Author's Note: I'm sorry for any confusion over the second chapter. I had only just recently discovered that instead of chapter 2, what was posted was a nightmare that I can't even explain.
St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries was quite busy for a Monday morning. Wizards, witches, and the occasional house elf, bustled about the hallways in attempts to get where they needed to be, bumping into each other as they went about their business.
Everyone must've had a good Christmas, thought one little girl who peered out her door. She silently closed it at the sight of a hag coming down the hallway, and flopped down on the uncomfortable chair by the bed. This little girl, had not had a good Christmas. In fact, she was ready to place this as one of the worst Christmases she had ever had. Which was quite few since she was only 10 years old.
The little girl sighed and glanced at the women who laid on the bed beside her. The woman's eyes were shut peacefully and had it not been for the gentle rising of the woman's chest, the little girl might've thought the woman had passed.
"Mum, please get better," whispered the little girl, tucking a piece of the woman's dark brown hair behind her ear. The door of the hospital room opened and an extremely cheery nurse walked in.
"Good morning Carina! How are you today?" chirped the nurse, who opened the curtains of the window to let in the sunshine.
The little girl, Carina, shrugged her shoulders. She wasn't in the mood for the nurse who also seemed to have a cheering charm placed on her at all times. Beside her, her mother stirred and slowly sat up.
"Mrs. Fawley, the Healer Matthews will be in any moment. Is there anything I can do?" asked the nurse. Carina handed her mother the glass of water that she had on her bedside table.
"No, not at the moment. Thank you though," said Carina's mother in a scratchy voice, taking a big drink of water.
The nurse left and Carina placed the water back in its place. Silence filled the air as Carina looked at her mother intently.
"You don't look so good," she finally said after moments of silence. Her mother grimaced and rolled over to her side so she could look at her daughter better.
"Thank you Carina," she said, and Carina knew her mother's look well enough to forgo any other comments she had. Once more, silence settled upon them and Carina began to fidget. This time was worst than the last time, she thought miserably.
She smoothed her sweaty palms on her black skirt and began twirling a piece of her black hair, a deep sigh making it's way out her mouth. Given a warning look from her mother, Carina pressed her lips together and tilted her foot back on its heel so she could tap it silently.
"Oh Carina for Merlin's sake! Why don't you go get something to eat in the cafe?" her mother snapped, unable to stand her daughter's impatient antics.
Making a face, Carina rose from her chair and quickly made a beeline for the door. The wait for the doctor was always unbearable for her. Her mother caught her just in time before she began pacing again. Not that it would do much to aid Carina's worry.
Carefully, Carina made her way through the busy hallway and slipped past the elevator doors just as they were closing. She stood in between a man who was uncontrollably laughing at nothing, and a woman who was scratching furiously at her arm. Stepping back from the two, she bumped into someone and just as she was about to turn around and say sorry, she smelt the most foul smell she had ever smelled before.
"S-sorry," she choked out, looking back at a man who wore a nasty scowl on his face.
"What? Ya think I like smelling like this do ya?" he asked demandingly in a surprisingly strong American accent. Carina shook her head no but inhaled exaggeratedly through her mouth. The man gaped wide-eyed at Carina and the elevator door dinged. The man rushed off muttering something about bratty children.
Carina snickered and when the elevator dinged again, she got off and took a left into the cafe. Skipping slightly, she went up to the register. Behind the counter, a bored looking teen sat, flipping through what looked to be that month's issue of Witch's Weekly.
"Two pumpkin pasties please," said Carina. The teen gave her a look and flipped to the next page of her magazine.
"There's no more Carina," she said and Carina gaped at her. No pumpkin pasties? How do they run out of pumpkin pasties? Carina frowned, and looked around the cafe. It was rather empty, and it didn't take long before her eyes settled on a small and plump little boy. Carina walked over to him and plopped down into a chair next to him.
"Hiya Nev! Here to see your parents?" she asked, helping herself to the boy's dessert. The little boy gave her an exasperated look.
"My gran wanted me to see them one last time before school. Is your mother here again?" he asked, pushing his plate towards her. Carina nodded glumly but quickly lightened up as she ate more of Neville's dessert.
"She found some new species of dragons and got infected," Carina explained. She went through a detailed account of her Christmas vacation in Romania, making sure to add exciting embellishments here and there. Neville reacted accordingly, although Carina could tell his mind was somewhere else.
"So Nev, do you want to go with my mum and I to Diagon Alley to pick up our school supplies?" Carina asked. Neville gave her a surprised look.
"We haven't even gotten our letters yet! Besides, how do you know I'll even get a letter?" said Neville, a small frown on his round face. Carina gave Neville a look. This wasn't the first time he had expressed his doubts about not getting his Hogwarts letter. Carina suspected it had something to do with his Gran, who was a very proud women who expected Neville to take after his parents.
"Don't worry Nev. You'll get your letter," she promised, hoping it wouldn't come back to bite her. At the cafe entrance, Carina saw a rather formidable looking old woman in green dress robes clutching a red handbag. Grimacing slightly at the stuffed vulture on top of the woman's hat, Carina nudged Neville.
"Your gran's here," she whispered. Neville bolted forward in his seat, stiffening his back while he flattened his brown hair.
"There you are! Go tell your parents goodbye now," said Neville's gran, looking down at Neville with what Carina thought was contempt.
"Hello Mrs. Longbottem," said Carina politely. "How is Alice and Frank doing?" Neville's gran grimaced slightly.
"They're doing well thank you," she said, and nudged Neville with her handbag. Neville got up and after bidding Carina goodbye, followed his gran out of the cafe. Carina waited a couple minutes and left the cafe as well, slowly making her way back to her mother.
