Chapter 60: Promise

Ansh POV

"....now?"

"I as-...…it is.....you."

"My...….. I will...…."

'Why are these people screaming?'

'Hmm… I feel sleepy~'

...…..

...…..

...…..

'Hmm, what are they injecting me with?'

'I don't want to sleep anymore.'

...…..

...…..

...…..

"Wh-…. will he …..-ke ....?"

"Do…. He will be ...….."

"*Sniff* But ju-...*sniff*."

'Who is crying?'

'Don't cry….'

...…..

...…..

...…..

'Whose hand is this? It feels warm.'

'Stay with me please~'

...…..

...…..

...…..

I open my eyes at an unfamiliar place.

'A white ceiling again.'

I look to my side to see who is holding my hand.

'Parvati.'

....

So I am alive. *sigh* no use lying to myself now.

I gently leave her hand as I try to sit up to reach for water.

"*Gulp* *Gulp* Gulp* Haah! That hit the spot."

I look to the side to see Parvati awake now and staring at me wide-eyed.

"Want some?" I offered.

"*Sniff* You bastard!" She cries and jumps at me.

If I wasn't already sitting I would've fallen on my ass.

Before I could even yell at her I hear her sobbing.

'Right. Her brother was beaten up by a troll. I don't think I looked pretty at that moment.'

'This feels….. unfamiliar. What exactly am I supposed to do here? Am I supposed to hug her back?'

I struggle with my hands behind her back for a moment, unsure of what would be appropriate.

In the end, I gently rest my hand on her head to pat her.

As I am soothing her, I hear the door open and an unfamiliar woman comes in.

I ignore her and focus on my koala clinging to me.

I feel a shadow on top of me, so I look up and-

"Umfff…. Umfff….." I try to breathe but my face is held against her.

"Oh thank Merlin! I was so scared sniff~"

I hurriedly tap her back to tell her to give me some air.

'…. So I survive a troll, but die of this..'

"Mom, he's gonna pass out." Parvati comes to my rescue.

Finally, my sweet sweet O2….

As I fill my lungs, I observe the woman before me. She looks fairly young and her eyes seem a bit familiar.

"How are you feeling? Does it hurt anywhere? Can you move?" She fires off question after question and it finally strikes me why her eyes seem familiar.

'They look like Parvati's… Come to think of it, she called her Mom earlier, so that means..'

"Why are you quiet?" She looks at me worriedly.

"Ah nothing… I feel fine." I answer her.

"Wait, let me call the Mediwitch." She says and hurries off.

She comes back a second later with a another woman behind her, along with Padma and an unknown man.

'Either a nurse, or Parvati's father.'

"How are you feeling boy?" The woman, who I assume to be the Mediwitch asks me and then flicks out her wand over me.

"*Huff* *Huff*"

I stare at the wand as she continues to wave it over me, near my heart, my head.

"*Huff* *Huff*"

"Ansh, what's- …? Does ….. hurt ...-where?" Someone asks me.

I don't even register their words, I am focused on the wand near my head.

"*Huff* *Huff* *Huff*"

"Ansh!"

"Yes…..yes, what?" I suddenly jolt at the loud noise.

"What's happening, you looked like you were in pain. You were trembling all over." Parvati's mother asks me.

"No, I wasn't. I am fine. Perfectly fine." I reply.

"What is it? Is something wrong?" The man asks the Mediwitch.

'So, not a nurse.'

"Everything looks to be fine. He is completely and fully healed. Maybe he is just tired." She replies.

"You all can stay here, but please make sure he rests." She advices and leaves.

"Are you sure you are feeling alright?" Padma asks me, again.

"Yes, I am perfectly good now." I reply while flexing my arms.

"Fine? With your ribs practically turned to dust?" Parvati's father crossed his arms.

"Well, I am alright- now. That's what matters right?" I reply a bit awkwardly, trying not to look at him.

"Do you think this is a joke? We all laughed when we saw you? Your mother cried herself to sleep, and your sisters, they didn't know if their brother ­­­—" Parvati's father screamed at me.

"It's alright, dear. The important thing is that he is fine, no—" the mother tries to come to my rescue.

"No. not this time." He stopped her halfway and then turned to me again "I heard all about your 'accomplishment'. Burning your room, raiding the professor's lab, skipping classes, blowing up the lake and the list goes on. Is this why you haven't written a single letter to us? Or responded to any of ours? The second you step out this is what you do?!"

I can only hang my head down at his words. I mean, what can I even say? When I hear him even I find it absurd about the things I have done.

"Look, I get it. Hogwarts is a magical place. You meet so many new people, see so many things for the first time, and get a taste of freedom. You want to do crazy stuff." He puts a hand on my shoulder and speaks softly. "But there should be a limit. There should be a limit to how far you go. At any point in time, did you ever stop to think about the consequences of your actions? How would it affect you? How would it affect the ones near you?"

I….. what can I even say? I did that before I…. knew it was real. Now there isn't any excuse that I can give.

"I am sorry. I, I shouldn't have done that." I manage to squeak out.

"Please promise me. I don't ever want to see you like that again. Promise you won't ever do something like that again." Parvati demands, holding back tears in her eyes.

"Promise." I manage to choke out, as I hold back my own waterworks.

After that there were a few tears shed, even I cried a little, partly from the guilt of making them go through this... majorly, from thinking about how I have no possible way to meet MY family.

'I am alone.' This thought struck me.

I looked up, at the faces of the ones near me, the ones who were shedding a tear for me, over my recovery, or for the one who 'this' was before me.

I looked at their faces as the reality of my situation sunk in deeper.

'These people can't ever know about 'me'. The second they do, I don't want to think about what they'll do to me. This is world of magic.' I looked at the wands in their possession. 'They all have the more advanced and lethal version of a gun on them. The things that I they will do to me if…'

As soon as had the thought, my mind went down a spiral. Conjuring all the different ways they will torture me, try to make me talk, perform experiments on me. All those fantasy rituals I read, the ways of breaking someone's mind, their will, they all came in front of my eyes.

"Ansh!"

I got out of my spiral and looked at the one calling me.

"Yes?" I asked Padma who was stood to my side, holding my arm.

"What happened? You were trembling all over." She asks me, her voice concerned.

"Nothing. I told you nothing. I…. I just want to… uh… rest, yes, I just want to rest a little." I make up something.

And right on cue, as if an angel, a Mediwitch came for another look at me, and some potions that put me to sleep.