Darkness.
Silence.
Cold.
And then suddenly, warmth.
It started at her mouth and then spread to the rest of her face quickly, like the feeling one gets after coming in from a day in the snow and spending an evening in front of the fireplace.
"Go on now," came a soothing, familiar voice. "You'll have to open your eyes, dear. You need to drink this."
Coughing, Avalon blinked repeatedly and tried to scrape the crust out of her eyes. Her hands were still rigidly frozen in place. She managed to get her eyes open and could see that she was propped up in a bed in the Hospital Wing. Madam Pomfrey held out a cup of something the color of Tinkle's split pea soup. "Why am I here?"
"Bottoms up. There will be time for explanations later. Oi! If you lot are going to hang around, make yourselves useful and hand out more mandrake draughts, will you? You have to put a little bit on their lips first, let it seep in, and then once they start to revive give it to them to drink. Leave the ghost to me," called the mediwitch. Before Avalon could strain her stiff neck in a pointless attempt to see who was bein addressed, Madam Pomfrey was helping her gulp down the potion. It was thick and frothy, with a bitter taste that made the girl gag.
"What is this?"
The warmth was spreading further, from her neck and chest, to her stomach and arms, and finally to her legs. It hurt to move them, but it was possible.
"It's a mandrake restorative draught," said Madam Pomfrey. "You've been petrified. There's going to be pain at first, seeing as you haven't moved in about five months and your body isn't used to bending in certain ways anymore, but if it hasn't gone away in about half an hour, I can give you a potion for it."
"Five months?" Avalon cried. She sat up too quickly and winced.
The patient in the bed next to her moaned. "Ugh, my head."
It was Hermione Granger. Avalon slowly turned her head towards the girl and watched as Theo supported her neck and shoulders while Daphne held out a goblet full of the disgusting tasting potion. Across the Hospital Wing, Blaise was spreading some across Justin Finch-Fletchley's lips as Madam Pomfrey had instructed. The latter had moved on to Colin Creevey and was doing the same.
"What are you all doing here?" Avalon asked. The last she could remember, only Blaise had been on speaking terms with her, and that was only in casual, polite conversation.
"We've been here every day, between classes and meals. We were worried about you, what do you think? Honestly, Avalon," said Daphne. And the other girl smiled, because it had been so long since she had heard her best friend say 'honestly, Avalon' in the way she did. It had been so long since she'd heard Daphne say anything at all.
In one fluid motion Avalon pushed herself out of the bed—ignoring her screaming joints—and wrapped her arms around the girl, a huge smile on her face. Within moments, Theo and Blaise joined in the group hug. "We'be had a lot of time to think and everything," said Theo, "and we're sorry for everything. Whatever we were fighting about doesn't matter."
"What matters is our friendship," Blaise added.
Avalon laughed. "Did you actually just say that? I'd expect it from Theo, but you? You're so corny." She paused. "I love you guys."
"As sweet as this moment is, if you three want to stay here, I need you to get back to work. There are more people who need to be restored," Madam Pomfrey cut in.
They scurried to their posts, helping the older witch with the task of administering mandrake restorative draught to the patients.
Avalon made her way back to her bed and climbed under the sheets, resting for a moment while her friends busied themselves. As she laid her head on the pillow, there was a crackling sound from under it. With a curious expression Avalon stuck her hand under the pillow and was met with a series of papers. She pulled them out and began to laugh. There were about six papers, each covered with a series of sketches and doodles. Some featured Snape in silly costumes, with Dumbledore's beard, or on the body of a cat. There was one of Avalon having tea with the Giant Squid by the lake, and quite a few of the Gryffindor/Slytherin Quidditch matches featuring one team in tutus and the other with excessive sideburns. Avalon's personal favorite was of Neville in the greenhouse tending to the plants. It took up an entire piece of parchment and the artist had captured Neville's happiness where Herbology was concerned. Who was the artist, anyway? One of the pictures had a short inscription on the back: I had some free time siting in the Hospital Wing.
Avalon stuck her hand back under the pillow and came up with a carefully folded piece of parchment, her name on the front in careful print.
She opened it and read the words inside.
