Chapter 14 – Hospital Wing
Liz awoke in a warm and fluffy bed. For a minute she didn't open her eyes and waited for her ears to turn on. Soon she heard, "I don't believe she hasn't woken up yet...what's wrong..."
Liz's eyes snapped open. Rachel, Michael, and Chris were sitting in chairs around her bed. Madame Lesille bustled around in the background. All three of her friends looked pretty well beaten up. Rachel had a round bump on the back of her head, and she winced when she touched it. Michael's hair was burnt on the top from the spell he had protected Liz from, and he had a long scratch down his cheek. Chris looked the worst. He had dried blood pooling from his nostrils, and there were scrapes and scratches all over his face, one long one covered by a bandage.
"You're awake," Rachel said, relieved. "I was getting worried! We," she added quickly, "were getting worried."
"Professors Weasley and McGonagall came in here," said Chris. "We were only Stunned, so they woke us up, but McGonagall said you needed your rest."
Liz sat up. Her head felt heavy. "What happened?"
"Hagrid got up and saw her," said Michael, pointing. For the first time, Liz noticed that the woman called Pansy Parkinson was unconscious in another of the hospital wing. "The Dragon was nowhere to be found. Hagrid went up to McGonagall's office and knocked all the kids out of the way."
"Where are they?" Liz asked.
"After she got Snape to get some Snap potion, McGonagall conjured all these beds for the Great Hall. Then her and Hagrid went to go get all the rest of them," Rachel said. "Then they came up here, woke us up, and interviewed her about what happened."
"So...what happened?"
"Well, after she woke up, the Dragon was gone," said Chris. "He abandoned her. She'll be spending a week in St. Mungo's and years in Azkaban for this one."
"So no one's hypnotized anymore?" said Liz, lying back down.
"No one," said Rachel.
Liz was about to mention to mention the stag, but then she remembered they hadn't been awake when it had injured the Dragon. And if he had been wounded, where had he gone? He couldn't Apparate or Disapparate inside the grounds, so that was ruled out. Pondering this made her head spin, so she tried to stop.
Chris noticed. "Are you feeling all right?"
"What? Oh, yes, fine, just a headache."
"Yeah, me too." He grinned. "But we stopped 'em, didn't we? You and Rachel and Michael and me."
"Mostly you," said Liz.
"How's that?" he asked, confused.
"Without your Snap potion, they would have strangled us. See? You can do it. I told you."
Chris turned red. "I guess so. We can continue next year, if you want."
"Only if you're up to it."
He nodded.
Madame Lesille came over. "Good, you're awake. Drink this." She handed a bottled potion to Liz. "I considered giving it to you earlier, but I didn't fancy using a funnel."
Liz nearly choked on her potion. Rachel laughed.
"So how're all the students take it?" asked Liz, taking another sip of her potion. It tasted like watermelon.
"Oh, fine. A couple of the first-years started crying, but Mum said your cousin Nora thought all of it a great adventure. I reckon she's off her rocker, you know?" said Michael thoughtfully.
"Probably," Liz agreed. "But she's still really sweet, even if she is a little...you know, odd."
Right on cue, the door opened. It was Nora, closely followed by her brother Carl, who Liz had only said hi to in the halls. Nora stumbled on the hem of her robes, which were too long for her, and took an unoccupied chair next to Liz's bed. Carl stood behind her.
"We heard what happened," Carl said, a bit unnecessarily.
"And we came to see how you are," said Nora.
"I'm fine," Liz replied. "Who told you?"
"McGonagall, I expect," said Rachel.
"Yeah, it was her," said Carl. "We were thinking you'd like to meet our dad. Your uncle. Y'know, your mum's brother. Maybe we can meet up in Diagon Alley."
"Maybe so," said Liz, grinning. "I'd like that." For once she didn't cringe at the mention of her mother, for she was convinced that her mother was alive, even if no one else believed her. At this thought, Liz cast a glance at Chris, who noticed nothing out of the ordinary.
Liz spent the next week in the hospital wing, more because she didn't want to see everybody else than she was hurt. At last she had to leave to make room for a Slytherin boy who had fallen down the stairs. She gave up her separation from prodding eyes reluctantly.
"This took Nilworg—oh, er, um, Pansy Parkinson to St. Mungo's today," said Michael. "Mum told me. They had to do a full Body-Bind on her before they left, so she wouldn't try to escape. Isn't that wicked?"
"Serves her right," Liz said. "After all she'd done this year, I'm glad to see her go."
The rumors behind Nilworg/Parkinson flew everywhere, but the ones following the Dragon and Liz were enormous. Somehow, people seemed to think that, all by herself, Liz had taken out all the first- and second-year Gryffindors, revived Hagrid, and beaten the Dragon and Parkinson, again all by herself (none of the rumors mentioned where Hagrid was). Another one said that Liz had let the Dragon escape. Professor McGonagall quashed that one thoroughly at the end-of-year feast.
