"Well, you're right about that," Kingsley said. "Try and rest. I'll fetch a Healer to
come and see to that head of yours." He offered a smile again in thanks before moving
toward the wards to speak with the Aurors on the other side.
"They found broken phials in Malfoy's robe pockets," Remus quietly explained as
he led Mia over to sit down in a nearby chair. "They're saying that he had an appointment
later with a research team. Some people think he was looking for a cure, others think he
was trying to turn the disease into a weapon for You-Know-Who."
"The phials contained the disease, didn't they?"
Remus nodded, clarifying, "It's not airborne, but anyone who touched him when it
happened―"
"I need to get up. Need to go home." Mia tried to stand again, but Remus stopped
her.
"Mia.. ." He took in a slow deep breath before speaking again, "Your mum was
right next to Malfoy when he fell."
A coldness sank into her stomach. "What?"
"She's sick." Remus frowned deeply, grief settling in his eyes. "The Healers have
her and a number of other people in secured beds down the hall."
Without another word, Mia leapt from her chair and made a dash for the end of the
hallway, ignoring the lingering pain in her head as she searched each and every room until
she found Dorea Potter. Her mother was unconscious in bed, looking worse than she had
ever appeared; her skin covered in a green shimmery tint, a purple rash growing up the side
of her neck as she slept.
"Mum?"
As the hours passed, Healers and Aurors moved cautiously around the quarantined
ward in the west end of the ground floor of St Mungo's. When the quarantine ended and
the wards were taken down, everyone moved with even more caution, despite Healers
insisting that those infected were not contagious.
Dorea slept, even after Charlus, James, and Sirius were allowed in to see her.