Chapter Text
As brown eyes opened, briefly blinded by the bright light of the morning sun, a groan escaped past parted lips. Taking a moment to simply breathe, Valentina tried and failed to remember or even understand how she ended up in the medical wing of Hogwarts. Sure, she remembered the battle that took place underneath the magical school, the last words she had with Professor Fig, finishing Ranrok, and of course opening the repository. Yet those events didn’t enlighten her to her current situation. She had won for Merlin’s sake, and now she was lying down as a patient of Nurse Blainey. If only Sebastian could see her now, he would probably joke that if her “life or death extracurriculars” weren’t enough to make her a frequent patient here, opening a goblin-made container of ancient magic that’s been hidden for centuries should be as easy as casting Lumos.
Looking around, taking in her surroundings fully for the first time, a shiver of fear ran through her body. What had happened to her to be here with no recollection? For a moment, she even considered that maybe the keepers were right, this power - her power - should remain contained, hidden from the world to keep everyone safe. Miriam had died looking for even the smallest trace of ancient magic. George and Lodgok have died in front of her, one by a dragon aiming to kill her, while the other was murdered because he dared to want to help her instead of his power-hungry brother.
Then, she also lost Professor Fig, the only person in her life who saw and understood firsthand what she had to do. Sure, she eventually confided in Sebastian and Natty about what was keeping her away from the castle during her free time, but there were a few things she kept close to her chest that they were unaware of. Mainly, that if she were to fail, not only would she lose her life, but they would also lose the world as they knew it, and that was a burden she would tackle on her own. Or so she thought because, despite his busy schedule, Professor Fig was with her every step of the way. From first discovering the unknown power that she was able to summon, to helping and even joining her at every new trial location, and finally, the end. He died knowing that she was going to absorb the power despite all the warnings she was shown.
"But this could go wrong in so many ways. You-of all wizard kind-are wholly aware of the potential cost."
"With all I have learned, I can avoid making the same mistakes Isidora did. I can learn to wield this magic for good."
"I have no doubt, but tell me the real reason."
"That is-"
"It's for him, isn't it? For his sister?"
“I don’t,” She couldn’t even try and lie to him, not after everything. “Professor, please understand me. I can’t let him suffer, not after witnessing everything he’s done and been through just to lose the one person he loves the most… I refuse to be the friend that simply stands by and watches when I can do something to help.”
“I do understand, in your shoes, I would have considered doing the same for Miriam. Yet I would be failing you and her if I didn’t ask. Is Sebastian truly worth it? You saw Isidora lose herself to the very thing you want to do, and I would hate to see you go down the same path.”
“If it’s any consideration, Sebastian isn’t the only one who has influenced my decision. Yes, I do want to help Sebastian, but I know I can’t simply remove the pain Anne is in, because if I do, she’ll be a shell of the girl he remembers and cherishes. I’m going to help Ominis reign in Sebastian, because I learned the hard way that when he gets something in his mind, there is little to nothing that will persuade him to stop. I won’t let Ominis spend the rest of his life worrying if his best friend is going to end up in Azkaban. I also want to help Poppy and Natty because I know who they are, and they won’t stop till the world has changed. Poppy will find more poachers, and I will be there with her, ensuring none of them will ever be able to land even a simple jinx on her. I know Natty is going to find and stop every dark wizard, just because she doesn’t want anyone else to lose someone they love as much as she loved her father. I want to be there every step of her journey as a shoulder to cry on, a defender when she eventually ends up in trouble when her mother realizes just how far her daughter is willing to go, and a friend to celebrate every victory.”
Just imagining what the future holds for her and her friends, a smile graces Valentina’s face, and it strikes her that this is the first time she has generally smiled in the past few days, if not weeks. Dealing with the ever-increasing threat of Ranrok and Rockwood, the self-imposed mission of dismantling every gobbling and poacher camp she finds, and solving the almost never-ending mazes and puzzles within the trials she’s tasked with undergoing. To even think that just those tasks, which at times feel like a never-ending losing battle, are not even half the work she has to do. She still needs to attend every class and find the willpower to focus, complete not only the assigned homework but also the mandatory extra assignments she needs to catch up with her peers, and of course, find all the field guide pages she can. Now, sprinkle in worrying about the well-being of Poppy and Natty, because honestly, they are just as trouble magnets as she is, playing peacekeeper between Ominis and Sebastian, finding time to fly with Imelda, helping Garreth with his potion creation, and helping Amit out of his shell.
