Empty Gold • d.meadowes

-27-

By the time Madam Pomfrey opened the door, there was a small crowd of people gathered outside the hospital wing. Apart from Dorcas and Cillian, there were Maeve, Mary's friends which included the four fifth year Gryffindor boys and Lily Evans, and Professor McGonagall. The matron only allowed the fifth years to enter, before she asked McGonagall if they could have a word.

When the professor disappeared into the hospital wing, Maeve opened her mouth, glancing nervously at the door every now and then. "She was coughing blood you said?"

Dorcas nodded. She kept twisting her fingers nervously, unable to keep the sight of blood pouring out of Mary's mouth out of her mind. "I think someone did something to her," she whispered. "It was so unnatural."

"Well maybe she just fell sick," Maeve tried to reassure her. "I've heard that people cough up blood when their throats get infected."

"Maeve, you don't understand," Dorcas cried, feeling tears welling up in her eyes. "It was different. She had blood gushing out of her mouth, like someone has turned on a valve. And she was having a seizure. It was horrible."

Maeve came forward and held her by the shoulders. "Dorcas, calm down. Okay, I believe you. It wasn't an infection. But why would anyone voluntarily do something like that to an innocent girl?"

Cillian spoke for the first time since they had arrived at the hospital wing with the distressed girl in their arms. "The same reason people are disappearing and dying everyday," he said with conviction. "Voldemort. She must have done something to anger the death eaters."

A heavy silence fell over them. Even fifteen year olds weren't safe from the cruel hands of death eaters now. The temperature around them seemed to have dropped suddenly and Dorcas shuddered.

She looked up at Cillian. "Wasn't she coming out of the dungeons when we saw her?" she asked in a whisper. He frowned, trying to remember.

"I can't be sure, but it was close to the dungeons, that I can say."

She leaned her head over Maeve's shoulder, craving warmth more than anything. "How can anyone be so cruel?" she whispered. "She was – she couldn't walk, and I'm pretty sure I saw blood seeping out of her sleeves. It must have been Dark Magic, no normal spell would be capable of doing such a thing."

"Shh, relax, Dorcas," Maeve comforted her, running her hand over her arm. "Don't worry about such things. When the hospital wing is empty, we can go in and see her."

As if on cue, the door opened and the five fifth year students walked out. Their faces were ashen, fearful, and they spoke in hushed voices. They glanced briefly at the three of them, before stepping towards them. It was Lily who spoke.

"You were the ones who brought her here?"

"These two did," answered Maeve. She gently nudged Dorcas, as she seemed quite reluctant to speak. Dorcas straightened herself and looked at them, feeling her heart shatter in her chest as she observed the terror plastered in their faces.

"Yes," was all she could say.

"Thank you," said Evans, grabbing her hands and squeezing them gratefully. "Thank you for getting her here."

"Don't worry about it." She managed a smile. "How is she doing?"

"Madam Pomfrey says she'll have to go to St. Mungo's. Her parents have been informed, but things are a bit complicated seeing as they are both muggles."

"Do you know anything about this?" she asked warily. "Who may have done this to her?"

"It was Mulciber," Sirius Black said, with so much viciousness that everyone stared. "It has to be him. Remember when she said that she thought Mulciber was following her? It couldn't be anyone else."