A/N: Two updates in one night? Wow, the things I do for you people.
o~O~o
Hogsmeade Village was carpeted with leaves in every shade from palest amber to deepest red. Minerva, Marcus and Poppy strolled down High Street, occasionally stopping at a window display which interested them. "Hey, do you think we should buy some Cockroach Cluster?" asked Marcus.
"Why on earth would we buy some of that?" asked Poppy incredulously.
"We could slip it onto the Slytherin table and pretend that it's peanuts." replied Marcus.
"What good will that do?" asked Poppy.
"It'll be dinner and a show!" exclaimed Marcus. Suddenly, Minerva dragged them behind a noticeboard.
"Hey!" both of them complained.
"Ssshhh! I thought I saw Aonghus." whispered Minerva.
"So?" they asked.
"He was with Riddle! I told him to keep away!" hissed Minerva.
"Minerva, you should know by now that Aonghus barely ever listens to you. And that Riddle will do anything to get under your skin." soothed Poppy. "Anyway, it probably wasn't him. There must be a dozen people at school who look like Aonghus."
"I guess you're right, Poppy. Come on, let's get to Honeydukes so that Marcus can get his monthly sugar hit." replied Minerva, even though she wasn't entirely convinced.
o~O~o
Exiting the crowded sweetshop, the three teens each held a bag of sweets, and Minerva listened to Marcus' plan to prank the Slytherins with a bemused look on her face. "So then, we persuade the house-elves to put the Cluster on the Slytherin table with the other food, and then we just sit back and watch the chaos begin."
"And how exactly do you plan to persuade the house-elves to give the Slytherins the Cockroach Cluster?" Poppy was sceptical of Marcus' plan. "Simple, we just-"
"We? Who said anything about we?" Minerva blocked out her friends' dispute and tried to focus on her brother.
Why is he so angry this year? she wondered. Was it something I did? Or is it because of... No. I won't think about that. I refuse to remember- Minerva was yanked out of her trance by a scream. Startled, she looked behind her. Poppy was lying on the ground, blood pouring from a gash in her stomach, while Marcus stood over her, wand in hand. Minerva stood, frozen, for a moment, then ran over to help Marcus.
"Stupefy!" Marcus quickly Stunned one of their attackers while Minerva Disarmed another. The other two attackers, seeing that they were now evenly matched, picked up their unconscious friend and ran off. Minerva and Marcus knelt by Poppy, who had lost consciousness at some point during the fight.
"Marcus, she's white as a sheet!"
Their other friends, Pomona and Rolanda came sprinting down the street. "Minerva, what happened?"
"Are you serious? How in the name of Merlin's pants did you two miss that fight!"
"Well, we-"
"What happened here?"
Minerva and Marcus looked up. "Professor Dumbledore!" Marcus exclaimed. "Please Professor, we need help, we'll explain later but Poppy needs the hospital wing!" Dumbledore conjured a stretcher, lifted Poppy onto it and set off towards the castle. They all followed, no one saying a word, all too worried about their friend to think about anything else.
o~O~o
Standing outside the hospital wing, everyone was silent. Marcus had explained the whole situation to Pomona and Rolanda on the way back, and now Pomona was chewing her nails, Rolanda was just staring out the window and Marcus was scowling at the nearest empty frame. Its occupant had run off somewhere as soon as Marcus started glaring. Minerva was glancing at the door every few seconds, hoping that someone would tell them how Poppy was. After several more minutes, Madame Santé, the healer, poked her head around the door. "You can come in now, but Miss Pomfrey isn't awake yet."
o~O~o
The hospital wing was bright and airy, with most of the walls occupied by huge Gothic windows. Ordinarily the room seemed inviting, the sort of place where you could go with any problems and find help, but not today. Poppy's bed was at the end of the ward, the only bed currently occupied.
"She's so pale," murmured Pomona. "Will she be okay?"
"She lost a lot of blood, but she should be fine once she wakes up." replied the Healer. On cue, Poppy stirred.
"What...strangers...duel...what?"
"You're a little disoriented, dear. Here, drink some Blood Replenishing Potion. You'll feel better." said Madame Santé, handing her a vial. Poppy accepted the vial, and slowly drank the potion.
"Okay, so what happened?" she asked once she had finished.
"Four guys attacked us in Hogsmeade. They slashed your stomach before we could do anything. I Disarmed one, Marcus Stunned another and they all Disapparated. Dumbledore came and brought you up here." answered Minerva.
"Okay..but where do Mona and Ro come into the picture?"
"They somehow managed to miss the entire thing, and only showed up when Dumbledore did." replied Marcus, with a pointed glare in the pair's direction.
"Hey, don't blame us!"
"Yeah! There happened to be something very interesting beside Scrivenshafts!"
"Let me guess, that something very interesting was Abraxas Malfoy?" teased Poppy.
"...Maybe." replied Rolanda. Everyone fell about laughing, except for Poppy, who's hand immediately went to her stomach as soon as she tried.
"Alright, that's enough!" Everyone looked up at the sound of the matron's voice. "I don't mind you all cheering up your friend, as long as you don't put any strain on her injury. At any rate, it's time for dinner. You all need some food, especially after today. So get down to the Great Hall, I really don't want to have any more of you in here after collapsing from hunger."
The four friends traipsed out of the infirmary, calling goodbyes over their shoulders.
"Bye Poppy!"
"See you after dinner!"
"Feel better!"
"Later, Lollipop!"
"Mona! Don't call me that!" Poppy shouted after them.
"Hey, if you get to call me Mona, then I can call you Lollipop!" came the reply.
"Well then, Poppy, are you feeling up to some food?" asked Madame Santé. Poppy smiled up at her mentor, then nodded and lay back in bed.
o~O~o
Woohoo! An update! You know what could possibly make me happier than updating? Reviews!
Oh, and Poppy's learning how to be a Healer from Madame Santé, in case any of you were wondering.
