Written for the Ultimate Battle Competition
Prompt: Infirmary
Please enjoy. This is my take on why Poppy Pomphrey became the woman we know and love.
She had always been like this. Born this way. At first she hadn't minded, but as she grew older she had felt the stares and pity. Carefree childhood had turned into a nightmare. Kids learned from their parents and were only too willing to point it out. Not that she needed reminders. But she could also remember when the stares disappeared. It wasn't because they grew used to her, and it certainly didn't last long. But she was able to play on a playground for a whole hour before anyone noticed her foot. This happened numerous times. Her parents had even forgotten about it and taken her to an amusement park for her birthday! But they had remembered after only one ride.
Her eleventh birthday was full of doctor's visits. Her parents were adamant that there had to be something the doctors could do for her foot. But they only shook their heads and ran more tests. Her parents loved her, Poppy knew this, but when they didn't even get her a gift she retreated to her room to cry. She was surprised to find an owl sitting on her bed. She eyed it nervously but it didn't seem inclined to attack her to she approached it. That was when she spotted the envelope clutched in it's claw. It 'hooted' at her and flew away leaving the envelope sitting on her blue duvet.
Licking her lips to calm herself, she approached the letter. The first time she read it all she could think of was that this was the answer. Her parents wanted to fix her foot, magic could do that. With a grin, she turned and headed back downstairs, her twisted foot pulling behind her.
If she had expected to not stand out at Hogwarts, she was severely disappointed. Just like in the muggle world, kids pointed at her foot and whispered. The adults only looked at her in pity. The first chance she got, however, she quickly went to the infirmary. She got a little lost and had to ask a painting for help, but when she finally found the doors she couldn't believe this was happening. This was the solution for everything. Taking a deep breath, Poppy pushed through the doors.
This early in the term, there wasn't a single student. There was only an older woman sweeping the floor. The woman looked up as the door opened and moments later her eyes zoomed onto Poppy's foot. She leaned the broom against the wall and seemed to float toward Poppy. Poppy found herself believing in angels than. The woman smiled at her softly.
"Ah Ms. Pomphrey I believe." Poppy nodded. "Yes, the headmaster said you might come by. Please come and take a seat." Poppy sternly told her heart to stop jumping. Once seated the woman waved her wand over the foot and Poppy felt her eyes go wide. This was her first real taste of magic. Her delight turned to dismay as nothing happened. But before she could say anything else, the woman cast another spell. The foot looked the same, but suddenly, pain she had never recognized was gone. The woman let out a breath and took Poppy's hand. "Dear, I know what you were hoping for. There is not much I can do for you. Perhaps when you are older there will be a spell, but I can only ease the pain right now."
Poppy watched the world blurred around her and she nodded reluctantly. Her breath caught and then she was wrapped in the woman's arms. The first sound she made was unlike a noise human's normally made, but it faded until it was deep heart wrenching sobs. For an hour the two of them sat there, the woman making shushing noises and rubbing Poppy's back. When Poppy finally collected herself it felt as though there was a giant hole in her chest. "Ms Pomphrey, you are welcome to come to my infirmary for anything you need. If you need to cry I am here. If you need me to take the pain away again I am here. If you need quiet. I am here." The woman took a wet cloth to Poppy's face. She smiled down at Poppy before casting a spell on her face. "Now no one would know you cried."
"Thank you."
"It's my pleasure."
During her first three years, Poppy often took solace in the infirmary. Madam Clive didn't seem to mind her presence, only demanded that she help with the little things every now and then. Poppy didn't mind doing them. She was able to hide from the stares and whispers and study. She watched as Madam Clive protected the students who came through. Bullies, ghosts, and healthy students were banned from the infirmary. It was truly a sanctuary.
Madam Clive expressed concern that she wasn't making any friends, but Poppy still returned. She knew from the past that it wouldn't matter where she spent her time, she wouldn't have any friends.
The moment Poppy arrived at Hogwarts for her fourth year she went straight to the infirmary. She walked through the door. Madam Clive laughed with her whole being at the sight of the grinning girl. "I heard."
Despite not needing to, the words poured from Poppy's mouth. "Can you believe they chose me for a test subject? They can fix my leg!"
"Possibly."
"Oh I know. But this is the first time there has been a possibility."
"When does it begin?"
"Next summer."
"How will you survive the year?"
"I'll manage somehow."
Things were different for fifth year. She could walk proudly into the Great Hall. Poppy felt herself beaming at every person who even glanced in her direction. But the smile dimmed when she noticed Madam Clive was not at the head table. She wanted to check the infirmary but Professor Turks was at the door and blocked her way.
They made the announcement after everyone had eaten. Poppy felt the whole in her stomach grow. A few students around her threw her sympathetic looks but Poppy ignored them. She just stared down at the woodgrain of the table. The words kept ringing through her head. "Madam Clive has passed away."
Poppy was in mourning for the better part of the month, and it took her three days to wander into the infirmary. One of the girls was suffering from her monthlies and needed a pain potion. But when the squat man in the infirmary kicked them out without the potion she decided she didn't like him. They approached the Potion Professor instead. The woman was aggravated at their presence but gave them the potion.
It quickly became apparent to Poppy and the other students that unless you were possibly dying Professor Dickens would not treat you. Poppy knew that Madam Clive would have been offended, and it didn't take her long to create a mini infirmary in her dorm. She couldn't fix the big problems. But she could fix a few common illnesses, and reverse the usual curses. The rumors must have spread, because she soon has students from other houses approaching her.
Poppy was nervous that Professor Dickens would do something to stop her, but either the students were good at keeping the secret, or the other professors were. It was just before Christmas when she was approached by the first upper level Slytherin. The girl was nearly in tears as she clutched her broken nose. A quick 'episkey' didn't work. Poppy tried a few spells before she remembered a spell that Madam Clive had taught her in her second year. With a loud 'pop' the nose was fixed. The Slytherin was a well-known potion's prodigy and the girl began to supply Poppy with some of the potions she needed.
When Poppy's sixth year began Professor Dickens was gone, and Madam Turnwell had taken his place. The woman quickly approached Poppy with a proposal. Poppy began to apprentice as a healer, and the infirmary returned to the sanctuary it was before. Madam Turnwell commented many times that many students would wait until Poppy was working before approaching the infirmary.
When the end of her seventh year came close, Poppy was approached by St. Mungo's head healer. Madam Tursey held two letters in her hand as she offered a job. One of them was written by Madam Turnwell. The other by Madam Clive. It was theng that Poppy learned of Madam Clive's terminal illness. The untreatable illness that ended up killing her. Madam Clive, knowing she would die soon, had written to Madam Tursey expressing her expectation for Poppy. Poppy kept her tears in until she was alone.
When Madam Tursey retired 7 years later, no one even thought of offering the job to anyone other then Madam Poppy Pomfrey. And she didn't hesitate to say yes.