The Wolf and The Raven, Bk 2

Ch 26 - Overdose

Warnings: depiction of addiction/overdose on fictional drug, biting, asphyxiation, mild swearing

Branwen's odd behaviour at Sirius' birthday party had been mostly overshadowed by the festivities, but, as the days passed, it became increasingly obvious that something was wrong with the youngest Marauder. They were all feeling anxious as the first week of November tumbled to an end, bringing with it the first Quidditch match of the season and, only a few hours later, the full moon. Still, Branwen was unusually on edge, twitching and fidgeting during classes and snapping at anyone who tried to speak to her.

After her hospital duties on Friday evening, Branwen quickly changed into her practise gear and flew to the Quidditch pitch, where James and the others were waiting. He had prepared a short training session for his team, urging them to stay sharp for the upcoming match. While they tossed Quaffles and hit Bludgers back and forth, Branwen's only task was to catch the Snitch – an easy enough job for their celebrated Seeker. She zoomed through the air like a dark dragonfly, darting every-which way. As busy as she seemed though, practise was drawing to a close, and she had yet to come within reach of the golden orb. She paused, out of breath, hovering over the highest goal post.

"What are you playing at, Bran?" James flew alongside her. "We've been out here for at least an hour and you still haven't caught the Snitch? Have you even seen it?"

"Of course I've seen it. I'm just....trying a different strategy," she huffed.

"Whatever strategy you use, you're not leaving this pitch until its caught." He gave her a stern glare before veering downward to help Kingsley collect the remaining Quaffles.

Branwen wiped the sweat from her brow before the evening breeze could turn it to drops of ice against her skin. Glancing around for any sign of the Snitch, she frowned as she caught sight of movement in the Gryffindor stands.

Remus and Peter had come out to watch their friends' practise, as was their habit. They weren't quietly finishing homework or reading, though. They had been joined by Lily, Marlene, and Mary, who were all bundled in thick cloaks, bursts of mist puffing into the air as they laughed along with the boys. Mary must have made a particularly funny comment, for Remus roared with laughter, leaning back and clutching at his sides.

Branwen growled. All thoughts of the Snitch were wiped from her mind, replaced by the sight of Remus surrounded by three beautiful, older girls. She whipped her wand out from her robes and swooped down over the stands. "Rictusempra!"

Hit by his girlfriend's Tickling Charm, Remus' laughter grew louder and louder. He no longer had control over his breathing as pulsing pangs of convulsion shot along his nerves, rendering him helpless. Before Lily could pull her wand out to reverse the effects of the hex, Branwen had already soared away from the pitch toward Gryffindor Tower without a backward glance.

By the time the rest of the Marauders returned to their common room, Branwen was buried behind a stack of Astronomy textbooks, her eyes simultaneously scanning both The Essential Handbook Of Distant Phenomena and The Lost Asteroid Belt. The boys surrounded her chair, glaring down at her with their arms crossed. James glanced around to find other students inspecting their little drama with undisguised curiosity. He grabbed his sister's arm. "Upstairs. Now."

"Leave me alone!" Branwen hissed. But her brother's grip tightened like a vice and she was helpless to fight his overpowering strength. He dragged her up the stairs, the other boys following close behind. When they reached the dorm room, James threw her on his bed as roughly as he dared. She fell back, screaming as she bounced on the mattress. "What's wrong with you?!"

"What's wrong with you?" he shouted back. "Look at what you did to Moony! Your own boyfriend!"

She glanced toward Remus, who was hanging back, avoiding her gaze. His eyes were bloodshot and unnatural purple spots tinged his cheeks. The Tickling Charm, though seemingly humorous, was actually a grotesque form of asphyxiation, designed to keep the victim incapacitated during a duel. What she had done dawned on her with horrific suddenness. "Remus!" She jumped to her feet. "Remus, I'm so sorry!" She ran to him, gingerly placing a palm to his cheek. He leaned into her touch, painful eyes searching hers. "Why, Branwen?"

She turned away. "I don't know! I just – I saw you laughing with Mary, and I – I just couldn't take it!"

