Harry Potter and the Silver Serpent

Chapter Eleven - Rita's Confession

Harry, Ginny, Mrs Weasley, Charlie and George all left soon after the meeting to visit Arthur and Percy at St Mungo’s but there was still no change in Mr Weasley other than the bandages around his head had been removed.  Percy was sitting up in bed, eating toast whilst his brothers filled him in on what happened at Grimauld Place the night before.  Harry stood in the door frame half listening to their conversation and half listening to the conversation Mrs Weasley and Ginny were having with Arthur’s main Healer.

“Everything is healing fine.  His wounds haven’t left him with any scarring.  Even the swelling in his brain has begun to go down.  We’ve done all we can do for him at this moment, Mrs Weasley.  All we can do is keep him comfortable and nourished.  The battle is now for Arthur to fight.”

“How long will it be before he wakes up?” Mrs Weasley asked.

“It’s hard to say.  It could be hours, it could be days.” The Healer sighed.  “It’s really hard for us to tell.”

“There’s nothing we can do?” asked Ginny.  “A spell or a potion?”

“I wouldn’t recommend it.” The Healer said firm but not unkind.  “If magic held the answer then we would have tried it already, of course.  But messing with the mind is dangerous.  It’s honestly best left to muggle remedies.  If we were to get inside Arthur’s head it might make things worse.”

“How?”

“Mrs Potter, it could kill him.  Even if it didn’t there’s every certainty that he wouldn’t wake up the same man.  Things go badly when bewitching the mind.  He could lose his memories and be a completely different man.  There’s also a good chance he could lose his magic too.”

“And what would that make him?  A muggle?” Mrs Weasley asked.

“A squib.” Harry said, quietly.

“Yes, that is one of many possibilities, Mr Potter.  I would love to do more for your husband, Mrs Weasley, but I wouldn’t like to risk it.”

“I understand.  Thank you.” She said, choked.

Ginny took a tissue out and offered it to her mother before one for herself to blow her nose with it.  She leaned into Harry for his support whilst Mrs Weasley joined her sons around their fathers’ bedside.  Mrs Weasley used the tissue to dry her eyes before balling it up in her fist, Charlie kissed the top of his mum’s head whilst George held his fathers’ hand.

“Nothing they can do?” George asked.

“No, it’s up to your Dad now.”

“Didn’t you say you were going to see Webster?” Ginny asked.

“I can stay a while longer.” Harry said, kissing her hand.

“It’s important.”