Coral

Author's Note--Thank you Weasley Wench for the review. It was perfectly lovely, and much appreciated. I hope you enjoy the rest of the story!









Come away, O human child!

To the waters and the wild

With a faery, hand in hand,

For the world's more full of weeping than you can understand.---Yeats







--Tragedy--



In the hall of St. Mungo's. Edward paced frantically. He had already been given impatient and stern looks from every healer he tried to question, and earlier, Stella had given him the nearest thing to a look of pure distrust a lady could offer without being vulgar.



Stella was in there now.



They had let her in, but he still had to wait in the hall, not knowing what was happening to his wife and child.



By the time someone remembered to find him, he had reached the limit of his patience. Worry and anger were a poisonous combination, and the young healer blanched at his wild-eyed, disheveled appearance. He had been pacing for the better part of six hours.



" How is my wife?" he demanded before the young man could speak.



The healer pursed his thick lips in annoyance.



" My name, " he said, " Is Healer Withersmith."



When this got no reaction save an angry glare, he tightened his lips once more. He was accustomed to having more reverence form his patients and their families.



Seeing that he would get no such awe from this man, he continued, with an almost grim fascination.



" I have to ask you a question or two...how did your wife feel about this pregnancy?"

" Happy. What do you mean, did? Is Amanda-"



" Please. It's very important that you co-operate. Are you certain she herself was..." he waved a hand, " looking forward to being a mother?"



" Yes. I am certain."



" What about yourself?"



"No. I was looking forward to being a father." Edward forced through his teeth.



Withersmith winced.



" Yes. Of course." he sighed and rubbed his temple." Look, we ran a few diagnostic spells, and they revealed that your wife had a high level of questionable herbs in her blood. Not to mention several Muggle pharmaceuticals as well."



" Are you suggesting that she intentionally tried to harm herself?"



" Not harm herself. Terminate the pregnancy. "



" Why do you think she would do something like that?" Edward demanded.



" Well, most young women in her situation..."



" Amanda is not most women." his voice carried loudly down the hall, causing several people to turn their heads.



" Please, this is a hospital!" Healer Withersmith declared. " You must not raise your voice."



" Then answer my questions! If there was anything, ANYTHING in her blood, I am ready to swear that she did not take it intentionally. No, I want to see her."



" Well, someone had to give them to her." the healer said, pointedly.



It was Edward's turn to sigh and rub his forehead.



" I can speak to her maid, Polly. She would know if there were anything out of the ordinary. Please, just tell me--"



" We were unable to save the baby." Withersmith said frankly. " I'm sorry."



Edward dropped his eyes with a stab of guilt.



" She was born alive...but much to premature to survive--even with stabilizing charms.And the drugs..."



Edward continued to stare at the floor. His shoes still had blood on them, and for a long moment, he couldn't stop staring at it. That was Amanda. That was...their daughter. Olivia. He shuddered.



" And Amanda?" he asked.



" She will be all right. " Withersmith held up a hand to stop him from demanding once more to see her." She is going to be very weak, we didn't have a specific antidote for that combination of drugs...so she had to fight it out of her system. She'll probably be very emotional for awhile. "





" Well of course she would be!" Edward exclaimed, as though Withersmith were an utter fool.



The door to the room opened, and another healer stepped out and nodded to Withersmith.



" She's awake." the woman pronounced. " everything is in order."



" You can see her now." Withersmith said, with relief. But when Edward reached for the knob, he stopped him." One more thing, Mr. Ollivander. She hasn't been told yet.

Would you like for one of the healers to do that, or would you or her mother-"



" I will." Edward said grimly, with more courage than he felt.



Healer Withersmith stepped aside so that Edward could open the door. Before Edward entered though, he turned back to the other man.





" I don't like you..." he said, with narrowed eyes. " I don't like you at all."



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