Escape ↣ Harmione

Chapter Fifty-Eight

Chapter 58 - Aftermath

Harry and Hermione sat quietly on the camp beds they had been directed to by the healers. Potions to counteract the curse they had been held under were thrust upon them and swallowed with a grimace. They were no longer hidden by their glamour, but an overprotective Folly stood guarding them while Dobby went to fetch refreshments. Folly kept the most eager well-wishers away, but when the Hogwarts students started to return in dribs and drabs. Some limping, some bleeding but none of them suffering serious injury and looking for a place to rest out of the way, she was bidden to let them approach.

Neville dropped tiredly onto the end of Hermione's bed making the frame wobble perilously before steadying.

"Sorry," he apologised ruefully.

"How are you?" Hermione asked.

"Knackered," Neville said after a thoughtful pause.

"Everyone else?" Harry asked.

"Coming in. Luna's just seeing a healer, she twisted an ankle, nothing serious. Ginny's with her. Those shields, they're something else." Neville replied, his shoulders dropping in a tired slump.

Harry shrugged. "Glad they worked."

"What about you two?" Neville asked looking at them both

Hermione pulled a face. "Bellatrix caught up with us." She fumbled in her pocket for a moment before pulling out the wand she'd retrieved from the fallen witch and held it out to Neville. "She's dead, and I don't know if it's her original wand, the one she used. But," Hermione broke off, shrugging, unsure. "If it can't help the healers, maybe you'd prefer to do the honours? Kingsley might want it, you know, for something, but he'll probably let you have it back..." she trailed off and looked at him nervously.

"She's dead?" Neville asked reaching hesitantly for the wand.

"Yeah," Harry said. "We killed her. She caught us, the shields didn't hold against Cruciatus which is why we're here. The healers wanted us under observation."

Neville paled. "She...?"

"Not for long," Hermione said reaching for his hand and gave it a squeeze. "We're fine."

Neville looked down at the wand in his hand something akin to disgust and rage on his face. "I'm glad she's dead. Her and her husband and the brother."

"The Lestrange brothers are dead?" Harry asked.

Neville looked up at Harry, his face harder, older, and grim. He nodded curtly and pulled two wands from his pocket, placing them next to Bellatrix's.

"Are you alright?" Harry asked concern etched on his face.

"Better now," Neville said. "I know that's not, well, right. I shouldn't be glad I killed them but..."

"You are," Hermione said squeezing his hand again. "I am too."

"Me too," Harry said.

Neville shot them both a grateful look, and they sat quietly together the three wands between them. Their respite was broken by the approach of Ginny and Luna divested of their disguises. Ginny was supporting Luna as she hobbled over. Luna sat carefully on Harry's cot bed taking care not to set it wobbling. Ginny dropped down to sit on the ground only to be tutted at by Hermione who conjured her a chair.

"Thanks," Ginny said as she gratefully sank into it.

"Shouldn't you be wearing your glamour ring?" Hermione asked eyeing the witch.

Ginny rolled her eyes dismissively. "No one is interested in us. They are too busy seeing healers and congratulating themselves on surviving."

Dobby took that moment to reappear with a tray of tea and sandwiches enough for the five of them.