of day, let alone the season. My head began to spin from confusion…
– Um… – Mia took my hand and, without raising her head, spoke quietly. – How can I tell you…
My best friend’s thoughtful and careful speech made my heart skip a beat and my whole body break out in a cold sweat. I took a deep breath and, waiting for an answer, looked at Hermione.
“Ria, forgive me… It’s my fault and I can’t be forgiven… I swore…” My best friend sobbed and squeezed my hand tightly. “We had lost hope… So many years have passed… The healers said that the information should be conveyed gradually… I even drank a rejuvenating potion on purpose to match my latest image… But… I can’t lie to you… I’m sorry…”
The ground beneath my feet shook, and I grabbed the bedpost with my free hand. My head was starting to turn into a beehive from the abundance of thoughts. If a month had passed THERE, then how much time had passed HERE?! And why am I still at Hogwarts?! What the hell?! What even happened?! I involuntarily took a step back and, stumbling, sat down on the bed…
The sheer volume of questions froze my brain, like an old computer with an overly demanding program installed and running. My head started to hurt, and I stared questioningly at Madam Pomfrey, but she brazenly ignored me, intently writing something in a thin, light-gray folder. Then, searching for answers to my unasked questions, I glanced at my best friend, who stood across from me, smiling slyly… So… Why is she grinning like a Jew who’s cheated the tax office? Or maybe it’s not her at all? Or someone on Polyjuice Potion?! I was about to summon an athame and a pistol and then interrogate the impudent impostor, but I heard Madam Pomfrey’s grumpy voice.
“Miss Granger, when you rushed into the hospital wing in a panic an hour and a half ago with the unconscious Miss Hellsing in your arms, I allowed you to stay and observe the progress of the treatment…” Madam Pomfrey stopped filling out her journal and looked disapprovingly at the curly-haired girl. “Not so you could ruin my work. I thought you wanted to support your friend, but instead you’re trying to add gray hairs to her already motley hairstyle.”
“Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.” The girl looked at the school’s healer with an apologetic smile and, sitting down next to me, hugged me. “Riya, what’s wrong? I was just kidding, it was just a joke! You should have seen your face…”
– How much?! – I jumped up and, ignoring my friend, stared at Madam Pomfrey in disbelief. – Is this true?! It’s only been an hour and a half?!
“Miss Hellsing, unlike your friend, I don’t like to joke, especially when it concerns the lives and health of my patients.” The woman looked me calmly in the eyes and nodded seriously. “Miss Granger brought you to the hospital wing about an hour and a half ago. You were injured in a powerful explosion; the protective artifacts took the brunt of the damage, but they still missed one fragment. A sharp stone severed your carotid artery and trachea, and damaged your cervical vertebrae. You lost a lot of blood, so I was forced to put you into a magically induced coma. But everything is fine now, and you can return to your classes tomorrow morning.”
– Ah… – I continued to stare blankly at Madam Pomfrey.
“The cause of the explosion is already being investigated,” the woman continued in a serious tone. “Headmaster Dumbledore is personally inspecting the scene, and the deans and professors are actively assisting him. If you require it, I will immediately summon the D.M.P.; as the heir to an ancient family, you have every right to do so.”
“No, thank you.” I shook my head. I don’t know why, but I didn’t want to start a fuss. “We’ll figure it out ourselves. I hope the director finds and punishes the culprit.”
“Good.” The woman in the lime robe smiled warmly. “Miss Hellsing, although your life is no longer in danger and you are as healthy as possible, you will need to remain under my observation until the morning. I’ll bring you some hospital gowns now.”
Her calm and reasonable speech calmed me down a bit and brought me back to my senses. So I nodded silently and sat back down on the bed, closer to my best friend. My brain, though creaking slightly, began to work and process the information.
The school medic eyed me, judging my size, and then leisurely walked into the next room. Only then did I think to lower my head and examine my school uniform: my white blouse and jumper were heavily stained with blood, my blood. Oh well, I’ll wash it off later, so why wait?
A strong impulse came into my hand, and a magic wand appeared in my hand, and a pleasant warmth I had longed for spread through my body. For a few seconds, I admired the graceful piece of wood and savored the feeling of magic, and then carefully pointed the wand at the bloody clothes.