Steele,
I figured a letter would be best, especially since we haven't always been on the best of terms and I'm sure you being petrified for a few months hasn't changed that.
Anyway, I'm sorry about what happened. I feel responsible. When you were attacked, it was after our detention with Professor Sprout. There had already been announcements that students shouldn't walk around the castle alone, because it wasn't safe (for obvious reasons). I should have walked with you to the dungeons, or at least made sure that you were with someone. It sounds stupid, I know, but maybe if I hadn't just walked away you wouldn't have ended up like that. Sure, I can't say anything for certain, but you know what I mean.
If you're reading this, I guess it means you're okay. I'm glad. (But if you were to say that to anyone, I'd deny it and say that I didn't actually write this note.)
Also, there's some good that came from this whole ordeal. Professor Sprout didn't think it was right for me to have detention with her by myself, and seeing as you were in the Hospital Wing and all, she waived the remainder of our detentions. So you can rest easy knowing you don't have to make them up. Between you and me though, I ended up in the greenhouses with Neville and Sprout a few times. I didn't have anything else to take my mind off the guilt. Not to mention the stress I felt trying to finish the bowtruckle assignment. Professor Sprout put Padma in a group with me and Parvati, and it was the most stressful time of my life. She's a bit… much. I don't know how you held up as long as you did. Parvati and I would show her the data we collected in class, and she'd tell us all the ways that we were wrong. It was lots of fun.
I'm kind of rambling, so I'll end this letter now. Obviously, I don't expect you and I to be the best of friends. Where would be the fun in that? You're a worthy nemesis.
Sincerely,
(Seamus) Finnigan
P. S. I hope you like the pictures, it's probably boring waiting for your legs to wake up
After finishing his letter and flipping through his drawings a few more times, Avalon must have been smiling to herself because Daphne hopped over and propped her elbows onto the bed. "What are you grinning about?"
"Nothing," she said, and hastily shoved the parchment into the pocket of her robes.
"You're all free to leave," said Madam Pomfrey. "Go back to your houses and get freshened up. I believe the Headmaster was saying something about a feast."
Theo nudged Avalon. "You'd better get 's going to take forty minutes at least to brush away five months of morning breath."
She punched him. Then, as Avalon prepared to leave with her friends—because Theo did have a point—she saw one patient who had yet to move. Ginny Weasley was sitting in a bed by the corner, staring out the window into the dark landscape beyond, looking incredibly small. Her eyes were wide and she kept twiddling her thumbs in between hurried sips from a hot chocolate mug.
"Ginny was petrified?" she asked Madam Pomfrey in a quiet voice as the witch began to wave her wand over the soiled bed linens.
"She's here for a different malady."
Avalon waited for a response from Madam Pomfrey, but it never came, and after a few more moments of silence, she realized it wasn't going to. As she turned to leave again, the younger girl turned her head and caught Avalon's eye briefly. Neither of them spoke. Not wanting to justify why she was staring, Avalon followed Theo out the door.
The walk to the dungeons was a lengthy one, and Avalon's friends spent the majority of it filling her in on what she had missed. The story had only just surged through the school about an hour before Avalon and the other victims had started to receive the potion.
"A basilisk?" Avalon asked in disbelief.
"Yeah," Blaise nodded. "You're lucky you didn't see it directly, or you'd be dead right now."
Theo jumped in. "Potter and Weasley went into the Chamber of Secrets with Professor Lockhart to save Ginny Weasley."
That's why she had been in the Hospital Wing.
"I'm not surprised. Potter playing the hero again."
"Draco's currently sulking with Crabbe and Goyle in the common room. Apparently his father was removed as the chairman of the Board of Governers, and somehow Potter caused him to lose his family house elf," said Blaise. "I'm kind of glad. He's been getting insufferable lately.
"So what I'm hearing is, I hadn't missed out on anything in the 'Draco's Inflating Ego' department," Avalon laughed.
"He's the same Sleekeazy's Poster Child we all love to hate and hate to love."
This last bit was said as they entered the common room, and the boy in question was draped across an armchair dramatically, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle. "Thanks Daphne. I'm glad to hear you think so highly of me. The suspense has been keeping me up at night."