Oh, and how could she possibly forget all the villagers she helps throughout the whole hamlet? Honestly, it’s a miracle Valentina finds the time to do anything for herself.
Her smile only grows larger because even though her schedule is chaotic and at times more dangerous than anyone should feel comfortable with, it’s all worth it if she can keep the people she loves safe, but also help those in need. Feeling emboldened, Valentina continues talking about the future she can see, never noticing how Professor Fig’s tense shoulders relax, and a small smile appears on his face.
“I’m going to fake complain as Imelda forces me to join her in the sky, I want to be the reason she pushes herself past her limits on a broom, because despite her best efforts to pretend she didn’t hate seeing me beat her flying record, I could see past it. The only way she’ll get better is to have a rival, and if it helps her achieve her dreams of playing professionally, I won’t mind her constant taunts that she finally found the secret to being faster than me. I want to be the first person to try Garreth’s new brew when he finally gets it right, because yes, he is terrible at it right now, but I can see that he loves brewing. That passion can take him far, and I am going to be there to remind him that the first time I got to witness him brewing something, it ended up with a small explosion that I laughed at for weeks. Then, there’s Amit, the sweet and smart Ravenclaw with his nose stuck in the latest astronomy book and learned to speak and read Gobbledegook. I wouldn’t have been able to get this far if it weren’t for him and his ability to read in a language I didn’t even know existed. I want to be there and help him out of his shell because he fails to realize how bright he is, and I mean, he is truly bright. He doesn’t seem to want to acknowledge the time and effort it takes to learn a new language, especially since he didn’t exactly have a goblin that was willing to help him. I was lucky. After all, I grew up surrounded by individuals who fluently spoke Spanish and English, and were kind enough to teach me, because I know I couldn’t do what he did.”
The last thing she said to Professor Fig was that they were all worth it; the risk and fear of opening the repository would be worth it if she could have that future. Even if it wasn’t exactly how she pictured it in that moment, she would be happy and know she did the right thing if she even had a future with her friends. The keepers have kept the knowledge of ancient magic hidden for years, and what good did that do? A goblin became obsessed with its power and killed innocent people in search of it. There was unlimited power flowing through her veins, and she would make a difference in the world; she would succeed where Isidora failed because Isidora was alone in her quest. The keepers knew of her power and what she wanted to do, and they feared what she would become, yet they left her unchecked, assuming she would do what they believed to be right with no guidance to help her. She will do what she should have done earlier, something even Professor Fig wished they had done before they ended up underneath Hogwarts battling hundreds, if not thousands, of goblins, hoping to get to the repository before Ranrok.
If she is to succeed, she needs to confide in those she trusts, and not just her professors, but also her friends. The only reason Valentina can see that Isidora failed was that she had no one to support her, and more importantly, no one to help her see the error in her ways. Valentina knows that this amount of power in her hands - in anyone's hands - is dangerous if left unchecked, and Isidora is a prime example of that, but with the help of those closest to her, that know her like the back of their hand, she can remain confident that she will never cross a line that she would regret later in life.
"Worth it." Her voice rasped out, sounding foreign to her ears. In the near-deadly silent room, her whisper rang loudly throughout the wing, quickly alerting the nurse that she was awake.
In an instant, hurried footsteps followed her whisper, and in a second, Nurse Blainey was right next to her bed. A warm smile graced the older lady's face as her eyes scanned Valentina's features, clearly looking for any signs of how she was doing. Yet the only thing she will see is the ecstatic feeling of Valentina's decision, because now more than ever, she is sure she made the right one.
