The Year of the Revolution IV. The Outbreak

15. Suffering

Cecile ran up the stairs to the seventh floor as soon as the door to the Infirmary closed behind her, sobbing. Before the portrait of the Fat Lady she stopped to calm down and wipe her face from tears, she didn't want the trio to see her like that if they hadn't left yet. The Fat Lady was kindly asking her what was wrong with her and try to comfort her.

She told her, "Those at home have hurt a friend of mine."

"I already knew, Barnabas has come to tell me a while ago, at least they haven't discovered the Room of Requirement," the portrait replied.

"Well, yes, less bad."

"Don't worry, we won't tell. What a year it is yours, girls. Come on, calm down and go inside to reassure your friend. As soon as those heartless ones have left, she has gone looking for you and has not found you. She is very worried but I haven't told her anything, you better do it. Come on, come in."

The Fat Lady opened without she giving her the password. School portraits know everythin, Cecile thought.

Well, at least they're gone now. Lily is sitting at a table, apparently concentrating on a book. Poor girl, trying to distract herself so as not to think.

She moved closer to her and Lily felt her coming. "What happened, Cecile?"

"Nothing serious, Lily, let's go to the bedroom."

"Okay."

She must already be smelling that it has been serious, if I don't tell her right here.

They went up and both got into Lily's bed, Cecile protecting the canopy and conjuring the Muffliato.

"Come on, tell me. They have hurt him, haven't they?" the redhead asked.

Cecile took both of her hands tight. "Yes, honey, they have broken his right arm, letting him fall abruptly with a Liberacorpus."

Lily began to cry bitterly.

"Come on, hug me..."

Lily cried for a while hugging her friend. When she calmed down a bit she began to ask her, "Did it hurt a lot?"

"Yes, Lily, a lot, but he hasn't once complained, not even when Poppy has reduced his fracture."

"Without giving him a potion?"

"She had to check that it hurt less after doing it. That's why I stayed with him, to hold his hand."

"Thanks for doing it, Cecile."

"Do not give them to me, he is also my friend. While we were going to the Infirmary he was more concerned about the others than about what had just happened to him."

(Ugh...Lauren won't find out until tomorrow,) Lily thought. "He was entering the Room of Requirement, wasn't he?"

"He was, the music room. They caught him from behind."

"Damn cowards. Face to face they would never dare with him."

"Of course not," Cecile agreed.

"Jo... and why doesn't he let us know when he goes?"

"It's obvious, Lily. Because he doesn't want us to watch them all the time."

"Yeah, but today is a full moon."

"He hasn't even thought about it. He wanted to relax for a while before the day after tomorrow. He's in a lot of trouble to think about moons right now."

"Jo... when will he be fine?" Lily asked.

"Poppy said Saturday morning."

"Ugh... the letter."