"You're sick, Branwen!" James jumped to his friend's defence. "Do you not trust Moony? He doesn't even know how to look at someone other than you."

"Stop it! All of you!" Sirius finally interjected. "Look, you know I'm not one to be the voice of reason, but maybe we all need to just take a deep breath here."

The room settled into a tense, uncomfortable silence. Branwen turned her back to the boys, crossing her arms as she stared into the flickering flames of the fireplace.

Remus finally broke the uneasy atmosphere with a whisper. "Branwen, we're not angry. We're worried. You haven't been yourself lately. You must see that."

"Of course I see it," she grumbled. "It's just – just stress. You know, with the match coming up and the moon right after that."

"It's not like this is the first time something stressful has happened, Bran" James said. "You've never acted like his before, though."

"Just leave it," Branwen growled.

Remus sighed. "If this keeps up after the match, you need to see Madam Pomfrey. And not as an assistant – as a patient."

"Not after the match," Branwen said quickly. "After the full moon."

"Branwen," James started, "if you're still acting like this after the match, maybe you shouldn't come with us." When he saw her face contort in anger, he hastily added, "I just don't want you to get hurt."

"I can take care of myself!" she shouted. "I'm a grown woman!"

"Technically you're not an adult for another year and a half," Peter reminded her.

Branwen whirled on him, wand in her hand. Sirius stepped in front of his friend, gripping his own wand. Her eyes darted around, meeting each of them in turn. Then she lowered her hand and sighed. "Look, I appreciate your concern, but it's under control. Now I'm going to bed."

None of them stopped her as she left the room, slamming the door shut behind her.



The next morning, Branwen wasn't at breakfast. The boys found her waiting in the Gryffindor locker room, already in gear, warming up for the match with a few stretches. She gasped when she saw them, flying into Remus' arms to hug him as tight as she possibly could. Tears slipped from her eyes as she pressed her head against his chest.

Remus returned her hug, kissing the top of her head. "Feeling better, love?"

She nodded, then pulled back to look up at him. "What about you? Only eight more hours."

"I'm fine. Just worry about yourself today."

She managed a small smile, then kissed his cheek.

The other boys breathed a sigh of relief as they watched the tender scene. It seemed their sister was back to normal. Just before the match began, though, Branwen excused herself to the toilet. Her teammates, focused on the opposing players, failed to notice the manic gleam that had entered her eyes when she rejoined them on the field.

Ruby Walden, a Ravenclaw in Branwen's year, was the announcer for the match:

"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, students and professors, and welcome to our first match of the season, Gryffindor versus Slytherin. It's sure to be quite the game as Gryffindor's celebrated Chaser, James Potter, takes over as captain. Will he be able to sustain the win streak created by former captain and current Beater, Kingsley Shacklebolt? And will his sister continue her rise to Seeker stardom? We'll soon see – the whistle has sounded and they're off!

"Wow, look at Potter go – Branwen Potter, that is. Such early speed – quite the departure from her signature slow and steady approach! Is it a new strategy suggested by her captain brother? And will she be able to keep it up for the entire match?"

Branwen had indeed abandoned her methodical search for the Snitch. She was zooming above the pitch in speeds so incredible, she appeared blurred to the crowds below. Regulus, still Slytherin's Seeker, had no chance of following her movements. He chose to ignore her antics in favour of his own hunt for the fluttering golden ball.

While Branwen made the crowds dizzy, James scored three goals for Gryffindor. Kingsley blocked a further four attempts to score from Slytherin, while Sirius diligently beat Bludgers left and right. Slytherin had been training to confront the strong Gryffindor team, though. At the end of three hours, the score was tied, 100-100.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Ruby's voice reverberated through the stands, "after several hours with no Snitch in sight, it seems both Seekers have spotted it at the same time! They're lapping the stadium – they're in a screaming dive – it's neck-and-neck. The Snitch has almost reached the ground! Are they going to pull up? No! Black and Potter have crashed! But where's the Snitch?"

The crowd roared with murmurs of encouragement and cries of foul. Then Ruby was once again shouting. "They both have it! Black and Potter are in an all-out brawl over the winning points! And – and what's this? Black has withdrawn! He's dropped the Snitch right into Potter's hand! Gryffindor wins!"