"How are you feeling, dear? Any pain you want me to prioritize above the cuts and bruises?" She asks in a cadence that can't be normal. Valentina might have only visited the hospital wing twice throughout her first year here, but both times, Nurse Blainey was assertive and firm whenever she spoke. The first time she heard the lady speak, she froze in her hidden state at the far end of the room, a demiguise now in her possession as Nurse Blainey assured Professor Garlick that her Venomous Tentacular had not yet caused any students to arrive in the hospital wing. A clear reminder that Professor Garlick needed to ensure the students remained safe from her plants. The second time, when Natty decided to take the Cruciatus curse. The guilt Valentina felt at knowing it was her fault Natty was resting in the hospital wing only intensified as she walked away, hearing Nurse Blainey mention how Natty was lucky the curse didn't leave lasting effects on her.
No, she asked her question too slowly and almost at a whisper as if she were afraid that if she spoke normally, Valentina would break under the volume and flow of her sentence. Looking down at her arms, she should feel worried about the number of cuts and bruises she sees, especially as the familiar pain throughout her body reminds her of what she went through this school year. Yet, all Valentina can concentrate on is wondering if it is possible to be so happy that others seem to talk slower, or if there is a serious reason Nurse Blainey is treating her like she's a glass waiting to shatter.
"Huh... Just my whole body aches, but besides that, I think I'm fine." There are no noticeable changes in the sound of her voice, causing another question to form in her head. Exactly how long has she been out? "Nurse Blainey, I was just wondering if you could tell me what happened? I don't remember much."
There's a slight hesitation that washes over the nurse's features, gone in the blink of an eye, and Valentina wonders if it was even there to begin with.
"Unfortunately, I am unaware of the extent of the events that caused you to be a patient here." Raising her left hand, a signal to give her a moment, she proceeds to take her wand out from her waist pocket. She breathes out as she waves it in slow yet deliberate patterns throughout her body, muttering incantations that Valentina is unable to hear despite the nurse leaning over her. As she comes to a slow stop, her attention is drawn to the table next to Valentina's bed, and once again, an emotion washes over her, but it's gone the second Valentina blinks. This time, though, she is sure that what she saw was the face of... sorrow.
A glance at the table in question leaves her with another question, as there is nothing there. It is a plain table that is by every bed in this wing, nothing out of the ordinary, and nothing to cause the nurse to be sad. What is going on? Before she can even begin to form a question, a vial of bright blue color potions appears. Even though she has brewed a good number of potions for class and extra use, the only blue potion she could remember learning about is the focus potion. Not a complicated brew to make, but won't do anything for her current injuries.
"This is Bruisewort Balm, unlike the potions you have undoubtedly brewed in Professor Sharp's class, all you need to do is put a small amount on your fingertip." Removing the cork from the vial, Nurse Blainey adjusted her grip to be able to use her index finger to tap down on the vial, strong enough for a single drop to land on her waiting finger. "From here, you simply have to rub the liquid on any cut or bruise you have till it has healed." Replacing the cork in the vial, she gently grabs Valentina's right arm and brings it up a little. Valentina watches as she begins to rub the balm on one of her smaller cuts, amazed at how it slowly disappears as if it was never there in the first place. Not even a full year has passed since she was introduced to the wizarding world, and the idea of everything magic can accomplish still leaves her mesmerized. "If you like, I can help you apply the balm for you, but with my experience, I have learned that some patients feel better doing it themselves. I won't judge either way, dear."
"I appreciate everything you have done for me, but I'll feel more comfortable applying the balm myself. Though if I need any help, you'll be the first to know." The nurse smiled again, clearly happy that Valentina had already committed to asking for help if needed. "Is there anything you can tell me? Surely one of the Professors had to explain why I am here. If not, maybe you can tell me how long I was unconscious? Also, to what extent were my injuries?"
A beat of silence.
Then another.
Another
And once again, another beat of silence passes by, and as Valentina opens her mouth to ask if the nurse is ok, she is beaten by the very lady who seems unable, even unwilling, to answer. "I believe any non-medical related questions are better answered by Headmistress Weasley, as she was the one to not only alert me to prepare a bed for you but also brought you in with the other Professors behind her. I already sent her a Patronus to let her know you are awake; she'll be here shortly. When you first arrived, I immediately ran a diagnostic spell on you, which simply scanned your entire body and gave me a list of your injuries. When the spell was completed, it included that you had sustained a concussion and were suffering from magical exhaustion. At the time, those two were my top priority, as the rest of your injuries ranged from small cuts to slowly developing bruises. I would also like to take the time to apologize, as I did have to ignore the cuts and bruises till you woke up because I didn't want to overwhelm your system with too many potions, especially if you ended up having negative side effects and were unable to tell me. As for how long you were unconscious, it's been four days since you were brought here."
