Semper - Fred Weasley

Chapter XXXIX

AN: so as I said before, the next few chapters deal with a topic that might be triggering for some readers. Feel free to contact me whenever you want.

Warning - mention of cancer

„Mrs. Weasley?“ the Healer asked what must have been about the tenth time before Penny snapped out of her trance.

„Mh?“ she looked at the woman.

„Did you hear what I said?“ she asked, looking at Penny expectantly.

„Yes, yes,“ she replied absently.

„Okay, so what’s your decision?“ she tapped her pen on the clipboard, ready to write it all down, but Penny had no idea what it was all about.

„Er, what decision?“ she looked questioningly up at the Healer.

„Mrs. Weasley, would you like me to contact someone for you, we can inform your husband and ask him to come over here.“ she put down the pen and clipboard and looked worried at the patient in front of her.

Of course, she was experienced enough to know that this was a perfectly normal reaction.

„Why would that be necessary?“ Penny frowned.

Healer Mary took a deep breath.

„Penny…“ she sat down next to her. „Is it okay if I call you Penny?“ she gave her a smile and Penny nodded.

„Alright, Penny, did you understand anything I just told you?“ she asked again, making eye contact.

Penny thought for a moment, she didn’t understand exactly where she was, she had even forgotten why she had even come here in the first place, she struggled to remember and tried to put together the words that were buzzing in her head but seemed to be surrounded by fog.

„Excuse me,“ she finally said.

„I must have been distracted.“ Penny smiled at her and Healer Mary nodded in agreement.

„Penny, you know why you came here? Your husband found a lump in your breast,“ she summarized, and Penny recalled they had discussed it after Mary examined her.

„I examined you and I made a diagnosis. You remember the diagnosis?“ Penny nodded hesitantly, fighting the rising panic.

„Good, and then I spoke about the possible treatment.“ she waited for Penny to show a reaction.

„I guess I didn’t hear that, sorry,“ Penny said in embarrassment, picking at a piece of skin on her fingernail.

„I’ll gladly repeat it, but tell me, would you like someone to be with you?“ the thoughts in the young girl’s head raced a million miles per minute as she tried to put them in order.

„Yeah, I think so. Would you please notify my father?“ Penny asked.

„Remus Lupin.“, and Healer Perkins looked at her in astonishment, apparently not expecting that.

„Are you sure? Not your husband?“ Penny nodded.

„Yes, I’m sure. Remus Lupin please.“ and Mary nodded before telling a colleague who promptly sent a patronus to Remus.

Not a minute later, a concerned and out of breath Lupin appeared at St. Mungo’s.

He stormed through the door and threw his arms around Penny as soon as he saw her.

„What happened? Are you hurt? Why are you alone? Where is Fred? Did Fred hurt you?“ the questions bubbled out of him and Penny was overwhelmed and already regretted her decision to have brought him here until Ms. Perkins finally intervened by interrupting him.