Chapter 6 - Unhealing Wounds
It was nearly a week before Rebecca returned to the dinner hall. Even then, she looked pale and ill.
She wouldn't talk about what happened. The other Ravenclaw protected her from questions and the curious eyes of others.
Her colour didn't improve with time, but it took Ron being bitten in Magical Creatures to understand why.
The class had been raising horn-toed fatmuth. They were dark blue, scruffy creatures. They began teething and Ron's decided to try those new teeth out on his finger. Needless to say...Harry took Ron up to the medical wing. Madame Pomfrey tutted him for being so foolish.
She waved her wand over him. The cuts began to close. "Sit here, I want to check that in a little bit. Don't fret you'll be able to get started on your weekend soon Mr. Weasley." she pulled the curtain around then and left him.
Harry heard someone else come in. He peeked through a part in the curtain. He saw Rebecca sit up on the furthest bed, the sleeve of her robe rolled up.
"Still no better?" Madame Pomfrey asked. Harry couldn't hear the answer. He watched Madame Pomfrey unwrap Rebecca's arm. The gash was still there. "Does it still give you pain?"
"Harry, what-" Ron started to ask, but Harry waved him quiet. Perhaps Madame Pomfrey had heard him, or perhaps she just wanted to give Rebecca more privacy. Either way, she drew the curtain around Rebecca's bed.
Harry couldn't hear or see anything else. He sat quietly with Ron. It didn't take long before they were told that they could leave. Harry glanced and saw that both Professor Sprout, the herbology teacher, and Araya were also present.
"Well Harry, what was going on?" Ron asked on their way upstairs. Harry let a group of Hufflepuffs pass them.
"I'll tell you when we're in private." Harry said. "It's not something that should become gossip. Let's get Hermione, I want to send a letter."
Harry wrote to Sirius, asking him if anything else was going on in Hogsmead. He also asked if he'd ever heard of a wound like the one Rebecca had. It was the best he could think of, although he suspected that Lupin had already told Sirius much of the details.
"Alright Harry, we can't get more alone...spill." Ron said.
"You remember the wound on Rebecca's arm?" They nodded yes, "It's still there. It hasn't healed any."
"No wonder she's so quiet and sickly." Hermione said,
"But why? Madame Pomfey can heal cuts in no time, so what's going on?" Ron asked.
"I've never read about a wound that couldn't be healed. Why do you think that she hasn't been sent to the Institute of Magical Injuries and Curses?" Hermione asked bewildered.
"You three shouldn't be gossiping about that." Lupin stood in the door, "I thought better of you than to gossip. Please have some respect for her and keep this to yourselves. The poor girl is suffering enough, she doesn't need the whole school talking about her like that."
"Professor Lupin, why is she still here?" Harry asked, "Why hasn't she been sent to get more specialized help?"
"We're consulting them. However, we're trying to make her feel as normal as possible." he said.
"What makes a wound like that?" Hermione asked.
"If we knew that, we'd be able to do more for her." he said evasively. Lupin smiled at them. "Now, please don't mention this to other students."
It was nearly a week before Rebecca returned to the dinner hall. Even then, she looked pale and ill.
She wouldn't talk about what happened. The other Ravenclaw protected her from questions and the curious eyes of others.
Her colour didn't improve with time, but it took Ron being bitten in Magical Creatures to understand why.
The class had been raising horn-toed fatmuth. They were dark blue, scruffy creatures. They began teething and Ron's decided to try those new teeth out on his finger. Needless to say...Harry took Ron up to the medical wing. Madame Pomfrey tutted him for being so foolish.
She waved her wand over him. The cuts began to close. "Sit here, I want to check that in a little bit. Don't fret you'll be able to get started on your weekend soon Mr. Weasley." she pulled the curtain around then and left him.
Harry heard someone else come in. He peeked through a part in the curtain. He saw Rebecca sit up on the furthest bed, the sleeve of her robe rolled up.
"Still no better?" Madame Pomfrey asked. Harry couldn't hear the answer. He watched Madame Pomfrey unwrap Rebecca's arm. The gash was still there. "Does it still give you pain?"
"Harry, what-" Ron started to ask, but Harry waved him quiet. Perhaps Madame Pomfrey had heard him, or perhaps she just wanted to give Rebecca more privacy. Either way, she drew the curtain around Rebecca's bed.
Harry couldn't hear or see anything else. He sat quietly with Ron. It didn't take long before they were told that they could leave. Harry glanced and saw that both Professor Sprout, the herbology teacher, and Araya were also present.
"Well Harry, what was going on?" Ron asked on their way upstairs. Harry let a group of Hufflepuffs pass them.
"I'll tell you when we're in private." Harry said. "It's not something that should become gossip. Let's get Hermione, I want to send a letter."
Harry wrote to Sirius, asking him if anything else was going on in Hogsmead. He also asked if he'd ever heard of a wound like the one Rebecca had. It was the best he could think of, although he suspected that Lupin had already told Sirius much of the details.
"Alright Harry, we can't get more alone...spill." Ron said.
"You remember the wound on Rebecca's arm?" They nodded yes, "It's still there. It hasn't healed any."
"No wonder she's so quiet and sickly." Hermione said,
"But why? Madame Pomfey can heal cuts in no time, so what's going on?" Ron asked.
"I've never read about a wound that couldn't be healed. Why do you think that she hasn't been sent to the Institute of Magical Injuries and Curses?" Hermione asked bewildered.
"You three shouldn't be gossiping about that." Lupin stood in the door, "I thought better of you than to gossip. Please have some respect for her and keep this to yourselves. The poor girl is suffering enough, she doesn't need the whole school talking about her like that."
"Professor Lupin, why is she still here?" Harry asked, "Why hasn't she been sent to get more specialized help?"
"We're consulting them. However, we're trying to make her feel as normal as possible." he said.
"What makes a wound like that?" Hermione asked.
"If we knew that, we'd be able to do more for her." he said evasively. Lupin smiled at them. "Now, please don't mention this to other students."