"Doctor Pomfrey seemed quite optimistic of it," Robin replied to Miranda darkly, lacking the healer's hope towards that particular outcome. Given that the good doctor had also been very critical of that outcome immediately following the stroke, Robin had little reason to doubt him. "And Sera is right," he added, this time for all the siblings' benefit. "We mustn't waste our time bickering, if for no other reason than this room is let by the hour."

He sighed, the sigh of a man who had been put upon for many years.

"Father may die, yes. But his physician seemed to believe that less likely with each passing day. He may remain indisposed indefinitely; indeed, that seems rather more likely, at this juncture, than death. But what cannot be allowed to happen as for things to continue as they were."

More than ten years. Robin had lost more than ten years of his life to that damned Imperius Curse. It was a violation on a level deeper than any he could fathom.