Chapter 10 - Calm After the Storm
Barney woke in the unfamiliar surrounds of the hospital wing of Hogwarts. He could tell it was morning from the light shining through the windows. He sat up and looked around the room and it seemed pretty quiet. There were eight beds but there seemed to only be one other patient who had bright purple spots on his face. Barney was glad to see no one else was in their with injuries from the tornado.
The school nurse, Madame Pomfrey, came over seeing that Barney was now awake.
"How are you feeling Mr West?"
"A little bruised and battered," he replied as he stretched out his legs and felt some pain.
"You were lucky that you weren't more seriously injured. But if you drink this potion it will help with the pain."
Madame Pomfrey poured a putrid green coloured liquid into a small glass and handed it to Barney. It didn't look appetising.
"Best not to smell it and drink it down in one," Pomfrey suggested.
Barney did just that and just about managed not to throw it back up again as Madame Pomfrey walked off before coming back again with a tray and placed in on his bed.
"You've missed breakfast so here's some porridge and orange juice for you. Once you've eaten this you can get back to your classes. You'll have missed first period but you can go straight to your second lesson of the day, which I believe is History of Magic."
'Great' Barney thought to himself. Why couldn't he have stayed in the hospital wing longer and missed another boring lesson with Professor Binns.
"Excuse me?" Barney called out after Madame Pomfrey had started to walk away. "How's the librarian?"
"Madame Pince? She's fine. A little shook up but no injuries. She's more devastated by the state of the library and the damage done to all the books."
"Where did the tornado come from?"
Madame Pomfrey had now returned to the side of Barney's bed as he began to eat his porridge.
"Well they're still trying to figure that out but I'm sure they'll get to the bottom of it soon. And that reminds me, the headmistress wants to talk to you to see what you remember about the incident. She said she'd call for you when she's ready."
Barney felt worried. Even though he'd done nothing wrong he didn't like the thought of being summoned by the headmistress. Plus he didn't think he actually had any information that could be useful. He never saw how or where the tornado had started in the library.
Barney finished his breakfast and got dressed into his robes which were laid neatly on the chair beside him, having been cleaned overnight by the elves. As he was doing up his tie he noticed a paper bag on the bedside cabinet with a note attached to it. He picked it up as Madame Pomfrey came back to clear away his breakfast things.
"Oh yes you had some visitors last night. They were very worried about you indeed."
Barney opened the note and started to read it -
Hi Barney, hope you get better soon. Can't believe you've survived being attacked by a tornado and it's only your first week of school! Here's some treacle toffee to make you feel better. Come find us when you're feeling better so we can all hang out. From Thomas and Tabs
Barney was massively cheered up by the note and couldn't wait to see both of them again. He made his way to his class and ate some of the treacle toffee, which was delicious, and managed to put him in a good mood for his History of Magic lesson.
The lesson as it turned out wasn't as boring as he'd expected. Mainly because no one actually wanted to listen to Professor Binns. Instead all the Slytherin first years suddenly wanted to speak to Barney and had hundreds of questions for him about the incident in the library.
"Where did it come from?"
"What did it look like?"
"Were you scared?"
"Is it true someone got their head knocked off by a flying book?"
Barney tried his best to answer as many questions as he could even though to be honest he couldn't really remember that much. But he was glad that the Slytherins were talking to him now. All that is except Silvanna who continued to give him the silent treatment and looks of disgust. And she seemed extremely annoyed that Maximille and Everard joined in with the questioning of Barney.
Professor Binns continued with the lesson as normal, not even seeming to notice no one was listening to him. When the lesson ended most of the Slytherins headed to the common room as they had a free period. But Barney, not wanting to be bombarded with more questions, headed outside for some fresh air.
He was making his way towards the lake when a voice called out from behind him.
"Good ter see yeh back on yeh feet Barney. We were all worried 'bout yeh."
Barney turned to see the the huge form of Hagrid approaching behind him with a beaming smile just about visible under his shaggy beard and his dog at his side, who headed straight for Barney and proceeded to lick him playfully.
"Thanks Hagrid," Barney replied, slightly irked by all the slobber he was now covered in.
"Now stop that Fang," Hagrid called out but Fang took no notice. "Not in lessons?"
"I've got a free period now."
"Ah why don't yeh come ter my hut an' have a cup of tea. Yeh can see how little Hubert is gettin' along."
"Hubert?" Barney asked.
"Oh yeah I named the Minx Goblin Hubert, the little fella needed a proper name."
