The Tragedy of Walburga Black

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟐★

Every muscle screamed in agony, and the pain seemed to be etched into the very marrow of his bones. His back, in particular, throbbed with a persistent ache as if the claw marks were still fresh wounds, refusing to yield to the potent healing magic that enveloped him.

Grogginess clung to him like a heavy fog, making it difficult to piece together the sequence of events.

Feeling blood begin to leak from his back he panicked.

"Hello?" The mere sound of his voice echoed through the empty room, and each reverberation felt like a jolt to his already aching head.

As he attempted to lift his arm, a sharp pain shot through his shoulder, a reminder of the struggle he had endured.

The sheets beneath him felt coarse against his skin, and he winced as he involuntarily shifted, the fabric rubbing against the tender areas of his battered body.

The bandages that encased his torso seemed to constrict with every breath, creating a tightness that added to the overall sense of suffocation. He could feel pain everywhere, his eyes felt swollen and his mouth torn. He could taste metallic blood as soon as he spoke.

The wounds beneath the bandages pulsed with a rhythmic agony, each heartbeat sending waves of pain through his entire being.

A healer quickly ran into the room a wand in her hand. "Please, stop trying to get up." Softly pushing his head back to the pillow.

Despite the healer's plea and gentle guidance, Orion quickly lifted his body off the bed, pushing the woman away from him before falling back down. "D-don't touch me."

Giving in to the pain in his head and back he laid back down.

"What..." trying to get the energy to continue "What day is it? Where is my father? Did they cap-" The questions spilled from his lips, reflecting a mix of disorientation and concern for the unfolding events.

"Allow me to help heal you before you ask any more questions."

The healer's soft voice did little to comfort Orion as he lay there, the pain still coursing through his body. Her voice annoyed him, but he gave in nodding silently.

The healer, with a gentle touch, began to work on healing Orion's injuries. As her wand moved over him, the pain lessened, and the bruises began to fade. After a moment, she spoke, her voice calm and measured,

"Today is October 24th. Your father is safe. The Ministry and Aurors intervened during the attack on Grimmauld Place, but I'm afraid your injuries were severe, and you've been here at St. Mungo's recovering." She paused, gauging Orion's reaction before continuing, "You're safe now, Mr. Black."

He sighed, feeling a brief sense of relief before Walburga's image invaded his thoughts.

Despite the pounding ache in his head, he quickly sat up and grasped the woman's hand. "Did they catch them?" he asked, his voice low and urgent.

The nurse could see the fear in his eyes as he referred to the men who broke him. "No, they escaped - but aurors are tracking them; last I read they tracked them to Romania" Her voice grew sweetly quiet.

"I need a quill and paper," he said, letting the woman go. He sat looking down as he thought of the dangers that awaited his cousin and his family.

"I will get you those but I need to heal you and give you potions; Mr. Black you went through extreme dark curses. Let me help you."

"Okay," he nodded, the weight of recent events evident in his eyes. "But do it as quickly as you can, I need to write to my family."

As the healing and potions continued, Orion found himself gradually feeling slightly better, the disorientation lifting.

Once it was all done, she kept her promise bringing his the quill and paper.

She had told him the news that his parents were informed of his awakening and were going to arrive soon.

Nodding at him she left, with her absence he began to write to Eleanor Nott as-well as Walburga, eager to let them know he wasn't dead.

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November 1st, 1945 - Hogwarts

When she first received the note she didn't believe it was from him until she read it.

The first sentence read 'I am alive, I told you - whether you like it or not, you're stuck with me."

She couldn't help but smirk remembering his words as if it were just yesterday that he defended her against the Gryffindors.

'What an idiot,' she thought affectionately as she reread the small, elegant writing.

Despite the teasing, she kept the note close, a tangible reminder of his resilience.

She hadn't known that doors away from her dorm Eleanor Nott was reading two pages full of Orion's writing.

It had been weeks since he sent her the note, her mother and father had completely ignored all of the letters she sent them asking about Cygnus.

But, as long as the Daily Prophet hadn't had his face on the cover, she knew he was alive.

Shaking her head off the worries she continued her walk to class.

The whispers of fellow students, the creaking of the staircases, and the distant echoes of laughter intertwined with her thoughts.

As she entered the classroom, the anticipation of the lesson momentarily distracted her from the weight of the unanswered questions.

☆ ★ ☆