Priori Incantatem [HARRY POTTER FANFICTION]

Chapter 30: Reunion

Chapter 30: Reunion

"There you are," the Healer said, tying off the end of Lily's bandage. Lily looked down at her swathed hand, grimacing. She'd actually been quite lucky that the Healer had managed to mend most of her cuts and it was just a few that had been deep enough to require bandages. And he'd knit together her ribs easily enough and had promised the pain from both the broken ribs and the Cruciatus Curse would fade in a few days. All in all she'd been very lucky.

She just wished he'd quit staring at her with that half-pitying, half- curious expression. The Healer was dying to ask her what had happened to her during the attack, she could tell, but Lily didn't want to talk about it yet with anyone, let alone with some Healer she'd never seen before.

"They aren't letting any visitors into the hospital right now for security," the Healer continued. "So your family should be in the waiting area they've set up outside. I'll just walk you out so they can sign the release forms." They stood up to go, Lily wincing slightly, but before they could leave the sight of two official looking wizards moving toward Lily purposefully distracted them.

"Are you Lily Evans?" the older one asked as they stopped in front of Lily. At Lily's nod, the wizard continued: "I'm Edgar Bones, and this is my associate Kingsley Shacklebolt. We're Aurors taking part in the investigation into the attack that took place last night at the Marchbankses' party, and we wondered if we might ask you a few questions."

Lily studied the two Aurors closely. Edgar Bones had been at the party last night if she remembered correctly. "Er - all right," Lily answered them finally.

"Excellent," Edgar Bones said kindly. "If you'll follow us, we'll find somewhere to chat privately."

The two Aurors led Lily into someone's vacated office and shut the door behind them. Once inside, they asked Lily to give them her version of last night's events.

"Miss Evans," Bones consulted his notes as Lily finished her story. "We've already spoken with several of the people who were with you during the last part of the attack last night, namely Dorcas Meadows, James Potter, Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew, and Frank Longbottom, and they all mentioned that Voldemort specifically gave orders to kill all of them but to leave you alive. Do you have any idea why he said that?" 

"None at all," Lily answered truthfully. "Unless it was something to do with Bellatrix. He seemed rather specially - fond of her, for lack of a better word."

"That was another question we wanted to ask you, Miss Evans," Kingsley Shacklebolt spoke up in a surprisingly deep voice. "Can you positively identify that Bellatrix Black was one of the masked Death Eaters who took part in last night's attacks?"

"It was definitely her," Lily confirmed darkly. "That was her voice I heard, and her way of speaking. I've come into contact with Bellatrix often enough to recognize both."

Bones and Shacklebolt exchanged glances, trying to keep their expressions carefully neutral, but Lily could tell that her testimony had pleased them a great deal.

They asked Lily countless other questions, taking copious notes all the while, and finally told Lily that it was very likely that one of their superiors would contact her later in the week.

"Thanks for all your help, Miss Evans," Kingsley Shacklebolt offered her his hand.

"We'll be in touch," Edgar Bones added.

With that, the two Aurors left the hospital as suddenly as they had entered it.

*** 

Lily emerged from St Mungo's hospital a few minutes later, still stiff and aching and exhausted and now worried on top of it, and scanned the makeshift waiting area outside for familiar faces, the Healer who had treated her standing with her. The small space was crammed with anxious looking witches and wizards, all of whom were waiting for news.