It was two days after the destruction of every copy of Secrets of the Mind. Many people had gladly gotten rid of it, but some of the Slytherins, like Winnie Chen, had been reluctant to give theirs up. Liz loved the end-of- year feast, except for what it represented: the return to the Smiths household for another Emma-filled summer. She sat quietly between Rachel and John as Professor McGonagall spoke.
"It is the end of another year. Surely all of you have learned a bit this year, even if you were hypnotized." Liz saw Jessica Weasley shift uncomfortably in her seat. "And points need to be awarded to the one who stopped this dilemma from becoming out of control."
Liz flushed crimson. Her reputation as a teacher's pet was now engraved in stone.
"I award Elizabeth Potter two hundred points."
The groans of Slytherins, who had taken the Quidditch Cup, were drowned out by an exploding cheer from the Gryffindors, who had now won the House Cup.
The next morning, the Hogwarts Express pulled up. Liz took Luna down from the Owlery and loaded her and Sunny onto the train. Then she, Michael, and Rachel went to say goodbye to Chris and Hagrid.
"You've got to write," said Liz.
Rachel added, "To all of us."
Chris grinned. "I will. You too."
Liz hugged him goodbye, and so did Rachel. Michael shook his hand. Then Hagrid gathered the four of them into a bone-breaking embrace.
"Okay—Hagrid—can't breathe—" Chris choked.
Hagrid finally released them and said goodbye. Chris promised to write one more time, and then they had to leave.
"I really don't want to go home," Liz said. "Emma. Ugh."
"I do. They say third year starts getting hard," said Rachel. "And we'll write. Don't worry."
"You'd better, or I don't know what I'll do. Go mad, probably."
"We'll write," said Michael.
Winnie Chen passed by their compartment, silently boiling. Liz noted that, miraculously, Winnie's black eye still hadn't healed yet. Liz settled back in her chair to think.
Her mother was on her mind. So were new classes and her friends. So were the stag and the Dragon. But her one foremost thought was her incidence with the Snap potion. It had multiplied just as she wished it so. And at that moment she had felt so powerful, strength beyond any imagination. Something was going on, but what? And would she even find out what it was?
Liz dozed off after discussing with Michael and Rachel what Care of Magical Creatures would be like. She woke up when the train jolted to a halt.
"Come on, get off," a passing prefect told them.
They got off and farewells were said, friends were hugged, goodbyes were made final until the end of summer.
"Mum! Dad!" Liz cried, running to them. Emma stood by, looking less thrilled. Liz ignored her.
"You won't believe it, Mum, I have so much to tell you..."
And with that, they passed back into the Muggle world.
Liz awoke in a warm and fluffy bed. For a minute she didn't open her eyes and waited for her ears to turn on. Soon she heard, "I don't believe she hasn't woken up yet...what's wrong..."
Liz's eyes snapped open. Rachel, Michael, and Chris were sitting in chairs around her bed. Madame Lesille bustled around in the background. All three of her friends looked pretty well beaten up. Rachel had a round bump on the back of her head, and she winced when she touched it. Michael's hair was burnt on the top from the spell he had protected Liz from, and he had a long scratch down his cheek. Chris looked the worst. He had dried blood pooling from his nostrils, and there were scrapes and scratches all over his face, one long one covered by a bandage.
"You're awake," Rachel said, relieved. "I was getting worried! We," she added quickly, "were getting worried."
"Professors Weasley and McGonagall came in here," said Chris. "We were only Stunned, so they woke us up, but McGonagall said you needed your rest."
Liz sat up. Her head felt heavy. "What happened?"
"Hagrid got up and saw her," said Michael, pointing. For the first time, Liz noticed that the woman called Pansy Parkinson was unconscious in another of the hospital wing. "The Dragon was nowhere to be found. Hagrid went up to McGonagall's office and knocked all the kids out of the way."
"Where are they?" Liz asked.
"After she got Snape to get some Snap potion, McGonagall conjured all these beds for the Great Hall. Then her and Hagrid went to go get all the rest of them," Rachel said. "Then they came up here, woke us up, and interviewed her about what happened."
"So...what happened?"
"Well, after she woke up, the Dragon was gone," said Chris. "He abandoned her. She'll be spending a week in St. Mungo's and years in Azkaban for this one."
"So no one's hypnotized anymore?" said Liz, lying back down.
"No one," said Rachel.
Liz was about to mention to mention the stag, but then she remembered they hadn't been awake when it had injured the Dragon. And if he had been wounded, where had he gone? He couldn't Apparate or Disapparate inside the grounds, so that was ruled out. Pondering this made her head spin, so she tried to stop.
Chris noticed. "Are you feeling all right?"
"What? Oh, yes, fine, just a headache."
"Yeah, me too." He grinned. "But we stopped 'em, didn't we? You and Rachel and Michael and me."
"Mostly you," said Liz.
"How's that?" he asked, confused.
"Without your Snap potion, they would have strangled us. See? You can do it. I told you."
Chris turned red. "I guess so. We can continue next year, if you want."
"Only if you're up to it."
He nodded.
