Hermione's Letter

Chapter 13

In the Infirmary at Beauxbatons, enchanted to give out a purple glow that calmed the patients inside, an emergency operation was in progress on the largest bed, which was situated at the very end of the chamber. Several witches and wizards were using various organic patches, all of which looked very sickly, in addition to their wands in order to try and heal the injuries suffered by the patient. The other patients in the ward were also fitted with these almost-creatures to allow their wounds to heal, but the current patient looked to be losing the fight.

The witch in charge shook her head as she continued her treatment, eventually calling out in French for someone to fetch Professor Dumbledore, Madame Maxime, and the Hogwarts nurse, Madam Pomfrey, in order that they could help. She continued to shake her head, and ordered that another creature was brought in. It took a good five minutes before that creature arrived, and when it did it was quite amazing; it was a beautiful bird, although most definitely not a phoenix, as one might have first thought it to be. It was much smaller than a phoenix, and possessed a vibrant red pigmentation rather than the gold usually found on the former bird.

The bird flew up onto the patient's chest, and spread its wings; a substance finer than salt, but redder than the hottest chilli began to fall onto the skin of the boy lying there. The epidermis immediately absorbed the particles, and the patient's body began to exhibit the same red hue as the bird. First his head shone red, then the colouring began to penetrate the rest of his body, spreading down his chest as the expansion followed in his arms, then passing down through his pelvis and covering the left leg, followed by the right, although in the right, the penetration stopped at about halfway down, leaving the area where the bottom of his leg should be with no colouring.

Indeed, there was no further leg to invade with colour. The entire bottom half of the right leg was missing entirely, lost when the patient was forcibly removed from the sinking Hufflepuff transport back on the shores of France. But the loss of the leg wasn't really the problem, but rather the loss of blood that it had caused. The patient's body was weakening every minute, and although it had survived for seven hours now with the aid of various charms and bandages, the measures would not be effective indefinitely. Nothing the French doctor had been able to do was preventing further damage. All she had been able to do was prevent the pain by keeping the patient unconscious. She was oblivious to the reason why her regular treatments were ineffective in the case of the current patient, and prayed her associates, who would be arriving imminently, would be able to mastermind a plan to save this young, helpless wizard.

Very soon, the three people graced the Infirmary with their presence, and the French doctor explained to Madame Maxime that she had no real hope of saving the patient without assistance. She was unable to stop the blood escaping the patient's body with all her treatments, most of which were proven many times over, and she had even tried some unconventional ideas, to no avail. Something was most definitely different this time, but she had no idea what the elusive factor was.

Madam Pomfrey worked extremely diligently and without rest, examining the subject until her neck ached from craning over him, as she looked for the solution to the life-threatening problem that the patient faced. She tried numerous spells and combinations of potions; different uses of the creatures, and even the application of poisons known to sometimes have regenerative effects. But her efforts were futile, and she, too, conceded defeat.

It was left to the all-knowing Professor Dumbledore now; he was the only one left who had any chance of saving the patient.

He examined him briefly, and then addressed Madam Pomfrey.

"Poppy, please fetch Hermione Granger. She will be able to help."

Madam Pomfrey was confused as to why this would assist, but despite her bewilderment she followed the Professor's directive.

Dumbledore then turned to Madame Maxime and the French doctor, telling them he would return momentarily, and Disapparated from the room.

***

It did not take long for Madam Pomfrey to reach the tower in which Hermione Granger was currently located; however, she knew it would take her considerably longer to pull Hermione away from the tower, judging by her current situation.

Hermione and Mia had gone to look after the distraught Parvati Patil. She hadn't stopped crying since the previous night, except when she had fallen asleep on board the Gryffindor transport. Since then, Lavender Brown, her best friend, and Alicia Spinnet, one of the three Gryffindor chasers had done their best to look after the girl. She would need more than a shoulder to cry on, however, noted Pomfrey, and she would have to have a chat with Professor McGonagall later on.

However, the immediate problem was saving another life.

Poppy Pomfrey took a deep breath before marching over towards the group. She did not want to elevate the pain of the young Gryffindor any more, so she did her best to be careful and not to seem too imposing as she approached.