“Evanesco!” I watched with an imbecile smile that even Lockhart would have envied as the red stains disappeared from my blouse, turning it a crisp white.
– Magic… – Unable to resist, I lit a flame of Lumos on the tip of the fingers of my left hand.
Admiring the small yellow ball hovering above my palm, I finally realized that everything that had happened had been a dream, or rather, a nightmare. So fucking realistic, but still a nightmare. Surely I couldn’t have lived a whole month in another world in an hour and a half! Or could I? After all, the existence of parallel worlds has been scientifically proven, since there have already been travelers to this one. Oh well, we’ll deal with that later. But the thought of returning to Elena’s body gave me the creeps.
“Riya, are you sure you’re okay?” The curly-haired girl snuggled up to my side, and I felt the warmth of her body. “What’s wrong? You’re shaking all over.”
I didn’t know what to say. Of course, she knew about my past life, but I didn’t want to tell anyone about the nightmare I’d experienced. It wasn’t the return itself that scared me, but the feelings of weakness and helplessness I’d felt for a whole month. Or an hour and a half, if you count the time I’d been unconscious, or many years, as one curly-haired ulcer said, almost giving me a heart attack. And yet, I almost believed her, she played it so convincingly! I’d come to my senses, but the stress I’d experienced needed an outlet, and I think I’d found a way…
“Miya, where is my bag?” I asked my friend kindly and squeezed her hand tighter so she wouldn’t run away.
– I think it was lying under the bed. – The girl looked at me suspiciously. – Why do you need it?
“I want to look at myself in the mirror.” A predatory smile began to appear on my face. “I’ll count my gray hairs while I’m at it.”
“Hey, it was just a joke!” Hermione couldn’t suppress a smile. “You looked so furious and confused that I just couldn’t help myself. Are you offended?”
– Oh, come on, how can I be upset with my best friend? – I put on my most innocent face. – I’ll joke a little now too. Just a little. Otherwise, I don’t want to spend the night here alone. You’ll keep me company, right?
“Riya, you need to lie down and rest…” The curly-haired girl pulled away and stood up. “Gather your strength, collect your thoughts…”
– Of course, of course… – I also got out of bed and crunched my shoulders. – Come here, Petrosyan dick.
“Who is Petrosyan?” Mia looked me in the eye with interest, but continued to slowly back away toward the exit. “Is he some kind of great wizard?”
– I’ll tell you now…
I lunged toward my best friend, but she dodged me and, laughing loudly, began running away from me across the spacious room. For a couple of minutes, we bounded around the room like mountain goats, jumping over beds and throwing everything we could get our hands on at each other. I admit, I was incredibly pleased with the feeling of a strong and toned body. That’s probably why I got distracted and tripped over a wooden stool, falling flat on the marble floor. As soon as I rolled over, Hermione sat on top of me, looking pleased and smiling from ear to ear.
– And yet, who is Petrosyan? – The girl flicked me on the nose.
“There was this comedian, and it seems you’re related.” I managed to pull off one of my tricks, and my friend and I swapped places. “He couldn’t joke either, just like you.”
“Is it me who can’t take a joke?” Mia feigned insult, then did the same thing, and I found myself under her body. “And who recently…”
– Miss Hellsing! Miss Granger! What have you done here? – We were interrupted by Madam Pomfrey’s indignant voice. – I was only gone five minutes and what do I see when I return?
– Um… – I turned my gaze to the woman, then looked around and blushed with shame. – Sorry, we’ll clean everything up now.
Well, that wasn’t good; Mia and I got carried away. After our catch-up, the hospital wing looked like Mamai’s horde had swarmed through it. Beds and screens were overturned, blankets and stools were strewn everywhere, but the icing on the cake was a torn pillow hanging from the chandelier, feathers falling from it like snow. Madam Pomfrey clearly took the sight as a personal insult.
“Please be so kind,” the woman glowed with righteous indignation. “Otherwise, I’ll prescribe you both a single vitamin complex, to be administered rectally!” (Author’s note: Rectally is a method of administering medications through the rectum.)
“N-no need!” Mia jumped to her feet and a magic wand appeared in her hands, which she pointed at the nearest torn pillow. “Reparo!”
I kept up with my friend and began putting the beds and other furniture back in place, happily using my magic to help. Thus, in just a few minutes, the hospital wing returned to its original appearance, as if two rabid mountain goats hadn’t been galloping around it.
