Two Worlds of Magic, ch. 5-6
Chapter Five.
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It had been three days since Hermione… no - Granger, started working for House. Since her first day nothing extraordinary or even interesting happened. She always arrived at his office in time and walked away at 6 pm, because, as House knew, she worked somewhere else also. He amazed at her ability to work so much. But most of all - he didn’t get it- why? She seemed to be well-provided for money ‘cause he noticed her dress quite well. But still she worked so much. She could be, though, a simple work-lover without any personal life, but House couldn’t believe that. All of her free time she spent with a different book each time or in Wilson’s office. And though House understood how silly of him it was, he couldn’t help feeling a bit jealous. And that irritated him most of all. Why it had to be always Wilson? Why was he jealous first of all? He didn’t have a crush on her, did he? He couldn’t even catch her alone to talk to her. All he could do was watch her work.
Today was especially awful day for him. His leg terribly hurt him almost bringing him into tears. His vicodin didn’t help him anymore. All he wanted to do was being left alone with his pain, ‘cause when he saw another happy healthy people he wanted them to be as misery as he was and did his best for it. People rushed aside the sight of him especially after he had made some nurse cry. Please stop hurting; he begged his leg silently, walking into the elevator, stop it please, please, please, please….
“Good morning” Granger greeted him stepping into the same elevator. He opened one eye to shot her a murderous glare. “Is everything alright?” she asked concerned noticing how violently he squeezed his cane.
“What part of my appearance looks like ‘alright’?!” he snapped roughly. Hermione frowned but kept silent. He closed his eyes tight desperately wishing his pain to go away. He heard some noise and on opening one eye he saw Hermione get her stick from her pocket. Oh, for fuck’s sake, do what you want just please make my pain go away…
Suddenly he felt some waft as if somebody opened the window and he felt a shiver went down his spine. It last just for a moment and the next second it was gone. He frowned and looked at Granger wondering whether she had felt it, too. But she didn’t seem to be amazed at anything, she stood leaning at the wall. He opened his mouth to ask her about that but at the moment the doors of the elevator opened and Granger jumped out. House tried to see where she was going but she had already disappeared. Walking out of the lift he noticed that his leg didn’t hurt him anymore.
House just stood still, confused. He got his Vicodin bottle but it was locked so he didn’t take it yet. So, his will-power, huh?
Walking in the office he saw all his team plus Cuddy and Wilson there. Hermione wasn’t there yet.
“Decided to throw up a party and didn’t invite me?” House commented instead of greeting.
“Nice to see you, too, House” Cuddy said sarcastically. “We have a… rather complicated case…” she began when Granger ran into the room.
“Good morning, everyone!” She greeted. “Dr Cuddy, Dr Wilson.” She nodded in greeting.
“So, as I was saying” Cuddy continued watching Granger take her seat. “We’ve got a very complicated case.” She said in her professional tone opening the files with the case. “Male, age - from 45 to 48…”
“What do you mean?” House interrupted. “You don’t know his age?”
“House! Shut up and let me finish!” Cuddy exclaimed annoyed. “Male, from 45 to 48, deep wounds all over his body, unconscious, has no documents or passport or anything else indicating his identity. We know only his name, it was embroidered on the back side of his suit. ” Cuddy finished.
“And where did you find him?” House asked unconcerned.
“Some woman called to 911. She found him near the shop - he laid there all in blood, his clothes torn.”
“So what?” House said. “Some maniac with a knife beats the man, may be even rapes him in the dead of night and leaves him dying near some shop. What’s interesting in that? Everyday situation!” House finished ignoring disapproving look from both Wilson and Granger.
“Umm…. There was no sign of any human being, House” Wilson said mysteriously. “He was attacked by… wolves!”
“Wolves?!” House repeated now really interested. “In New Jersey?!” Chase and Forman exchanged looks.
“Yup” Wilson confirmed, pleased with made effect.
“What’s the man’s name?” Granger suddenly asked no one exactly in a high-pitched voice looking extremely pale.
Cuddy glanced at the file again. “Remus Lupin” she answered.
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Chapter Six.
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Hermione’s POV.
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“Bloody hell” Hermione swore, ignoring Chase’s chuckle and Cameron’s snort.
Lupin? Lupin? How can he possibly be here, in New Jersey, and how could he possibly not drink his Wolsbane? What happened? Why, for Merlin’s sake, didn’t Snape make him his poison?
She got up. “Where’s he?” she asked Cuddy.
“Ward №23.” Cuddy said confused at Hermione’s reaction.
Hermione rushed to his ward. She’s gonna find out everything right now. She must inform Harry and Ron first of all. No, they would make stupid actions without thinking. She should inform someone from the Order who knows Remus’s secret. Snape or McGonagall? Running to the ward she didn’t notice House who was following her with astonishing speed for a crippled man.
She opened the door and see him lying in the bed and probably sleeping. She approached him and shook him without ceremony. He opened his eyes immediately.
“Hermione? Is that you?” He asked her shocked. “Am I in St Mungo’s?”
“St Mungo’s?” she heard House’s voice repeat. “What’s that?”