She had planned to use a simple 'Ahem' when she reached them, but they had already spotted her before she finished her voyage. They all looked up at the lady who took care of all of their medical problems with confused looks adorning the variety of different faces there.

"Ummm... Hermione," she began, "Professor Dumbledore requires your assistance in the medical wing. I'm afraid that neither the French doctor or I have been able to heal the young Mr. Weasley, and the Headmaster would like your presence, presumably to assist with his treatment. Therefore, you must come with me. Additionally," she added, "I would like you four girls to accompany me to see Professor McGonagall." She indicated to the quartet sat next to Hermione.

Parvati wiped away a few tears, using a charm to make her face look better, and stood up, along with the quartet of girls who were so lovingly looking after her, following Madam Pomfrey as they left the room, with many curious Beauxbatons and Hogwarts students following them also, but only with their eyes.

***

Hermione Granger and Madam Poppy Pomfrey entered the Infirmary with the other girls remaining outside in the passage.

Hermione felt her body quivering again as she approached Professor Dumbledore, wondering how she could help Ron, whilst at the same time knowing the answer before he'd even asked her the inevitable question.

Professor Dumbledore turned to face Hermione as she stepped closer to him. He opened his mouth slowly, and began to speak.

"Ah, Miss Granger. You are no doubt wondering why I have asked you here." He peered down at her through his narrow spectacles, his long white hair flowing around him.

"Yes, Professor," Hermione answered, a little nervously; she rarely addressed the Hogwarts headmaster personally, and thus was unsure of the proper mannerisms to use around him.

The Professor noticed her anxiety, and pulled out a bag of pear drops from his pocket.

"Care for a sweet, Hermione?" He offered her the bag.

Hermione reached out with her left arm, and took one, placing it in her mouth as she returned her arm, and began to suck gently on the pear drop.

"I assure you," Dumbledore said with his most welcoming vocal tone, "that you may be at ease with me. I do, however, need to ask you a few questions about your time aboard the Hufflepuff transport. We should, however, discuss them in private." He indicated to an office just past Ron's bed, at which nurses were still frantically trying to save his life with all manner of creatures and spells now. "Time is of the essence, if we are to save your friend Ronald."

Hermione nodded and followed the Professor as he led her into the room, taking a quick glance at Ron as she passed him. His body was pale and no longer radiated blue; his leg was still bleeding and looked to be worsening. Hermione had to suppress vomit as she passed; she was feeling extremely upset and sickened at Ron's condition.

She entered the office and sat down opposite Professor Dumbledore. There was no desk; simply a pair of chairs.

Professor Dumbledore once again looked down at her. "Hermione, you were the one that dropped the protective energy field aboard the transport. You exited the transport, targeted the disruption, and invoked the Inverte Invertala Temporala spell. I am correct, am I not?"

Hermione solemnly nodded.

"And you succeeded in closing the temporal disruption and inverting it, also correct?" he continued.

Hermione nodded again, a little more confident now.

Dumbledore nodded in response. "You are aware of the complexity of this particular incantation?"

"Yes. But Professor... how did you..."

"Because I saw you and your friends Harry and Ronald near Ravenclaw Tower the night of its destruction. I observed your invocation of the enchantment there. The Invisibility Cloak is no obstacle to me, Miss Granger. It is imperative that I know why you are using such an obscure and powerful spell. The entire history, present and future of the Muggle and wizarding worlds could be affected by someone using the Inverte Temporala spell. What is your motivation for using the counter curse?" He did not raise his voice but merely posed his questions as calmly as possible.

Hermione took a deep breath, and decided this time, to tell the truth. She would not lie to the headmaster of Hogwarts.

"I received a letter, sir. The author instructed me to use the magic in question in order to prevent someone called Peter Pettigrew from destroying the world with a temporal attack. They gave me instructions on what incantations to use, and when to use them, but they told me not to tell anyone. I... well, I told Harry and Ron, and we agreed to do our best to execute the spells. We went to reasonable lengths to ensure that the letter was not a joke. The author, of course, ensured us that it wasn't."

