The Little Lightning Girl

11-I Watch Muggles Deal With My Mother, the Demon

By the time my family got there, I was feeling much stronger and had stopped shaking. Christopher informed me that I still looked like a ghost, but I was getting some energy back. He had said that he had to leave now that my family was here. I thanked him a few more times, and he clasped me on the shoulder before leaving the room. I sort of hoped I'd never have to see him again, because he was a kind man and I didn't want to have him mixed up in my mess of a life. Any muggles who accidentally got involved in wizarding affairs never ended up... they never ended up living a normal life.

I heard my mum's voice before I saw her face.

"What do you mean I can't go in to see him? He's my son!"

I wanted to laugh. My mum was as stubborn as always. She could barely wait while the doctor spoke to her.

"Your son, ma'am, has suffered an unbelievable trauma, you need to slow down before you see him."

That shut her up quickly. I felt bad, but the doctor was right. I regained some strength but I was still weak and drained. I didn't know if I could handle my mother busting in here with a thousand questions and suffocating me with hugs. I might very well pass out again. I could barely keep my eyes open anyway.

Then I heard my brother's voice, "What do you mean?"

"From the looks of it, old fashioned torture. He's been whipped, but he's not spoken about it, and I'd recommend you didn't push it. People who go through things like this... it takes time for them to recover. And it's fair to say that your son might be different. I would advise patience."

It was then I heard my mother crying. It broke my heart. My mother was a strong woman, I'd only heard her cry a few times in my life, and I hated that I was the cause of her tears.

"We can allow one visitor at a time until he's stronger," the doctor continued, "but no more. He'll be here for another few days at the least, and his friend will be here much longer."

"His friend?" My mum questioned carefully.

"Your son carried a younger girl for three miles on a wounded leg to get to the highway where they were picked up and brought here. He was very brave. He says her name is Alana Faye but we haven't been in contact with her family yet. She's severely injured and is in a coma."

"Alana? I can contact her mother," my mum offered.

"Wouldn't you like to see your son first? He's awake? I just need you to be calm."

The door to my room opened and the familiar form of my red-haired mother appeared. She simply stared at me for a minute but when I smiled at her she rushed to my bed. I was sure I looked horrible, and even if Albus and the doctor had both warned her, it couldn't be easy. The dark wizards had fed us enough that we didn't die, but no more than that. I knew that my cheeks were hollowed and if I'd take off this hospital gown, she'd see all of my scars and the injuries that were still raw.

"My baby! What did they do to you?!"

To her credit, she didn't suffocate me with hugs as I'd expected, but rather reached for my hand. I gripped her hand and breathed in the familiar smell of her flowery perfume as she sat next to me.

"It doesn't matter, mum. I'm safe now."

My eyes filled with tears against my will as her tears streamed down her face. For long moments, I simply took in her face and tried to convince myself that she was really here. I looked at the red hair and warm brown eyes I'd inherited from her, the constellations of freckles that were home to me.

"The healer said that you were... tortured. James-"

"I'll be fine now, you're here and I'm safe. That's all I need."