The Dark Lord's Playbook of Nefarious Misdeeds

Wagon Wheels Part 2

We followed Malia out to the outskirts of town and found ourselves on the same road that we ended up on a few days earlier- albeit a quicker way. She didn't turn to make sure that we were following, not that I think she would have needed to, Tom was making enough noises to indicate his displeasure that you couldn't deny that he was there. Typical.

"Tom can you not make this anymore unpleasant please?", I said this only because I was worried about the other gypsies' reactions to us being here, even though we were here to help. I knew from the initial meeting from Tom that the gypsies were not welcoming of outsiders and us being there was highly controversial.

"Hermione, I make no promises, but I will help you", I smiled relieved and grateful because he didn't have to help me; I just had a habit of pulling him into situations.

As we passed the fenced off entryway onto the parcel of land that they were squatting on, I started to become apprehensive.

"Hermione, don't worry I will protect you if they are to enact revenge for killing the child predator", I compressed his fingers a little showing that I was listening, but caught up in my self-reflection, by the fact that I hadn't even thought of that as a viable option for her approaching me. How naïve and gullible I truly was. My good nature used against me.

"Tom...", I gulped looking up at him.

"You're too good, my dear, too trusting. The savages of humanity would gleefully rip you apart if they had the opportunity, without a second thought to the brilliant light they were snuffing out. Be more careful; you're lucky that I am here. Now let's go so you can mother this poor sod."

We came around the back of the wagons, and you could hear someone grunting in agony. There were a group of onlookers circling were the man was lying on the ground. Unfortunately, I couldn't get a good look at him until they moved out of the way. Malia pushed her way in between the men and woman to make way for Tom and me.

"I brought help", she yelled in French. Once the people realised that it was Tom and me, naturally there was a lot of arguing. However, it distracted them enough that I could squeeze my way in and kneel next to Malia's brother. He looked like the male version of her; I gathered they must have been twins or born very close together. He was sweating profusely, pale, gasping for breaths and his left arm was swollen and red. I felt panicked looking at the state of him. I wasn't entirely sure where to start.

"Tom" I looked up expecting him to answer and I saw that he wasn't there. "Tom...damn it", I reached for my beaded bag hoping I could find some pain-relieving potion. If I could help ease some of his pain, his groaning and yells of agony are distressing and distracting. I found it- Tom had made a failsafe if a muggle picked up my bag then it would just look like a normal bag, hiding the extension charm.

The ground was freezing; it wouldn't be long before the first snow fell. I could feel the stinging icy tendrils penetrate the fabric of my dress.

"Hi, I'm Hermione. I need you to hold still for a few seconds if you can for me." I hoped my voice was calm and collected and not the high-pitched sound of panic I thought I heard. He wasn't holding still or trying to- I wasn't even sure he had heard me.

"I'm going to hold your head still for a few seconds so I can give you some pain relief", where the hell was Tom? He could help me right now. I shuffled around cursing my ruined dress- to sit around near his head. I wanted to see if I could place his head between my knees to hold him still. The position was rather scandalous for this day in age, and no one seemed inclined to help me. My eyes darted quickly to the arm that was red and swollen looking; oedema had gotten worse in the last few minutes. I needed to work quickly. I ignored all the yelling in broken French/English/German/various other languages thrown in there.