Chapter 362 - The Sick Queens (2/2)
”Wilma?” Godric's voice came out as a hoarse whisper. He couldn't believe his eyes. Wilma, the most beautiful and strong-willed girl he had ever met in his life, was looking small and weak and broken.
But despite looking like a skeleton, Wilma managed to give a queenly wave to her servants, ”Leave us.”
Most of the servants walked out but one girl hesitated. Wilma nodded at her reassuringly and she bowed and left.
”If I knew, it would take me to be in my death bed for you to visit me, then I would have done that a long time ago,” Wilma smiled at Gryffindor.
”Wilma!” Gryffindor stepped forward and grasped her hand. ”Don't you ever say that! You are going to be fine.”
”You don't really believe that, do you?” Wilma smiled softly. ”We both know my time is limited.”
”Wilma, please!” the brave Godric Gryffindor's hands shook as he tried to speak. ”Who did this Wilma? I promise I will find him and fix everything. You will be fine.”
”If you really want to help me,” Wilma began seriously. ”Then tell me why have you been avoiding me for the past seven years. You stopped coming here. You stopped writing letters. You just stopped. Why?”
”Because . . .” Gryffindor hesitated probably for the first time in his life. How could he say that he had failed her?
Wilma waited for Gryffindor to answer but when he couldn't, she gave a painful smile.
”The newly established ministry doesn't like any other races interfering with wizards and I understand if you support them and don't like my involvement in the wizarding world. I --”
”What? No! Wilma, it is not about the ministry. If you ask me, they are being stupid. We magicals have to stay together if we want to stay hidden from humans. But the ministry is driven by fear rather than reason.” Gryffindor sighed. ”It's Fergus.”
”Fergus? What has he done?” Wilma looked more than surprised.
”He ran away from Hogwarts. I haven't seen him for more than a year and even when he was at Hogwarts we grew distant. I have failed you, Wilma. You were right, I wasn't a great father.”
”But Godric . . . he was here. He was with me and he didn't mention that he ran away. He said he was traveling with his friend. Or I thought so.” Wilma grimaced as a realization dawned on her.
”Who friend?” Gryffindor looked up at Wilma, shocked.
”He said his name was Malgino.”
Chris woke up coughing vigorously. Someone held a glass of water to her. She quickly gulped it then looked up.
”Sol?”
Sol took the glass from her and put it on the table silently.
”Sol, what are you doing here?”
Sol just sat down without replying.
”Sol, were you waiting for me to wake up?”
No answer.
”Sol, are you angry with me?”
Sol just glared at her.
”I would take that as a yes,” Chris smiled. ”Sol, you have to understand, Oziyat is trying to keep you safe. Even though you sometimes won't like it, it's for your own good.”
”I am . . . not a . . . kid,” Sol jabbed every word with great force. ”I can . . . handle . . . stuff.”
”I know, Sol. But not now, please?” Chris said as sweetly as possible but Sol didn't budge so she thought of something else. ”Do you know, my friends are alive and they came here looking for me?”
Sol nodded. ”. . . I heard . . . the guards.”
”Do you want to meet them?”
Hearing Chris, a bright smile flickered on Sol's face but as soon as Chris caught it, it was gone. Chris chuckled and noticed it was still night outside. Ginny, Luna, and Colin would probably be here any minute.
”Ask Sarah to call them and we are going to have our dinner here together. Do you want to join?”
Without answering Sol ran out of the room and Chris soon heard Sarah's voice outside her room.
Smiling Chris got up and changed her clothes and freshen up a little bit. She was tying her hair up when a thought suddenly barged into her head.
What if Wilma was sick the same way Queen Vasilisa is?
⟦To be continued. . .⟧