“Thank you,” Madam Pomfrey looked around her domain with satisfaction and used magic to straighten a couple of beds that lined up in a line visible only to her.
– Sorry again. – My friend and I lowered our heads guiltily.
“It’s okay, I’ve been working here for years and I’ve seen my share of things.” The Mediwizard chuckled cheerfully and levitated a pair of terrycloth pajamas for me, then pointed to one of the doors and raised her voice slightly. “Miss Hellsing, shower and change immediately; the laundry basket is right there. Miss Granger, go see your friend after dinner. Now I’d like you to leave the hospital wing and not disturb the patients.”
Arguing with the attending mediwizard is pointless; I know that from my conversations with Smethwick. So, in response, I gave Madam Pomfrey a cartoonish salute and turned to my friend with a smile. She shrugged and gave me a tight hug before heading for the exit. But before she could take more than a few steps, a rather pensive Dumbledore entered the hospital wing, dressed in pale pink robes with stars and a bright blue cap. I’d forgotten how ridiculous and outrageous this powerful wizard’s outfits were. Although, he can afford it, since no one would say anything against him, even if he showed up at the Ministry wearing nothing but a leather thong. Keep away from me! God forbid anyone sees such a thing!
“Miss Hellsing, I’m glad to see you in good health.” Dumbledore smiled and nodded politely, then looked at Hermione. “Miss Granger, I almost forgot, for your dedication and saving your friend’s life, I award Gryffindor one hundred points.”
“You shouldn’t have.” The girl blushed a little and looked back questioningly. “Did you find out anything? Did you find the culprit?”
“Unfortunately, this situation raises more questions than answers.” The wizard sighed heavily and, with a wave of his hand, transfigured three nearby stools into comfortable-looking chairs. “Let’s sit down and talk, preferably over a cup of tea.” He gave a sly glance toward Madam Pomfrey.
“Albus, all I can offer you is an alcohol enema.” The Mediwizard grinned cheerfully. “I’ll be in my room, call me when you’re finished.”
After watching the fearless mediwitch depart, I took the seat the director offered, as did my friend. We’d barely even settled into the soft chairs when the old man had already arranged a carved table, upon which several plates of pies and sweets appeared, along with a large, pot-bellied teapot. At the sight of this abundance, my stomach rumbled demandingly; I was yearning for proper food. So, Rigel, it was just a dream, stop dwelling on it.
– I see someone is hungry? – Dumbledore chuckled and looked at me with a smile. – Perhaps we should order something more substantial from the house-elves?
“That would be great.” I nodded in response, and several plates of fatty, meaty food immediately appeared on the table, just the way I like it. “Thank you.”
“Enjoy your meal,” the old man chuckled and took a marmalade from the vase. “Take your time, we’ll have time to discuss everything later.”
About twenty minutes later, I sat back in my chair, satisfied and full, poured myself a fragrant hot drink, and looked questioningly at the director. The old man noticed my actions and nodded, then washed down another marmalade with tea and wiped his mouth with a napkin. Our snack may have looked informal, but no one forgot about manners. English traditions, sir.
“Miss Hellsing, before I share my conclusions with you, I’d like to confirm one thing, if I may?” Dumbledore looked at me seriously. “It won’t take long.”
– Of course, what do you require of me? – I put the cup on the table.
– Stand over there. – The wizard pointed his gaze towards the center of the wide corridor. – Please.
I quickly rose from my seat and, under my friend’s interested gaze, silently complied with the director’s request. As soon as I stopped, several diagnostic spells flew at me. They activated my ancestral artifacts, causing a barely visible, translucent sphere to form around me. The director chuckled contentedly, and another, larger, protective dome enveloped me. I was about to inquire about the purpose of this check, but before I could, a powerful Bombard flew at me. The explosion was so powerful that my stunned body was thrown several meters away, crashing into the director’s protective dome.
– What the f*cking hell is this?! – I screamed when my vision returned and the ringing in my ears died down a little. – Are you trying to finish me off!?
“It’s exactly as I thought.” Dumbledore ignored my cries and looked me over thoughtfully. “Not a scratch… The artifacts held up, as expected… Very strange…”
Meanwhile, groaning like an old woman, I rose to my feet and restored my hearing and sight with a couple of spells. The old man nodded contentedly and gestured for me to sit at the table, where a couple of vials of healing potions already stood. I resisted the urge to pump a dozen or so Dagworth rounds into this bearded experimenter and silently returned to my seat.
