Disguise (Y/N Black)

-Thirteen: Wait-

Beep... Beep... Beep.. Beep.

The monitor buzzed.

He brought up a hand to the window, nose pressed against the glass. With each breath made, the more difficult it became to see through. He sniffled, wiping his nose swiftly before using the ends of his sleeve to clean off the fog he made. His glasses clinked against the clear surface imbedded in the wall as he desperately tried to see what was going on.

"Harry!" Hermione uttered in a hushed tone from behind him. He spun around, looking at her sitting in a chair not far across the narrow hall. "See anything?"

He slowly dragged his hand off the window, listening to the soft squeaking it made. Solemnly, he gave a subtle shake of his head. Hermione sighed, slumping deeper into the chair and further into her book. Harry tapped his leg with a hand impatiently, each thud of his hand against his thigh getting faster.

"Would you calm down?" Hermione snapped, slamming her book shut. Despite the bitterness in her tone, she looked just as concerned as he did. "St. Mungo's has the best wizards and witches here to take care of them."

Harry swallowed, avoiding eye contact. He stared at the door beside Hermione's left, reading the whiteboard plaque with scribbled names.

Creature Induced Injuries #121: Ron Weasley

With a huff, Hermione stood up and walked over to sit in the empty chair beside Harry. She removed the jacket and purse left on it and gently placed them to the side to make room.

As she sat, she followed Harry's gaze, focused intently on the writing.

"Like I said. St. Mungo's has the best wizards and witches here..." she murmured, reaching out to set a hand on his left shoulder.

Harry breathed once, but didn't say anything to her in reply. In light of getting ignored, Hermione stood up once more and walked to stand directly in front of the door opposite Ron's. The plaque here read:

Creature Induced Injuries #122: Y/N Black

Just beneath her name, was an incite that said:

!MUST ATTEND TO IMMEDIATELY! written in bold, black letters.

Hermione raised her hand, curled into a loose fist. She sighed and paused, letting it dangle just above the wooden door. With a deep breath, she rapped her hand along the door three times and then waited for a response. To her surprise, one came almost immediately and an odd wizard that she didn't know answered.

He looked at her and then at someone behind the door before he turned back again.

"You can come in..." he said slowly, parting it just enough for her to squeeze through.

She smiled softly, looking back to Harry with an urging wave. She waited for him to stand and follow her before she entered all the way through. They were greeted with tears.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The monitor was continuing to beep, getting gradually slower and slower. Just beside the bed sat McGonagall, Dumbledore and some of the Weasleys. But it was Lupin that was the one shedding tears.

He was bawling up against McGonagall's shoulder, and she was gently wrapping an arm around his upper back. They saw their Deputy Headmistress flash a glance to Dumbledore, who was standing at her other side.

"Hello dears," Molly Weasley greeted Hermione and Harry softly, walking around the bed and the other wizards. She gently enclosed both of them in a hug, holding them close to her. When she pulled away, Harry noticed that she had also been crying recently. Her face was wet with tears and there were dark circles beneath her eyes.

"What's happened?" Hermione murmured to Mrs. Weasley, referring to their professor breaking down beside the bed.

"Are they alright?" Harry butted in, fidgety and trembling.

"Oh yes- Ron will be fine. Just a minor injury and all. Getting stupefied did a great number to him however." Molly replied, dodging the first question they shot at her.

"And Y/N?" Hermione asked again, firm with her question now. "What happened with her?"

Mrs. Weasley said nothing, and only turned towards Dumbledore with a nervous gaze. They both caught eye contact for a few moments before their Headmaster walked over and around the others.

"It's best that you don't know." Dumbledore said bluntly, scratching his chin as he spoke. "Not yet at least."

Harry and Hermione exchanged glances, both of their chests heaving in fret.

"Why- why not?" Hermione defiantly retorted back, even though she knew it was wrong to doubt her Headmaster.

Dumbledore turned around, setting his gaze upon McGonagall to mouth the words, "Do I dare say it?"

She looked back and forth between Dumbledore, Hermione and Harry, to Lupin and back again. She shrugged once and let out a sigh. "Do it if you wish it's best Albus."

Dumbledore turned back around, gesturing to the door. Halfheartedly, Harry watched Hermione walk towards it and step outside. Dumbledore followed yet paused at the door.

"Coming Harry?" He inquired, waiting for him to reply.

Harry said nothing and only turned to watch as Lupin continued to sob. Their DATDA Professor looked so weak in the chair compared to McGonagall. His face was a pale gray tone and his hands quivered violently in his lap.

"Harry?" Dumbledore repeated.

He turned to look over at his Headmaster before reluctantly following. All he heard as he exited the room was Remus Lupin, a shadow of himself, crying because he knew that this must've been his fault.