𝘝𝘖𝘐𝘊𝘌𝘚. harry potter world ¹

𝘹𝘹𝘪. 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺

     THEY RAN BACK TO THE HOSPITAL WING, SWEATY, AND PANTING, BUT FULFILLED. Rory was fueling from the traces of adrenaline she had left, added to the mix, was Fudge and Snape's conversation that was still ringing in her ears. It was almost over, and if it all fell down due to their clumsiness she could never live with herself. 

      ". . . only hope Dumbledore's not going to make difficulties. The Kiss will be performed immediately?" 

     "As soon as Macnair returns with the Dementors. This whole Black affair has been highly embarrassing. I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to informing the Daily Prophet that we've got him at last. . . I dare say they'll want to interview you, Snape. . . and once young Harry's back in his right mind, I expect he'll want to tell the Prophet exactly how you saved him.  . ."

     They were basically skipping stairs as they made their way up, almost falling to doom as they tripped over and over again, too blinded by red and darkness to even care about where they feet were landing.

     Red for their bloated cheeks. For the dried blood from their injuries. Red for their suffering lungs that were trying to keep up with them.

     Darkness for the previous night. Darkness for the whole situation they had to live through one more year. Darkness for the night that the sun was consuming slowly with the first rays of sunshine.

     (There is still hope).

     "You know, I never liked him and I don't think I'll ever do,'' Rory manages to say as they crept along the corridor, walking (jogging more like it), at the sight of Dumbledore's back, whispering something to their past selves.

     Past selves that were now entering a gigantic loop that would go on forever and Rory's mind just resented after this night.

     "—it is five minutes to midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Good luck." 

     Rory, Harry, and Hermione ran forward to him when he was about to lock the Hospital Wing's doors. Dumbledore looked up, his blue eyes twinkling with satisfaction, and a wide smile appearing under his long silver beard. "Well?" 

     "We did it!" exclaims Harry breathlessly. "Sirius has gone, on Buckbeak. . ." 

     Dumbledore beams at them and the knot in Rory's chest untangles slowly sending a wave of tickles through her body. "Well done. I think —" He listened intently, glancing at the walls of the Hospital Wing. "Yes, I think you've gone too — get inside — I'll lock you in —" 

     They didn't have to be told twice. They slipped back inside the room, completely empty, the white from the beds and curtains colder than usual, lonely and icy, but for Ron who was still lying in a bed motionless.

     Just moments after they crawled to their own beds, Madam Pomfrey came striding back out of her office. 

      "Did I hear the headmaster leaving? Am I allowed to look after my patients now?" She didn't look very happy, nor couldn't understand why they did.

     Rory's body was violently shaking up and down as she tried to catch her breath. Her aching muscles were spasming due to the lack of movement, but after a couple of minutes in which she just laid there staring at the ceiling, they caught the message and got used to it pretty quickly. Now she feels numb and as though she didn't have any bones left inside her body.

     But it was okay, everything was okay, it was all under control because Sirius was safe. They had done it again.

     ''Here, dear, for your migraines, then have some more chocolate,'' Madam Pomfrey was saying to Rory as she gave her a potion she was already familiar with, and her fourth piece of chocolate.