Sunflowers

The Incident

The first thing Helianthia Simmons knew after the incident (at least that's what everyone kept calling it) was pain. Mainly in her right arm and left leg. Then it was a grim-faced healer. Then her godmother. Later, blurs of faces and tears and bodies dressed in black. Now, men and women dressed in brown trench coats, asking question after question as she lay in the hospital bed.

"Helianthia, is there anything you can remember? Any faces?" A woman asked from her left.

"There was a lady," she whispered, "A big man. Looked like Loup. He scared me."

"Who's Loup?" The man at the foot of her bed questioned.

"Her stuffed wolf. Start from the beginning, Thia," Helianthia's godmother and guardian, Poppy Pomfrey, said, using her parents' nickname for her. Thia shook her head. She didn't want to relive it. Besides, she was getting tired, a side effect of the pain potions. A healer poked her head into the room, checking to see if she was asleep yet.

"Alright, you're going to have to finish up with the questions in a few days," The healer told the Aurors, "It's time for her surgery. She'll be hopped up on painkillers tomorrow and the next."

Thia's eyes started drifting closed, words going in one ear and out the other as her heartbeat slowed. Quietly, she drifted into the land of sleep.

The next thing Thia knew was pain. A deep ache in her right elbow and left knee. Her eyes fluttered open, revealing to her a cheery yellow ceiling. A look to her left showed her godmother, sleeping peacefully in a chair. Glancing down, Thia saw white bandages around where her right hand should be. She started to panic. Her head started to swim. Almost as if on cue, a nurse rushed into the room, helping Thia sit up and drink a potion.

"It's alright, kiddo. You're going to be just fine," he soothed, "I'm going to be your day nurse, alright? My name's Oliver." Thia stared up at him with wide eyes. He didn't look like the other man. This man looked nice, friendly even, with warm brown eyes and platinum blond hair. He noticed her staring, and grinned.

"You want to see something cool?" Oliver leaned down conspiratorily. Thia nodded, holding her stuffie closer. He screwed up his face as if he was concentrating really hard. As she watched, his hair went from white-blond to bright green. Thia gasped and went to clap her hands. When she remembered, she frowned at the stump. Oliver took her hand in his.

"Do you want to know a secret?" Thia nodded fervently, "Alright. But you have to tell me something first. What's your name?"

"Helianthia Rae Simmons," She responded with the gravity of a six-year-old, "But my friends call me Thia."

"And are we friends?" Oliver cocked his head. Thia thought for a moment. She nodded.

"Good." He smiled, sitting on the foot of her bed, "Now, for the secret." Thia watched with rapt attention as Oliver rolled up his sleeve and undid a buckle above his shoulder. Gently, he pulled on his lower arm until it came off. In its place was a stump right where his right arm should have been.

"You're like me," Thia said, reaching out to touch the prosthetic. Oliver nodded before replacing it.

"Yup. And, once you heal, you can get one of these too," Oliver tapped her head and she giggled, "I'll be back later, Thia. I have some other little kids to see." Thia waved goodbye as he left out the door.

~

"It's alright, Thia," her Aunt Poppy soothed, "They're just like you, love." Still, despite her godmother's reassurances, she hesitated. Thia had spent the last six months never seeing children her age, recuperating from the surgeries that took away her arm and leg. Even before that, she hadn't had playmates for at least two months. So, to say she was intimidated was an understatement.

"Hey, Thia," Oliver appeared in front of her, his smile bright. Beside him was a boy a few years older than her, covered in scars. A nasty one crossed his face, from his hairline to his chin.

"Thia, this is Remus. He helps with the younger kids whenever he's here," Oliver explained. The little girl hid behind her aunt's leg. Remus grinned down at her.

"Ready to meet the others, Thia?" he asked, cocking his head. She nodded slightly. Remus walked in with her while Oliver got the other kids' attention.

"Alright, everyone! Meet Thia!" The children, who ranged from toddlers to pre-teens like Remus, all turned and looked at her. She looked down, hiding her face with her long hair.

"Come on, Thia," Remus said, "let's go sit down." She followed the older boy to a low set table. Two others sat there, one with scars like Remus and the other using a prosthetic arm. They were both older than Thia, closer to Remus' age. She struggled sitting down, the crutch proving a challenge. She almost fell, but the kid with a prosthetic managed to catch her.

"Careful, there. Don't need you breaking your arm, now do we?" He smiled, taking the crutch from her as Remus helped her sit down, "I'm Malakai, but you can call me Kai. This is Libi. She doesn't talk."

Libi passed Kai a piece of paper written on in crayon. He read it before looking at Thia, "She wants to know what your name is."

"Helianthia Rae Simmons," she said quietly, "My friends call me Thia."

"Well, welcome, Thia, to the land of warriors," Kai chuckled, "I think you're going to like it here."

~

Remus Lupin

Malakai (Kai) Jenson

Libi Hellens