When the sunlight from the early morning hit Stellaria's face, she woke up and was pleasantly surprised. She wasn't lying on the ground in the middle of the forest and she wasn't in so much pain.
Wait, where was she? She shot up in bed and looked around. It was a nice, large room with plenty of beds like hers lined up in a couple rows. The room was empty save herself and she wondered how she had gotten there. Her broken arm had been healed and bandaged up and persumably her ribs had been fixed, too. She could breathe with ease, pain-free. Laying back down on the pillows, she decided to wait for someone to appear.
"Where am I?" she asked to no one in particular as she examined the bandage on her arm.
"You're in the Hospital Wing," said a calm voice. Stella's head snapped up toward the direction the voice came from. She was just looking around the room and no one was there. How did she not notice him? By the doorway, she saw an elderly-looking wizard with a long silver beard and a pair of half-moon spectacles. Stella shrunk back in fear as he began to approach her. "There's no need to be afraid, child. No one shall harm you here."
"Who are you?" she asked timidly, still wary.
"I am Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry-"
"Wait, a minute. I'm at Hogwarts?" she exclaimed.
"Yes, indeed," he said with a twinkle in his eye. "How is it that you know about Hogwarts, Miss…? I'm terribly sorry I didn't quite catch your name," he said, extending his hand for a shake.
"Oh, right! sorry," she mumbled as she grasped his hand. "I'm Stellaria DeVera. But you can call me Stella."
"It is nice to meet you, Stella."
"As to your previous question, I heard of Hogwarts from my mother, who always talked about Hogwarts. She went here actually."
"Ah, I see. What are your foster sibling's names? Perhaps I knew her." Dumbledore looked at her with curiosity. Where had this girl come from? He did not know of anyone at the school with the last name 'DeVera' and he had been there for a great deal of time.
Stella's countenance fell and looked troubled for a moment. She almost looked as if she was contemplating what to say. Dumbledore patiently waited for her to speak.
"I- well, she's," she stammered.
Just then, a woman bustled over.
"Good heavens, you're awake!" she exclaimed. She grabbed the wrist of Stella's uninjured arm and checked her pulse. "How do you feel? Are you in any pain?"
"No, none," she said somewhat distracted. Who was she? She looked like the school nurse or a Healer.
"Good. Well, if you need anything just ring your little bell," the nurse said, pointing toward a tiny hand bell on the bedstand. "I'll be back to check on you later."
"Thanks," she murmured.
"That's Madam Pomfrey, the head Nurse here in the Hopsital Wing," Dumbledore filled in, seeing her confusion. "She is an excellent nurse, it seems she is just… a little busy right now."
"Um, Headmaster Dumbledore… Sir," she stumbled over her words.
"Yes?" he asked politely.
"How exactly did I get here? Last I remember I was in a giant forest with a… Nevermind," she hastily finished. Rene rethought telling him about her encounter with the werewolf yet. After all, they had only just met, and she didn't want him to think she was crazy or anything.
"All shall be revealed in good time, child," he soothed. "Now, rest." He tilted his head toward her and with that gracefully walked out of the room.
Stella thought about what he had said and eventually took his advice to rest.
Rene didn't know how long she was standing there until Oliver found her. He had been calling for her several times with no response, so he went to look for her. He had found her just standing there as if time had stood still. He approached her slowly and gently tried to get her attention.
"Rene? Rene?"
No response.
He tried again, but to no avail. Then he laid a hand on her shoulder and that shook her from her trance-like state. She turned to him and her appearance worried the boy. There were tears in her eyes and she was having a hard time breathing.
"Rene, what's wrong?" he asked concerned.
She lifted up a hand and pointed directly in front of her. He followed her finger's invisible line and saw what had shaken Rene up so badly. He gulped and closed his eyes. What would happen to Rene now? He opened his eyes when he heard her sniffling. "Let's go, we don't have to stay here," he said pulling her by the hand from the gruesome scene. She didn't protest and let herself be led. They walked to the side of the road by the driveway. "Let's wait here for someone to come," he said. "Someone will come soon."
She nodded and they sat by the side of the road. They didn't talk, they just waited. Waited and held hands.
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