34
The infirmary door clicked open, and good luck for the boy under the cloak, the matron was at the far end of the room tending to Professor Snape, who was indeed awake and sounded none too impressed at the circumstances. I fact, his blue streak was one to put Draco's tirade in the Slytherin dorms to shame. He seemed to be ranting at the top of his lungs about being held against his will, illegal curses and never drinking fire whiskey again. Draco stopped for a moment, wondering how badly the injuries had affected his beloved mentor, and wondering at the old adage that nothing ever stays the same. He hoped fervently that the professor was just really cranky, confused or possibly under the effects of some spell or potions which he knew nothing about. As it was, Draco slunk to the other side of the room as Madame Pomfrey finished a silencing spell over the raving Slytherin, stating that all the commotion was bad for the other patient who was in a fragile state.
Draco had assumed that Cassandra would awaken and be quite fine, but as he approached the girl's bed, he realized he had been completely wrong. She was ashen, and her face wracked with pain. He wondered if it would not have been kinder for her to be left in the coma, unable to feel whatever torture was going on in her body. She was still rasping for air, a blue tinge to her pursed lips. His memory flashed back malevolently to his father - rather, Lucious- explaining carefully in detail what it was like to cast the Cruciatus curse and the lingering after affects. It had been a highly effective warning at the time, and Draco had done his best not to warrant such an extreme reaction from his father. Breaking bones or being kicked down the stairwell was one thing, this, entirely another.
Dodging quickly off to the side as Madame Pomfrey bustled by oblivious to him, and he scowled at the thought that had it been Professor Snape, he would have been acutely aware of his presence lurking in the corner. The castle seemed far more dangerous without the menacing potion master lurking about, and Draco decided he better be more vigilant about watching over his two friends. He watched with curiosity as the Medi-witch fussed about and administered various spells and counter-curses. He watched with great interest as she took out, of all things, a syringe from the hospital and administered some kind of clear liquid into her arm.
"Well, that will keep one problem at bay" the old woman smiled, pushing Cassandra's dark hair off her sweating brow. "No more seizures for you today dear girl." Draco rocked back on his heels in shocked silence. Had the potions she'd been given caused her to have seizures? At that moment Professor Dumbledore came in to talk to Madame Pomfrey.
"How is she, Poppy? I can see that Severus is working his way back to normalcy, but what of the girl? Does she have any long-term side effects from the toxins?"
"Oh Albus, she was coming out of it well, and then she started having a massive Epileptic fit like the one she had the night Severus brought her to me. She even stopped breathing; it was most terrible for the child! I have her back on her regular medications regardless or the risk to her magical abilities. I'd rather her a squib than dead!"
"I would tend to agree with you Poppy, although I would prefer that she returned to her normal studious self above all. Now, let's take that silencing spell off of our Severus over there and see whether or not he's coherent. People with head injuries can be most outspoken when they first regain consciousness, and I'd be interested n hearing his opinion on everything that is going on around here." Chuckling to himself, the old man headed over to the corner where the outraged but silent Potions Master lay.
Draco rocked back on his haunches stunned. Seizures? Epilepsy? Epilepsy!!!!!! Wasn't that a MUGGLE disorder??? Wasn't that what their crappy potions year-end assignment was about?? How could Cassandra have ever would up catching THAT disease of all things.. He had to go and talk to Hermione, and talk to her immediately. Surely she would have some answers for him, since she and Harry had done all of the work on the project at this point. She was a Mudblood anyways.. She would know about such things. He sent one last baleful look at his fallen love, and slunk out the infirmary door to solve this disturbing mystery just as Professor Dumbledore lifted the silencing spell.
The infirmary door clicked open, and good luck for the boy under the cloak, the matron was at the far end of the room tending to Professor Snape, who was indeed awake and sounded none too impressed at the circumstances. I fact, his blue streak was one to put Draco's tirade in the Slytherin dorms to shame. He seemed to be ranting at the top of his lungs about being held against his will, illegal curses and never drinking fire whiskey again. Draco stopped for a moment, wondering how badly the injuries had affected his beloved mentor, and wondering at the old adage that nothing ever stays the same. He hoped fervently that the professor was just really cranky, confused or possibly under the effects of some spell or potions which he knew nothing about. As it was, Draco slunk to the other side of the room as Madame Pomfrey finished a silencing spell over the raving Slytherin, stating that all the commotion was bad for the other patient who was in a fragile state.
Draco had assumed that Cassandra would awaken and be quite fine, but as he approached the girl's bed, he realized he had been completely wrong. She was ashen, and her face wracked with pain. He wondered if it would not have been kinder for her to be left in the coma, unable to feel whatever torture was going on in her body. She was still rasping for air, a blue tinge to her pursed lips. His memory flashed back malevolently to his father - rather, Lucious- explaining carefully in detail what it was like to cast the Cruciatus curse and the lingering after affects. It had been a highly effective warning at the time, and Draco had done his best not to warrant such an extreme reaction from his father. Breaking bones or being kicked down the stairwell was one thing, this, entirely another.
Dodging quickly off to the side as Madame Pomfrey bustled by oblivious to him, and he scowled at the thought that had it been Professor Snape, he would have been acutely aware of his presence lurking in the corner. The castle seemed far more dangerous without the menacing potion master lurking about, and Draco decided he better be more vigilant about watching over his two friends. He watched with curiosity as the Medi-witch fussed about and administered various spells and counter-curses. He watched with great interest as she took out, of all things, a syringe from the hospital and administered some kind of clear liquid into her arm.
"Well, that will keep one problem at bay" the old woman smiled, pushing Cassandra's dark hair off her sweating brow. "No more seizures for you today dear girl." Draco rocked back on his heels in shocked silence. Had the potions she'd been given caused her to have seizures? At that moment Professor Dumbledore came in to talk to Madame Pomfrey.
"How is she, Poppy? I can see that Severus is working his way back to normalcy, but what of the girl? Does she have any long-term side effects from the toxins?"
"Oh Albus, she was coming out of it well, and then she started having a massive Epileptic fit like the one she had the night Severus brought her to me. She even stopped breathing; it was most terrible for the child! I have her back on her regular medications regardless or the risk to her magical abilities. I'd rather her a squib than dead!"
"I would tend to agree with you Poppy, although I would prefer that she returned to her normal studious self above all. Now, let's take that silencing spell off of our Severus over there and see whether or not he's coherent. People with head injuries can be most outspoken when they first regain consciousness, and I'd be interested n hearing his opinion on everything that is going on around here." Chuckling to himself, the old man headed over to the corner where the outraged but silent Potions Master lay.
Draco rocked back on his haunches stunned. Seizures? Epilepsy? Epilepsy!!!!!! Wasn't that a MUGGLE disorder??? Wasn't that what their crappy potions year-end assignment was about?? How could Cassandra have ever would up catching THAT disease of all things.. He had to go and talk to Hermione, and talk to her immediately. Surely she would have some answers for him, since she and Harry had done all of the work on the project at this point. She was a Mudblood anyways.. She would know about such things. He sent one last baleful look at his fallen love, and slunk out the infirmary door to solve this disturbing mystery just as Professor Dumbledore lifted the silencing spell.