Lifeline

6. What Happened?

Third Person POV

"I- " Hunter was about to answer when he noticed the blood. Red and matted into Evelyn's hair, it was a miracle he had missed it so obliviously. It was very obvious, and right there. Evelyn and Poppy stared at him, waiting for an explanation

"You're hurt," was all he said. They both frowned, Evelyn with a confused look, and Poppy because he was right, but Evelyn had refused medical attention before the awakening of her brother. "What are you- oh!" With a start, Evelyn realised she had never had her head wound healed.

Evelyn turned to Poppy, momentarily forgetting she was angry with the nurse. "Can you... ?" Though the question had not been properly voiced, Poppy knew what she meant, and waved her wand with a healing spell. The gash quickly closed itself, but there was still blood everywhere, and Evelyn might need a potion for what she had lost.

They used 'Scourgify' to clean up the blood, and Poppy gave Evelyn a small sip of a potion. Throughout all this, they had answered a few questions for Hunter, a bit of whats been happening.

"So... You-Know-Who is dead? For good?" He was both relieved and fascinated by this information.

"Yeah, amazing isn't it? Harry Potter beat him for good about a week ago." Evelyn had a breathless smile on her face, more than overjoyed to be the bearer of good news. But at her conformation, something changed on Hunter's face. Was he... eager?

"Potter? James' son? Oh, did he marry Lily? Is she the mother?" The questions came fast with his excitment, he almost didn't notice how his mentioning if James and Lilly made both Evelyn and Poppy look down. Almost didn't. "What? Has something happened?

Yes. Something has happened. Something so horrible, he wanted to cover his ears and ignore it. Dead? James and Lily, dead? The two strongest, most stubborn people he had ever met, just gone. Ripped from life by the most vile and repulsive creature ever to walk the earth. He was anything but a human being. He had lost that title long ago.

So that was that. Voldemort truly had ripped his old life away. All in his vain desire to live forever, he had taken away two friends of Hunter's, along with decades of his life. And now Evelyn and Poppy were twice his age. What was there now?

"Hunter..." Evelyn watched and waited to continue until her brother looked up. "You never did answer. What happened to you?"

***

The burrow was silent. No one could really process what Mr. Weasleys had just told them. A person? Alive, in the horrible place, a person had been trapped? A person?

"I'm sorry... did I hear you right? I thought you said they found... a person?" Hermione asked. Arther shook his head solemely.

"No, Hermione, you heard me quite right. They did find a person there."

And in everyone's minds, a question lingered. That poor soul whom had been trapped... What happened to them?

***

It was a very complicated answer, but Hunter did his best. The answer was horrible, and heart wrenching. Hunter... the most beautiful soul Poppy and Evelyn had ever met, had been ripped at every edge. Here he was, still a masterpiece, but sad and lonely and broken. Everyone in this world was just dying to live, or living to die. And Hunter, who had been so silent since they found him, had once been so loud. When they had known him, he was loud and dramatic and smiling, always smiling! And wasn't that ironic? His heart had cracked... loudly, and he screamed, and it was painful. But only to him. To everyone else, all was silent. It was almost amazing really... how to everyone but the victim, the heart makes no noise when it shatters... Now Hunter made no noise either. But silent as all was, it was not invisible. Because hell was something you carried with you, if you go through it. When you carry that with you, it can be seen. The burden on your shoulders... and that's why it sometimes hurts to breath.

Hunter... an innocent boy. And because Voldemory was just that evil, he had done this to Hunter. Sent him somewhere that he was all alone. No, it had not been where he was that had hurt him. It was not having anyone else there. The silence.

It was so quiet...

All alone, somewhere few even knew about...

Do you understand now? Where he was? No, probably not... but that is something for someone else to tell. Because Hunter did not know all the answers. What you have been told now, vague as it is, was all Hunter knew. Voldemort, or rather, You-Know-Who, had sent him somewhere, and for a long time, for decades, he had been there alone. Then he was suddenly here, and the world around him had changed.

After Hunter told them all he knew, Evelyn and Poppy, though they hated the idea, knew what needed to be done to get all of the answers. It probably would end horribly, but...

They needed to speak with Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy... oh dear, how this would go...

So it will probably be a while until chapter 7, because I'm gonna take a small break for the Holidays. Maybe expect a special short chapter on of the day after Christmas, but do not take that and run with it. I'm not sure if I'll update again for about a week.

I'll do my best though, I promise!

Love you all! <3
-Kaylee