IN BLOOM ━━ h. granger¹

𝟬𝟮𝟭. revelations

ღ chapter twenty one
( revelations )

SOFT STROKES OF gentle fingers were carefully weaving their way through her hair, the strands gently tugging at her scalp. She gasped at the unfamiliar feeling as the memories of what had just happened came back to her, her eyes opening wide, only to be forced back closed by bright light.

Carefully, she opened them once more, blinking to adjust, to see her mother's concerned face peering at her. "Dad's innocent," Jules sobbed, as she was engulfed in a warm embrace. "He's innocent, it was Peter Pettigrew, we're going to be a family again aren't we, Mum?"

Angry voices, growing louder and louder, interrupted the silence of the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey was staring at the door. "Really- they'll wake everybody up! What do they think they're doing?"

Jules was trying to hear what the voices were saying. They were drawing nearer-"He must have Disapparated, Severus. We should have left somebody in the room with him. When this gets out-"

"HE DIDN'T DISAPPARATE!" Snape roared, now very close at hand. "YOU CAN'T APPARATE OR DISAPPARATE INSIDE THIS CASTLE! THIS- HAS-SOMETHING-TO-DO-WITH-POTTER!"

"Severus-be reasonable-Harry has been locked up-"

The door of the hospital wing burst open. Fudge, Snape, and Dumbledore came striding into the ward. Dumbledore alone looked calm. Indeed, he looked as though he was quite enjoying himself. Fudge appeared angry. But Snape was beside himself. "OUT WITH IT, POTTER!" he bellowed. "WHAT DID YOU DO?"

"Professor Snape!" Madam Pomfrey shrieked. "Control yourself!"

"See here, Snape, be reasonable," Fudge grumbled. "This door's been locked, we just saw-"

"THEY HELPED HIM ESCAPE, I KNOW IT!" Snape howled, pointing at Harry and Hermione. His face was twisted; spit was flying from his mouth. "

Calm down, Professor!" Fudge barked. "You're talking nonsense!"

"YOU DON'T KNOW POTTER!" shrieked Snape. "HE DID IT, I KNOW HE DID IT-"

"That will do, Severus," Dumbledore said quietly. "Think about what you are saying. This door has been locked since I left the ward ten minutes ago, and let Miss Valentine in. Madam Pomfrey, have these students left their beds?"

"Of course not!" Madam Pomfrey bristled. "I would have heard them!"

"Well, there you have it, Severus," Dumbledore explained calmly. "Unless you are suggesting that Harry and Hermione are able to be in two places at once, I'm afraid I don't see any point in troubling them further."

Snape marched up to Juliet's bed, his face inches from Cordelia's, who remained calm, almost stoic. "You did it! You helped your boyfriend escape!"