Dumbledore continued to question her, nodding as she explained.

"And who was the author of the letter?"

Hermione took another deep breath.

"It was me... at least it was me from a year in the future. Umm... sir, if you don't mind me asking, what does this have to do with Ron?"

Professor Dumbledore smiled. "Ah yes, I was getting to that. I believe that your execution of the second spell was slightly off, owing to the immense danger and the transport's plunging downwards. Some of the Inverte Invertala Temporala's spell's effect is that of freezing time, so that the remainder of the effect repairs the temporal rupture. However, I believe some of this spell was somehow transferred to Ron, and that on his exit, the injury he sustained was held and maintained in time. This means that his leg will keep bleeding until either the spell's effect wears off, which could be a considerable period, or until you cast another spell on his leg."

Hermione looked into his eyes, eagerly. "What spell, Professor?"

"Inverte Temporala," said Professor Dumbledore, with the same calm in his voice as before.

Hermione, however, didn't mirror this relaxed state.

"You want me to cause another time rupture? Why?"

"Because if you do, you can then seal it with Inverte Invertala Temporala, but in a controlled way. The creation of a new rupture will remove the old closure effect that still resides on Ron, and the controlled closure of this new rupture will allow him to recover without being killed by the rupture. And, Hermione, as you are no doubt going to ask, you are the only one that can do it because you were the one that sealed the first rupture."

Hermione said nothing as she absorbed the information, albeit with rather less efficiency than a sponge would absorb water. But clearly she couldn't afford to cause any delay whatsoever in Ron's treatment; if he did not get help soon, it was certain that he would die.

"Very well, Professor," Hermione croaked, picking herself up and moving towards the door with a sense of urgency, importance and fear combined.

Before she reached it, however, the Professor stood and took hold of her arm sharply, shocking her to a standstill. She inclined her head to face his, shaking a little at both the speed and unexpectedness of the intercept and her continual fear of what would happen if she didn't successfully complete the inversion.

"Be careful, Miss Granger," he warned with a tone that radiated both an air of sternness and an aura of mysticism, and which echoed the thoughts running through Hermione's brain, releasing her arm as she nodded an acknowledgement and following her out of the office and back into the ward.

***

Alicia Spinnet brushed her long, shining hair as she stood next to Parvati Patil, doing her best to cheer her up. Alicia had great comic talent, although, unlike the Weasley twins, she usually kept it tightly under wraps. She didn't demonstrate it often, unless humiliating a Slytherin who happened to be pestering her.

She was a very good impersonator, at least with voice. She had the ability to emulate the voices of the Hogwarts faculty.

She cleared her throat.

"Welcome to Potions. I am Professor Severus Snape, but you may call me Sev, or Sevvy if you particularly like me. Today, with the help of my beloved assistant Harry Potter, I will demonstrate how to make flowery backgrounds for your parchments using a potion, and then we will all practice."

Mia remained silent, but Lavender giggled a little. The impression of Snape was disturbingly accurate. Parvati was still sobbing.

"In fact, after that, perhaps we could make daisy chains, and then maybe a Karaoke session. You know I'm a good singer don't you?"

Alicia then sang a really cheesy pop song from the Wizarding World in the Potions Master's voice.

Lavender practically cracked up at this last; Mia was laughing because Lavender and Alicia were laughing, and Parvati finally cracked and started to giggle.

Alicia composed herself a little, and started warbling out a Muggle opera song, La Donne E Mobile, in a really bad and croaky voice, totally massacring the music.

"Laaaaaaaa donnnnnee e mobileeee....." she sang, imitating Snape's voice all the time in superb fashion. Lavender rolled around the floor laughing, the tears pouring down her face; Parvati had started to laugh, and Mia was in a similar state to Lavender. Soon, Parvati was crying tears of laughter instead of tears of unhappiness.

Madam Pomfrey stepped into the corridor at that moment, closing the door of the Infirmary gently behind her. To see Parvati laughing so heartily so soon after what she had recently was chilling, but she decided to take all of them to see Professor McGonagall nevertheless, following her earlier instincts.