“Miss Hellsing, I apologize for my actions, but I merely wanted to demonstrate to you the power of the trap you and Miss Granger recently fell into.” The Director began speaking after I had drunk the contents of the vials and was feeling much better. “By doing so, I wanted to show you that it wasn’t an assassination attempt; whoever did this didn’t want you dead. Rather, they wanted to disorient you or frighten you; otherwise, they wouldn’t have limited its power.”
– What do you mean? – Mia, sitting next to him, almost choked on her tea and looked questioningly at the old man.
“This trap isn’t anything special, and it’s a cross between charms and runic magic. Something similar can be found in almost every pureblood wizard’s home, as its creation allows for multiple triggering conditions, even the intentions of the person stepping into it.” Dumbledore adopted a lecturing tone, filling the cups with tea. “So, your ill-wisher acted in haste and didn’t bother with concealment or disguise, but he did deliberately limit the power of the explosion.”
– What about it? – I involuntarily touched my neck. – My head almost got torn off!
“Unfortunately, I don’t have an answer to that question.” The Director spread his hands thoughtfully. “I simply don’t understand how a mere stone shard could penetrate the protection of your ancestral artifacts. It’s simply impossible! I just checked them, and they’re perfectly fine. Your heiress ring alone is capable of withstanding far greater impact, and there are others. I simply don’t understand how this happened, I’m sorry.” The elder bowed his head. “If you want to get to the bottom of it, I’ll immediately call specialists from the Department of Mysteries; maybe they can help. Besides, there’s another question troubling me…”
– Which one? – I leaned forward a little.
“Your emergency portkey,” Dumbledore took off his half-moon glasses and looked me in the eye. “It didn’t work, even though it should have…”
The director’s speech made me increasingly uneasy, and a pair of scarlet eyes kept popping into my mind. I think I know WHO helped that sharp pebble penetrate the defenses of my artifacts. But I certainly won’t say it out loud, because if this higher being wanted me dead, my head would have separated from my body long ago. Well, we’ll think about that later; right now, there are more important matters.
– Director, have you discovered the villain’s identity? – I barely suppressed a bloodthirsty smile. – Who should I thank for this wonderful tea party?
“Unfortunately, the explosion destroyed almost all the evidence,” Dumbledore sighed heavily. “Filius and I managed to reconstruct part of your ill-wisher’s magical imprint, but to confirm his identity, we’ll have to check every student in the school. You understand that’s impossible.”
– Why? – Mia finished her tea in one gulp and set the cup down on the table with a loud slam. – Rigel almost died!
“I understand, but as Chief Warlock, I’m obligated to uphold the laws of Wizarding Britain.” The old man chuckled sadly. “For DML investigators to be able to question or compare the magical imprint of a Hogwarts student, they require written permission from their parents or guardians. Do you think your mother would allow that?”
“Mom…” I quietly whispered the familiar and beloved word, and a feeling of longing appeared in my chest, how I missed this strong and strong-willed woman.
– Ahem… – Dumbledore noticed something on my face. – Miss Hellsing, I haven’t had a chance to inform Lady Hellsing of what happened yet, but believe me, I’ll send her a detailed report this evening.
“No need…” I automatically rummaged through my pockets and pulled out the Miraclephone. “I have a faster way to communicate.”
“A fine artifact, too bad it’s so expensive.” The wizard looked respectfully at the silver bar in my hand and chuckled. “Although Goldstein promised me a good discount…”
– Headmaster, but maybe there are some leads? – Hermione still didn’t calm down. – Have you found out anything?
“Considering their level of power and knowledge,” Dumbledore said thoughtfully. “I can say with certainty that the perpetrator was a sixth- or, more likely, seventh-year student. I can also assume it was a girl, as residual magic is quite specific. Once again, this was not an attempt on your lives; please consider that fact. Miss Hellsing’s near-death experience was a tragic accident that should never have happened under any circumstances.”
“Thank you, Headmaster, we’ve already figured that out.” I smiled sweetly at Dumbledore. “And as for this partisan, we’ll try to find him ourselves. Do you mind?”
