章 68: Premature
Arthur's eyes filled with tears, though he tried to hold them back. After a long pause, he whispered, "They're our pride. Those damned Death Eaters caused all of this… but Gideon and Fabian will live on in our hearts."
Alex watched, his face serious. The Prewett brothers' injuries were severe, hinting that the fight had dragged on for at least half an hour. If only they'd had a chance to call for help, things might have turned out differently.
As Arthur composed himself, Moody began to explain what had happened. "Around noon, a group of Death Eaters launched a full attack on the McKinnon family. Marlene must've fought back and managed to send word to Gideon and Fabian through that double-sided mirror they gave her last Christmas. They were close—fought together when they backed the Potters last year."
Moody paused, looking at the damaged grove around them. "Instead of warning the Order, the Prewetts rushed straight here. By the time they arrived, the McKinnons were likely already defeated. If they hadn't gone in alone, they might've had a fighting chance. But they pushed on, as stubborn as ever. They tried to retreat north through the grove, intending to Apparate out, but the Death Eaters blocked them. The fight ended here."
Arthur clenched his fists, his eyes fixed on the ground. "Gideon and Fabian were… family. They would protect everyone, no matter the danger. But to die like this…"
Frank placed a comforting hand on Arthur's shoulder as Arthur took a deep breath, trying to regain his composure. Just then, Emmeline Vance Apparated into the clearing and walked up to Barty Crouch, her face somber.
"Sir, the McKinnon family has arrived. Alice asked me to inform you."
Crouch nodded. "Thank you, Emmeline." He turned to Arthur and Alex. "My condolences. I have to meet with Marlene's family now."
He Apparated away, leaving Emmeline with the others. She offered Arthur a sad smile. "Arthur, I'm so sorry. Gideon and Fabian were some of the best. None of us saw this coming."
Arthur nodded, acknowledging her sympathy, but before he could say anything, a brilliant white Patronus—a vulture—appeared, hovering in front of Alex. Frank recognized it immediately.
"That's my mother's Patronus. She wouldn't send it unless something serious happened at home," Frank said, suddenly anxious.
They all watched as the Patronus turned to Alex and spoke in Augusta's voice. "Alex, are you with Arthur? Molly's too distraught, and she's gone into labor unexpectedly. I've taken her to St. Mungo's. Please come to the hospital when you hear this. Mrs. Diggory is with the children at the Burrow."
Alex felt a wave of shock. He turned to Arthur, who had gone pale with worry.
Understanding the urgency, Moody quickly turned to Frank. "Frank, you should go too. I'll stay here with Emmeline to handle things. We'll take care of the Prewetts' remains. Go on, don't delay."
Frank nodded, taking Arthur and Alex by the arm, and they Apparated to an old-fashioned red brick department store. After explaining their intent to the dummy in the shop window, they walked through the glass and entered St. Mungo's Hospital. A quick check with the receptionist confirmed that Molly had been taken to a ward on the second floor.
They hurried up the stairs and found Augusta waiting anxiously outside the ward. Little Neville wasn't with her, so they assumed Mrs. Diggory was back at the Burrow looking after him and the other children.
Seeing them arrive, Augusta quickly explained what had happened.
"After you left, I notified Mrs. Diggory, and we both went to help Molly. She was fine at first, but the stress got to her, and soon after, she started having abdominal pains. I realized her water had broken. Not wanting to waste any time, I brought her here while Mrs. Diggory stayed with the children. The Healers admitted her to a ward right away, but she's still very distressed."
Arthur, already tense, looked ready to burst into the room but held himself back, knowing he didn't want to disrupt the Healers. He started pacing anxiously.
After a while, the ward door opened, and a Healer emerged, taking off her mask as she spoke to the worried group. "Molly is stable for now. She's taken a potion to regain some strength, but since her water broke, it's only a matter of time before labor begins."
Alex, curious, asked, "Can't you perform a C-section?"
The Healer looked puzzled. "C-section? I'm not familiar with that term. Molly's regained some strength, but she's still weak from the stress. We'll have to let her deliver naturally."
Alex frowned. Not having an option like a C-section felt limiting, but he stayed silent, sensing it was the usual method here.
Arthur quickly asked, "Can I go in and see her?"
The Healer thought for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, but only for a short while. She needs to rest."
Arthur nodded gratefully and went in to see Molly, leaving Alex, Frank, and Augusta to sit on the benches in the hallway.
After a bit, Alex turned to Augusta. "Why don't you head back to the Burrow? I can stay here with Mr. Weasley, and Mrs. Diggory could probably use some help with all the children."
Frank nodded in agreement. "I'll stay here too, but it would be helpful if you checked on things at the Burrow. I'll message Alice later to come help if needed."
Augusta thought for a moment. Knowing Mrs. Diggory was managing eight children, including little Neville, she agreed. "Alright, I'll head back. I'll send word if anything changes."
After Augusta left, the three men waited anxiously. Arthur came out of the ward after a while, looking both relieved and worried. "Molly's regained some strength," he reported, "but now it's just a matter of waiting for the labor to progress. I just hope she'll be alright."
As the hours dragged on, the tension remained. Alex felt helpless—though he was skilled in treating injuries, childbirth was far beyond his knowledge. He could only sit beside Arthur and Frank, offering quiet support.
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