Hurt | Remus Lupin

~47~ Christmas at St. Mungo's

It was truly something else to spend Christmas in St. Mungo's. I hated it.

"Everyone should be coming later to visit!" Mr. Weasley said delightfully, the morning of Christmas.

"Damn it." Healer Smethwyck muttered, later that morning. "I'm so sorry. These stupid stitches keep burning off!"

"What the hell. Why?" I asked, wincing at my wound opened again. 

"Shit, I'm sorry, I have to change the bandages a day early." Using his wand, new bandages appeared.

"It's been burning off with Arthur too." Smethwyck said. "I was hoping it would work with you, but it seems it's a snake thing. You've been through some hell, haven't you Sara." Smethyck said, nodding to all my scars.

"You can say that." I muttered, hoping he wouldn't say more. Thankfully, he didn't.

"Well, I'll go now, you guys are in good shape otherwise. Merry Christmas!" and then he left.

After we had lunch, the door opened and everyone trampled in. Remus, Mad-Eye, Tonks, Ollie, Bill, Fleur, Mrs. Weasley, Harry, Hermione, and all the Weasley children. 

Remus strolled over to my right away, drawling up a chair, and giving me a kiss on the cheek. Everyone handed Mr. Weasley and I gifts.

"Oh thanks you didn't have to-" I said with a grin.

"Everything all right?" asked Mrs. Weasley, after they had all greeted Mr. Weasley and I and handed over their presents. 

"Fine, fine," said Mr. Weasley, a little too heartily. "You — er —haven't seen Healer Smethwyck, have you?"

Damn this man. Shut up, I thought.

"No," said Mrs. Weasley suspiciously, "why?"

"Nothing." I said airily, avoiding eye contact.

"Oh, Harry — this is absolutely wonderful —"  Mr. Weasley said, opening a box full of screwdrivers. He leaned over to shake Harry's hand and Mrs. Weasley peeped under his night shirt.

"Arthur," she said, with a snap in her voice like a mousetrap, "You've had your bandages changed. Why have you had your bandages changed a day early, Arthur? They told me they wouldn't need doing until tomorrow."

"What?" said Mr. Weasley, looking rather frightened and pulling the bed covers higher up his chest. "No, no — it's nothing — it's — I —"

Mrs. Weasleys talked to me and peered at my bandages. "You too Sara! Why?"

"Nothing Mrs. Weasley they just changed it early nothing to fret about." I was panicking entirely now.

"Sara, love, why did you change your bandages early?" asked Remus, narrowing his eyes at me.

"Uh...."

Mr. Weasley and I glanced at each other and I pressed my mouth shut. I was not dealing with this.

Mr. Weasley shot me a glare. "Well — now don't get upset, Molly, Remus, but Augustus Pye had an idea. . . . He's the Trainee Healer, you know, lovely young chap and very interested in . . . um......complementary medicine. . . . I mean, some of these old Muggle remedies . . . well, they're called stitches, Molly, and they work very well on — on Muggle wounds —So Sara and I- We tried-"

Bill muttered something about getting a cup of tea, and Tonks, Ollie, Fleur, Fred, George and Mad-Eye followed him. Remus leaned over and whispered "You're on your own with this one." before kissing me and strolling away to the werewolf who was watching us wistfully. I scowled. Cowered.