UDM: Free Falling II - Seconds Away (Harry Potter Fanfic)

Reality

The cold rain continued pouring down, reinforcing the reality of the world around him, meaning Eugene didn't need to pinch himself to ensure he wasn't dreaming; he still pinched himself as a feeling of unease and guilt settled into his stomach as his stomach grumbled.

"Why did I have to think of Whitechapel first instead of my mum? I won't be home when she calls me down for dinner." Eugene shivered, his teeth chattering, still soaked to the bone, watching Kingsley Shaklebolt cast the Patronus Charm, a lynx of light shooting out of Shaklebolt's wand to alert whoever the Auror wanted to alert.

"What's your name?" Shaklebolt asked as his partner summoned a magical gurney to place Demi May on.

"What?" Eugene looked up at the man, a hero from the Harry Potter series and a Black man. He bit down on his tongue, stopping himself from asking, "What year is it," as Shaklebolt didn't look as old as Eugene expected. He swallowed. "Eugene. Eugene..." He took a deep breath, stopping himself from saying his actual last name. "Eugene Pertinger, I guess?"

"You guess?" Shaklebolt asked, his mouth twisting in worry. "And your sister?"

"My sister?" Eugene swallowed, glancing back at the person in question, shaking his head, knowing they weren't siblings. "Demi May."

"Demi May?" Shaklebolt's partner piped up. "What kind of Pureblood name is that?"

Eugene swallowed again. "As in a family that hates those who aren't pure of blood, magical blood?" He choked, then said, "It's short for—it's short for..." His eyes blinked, his mind drawing a blank, before settling on, "I can't remember. I can't remember."

"He's in shock," Shakelbolt said, looking at his partner. "We should go ahead and get them to St. Mungos so the Healers can administer calming drought to both of them." He reached out, squeezing Eugene's shoulder and smiling as Eugene looked up in response. "We're going to Apparate now, so prepare yourself."

Preparing himself for Apparating didn't prepare himself for the sight of the condemned department store front as described in the books, yet without being told by Shaklebolt, he knew to step through the window of Purge and Dowse, Ltd. As described in the books, the inside looked like a typical non-magical hospital, but those inside weren't dressed like those who didn't use magic.

A Healer or mediwizard hurried over, dressed in lime green robes. With a wave of the wand over him, Eugene felt his clothes dry, as did his skin. A sigh of relief escaped as Eugene squeezed his arms, watching the stranger motion for them to follow, saying as they moved away, "We have a private room this way, so you can interview the Petringer children once they're no longer in a state of shock."

Two medical cots were waiting for him and Demi May in the room in question, resulting in an audible grimace at their lack of privacy, the only privacy existing in the form of privacy curtains between the beds.

"Should I tell them the truth? That I'm not, we're not actually siblings, that we're not Pertigner." Eugene took a deep breath. "Regarding Demi May..." His mouth clamped shut. "No. This is still a world where things like voices in your head isn't a good thing, and we don't want to draw unwanted attention to us that will get us locked up deep in the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry of Magic."

Shaklebolt squeezed his shoulder to reassure, letting out a laugh. "Don't worry. Transporting your sister is simply taking a little longer due to the fact we needed to incapacitate her to do so.

Eugene let out an unsure sigh, moving further back into the bed. "And if there's going to be anybody who draws unwanted attention to us, it's going to be Demi May, the supposed child of Purebloods with absolutely no knowledge of this world." He ground his teeth together in frustration. "How long will she be out?"