True Reflections: Scars Saga 3

Christmas at St. Mungo's

Chapter 11

Christmas at St. Mungo's

After managing to contact her parents, Hermione decided not to go skiing but instead travel with me and Jonathan to London. We left first thing Saturday morning. I thought it best not to apparate directly to Grimmauld Place. We went to the Leaky Cauldron first. From there we took Muggle transport. We arrived nearly an hour after we left, in the bitter cold and falling snow. I knew better than to ring the bell, so I simply let us in myself.

The hall was dark and silent, which was good considering the alternative, but it was cold too. So cold in fact, that we could see our breath upon exhaling. I sent our trunks up to our separate rooms with a wave of my wand. Then we made our way down the hall towards the kitchen. Sirius, Remus, Tonks, and Bill were all sitting around the table when we entered. Sirius jumped up to greet me. I hugged his neck but quickly turned my attention to Bill.

"How is he?"

"He's stable," Bill replied. "Mum's with him now, everyone else is upstairs."

"Is that code for 'go away so I can say how it really is?' If so, we're not leaving without the truth," Jonathan said as he indicated to himself and Hermione.

"Jonathan!" I reprimanded in a tired voice. Remus and Sirius just laughed.

"He's fine, really," Bill said. "He's Dad, you know. He's trying to laugh it off. It's just... there was something in the snake's venom that prevents the wounds from healing, so he has to take a blood-replenishing potion every hour. The healers are working on an antidote though."

"So he's really going to be all right?" Jonathan asked.

"Yes," Bill replied firmly.

Jonathan's shoulders relaxed considerably and he smiled, turning to me. "See, Mum, I told you there was nothing to worry about."

He fooled no one.

"Where's Harry?" Hermione asked.

"Hiding away upstairs somewhere. He's been sulking since they returned from St. Mungo's," Sirius said.

"Sulking? Why?" I asked.

Sirius shrugged. "He won't say."

I rolled my eyes at his response. "Really? And none of you have any idea why?"

"Don't worry, Professor Porter, I'll get to the bottom of it. Come on Jonathan," Hermione said as she pulled him along.

"Hey Dad," Jonathan managed to call a greeting and clap him on the shoulder before leaving.

Sirius laughed once he was out of earshot. "He worries just like you doesn't he?"

"Well he had to inherit something from me. He couldn't be a complete carbon-copy of his father."

"A what?"

"A... it's a Muggle phrase."

"What does it mean?" Bill asked.

"It just means a duplicate or an exact copy," Remus explained. "And he's not; he's a lot like you too," he added in my direction.

"Maybe, but he's more like you every day," I said. "We better hope, for everyone's sake, that he keeps your cool temper, this year especially."