I wouldn't talk to Lucius. I wouldn't look Narcissa in the eye. I was ashamed, yet... My heart told me I had done the right thing. The Combination made me feel numb, and I would rather feel a small bit of happiness through an ocean of pain, than nothing at all. If I had taken the Combination the way I was suppose to, that's what I would have felt: empty.
They tried to get me to talk to Healer Phillips, but I refused. I frantically wispered "No!" in Lucius's ear and squirmed on the couch, or repeatily ran to the door,wanting away. Around ten o'clock, he gave up and left, leaving Lucius and Narcissa alone with me again. They tried to talk with me, but I wouldn't let them. Instead, I changed into my pajamas, and just laid on my bed and cried some more, hugging Melvin and wishing I was back home. Wishing I had just taken the stupid Combination...
I don't know when, but I eventually fell asleep. When I woke back up, Narcissa and Lucius were both stil lthere, looking tired and both eating a scone. I lifted my head, sniffing. A big vial filled with a green liquid was sitting on the night stand. I knew what it was; my new Combination. Narcissa looked up at me.
"Goodmorning, Love. Would you like some breakfast." She picked another scone up off of a plate next toteh vial and offered it to me. I pushed it away, still eyeing hte Combinations. She sighed and put it down. "Well then, would you like to get up and stretch? You've been asleep for an awfully long time..." I shook my head no and laid back down. I didn't want anything. I didn't want to do anything. I just wanted to go home and lay in my bed, perhaps with Orion and Virgo. Not here, in the place I hate the most. Lucius stood up.
"Eleanor, I know what you're doing and it's not going to work. You may lay around after you take your new Combination." He picked up the vial and took the stopper out. A green haze lazily floated out of it. I covered my mouth with my hands: I wasn't taking it. He pushed it towards me. "Stop it, Eleanor. We are going to make sure you take it one way or another, so it will be easier to just please taking willingly." I shook my head no. He sighed. "I didn't want to do this Eleanor." He looked at Narcissa, who also sighed, then nodded.
Before I could blink, they were at it. Narcissa held me down as she had a few monthes before, when she pinned me to the wall. Only, this time, she had me against the bed, on my back. She used her other hand to pry my mouth open, and in one fluid movement, put the end of the vial in my mouth. The contense hurried out, quickily filling my mouth. It was either swollow, or drown, and drowning sounded pretty good. Atleast I wouldn't have to deal with this. So, I just laid there... until I began coughing and choking. She instantly pulled herself off of me and covered her mouth. I rolled over and got on my hands and knees, trying to cough up the Combination that had gone down into my lungs.
When I finished, Lucius handed me a cup of water. I graciously drank, getting my breath back. Narcissa rubbed my back, but I pushed her hand away. She had just basically strangled me, I didn't want her touching me more. Lucius cleared his throat.
"That could have gone easier, you know? If you would just do what we ask."
"No." I mumbled. He shook his head.
"We will see at lunch when you have to take your next one. And, by the way, you have another season with Healer Phillips before dinner, and I expect you to try to talk to him this time."
"No." I said again. I could see Lucius trying to hold back anger. Thinking quickly, Narcissa grabbed one of the scones off of the table again. She put it in my face.
"Here, baby. Just try to eat something."
.........................................................
Halfway through lunch, which I refused to eat, there was a knock on the door. I perked up a btit, wondering who it could be. Hopefully not Healer Phillips.
"Come in." Narcissa chimed. The door opened, luckily, to show Healer Fuchs. I gave her a weak smile and began playing with my chicken noodle soup again. She came to me.
"Miss Snape, your friends want to see you." She stopped when she was right infront of me. I looked up at her.
"Friends?"
"Yes, silly. Friends." She laughed. "The others, from group session? Miss Winters, Miss Tompson, Mr. Gravely, Mr. Hagar, and, of course, Mr. Lockhart. They all wish to see you. Is that okay?"
"I..." I thought for a moment. Did they really want to see me? Gilderoy, sure: but what about the rest of them? Was this some kind of trick? Of course... Healer Fuchs wouldn't let them playy any tricks on me, so it had to be safe. I dropped my spoon into the soup, making it splash over the sides of the bowel. "Yeah."
