Anne POV
I was quietly perched on the edge of my bed, awaiting Harry to wake up. I hugged Rose tightly to my chest in an attempt to calm myself. My tears had long since dried and I feared Severus would try to speak with me again. Why couldn't he just understand, that was the one thing I didn't want to talk about?
Severus suddenly walked into the room and saw me sitting on the bed. I know he noticed my red, puffy face, but he didn't ask me. For that I was grateful. He stalked over to Harry's bed and gently shook him awake. Harry jumped, but immediately calmed when he saw who was hovering above him. Harry sat up in bed and looked over to me curiously. It was quite obvious he was going to ask about the state my face was in, but Severus diverted him before he could.
" I need the two of you to get dressed quickly. No dwandling. We need to go down to the hospital wing before breakfast. I need to drop off some potions for her and she is going to give you both a check up." We both nodded, but I suspected he had ulterior motives. I scrambled off my bed, grabbed a pair of clothes, and raced to the loo. I didn't want Harry to know anything was wrong.
When I entered the loo and locked the door behind me, I looked at my face in the mirror. It wasn't as bad as I thought. I splashed some cold water on my face to bring down the swelling. I looked at the outfit I grabbed, it was a dress with a blue top and green chevron designs on the skirt. The shoes were blue leather gladiator sandals. I left my hair to hang in ringlets down past my waist. I brushed my teeth quickly and opened the door to find Harry waiting outside. I quickly slid out of the way and scampered off into the living room. I seated myself on the edge of the couch across from the armchair Severus sat in.
We settled ourselves in a comfortable silence. I listened to the cackling of the fire while he read a newspaper. I could feel him occasionally glancing at me. Harry finally sauntered into the room. When Severus noticed Harry in the room, he immediately stood and motioned for me to follow.
" Severus? I was wondering if I could see that." I pointed to the newspaper he held. He looked at me curiously, " I would rather not. This is an adult newspaper. Not fit for children, Anne." I looked at him intently, making sure he knew I didn't believe him. Not one bit. He cast one more glance at me and proceeded to the Hospital Wing with a confused Harry on his trail. I followed behind, not wishing to get into trouble.
Severus quickly strode down the halls. It was a struggle for Harry and I to keep up as our legs were much less than half the size of his. He walked with purpose. I wonder if he's angry with me for not speaking to him last night or asking for the newspaper this morning. We eventually entered the hospital.
" Poppy?" Severus called into the empty hospital. " Oh, Severus, you're here." She came bustling out of her office carrying a book and some vials. " Sit down on those beds, children. I'll be with you in a moment. Severus, in here, please." She motioned towards the office and he swept in. Poppy conjured curtains around Harry's bed and then mine. I hoped he wouldn't come in and talk to me.
Poppy POV
Severus looked unsettled about something, so I called him into my office leaving the children outside.
" So, what has your wand in a knot this morning?" I asked him this and looked confused. Most people can't read his face as well as Albus and I.
" Whatever do you mean?" He asked coolly, keeping his composure.
" I mean, you look like you do after you've dealt with a first year's potions class." He glared at me, but explained non the less, " Anne is upset with me. I know why. When I spoke to her last night . . . and then this morning she asked to see the profit. I would've given it to her, but you know the Ministry has been writing about them. I don't want her to know anything further than what she heard last night." I understood.
" Do you want me to speak with her? Maybe it would be easier." He shook his head.
" No, I need to do it. Just do the test. Hopefully we are wrong and this whole situation was just our imagination playing tricks on us." I nodded and rested my hand on his shoulder before striding out the door. I first went to Harry's bed. I slid in past the curtain. Harry sat on the bed calmly, but openly confused.
" Are you alright, dear?" I asked as I cast a silencing charm around us. He smiled at me and nodded, " I'm fine, ma'am. But Severus and Anne have both been acting . . . odd. Do you know why?"
" I have an idea, but that's for you to speak with them about, isn't it?" He nodded once more. " Ok, I need you to take these three potions. This one is a nutrient replenisher, this one will help your bones, and this will help with your stunted growth. I know they are vile tasting, but you need them." He downed all three vials with a disgusted look upon his face. I picked up the book I brought in with me. The thought occurred to me that he seemed the most scared yesterday when I mentioned their baths. I needed to test him, too. I smiled at him and placed my hand over his, " Alright dear, I need to do a quick test . . . to check for other . . . internal damage I might have missed." Harry smiled back at me. I raised my wand and cast the test. I pointed my wand at the parchment I brought with the book. I decided I would wait till I was back with Severus to read the results. " Alright, stay in here. I'm going to go test your sister." I slid out of Harry's makeshift room and into Anne's.
" Hello, Anne. How are you this morning?" She looked up to me, her eyes faintly pink. She'd been crying. " I'm fine." She's indefinitely lying. I explained to her as I did to Harry what each of the vials purposes were. She gagged as she swallowed them. " Now dearie, I just need to perform a test on you. I just completed Harry's. It'll only take a moment, then I'm going to speak with Severus." I smiled at her and she looked nothing less than suspicious, " What's the test for?"
" Underlying injuries. Injuries I might have missed yesterday." She seemed to relax a bit and nodded for me to proceed. I proceeded to perform the test and pointed my wand at the parchment. The verdict from both tests lie on that sheet. I smiled once more and swept out of the curtains back to my office. Severus sat at my desk looker paler than normal. " I've done the test, Severus. I've yet to read the results. Do you . . . ?" He nodded and snatched the paper from me. He opened the parchment, while I awaited a sign of the results.