They never removed the body binding curse. Since no one but Robards spoke, and that was only short, quick commands, Cedric could not tell where he was or who was with him. ‘I’m pretty sure I’m going to Saint Mungo’s, but other than that . . . At least it’s not Azkaban.’
The black bag caused Cedric’s breathing to be shallow, and the hot air caused sweat to drip down his face. The strings scratched against his neck, and he wanted to itch that spot. His entire body ached, but after his most recent treatment, Cedric could only think, ‘If they give me a drink of water, I’ll be lucky. It’s been a while since I’ve eaten or had something to drink.’
When Venturini spoke, Cedric thought they might have entered Saint Mungo’s at last. He heard a swishing sound, like drapery being drawn back, and when they plunked him down on what he assumed to be a bed, he felt certain they had arrived. Then, someone yanked the hood off. Cedric found himself staring at Robards, Thackery, Venturini, and the Auror and two Healers he didn’t know. ‘They look as cross as before,’ Cedric noted as Thackery turned her nose up in his direction.
“I would like Savage to ensure he is secured.” The other Auror, who had a rather large nose and slicked back, black hair, jumped into action as if Robards shouted the order at the top of his lungs. Savage flicked his wand in sharp little beats like an anxious orchestra conductor. In the end, even though it was a completely transparent, a charmed bubble surrounded the hospital bed in which Cedric lay.
Venturini, clasping his hands behind his back like a school boy, turned to Thackery. “Does that please you?”
The woman turned her stony gaze upon Venturini again. “I hope this meddling, in what appears to me a rather simple matter, has made you happy. You will report directly to Robards. I will check up on you. Try to keep this part of the ward closed.”
With those words, the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement turned and strode away. Savage and Robards nodded to the three Healers before they took their leave. Cedric sat there, utterly exhausted. ‘At least they’re gone.’
Now, the attentions of the Healers came to rest fully on him again.
With a flick of his wand, Venturini conjured bedding and clothes. He passed them through the charm bubble by hand. “This is Healer Barnes.” Venturini gestured towards the middle aged woman with mousy brown hair tightly wound up in a bun. “This is Healer Nissel and I am Healer Venturini. You are staying on the Morticia Gregel Ward, of which I am Head Healer. Now, we’ll take our leave while you dress.”
Healers Barnes and Nissel exited first. Venturini pulled the steel grey, floor length curtain shut as he followed the other two Healers out into the hallway. Since it was still in the early hours of the morning, no wizards bustled up and down the hallways on their way to tend patients or to visit sick relatives.
Barnes crossed her arms as she gazed at a place over Venturini’s head. In a tired voice, she said, “I hope you’re happy, Adam.”
“Thank you, Cassandra.” Venturini nodded towards her. “I don’t expect Thackery will be calling you for any Ministry favours after this ordeal.”
Cassandra Barnes shook her head. “I could do with a little less attention from Eloise Thackery,” Barnes replied as she turned to Nissel, who had contented himself with silently shifting his weight between both feet.
“You did well, Emery,” Barnes said in a soothing, motherly voice. The comment caused the young Healer to jerk his head up from his gaze on the floor. “You should give the boy a rest, Adam. I need to be back on the Sanguine-Levette ward. I hope I don’t need your services for a very long time.”
“You could have handled it.”
Barnes paused and gave Venturini a long, appraising look. “I didn’t want to handle it. When I heard . . . well, I just leave the strange and unsavoury cases to you.”
She turned and left before either of the two male Healers could say anything. After Barnes passed through a set of double doors, Venturini turned his attention back to Emery Nissel. “You aren’t going to be allowed contact with the patient except at meal times and when I need you to help me take him to the bathing room.”
Emery bit his lower lip. “That’s good . . . I mean . . . why?”
Adam sighed and crossed his arms. “You are obviously very nervous around him,” Venturini replied, and Emery only shrugged in response. “I also want to try and keep this confined to the fourth floor, and hopefully, on the small section of our Ward, if that’s possible. I don’t need him to become a tourist attraction.”
“Don’t you think The Prophet will do that for you?”
Adam chuckled. “It could go either way. This is something that might be actually worth reporting, so there is a chance they will never publish it. On the other hand, it has first page written all over it.”
Emery sighed. “What . . . what are you going to do? I mean “ ”
“I am going to isolate him for a while. Under no circumstance, when you do have any contact with him, are you to tell him any information about anything he asks. If Dawlish could not use Legilimency on him, I doubt I can, and I want to know what he knows.”
“Veritaserum?” Emery asked timidly.
