Gringotts' Great Vault

"It wasn't an injury from a spell, or poisoning from a potion or plant!"

"Then examine her again!"

"She's been unconscious for nearly two weeks! No potion has worked!"

"Let the patient rest! Everybody out!"

When Evita woke up, she felt as though she had slept for a very long time, and very comfortably.

Someone gently fed her a little of something. It seemed to be some kind of potion, but it was sweet and tasted a lot like orange juice.

She opened her eyes and saw Lily, her face full of concern. "Is that an Invigoration Draught?"

"Yes." Lily nodded. "Are you feeling better now?"

"Much better," Evita answered. "Thank you."

"I didn't do anything." Lily shook her head. "You woke up on your own. The healer will be here in a moment. Are you still feeling unwell?"

Evita took a moment to check how she felt, then shook her head.

The healer arrived shortly afterward and examined her from head to toe. The healer left puzzled and bewildered, saying, "There's nothing wrong with her, so why was she unconscious... How strange."

Lily seemed to notice the confusion on Evita's face and explained, "You suddenly fell unconscious, and after you were brought to St. Mungo's, the healers couldn't find anything wrong. Thank goodness you woke up."

Seeing that Evita had understood her, Lily adopted a lighter tone. "The healer said you just need plenty of rest, and you'll be able to leave soon. Would you like to read a newspaper? The Daily Prophet or Witch Weekly, for example? They have some very interesting articles."

"Yes, I'd love to. Thank you."

"Get plenty of rest. I'll come back tomorrow," Lily said.

Evita spent half a month at St. Mungo's. Lily visited most often during that time, while James stayed home to look after Harry.

Lupin and Sirius came occasionally, but they were more often busy dealing with that traitor, Peter Pettigrew. Perhaps because his Animagus form was a rat, the hunt was not going smoothly.

Even so, Voldemort's death swept away the shadow cast by the long war, and the entire wizarding world suddenly grew jubilant.

Perhaps a member of the Order of the Phoenix had leaked the news, or perhaps it was fate, but word that Harry Potter had survived the Killing Curse and defeated Voldemort spread like wildfire. Countless wizards wanted to see the Boy Who Lived, while the surviving Death Eaters wanted to kill him, but Dumbledore stopped them all.

During one visit, Lily said with relief, "Thank goodness Dumbledore is here... Otherwise, James and I really wouldn't know what to do. If Harry grows up surrounded by praise, might he lose himself?"

Leaning against the headboard, Evita reassured her, "He won't. He has an excellent mother."

She winked. "Lily, the lady sitting right in front of me, for example."

Some of Lily's worry faded. "James and I have decided not to tell Harry where his scar came from. That's what Dumbledore wants too. We'll tell him when he's older and can make his own judgments."

That scar... Lily hid her worries in her heart and smiled with a show of ease. "I hope he can at least have a carefree childhood."

"He certainly will," Evita said confidently. Looking out the window at the clear weather, she ventured, "Can I leave the hospital now...?"

"Well-" Lily deliberately drew out the word before answering at last. "Of course you can. You're perfectly healthy now."

Evita gave a cheer.

After she was discharged, Godric's Hollow was as peaceful as ever. The only difference was that Sirius had moved there too, and he was immediately entrusted with a task.

"I want to go to Gringotts, but I've never been there before. Lily's a little busy, so could you take me?" Evita asked. Her task reward was a vault there.

Sirius readily agreed. He set off with Evita on his motorcycle, speeding along like the wind, while she raised her hands and cheered from the bottom of her heart.

"This is so much fun. I want to buy a vehicle like this someday too," she remarked, but soon she could no longer smile.

A goblin took Evita to her vault. Because its number was rather far back, the cart sped past an enormous dragon on the way.

It looked like a Ukrainian Ironbelly. But it was covered in wounds, its scales were dull, and its eyes were dim and lifeless. It was tightly bound in chains, even its enormous wings forced to remain folded.

Griphook, the goblin guiding her, mistakenly thought she disliked the sound it made. "Please don't worry, Miss Lorand. We have a way to control it. It's already developed a conditioned reflex to Clankers."

Evita said nothing.

Griphook took out a small metal device and shook it hard. At the loud, crisp clanking, the dragon's roars gradually died away.

The cart continued onward. Unable to resist looking back, Evita quickly pulled something from the suitcase hanging from her wrist and threw it as hard as she could. Soon, she heard the dragon say in a low, hoarse voice, "Thank you. It'll help me recover faster."

"You're welcome," Evita answered in the dragon's language, as though nothing had happened. "I'll come again next time."

"Miss Lorand?!" Griphook looked at her in surprise and suspicion.

"Communication solves ninety-nine percent of the problems between my friends and me." Evita smiled. "That's a song I'm composing for a Jobberknoll. I couldn't help singing it. You don't mind, do you? It's a shame I've only finished a third of it."

Griphook put on a false smile.

Evita got out of the cart, picked out some Galleons from the vault, and found a few pieces of jewelry that looked valuable and stuffed them into a bag. She left with a full load.

Sirius, who was waiting outside, asked, "Want to look around Diagon Alley?"

"Sure." Evita set aside the heaviness that had built up in her heart in that short time, and her eyes lit up. "I want to buy something to eat."

Sirius readily agreed and pointed toward Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour. "Ice cream?" he asked casually.

"Sure." Evita went over and, with some anticipation, ordered three servings of ice cream: chocolate nut, raspberry jam, and strawberry peanut butter.

Sirius ordered one as well and sat down beside her to eat it. But he ate more and more slowly, and when he was halfway through, he could no longer bear to watch. He drew his wand, pointed it at Evita's braids, and cast a Levitation Charm.

"Thank you so much," said Evita with a sigh of relief. She had been absorbed in her ice cream while also struggling to keep her braids out of the way. "I tried cutting it really short before, but it grows back incredibly fast, and I can never keep it tied up."

"And my hair is curly, too." She was terribly troubled by it. She bent over her ice cream and took two more bites, then an idea struck her. She crossed her two braids and tied them together, creating a particularly strange hairstyle.

"Quick," Evita said, pleased with herself. "Cast a Sticking Charm on me."

Laughing, Sirius did as she asked.