Ultimatums

Chapter 46

"Mum! Mum, quick. It's Lily!"

James was running into the room carrying Lily, the woman having wounds that seemed to have rendered her unconscious.

Euphemia stood, hurrying over to them and Hermione walked timidly behind, setting their tea aside.

"James get my potions" their mother said, looking down at Lily with pity.

As he went to set her down to go and get his mother's supplies, Hermione held up a hand and said "wait. I can save her twice as quick and better than Mum's medicine."

James looked at her as if he hadn't even noticed she was in the room before his lip curled "no"

He turned but before he could get far, his legs were caught in purple. "Hermione now is not the time, my wife is dying" he snarled, trying to free himself.

The word wife hit her. Another thing she did not know. But like her brother had said, now was not the time. So she left the pit in her stomach to fester and said through clenched teeth "Then let me help her"

She turned him around so he could watch, and she conjured things for her mother to busy herself with cleaning his face.

Then Hermione lifted Lily in the air so she hovered as if on a table. She touched her fingers to Lily's heart before looking up "What spells did she endure, James?"

"I don't know. I was duelling Dolohov"

"Brilliant" Hermione muttered sarcastically.

She lifted her hands to Lily's face, slowly healing the gashes and bruising, before hovering her hands down her body and doing the same. Soon all her non threatening injuries were healing, and Hermione could now cast an accurate diagnostic spell.

The spell caused colours to bloom on her body like paint in water, each colour a representation of a curse or hex. When Hermione's face turned gaunt, James's worry increased.

"What?" he asked in a panic, but Hermione ignored him.

"Who was Evans duelling?" she asked.

"Thorfinn Rowle" James supplied.

Hermione nodded. "He is an excellent caster. That explains this. Finn... Rowle used a spell of his own creation. It's incredible magic"

Euphemia cast her a dark look and Hermione rethought her words before wincing and clearing her throat. "I'm sure Evans gave him a number of injuries as well"

Slowly, Hermione raised a hand and made a sudden grasping motion. With the other hand, she flicked a wrist and released James. "Get me a jar"

The man scurried off, and Hermione fought to keep hold of whatever invisible thing she had gripped in her hand.

Clattering noises were heard in the kitchen, but Hermione was losing grip. "James hurry" she urged.

Finally, the rattle of pens tipping over echoed and James came running arms flailing. He put the jar in Hermione's other hand and watched as his sister started to pull a thick thread of fire out of his wife's chest. The flames licked and sparked as she pulled and the other people in the room couldn't breathe for holding their breath. It seemed to go on forever.

Suddenly the cord of flame ended, and Hermione carefully lowered it into the jar. When she removed her hands, blisters were already forming and skin was peeling away. She felt tears dance behind her nose, threatening to reach her eyes, but she turned back to Lily and did a final test to make sure there was no damage.

What she discovered however, was not exactly damage. Her hand flew to her mouth before she winced at the contact. "I need to get home, Mum. Evans should wake up soon. Give her an hour or so. And tell Dad that Reg wants to speak with him at some point, about what I don't know"

Euphemia quirked a brow "tell that boy we were wondering how long it would take him. The answer is yes. There is no need to talk to him"

Hermione nodded and fastened her cloak. She didn't bid her brother goodbye.

☏

Lily Potter woke up next to her husband a few days later still aching from the other night.

The Order had been called in to stop some sort of Muggle trafficking but they were given away. Death Eaters had apparated to the old building the Muggles were being harboured in seconds after they arrived. Luckily, all the Muggles were saved. A new member of the Order had died. She was only young. More so than Peter, the youngest of their group.

What surprised Lily was that her sister in law was the one who had saved her. James spoke in high regard of her, which was unusual. She got out of bed to write to the woman, and that was when she noticed the tawny owl blinking at her.

He looked bored, as if he had been waiting for a while, and he spat the letter at her like he was blowing a raspberry. Lily picked up the letter and turned it over to see the Black wax seal. The discourteous owl now made sense. Said owl was still waiting for a treat and when she retrieved one for him, he bit her fingers completely missing the treat and flew away with a ruffle of his feathers .

The letter was addressed to both her and James, so she shook the man awake. Of course he awoke in a panic as he usually did, but once he took in the scene, he pulled Lily back to bed and opened the letter so they could read it together.

Lily & James Potter,

I'm writing to you to tell you a few things.

Firstly, while I was treating Lily, I came across something that seems to be the next step for you. A pregnancy.

Now if James hadn't called you his wife in a fit of worry yesterday, Lily, I would suggest marriage. Obviously, you've already wed. Something I wish I could've seen even on such rocky terms. You are still my brother James.

Moving on, I would also like to inform you of mine and Regulus's engagement. Inviting you to the party would be foolish seeing as who else is obligated to be there. Though I believe that makes us even.

I will not lie, Lily, I do not like you. But you now carry the future Lord or Lady Potter and I cannot let any harm come to that child as my obligation to my family. It is stronger than any disagreement. So consider me a formal ally. Not yet a friend.

Hermione Potter.

The letter was packed with so much differing information that the Potters did not know how to feel. The mixed emotions that usually come with pregnancy. The guilt for ultimately deciding to keep their marriage from Hermione. The last paragraph interested them.

James got out of bed and sat at the desk as Lily reread the words over and over again. He dipped a quill in the ink and chewed on the feather, thinking of a way to answer.