"Lovely!" She patted the top of the my head and went out the door. When she came back, she was followed by who used t oaccompany me at Group Session. They were all smiling and looked very happy to see me. Ivy was carrying a big, covered dish, and Gilderoy had his camera in one hand and some flowers in the other. He got to me first.
"Elle!" In one fluid movement, he handed me the flowers, but his head beside mine, held the camera out a arm's length, and snaped a photo. "I got you flowers! You do like flowers, right? Mother Fuchs said you would like them! Oh, I hope you do!"
"Yeah." I lightly chuckled. "I like them." I laid the boquet down beside me and gave my best friend a hug.
"Great! And Ivy made you cake! Show her, Ivy!" He turned to the woman. Ivy uncovered the dish to revael a small, round cake with what looked like vanilla frosting.
"It's true. They are letting me cook now, as long as I eat some of what ever I cook. That was the deal." For the first time, I saw Ivy look a little bashful. "It's chocolate, with vanilla icing. Is that alright?"
"Yeah. It's fine..." I bit my lip as a tear fell down my cheek. But it was a good tear, because I was happy.
Happiness.
I was feeling emotions. Maybe this Combination wasn't so bad if I could feel happiness. I hadn't felt it in such a long time, it felt so good.
"Why are you crying, Elle?" Gilderoy sat on the side the flowers weren't. I shook my head..
"They're good tears, Gildy. I promise." I wiped my face with my sleeve. I looked at the rest of them. "Chase." I nodded, "William. Jenna" They all greated me.
"Well, are we going to have cake of not?!" William questioned, making us all laugh. Narcissa stood up.
"This is such a lovely thing you all are doing. I will go get some plates and forks, okay?" She offered, and left the room before anyone could protest. Lucius had moved over to the corner to do some paper work, and Healer Fuchs had stepped out to check on something, which meant we all almost had some times alone together. Around here, that was close enough. We all got in a tight circle, and lowered our voices to wispers.
"Has anyone else met this Phillips guy?" Chase questioned. We all nodded. "What do you think of him? I don't like him."
"Me neither." Ivy replied. "He shoves all kind of food in my face. It makes me down right sick!"
"I...I don't like him..." Jenna trailed off, close to tears.William spoke up.
"I may have, um, put a whole in his stupid leather couch. You would think he would have picked somethng more comfortible."
"I don't trust him. Most of them are fake." Gilderoy admitted. They all looked at me.
"I don't like him either." I replied after a beat. "There is no way he will ever be Healer Green."
"Well, what are we going to do about it?" Ivy asked.
"Well, the Hospital brought him in, so they aren't going to fire him." Chase scratched his head. "The only thing we have going for us is if he quits."
"But he wouldn't have taken the job if he didn't want it." Ivy pointed out.
"Yeah. I'm pretty sure you have to have special trianing for this. Why would he waste his time becoming a Healer if he didn't want the job?" William agreed.
"We will have to make him not want it!" Chase pointed out.
"How?" Jenna had calmed down enough to ask.
"We will have to drive him out."
"Good plan." I agreed. "I suppose if we behave so badly he will crack and go home." I suggested. Chase considered this.
"I think she's right."
"I know she's right." Gilderoy began laughing. "I've seen it before. Poor Healer Stephon. He lives in the right wing now if you would like to meet him."
"So, it's settled." Chase nodded. "We drive him out. We just have to get him to crack."
"How are we going to do that again?" Ivy questioned.
"Listen, at all of our individual sessions, behave as terribley as possible. William, punch walls. Punch him. What ever you want to do. Ivy, refuse to eat anything. Throw the food at him. Whatever. Jenna, you- er... Just keep up the good work." -Jenna wiped at her eyes and nodded- "Elle; I know from the Prophet you trained the Snatchers. I think you know what to do. And Gilderoy? You seemed experienced at this: you know what to do. Are we aggreed?" He put his hand in the middle of the circle. After a moment of hesitation, William put his on top of Chase's.
"Ready." He replied. Ivy smiled and followed suit.
"Ready."
The Gildy.
"Ready."
Jenna hesitated.
"R-ready."
They all looked at me again. I put my hand ontop of theirs.
"Ready." I said, for the first time in a long time, with confidence. Chase slid his tounge over his teeth.
"Great. Let's do this!" He exclaimed, then we all through our hands in the air, like a Quidditch team right before a big match. "It's time to put Operation Crack the Yankee into motion."