Protected Ivory [2]

Twenty-Seven

"Ivy!?" Remus' voice filled the corridor, but I didn't move, I didn't even make a sound. I could hear the paws of Sirius behind him, but I couldn't be bothered enough to not look pathetic. "Ivy, what happened?"

"Remus, move," Mr. Weasley said. I was surprised when he picked me up with ease. I was about to ask where we were going, but I figured it was to see Harry. 

"Is she hurt?" Madam Pomfrey exclaimed when we got there.

"I think she's in shock," Mrs. Weasley said as Mr. Weasley set me on an open bed. "We found her curled up in a ball on the way here."

"Ivy?" Harry's voice reached my ears and snapped something in me. 

I let out a scream of anguished, causing everyone around me to jump back as I pulled myself into a ball again. This was all my fault. If I had just seen the signs sooner, Cedric wouldn't be dead and Voldemort wouldn't be back. My chest felt like it was about to explode and I didn't know if I could hold off a magical pulse. 

"Ivory!" 

Immediately, some of the tightness fell away as Neville's voice washed over me. Before Madam Pomfrey could object, he hurried forward and took me in his arms. I sobbed into his shirt, oblivious to the others as they circled Harry's bed. 

"It's all my fault, Neville," I sputtered, burying my head into his chest. "I could have stopped all of this."

"No," he sighed, rocking me and rubbing my back. "He had all of us fooled. He even had Dumbledore fooled."

"Cedric's gone, and it's all my fault."

"No," he protested, tightening his hold on me. 

"He tried to kill me," I said, my voice breaking. "He was going to kill me."

"He wouldn't have, Ivy," he assured, but I shook my head. "You were his everything."

"No," I whispered, shaking my head as Madam Pomfrey came over to us with a calming drought. "He tricked me into saying so many things."

"Like what?" Neville whispered, taking it from her with a nod. 

"About how much I didn't want to know about him," I said, taking in a ragged breath before looking up at him. "I told you all the conversations, Nev. I basically told him I couldn't care less."

"Iv--"

"He said death was a better option then what Voldemort had planned for me."

"What did he mean by that?"

"I'm a traitor, Neville," I said, sitting up and drying my eyes. I looked across the hospital to see everyone still around Harry's bed. He looked awful, like he had been through a lot. He had been through more then me tonight, but it could have all been avoided if I had just paid closer attention. "Soon, everyone will know."

"Please drink this," he sighed, holding the cup in front of me. "Please, Ivy. You'll feel better for it."

"Will I?" I whispered, not meeting his eyes. 

The hospital doors opened and in walked Dumbledore followed by the Minister and, to my surprise, Narcissa. I felt confusion course through my body. Why was she here? Lucius was the one to rush into the school when something was wrong. If Narcissa was here, then something else had happened. Something Lucius couldn't get out of...

Fresh tears sprung into my eyes as Narcissa stood before me. 

"No," I said, my voice barely coming out above a whisper. "Please, no."

"I'm sorry, baby," she said, moving forward to hug me. Her arms we partially around me before I began to push her away. "Ivory, please stop."

"No!" I cried, my heart breaking even more, if that was even possible. Lucius had been there. He was a part of all this. Cedric was dead. Voldemort was back. Now I was losing the last of my family. "Please, no, Narcissa."