Barney happily headed off with Hagrid and Fang to the hut, knowing he'd be well away from the Slytherins and their probing questions there. Hagrid put the kettle on and placed a plate of cookies on the table and then lifted Hubert's cage up and put it on the table too before opening the cage door. Hubert seemed a little shy at first, staying all wrapped up in his blanket inside the cage but soon came out. Barney picked up a cookie but then on closer examination had second thoughts having noticed green specs in it. Instead he broke off a piece and held out in his hand to Hubert who willing took it and started to eat it.
As they drank their tea Barney was glad that Hagrid didn't seem instead in the incident in the library and instead they talked about how Hubert had been getting along and then Barney told Hagrid about how he'd been finding his first couple of days of lesson and what ones were already his favourite and least favourite.
After his free period was over Barney said goodbye and left Hagrid's hut and returned to the castle to grab some lunch. As he entered the Great Hall he was nearly knocked off his feet as Tabitha rushed up and gave him a big hug.
"I'm so happy you're OK," she said as she squeezed him so tightly he couldn't breath.
"Thanks," he just about managed to get out as he gasped for breath.
Tabitha released him from her grip as Barney noticed Thomas was behind her.
"Glad to see you back on your feet," Thomas said. "When we visited you in the hospital you didn't look too good."
"It will take more than a few flying books to stop me," he joked. "And thanks for visiting me and bring me the treacle toffee."
Tabitha grabbed a napkin and a handful of sandwiches and then grabbed Barney's hand. "Come on lets got eat outside."
Thomas followed as Tabitha led them to the courtyard. There were a few students about but it wasn't too busy and they took a seat around the fountain and ate their sandwiches. Tabitha and Thomas asked a few questions about the incident in the library, which Barney didn't mind telling them about. But then the topic quickly changed to the rest of school life and Barney told them about Silvanna calling him a 'mudblood' during their flying lesson.
"That's awful, I'm so glad she got detention. She should have been expelled." Tabitha retorted, before explaining to a puzzled Thomas what a mudblood was.
When lunch was over Barney was sad to be leaving his friends and spending double Transfiguration with just the Slytherins. But he was glad of the chance to see Professor Featherstone as he'd been told it was him who had stopped the tornado so he was pleased to have chance to thank him.
When he got to class he took a seat next to Marek from his dorm and was grateful to see he didn't mind him sitting next to him now. Maybe being struck by a tornado wasn't such a bad thing to happen to him if it made the Slytherins like him a bit.
The lesson was spent learning about the Transfiguration alphabet and then once again trying to transfigure an object. This time it was turning a spoon into a hammer. A few people in the class actually managed it this time and Barney was pleased with his effort when he turned his spoon into a fork. He was definitely making progress.
When class ended and everyone began to leave, Barney made his way to Professor Featherstone who was sorting books on his desk.
"Excuse me professor?"
"Ah Barney. How are you feeling? I was so happy to see you in class. Didn't know how long Madame Pomfrey would insist on you staying in the hospital for."
"A little sore but feeling much better thanks. And thank you for saving me."
"Any time. What sort of a teacher would I be if I didn't look after my students. I only wish I'd got there sooner. Some of the damage to the library is irreparable. Madame Pince is devastated."
"Oh really?" Barney asked but before Professor Featherstone could answer someone was at the door of the classroom.
"Yes Miss Dodcott?" Featherstone called out to the girl at the door.
The girl had short brown hair, a little button nose and Barney could see she wore the Gryffindor colours and had a prefects badge on.
"I was looking for Barney. The headmistress has asked to see him now," she replied.
"Well I will see you for our next lesson next week. Try to stay out of trouble till then," Featherstone said with a cheeky wink to Barney.
Barney headed off with the prefect who led the way to the headmistress' office.
"Do they know how it started yet?" Barney asked as they walked through the school corridors.
"I think they've got a good idea. They've been speaking to everyone who was in the library at the time."
"Have they spoken to Maximille and Everard from my year yet?" Barney asked.
"No. Were they in the library then?"
"Oh no they left before it happened so probably wouldn't be much help."
"Well maybe mention it to McGonagall because they might have noticed something before they left."
They headed up a staircase and down another corridor and came to a giant stone gargoyle.
"Quidditch," the prefect called out and the gargoyle began to rotate. "Go on in."
Barney hesitantly took a step into the opening. The stone floor he stepped on suddenly began to rise up as a staircase emerged from the ground and followed the gargoyle as it turned and headed upwards. The staircase eventually stopped as Barney was faced with the headmistresses office in front of him. It was a large circular room with the walls adorned with portraits of past headmasters and headmistresses though a couple of the portraits were empty. On the many tables and in the numerous cabinets around the room were various strange objects and ornaments and mounted on one wall was a broom. In the centre of the room was a large wooden desk, which had laid on it a jug, two glasses and some cauldron cakes.
