HP: The Dream

(Mr. Patil POV)

I leave the room to accompany the Mediwitch. Ansh's may be up now, but his condition still worries me.

"Tell me straight, is he alright? He was zoning out randomly and trembling. Is something wrong? Because if there is I would like to know what it is so that I can help." I ask the Mediwitch.

I dread the answer as she just stares at me for a few seconds, as if deciding in her mind about telling me.

"Physically, he is all good." She says and before I can let go of the breath I've been holding, she continues. "But mentally, it's hard to say. I've been here for more than two decades, and I have seen a lot of patients with injuries half as severe, scarred for life. And his case, he technically died. I know I shouldn't say this but, he did. His heart was in taters, and I don't even know his magic fixed it. And while he was unconscious during it all, his brain and body would certainly know of that fact. And his magic too. And to some extent, he would actively remember it as well. The fact that he is even responding to external input and that his mind and body have not shut down is miraculous in itself. But that does not mean everything is fine. There will be times when his behaviour may seem odd to you, and he breaks out in tears at any moment, or his body might shake uncontrollably, he zones out randomly or any other plethora of things."

I close my eyes as I take in what she says. I try to understand his pain, but feel like I am coming up short.

'And to think even while he was in such pain, he still smiled for us.' I feel like a failure, that I can't even lighten his pain somehow.

"But" She places a hand on my shoulder and looks me in the eye. "That doesn't mean that he won't heal. It will take time, but he will. The fact that he is actively engaging with everyone is proof of his mental strength. So, what you can do, is be there for him. Let him know that he isn't alone and can rely on you. Just the presence of a loved one can help even the deepest scars heal."

I think about her words, as she leaves to check on other patients.

'She is right. I can't get lost in self-pity. I have to be strong for him, for all of them. And show him that he isn't alone in this, because I will be there by his side through it all.'

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(Ansh's POV)

'Ah, this is life.' I think as I lay down on the bed to sleep.

I sit up and before I can reach for it, the pillow is already set behind my back.

I look to the side for the jug and a glass of water comes in front of me.

I get hungry, and I have one person personally feeding me.

I try to get up and I have 2 pairs of hands supporting me.

'Honestly, life doesn't get much better than this…..'

'...…..'

'...…..'

'...…..'

'Like hell it doesn't get better!' I scream inside.

'They are treating me like a fragile doll made of glass. Those three women are excessive. And the father is always there. Even now he is sleeping on the bed beside me. Though he is the best as he at least stops them sometimes.

I mean, I get it. Their brother/son just touched hell's gate and returned, so they are worried. I understand that. But doesn't mean I support it.

And I can't even say anything against it.

If I say anything wrong, they might know it is not the me they want, but me.

Thankfully, today is my last day here and I can be discharged tomorrow.

'Hopefully, things will get better.'

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Okay, so the good news- I am out of the hospital.

Bad news- I am in an unfamiliar place, home.

I look around, and I will say one thing, DAMN! I am loaded. I mean, I realized that when I say the chandelier hung on the ceiling, but DAMN.

And these hardwood floors, they feel so good to walk on. Tiles could never compete. Everything here is so grand, for the lack of a better word.

"And this." Parvati opens another room, "is your room. Right in front of mine and Padma's."

I step inside, looking at the various things in this blue-painted room.

"So, do you remember anything?" She asks, with hope in her voice.

I look in her eyes, cursing myself for the hundredth time, and reply "No, nothing."

Her eyes show a downcast look, but she quickly hides it and smiles.

"No worries, you can take your time remembering. And honestly, this way I get a chance to mold you to my liking. There were quite a few habits of yours that annoyed me."

I just laugh at her response.

"Well, let's go down. Mother should be done now with lunch."

I fall in beside her, as we make our way down.

Amnesia is a convenient excuse. And the best part, the Mediwitch came up with it herself when I couldn't reply to anything.

This is my only safe line, no matter what, I have to maintain this façade.

'They look at me with such love, such relief. It should feel warm, but all I feel is cold. I'm lying to them, every second. But what choice do I have? If they knew… if they found out who I really am… would they still look at me that way?'

I reach down, putting my thoughts on the back of my mind, and the smell of food hits me before I see it. I see a whole feast on the table in front of me – porridge.

"Come sit down here. Now I don't want any complaints about it. The Mediwitch made it clear that you have to eat light of another week." Ms. Patil says.

I sit down, pick up the spoon and….

(Ms. Patil POV)

These past few days have been hard. The day I heard that Ansh was in St. Mungo's, I almost fainted, and when we reached there and saw him- I couldn't hold onto my consciousness.

I woke up on the bed beside his. And then cried, and cried.

How could this happen to him? I couldn't understand. I couldn't make sense of it. He looked so fragile, as if touching him would break him.

The days till he woke up were the worst days of my life. At his every small movement, I thought he woke up, only to once again be reminded of the terrible possibility that….

And when he woke, I wanted nothing more in this life. I hugged him and didn't want to let go, afraid of the possibility that it was a dream again, and that the second I let go it would break.

My baby was up, and he was fine.

Until we got to know about his amnesia….

It was then that my husband told me about his talk with the Mediwitch, about his emotional scars, about the pain he was suffering through. And I cried again.

The healer told us that there was a chance that his memories might never return. All we can do is hope.

I was devastated. Memories are what make us us. I could hardly keep my tears from flowing when I looked at him. Until I saw his smile. It was awkward, as if he was forcing himself to, but he smiled. He smiled because I was sad, he smiled to make me smile. Despite all he went through, he was still worried about me more than himself.

"Don't worry. I will just make new memories with you all." He said.

And I cried. My tears flowed freely as I hugged him. In that moment I believed everything would be fine, for he was with me. And I decided not to cry, to be his support.

Now as I see him take his first bite of food I made, I wonder if he will still like it.

I wait in anticipation of his reaction, and panicked when I saw him pause, tears in his eyes.

'Did I put in something wrong? Does he not like it?'

But my worries are put to an end, when he starts eating with a vigour, all the while tears are flowing through his eyes.

"It's good…. It is swohh….. gowd…." He manages to speak in between bites.

'These tears of his, these I feel good about.' I look at my husband, and we both share a smile.

"Slow down. The food is not going anywhere." I speak with a smile on my face as I fill his plate up with more.

'That's right, we can make many more new memories.'