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Chapter 10

Right after Herbology the dropped their bags off in the common room and headed to Dumbledore's office. Kayla and Hermione both had a bunch of flowers while Harry and Ron had all kind of sweets from Honeydukes'.

Just when they arrived at the gargoyles they heard footsteps behind them. "Hey please wait..." the girl, who Kayla immediately recognized as the Ravenclaw, Zara, they'd met on the train, came running around the corner, panting and holding her sides. Her face was red and a little package was clutched in her hand.

"Could you please give this to Kelsey? I heard what happened yesterday and Professor McGonagall told me that you are going to visit him this afternoon." Zara said, still trying to catch her breath.

"Why don't you come with us and give it to him yourself? I know Kelsey would be happy to see you." Kayla replied smiling at Zara.

"Oh you think really I can come along with you?" Zara asked, looking down at her hands trying to hide how badly she was blushing. Harry turned around and spoke the password and everybody went up the spiral staircase to meet Dumbledore.

"Oh here you are. And who is this? Miss Rawle I see. Well let's get you all going or it will be getting too late for a visit." Dumbledore said smiling at the student with the familiar twinkle in his eyes. One after another everybody entered the fireplace and shouted "St. Mungo's".

Right after the students had left, Dumbledore summoned Snape to his office. "Did you have any luck with Mr Malfoy, Severus?" he asked the potion master.

"I questioned him yesterday, but he insisted he had nothing to do with the explosion" Snape stated. "Then I confronted him with the fact that I have seen the artefact, which was responsible for the incident, in his father's study. All he did was looking innocently and denying everything. Even after I threatened him with Verita Serum he didn't admit it."

The potion master felt his anger rising again.He still could see the malicious smirk on Malfoy's face when he showed him the remains of the nightshadow stone. The boy knew perfectly well that he couldn't punish him for this. He had no solid proof and he couldn't afford to turn Draco's father against him. Lucius was in favour with the Dark Lord and he mustn't give him any reason to give his master strange ideas about killing the unpleasant teacher. Dumbledore was depending on the information Snape was providing, so right now there was nothing he could do. He would have to find a more subtle way of to punish the student.

"This is just what I expected." Dumbledore said thoughtfully.

Kayla stumbled out of the fireplace. Her stomach felt like after half an hour rollercoaster. This was the first time she had travelled with floo powder and it wasn't very pleasant. Holding on to Hermione who was obviously a little dizzy herself she waited until the rest of her friends arrived.

After Zara stepped out of the fireplace they walked up o the information sign next to the reception desk. Kayla stared at a witch, who struggled with her hair which snakelike wrapped them around her neck, trying to strangle her. Right in front of her an old wizard held on to a little girl, who was screaming furiously tripping over a long black beard she had grown.

"He's right here on the ground floor" Ron pointed at the sign above them. "ARTEFACT ACCIDENTS........cauldron explosions, wand backfiring, broom crashes etc" They turned left and headed to the door at the end of the entrance hall.

Violet O'Hara Ward: Serious Burns said a sign over the door.

They entered the ward and walked up to a tiny witch with blue-green curly hair who smiled at them happily. "I assume you're here to visit Kelsey"

"Yes ma'am; could you please show us to his room?" Kayla said shyly holding on tightly to the flowers in her hand. Harry and Kayla followed the tiny witch along the corridor, Hermione, Ron and Zara right on their heals.

Right in front of room #14 the witch suddenly stopped and turned towards Kayla. "He's right in here, my dear. He's still a little weak so please don't stay too long." Kayla nodded and opened the door.

Kelsey was sitting in his bed, half of his face covered with a big, white bandage. The radio on his night stand was playing songs from magical bands, Kayla reckoned, because she didn't recognize them.

"Hello Kelsey, are you feeling better today?" Kayla said, moving forward to Kelsey's bedside. "I have Harry, Ron, Hermione and Zara with me. They wanted to visit you as well. Did the healer tell you anything yet? When will you be able to open your eyes again?"

"Hey everybody, come here and have a seat" Kelsey said happily. His eyes were not hurting so he felt fine, but he was so extremely bored, because he couldn't do anything else but listen to the radio.

"The healer was here for my first treatment early this morning. You all can be glad that I have insisted that the windows stay open at all times, otherwise you all would be puking by now. The stuff she is doing with my eyes smells like dead rat"

He laughed when he gave Kayla's hand an assuring squeeze, wondering how worried she still was. "We got something for you mate", Harry said dumping a large bag in Kelsey's lap. "Chocolate frogs from Ron and me and flowers from the girls".

Kelsey smiled widely and helped himself to a chocolate frog. "I have something for you too, Kelsey" Zara whispered shyly, moving closer to the bed. "Do you remember my journal that I showed you on the Hogwarts Express? I got you a little notebook that works the same way. The cover is charmed and the little mermaids will keep you company. When you are able to see again, you can write in it. The mermaids will only allow you to open it... they recognize your voice".

"This is great Zara. At least now I have somebody to talk to. You can't imagine how boring it is here all alone with nobody else around." Kelsey answered, hugging Zara tightly.

All of a sudden Zara was very interested in her shoes when she mumbled "This was nothing...you are very welcome". She had to admit that he was very charming and good looking. Maybe she would have a chance to get to know him a little better when he got out of the hospital. Dang, why can't he be in Ravenclaw she thought when she smiled at him.

"Zara, my I ask you where you got these books from." Hermione ask the shy Ravenclaw. "

"I come from Penzance; this is in Cornwall. My father is working with everything the sea has to offer. He studies the fauna and flora and their use for potions, talks to merpeople about ancient and long forgotten magic etc. My mom is a muggle. She thinks my dad is a little crazy but she loves him none-the-less"

Kayla laughed when she saw how intrigued Hermione was staring at her. "That sounds very interesting Zara. So you should be top in potions" Kayla assumed.

"No not really. I know quite a lot about potions, but you know that Snape is putting everybody down who is not in his own house" Zara continued while the rest of them nodded in agreement.

"I've always loved to read and to write, so my dad enchanted all the covers of my books in this way to make sure nobody will be messing with it. And the mermaids are really funny sometimes and quite a source of wisdom" Zara explained.

"Hey there's something we need to tell you mate. We have found out something that you will never believe" Harry cried as the fact that Kelsey didn't know about their family connection suddenly hit his mind. "Try me" Kelsey stated, wondering what was going on.