"Care for some pumpkin juice Mr West?" a voice called out from one of the cupboards as the jug raised itself up and started to pour.
Professor McGonagall emerged from the cupboard carrying a handful of parchment which she placed on her desk and took a seat and motioned for Barney to sit also.
"How are you feeling Barney?"
"Better thank you," Barney replied as the glass of pumpkin juice moved itself in front of him and the plate of cakes also slide within reach and he picked one up before the plate moved towards McGonagall.
"It's a miracle no one was more seriously injured. What do you remember about it all?"
"It's all quite hazy actually. I remember hearing a weird hissing noise and then people started screaming and running. Everything after that is all a bit blurry. I remember books falling off shelves and then seeing the tornado then everything was complete chaos. I remember the bookcase falling on me and then waking up in the hospital wing."
"It all sound pretty harrowing. We were lucky Professor Featherstone turned up when he did or who knows what would have happened."
Barney took a sip of his juice and placed his half eaten cake on the table.
"You don't remember anything strange beforehand or anyone acting suspiciously?" McGonagall asked.
Barney thought about telling her about Maximille and Everard being there, but thought better of it. His relations with the Slytherins looked like they were improving and he didn't want to jeopardize that. Plus they only seemed to be taking a book and had nothing to do with the tornado.
"No it was pretty quiet in the library. I was reading a book and didn't notice anything else," he lied.
"Very well then," McGonagall replied with a slight doubtful look on her face.
Barney didn't like lying to the headmistress and felt overly guilty so he quickly tried to move the conversation on.
"I hear the damage to the library is quite bad?"
"Yes well the magic used in the tornado was quite destructive. And some of the books were very old and fragile. It's not just a case of using magic to repair the books, not when this kind of dark magic is used. Some of the books will take months to mend and it will be a painstakingly slow process. And some of the books I'm afraid are beyond repair. So much knowledge lost for future generations."
"Who would have done something like that?" Barney asked.
"That is something we are still trying to determine. I just hope it was a practical joke gone too far and not someone deliberately trying to destroy school property. But believe me we will find out who it was and when we do that person or persons will be severely punished. Talking of punishments I wanted to talk to you about what happen in your flying class yesterday."
"Oh that."
"Yes that," retorted McGonagall. "Hogwarts does not tolerate the kind of language Miss Silvas used nor does it tolerate bullying or discrimination in any form. I had strong words with Miss Silvas and sent a letter home to her father. And she is aware if she ever uses that word again she will be expelled so please come to me straight away if she does."
Barney remind silent and looked a bit bashful, trying to avoid eye contact with McGonagall.
"Barney I understand it must be hard coming to Hogwarts when you're not from a wizarding family. But every year we have students who do and they go on to be accomplished wizards and witches so please don't ever feel like you don't belong here and certainly don't ever let anyone tell you that you don't."
"Thanks. It's just a lot harder than I thought it would be. I'm struggling in most of my classes and I didn't manage to get my broom off the ground in my flying lesson."
McGonagall stood up from her seat and walked over to the broomstick mounted on the wall.
"This broom here is the broom I rode when I captained Gryffindor to the Quidditch cup during my time as a student at Hogwarts," she said as she looked longingly at the broom before turning back to Barney. "It took me three lessons before I managed to get my broom off the ground. I was the last in my class to do so. But once I was up, there was no stopping me."
"Really?" Barney asked with a look of hope emerging on his face.
"Indeed. And Professor Sprout tells me you excelled in your first Herbology class this week."
Barney started to feel better about himself. Though his first few days at Hogwarts hadn't gone smoothly there was still a long way to go and he had plenty of time to improve. And no one can be great at every subject.
"See. We'll make a fine young wizard out of you don't you worry Barney. Now you can run along. Dinner will be served shortly and I believe you have your first Astronomy lesson tonight?"
Barney had completely forgotten he had another class at midnight that night. With everything that had happened to him he was feeling tired and didn't fancy staying up late. After leaving McGonagall's office he headed to the Great Hall for dinner then went straight to the hospital wing after and spoke to Madame Pomfrey. After convincing her that he needed an early night she said she would speak to Professor Sinistra and he would be fine to miss his first astronomy lesson.
Barney returned back to the Slytherin common, which was a hub of activity with students chatting, playing games and practicing their magic. Barney was glad of the commotion as it meant he could slip by and head straight to his dorm without being noticed and avoid any questions from the students who had yet to have chance to probe him on the incident in the library. He showered and changed for bed and was almost glad to get into his uncomfortable bed in his dormitory.
Though he had wanted an early night he stayed a wake for ages thinking about what had happened the day before. And when he finally did get to sleep he had terrifying dreams about bewitched books chasing him and being sucked into tornados.