Disclaimer: All things you recognize from the seven Harry Potter books belong to J.K. Rowling. I am merely borrowing for my own entertainment and do not earn anything for writing this story.
A/N: Hi, everyone! Okay. Yes, I'm mean. I left a cliffhanger last chapter, and I didn't update for—what?—two weeks? But now I'm back, though this chapter also has a bit of a cliffhanger ending . . . sorry.
Also, I hope no one thinks Harry is acting weak or anything, because he isn't. He's had a hard life, and now everything is crashing down onto him.
A little warning though: I will probably not update again this month because I'm going to try to get ahead in my writing.
2021.5.15.
A Bloody Hand: Things Just Seem to Happen Together
Chapter 11
Harry woke up slowly. At first, he felt confused, as he was quite certain his bed in his dorm was more comfortable than this one. Then he opened his eyes properly and groaned when he recognized the hospital wing. What had happened this time?
Then everything caught up with him, from the physical health checks to his health check to his crazy run through the hallways and staircases to sleepiness and then . . . blank.
"Oh no," muttered Harry to himself. "Why am I here? Did they catch me?" He sighed to himself. "They must have, or I wouldn't be here." Then a thought struck him. "What about the health check?"
Before he could panic, Madam Pomfrey appeared. She looked worried and angry, but when she saw that he was awake, her face softened and she said gently, "Mr Potter. Good, you're awake." She walked over and raised her wand, waving it about and muttering under her breath.
"Err . . . ma'am?" said Harry uncertainly, still lying down. "What happened?"
She gave him a concerned look and asked, "Don't you remember?"
"Umm . . ." Harry hesitated. "I remember running, and my health check. Then I was tired, and I can't remember anything else."
Madam Pomfrey nodded. "That's fine then," she said, relaxing slightly. "Professor Snape described chasing you and then you . . . fainting, which must be why you can't remember anything after."
"Snape?" said Harry, sitting up in surprise. "What about Professor McGonagall?"
"Professor Snape," corrected Madam Pomfrey. "He caught you when you fainted," she explained. "Your head of house caught up soon after that."
Harry gaped at her. "Sna—I mean, Professor Snape grabbed me?" he asked.
"When you fainted, yes," said Madam Pomfrey, once again brisk. "He had caught up with you moments ago and had grabbed your arms. Then you fainted."
Harry flushed in embarrassment. "He did?" He remembered feeling safe and calm, just before things went blank, and groaned to himself.
"Yes," said Madam Pomfrey. "There is no need to be embarrassed, Potter," she added kindly. "Your body was overwhelmed with . . . everything—the wounds on your back, the panic, the worry, and the run. At least, they're what I assume overwhelmed you and your body and caused you to faint."
"I . . . don't have wounds on my back," said Harry.
"Yes you do," replied Madam Pomfrey, her face softening once again. "Mr Potter, I understand why you ran now—we understand why you ran now. But running won't solve this problem, Potter." She smiled at him, a little sadly. "Now, I'm just going to take a look at your back, see how it's healing—the wounds were slightly infected when we discovered them—and then I'll let the Heads of House and the Headmaster do the explaining."
"What?" squeaked Harry. He couldn't help it. He was so nervous.
"Relax, Potter," said Madam Pomfrey. "Now, turn around, and I'll take a look at your back and apply some more salve."
"What salve?" said Harry.
"Back-Wound Salve," answered Madam Pomfrey. "It works best on wounds on the back and the discomfort is less if you use it on the back, but if you're interested, ask Professor Snape as I am no expert in potions."
"Oh . . ." said Harry, not quite understanding but accepting the answer anyway. Why would a salve work best on the back and not so well on other parts of the body?
"Right." Madam Pomfrey picked up a vial of purplish potion on his bedside table. "Turn around, please."
Harry did so, shifting himself carefully so as to not jostle his body, which had been aching last time he was awake.
Madam Pomfrey pulled the blanket away, to the foot of his bed, and pulled up his shirt. Harry said nothing, his body stilling as he waited for Pomfrey to do whatever she was going to do.
He was still startled when something stung his back though. "What—?"
"Relax," said Madam Pomfrey from behind him. "I'm disinfecting your back."
Harry nodded and relaxed. Soon Pomfrey finished and turned to the bedside table once again. Harry didn't see what she picked up, but a moment later, something cool slid over his back, soothing it.
"This is the salve," explained Pomfrey from behind him. "You have only been asleep for ten hours, so your back isn't completely healed. Your back was mostly healed when we discovered the wounds, but the infection stopped the process and made it worse," she added.
Harry nodded. "I thought it was strange," he said softly. "That I knew my back was almost healed but it seemed to get worse suddenly."
Pomfrey answered at once. "Yes," she said. "Because you were letting the wounds heal by themselves, it would take longer, and if you were extra stressed or tired, it could easily get infected." She paused, and said, "There might be a little scarring, Mr Potter, because we're only treating the wounds now, and these were rather deep."
"Yeah," agreed Harry, "I thought so."
"Not denying it, then?" said Pomfrey. Harry could tell she was surprised.
"No use, is it?" replied Harry, trying hard not to cry.
Pomfrey's hands left his back and she said, "Alright, you can lie back down again."
Harry nodded and lay back on the bed. "Get some more sleep," ordered Pomfrey. "The Headmaster will probably visit you to explain a few things in an hour or so."
She had barely finished when Harry closed his eyes and fell back asleep almost at once, eager to escape reality for a while.
XXX
When Harry next awoke, he wasn't confused at all and was immediately wide awake and sitting up as he thought hard. "They know," he realized, the thought hitting him suddenly and hard. "They know. They know. They know!" He almost stopped breathing. "No!" he screamed.
At once the door to Pomfrey's office was opened, and Professors Flitwick and Sprout stepped out with Madam Pomfrey.
"Potter?" said Sprout gently. "What's wrong?"
But Harry was really panicking now. He didn't know how he had managed to stay calm earlier. "They know!" he repeated to himself, horrified, and with a gasp, pulled his knees to his chest and sobbed in terror. "No, no, please no," he chanted quietly, completely unaware of people calling and speaking to him.
A/N: So what do you think? Is it good?