Disclaimer: Don't own, don't make money off of this.
Assignment: Herbology #1 for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments)
Extra prompt: Walls
This was the last place Hailey wanted to be but it was the first place she needed to be. Everyone said that she needed to get some help and she was there to prove she didn't need to get any. Her years at Hogwarts had led to having no credits after eleven, PTSD because her final year of Hogwarts was under the Dark Lord's followers. She could deal with nightmares but it had gotten bad. The magical hospital had no idea how to deal with her problems. She had gone there first to get help and it only made it worst. They had no idea how to deal with trauma of the mind and the treatment usually made things harder to deal with.
Entering the hospital as the doors opened and looking around at the lobby it was mostly empty. A few people were sleeping on the chairs, and one or two were sitting with people with the stands that moved around that dripped in the liquid. No one paid any attention to her and she hid her wand in her sleeves. It was a nervous tick and she had bought a wand holder for that purpose. She kept it with her and looking around suspiciously around her she went to the psychiatric ward.
"Can I help you?" the nurse asked friendly and smiling.
She handed the papers to the nurse and watched the woman read it. The woman's eye brows rose as her face changed to confused, tense, worried, until the woman looked up at her with cold eyes and professional face. She gulped at the evaluating glare. Suddenly her look softened.
"You don't look like you need all this…" the nurse spoke softly.
"I'm not sure what is needed. I was just told to go here with those papers and turn them in. They told me that they wanted to run a few tests on me and keep me under observation," She told the nurse fidgeting.
"I… see. So you really have no idea why they wanted you to come here?" the nurse asked.
"I suffer from PTSD, Insomnia, and apparently I was missing for seven- eight years in school years so I can't get a job until I get my tests done and I need to be proven as 'stable' before that happens" she told the nurse tiredly.
"I'm sorry you had to go through that. You should have been recommended here so that you can do your tests. I understand that your NEWT's were the highest of year during the last year." The nurse spoke relaxing.
"I… you… Thank you. It hasn't done any good since the jobs I can get don't pay enough because that werewolf got me" she told sagging against the desk.
"That cursed beast, Greyback, bit a lot of people. It's hard enough to be magical these days but I can't imagine what it would be like to be forced to change every full moon" the nurse said.
"The pain is unimaginable- all of it. It's near the full moon and I'm nearly running out of Wolfsbane. I also came for a… refill, I guess, on that too." She told the nurse.
"Your room is down the hall, 204. If you are still here the full moon will be spent in the isolation ward for your change after taking the potion. You will spend the day in that room unfortunately- we have found that those about to change are as much a danger to others as well as themselves." The nurse told her.
"Thank you. Is… there someone I can talk to, just to pass the time?" She was suddenly nervous.
"Yes. They are actually free right now so if you need to talk to someone. Do you want to…" the nurse asked.
She nodded, "I would. After everything that happened, I really need someone to listen or else I'll explode"
"She'll be in your room soon then. I hope you enjoy your stay here!" the nurse waved her through.
"Do I need to give up my wand?" she asked.
"No, magic is allowed within reason. Every room and hallway only allows certain spells to be cast. Don't cast a spell that harms others and you'll be allowed to keep it" the nurse called out to her as she walked toward her room.
The hospital wing was oddly quiet. She had expected the worst since she was told this was the last resort. The last few were hell on earth. She was broken- not insane and being around them ensured she would be insane if she stayed longer. Looking around at the few patients around the area and two of them were having a color war. One was making the walls neon pink and the other lime green. She shook her head.
She waved her hand summoning her wand and the bed changed from the uncomfortable to a feather down bed. She fell into it and closed the door behind her. She was woken up five minutes later by a knock on the door. Looking at the door she waved it and a man came in. He smiled at her and changing the plastic chair to something more comfortable sat down beside her.
"Hi, my name is Dani. I am one of the two on duty psychologist. The head nurse said you wanted to talk?" the man asked.
"I would. I have been going through a lot recently and I just needed someone to talk to" she told him breathing hard.
