Blind, Chapter 2
Title: Blind
Author: captainraz
Rating & Warnings: PG implied violence and angst
Prompt: blind
Word Count: 1008
Summary: Remus ignores a warning from Tonks about Greyback. Greyback's revenge has dire consequences for both of them, and for their relationship.
Author's notes: Set HBP-era. Think i may have fixed the linking lol. made one or two small amendments to this on the advice of lizetm.
Prologue
Blinded
Tonks was pulled abruptly from her blissful slumber by a frantic knocking on her door. She glanced at her alarm clock and idly wondered who in the name of Merlin’s plush toys could possibly want her attention at 2:30 am. If it were the Auror department she would have had an official call-out, and besides, she wasn’t on call tonight. If it were the Order, it would have been a Patronus. Hastily, Tonks grabbed her wand and went to investigate.
On opening her door, Tonks was met with a horrendous sight. It had been Remus desperately banging on her door to get her attention.
He was hanging on to her doorframe like it was a lifeline, clearly unable to stand on his own. His hands and her door were both covered in blood, as was his face. Tonks scanned his features for the source of the bleeding, and found that it seemed to be his eyes. Or at least where his eyes used to be. Where there was once sparkling cobalt now there were only sunken hollows. Tonks fought back the instinct to vomit, forcing herself into professional Auror mode.
“Oh Merlin, Remus…”
“Tonks,” he cried reaching out for her. He swayed when he let go of the door frame, and Tonks rushed to catch him.
“Merlin Remus, what did they do to you?” she whispered, drawing him inside her apartment and setting him gently down on her sofa.
“I’m sorry Tonks, but I didn’t know where else to go.” Remus was disorientated and clearly in shock. Tonks rushed to the kitchen to grab a tea towel to press to his eyes.
“Its okay, I’m glad you came to me. We have to get you to St Mungo’s and you’re in no condition to apparate-”
“ app’rated ‘ere,” protested Remus, slurring his words.
“-so I’m going to Side-Along with you, okay,” Tonks finished in a voice that brooked no argument. Remus nodded mutely.
Tonks concentrated hard on St Mungo’s and felt the familiar unpleasant feeling of being squeezed in all directions, but that could just as easily have been the worry and the fear that was fast settling in the pit of her stomach.
The first few moments after they arrived at St Mungo’s were a blur for Tonks. Everything that happened felt like a dream, or like she was watching someone else’s life, not her own.
They quickly got the attention of the St Mungo’s staff; apparently apparating into the reception with a bleeding man will do that. A healer was quickly called and Remus ushered to the appropriate ward, Creature Induced Injuries, which was decided upon once Tonks had managed to convey what she thought had happened. Once Remus was ensconced in a private room Tonks was ushered out and had to endure a lengthy wait whilst the Healer’s dealt with Remus’ injuries. Tonks paced up and down the corridor for what felt like hours before the healers re-emerged.
“How is he,” Tonks demanded.
“He’s resting now,” reassured the Healer. “I’m afraid there was nothing we could do about his eyes.”
Tonks nodded gravely. “Can I see him?”
“He’ll sleep ‘til morning with the potions we’ve given him, but you can still stay with him. We’ll check on him first thing, when hopefully Mr Lupin will be able to tell us what happened.” Tonks nodded and the healer went on her way.
Hesitantly Tonks entered Remus’ room. He was lying on the hospital bed with a startlingly white bandage wrapped around his eyes. It was a stark contrast to the ashen hue of his face. Tonks slid into the chair at the side of his bed, took his hand, and waited. While she was waiting for Remus to come around Tonks allowed the tears to fall unchecked. Tears of releif, that he had come home, even if he wasn't quite in one piece; tears for what Remus had lost; tears for what she had lost. Eventually the tears subsided, and all that was left to do was wait.
A grey dawn was just stealing into the room when Remus began to stir. Tonks ached with wanting to see the familiar fluttering of eyelids as he awoke, but instead Remus put his free hand to his eyes, feeling the edges bandage.
“Tonks,” he asked uncertainly.
“I’m here Remus, I’m here.”
“I’m so sorry, Tonks; I should never have gone…”
“Shh,” said Tonks gently. “Tell me what happened.”
“I got caught,” said Remus ruefully. “Greyback ripped my eyes out. ‘An eye for an eye’ he said. I think he might have eaten them,” he added, sounded vaguely disgusted.
“You’re being very calm for a man who has just had his eyes ripped out.”
“No point in crying over spilt milk, what’s done is done. Not entirely sure I can cry anymore anyway. I think I got off lightly given what we know Greyback is more than capable of. And in any case, they can always fit me some magical eyes.”
“Just as soon as your wounds are healed, Mr Lupin,” said the healer bustling in the door to do her morning rounds. “At least that’s saved me the unenviable task of giving out the bad news. We’ll make an appointment for a magical eye fitting in two weeks, as we’re going to have to let your wounds recover the muggle way; makes it more comfortable for wearing magical eyes.” Remus nodded. “Right then, we’re going to run a few more tests and checkups on you Mr Lupin, but all being well you will be home by lunchtime. I trust that Miss Tonks will take care of you?”
“To the highest standard,” replied Remus. Satisfied, the healer moved to her next patient.
Remus spent the rest of the morning being poked and prodded, prescribed and potioned up to the eyeballs, or at least where his eyeballs used to be. Then Tonks took him back to her flat so that she could clean up and work out how on earth they were going to get through the next few weeks.
