VII
By: JA_Japster
Copyright Notice: Harry Potter is copyrighted to J.K Rowling. All manga/anime that served as the inspiration/basis for this fanfiction is the property of their respective authors and publishing companies. Black Cat is copyrighted to Jump Comics and Yabuki Kentaro. The fanfiction itself was written by me and should not be reproduced in any shape or form without prior consent.
Chapter Three: Healing
The Healer's Ward was a magnificent feat of architectural achievement, even by the standards of the magical community. Carved entirely in gleaming marble, the ward with its towering columns and simple structure resembled the temples of ancient Greece where the blood of sacrifices were spilt to honor pagan gods. Yet there was something much more to it than that. There was an air of tranquility that surrounded the ward, a permanent presence that inspired calmness regardless of one truly felt. The faint aroma of burning incense lingered in the open hallways, and the relaxing melody of a running river echoed in the distance. There were no enchanted runes engrained into the marble; no touch of man or magic contributed to the serenity. The peace that was felt there was natural, a strange phenomena in this day and age.
Harry sat on one of the marble benches beside the river. The running water was beautiful, clear and pristine, unsullied by the pollutants so prevalently found in the muggle world beyond the temple. The upper portion of the simple white robes he wore was drawn down around his waist, exposing his bare skin to the healer stationed behind him.
"You need to be more careful," Cho Chang remarked. She gently pressed her hands against the deep gash across his back, and a cool sensation danced across his skin. Harry could envision the healing process as his rent flesh magically began mending itself back together. The bleeding would stop, and before long the cut would be but a memory, just another scar in the growing collection that adorned his body.
"I know, Cho." He replied perfunctorily. While he appreciated the young healer's concern, it made him feel like a henpecked child. Cho was only a year older than him, but the way she acted sometimes she might as well have been his mother.
"I read the report," She continued. "But I'm still -let me see that one on your chest real quick."
Harry dutifully turned around. He flinched as Cho's hands pressed firmly across the wound on his torso.
"I'm still not quite sure how it happened." She closed her eyes in concentration, and once again the wound repaired itself as her magic accelerated the healing process.
Harry shrugged. "I got careless. Hesitated."
Cho frowned, her pretty face showing dissatisfaction at his answer. Whatever was on her mind, however, she decided not to say and instead pulled Harry's robes back over shoulders. "There, I'm done. Lilith wanted me to confine you to bed for observation but-"
He groaned. If Cho's maternal-like mannerism was bad, Lilith was even worst." You know I don't need to spend the night-"
"But I decided you can go home. Just take it easy and you should be fine in the morning."
The raven-haired assassin smiled and tied his robes close with the white sash around his waist. "Thanks, Cho. You're the best."
Cho sighed. "Be careful, Harry. I worry about you, you know."
Harry paused and looked at the young her. He knew Cho cared him, but he had never really given it any serious consideration. It was probably just a camaraderie that motivated her concern. She knew the rules. It was against the rules to possess any personal relationships, especially within their own ranks. To his knowledge, nothing like that had ever happened before. Assassins were usually too busy doing their job to even think of romance with a fellow killer. But there was always a first he supposed.
"I will be." Harry assured his team mate. He grinned and gave her a playful wink. "It's me after all."
Cho did not return the smile. She turned away, a troubled look in her eyes as she stared out into the open sky. "That's what I'm afraid of, Harry."
Lilith had arranged the meeting for seven o'clock sharp that evening, emphasizing the importance of promptness when she had scheduled it. So naturally he was late. Ron Weasley, number VI, strolled into the public park over twenty minutes past the appointed time, a cigarette dangling loosely from his lips and the pungent smell of alcohol heavy on his breath. There was no need to demand an explanation for his tardiness -he had no doubt just arrived from a night on the town. Lilith sighed sadly as she watched her subordinate make his way towards the bench she was sitting on. She would have to reprimand Ron for being late and intoxicated, clearly the unprofessional behavior, but at the same time it felt hypocritical for her to condemn the vices she longed to divulge in. Youth had past the leader of the Thirteen so quickly, consumed by the rapid promotions instated by the Elders, and seldom had she the opportunity to enjoy the small pleasures of life.
