Pieces of Me, Scattered to the Wind

A New Piece

The floor of the grand entryway was covered in blood. It ran slick and dark against the elegant white marble flooring and deep pools of it were forming all around the group. Harry's shirt was no longer recognizable as a shade of gray, instead it was now caked in the crusted red of dried blood.

He had set Hermione on the ground as gently as possible and Aunt Lucretia had swiftly summoned her medicinal bag and Harry wondered if this is what medics in war zones felt like.

Since none of them knew exactly what curse had been used to hex Hermione, it was making it rather hard to heal her and the sense of panic and urgency was only building as Hermione's skin paled and blood kept dripping from her wounds.

Herbs and healing potions were being packed and poured on the wounds and Aunt Lucretia kept on handing Aunt Cassie potions to pour down Hermione's throat.

After what felt like a century the blood slowed and eventually came to a stop. Hermione's breathing evened out and Aunt Lucretia's air of panic seemed like it had been dulled to just worried. He watched as she pulled out a blood replenishing potion and passed it over to Aunt Cassie, who poured it down Hermione's throat without question.

Hermione's cheeks filled with a bit more color and the heavy weight on Harry's chest lifted and he knew she was going to be okay. He sat there with her head cradled in his lap for a few more moments and brushed the bloody and sweaty curls away from her face.

Aunt Cassie sat back leaning on her hands, legs stretched in front of her and heaved a great sigh. Lucretia had rocked back to rest on her heels and was breathing deeply- Harry was sure that the chaos had worn on her.

"You know," Aunt Cassie started with a sort of exasperated sigh. "This is the second time in a week that we've been forced to mend and care for a broken, bloody, and magically exhausted teenager." Harry sent her a tired grin.

"My apologies. I'll do my best to not bring a third one." His sarcastic tone caused the two women to laugh.

"If we keep collecting teenagers we'll run out of room" Lucretia giggled. Cassie scoffed.

"Not with the amount of space we have in this massive old place." That much was true. With 22 bedrooms it was highly doubtful that Black Castle would be running out of room any time soon. They sat in a sort of tired and companionable silence for a few more moments waiting for the majority of their fatigue to wear off before Lucretia stood and dusted off her dress.

It was a sort of pointless move considering that there was no way that simply dusting off her dress was going to fix the state that it was currently in. When Harry pointed out as such Aunt Lucretia gave a great and sad sigh.

"I really did love this dress but I guess now I'll have to throw it away." Cassie raised an incredulous eyebrow.

"You could simply cast some cleaning charms or give it to the elves. I'm quite sure that they could fix it."

Lucretia gave a determined shake of her head.

"Oh, absolutely not. It will have to go. Besides, I've been meaning to go shopping and have some new dressed commissioned." Harry let out a delighted laugh at his aunt's antics. The banter and wit that he was surrounded by was positively thrilling and he felt a certain and unfamiliar warmth in his chest as Cassie bantered back that perhaps Lucretia had done the her best during the entire event to ruin her dress in order to ensure that she could have an excuse to go shopping, waste money, and revive her wardrobe.

He gently set Hermione's head on the ground before standing himself. He then bent down and picked up the prone form of his sister.

"I'm going to take her to a bedroom." He then cast a glance at the bloody floors, which Lucretia assured him would be cleaned by the morning. She then waved her wand and a stream of scourgifies washed over him and Hermione and he watched the blood and dirt disappear from them both. He then said his goodnights and made his way towards the back staircase that led to the south wing of bedrooms where he was staying. He used his shoulder to push open the door that opened to the bedroom directly across from his own.