scars || sirius black

53 - the Healers' battle

The few days until the attack flew by and while Emmy had to fake ignorance, it didn't stop her from checking for exits in every room she went to and working out the quickest way to move patient's beds to safety if the worst should happen.

She worked three twelve hour shifts from Monday to Wednesday and hadn't done more than eat her dinner and go to sleep as soon as she got back to the flat, Mac curled up next to her. The kitten had spent most of the past few weeks snoozing on her bed and exploring the flat. It was nice to have a constant presence in her life after everything that had changed in the past couple of months.

Her shift on Thursday was the last of the week so it was a relief in one sense and in the other, terror at what the day would bring. She was on edge every second she spent walking to work, checking every street corner as she made her way to the hospital.

In the distance, she spotted Fleamont buying a newspaper at a stand down the road and he gave a slight nod to say hello without giving his cover away. It was reassuring and Emmy immediately felt better, setting her shoulders back as she entered the building.

Brianna was standing in the main foyer and noticed her straight away, greeting her with a tight smile.

As a member of the Order, she had been briefed on what was going to happen and accepted her job with steady resolute. They hadn't discussed it in the hours they spent together at work since the meeting on Sunday night but Emmy knew she was prepared by the tense look on her face that morning.

"Ah there you are, I was just speaking to Healer Pritchard and I've arranged for us to do some training in the hospital today instead of field work if that's alright with you?"

"Yeah, of course," Emmy replied, twisting her fingers in her bag strap to keep them from shaking.

"Come on, we'll be on the first floor."

They passed two other Order members on their way upstairs and were met by scared glances and grimaces from both. It felt good to know there were other people close by if the worst were to happen, after all the attack might not even take place. They'd received no word from Dumbledore so as far as they knew, Molly hadn't overheard any changes to the plans.

The morning was spent in tense silence, watching the hours tick by on the clock. They both stayed silent, listening out for any unusual noises until at ten past three in the afternoon, Andromeda's patronus shot into the room.

"Second floor, right now."

They were already on their feet and running for the door before it had finished speaking. As they approached they heard screaming ringing through the corridor ahead and Brianna sent her patronus to her non-Order colleagues for back-up. They couldn't know she had previous knowledge of the attack but they could at least help when called for.

Sirius and James shot out of the floo network up ahead and joined Emmy and Brianna as they sprinted towards the attack.

They flung the doors open to the ward and were almost blasted back the way they came. Healers sheltered their patients as death-eaters shattered nearby windows and smashed through walls, expanding the fight into neighbouring wards. There were dozens of people duelling now and they could hear alarms sounding in the corridor behind them.

Emmy fired a non-verbal expulso at a death-eater cornering several cowering elderly patients and he smashed through the window behind him. She flinched violently as a spell was hurled her way, catching sight of it out the corner of her eye and bracing for impact before Sirius threw himself in the line of fire, shield spell holding strong.

"You alright?" he yelled.

"Yeah, thanks," she replied, breathing heavily.

In a matter of seconds, they were battling again, fighting back-to-back as unrelenting curses flew in every direction. Emmy's attention was caught as a cry went up from Arthur Weasley nearby, clutching his arm as blood gushed from a deep gash that sliced from his shoulder to elbow. His wand lay a meter away and he crawled helplessly towards it, unable to stop the advance of the death-eater behind him.