Reborn - A Harry Potter Fanfiction

i.ii chapter two

Summer, 1991; St. Mungo's Hospital

It was clammy and hot when Ember at last woke up, the open window letting in a the only bit of air into the stuffy room. The heat swelled around her head, beckoning for her to open her eyes, but Ember did not want to; she found herself still exhausted after having the most peculiar dream, one of a humongous man, as tall as a giant. It had all been quite remarkable: the flash of red light, the door being ripped of it hinges and most of all Mr Hammond wailing in the corner. If being in bed made that dream last longer, she did not wish to wake. Yet, as the heat swelled around her head, Ember found herself forced to open her stormy eyes.

The room was unnecessarily bright, much unlike the children's home. The walls were painted a milky white, which only reflected the sun shinning through the open window; the green curtains gently blowing around it. As Ember's vision slowly adjusted, the more she thought that this was no dream.

Where the bloody hell was she?!

Ember practically leaped out of the bed, ignoring the dull ache in her face. The room was unfamiliar to her and she knew this was no part of St. Claires. It looked like a hospital room: clean, minimal and possessed that old smell that reeked of death. Her bed lay in the corner, paired with simple, white sheets; a jug and a bowl of water that was placed on a small bedside table; a wooden chair stood opposite and a beautiful bouquet of lilacs lay in a crystal vase at the end of the bed. It appeared to be just an ordinary hospital room, the question was 'how did she get here?!'

Ember's brow was furrowed as she gripped onto the bed frame, pinching her eyes shut as memories of last night flooded back to her. There was a giant, a man as tall as the ceiling. He saved her? Shot red light from his umbrella and could do things, things she couldn't comprehend...She must be getting the details wrong, the events of what happened last night were simply impossible. Ember gripped onto the iron railings of her bed harder, trying to make sense of it all.

Suddenly, the door clicked open and Ember froze, her toes curling on the cold, marble floor. It was a woman, a very large woman whose face was as round and bright as a pink blancmange. She came in smiling at first, but immediately frowned when she noticed Ember's distress.

"It's okay, it's okay" the women pleaded, her voice kind and soft. She hurried over to Ember who'd now climbed on top of the bed to give her some height against this potential foe.

"Settle down now, no one's going to hurt you" the woman assured her gently, looking up nervously at the child who was clearly confused and frightened. "My name is Madam Fawley, I am a healer here at St. Mungo's Hospital. I'm here to help!"

Ember didn't know whether she should believe this strange woman, dressed in strange clothes. An emerald green gown that feel all the way to the floor; a large, white apron and some sort of weird headpiece. It was like she was out of some sort of medieval fantasy.

"You have no reason to worry, you're safe now. So will you please get down from the bed, I don't want you to hurt yourself."

Madam Fawley continued to persist, now looking incredibly nervous and had turned an even pinker shade than she originally was. Even so, why should Ember believe her? Why should she believe anyone! All she knew was that as of last night she was at the children's home, when the ginormous man showed up out of the blue and performed whatever trick he did with the umbrella. Now, she was here, without any explanation. Despite that, Ember was starting to feel bad for the woman, or healer as she claimed to be. Beads of sweat were dripping down Madam Fawley's cheeks and she looked as if she was about to cry. That's when Ember decided to take a seat back on the bed. Upon doing so, Madam Fawley perked up; a big, jovial grin now plastered on her face.