The Art of New Beginnings

Chapter Twenty-One: A Decision Made

"Shocking business... shocking... miracle none of them died... never heard the like... by thunder, it was lucky you were there, Severus..."

"Really, Minister, it was largely their own doing that kept them alive."

"Still... Order of Merlin, Second Class, I'd say. First Class, if I can wangle it!"

"Thank you very much, Minister."

"Nasty cut you've got there... Pettigrew's work, I suppose?"

"There was a scuffle heading up the castle, but he was easily subdued."

"Now, really, that's good, then."

"Pettigrew was discovered through a small tunnel that led beneath the Whomping Willow to the Shrieking Shack. There he was subdued and chained, only we had complications. The Dementors getting involved only made matters worse, Minister, and Pettigrew very nearly escaped because of that..."

Erica lay listening with her eyes tight shut. She felt very groggy. The words she was hearing seemed to be travelling very slowly from her ears to her brain, so that it was difficult to understand. Her limbs felt like lead; her eyelids too heavy to lift... she wanted to lie here, on this comfortable bed, for ever...

"What amazes me most is that very behaviour of the Dementors.. you've really no idea what made them retreat, Severus?"

"No, Minister. By the time I got to them they were heading back to their positions by the entrances..."

"Extraordinary. Yet Potter, Riddle and Black-"

"All unconscious by the time I reached them. I managed to wake Black, as you know, and conjured stretchers to bring Erica and Potter back to the castle."

There was a pause. Erica's brain seemed to be moving a little faster, and as it did, a gnawing sensation grew in the pit of her stomach...

She opened her eyes.

Everything was slightly blurred. It took her a while to regain focus. She was lying in the dark hospital wing. At the very end of the ward, she could make out Madam Pomfrey with her back to her, bending over a bed. She squinted. Ron's red hair was visible beneath Madam Pomfrey's arm.

Erica moved her head over on the pillow. In the bed to her right lay Hermione, and across from her was Harry. Moonlight was falling across Hermione's bed. Her eyes were open, too, though when she looked further on, Harry remained unconscious. Hermione looked petrified, and when she saw that Erica was awake, she pressed a finger to her lips, and pointed to the hospital wing door. It was ajar, and the voices of Cornelius Fudge and Severus were coming through it from the corridor outside.

Madam Pomfrey now came walking briskly up the dark ward to Erica's bed. She turned to look at her. She was carrying the largest block of chocolate she had ever seen in her life. It looked like a small boulder.

"Ah, you're awake!" she said briskly. She placed the chocolate on Erica's bedside table and began breaking it apart with a small hammer.

"How's Ron?" said Erica and Hermione together.

"He'll live," said Madam Pomfrey grimly. "As for you two... you'll be staying here until I'm satisfied- Potter, too- and- Riddle, what do you think you're doing?"

Erica was sitting up, rubbing at her eyes even as she picked up her wand, relieved when she saw Remus' beside it and taking that too, reaching under the covers to tuck it into her pocket.

"I would like to see Severus," she said.

"Riddle," said Madam Pomfrey soothingly, "it's all right. They've got Pettigrew. He's locked away upstairs. The Dementors will be performing the Kiss any moment now-"