She offered him a hand to help him up, but once he was on his feet she simply took his seat. "Go get ready, you prat. The feast is going to start soon."
"I'm not going."
"You're a big baby. Come on."
Daphne handed him off to Blaise and Theo, who dragged him to their dorm. Daphne and Avalon did the same (Avalon had to clear Pansy and Millicent's trunks and books and robes off her bed, because they simply saw it as extra storage space in light of her extended absence) and within twenty minutes the five of them were sitting in the Great Hall in their pajamas.
"What an eventful year," Daphne mused as she sipped from a steaming mug of pumpkin juice and crossed her legs under her. "Hopefully the rest of it will be a little more peaceful."
Theo raised his own cup. "To relaxation as we try to study for exams! Actually, who I am I kidding? I probably won't study."
"How am I supposed to study five months worth of curriculum in a few weeks? I'm going to get 'Trolls' on all of my exams. Maybe a 'Dreadful' if I'm lucky." Avalon's head was buried in her hands, and she made a sound similar to the one Draco made in the common room after every time Harry Potter caught the snitch, or did anything.
Her prayers were answered, however, when McGonagall and Dumbledore stood up in front of the celebrating school and began to make short speeches.
"In light of recent events, we would first like to award 200 points each to Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley, for their brave and valiant efforts in saving not only the life of Ginny Weasley, but our beloved school and every person who calls its walls home." No one was very surprised by the announcement, seeing as it had happened the year before. "My second announcement is one that will delight all of you, I'm sure. As a school treat, all end-of-the-year exams have been canceled."
Cheers and whoops could be heard throughout the Great Hall, and Theo knocked over two goblets of orange juice in his excitement, neither of which was his. Blaise and Draco glared and tried to mop up the offending juice from their plates.
"Thank Merlin," Avalon breathed.
Dumbledore stepped up next. "I also have an announcement. Professor Lockhart, our esteemed Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, will be unable to return to his position next year, owing to the fact that he needs to go away and get his memory back."
The cheers weren't as loud as the previous time, but it was clear that a lot of people were excited that he would be leaving. Blaise wiped away a single tear and placed his hand over his heart. "This is the gift that keeps on giving."
A few moments later, Avalon stood up. "I'll be back guys," she said. "I want to say hello to Neville."
"I make no promises to save any food for you," Theo, with his mouth full of food, called to her retreating back, but she was already gone and didn't respond. Or it was possible she just ignored him because turning around would have meant getting an eyeful of his half-chewed meal.
Over at the Gryffindor table, Neville seemed surprised to see Avalon. He was sure she would have still been mad at him, but she threw her arms around his neck and he apologized and she apologized and by that time the following year, neither of them could remember why they had stopped being friends in the first place. "I'm glad you're all right," said Neville.
"Me too," said Avalon. She had missed him as much as she missed Daphne. "I'll see you tomorrow." She turned to leave before noticing Finnigan sitting on Neville's other side, in the middle of a conversation with Dean Thomas. The latter nudged Finnigan, and he turned to see what his best mate was looking at.
"Oh. Hi, Steele."
"Hello Finnigan."
The other Gryffindors were beginning to stare at this point. This was the part where one of them insulted the other, those watching had all seen the show enough times to know how this rerun was going to end. But there was a twist. To the surprise of everyone in their immediate vicinity, neither said a word. Instead, Avalon took two steps forward and hugged Finnigan. And he hugged her back.
Neville looked down the table at Dean. "What's happening?"
"No idea."
After their shocking hug, neither Avalon nor Finnigan looked like anything out of the ordinary had happened. Avalon went back to the Slytherin table, and he began to scoop fried sausages onto his plate. "Is there something you're not telling us?" Neville asked.
"No."
Dean turned to Harry Potter across the table. "If you go to the Slytherin table and hug Malfoy, well know that the world has officially gone crazy."
And they all laughed.
A/N: Aha, here we are, the end of second year! Prepare for some summer shenanigans (and a break from the "Seavalon" I've been shoving down your throats throughout her second year haha). Anyway, drop a comment below, and I'll see you guys soon for the next update.
