CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED
AND SIX
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-: fifth year :-
── IN WHICH THEY ARRIVE
AT ST. MUNGO'S
. . .
She was waiting in the Entrance Hall of Grimmauld Place as the others showed up, changed into Muggle clothes for their journey over to St. Mungo's. Dressed in a matching tweed skirt and blazer set, she still looked miles apart from them, but like any other Muggle nonetheless.
When Mad-Eye and Tonks showed up, she remained with the latter as she took charge in escorting Harry as Mad-Eye led the group, hiding his magical eye with a jauntily placed bowler hat. Her nose wrinkled thoroughly as they stepped onto the Muggle tube, and refused to sit or lean anywhere, instead standing alongside Harry as he answered Tonks' questions about Seer blood and whether or not there was any in his family - there wasn't, she had confirmed, in a lowly spoken comment.
They arrived at St. Mungo's in what could easily have been no time at all, should they have taken magical modes of transportation like Aviana wished, but not that much time nonetheless, walking down the wintry streets with shop fronts that she couldn't help but admire. They were filled with Christmas decorations, shows of red, green and white with fluffy fake snow over the windowsills.
"Not far from here," Moody grunted, ensuring that Harry, and Aviana by default, was walking along in front of him to keep the former safe. ""Wasn't easy to find a good location for a hospital. Nowhere in Diagon Alley was big enough and we couldn't have it underground like the Ministry- unhealthy. In the end they managed to get hold of a building up here. Theory was sick wizards could come and go and just blend in with the crowd..."He seized Harry's shoulder to prevent them being separated by a gaggle of shoppers plainly intent on nothing but making it into a nearby shop full of electrical gadgets, and Harry reached for Aviana's hand on instinct.
"Here we go," Moody said a moment later. Aviana let go of Harry's hand, more than aware of the eye that was rolling around under the bowler hat.
The red brick department store called Purge and Dowse Ltd, as shabby as it was, was not a stranger to Aviana. She had stood in front of it several times before, and knew exactly what to do get in. Although, she presumed that the sight of the chipped dummies with askew wigs and random out-of-date fashions was quite alarming, to anyone who didn't know.
Right," Tonks said, beckoning them all forward to a window displaying nothing but a particularly ugly female dummy whose false eyelashes were hanging off and who was modelling a green nylon pinafore dress. "Everybody ready?" Moody gave Harry another shove between the shoulder blades to urge him forward, as he stumbled into Aviana's side, apologising profusely, and Tonks leaned close to the glass, looking up at the very ugly dummy and said, her breath steaming up the glass, "Wotcher... We're here to see Arthur Weasley."
Aviana waited for a moment, and watched as the dummy gave a tiny nod, beckoned its jointed finger, and Tonks had seized Ginny and Mrs Weasley by the elbows, stepped right through the glass and vanished. Fred, George and Ron stepped in after them, quickly followed by Moody, Harry and Aviana, who emerged from the window with the feeling of having stepped through a freezing cold sheet of water, before quickly warming up, and clearly dry.
As always, the reception room of St. Mungo's was busy; crowds of witches and wizards lining up before the reception desk and waiting on rickety wooden chairs lined up against the walls, reading outdated copies of Witch Weekly whilst looking perfectly normal, whilst some were sporting abnormal illnesses; elephant trunks or extra hands sticking out of their chests; and some emitting odd, gruesome sounds.
But unlike the Muggle tube, Aviana had no reaction to it at all, despite a particularly sweaty-faced witch who was letting out a high-pitched whistle as steam came pouring out of her mouth and another man was clanging like a bell every time he moved.
Witches and wizards in lime-green robes were walking up and down the rows, asking questions and making notes on clipboards like Umbridge's. The emblem embroidered on their chests :a wand and bone, crossed, was nothing new to the Rosier.
"Healers." Aviana told him, when she caught his questioning looks. "Like doctors... when I'm head of the Department the uniform will be... less bright green." She said, certainly, and under her breath.
"I'm sure you will." Harry replied, and he was smiling again.
"I will. It's a complete atrocity. How is anyone supposed to be feeling better when they're confronted by that sight leering above them. It should be pale blue, much more calming." Aviana shook her head.
Molly rushed them over to the woman behind the reception desk, and Aviana was staring at several potions she recognised as they spoke, a smile forming on her lips as she stared up at the portrait of Dilys Derwent, an old healer and the once headmistress of Hogwarts.
"Back again, Miss Rosier?" She asked, ignoring the rest of the Weasleys around her - although Dilys had winked at Harry moments later.
"Of course." Aviana replied, as she watched the woman take a small side step out of her painting. "She's quite talkative, normally." She commented, quite disappointed.
Eventually, after several other witches and wizards came and spoke the the woman, the group led by Mrs Weasley made it to the front of the queue. "Hello," Mrs Weasley said. "My husband, Arthur Weasley, was supposed to be moved to a different ward this morning, could you tell us-"
"Arthur Weasley?" The witch repeated, running her finger down along list in front of her. "Yes, first floor, second door on the right, Dai Llewellyn ward."
"Famous Quidditch player." Aviana said, when Harry looked all the more confused. "Used to take plenty of risks during his matches, that's what made him so famous." Harry nodded, slowly, and they followed Mrs Weasley through the double doors into the heart of the hospital.
More witches and wizards in lime-green robes hurried in and out of the doors they passed; a foul-smelling yellow gas wafted into the passageway as they passed one door, and every now and then they heard distant wailing. They climbed a flight of stairs and entered the "Creature-Induced Injuries" corridor, where the second door on the right bore the words "dangerous" Dai Llewellyn ward: serious bites. Underneath this was a card in a brass holder on which had been handwritten; 'Healer-in Charge: Hippocrates Smethwyck, Trainee Healer: Augustus Pye'.
"Augustus Pye is quite nice, actually." Aviana commented. "I haven't had a chance to meet Smethwyck yet... but he's supposed to be incredibly talented." There was a certain light in her eyes, Harry noticed, not one of plotting nor of planned mischief, but rather pure interest.
"We'll wait outside, Molly," Tonks told them, as they came to a stop. "Arthur won't want too many visitors at once... It ought to be just the family first."
Mad-Eye growled his approval of this idea and set himself with his back against the corridor wall, his magical eye spinning in all directions. Aviana drew back, Harry coping her seconds later, but Mrs Weasley reached out a hand and pushed him through the door, saying, "Don't be silly, Harry, Arthur wants to thank you... you too, Aviana." She said.
Aviana's eyebrows rose, confused, as she too was pulled in, and swallowed nervously as she entered through the double doors, entirely confused
"I know you don't know Arthur all that well, dear." Mrs Weasley's voice suddenly appeared over her shoulder, having held the doors open for the group. "But... Harry's had quite a shock, and I suppose he would be more than happy to have his girlfriend there."
The girl blinked once, twice, entirely taken aback. "Yes, I suppose so." She agreed, pursing her lips as she made her way into the ward. And as much as she had called Harry her boyfriend on several occasions, mostly to piss off Draco, she found that she was at least somewhat comfortable being called his girlfriend.
Fake or not.
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