"Tardy, messy, and drunk," Lilith reprimanded harshly as Ron sat down beside her. "I suppose you have a very good reason." Not a question, an order, and one that Ron would have done well to recognize, sober or not.
"Uh…" Ron muttered, rubbing his head, his thoughts no doubt trying to pierce through the alcohol induced haze muddling his brain. "I was playing cards…and I guess I got really lucky. And then there were these girls, you see, and they wanted to celebrate, and you know I can never say no to…"
Lilith didn't buy that for a second, and the fierce glare she directed at her subordinate was enough to shut him up. "You were using your magic to cheat, VI. Again I might add."
Ron was quiet for a minute, unable to meet Lilith's gaze like. He was only a few years younger than the commander, but she might as well be his mother the way she rebuked and scolded him. "Maybe a little."
"You're pathetic," Lilith scowled. Ron didn't say anything, either because he knew it was time to be quiet in the face of his leader's anger, or because he was just too drunk to do otherwise.
She sighed deeply and tried to lose the edge in her voice. It wasn't just Ron that had her irritated; she was just venting her frustration out on him, and that wasn't fair. "I need your report on today's assignment."
"Didn't you read my report?" Ron asked.
Lilith nodded. "I did. And I know it was complete bullshit and you're just covering VII's failure."
Ron shrugged. That was about the size of it, but unless Lilith was about ready to probe that out of his brain using magic, he wasn't going to tell her that. "Harry's under a lot of stress, commander. Anyone could slip up."
Lilith scowled. "Not, VII. I can't afford it."
"He's only human you know, not a bloody machine. And even machines break down if you push them too hard."
This wasn't good. She knew all along that pushing Harry and his team too hard was probably a mistake, but somewhere she had always justified her decision. Team Gryffindor had always seemed infallible, invincible, and it was unsettling to hear first hand from one of them that they indeed were not. It had always been a priority of hers to keep the other teams off the streets for as long as possible, but now she was beginning to realize that it was impossible. One team couldn't cover the responsibilities of four.
"If you don't tell me the truth, Ron, I'll have to put Team Gryffindor on suspension until the Elders can perform an investigation. You know that. And I know both of us won't like what the findings of that will be."
She wouldn't have a choice. The Elders would demand it and demand that she put the rest of the teams back in active rotation. More and more collateral damage was inevitable, the very thing that Lilith had been trying all this time to reduce, and the Elders would deafen their ears to her complaints.
Lilith looked down at the ground forlornly. She had failed, and her failure would be all too evident in the eyes of her comrades, particularly Voldemort who would no doubt try to exploit this unfortunate turn of events to his favor.
Ron cocked his head to the side. "For someone so young and pretty, you sure do worry a whole lot." He leaned across the bench and pressed his body against Lilith's, edging his face closer and closer towards hers. "You should lighten up some…"
Lilith actually smiled and playfully shoved Ron away. Well, maybe more than playfully. The drunken assassin pitched off the bench and collapsed on the ground with a loud groan.
"You're drunk, VI." She told him.
He chuckled from somewhere on the ground. "Maybe just a little."
Author's Notes:
Just a really short update that's long, long overdue. To be honest, I've kind of lost interest in HP fanfiction and become more and more absorbed in Naruto fanfiction (Twenty-three chapters to date! Check it out!) but I was browsing the old stomping grounds on Portkey.org and I noticed I had made it on someone's recommended reading list on an affiliated site. That made me all giddy on the inside and so I decided to dig this up and continue it for a bit.
Dunno how much longer it'll go on for, but I'll try to write at least one more chapter. I think the concept is great, but unfortunately my motivation is somewhat wavering. But who knows? A lot of reviews might change my mind, haha. So yeah, comments, questions, complaints -review box folks! Thanks!
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