Miss Quinn

101 ~ The First Task

Emma slipped in and out of consciousness for what seemed like centuries. Sometimes when she was conscious, she caught snippets of conversation. She could hear what they were saying, but could not recognize their voices. Some of the voices told her to wake up. Some of them asked others why she wasn't waking up. Emma wanted nothing more than to wake up and console them, to tell them she was all right.

When she was unconscious, Emma's head filled with gruesome scenes that played over and over again like a film. Emma wondered if it was the future. She hoped it wasn't.

"It's been a week, and she still hasn't woken up."

"She was stabbed through the heart with a sword, did you expect her to just hop up and be fine in a matter of hours?"

"I just wouldn't have thought she'd be out this long."

Emma could recognize their voices. Venus and Dean. She supposed being able to recognize them meant she was getting better. Or, she hoped that was what it meant.

"How did this happen?" Dean asked desperately.

"We've told you already, mate." That was Seamus's voice. "She went up to Dumbledore's office and was stabbed by some blonde lunatic."

"His name's Luke," said Venus. "He's been trying to kill Emma for the past two years."

"But why? She hasn't done anything, has she?"

"I'm not the person to answer that question, Dean. Maybe you should ask her when she wakes up."

"You mean if she wakes up," said Seamus.

"No, I mean when. Emma can make it. She's strong."

There was a moment when no one spoke. Emma wondered if they were having a silent argument with their eyes, or if they were just watching her. She could hear footsteps echoing off the floor. They were moving towards her. Or she thought they were, anyway.

"Anything?" a voice asked.

"Not yet."

"I would have thought she'd be awake by now."

Emma recognized that voice. But it couldn't be him. There was no way. But it was.

Apollo's voice told Emma's friends that he could try one more thing to wake her up, but if it didn't work, she was gone. They all muttered their thank you's and got up from their chairs to leave the room. Emma didn't think they were at Hogwarts anymore. If she hadn't woken up in this long, they would have taken her to Saint Mungo's. Emma would bet her dagger that that's where she was now. Which meant Apollo was pretending to be a Healer. He wasn't standing there as his eighteen-year-old-surfer-dude self tellings her friends that he was her father.

"Oh, Emma," said Apollo, "this might hurt a bit." Emma wasn't sure if he was speaking to her directly or just in general. Did he know she could hear him? Apollo placed his hand on Emma's forehead and she felt it grow warm. Suddenly her heart hurt. A lot. She could feel the pain of the sword stabbing her once more. And just as suddenly as it had come, it was gone. Then Emma's heart started beating rapidly. She could hear it echoing in her ears, in her brain.

Then her eyes shot open, and she took the deepest breath she'd ever taken in her life.

Emma had been right: she was in Saint Mungo's. Apollo stood beside her, dressed in Healer's robes. He looked exhausted. But also joyous.

"Thank the gods that worked," he said. Emma sat up, but Apollo pushed her back down. "You aren't strong enough yet."

"Why are you here?" Emma asked. She winced at the raspy sound of her voice.