The Other Aunt (A Harry Potter fanfiction)

A Confirmation of Fears

AN: I'm sorry, I've been taking so long for updates. Exams are next week, so there's a lot of pressure to get everything done for school. Thanks for all of the votes and comments, they've been wonderful!

Anna hated being hurt. She utterly despised it. She never understood why people took sick days. It's so boring! You just sit there and try to pass the time and in a place with no televisions or any electronics, it was even duller. She just sat and read books and randomly turning objects into other objects for entertainment.
When she had first woken up, her bed had practically been surrounded by people: most of the staff (including Hagrid and Dumbledore), the Weasley kids, Hermione, her nephew was in the bed next to hers, and plenty of other students who apparently cared a great deal for the professor. She even realized that a couple ghost kept sticking their head through the walls to check on her and it was.... overwhelming. As you could imagine, the expressions on their faces before she had woken up weren't exactly happy. Everyone looked morbid, as if they were expecting her to die at any moment, which was ridiculous considering Poppy had already told them that her injuries, while painful, were not fatal in the very least.
It touched her, though. When she woke, students were sitting on the empty beds playing cards among other things to pass the time, adults were having quiet conversations, Minerva and Albus were fighting over whether or not they should contact her husband, Ron and Harry were halfheartedly playing wizard'll chess, and Sophia and Hermione were looking at a notebook, probably looking over Sophia's poems and stories.

(AN: If you don't remember Sophia, see the end of the chapter titled "Qudditch")

Severus didn't seem to notice the others. He had somehow managed to claim the single chair that sat right next to Anna. His expression was one of sorrow and desperation with the tiniest twinge of anger. Why hadn't the bloody game been stopped when the Bludger started trying to kill Harry? It was rather obvious that there was absolutely no way that situation was going to end well. He wanted to be angry, at Madam Hooch or Albus or even Harry, but all he could do was sit there with his hand almost glued to his friend's palm.
No one had noticed she had woken up. Severus was the first to realized when he felt the hand he was holding tightly, squeeze back. It took a moment for him to process the movement in his brain. When he had first saw her hit the ground at the qudditch match, there had been a loud, hollow thud, followed by a series of sickening cracks. After that, his mind had reeled, it had been running a mile a minute trying to figure out how to help his friend and piece together exactly what had exactly happened. His brain just felt tired now. Now, he snaooed his head up quickly and he let out a breath when his black eyes met her shimmering green one and she gave him a small smile, "Hey Sev. What'd I miss?" Everyone's head snapped towards her. All of the sudden, she was surrounded and she smiled and laughed in amusement as everyone tried started talking to her at once. Finally, Poppy's voice cut through the chatter like a knife, "Excuse me! You are crowding the patients! They need to rest! Come one! Out you go, dears!" Everyone opened their mouthed to protest but the look the nurse gave them shut them up and they all began to file out of the room. She sighed and looked around until her eyes fell on Harry, who was right next to her. He looked guilty.
Anna winced slightly as she rolled to her side, but her look of pain quickly morphed into concern and understanding, "Harry, it's not your fault." Harry shook his head, "No, it is. Even if you don't blame me. I'm just not used to someone being so willing to throw themselves in front of me to keep me from harm, so I take risks without thinking. And now we're both in the infirmary. You have a broken rib, fractured wrists, bruise, scrapes, and a minor concussion. Meanwhile, here I am with just a boneless arm." Anna's eyebrows shot up in surprise, "WHAT?! HOW?" He smiled a little bit at her concern, "Lockhart." Anna scowled and muttered under her breath.
The witch picked up her locket and began to fiddle with it, drawing her nephew's attention to the small, gold trinket, "What's that? I haven't seen you wear it before." She smiled wistfully, "My husband, Remus, gave it to me not too long ago." Harry nodded with a small smile, "He must mean a lot to you." The tips of his aunt's lips turned upward into a sort of gentle grin as her thumb traced the lines of the fox, "You have no idea, Harry. He's so handsome and smart and he has the most wonderful laugh." Harry grinned, "I'm looking forward to meeting him, then." Anna's head snapped up and she returned his grin, "Really?" He laughed at he response and nodded, "Yeah, I'd love to. Do you think he'll like me?" She nodded enthusiastically, "Are you kidding? He'll LOVE you! You're brilliant Harry. Your parents would be proud. I remember James used to go on and on about you non-stop when you were born. Lily and I must've taken a thousand baby pictures. Now, you are such a kind, brave, intelligent, young Gryffindor. Trust me Harry, Remus will be as proud to be your uncle as I am to be your aunt. I should arrange for you two to meet."
Harry smiled, "I'd like that. Anna, I think we mentioned this before, can I stay with you this summer?" Anna smiled, "I'd love for you to come, Harry," her smiled faltered slightly, "But there may be a problem or two." Harry sputtered, "W-w-what?" She closed her eyes tightly, "Harry...there's a chance that the ministry won't allow that to happen. I can't just whisk you away from the Dursleys without permission and I'm still waiting on a response. I don't know what will happen." It was true, the ministry and Anna weren't on the best terms. They didn't really approve of her rebellious tendencies and she knew that they probably thought that Remus was dangerous. She really wasn't sure what they would say and it broke her heart to think that Harry would have to go back to live in that dreadful house with her awful sister. Anna shuddered just thinking about the Dursleys, but it wouldn't be up to her.
Harry frowned, "They wouldn't say no, right? I mean, why would they?" Anna shook her head, "I really don't know what might go through their heads. Don't worry about it right now." Harry opened his mouth to protest but Madam Pomfrey chose that exact moment to come in with her little cart. She stopped at Harry's bed first, "You're in for a rough night," she said as she reached for a bottle labeled 'Skele Gro', "Regrowing bones is a nasty business." She poured the steaming liquid into a beaker and passed it to him carefully. Anna scrunched up her nose, "Be careful, Harry. That stuff burns your throat a bit." He nodded uneasily and gathered enough all the Gryffindor bravery he could muster before downing it quickly. He put down the beaker and eagerly gulped down the glass of water that had been placed my her bed.
Poppy brought her cart to Anna and tutted almost motherly, shaking her head, "I knew I'd see you in here sooner or later. I should've known you'd get in yet another quidditch accident." Anna chuckled but winced slightly as the pain front her ribs shot through her. Poppy frowned and patted her hand, "Don't you worry, dear. I'll have you fit as a fiddle in no time. Healing bones are much easier than regrowing them!" Poppy gave her a potion and a quick spell. Anna smiled, "Thanks, I'm feeling better already." Madam Pomfrey smiled slightly, "Yes, well, even if you do, you aren't getting out of here until morning. I need you here for observation and I think Mr. potter would enjoy the company." Anna nodded, "Of course."