The stands erupted in conflicting screams of triumph and defeat. No one really knew what had happened between the Seekers on the pitch, but since Madam Hooch had ruled the match over, the score was final. Gryffindor had pulled ahead in the chase for the Quidditch Cup.

But James had seen exactly what his sister did. He dove to the ground, and grabbed her arm, dragging her into the locker room before they could be accosted by the cheering throng that was flooding the field. Their teammates saw the cloudy anger on their captain's face and knew better than to confront him at the moment. Instead, they led their Housemates back to the common room for a celebration. Only Remus and Peter were brave enough to join James, Sirius, and Branwen in the cold room full of Quidditch gear.

Nearly five minutes of silence passed, in which the others watched James pacing and running his hands through his hair. Finally, he rounded on his sister. "What the fuck were you thinking out there?"

Branwen frowned as she slouched against one of the lockers, arms crossed. "I was thinking about winning."

"You BIT the other team's Seeker!"

"So? It was Regulus – he deserves worse than a bite!"

"Then do it when we're not trying to win a match!"

"But we did win! What do you care how?"

"I care because we're Gryffindors! And it was my first game as captain! I don't want anyone to think that we're winning by cheating!" James took a deep breath. "Branwen, you've been acting mad this whole week – I mean, properly mad. I'm putting my foot down: you can't come with us tonight."

"You don't mean that." Branwen faced her brother. Her fists were clenched and her voice was laced with deadly restraint.

"I do." He was equally cold. "You know how important safety is during this time, and you've clearly shown that we can't rely on you for that."

Branwen, still rigid, turned to Remus. "Well?"

"It's not about my safety, love. It's about yours." He watched her. "We know something's wrong....why can't you tell us?"

She didn't answer. Grabbing her broom, she stormed out of the locker room and flew into the hard November air.



"This doesn't feel right, mate."

The boys were making their way through the sixth floor tunnel that led deep into the Forbidden Forest. They had decided to deviate from their usual route on the seventh floor, in case Branwen should try to intercept them. They hadn't seen her since she flew off the Quidditch pitch, but when they checked the Map, they saw that she had returned to her own dorm and stayed there all day. The full moon was rapidly approaching though, and there was no time to backtrack on their decision to exclude her.

Sirius continued. "I mean, she's your girlfriend, Moony. Don't you think she should be with us?"

"Of course, I do!" Remus growled. "But it's for her own good. You know she's been....off.... lately. She would have hurt herself, and I wouldn't be able to live with that."

"She's going to be awfully angry when we get back though," Peter groaned.

James was the only one who remained silent as he led the way with his wand alight.

The night more-or-less followed what had become their typical routine for a full moon. The wolf was anxious and angry to find his bird-mate missing, but with all of the Forbidden Forest to run through, the mammals managed to keep him under control.

The morning sky was still dark when the moon set and they slowly made their way back up the tunnel. Remus had managed not to harm himself, but he was still exhausted from the transformation, his muscles torn and aching. He huffed as James and Sirius supported him through the passage. "We-we need to fi-find Branwen. She's go-going to be w-worried."

There was no argument from the others. When they emerged from behind the suit of armour on the sixth floor, Sirius pulled the Map from his bag. "I solemnly swear I am up to no good."

The chart bloomed across the parchment.

"Branwen Potter."

The Map focused itself on a small corner of the seventh floor.

"She's outside the other secret passage," Peter said.

James sighed. "She must have been waiting for us."

They slowly made their way up the stone steps. Sirius kept an eye on the Map, but Branwen's dot never moved. When they reached the corridor, they saw why.

Branwen was sprawled on the floor at the base of Bridget Wenlock's bust. There were bruises around her temple and jaw and her eyes were rolled back in her head. Flecks of crusted foam laced her lips.

"Branwen!" Remus' scream echoed through hall. The adrenaline of fear overcame his tired body and he sprinted to his girlfriend's prone body. The other boys were right on his heels.

Peter whimpered. "Is she....?"

"No," James said firmly. "She's alive. We need to get her to the hospital wing though. Now." He reached down and began to lift her from the floor.