“Emery, I picked you for my assistant because you possess the ability to reach a conclusion without the use of magic,” Adam replied in an almost bored tone. “I need to know how he thinks. I want to understand every aspect of this situation, and while useful, Veritaserum has its limits. I don’t care so much about what he is willing to tell me but about what he’s desperate to hide from me.”
Adam paused and waited for Emery’s response. The young Healer nodded several times as Adam went back into the room. When the Head Healer was out of ear-shot, Emery mumbled, “You only picked me because you had last pick.”
The grey curtain, which reminded Cedric of an angry sky about to rain, spanned the entire length of the room and drug on the floor. Cedric stared at the pasty, yellow walls that tried to bring some pastel cheer to the room. Cedric reached for the clothes at the end of the bed and looked out the small window with black bars across it. ‘It’s dark out. I guess they would have wanted to move me at night. Has it been a day since I . . . I woke up?’
Cedric undressed out of the shabby clothes and put on the white t-shit, royal blue scrubs, and the grey house coat they had given him. He stared at the sea foam green blanket and wrinkled his nose. He sat and waited, glad to be left alone for a moment. He sighed and pulled the crisp, white sheet over himself before lying down. ‘I’ll just sit here, thank you. Whatever they’re planning, I’d rather not participate. I’m fine; no need for assistance.’
Only too soon did Cedric hear the swish of the curtain being drawn open. He sat up as Venturini entered. ‘I hope he decides to feed me,’ Cedric thought as Venturini pulled the curtain closed and conjured a chair to sit down upon. For a moment, the handsome Healer contented himself with staring at Cedric.
“You’ve been very silent.”
Cedric shrugged. “Water, please,” he asked. When he spoke, he tasted something metallic in his mouth. ‘Oh, those damned scars are bleeding again.’ He leaned over and spit out crimson saliva into the edge of the bed sheet. As he did so, he stared at Venturini, who seemed attracted to the blood like a shark.
“Water. Please.”
The Healer pulled his wand from inside the pocket of his lime green robe. Venturini tapped an empty glass sitting on a small tray table that also held some basic bathroom essentials. Cedric took the glass out of Venturini’s hand once it was inside the charm barrier. It took two gulps for Cedric to down the water. He went to pass the glass back out, and his hand smacked against the barrier.
“Bloody hell!”
The cup clattered to the white linoleum floor as Cedric held his numb forearm. “Don’t try to pass through it,” Venturini replied coolly as he picked up the glass and tapped it with his wand to fill it with water.
Venturini passed his hand easily through the barrier. “So . . . how can you pass through?” Cedric asked as he took the glass with his other hand.
“The specific spell Savage used is actually almost the inverse of the Fidelius Charm,” Venturini replied coolly as he stretched and relaxed into the little folding chair. “Everyone can see you and pass into your own little space, but you can’t go anywhere. I should also add that no magic works inside that bubble.”
Cedric sighed. “If I need to go the bathroom? Take a shower?”
“No need in trying to figure out how to escape tonight. I am also fully knowledgeable about casting this charm, so your more private needs will be met,” Venturni replied as he folded his hands on his lap.
‘So, I’m in a prison that encourages the telling of secrets. Probably not coincidental, but probably not helpful for Venturini, either. What he wants to know, I can’t tell him.’ The two men stared at each other while Cedric began to fidget with the hem of his grey house robe. Venturini remained perfectly composed in his chair as if he were a first year pupil demonstrating how well he could stay seated.
“I would like a shower, actually, and maybe something to eat,” Cedric said after the staring contest became a bore to him. Venturini remained silent and unmoved in his chair. ‘Whatever he wants to know, he’s going to be sitting there for a long time before he hears it from me,’ Cedric thought as he repeated his request to Venturini.
Finally, the Healer leaned forward in the chair. “You’re not curious about anything?”
‘No, I actually really want some answers, but I don’t think you’re going to give them to me right now. Every time someone looks at me, I get the same disastrous feeling something is very wrong, and I’m sorry, Healer Venturini, but I’m convinced that you’re keeping something from me for your own purposes because I can see that look in your eyes, too. All of you know me, but I have no idea who it is you think I am.’
After his imaginary conversation with Venturini, Cedric leaned back against the pillow and waited. Venturini kept his eyes trained on the silent man. Finally, the Healer said, “I need to tend some other people on the ward. I’ll be back to escort you to the washroom.”
“How kind,” Cedric replied dully.
Venturini stood up and stretched. “Would you like some more water?”
“No thank you, I can wait for that, too.” As Venturini nodded and walked away, Cedric thought, ‘You can’t bait me that easily.’