40 Chapter 22 - Wormtail (1/2)

Vincent could only smile wryly as he recalled his conversation with the Minister hours earlier. He made sure that his injuries was blamed on the Dementors, not Lupin. While he was sure Dumbledore knew what really happened, that man seems to always know everything, he was glad that everyone else there didn't question him any further than that. He didn't want Lupin to get fired from his job.

”Broken ribs, fractured legs, dislocated fingers, and that's not including all your cuts and bruises,” Madam Pomfrey scurried about as she picked up a bucket full of Vincent's old bandages. ”Even with my capabilities, it'll take a good while to make sure you get properly healed up. A boy at your age should take more care of himself.”

”Thank you for healing me,” Vincent tried to sit up, barely managing as he took a deep breath. Even that felt like a challenge to him at the moment.

”You can thank me by never coming here again,” she scoffed. ”Like that'll ever happen.”

Vincent gave an embarrassed laugh as he looked out the window. After the everything that had happened, he felt like he could finally take a break.

Suddenly the door to the Hospital Wing slammed open as a messy, black haired man dressed in rags came in.

”VINCENT! I'm a free man!” Sirius yelled as he pumped his fists up into the air. ”HALLELUJAH!!!”

”DON'T YELL IN THE HOSPITAL WING!” A bucket full of dirty bandages smashed into Sirius' head, sending him tumbling out the door.

”Sirius! You alright?” Harry's voice came from the doorway.

”Oh no, foams coming out of his mouth, we need to get him to a hospital!” Hermione's panicked voice exclaimed.

”Hermione, we are in a hospital!” Ron's exasperated voice sounded from the entrance.

Vincent winced as he watched. ”That must have hurt.”

...

”So you were working with Sirius the whole time?” Harry exclaimed with shock. ”Why didn't you say anything?!”

Vincent looked to Sirius who had an ice pack to his head and sighed. ”Honestly, I thought about it, but you guys...how do I put this, were a bit impulsive this year. I think that's the word.”

Ron frowned. ”What do you mean?”

Vincent raised and eyebrow. ”Let's see, Ron with the whole incident with Scabbers, or Peter now that you know...”

Ron looked to the side guiltily.

”Hermione was working herself to death with her schedule and feeling hurt because of, again, the Scabbers incident, making her a bit more violent and unstable than usual.”

Hermione's cheeks flushed red in embarrassment.

”And Harry, your pretty much the definition of impulsive.”

”I'm not—” Harry began before Vincent cut him off.

Harry shut up.

”The point is, that even though I trust you guys, I didn't think I could tell without anyone of you making some sort of move by yourselves.”

Harry, Ron, and Hermione all looked down with some shame and embarrassment. Vincent turned his head to the side. ”But maybe, I just thought I could do it alone.So I was at fault as well. Sorry.”

The three of them looked at Vincent who apologised before looking at each other and back.

”You...Uh, whatever,” Hermione gave an exasperated sigh. She looked around the room before asking. ”Where's Arnya?”

”I asked her to do something for me,” Vincent chuckled hollowly. ”Guess I owe her again.”

Vincent felt terrible about it.

He noticed it the first time she saved him, her conflict about whether to help him or not was clear to Vincent. Since then, he tried not to ask too much of her, but now, Arnya had saved his life more than once now on her own violation. She, who was supposed to be just observing, ended up doing far more than that.

”I need to be stronger,” he thought to himself as he clenched his fist. ”So that no one, has to save me again—”

”You can't do everything alone,” a voice echoed in his head, making him relax out of reflex.

”Trust me,” the letter from yesterday came to mind.

And finally, Arnya appearing with Buckbeak.

Vincent took a deep breath as he stared at his hands. ”Even though I said that, maybe I didn't trust them enough?”

Vincent looked at Sirius who was watching over them with a smile. ”What's happening with Peter?”

Sirius' expression hardened as he sighed. ”Taken to the Ministry with the information kept under wraps. Ministry didn't want to admit that they wrongfully sentenced an innocent man to Azkaban for twelve years until Dumbledore stepped in. Should be shipped to Azkaban in a month or two after questioning.”

”Wonder what Sister An would do?” Vincent thought sadly before another person came to Vincent's mind. ”Hey, what happened to Lupin?”

Everyone exchanged a glance before turning to Vincent.

Harry looked glum. ”Well, Lupin came back yesterday. He openly announced that he was going to resign at last night's dinner.”

Vincent frowned. ”But he should have no reason too right?”

”I asked him that too, but, well...I think it had something to do with you,” Harry explained.