“Miss Hellsing, don’t play the hero.” The wizard looked at me sternly. “The one who did this is much stronger, more experienced, and smarter than you!” Then, a little quieter, he added, “I’ll send a sample of the magic to your mother; you don’t yet have the knowledge or skills to use it.”
– Once again, thank you so much. – I smiled sincerely at the director.
“No need.” Dumbledore waved his hand and rose from the table. “I think I’ve answered your questions, so I suggest we finish for today.” The elder added sternness to his voice. “Miss Hellsing, hurry to the shower and then to bed; you’re on bed rest. Miss Granger, allow me to accompany you to the common room. Tomorrow will be a very long and difficult day for all of us.”
– Why? – Mia immediately pounced on the director with questions. – What is supposed to happen tomorrow?
“You’ll find out tomorrow.” Dumbledore chuckled and dispelled his spell with a demonstrative snap of his fingers. “Miss Hellsing, I’ll see you at breakfast. Miss Granger, we must go, otherwise Madam Pomfrey will scold you. Believe me, a mediwitch in anger is worse than the Dark Lord.”
“Albus, I hear everything!” The loud voice of the woman in question came from behind. “You forgot to add that we’re also very vindictive.”
“Poppy, it was nice to see you!” The director waved his hand and ran out of the hospital wing with a dashing gait.
– Well, see you tonight. – I hugged my best friend with a smile.
“Expect guests after dinner.” The girl kissed me on the cheek and quickly walked out the door.
After watching the guests leave and smiling at the disgruntled Madam Pomfrey, I headed to the shower room. Only when I was under the hot water did I allow myself to weaken and burst into tears. After bawling my eyes out, I began to viciously scrub my body with a washcloth, trying to wash away all the filth I’d experienced in the nightmare. At that moment, I felt like ripping off my skin and scraping certain areas with a toilet brush, so disgusted and repulsed I was. I don’t know how long I spent doing this, but Madam Pomfrey never bothered me once.
Having finished my hygiene, I changed into warm, soft pajamas and returned to my bunk, where they were already waiting for me. A long serpent with black and yellow scales lay on a large pillow, its bony crest resembling a crown. At my approach, the familiar perked up and dashed toward me. Before I could blink, my chest was wrapped in coils, and a brazen muzzle appeared before my face.
– Where have you been? – I stroked the snake on the head.
“Guarding the junk! ” Vasya pointed his tail under the bed. ” Otherwise, all sorts of street urchins are hanging around here.”
“You’re my hero. ” I kissed the impudent, scaly face with a smile, but then tensed up. ” Where’s Flora?! I haven’t seen her.”
“Winged One’s fine, she’s a little pissed… ” Snake trailed off. “She ‘s basically scared.” She hid in Curly One’s bosom. She’ll be fine by moonrise.
– Phew… You’ve calmed me down, I was getting scared. – I breathed a sigh of relief. – Well, yeah, there was quite a blast there.
– Fuck it, that bang! – Vasya looked pitifully into my eyes. – Mistress, I felt a terrible force there, so fucking terrible. I almost shit myself. Mistress, I beg you, don’t scare me like that anymore… And don’t leave me… I will obey you, no matter what you ask, I swear!
“I won’t leave, ” I continued stroking the shaking snake. “ I promise.”
After standing there for a moment, I carefully lay down on the bed and stared thoughtfully at the ceiling. Vasya had just confirmed one of my suspicions, but I tried not to think about it. Instead, to distract myself, I extended my free hand and lit a Lumos on the tip of my fingers. I’d become so accustomed to magic that I’d completely forgotten what it was like to be an ordinary person. I think I now understand the purebloods for whom becoming a sorcerer is worse than death. For a while, I admired the yellow light with a silly smile, and then, taking the Miracle Phone from my pocket, taking a deep breath, I called someone.
– Hi, Mom… – My voice trembled treacherously when I saw the serious face of the platinum blonde. – How are you?
– Hello daughter, is something wrong? – The woman began to peer closely at the screen. – Why aren’t you wearing your school uniform?
