Moths to a Flame

11. Awakening

Ominis pov

Monday morning and it's been a few more days, still Aria is not awake. I'm heading to Divination since it's a class I have with Aria. It's been lonely in this class and quite difficult, she's usually always there to help me out with anything that's visual and I thoroughly enjoyed her partnership in this class. It took quite a long time to pry Sebastian away from her bed this morning. I had to practically drag him away and Madame Blainey had magically locked the doors behind us. That's when he conceded and went to class.

Like Sebastian I too miss Aria a lot, I'm just not as showy as Sebastian he's loud and makes everything known. I was quieter about it. Of course I miss her she's still my girlfriend too, and I can't wait to hear her sweet voice and feel her soft touch again. It was very hard to be away from her, and to focus on classes, but alas I did it was a good distraction to keep my mind from wandering off in thoughts about her and my worrying. Doing homework at her bedside and eating meals as well. I made sure to take diligent notes so I can teach her what she's been missing in class. The other hassle was to keep Sebastian from leaving the castle to fight Poppy's father. But I think Aria not being awake is keeping him here for now. There's no telling that he'll do once he knows she's alright.

This is the class I have before lunch break, so I'll find Sebastian and we can go back to the hospital wing. As I leave class I feel a hand grab my sleeve and drag me away.

"Sebastian?" I say.

"Who else would it be?" He says. I rolled my eyes at him.

"Can you let go I know how to walk" I say shrugging my arm away.

"Fine" he said and let go. "Come on, to the hospital wing" he says and I followed him.

He was silent the whole walk there all I could hear was the chatter of a passing students or our own footsteps. When we got there the doors were still locked shut. He knocked and kicked the door, and shouted a couple spells at it too. Nothing.

Aria pov

All I could hear were distant echoes of sound. The voices soft and whispering to me; they were not coherent enough to know what they were saying. The voices were comforting, and warm, but then they stopped. There's a new voice a deeper one not comforting at all it was harsh and cold. I could see flashes of light behind my closed eyelids. Not sure if it's fantasy of my imagination or reality around me. Not sure how long time has passed if any at all.

Screaming. I heard screaming.

There's a flash of red light and even more screaming. I shot my eyes open and sat up panting. It was me, I was the one screaming. I look around the room to get a bearing of where I was. The hospital wing at Hogwarts. I'm back at school. The last thing I remember was that I was in a dingy basement tied to a chair. How did I get back to Hogwarts? Another voice. I look up to see the nurse looking at me with a look of concern but caring. I tried to focus on what she was saying.

"Miss Black are you okay?" She asked.

I don't know, was I okay? I stare blankly ahead thinking. She's handing me something, a small green potion, probably wiggenweld. Trying to lift my arm to grab it but it felt heavy, and stiff. I couldn't focus enough to lift it. I looked down at my arms there were large purple busies across my wrist and hands. It was from the binds wasn't it. She must have noticed this and put the vile to my lips and tilted my head back and I swallowed it. She laid me down again, but I couldn't close my eyes. How did it get out of there? Is Poppy okay. How about Sebastian and Ominis? How are they? They must be terrified. I sit up again. I go to swing a leg off the bed but I can't. Like my arms they too felt heavy and stiff.

"Whoa there, you are a long way from leaving that bed young lady." The I think the nurse said it was fuzzy. Carefully pushing me back onto the bed. I try to speak but my voice wouldn't come out. My throat felt raw and itchy. I point to the door without lifting my arm.

"No, you can't leave yet. Aria, you've been unconscious for over two weeks, you just woke up I still need you to rest and build strength, you've suffered a great ordeal and you still need rest" she tells me her voice becoming more coherent to me as it comes into focus.  Two weeks? It's been that long. I looked around. There were two empty chairs on either side of the bed. There's also a letter on the table next to me.

"Ahh, yes your two visitors, Mr. Sallow and Mr. Gaunt haven't left your side in weeks, we finally convinced them to go to class, they will be back, not to worry, though, Mr. Sallow had left that note. Read it when you are feeling a bit better and can focus on it" she tells me. I nodded. She hands me a glass of water. I try to grab it again. She put a straw in the glass and holds it close enough I can drink it. It felt good. I finally was able to reach or the glass and I was able to hold it myself.

"Great! Excuse me a moment I need to inform Professor Weasley that you've woken now" she tells me. She leaves, I finished the water and able to place it on the table. But it wasn't good enough and it fell to the floor and broke. Nurse Blainey came rushing back.

"I-I'm s-sss-so-orry" I croak out finally getting my voice to work.

"Don't worry dearie" she waved her wand and it was whole again and back on the table like nothing had happened to it. "Professor Weasley should be here shortly" There's a bang and some voices arguing and another bang. Soon I saw Professor Weasley walk behind the curtain.

"Ahh, good to see you awake Miss Black" she said to me. I force a smile. "Madame Blainey has informed me of your lethargy. Now I would hate to press you so soon after you've just woken up, but I need to know what happened. How you ended up there and what he did to you while there, I have already talked to your classmates that rescued you but I need your account" she tells me. I try to think back, to how this happened.

M-May I h-have mo-more wa-wa-ter" I say.

"Of course. Aguamenti" nurse Blainey pointed her wand to the glass and hands it to me. I took a sip and looked back to Professor Weasley.

"Take your time" Weasley said taking one of the two empty seats. 

"P-Po-Poppy and I-I were out f-f-fighting p-po-poachers like w-we do, just as w-we-were le-leaving I-I w-was t-tak-en. Ne-next I-I f-fo-ound mys-self in a b-bas-ment tied to a ch-chair b-bound and they w-wo-wouldn't br-break no m-matter how mu-much I-I p-pu-pulled on them. I-I eve-ent-tually stop-ped. S-Sw-Sweeting came b-back and int-trod-duced hims-self. T-Told me h-he w-was an est-tranged b-br-brother of Vict-tor Rook-kwood, he ran aw-way and ch-changed his name. He wa-wanted m-my m-magic, and a-access to the rep-posit-tory. He would hit m-me with cr-crucio wh-whenever I-I w-would t-talk b-back t-to him or w-when he f-felt like it. I-It w-was like he enj-joyed seeing m-me in p-pain. He w-was always laugh-ghing d-during it. I-I f-felt w-weak and t-tired. I-I th-thought I-I heard s-som-something right b-before I p-passed out. Next th-thing I k-know I'm w-waking up here." I finished. That was a struggle to say.

"Thank you Miss Black, I know it couldn't have been easy, I'll have Deek bring you some food then you should rest" Professor Weasley said.

"Th-thank you" I say. Nurse Blainey pulled out another wiggenweld and I drank it. Seconds later a crack and Deek came with a large tray of food.

"For Miss. Deek heard you were ill. Deek hoped Miss gets well soon" the elf said.

"Th-thank you Deek" I said the elf bowed and snapped and was gone. I looked at the selection of food and started on the chicken soup and ate some mashed potatoes and gravy, a plate of cooked veggies. A glass of pumpkin juice was there as well. I was full. But put it one side and doing so I saw the letter. I picked it up and opened it.

Darling, if Ominis and I are not there when you woke up I left this for you so you know we didn't forget about you. We've been siting and waiting for you for days, weeks even. I love you darling and so does Ominis. We can't wait to see your sparking eyes and beautiful smile again, and kiss your beautiful lips again. We have much to talk about once you're ready. See you soon.
Love, Seb

I read it multiple times, held it to my chest tightly, then I sipped the water again and laid down to sleep I was so tired now.