i’m worried too | arabella & augusta
& arabella;
Thirty-two hours with no sleep.
A forgotten styrofoam cup of tepid coffee was resting on the arm of the vinyl covered chair Arabella had been perched on since their arrival. Once she had been certain that Minerva was under the best care, she had retired to the uncomfortable waiting room, unable to leave the hospital altogether. No one bothered her, though she was aware that other people involved in the mission were wandering the corridors - or had they left already? She realized, with a start, that she had lost all awareness of her surroundings. At one point she had been surrounded by people, and now she was alone.
She had been hunched for so long that her back popped loudly when she tried to straighten, blinking warily around as Augusta approached. “Have you seen her?” Arabella didn’t recognize her own voice, frantic but exhaustion, as it escaped her. “Oh,” Disappointment oozed into her tone when the woman turned the attention to her, instead of Minerva. “I’m fine, there’s no need for anyone to check me. I wasn’t the one hurt in all this mess.”
Augusta was someone who had always made her feel welcomed and safe, yet she didn’t feel anything other than bitterness and anger in that moment. How had they not woken her up yet? How did anyone let it go that far? She sighed, running a hand across her face to rub out the sleepiness from her eyes. “Do you think she’s going to be okay? I…I feel so useless but I can’t go home. Not until I know she’s going to wake up.”
Augusta sighed as Arabella inched further away from her, resisting a check-up. She sat down on the chair next to Arabella, leaning towards the younger woman. “Look, I’m worried about Minerva too, but you know she would kill us both if I didn’t make sure you were okay.” Augusta’s tone was firm, the tone of a mother who was used to her children getting hurt and brushing off her concern. “Let me just check you out.”
Augusta’s tone softened. “And yes, I have seen her. I’m the Head Healer assigned to her case. She’s in good hands.” Her confident look flickered only momentarily as the thought entered her mind that despite the fact that Minerva was in good hands, she should have woken up by now. A small sigh escaped full lips that were surrounded by perfectly applied makeup. Say what you would about Augusta, even when she was as frazzled as she felt now having her best friend, her son, and her future daughter-in-law (maybe) under her care, she never looked it.
At Arabella’s question, Augusta sat back, for a moment unable to meet Arabella’s eyes. It was easy to answer the question when Frank or Alice asked, but somehow she couldn’t bring herself to give Arabella an answer that she herself wasn’t sure of. She hadn’t been able to give it to Alastor, either. Minerva meant too much to the three of them to peddle false hope.
“I don’t know.” She finally said, her tone soft. “But I do know this: Minerva McGonagall is a fighter. I’ve been friends with her since we were children, and if anyone can make it through this just fine...it’s Minerva.”
















