Book Two: Snape's Memories

Chapter Twenty-six

Within five minutes of summoning him, Ron appeared at Harry and Ginny's side. Within ten minutes, the hospital was locked down and crawling with Aurors. Within fifteen minutes, Ron was reading several someones the riot act regarding security. Within thirty minutes, they'd found two staff that had been positively identified as the last to see Tim.

It appeared that once Tim had been pronounced stable by Ernie and Rhiannon, they had gone on to their next case, leaving the boy with the assistants. The assistants had gotten ready to move him down to his room; it was in the hallway that everyone had lost track of him. His paperwork was taken to the floor by one of the assistants and the other believed that the man who'd offered to take Tim was one of the staff assigned to patient transport. After some questioning, she admitted that he had assured her that she didn't need to accompany him, given that she must be very busy.

"So, did you look at his identification?" demanded Ron, sharply.

"No...I-I" the assistant was an apprentice healer, perhaps twenty years old. Usually, she was a pretty young woman, but now her her eyes were swollen with crying, "I just assumed...he was in a uniform...I just...he seemed to know what he was doing." she stopped and gave a little sob, mopping her streaming eyes, "He was wearing a nametag, but I-I didn't read the name."

Ordinarily, Harry might have told Ron to ease up on his hostile questioning. Now, he found himself just listening, intently.

They sat in Ernie's office, which he had turned over to the Aurors as soon as Ron had asked. Several other Auror's were rounding up witnesses and bringing them to be questioned.

"So, you hand an unconscious child over to someone unfamiliar to you? Without even looking at him properly? Is this what you normally do?" Ron went on.

"I-I...Well...Yes. I suppose I thought I'd seen him before...I can't spend all day checking the credentials of the transport staff." she said, suddenly indignant, through her tears, "What am I supposed to do, ask for everyone, down to the cleaning staff's identification?"

"Maybe, you're supposed to see that your patient actually gets to where he's supposed to go!" shouted Ernie at her, "Not hand him off, so you can take an early break!" Ernie had finished up with his next case, as soon as he was safely able and come out to join Ron in questioning the witnesses.

"I never did! Miriam..." the apprentice started.

"Was speaking to the Potters, as I'd told her to." Ernie said in a hard tone of voice, "Perhaps you need to decide whether you have the commitment to this profession that you need, Susan."

"Ernie." said Harry dully, "It's not her fault. I should have..."

Ron gave Harry a sharp look, "Don't be daft, you shouldn't have to supply security for your own sick child."

"Yes, but I knew..." Harry trailed off bleakly. He knew he shouldn't have left. They'd been bringing Tim back and forth from here for weeks. The man had every chance to plan. He could have snagged a uniform from the laundry. He could have read the child's chart, standing behind one of the assistants or apprentices. He could have walked about the place freely, carrying a mop. Harry knew better. He should have stood outside the door with his wand drawn. He should have...

"Stop, Harry. That won't help." Ron said, wearily, "Listen, I reckon you and Ginny should go home. We'll finish the investigation here and start the search. Hermione's over at the Muggle Liason Office, pulling every record of where Tim's ever been found with his mum and starting a search with the Muggle law enforcement. We've put it out that he's armed. They're to contact us if they're seen. You go on and I'll call you as soon as we hear..."

Harry started shaking his head, standing up, "No, Ron, I'll come with..."

Ron stood to, put a hand on Harry's shoulder, "No, mate." he said, firmly, catching Harry's eyes, "You need to stay with Ginny. She needs you. And so will the children, later."