Madame Lesille came over. "Good, you're awake. Drink this." She handed a bottled potion to Liz. "I considered giving it to you earlier, but I didn't fancy using a funnel."
Liz nearly choked on her potion. Rachel laughed.
"So how're all the students take it?" asked Liz, taking another sip of her potion. It tasted like watermelon.
"Oh, fine. A couple of the first-years started crying, but Mum said your cousin Nora thought all of it a great adventure. I reckon she's off her rocker, you know?" said Michael thoughtfully.
"Probably," Liz agreed. "But she's still really sweet, even if she is a little...you know, odd."
Right on cue, the door opened. It was Nora, closely followed by her brother Carl, who Liz had only said hi to in the halls. Nora stumbled on the hem of her robes, which were too long for her, and took an unoccupied chair next to Liz's bed. Carl stood behind her.
"We heard what happened," Carl said, a bit unnecessarily.
"And we came to see how you are," said Nora.
"I'm fine," Liz replied. "Who told you?"
"McGonagall, I expect," said Rachel.
"Yeah, it was her," said Carl. "We were thinking you'd like to meet our dad. Your uncle. Y'know, your mum's brother. Maybe we can meet up in Diagon Alley."
"Maybe so," said Liz, grinning. "I'd like that." For once she didn't cringe at the mention of her mother, for she was convinced that her mother was alive, even if no one else believed her. At this thought, Liz cast a glance at Chris, who noticed nothing out of the ordinary.
Liz spent the next week in the hospital wing, more because she didn't want to see everybody else than she was hurt. At last she had to leave to make room for a Slytherin boy who had fallen down the stairs. She gave up her separation from prodding eyes reluctantly.
"This took Nilworg—oh, er, um, Pansy Parkinson to St. Mungo's today," said Michael. "Mum told me. They had to do a full Body-Bind on her before they left, so she wouldn't try to escape. Isn't that wicked?"
"Serves her right," Liz said. "After all she'd done this year, I'm glad to see her go."
The rumors behind Nilworg/Parkinson flew everywhere, but the ones following the Dragon and Liz were enormous. Somehow, people seemed to think that, all by herself, Liz had taken out all the first- and second-year Gryffindors, revived Hagrid, and beaten the Dragon and Parkinson, again all by herself (none of the rumors mentioned where Hagrid was). Another one said that Liz had let the Dragon escape. Professor McGonagall quashed that one thoroughly at the end-of-year feast.
It was two days after the destruction of every copy of Secrets of the Mind. Many people had gladly gotten rid of it, but some of the Slytherins, like Winnie Chen, had been reluctant to give theirs up. Liz loved the end-of- year feast, except for what it represented: the return to the Smiths household for another Emma-filled summer. She sat quietly between Rachel and John as Professor McGonagall spoke.
"It is the end of another year. Surely all of you have learned a bit this year, even if you were hypnotized." Liz saw Jessica Weasley shift uncomfortably in her seat. "And points need to be awarded to the one who stopped this dilemma from becoming out of control."
Liz flushed crimson. Her reputation as a teacher's pet was now engraved in stone.
"I award Elizabeth Potter two hundred points."
The groans of Slytherins, who had taken the Quidditch Cup, were drowned out by an exploding cheer from the Gryffindors, who had now won the House Cup.
The next morning, the Hogwarts Express pulled up. Liz took Luna down from the Owlery and loaded her and Sunny onto the train. Then she, Michael, and Rachel went to say goodbye to Chris and Hagrid.
"You've got to write," said Liz.
Rachel added, "To all of us."
Chris grinned. "I will. You too."
Liz hugged him goodbye, and so did Rachel. Michael shook his hand. Then Hagrid gathered the four of them into a bone-breaking embrace.
"Okay—Hagrid—can't breathe—" Chris choked.
Hagrid finally released them and said goodbye. Chris promised to write one more time, and then they had to leave.
"I really don't want to go home," Liz said. "Emma. Ugh."
"I do. They say third year starts getting hard," said Rachel. "And we'll write. Don't worry."
"You'd better, or I don't know what I'll do. Go mad, probably."
"We'll write," said Michael.
Winnie Chen passed by their compartment, silently boiling. Liz noted that, miraculously, Winnie's black eye still hadn't healed yet. Liz settled back in her chair to think.
Her mother was on her mind. So were new classes and her friends. So were the stag and the Dragon. But her one foremost thought was her incidence with the Snap potion. It had multiplied just as she wished it so. And at that moment she had felt so powerful, strength beyond any imagination. Something was going on, but what? And would she even find out what it was?
Liz dozed off after discussing with Michael and Rachel what Care of Magical Creatures would be like. She woke up when the train jolted to a halt.
"Come on, get off," a passing prefect told them.
They got off and farewells were said, friends were hugged, goodbyes were made final until the end of summer.
"Mum! Dad!" Liz cried, running to them. Emma stood by, looking less thrilled. Liz ignored her.
"You won't believe it, Mum, I have so much to tell you..."
And with that, they passed back into the Muggle world.