Over the Edge [ Lupin x Evans ]

Chapter 9: A sudden turn of events

"Quickly, Professor!" Madame Pomfrey cried, struggling to control the thrashing Lupin in the middle of the night. The young wizard was shaking in spasms, and foam was pouring from his mouth. Beside the nurse, on the other side of the bed, Professor Horace Slughorn was trying to manage the situation. Everything seemed to be in vain, and neither of them could administer the bezoar to Lupin. It was the only thing that came to mind, but the fever had intensified, and the illness was attacking with double force.

"Where is Albus?!" Professor Slughorn shouted, trying to hold the teenager, who was still convulsing. Around them, house-elves scurried, summoned from the kitchens to quickly bring the necessary items, potions, and compresses. In short, the room was filled with stuffiness and chaos. Suddenly, the door to the infirmary burst open, and a flustered Minerva McGonagall entered in her nightgown.

"The carriage from St Mungo's has arrived!" she called out, standing frozen at the foot of her student's bed, which he lay on in a hopeless condition. To all appearances, he looked as if he might pass away at any moment. The witch covered her mouth in shock.

"Minerva, don't just stand there! Help us!" Madame Pomfrey cried, and McGonagall immediately sprang into action, helping to move the boy onto levitating stretchers.

A few moments later, McGonagall, Slughorn, and Pomfrey hurried alongside the hovering stretcher carrying the unconscious Lupin towards the Entrance Hall. There, healers from St Mungo's Clinic were already waiting. After all, there was no other way to treat Remus Lupin at Hogwarts. If they had delayed for even a moment longer, it could have been a tragedy, and the young Gryffindor would not have made it through the night alive.

"Thank you, we can manage," said a calm, tall brunette, squeezing Madame Pomfrey's trembling hand. Another healer pulled Professor McGonagall aside to complete the necessary paperwork.

"Mr Poke, please take care of him..." the Hogwarts nurse whispered. "He's such a good boy."

"Don't worry. He will be looked after by the best healers, myself included. You can be at ease," Mr Poke reassured her.

"I trust this is important information, so in this situation, I will reveal it to you. The boy is a werewolf, but please keep this secret to the extent possible," Madame Pomfrey added quietly. Rutherford Poke nodded seriously. A few moments later, all the healers climbed into the white magical carriage, which made its way directly to the Magical Maladies and Injuries Clinic at St Mungo's Hospital.

⤝°♦°⤞

Lily walked briskly into the Gryffindor common room. She found James, Sirius, and Peter frozen like statues, their faces stiff and silent. The girl paused for a moment, furrowing her brow. She had never seen the Marauders so eerily quiet. She also noticed several other Gryffindors gathered nearby, all wearing equally worried expressions.

"Did someone die?" she asked, walking toward where everyone was gathered. No one even looked at her. They all stared blankly at the dimly lit fireplace, as if in some sort of trance.

"Hello? Did you all get petrified or something?" She waved her hand in front of them. "Marlene, what's going on?" she asked, noticing her friend had also stopped by the group. The tall girl brushed a strand of straight, black hair off her shoulder and gave Evans a confused look. Lily rolled her eyes and spun on her heel, ready to leave. She wasn't about to fall for another one of the Marauders' pranks. Just then, Sirius spoke in a hoarse voice:

"Remus was taken to St Mungo's at dawn."

Lily froze mid-turn, her heart skipping a beat. Taken? She had just spoken with him yesterday. He had been laughing, joking, and seemed to be doing better...