She cleared her throat, this time being able to use her planned method of getting their attention, as they were so busy laughing that they hadn't noticed her arrival in the corridor, which was bathed in a bright green glow. It seemed that Beauxbatons was full of different radiant glows. Madam Pomfrey noted to herself that she'd probably observe many more shades of colour as she explored the French academy.

The girls turned around and jumped as they saw the Hogwarts medical faculty representative; picking themselves up, they pulled their clothing straight and faced her.

"Come along with me, girls, right away. I would like you all to see Professor McGonagall," she said, offering no clue as to the purpose of the visit to the Gryffindor head of house.

The girls looked around at each other, all apparently as uncertain as each other as to why they were paying a visit to the Transfiguration teacher, and followed Madam Pomfrey as she walked off into the corridors of the castle.

***

Hermione stood at the edge of the bed where Ron was laid, his mangled leg dripping blood heavily, even now. The fibres of the muscles and nerves of Ron's leg were torn and hanging out of the wound; the colour of Ron's skin was a very pale pink now, and Ron's face was white.

"You must begin immediately," ordered Professor Dumbledore.

Hermione pulled out her wand from the inside of her clothing, and pointed it at Ron's leg, her hand trembling somewhat. She focused hard on Ron's leg, and said, "Inverte Temporala!"

A vortex started to form around Ron's leg, sucking the previous spell away in the form of a silver mist into the purple whirlpool like formation, whilst deep red blood swirled out and back into Ron's leg. The leg itself started to regain its former colour as the liquid started to penetrate the leg's internal structure, reaching the arteries, veins and capillaries, and then spreading throughout Ron's body, washing away the whiteness and swirling flesh tones back into their rightful places.

Madame Maxime stood with Professor Dumbledore, neither of them looking the least bit surprised by the events that were transpiring in front of them. The French doctor and her team, however, portrayed frightened children.

For the spell Hermione had used was the spell which inverted time; which erased the past. It was a forbidden spell according to International Wizarding Law, except in times of dire need or of world crisis. It had been used during the disastrous time of Lord Voldemort's uprising, but only once or twice. As a result of its usage, many millions, Muggle and wizard alike, had been saved. But the death toll arising from its effects on the timeline had been in the tens of thousands. The danger of the spell was obvious.

The counter curse was the spell that Hermione had been using all along - Inverte Invertala Temporala; the spell stopped, although it could not reverse, the effects of Inverte Temporala. Like its more destructive counterpart, however, the counter curse could only be used by those with intense magical power, and only then if they focused hard on their intent. Hermione had, of course, been distracted on board the Hufflepuff transport by its imminent destruction.

So now she had to concentrate and focus hard on Ron's leg, and to a lesser extent on Ron himself and his recovery. Her wand remained fixed in possession, her grip having tightened on it, and the Vortex continued to suck out the remaining magical energy of the old spell, the clouds representing it drifting away into the Vortex.

"Now!" Professor Dumbledore commanded suddenly.

"Inverte Invertala Temporala!" Hermione yelled, directing her wand at the Vortex.

A similar yellow-orange beam to that which Hermione had utilised only hours ago to seal the first Vortex smashed the new purple anomaly dead centre, and collapsed it instantly, leaving nothing to show it had even been there. Ron's leg, however, was still bleeding.

"Regenero!" Hermione said, with the same enthusiasm in her voice as for her previous spell.

A purple pulse penetrated Ron's leg and sealed the wound, covering it over with a purple skin. The blood stopped emerging from Ron's leg with the emplacement of this protective covering, and everyone in the room, especially the medical staff, looked somewhat relieved.

Hermione let out a great sigh of relief herself, and stood frozen to the spot, taking deep breaths, her wand still focused on Ron's leg. She remained there as the other witches and wizards fixed Ron up.

After a few minutes, Ron's body looked normal, but he was still unconscious. The lead French doctor finally made an announcement.

"We'll know if 'ee's ok when we revive 'im. There could well be brain damage. Pray that there isn't..."

She raised her wand, pointed it at Ron, and said, "Enervate!"