After days of pain, and the damaging mental battle I went through, being free of all pain was the best feeling in the world. I wanted nothing more to sleep until my body forced me to wake because I was so well rested that I couldn't possibly sleep another wink.

Now, imagine my grouchiness when I had my eyes peeled open, and a glowing wand stuck in my face by an elderly Asian witch with a kind malicious expression.

My first instinct was to push the wand out of my face. I panicked when I realized that my arms weren't responding to my commands. When did I lose control of my arms?

Seeing the panic on my face build, the witch cautioned, "Don't try to move. You were very severely injured, and we had to restrain you, so your movements won't interfere with your healing.

Glancing down, I noticed dozens of hair-thin glowing needles piercing my body. I looked like a victim of an angry porcupine.

Without my consent, she pinched my cheeks together and started forcing some of the foulest tasting potions I have ever had down my throat. When she was finished, I warned her with my eyes that if she tried that again, I would be taking a piece of her flesh. To emphasize my threat, I showed her my teeth.

Before I could ask about everyone, my eyelids began to droop as the urge to sleep overcame me. The last thing I heard was a soothing voice, "Don't worry, the next time you wake up, everything will be back to normal."

I fell into a dreamless sleep, and I lost all sense of time. Several times, I started waking and heard the voices of my friends and family. But, each time I was close to consciousness, I was given more potions that dragged me back to sweet oblivion.

Eventually, I slowly regained consciousness, and I became aware of a weighted pressure on my chest. Struggling, I slowly opened my eyes and yelped. "Ahh."

Athena was two inches from my face. Her vertical green pupils were watching me like a hawk. Like she was afraid I would disappear if she took her eyes off me for a second.

Reaching up, I stroked the back of her head, "What happened to you?" I questioned. "You feel like you gained twenty pounds."

Her eyes narrowed in displeasure, and brought up a paw and smacked me several times in the face. "Alright, alright, I'm sorry. I won't mention your weight again." Satisfied that she had asserted her dominance. She playfully chuffed and nuzzled my face with her own, happy that we were reunited.

All of a sudden, it occurred to me that for the first time since I was portkeyed, I could feel my legs. I tried to sit up, but Athena shifted her weight, trying to hold me down and prevent me from moving.

"I'm not going anywhere. I just want to sit up. Stop being such a worry wort."

Finally, Athen relented and allowed me to sit up. The first thing I did was move my feet. After days of being injured and half-paralyzed, I was worried that I might have been too far gone to heal.

Thinking about my physical injuries led me to ponder my mental ones. I was cut off from my past life. Before the attack, most of the memories of my previous life had already faded away, but now, nothing remained. I didn't regret what I did, between memories of this life and my last, I would choose this life without hesitation every time.

It was a strange feeling. I still remember thinking about my old life and even what happened to me there. But the actual memories were gone, it was like hearing and thinking about a story that happened to someone else when in reality it happened to you. The knowledge was there, but the feelings it created were gone.

I tried to process what this all meant, was I not me anymore? If I wasn't, could I even tell? While I was pondering what defined me as a person, I heard two young voice's that I feared I would never hear again.

"Alex!" They cried in unison.

I turned and saw my little sisters at the door. Both of them were wearing casual blue robes. Rebecca's hair looked like it hadn't touched a comb in days, while Sasha's didn't have a hair out of place.

With identical shrieks of joy, they ran towards me and climbed on my bed. I wrapped my arms around them and pulled them close. While I was trying to squish them in a hug, I saw my parents watching us with tears in their eyes.

"Mum, Dad," I croaked with delight.

They wandered over and joined in on the family hug. I don't know how long we sat there on the bed. But, it was there that I made the decision not to fret about those decaying memories I had sacrificed.

Whoever I was in my previous life didn't define me now. I was Alexander Fawley, a happy son, loving brother, silly nephew, dutiful grandson, best friend, and a wizard who would find a way to protect all that was important to me. That was more than enough for me. I could figure out the rest later.

Once I got some breathing room, I asked, "Where's Cedric?"

Mum and Dad exchanged awkward looks before Mum explained, "Alex, Cedric isn't here. None of your friends are."

A little confused, I asked, "Why not?"

Dad gently replied, "Your injuries were so extensive that the healers decided to keep you unconscious while they fixed you. The process took over seven days."

"What? Why did it take so long?" I demanded.

"Because young man, your injuries were catastrophic and proper healing takes time." A voice replied from the doorway.

Turning, I saw the witch I had dubbed, she-who-brings-potions-most-foul enter the room. Now that I got a look at her without being all groggy, I guiltily realized she was the witch that Cedric brought that saved me from dying.