Four days. She's been out for four days. When did she fight Ranrok? She was preparing for O.W.L.s week, cramming all day Sunday, when Professor Fig called her to the map chamber. She didn't arrive at the chamber till Monday morning and immediately went to Ollivander’s to get a special wand made. She remembers an owl from Ominis arriving for her while she waited, urging her to meet with him. She prioritized Ominis and Sebastian over the keepers and Ranrok. In hindsight, it was a good call because Merlin only knew what would have happened to her favorite Slytherins if she decided to finish Ranrok first.
She doesn't remember ever checking how long it took her to meet Ominis, but she does remember getting there at the end of his and Anne's conversation, and that the sun was slowly reaching mid-sky. She briefly talked to Ominis so he could catch her up on what was going on, how Sebastian lied to her, promising to owl her when he found the next step to saving Anne. She followed his explanation by profusely apologizing for using the Imperious curse, despite him agreeing to her plan. Out of all the things she had done to help Sebastian, she will always regret using the dark arts on Ominis, a friend who had repeatedly told her the cost of using such dark magic and how his own family used said dark arts on him.
Then they proceeded to head into the catacombs, facing Inferi after Inferi. Halfway to reaching Sebastian, Ominis realized just how much trouble Sebastian had put himself into if Anne got to Solomon, who in turn would go to Headmaster Black. If Solomon got his way, they would both be expelled from the school, and worse, he would ensure Sebastian would be unable to even step within a foot of Anne. Ominis promised to get to the headmaster first, try and trick him that the Sallows were just having a small family fight, while she promised to finally rein Sebastian in. She had to find a way to make him realize how far he had gone.
It felt like an eternity of fighting even more Inferi and running down random corridors, only to end up having to track back because she took a wrong turn. When she eventually found him, surrounded by Inferi no less, she tackled him in a hug. Relief and fear flooded her system as he lightly hugged her back, distracted by exclaiming how he had done it. All his research, late nights, and sacrifices were worth it because not only did the relic offer a solution for Anne, but it also offered him the ability to control the dark arts. As he said the last part, it was almost as if he had hit her with the Cruciatus curse again, because if he truly believed he could control the Inferi and dark magic, she was already late. She knew how stubborn he could be when he believed he was right, and looking at the prideful smile on his face, it was clear that there was nothing she could say or do.
Then his blasted uncle arrived, snatching the relic from Sebastian's hands with a quick Accio. He even managed to destroy the relic before she could fully process what she was seeing. The former Auror continued to surprise her when he quickly threw a spell at each of them; she barely had enough time to push Sebastian away from the spell flying towards him and cast a Protego on herself. The resulting duel passed in a blur for her, splitting her focus between keeping the growing number of Inferi away from them and helping Sebastian duel his uncle. She almost had him; despite all his training and Solomon remaining in a relatively healthy state, she had the advantage over him. Her ancient magic was pulsing through her body, willing her to let loose and end this when-
"I won't let her suffer - Avada Kedavra!" A jet of bright green light flies past her, and her right arm stiffens in the air, the lightning she was going to bring down on the man forgotten as a body - Solomon - falls, unbreathing before her. The ancient magic that was thrashing within her finally settles, as silence falls over them. Her arm lowers back to her side when she hears Sebastian's wand falling to the floor, also forgotten.
Solomon's dead.
Sebastian killed him.
He had to mean it for the killing curse to work properly.
How was she going to explain this to Ominis?
Everything following that was a blur in her memory. She and Sebastian fought after escaping the tomb; he was adamant that he had to use the killing curse, and she rebutted that they had Solomon on the defensive, a few spells away from being defeated. An owl from Ollivander arrived notifying her special request was ready, and Sebastian used it as an excuse to leave. She wrote a short letter to Ominis begging him not to do anything drastic till they met later, that she would explain everything, and then they could figure out what to do about Sebastian and Solomon.
She never got a chance to meet with Ominis.