In the Melancholy Moonlight

Chapter CXX: Romulus

HARRY:

At breakfast before we left for Hogsmeade, an owl landed on Lucy's shoulder and dropped a letter onto her lap. She jolted visibly, but as soon as fear flickered across her eyes, it was replaced by the same vacant, haunted expression that had lived in the blue ever since the day after Hermione's birthday.

"Romulus?" she asked, a flicker of confusion disappearing as soon as it appeared. "If you're here, that means..."

The twins exchanged a look as Lucy slit the envelope and drew out a long letter. She scanned the words, biting her lower lip harder and harder as she neared the bottom of the page. Fred and George read over her shoulder, exchanging another look at the end of it.

Lucy folded the letter back into thirds and glanced between the twins. "Are either of you any good at extension charms?"

"Extension ch-?" Hermione shook her head. "Lucy, those are-"

"Terribly tricky and ridiculously risky? Indeed!" George finished.

"So yes, of course we are, they're fascinating! Want us to help you pack?" Fred asked. He sounded upbeat enough, but he and George exchanged a third look loaded with meaning.

It was suddenly impossible to breathe.

"Pack?" I managed, looking at Lucy, whose face was a perfect blank save the haunted look in her eyes, which, again, was nothing new. "You're not- Malfoy didn't-"

Lucy shook her head. "No, n-no, he didn't, it's not- here, this will clear it up." She passed me the letter and turned to the twins. "Which one of you is better at it?"

"Me, of course," they said in unison.

Lucy should have laughed. It was funny. But whatever ghost was holding her captive hadn't let her laugh for nearly two weeks. "Alright, you can both come, I don't need too much for only three days."

"Three-?" I started to ask, but Lucy gestured at the letter with her chin.

"That's all I know," she said in a small voice. "I... I just found out."

"It makes sense, though," George said.

Lucy looked for a second as if she'd disagree, but she bit her lip instead and rose to her feet. The twins followed her out of the Great Hall, and Hermione wrenched the letter from my hands.

She skimmed it quickly, then sighed with relief. "I was afraid it was something horrible," she said, passing the parchment to me. Ron read over my shoulder.

Dear Lucy,
   I'm terribly sorry for the short notice, but the Order deemed it necessary to keep you as safe as possible. At noon today, meet me at the Hogsmeade train station. A number of your peers and professors have expressed concern in regards to your apparent lack of ability to do magic, and it's been decided that St. Mungo's should run a couple of tests to attempt to determine the cause and remedy the problem, if possible. It's been complicated trying to get clearance for you to leave school, but we figure that once you're gone, there's nothing that horrible woman Professor Umbridge High Inquisitor Umbridge that horrible woman can do about it. You'll be back at school by dinner on Tuesday, assuming everything goes according to plan.
   Again, I'm sorry for the lack of notice and your lack of involvement. It's been difficult trying to coordinate all of this in a way that wouldn't land anyone in trouble, but I assure you that everyone has your best interests at heart. I'll see you at noon.
      Best regards, Remus Lupin

My heart pounded. My head was spinning.

Lucy? St. Mungo's? Tests? Three days?

I was obviously relieved that the Order had heard and decided to do something to try to fix whatever was wrong with Lucy, but, well, I wanted to be there to help if I could. I knew that the healers at St. Mungo's were obviously far more competent than I would be, but what if she needed me while she was there? What if she had a nightmare and she was all alone? What if there was a loud bang and she panicked and they didn't know that the best way to help was to make sure she didn't feel suffocated and help her focus on something else?