“Oh, someone made a bad joke, and I ended up in the hospital wing…” The Baroness’s eyes widened slightly. “Why am I calling anyway? Mom, I missed you so much…”
“Me too, Rigel, I really missed you too.” The blonde’s voice warmed. “Just be patient, Easter break is in a couple of months. Now tell me! Who, when, and what we managed to find out…”
It took me about an hour to calm the irate Baroness down, during which time I learned a lot about Hogwarts and Dumbledore in particular. Now I understand why the headmaster isn’t rushing to buy a Wonderphone. Letters from angry parents are one thing—you can burn them—but a call from an enraged Fury is quite another. I seriously thought Mom would force me to activate the emergency Portkey and the next day I’d be studying at MUDYA (Minsk University of Demonic Phenomena), a safer school of magic. But it seems everything worked out, and the woman managed to pull herself together, probably thanks to my satisfied and silly smile. Mom simply reminded me that I’m not alone in this world and that I have loved ones who love me, and that warmed my heart.
“…Mom, I’m fine, honestly.” I admired the woman’s blue eyes once again; she was so beautiful. “The director promised to send you a full report this evening, along with the magic remnant he managed to collect.”
“Okay, I’ll be waiting with impatience.” The woman sighed and smiled warmly. “Daughter, please be careful. If you sense danger, activate the Portkey immediately. Remember, you are loved and awaited at home, so don’t be a hero.”
“I promise.” I smiled back.
– See you tonight then. – Mom nodded goodbye and hung up.
Having put the Wonderphone under my pillow, I pulled my school bag from under the bed and pulled out my Charms and Transfiguration textbooks. What else is there to do while lying in a hospital bed, especially when you need to distract yourself from negative thoughts? That’s right, study! And that’s what I did until evening, only occasionally pausing to perform a couple of simple but interesting spells.
When it was time for dinner, a protruding-eared monster in a lime-green pillowcase appeared before me. The house-elf bowed politely and snapped his fingers dramatically, after which a small table laden with various dishes appeared next to the bed. The food, though varied, was different from a regular dinner, clearly conforming to some kind of hospital diet. But I didn’t complain; everything was fresh, tasty, and filling.
I’d barely finished eating when a noisy, large group of people burst into the hospital wing. Seriously, I didn’t expect such a crowd to come visit! All my Gryffindor friends were there, including the gossipy Weasleys in full force, the Goldstein brothers represented Ravens along with Luna and Padma, and Slytherin showed up in the form of Diana and the Black sisters. No matter how hard we tried, we couldn’t have a quiet chat, so after just ten minutes, the gamekeeper—pardon me, Madam Pomfrey—appeared and sent everyone packing.
Having shown the noisy visitors out, the woman locked the door to her domain and, casting me a disgruntled glance, began her evening rounds. Since I was the only patient that night, aside from Greengrass, who was in a separate room, I was thoroughly examined with a dozen healing spells. Only then did Madam Pomfrey calm down and a satisfied smile appear on her face.
“Miss Hellsing, the lights go out at ten sharp, but I don’t forbid you from reading by the light of the desk lamp or casting spells,” the mediwitch began to instruct me. “But it’s best not to stay up too late and get a good rest; you’ve had a hard day today. If you can’t sleep, take these potions.” A couple of vials levitated onto my nightstand. “This is a calming potion and a dreamless sleep potion.”
“Thank you.” I nodded respectfully. “For everything.”
“No need,” Madam Pomfrey smiled kindly. “That’s my job.”
The woman retired to her room, and to occupy my mind, I started working on my homework, of which there wasn’t all that much. I finished my last Transfiguration essay literally a few minutes before lights out and, waiting for the lights to go out, called my mother. We chatted for a long time about all sorts of nonsense, but around midnight, the platinum blonde began to nod off. Noticing this, I wished her goodnight and hung up. After fiddling with the now-dark Wonderphone in my hands for a moment, I put it under my pillow and pulled out my Potions textbook. I wasn’t particularly sleepy, and bad thoughts were starting to creep in as the night wore on.
I still couldn’t figure out if this was a nightmare or reality, only in another world. And if so, then why? What was the purpose of this “business trip”? To remind me of my past life? That way, I’d never forgotten who I was before. To show my insignificance and weakness? I’m perfectly aware of that, especially compared to Dumbledore or Darkness; those monsters would squash me and not even notice. I won’t even mention Alucard; I’ve long since realized he’s no ordinary higher vampire, but something far more ancient and powerful.
– Kshi-shi-shi… – A quiet, multi-voiced laugh rang out in the silence of the hospital wing.
