Written for the 1991 Challenge (Sally-Anne Perks, Arrow)

Arrow of Agony

The screams were painful for even an experienced Healer to handle. The woman thrashed about against the hold of Sally and Padma as they tried to hold her still. The third Healer in the room, new recruit and apprentice Rose Weasley, carefully studied to wound on the woman's back. Part of an arrow shaft was still deep in her hip. Using magic to remove it was too dangerous when they couldn't see it properly, but it would be impossible to take it out by hand without sedating the woman.

Rose turned to her two supervisors. "She says she has an allergy to the regular potion we provide for anaesthetic relief," she said.

Sally and Padma both nodded.

"However, she will not remain calm for us to remove it by hand. Of course, using magic is out of the question…." Rose paused, deep in thought.

Sally and Padma both smiled at each other. They had a good one, they were sure of it. The girl would be a great addition to their team.

"How do you propose we go about this procedure?" Sally asked.

Rose frowned and turned back to the thrashing woman. She had relaxed just slightly, but not enough for either of the experienced Healers to let go of her.

"Madam," Sally said. "Madam, you will need to relax."

The injured witch appeared not to have heard.

"I believe there is another potion which can be administered," Rose said after a moment. "Pain-be-gone, I believe."

"How do you know that she is not allergic to that either?" Padma questioned.

Rose hummed to herself, thinking. A moment more, and she asked the woman, "Madam, have you ever taken the Pain-be-gone potion before?"

The woman's eyes looked to Rose for just a second, before crying out, "How am I supposed to know?"

Rose remained calm, which impressed Sally and Padma. Many apprentices cracked as soon as a patient lost their temper with them. "It is the only pink potion in existence," she informed the witch. "Have you ever taken a pink potion before?"

"Yes, the last time I was here. Some bloke gave it to me."

"And it did not cause a reaction from you?"

"No, none." The woman's body had relaxed even more now. Padma let go so only Sally was holding onto her.

Rose beamed and turned to her supervisors. "I'll administer it right away!" She hurried from the hospital ward.

"Only Hermione Granger's daughter would be such a prodigy on her first day as an apprentice," Sally laughed.

"She's a bright girl, I will give her that," Padma agreed.

The two women had become instant friends when they found themselves in the same training group as each other a year after finishing Hogwarts. Although they had been in the same year at school, and shared a few classes, the ex-Gryffindor and Ravenclaw students had not spoken a word to each other until then. Padma, of course, had heard her sister mention Sally every once in a while, but Pavarti hadn't had much to do with her either.

Now, however, they considered themselves lifelong friends and had even acted as each other's maids-of-honour at their respective weddings.

Rose came back, clutching a vial filled with a glowing pink potion. She uncorked it and poured a small dose into a measuring cup. "Now, Madam," she began, "This does not taste good, but –"

"I know that!" the woman snapped, snatching the vial from Rose's hand. She drank it in one gulp and relaxed almost immediately. "Now, please, get this wretched thing out of my arse!"

Sally fought back a laugh, and said, "Your hip, Madam."

The witch ignored her as Rose rolled her onto her stomach so she could get a better look at the arrow shaft right near her backside.

"It's lodged pretty firmly in there," she observed. "How did you say it happened?"

"Spell gone wrong," the witch mumbled. "Playing that Muggle game of darts with my sister, but with real arrows. Thought it'd be fun, you know. Misfired an arrow and it got me there."

Even Rose – the ever so serious apprentice – had to bite her lip to stop herself from laughing. Thankfully, the woman could see none of them.

"Well, we will need to use the Muggle way to remove it," Rose explained. "With tweezers." She turned to look at Sally and Padma. "How'd I go?"

"You haven't finished yet," Sally said.

Rose's eyes widened. "You mean I can do it?"

Both older women nodded.

"But… I'm new!" Rose seemed to be in absolute shock about such a compliment. It was her very first day and already she was being allowed to perform a procedure – no matter how simple.

"We feel you can do it," Padma explained and nodded again for Rose to proceed. The young woman did so, studying the arrow in the witch's hip again.

From beside her she pulled out a pair of tweezers and put gloves on – a Muggle form of sterilisation St Mungo's had adopted a while ago. She then grimaced and dug into where the arrow stubbornly sat.

The witch didn't even flinch.

She twisted it and pulled it in a manner that would take Healer apprentices at least a month to get, normally. Sally and Padma were definitely impressed by this.

They sat there for ten minutes, the two experienced Healers only on standby if the potion were to become ineffective suddenly. Then, suddenly, a spattering of blood and an arrow shaft popped from the woman's hip.

Rose held it up in her tweezers, rather pleased with herself. Sally and Padma both smiled.

"It's out, Madam," Rose instructed. "Please stay where you are as I will heal the wound for you in a few moments."

The witch turned her head, eyes widening at the sight of the arrow and the blood. "Woah!"

"A nasty infliction," Sally observed. "Perhaps be more careful when you play… darts again."

Padma hid her smile, while the witch had the dignity to blush slightly.

Rose turned to them again. "And may I -?" She indicated to the wound.

"Yes, you may," Padma said. "If you know what you are doing?"

Rose nodded. "I have studied it," she said. "And practiced it on my brother."

Sally and Padma laughed.

"Go right ahead, then," Sally instructed. "We're right here if you need help."

It turned out Rose didn't need any help at all. She mended the wound as if it had never happened and sent the witch on her way, limping apparently. When she had gone Rose let out a breath of relief.

"Is this what the two of you have to deal with every day?" she asked.

Sally and Padma both looked at each other and burst out laughing. "Rose," Sally said, "This is only the start."

While writing this, I think I developed a bit more of my head canon. I had no head canon for Sally, so there you go. She is a Healer and Padma's post-war bff. I hope you enjoyed, and please leave a review if you read it to let me know what you thought!