Hermione sighed heavily. Of course House will thrust his nose into her business. Main thing - do not let him know anything about her world. She was already shocked when she met Wilson and found out he was a squib on Longbottom’s line. He was some distant relative of Neville. That’s why he insisted on House giving her that job. She should let him know about a werewolf first. But did she have a right of telling him Remus’s secret?
First of all - House…
“That’s some place in London.” She told him calmly ignoring Lupin’s absolutely confused expression. “Not well-know, but there we first met.”
House stood still, frowning.
“You are in Princeton Placeboro Teaching Hospital, Remus. We are in New Jersey. I work here, remember? And that’s not the place where you should be now.” She said quickly, preventing him from asking questions about magical stuff in front of a mugle. She desperately hoped he would understand her insinuation.
“But how can I possibly be in America?!” Remus exclaimed. “What happened?”
“I wanna ask you that.” Hermione told him darkly. She turned to House who was listening to their conversation attentively. “We need to talk in private” she told him firmly. House didn’t move. “I mean without you” she added.
“Oh, but then how am I supposed to know what you guys had talked about?” he said sarcastically.
“You,” he pointed his cane at Remus. “Your full name and last place you remember before meeting some sweet doggies.”
“Remus John Lupin.” Lupin answered looking at Hermione. “Last thing I remember was Hogsm- umm… London, and then someone hit my head to take my wallet I guess.” He finished awkwardly.
“Lupin” House repeated thoughtfully. “Such a… wolfish name.”
Lupin twitched and glanced at Hermione.
She sighed again. She knew already that House, being a tactless git as he was, would necessarily look for St Mungo’s in the internet. Well, he won’t like what he will see as the results.
“I’m gonna take care of Mr Lupin” Hermione repeated “But before - I need to talk to him privately, Dr House!” she exclaimed in tone that didn’t accept any objections.
“Hermione,” Lupin said reproachfully. “You shouldn’t talk to this man in such a disrespectful tone. He just wants to help!” House smirked.
“No, Remus! That man just wants to please his curiosity. And now-“ she said using on House wandless magic and watching his cane break in two. “He is leaving us alone.” She finished smugly.
House now looked really shocked. He shift his gaze from his broken cane to innocently looking Hermione and Lupin’s disapproving expression.
“Oh my Mer- God!” Hermione said. “I guess you bought your cane in some cheap shop. What a pity.”
“You sawed it!” He said shocked and accusingly.
“Dr House, I’m sure you’ve got a lot of things to do.” She said making House finally walk out of the door.
“Am I in a Mugle hospital?!” Remus exclaimed at once.
“Shush!” Hermione hushed putting a Silence Spell on the room. “Yes you are, and I wanna know how it could happen.”
“Oh, my Merlin!” Lupin groaned. “I can remember now. That’s horrible…” Lupin said hiding his face with his hands. “Hermione… I have very very bad news…”
“What happened, Remus?” Hermione asked him in a cool voice preparing for the worst. But what could happen that would be worse than she had already had? After the war, death of her friends, Voldemort?
“Death Eaters… they… Death Eaters ran away from the Azkaban.” He said sounding really tired.
She thought about it, of course, from the first moment she understood something had happened. But think about it and hear it are completely different things. It was like the news that the war’s beginning again. She could feel butterflies in her stomach and suddenly she had no strength for standing and it became difficult to breath.
She sat down on the chair near the bed. A clod in her throat prevented her from talking. She glanced at Remus. He suddenly looked much older and tired. Of course - he was tired from that, too. He was forced to watch Tonks and his friends die…. She sniffed. She won’t cry - especially not in front of Remus. Unlike him the destiny gave her a happiness of seeing her two best friends alive and healthy.
“Who” she questioned, her voice sounding hoarse.
“Malfoys, Lestrange, Dolohov, Crabbe, Goyle… in other words - his closest ones. Noone knows how, but…” He sighed deeply. “They left a message in Malfoys’ chamber. It says they want to find you three ‘the main heroes’ and avenge their Lord.” He finished sadly.
“Oh,” Hermione lowed. “So, we should tell Harry and Ron, I guess.”
“Yes.” He agreed. “I was gonna tell them yesterday - I went to Hogsmeat to apparate to Burrow but someone grabbed me and the next moment I woke up here. McGonagall sent Snape to break into Malfoy’s Mansion so he didn’t make me my Wolfsbane. I guess the kidnapper didn’t know about my ‘furry little problem’ so when the transfiguration began he was caught off-guard and had to disapparate from there. So I cut and bit myself like in old times. I was supposed to come back before full moon….” He didn’t finish but it was clear.
They sat in silence for a while. Hermione took out her wand. “Expecto Patronum.” She said and a silver otter appeared immediately and the next moment it was gone.
“I sent Patronus to the Burrow. It will tell them to come here and deal with the problem of discharging you from this hospital. You need to be moved to St Mungo’s.”
“Thank you, Hermione.” Lupin said sincerely as Hermione made her way to the door.
“You are welcome” she answered warmly. “But everything is ahead.”