The Emerald Manor

Chapter 40

They reappeared in a heap on the ground. Cora frantically assessed herself and Draco for signs of splinching. But they both seem to be intact. She was delirious but determined. She looked to see where they ended up. Her head tilted back, and she saw a large stone building with a sign.

St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries

Cora let out a relieved sob. She was too exhausted to move, so she yelled for help.

"HELP! HEEEELLLLP. SOMEONE HELP!"

A small army of witches, young and old in lime green robes spilled out of the entrance. They converged on Draco and Cora.

An older squat witch with a full-figured face knelt next Cora. She assessed Cora's injuries. The gash on her face from the slashing curse has stopped bleeding but is deep. The welt on her other cheek has swollen to levels that could interfere with her eyesight.

The older witch spoke, her voice is soft and relaxed.

"Sweetie. Shhhh. Take a breath. It's ok. What can we help with?" She rested her hands on Cora's, which were still refusing to let go of Draco's.

"Save him. Please save him." She sobbed and hiccoughed looking at Draco. "You can't let him die. Please......please." She dropped her head into the witch, tears cascading down her face again.

Two of the other healers that came out levitated Draco, removing Cora's hands from his. The older witch was refusing to let go of Cora.

"What's your name dear? Mine is Mathilda."

It was a minute before Cora realized that she was walking towards the entrance of the hospital. Healers were assessing Draco's levitating body in front of her while Mathilda held on to her hands.

"Mathilda. Is he going to be.... ok? Please tell me he's going to be ok." Cora was still shaking, her breathing ragged and uneven.

Mathilda's voice was a welcomed calm in the storm that was ragging inside Cora. "The healers are going to work on him now and do everything they can to stabilize him. What's your name?

She sniffled, her tears drying up. "Cora."

"What a beautiful name. What is his name?" Mathilda's hands were warm on hers, giving her a friendly squeeze.

She let out a quiet sob. "......Draco."

"Alright, good job. Is he your husband?"

Cora shook her head. "No. He's, my boyfriend. We...we were supposed to move in together tomorrow." Her breath was broken and harsh.

"Do you know what happened to him? It can help the healers work on him."

Cora looked around and saw that she and Mathilda were sitting down in a room. "He.... He was hit with a curse. Directly in the chest. I......I......I don't know what curse it was. ......It was red.... that's all I saw."

"That's very good that can us help. Now, a few of the healers work on Draco. I'd like to look at your injuries if you don't mind Cora. That gash on your face is quite deep. And if you allow me, I can treat the welt, so it doesn't hurt."

Cora was uneasy, her nails dragging up and down her legs over and over again. Her adrenaline was starting to wear off, making her acutely aware of her injuries. She could feel a persistent burning and throbbing on the cheek where Robert had slapped her.

The pain from the cut curse was bubbling up to the surface and was borderline excruciating now. Cora looked at Mathilda and gave her a subtle nod to allow her to take care of her wounds.

Mathilda examined the welt first, dabbing dittany along it and then doing the same to the cut on Cora's face. She recoiled in pain when Mathilda touched the cut.

"Oh. I'm sorry dear. I'm sure that must hurt. It's a rather deep cut. Here drink this." Mathilda summoned a small vial over that she unstopped for Cora. "It's a pain relief potion. It will ease the throbbing and burning.

Cora took the vial and swallowed it willingly.

While Mathilda worked, she spoke softly to Cora, like she was a scared puppy. "Sweetie. Did. Draco. Your boyfriend."

Cora tensed at the sound of Draco's name. New panic flooding throughout her body. Starting in her chest, spilling out to all her extremities. "Draco! Is he dead? What's wrong with Draco."

"Shhhh." Mathilda rubbed Cora's back. "No, no dear. He's not dead. The healers are still working on him. But I do have to ask. Is Draco." Mathilda's breath hitched for just a moment. "Is he the one that did this to you? Did you curse him trying to defend yourself?"

Cora gasped at Mathilda's question. Cora spoke through her hiccoughing and sniffles. "No. Never. Draco......he would never hurt me. He.... he.... He was trying to save me. He got cursed trying to protect me." Cora's tears flowed freely again; her sobs renewed.

It was her fault that Draco might die. She should have known something was wrong when she received that owl. It wasn't from Draco's little sweet tawny owl. The message was cold. It wasn't written like Draco at all. But she wasn't thinking clearly, just focused on seeing Draco. The lump had settled in her chest like a brick, refusing to move.

"Then who did this to you dear? The welt doesn't look magical in nature. Someone slapped you; it had to be hard to cause this kind of damage. If you didn't get this treated in time it could have compromised your vision. Also, this cut......it's.... deep, it hit your cheekbone. Not life threatening due to its location but the pain had to have been immense before I gave you the potion. I'll be able to heal it. But I'm afraid it's going to scar."

Cora's eyes went blank, staring at the wall in front her. A portrait of a wizard in lime robes watched her. Who did this to her indeed. It was her brother, Robert. The boy she hadn't seen since he was 10 years old. The boy she didn't even know was still alive. The boy that grew into a man, a wizard.

The man, the wizard who seemed to be hunting Cora. He simply wasn't looking for her to reunite. He wanted her dead; he wanted her to suffer. Cora couldn't understand why he just left and didn't kill her. Draco was unconscious Cora was drained of her magic and physical strength. He could have tortured and killed her. But instead, he left. With a warning....'I own you.'

When she was looking in his face, it was like a glimpse of the past. His boyish features shown through. She remembered his defined square face with auburn hair. Although, the beard and scar were new. She wondered how he got that scar. Robert seemed to learn how to hit and humiliate women from their father.

Cora's hand ghosted up to the cheek where he slapped her, before dropping it back down. 'You're worthless.'

He made sure Cora knew that after he slapped her. Lost in her own head she could hear faint voices pulling her back to reality.

"....... Cora. Cora dear can you hear me?" Mathilda's gentle coaxing brought Cora back into the present.

Cora looked over and gave her a quiet nod.

"Did you hear my question?"

Cora blinked at her. "No sorry. Could you repeat it please?"

Mathilda gave her a sad smile. "Who did this to you? Do you know them?"

She flitted her eyes up to the old kind witch. "No, I don't them."

"Oh. Well, we cou.......

Cora interrupted her. "It was my brother."