"You had 32 broken bones, a cracked skull, a shattered pelvis, a detached ribcage, and your spinal cord was so badly damaged we had to regrow you a new one." She said in a no-nonsense tone.

I felt flashes of phantom pain with each listed injury. Hearing her list out all my injuries, highlighted how close to death I was when she found me.

"When I found you in the forest, you were running a dangerously high fever and had developed a severe infection that was in the process of shutting down your organs."

Mum tearfully sniffed as the lady added, "Not to mention the mind lamprey I found attached to your head. At first, I was worried that you would end up being a drooling imbecile, and you trying to bite me every time I fed you potions didn't instill me with much confidence. But, it seems as though I got there in time, and the creature didn't have a chance to devour your mind."

As my face turned red in embarrassment, Mum gripped my shoulder in fear. Apparently, this was the first she had heard about the lamprey.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Dad narrow his eyes. He may have realized that there was more to the story. The books he had secretly gotten me the previous summer pointed out that occlumency could be used to defend yourself from magical creatures.

"Thank you, Healer Chen." Mum gushed. "I don't know what we would have done if you hadn't found Alex."

Healer Chen waved away Mum's praise. "I'm just happy everything worked out. Your son did half the battle. Without his healing potions, he wouldn't have lasted long enough for me to arrive."

She turned to me and said, "You should think about a career as a healer. It's a difficult but rewarding profession."

"Maybe," I said, not knowing what to say. "There's a lot of areas of magic I would like to study."

"Just something to keep in mind." Healer Chen

I glanced at my parents and Healer Chen, before asking, "So, when can I get out of here?"

Healer Chen smiled, "Today if you want." She pulled out a jar of lotion from her robes, "This is for the scar on your shoulder and back. The creature that attacked you had enough magic in its claws to make sure the scar wouldn't easily heal. If you apply this daily, it will disappear over the next few months."

Twisting my head, I pulled the hospital robe down to try and see the scar. Running my finger down the rough scar, "I don't know, it's kind of cool. Maybe I'll keep it."

Mum let out a loud, "Hmph."

She snatched the jar of lotion from Healer Chen and dared me to say that again with her eyes. Having learned to pick my battles over the years, I wisely didn't reply.

"Now, before you go, I need to give you a final exam." Healer Chen explained. She pulled out her wand and began murmuring incantations as she ran it over my body.

Once she was satisfied with what she found, she remarked, "I still can't believe that this happened. The U.D.L needs to get their house in order. It's outrageous that a promising teenage wizard was almost killed by the actions of an aging elf with dementia."

"Wait. What?" I incredulously asked.

"Right, you wouldn't have known." Healer Chen replied.

Her dark eyes widened, and she leaned forward and whispered like she was about to let me in on a particularly juicy piece of gossip and didn't want anyone else to overhear. "They're saying that the portkey that transported you and your friend was accidentally put there by an elf that didn't know what he was doing."

I looked at her in disbelief, what a bunch of hogwash. I don't care what she says, Michael was involved somehow.

Just as I was about to express my opinion, dad caught my eye and slowly shook his head.

Healer Chen took my silent disbelief as surprise, "Well, it's water under the bridge now." She remarked.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Oh, once they found out who was responsible, they retired the elf." She explained.

The way she said retired made the hair on the back of my neck rise. Most people didn't view elves with great importance. If the U.D.L thought an elf was responsible for almost killing a wizard, then they would respond harshly and quickly.

Healer Chen turned to leave. But, on her way out left, she informed me, "You may feel strange over the next week. Most of your insides were either regrown or heavily repaired. It's common in cases like this to feel out of sorts, some have described it as wearing a new pair of shoes. They fit just right, but it takes some time to break them in and feel comfortable."

Getting discharged didn't take long. While leaving the hospital, I felt the sensation Healer Chen described. It was almost like my whole body was asleep and sent tingling sensations through my body every few steps.

At the receptionist's desk, I saw something that shocked me. After doing a little mental math, I turned to my parents and exclaimed, "It's Monday the 25th! The train back to Hogwarts left yesterday."

"We know, that's one of the reasons why your friends weren't here when you woke up. They had to return to school." Mum explained.

I scowled, not pleased about missing the train, "Fine, let's get going. We've got a lot of ground to cover if I'm to make it back to Hogwarts today."

Mum put her hand on my shoulder, and gently suggested, "Alex, I think that you need some rest at home. I spoke with Professor Dumbledore, and he assured me that your grades were good enough to miss school for a week or two and still be back in time for finals."

"What? No, I need to get back to school." I pleaded

Mum tried to hide it, but I saw her wince in sadness. Guilt welled up within me. She had spent the last week and a half in fear for her son's life. "Well, maybe for a couple of days." I hesitantly suggested.