"Understandable. Between being part of the battle of Hogwarts and a werewolf, I can imagine it is hard to juggle work and your needs." The man told her.
She broke down ranting and raving letting it all out. He listened and nodded before excusing himself. The silence was unbearable before but it changed to comfortable the past fifteen minutes. She heard the door close behind him. He looked out at the head nurse with a grimace.
"She still thinks she can do magic and is a werewolf," he told her.
"Her wand was snapped by ministry decree because she went on a killing spree. Her magic was taken from her and she can't transform. It's hard not to feel sorry for her, though despite everything." The nurse spoke.
"There's nothing to be done. We have to heal them- but some of them are so broken by the ministry that we can't. Do you believe the claim that she is innocent of the crime she had her magic taken away from her?" the man asked the nurse.
"I know she's innocent of that. A werewolf is a werewolf though especially one that has been turned by Greyback. She was in the wrong place at the wrong time two times too many. She's not completely innocent though." The nurse looked away.
"It is our job to heal them so they can be… dealt with humanely. Apparently, they don't like them vegetables when dealing with the threat" The man told her.
There was a knocking of a door at the other end of the hall. The nurse looked up at him and sighed deeply. The ward contained werewolves and others unfit for society until they were "cured" or "dealt with." Once deemed cured they would be free to leave but they came back time and time again. The care they got here was better than what they could get outside. Everyone was happy with it except the hospital that had to deal with them.
The man opened the door and unlocked it as a ragged man came out breathing hard with torn up clothing. He was caught by the doctor and carried to his room. In the break room the two sat down and stared at each other. They left the door open in case someone needed them or made noise.
Hailey woke up in the uncomfortable bed and frowned. She could have sworn that she put enough magic to last for her stay. Looking at the halls, she noted they were full. The nurse looked at her before entering the room.
"Do you need a hand with anything?" the nurse asked.
"My bed seemed to have changed back…" she motioned toward the bed.
The nurse nodded understandingly and pressed a button that changed it to a bed before smiling at Hailey.
"For those who have their wand snapped we include this feature. If anyone visits the room ward trips and changes to the hospital bed. Someone visited you today so I'm afraid it changed to the uncomfortable bed" the nurse instructed as she pointed to the button.
Nodding her stomach grumbled, the nurse smiled warmly, "If your hungry- the cafeteria in this ward is open. I can guarantee you that it's better than the hospital food."
She got directions to the cafeteria but walked there automatically before entering the cafeteria. She lined up as she picked up a tray. Taking a seat at an empty table she ate wondering what she could do. Entering the library after wandering around Hailey settled in with a good book. There was rarely anything of interest to do until the doctor saw you and she knew that he would be a while. The next few days passed easily as she slipped into a new routine. She was getting up at ten, breakfast at 11, reading until 2 then having lunch before working out and dinner before bed at ten. Every day she talked to Dani, and grew calmer and more ready to face the world. It was a relief when it was near the full moon because then she could be free after it.
Finally the day of the full moon came. She was agitated before it like usual. Then she spent the next day and night without changing form but she wished she did. It began with a fire starting in her blood as her bones and skin began to reshape and form before vanishing and growing again. She tried to scream but it came out halted as even her vocal cords were altering for the change vanished. She thrashed around limply for hours until she stopped being able to scream and just blacked out.
The day was spent nearly comatose with the night the first time she saw the light flickering above her as she blinked rapidly. Dani looked at her with a small smile. Hailey relaxed. It was evening and looking at the two men guarding the door she frowned.
"Is something the matter?" Hailey asked.
"I'm sorry but you've been deemed cured enough to stand trial for your crimes, Hailey. You are clearly lucid and alert now. We even agree that you're well enough to face the world if you didn't have magic and weren't a werewolf. We can't protect you anymore from the ministry. She's all yours, guys." Dani said as he left her alone with the two men. They grabbed her and taking her away from the hospital Hailey wondered if this was just another nightmare that seemed real.