Remus pushed him away. "I'll take her – she's my girlfriend."

"She's my sister!"

"Fuck off, gits!" Sirius shoved them both aside. He scooped her up, his strong Beater arms cradling Branwen like an infant. "Wormtail," he turned over his shoulder, "run ahead and tell Pomfrey we're coming."

Peter nodded, then transformed into his rodent form for the second time that night, scurrying toward the hospital wing.

Having received Peter's message, Pomfrey met the boys several corridors away from her domain. When she saw the limp bundle in Sirius' arms, her eyes grew wide and she gasped, placing her hand to her mouth.

Poppy Pomfrey was nothing if not a consummate professional. But she had grown fond of the beautiful, clever Potter girl. A knot formed in her stomach at the thought of what could have happened. After her moment of weakness though, she straightened her apron and strode forward, once again in command of her emotions.

The boys watched in silence as the Healer approached and began her work. Placing her wand tip against Branwen's forearm, she moved it about slowly until she found a vein. When she located it, she pressed down, making an indentation out of which blood began to slowly trickle. She pulled out a glass phial and held it against the girl's arm. When blood had filled the phial, Pomfrey removed both the bottle and her wand. There was no trace of even a pinprick in Branwen's smooth skin.

Pomfrey turned and bustled back down the hall, motioning for the boys to follow.

When they reached the hospital wing, Sirius gently laid Branwen on an empty bed. James slipped off her shoes and stockings. Remus used a warm, wet cloth to dab the saliva from her lips and the sweat from her brow. Peter shrugged the robes from her shoulders, then tucked a blanket around her body.

In another corner of the room, Pomfrey was bending over what appeared to be a small glass cauldron. A tiny green fire was flickering beneath the pot, boiling the thick red liquid inside – Branwen's blood. For several minutes, the Healer stood over the cauldron, adding various powders and potions, then stirring the contents with her wand. The blood changed from red to purple to pink to blue to silver. Occasionally it emitted sparks and bursts of smoke.

"How long has she been taking it?" Pomfrey's voice abruptly broke the silence.

"Taking what?" James' brows furrowed.

"The Invigoration Draught." She glared at the boys who continued to exchange confused glances. "Honestly! Are you telling me that her brother, boyfriend, and two closest mates never noticed she had developed a potion addiction?"

Peter stuttered. "I – I thought the Invigoration Draught was a good thing."

"It is, Mr. Pettigrew – in small doses. Miss Potter, however, has enough in her system to keep a herd of Erumpets awake for a week! She'll need every ounce of her blood filtered. By all accounts I should send her to St Mungo's. But...." she studied the boys, "I have a feeling you four will cause trouble trying to get into see her there. It's probably better that you keep your mischief confined here, where Albus and Minerva can keep an eye on you.

"Now, she'll be here for quite some time, so I suggest you all go get some sleep."

"With all due respect, Madam Pomfrey," James stood, purple shadows deepening beneath his hazel eyes, "we're not going anywhere."

Pomfrey placed her hands on her hips. "You will go if you want Gryffindor to keep the points your sister scored for you in the match yesterday."

"Points don't matter compared to Branwen's life," James countered.

"There is nothing you can do for her, Mr. Potter."

There was a tense silence as Healer and student faced off. Finally, Pomfrey sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Very well. You four may stay here. But only until the lunch hour and only if you rest and stay out of my way. After that you may visit during your free time. But rest assured, I will be telling your professors to take note if you are absent from your classes."

Her tone brooked no argument, and she turned her back to them, crossing to her potions cupboard. She rifled through the glass bottles, then came back with one filled with a thick, silvery liquid. She poured it down Branwen's throat, then lifted her wand, moving it in soft, swirling motions over the path of her veins. Placing her wand to the girl's forearm once more, she siphoned out a large phial of blood. At least, the boys could only assume it was blood. In fact, it looked more like petrol: thick, black, and greasy.

The Healer repeated this process every two hours, first pouring of the silver liquid, then draining the blood. For several hours, the blood remained black, before turning to a muddy brown, then a dull grey, a deep purple, and finally a healthy red.

All the while, Branwen remained in a deep sleep.