Author: captainraz
Rating & Warnings: PG implied violence and angst
Prompt: blind
Word Count: 1008
Summary: Remus ignores a warning from Tonks about Greyback. Greyback's revenge has dire consequences for both of them, and for their relationship.
Author's notes: Set HBP-era. Think i may have fixed the linking lol. made one or two small amendments to this on the advice of lizetm.
Prologue
Blinded
Tonks was pulled abruptly from her blissful slumber by a frantic knocking on her door. She glanced at her alarm clock and idly wondered who in the name of Merlin’s plush toys could possibly want her attention at 2:30 am. If it were the Auror department she would have had an official call-out, and besides, she wasn’t on call tonight. If it were the Order, it would have been a Patronus. Hastily, Tonks grabbed her wand and went to investigate.
On opening her door, Tonks was met with a horrendous sight. It had been Remus desperately banging on her door to get her attention.
He was hanging on to her doorframe like it was a lifeline, clearly unable to stand on his own. His hands and her door were both covered in blood, as was his face. Tonks scanned his features for the source of the bleeding, and found that it seemed to be his eyes. Or at least where his eyes used to be. Where there was once sparkling cobalt now there were only sunken hollows. Tonks fought back the instinct to vomit, forcing herself into professional Auror mode.
“Oh Merlin, Remus…”
“Tonks,” he cried reaching out for her. He swayed when he let go of the door frame, and Tonks rushed to catch him.
“Merlin Remus, what did they do to you?” she whispered, drawing him inside her apartment and setting him gently down on her sofa.
“I’m sorry Tonks, but I didn’t know where else to go.” Remus was disorientated and clearly in shock. Tonks rushed to the kitchen to grab a tea towel to press to his eyes.
“Its okay, I’m glad you came to me. We have to get you to St Mungo’s and you’re in no condition to apparate-”
“ app’rated ‘ere,” protested Remus, slurring his words.
“-so I’m going to Side-Along with you, okay,” Tonks finished in a voice that brooked no argument. Remus nodded mutely.
Tonks concentrated hard on St Mungo’s and felt the familiar unpleasant feeling of being squeezed in all directions, but that could just as easily have been the worry and the fear that was fast settling in the pit of her stomach.
The first few moments after they arrived at St Mungo’s were a blur for Tonks. Everything that happened felt like a dream, or like she was watching someone else’s life, not her own.
They quickly got the attention of the St Mungo’s staff; apparently apparating into the reception with a bleeding man will do that. A healer was quickly called and Remus ushered to the appropriate ward, Creature Induced Injuries, which was decided upon once Tonks had managed to convey what she thought had happened. Once Remus was ensconced in a private room Tonks was ushered out and had to endure a lengthy wait whilst the Healer’s dealt with Remus’ injuries. Tonks paced up and down the corridor for what felt like hours before the healers re-emerged.
“How is he,” Tonks demanded.
“He’s resting now,” reassured the Healer. “I’m afraid there was nothing we could do about his eyes.”
Tonks nodded gravely. “Can I see him?”
“He’ll sleep ‘til morning with the potions we’ve given him, but you can still stay with him. We’ll check on him first thing, when hopefully Mr Lupin will be able to tell us what happened.” Tonks nodded and the healer went on her way.
Hesitantly Tonks entered Remus’ room. He was lying on the hospital bed with a startlingly white bandage wrapped around his eyes. It was a stark contrast to the ashen hue of his face. Tonks slid into the chair at the side of his bed, took his hand, and waited. While she was waiting for Remus to come around Tonks allowed the tears to fall unchecked. Tears of releif, that he had come home, even if he wasn't quite in one piece; tears for what Remus had lost; tears for what she had lost. Eventually the tears subsided, and all that was left to do was wait.
A grey dawn was just stealing into the room when Remus began to stir. Tonks ached with wanting to see the familiar fluttering of eyelids as he awoke, but instead Remus put his free hand to his eyes, feeling the edges bandage.
“Tonks,” he asked uncertainly.
“I’m here Remus, I’m here.”
“I’m so sorry, Tonks; I should never have gone…”
“Shh,” said Tonks gently. “Tell me what happened.”
“I got caught,” said Remus ruefully. “Greyback ripped my eyes out. ‘An eye for an eye’ he said. I think he might have eaten them,” he added, sounded vaguely disgusted.
“You’re being very calm for a man who has just had his eyes ripped out.”
“No point in crying over spilt milk, what’s done is done. Not entirely sure I can cry anymore anyway. I think I got off lightly given what we know Greyback is more than capable of. And in any case, they can always fit me some magical eyes.”
“Just as soon as your wounds are healed, Mr Lupin,” said the healer bustling in the door to do her morning rounds. “At least that’s saved me the unenviable task of giving out the bad news. We’ll make an appointment for a magical eye fitting in two weeks, as we’re going to have to let your wounds recover the muggle way; makes it more comfortable for wearing magical eyes.” Remus nodded. “Right then, we’re going to run a few more tests and checkups on you Mr Lupin, but all being well you will be home by lunchtime. I trust that Miss Tonks will take care of you?”
“To the highest standard,” replied Remus. Satisfied, the healer moved to her next patient.
Remus spent the rest of the morning being poked and prodded, prescribed and potioned up to the eyeballs, or at least where his eyeballs used to be. Then Tonks took him back to her flat so that she could clean up and work out how on earth they were going to get through the next few weeks.