Mum pulled me into a hug, and I locked eyes with Dad, "But, no more than that, I have things back in the Ravenclaw tower."

Dad's eyes widened with comprehension. He knew I had the trial. I had less than a week until I lost my chance forever. He silently mouthed, "I'll speak with her."

One way or another I was completing that trial, I didn't spend the last year spending countless hours working on Occlumency for nothing. If worst came the worse, I could always sneak back into Hogwarts. But, I would rather that be plan B.

We took a taxi to the harbor where Uncle John's ship was hiding behind the illusion of a modern boat.

The rest of my family was on board waiting for us. Grandma looked exhausted. Under her eyes were bags, and her normal impeccable hair was undone. Like she hadn't bothered with it for days.

Next to her was Uncle John and Aunt Nefret. Uncle John had his usual leather duster on while Aunt Nefret had on black robes with gold-colored borders.

Uncle John studied me intensely for a second, once he was satisfied that I was fine, he smirked, "You know, Alex. If you wanted a vacation, all you had to do was ask. There are more pleasant and less hazardous destinations you can get to by portkey."

Aunt Nefret smacked his arm, while I rolled my eyes at his attempt at humor, "I'll keep that in mind the next time I get unwilling portkeyed across the world."

I looked around at the rest of my family and asked, "Speaking of portkeys, what was that nonsense Healer Chen was saying about an elf being responsible? That's a load of crap. Cedric and I ran into Michael Whithorn a few minutes before being teleported away. He has to be involved."

As my voice trailed off into bitter silence, my family looked at each other awkwardly for a minute.

Uncle John weighed in, "Well, there's what we know officially and unofficially. Where would you like me to start?"

"With the unofficial version," I replied. I needed to know every detail about what happened.

Uncle John sighed, "First, I have to tell you that you're wrong about Michael being involved."

Seeing that I was about to object, Uncle John held up a hand, "I have a source inside their organization. Today, I got confirmation that it was Delvin who planted the portkey. It seems that he wanted revenge for being embarrassed last year when you got his son thrown in St. Mungos for a week"

Mum shot me a glare. This was the first time she heard what I did. I pointedly avoided her gaze and focused on Uncle John's explanation, "It seems as though he only meant prevent Alex from competing. He had no idea that there was a Nundu on the other side."

I leaned back in disbelief. I couldn't tell what made me more furious, that Michael wasn't involved, or that his father nearly killed me through incompetence.

One of the things that had given me the strength to go on was my hatred for Michael and all the things I would do to him if I made it back alive. What was I supposed to do with this need for revenge I had growing inside me?

Let it go? I don't think so. Someone was going to pay for everything I went through. If it wasn't Michael, then his father would have to suffice to quell my anger.

Apparently, Mum and I were on the exact same page because she shrieked, "An accident."

She turned to Dad and raged, "That stupid..." Mum's voice trailed off while she tried to find the appropriate words.

"That stupid Troglodyte almost kills our son, and now he wants to get away with it!"

Normally, it took a lot to anger, Dad. Never before had I seen such a hard look in his eyes.

"No," he ground out through gritted teeth. "We're not going to let him get away with it. I don't care what the official story is. He'll pay for almost killing our son."

Uncle John heavily sighed, "The problem lies with his father and his syndicate. If we take out his son, he will respond in kind. As much as it pains me to admit, we're not ready for a full-blown confrontation."

Silence rained throughout the room, before I questioned, "Who says we need to take him out?"

Thinking about how Delvin almost took everything from me, I snarled, "What we should do is take away what he loves most."

Uncle John raised an eyebrow and replied, "I think taking our revenge on Declan's grandson, would have the same negative effect."

"Your thinking like a Fawley, and not a Whithorn," I countered. "Delvin didn't do this for his son. He did it for himself."

Leaning forward and looking Uncle John in the eye, I earnestly emphasized, "Remember what you said earlier. Delvin did this because he was embarrassed in public. He has carefully cultivated an image as a respectable businessman. He loves being the owner of the world's fastest racing broom. It brings him money, respect, influence, everything that he craves."

I slowly turned my head around the room so I could look everyone in the eyes, "So, I'm suggesting that we take it away from him. Besides, the Nimbus Racing Broom Company was built off the hard work of Grandpa George. We would just be rightfully reclaiming what belongs to our family."

"How are we going to take away the company? We've tried before, but Delvin clearly owns the rights to George's work." Grandma questioned with a sad look in her eyes.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Dad sit up with a startled look on his face. I think he understood where I was going.

Turning to him with a confidant smile, "I think it's time to let everybody in on Project Firebolt."