I swallowed nervously and, slooooowly turning around, saw a pair of scarlet eyes in the far, particularly dark corner. I don’t know why, but there was no fear; maybe it was the sedative that was doing the trick.
“Hello.” I nodded politely, not wanting to quarrel with the higher being anymore.
“Smart girl… Smart…” A gentle, multi-voiced whisper came from the corner. “You think correctly…”
– Excuse me, but why did you come?
– I came to praise…
– For what?
“You passed the test… One of…” The multi-voiced whisper seemed very pleased to me. “You didn’t give up and fought to the very end… Your will was unbreakable…”
– Was all this just for this? – I looked into the red eyes in bewilderment, which made my head start to spin mercilessly.
– No… You’ve become proud… You’ve stopped valuing a second chance… – But now the whisper seemed grumpy to me. – You’ve stopped fearing death, and that… Is unacceptable… For a mortal being…
– So it was a dream? – I breathed a sigh of relief.
– Maybe yes… Or maybe not… – A hint of malice flashed in the entity’s voice. – Who knows… Maybe when Rigel dies, Elena, who is now in a coma, will wake up… Who knows…
“I don’t really want to check that.” My back broke out in a cold sweat.
– The correct answer is… Kshi-shi-shi…
– What do you want from me? – I shifted nervously on the bed.
– You’ll find out soon… If you survive… Kshi-shi-shi… Until then, fulfill your destiny.
– W-what? – My voice trembled treacherously.
– The main character of this tale… Kshi-shi-shi… – The scarlet eyes began to dissolve into the darkness. – You are the sister of the boy-who-lived…
– Wait! – But there was no one in the room anymore, realizing this, I collapsed on the bed. – F*ck… What have you gotten yourself into again, Rigel…
After tossing and turning in bed and realizing I definitely wouldn’t fall asleep, I reached for the vial of Dreamless Sleep Potion, but changed my mind. The sound of hurried footsteps coming from Madam Pomfrey’s room was the trigger. I immediately feigned sleep and watched the mediwitch with half an eye. With a wave of her wand, the woman opened the door and let Dumbledore and Lockhart into the hospital wing, two female figures in school robes levitating before them.
“Albus,” Madam Pomfrey growled, “what’s the emergency?”
“Quiet, Poppy, we’ve had another attack,” the director replied calmly. “The victims were once again given a modified potion of living death.”
– Merlin the Almighty… – the woman exclaimed. – Who this time?
“Miss Crystal and Miss Lovegood,” Lockhart said, unusually serious. “I found them near the Ravenclaw common room.”
“Damn it, get the injured into the ward.” Madam Pomfrey waved toward one of the doors. “We can’t help them now anyway.”
– Luna… – I barely restrained myself from rushing towards the numb girl.
Meanwhile, the wizards put the girls in a separate room and began to whisper.
“Gilderoy, any ideas?” Dumbledore’s voice was quiet but clear.
“The girls were attacked from behind, and Miss Crystal was knocked out first,” the writer said seriously. “And Miss Lovegood didn’t resist and most likely drank the potion voluntarily.”
– Why did you decide that? – The director was surprised.
“She didn’t show any marks from any offensive spells, unlike Miss Crystal and Miss Greengrass. Besides…” Lockhart hesitated slightly. “Miss Lovegood was smiling…”
“That makes sense,” Dumbledore agreed. “Perhaps Miss Lovegood knew her attacker well, but as far as I know, she doesn’t have many friends.”
“And one of them is eavesdropping on us right now.” The writer chuckled. “Good night, Miss Hellsing.”
“Good night, Professor,” I grumbled in response.
“I suggest we move further discussions to my office,” the director said, raising his voice slightly. “Good night everyone, Poppy, lock the door behind us and no more visitors, that’s an order.”
– Okay, Albus. – The woman saw the night visitors out and came to my bed. – Miss Hellsing, what did I say tonight?
“Madam Pomfrey, I was just about to take a Dreamless Sleep potion, but I heard footsteps and got curious.” I made the most innocent face. “Honestly.”
“I believe you,” the Mediwitch smiled and handed me a vial of potion. “I think that’s enough adventure for today; time for bed.”
“I completely agree with you.” I gulped down the not-so-tasty potion and fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.
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