Year 4: A Fresh Start

Chapter 33: November 2017

It was a sunny Monday morning and Molly was feeling good. She'd completed all her homework the previous evening, including an essay outlining the pros and cons of the Agrippan method for her arithmancy class that wasn't due until Friday. She awoke with a lightness in her chest and a sense of optimism that it was going to be a good day.

At breakfast, Molly surprised Sarah by filling her plate with pancakes instead of her usual eggs and sausage breakfast. She doused the pancakes with syrup and ate like she was six years old again, pushing the bits of pancake around her plate to scoop up as much syrup as she could get.

"You seem in an awfully good mood today," Sarah commented.

"I am," Molly agreed. She didn't know what it was. Maybe she'd just finally woken up on the right side of the bed. But she just couldn't help but smile as she approached the day.

Their first class was transfiguration. They had moved on from a review of the theory of inanimate to inanimate transfigurations to a review of the theory of animate to inanimate transfigurations. In an effort to get them practicing on a larger scale than when they'd originally learned the theory in second year, Professor Tonks had brought in four large pigs, which the fourth years were to attempt to transfigure into tables.

"Work with your housemates," Professor Tonks instructed. "There's one pig for each house. Let's see which house is successful first."

Almost instinctually, Molly glanced over at where the Ravenclaws were gathering and noticed that Julie was standing off to the side alone today.

"Hey Sarah," Molly frowned as they joined the rest of the Gryffindors. "Where's Debbie?"

Sarah glanced around, and then realizing the Ravenclaw girl wasn't there, shrugged her shoulders.

"Maybe she slept late," she muttered.

But Molly wasn't so sure. The look on Julie's face… something more was going on.

Molly shook her head, dispelling thoughts of Julie and Debbie. Today was a good day. She didn't need to be obsessing over whatever the Ravenclaws were doing. She was sure that whatever it was, it was none of her business anyway.

After transfiguration, Molly and Sarah split up, Molly heading for arithmancy while Sarah made her way to muggle studies. Glancing around as Professor Scalar began his lecture, she noticed that Debbie was conspicuously absent from this lesson as well. Molly looked over at Julie and couldn't help but feel a little bad for her, sitting alone.

But as quickly as the feelings of concern came upon her, they dissipated. After the year Molly had had last year, after everything that Julie had done, she could afford to sit through one day without her best friend. Molly had very little sympathy to give to her former friend.

At lunch, a glance over at the Ravenclaw table showed Molly that Julie had elected not to eat in the Great Hall. Though Molly refused to feel bad about Julie spending the morning alone, she had to admit that she was becoming curious. Where was Debbie, and why had she missing morning classes?

Molly tried asking Sarah her opinion, but Sarah simply shrugged yet again, seemingly uninterested in the mystery. She suggested that probably Debbie was just skiving off classes, but Molly thought that if that was the case, wouldn't the professors have commented on her absence? Instead it had just been accepted.

"Something's wrong," Molly insisted as they finished up their lunch and prepared to go to history of magic. "Something's not right."

"Stop worrying," Sarah insisted. "She's not your friend. Neither of them is. Think about everything they did to you, and to me. They're not worth your time."

While Sarah was right, Molly found that she couldn't help herself but to wonder. The two girls headed up to history of magic class, and got themselves set up, ready for an hour of Professor Binns droning on and on about the goblin rebellions.

About midway through the lecture, Molly found her thoughts drifting. She'd already read all about the battle they were learning about today, and nothing Professor Binns had said so far had been new information. And since he presented his lectures in such a boring fashion, it was sometimes difficult to stay interested.

Molly found herself glancing about and realized with a start that not only was Debbie absent from this class, but Julie was as well. Suddenly, the mystery became even more interesting.

Molly wondered where Julie could be. Had she just gotten fed up with going to classes without her best friend? This seemed unlikely. Having known Julie since first year, Molly knew that she would never skip class unless she had to, especially with Debbie already absent. Something was definitely going on, and Molly yearned to know what it was, simply to satisfy her curious mind.

When Professor Binns' lecture came to an end, Molly tried pointing this out to Sarah, but her friend remained uninterested.

"See?" she insisted when Molly showed her that both the Ravenclaw girls had missed the lecture. "That just proves my point. Debbie decided to skive off classes today, and when Julie got bored of going to lessons alone, she joined her."

"That doesn't sound like them though," Molly insisted, not convinced. If Sarah decided to skive off classes one day, not that Molly could imagine Sarah ever doing such a thing, Molly would only feel an extra responsibility to go to class and take notes, for the both of them. Debbie and Julie may not be her friends anymore, but Molly still knew them very well, and she knew that they were a lot more like she and Sarah than any of the four of them might like to admit. This wasn't a case of simply skiving off classes.

Their final class of the day was defence against the dark arts, where they were learning the counter-curses to many of the curses they'd learned over the past few years. Today in particular, they were working on the counter-curses for the jelly legs jinx (locomotor wibbly) and the leg-locker curse (locomotor mortis).

As Professor Derlid brought the class to attention, Molly noted that Julie and Debbie were mysteriously absent from this lesson yet again, but as the lesson begun and she began squaring off with Sarah, casting curses and then attempting to cast counter-curses at one another, thoughts of Debbie and Julie flew from Molly's mind, the task at hand requiring all her concentration.

By the end of the class, Molly had successfully mastered locomotor motus, the counter-curse to the leg-locker curse but had yet to successfully cast the counter-curse for the jelly legs jinx.

"Don't worry, you'll get it next time," Sarah said encouragingly. She herself, while unable to master either spell, had at least managed to cast both of them once.

At the end of the lesson, Professor Derlid had had to go around and cast quite a few counter-curses himself, as half his class had been unable to move their legs, and the other half of his class had been lying on the ground, their legs spasming in all directions.

Familiar with the routine of Professor Derlid's classes, as soon as they were freed from the effects of the spells, the fourth years began to gather their things and head for the door. However, Professor Derlid stopped them.

"Just a moment," he called out. "Before you leave, Professor Longbottom would like to make a quick announcement."

As he said that, their Deputy Headmaster entered the room, his face solemn. He didn't make eye contact with anyone as he walked towards the front of the room, and Molly couldn't remember ever seeing him looking so grave.

"What's going on?" Molly whispered to Sarah. "What do you think this is about?"

Sarah shrugged, and Molly felt her stomach start to tie itself up in knots. The whole situation was extremely foreboding. Whatever this was had to be bad, or it just would have gone up as a notice on the bulletin board.

"Good afternoon everyone," Professor Longbottom addressed them once he was at the front of the room. He stood behind Professor Derlid's desk, while Professor Derlid stood off to the side. The fourth years stood scattered around the room, the lack of desks in the classroom making it so that nobody really had a spot where they were supposed to be.

"I'm very sorry to be telling you all this today," he continued. "I'm afraid there's no easy way to say this. One of your classmates has unfortunately come down with a case of spattergroit."

Immediately, a wave of whispers began as students began looking around, attempting to identify who was missing from the group. Molly felt the bottom of her stomach drop out as she realized that she now had an answer to the mystery she'd spent the day trying to solve.

"Debbie Alderton checked herself into the hospital wing over the weekend, complaining of a rash on her skin and an increased sense of tiredness. Madam Eldridge attempted to treat her for her symptoms, but it quickly became apparent that these were symptoms of a much larger infectious disease. Over the next few days, we will be conducting testing of all students to ensure that the disease wasn't spread to any other students, and if it was, to make sure that we contain it as quickly as possible. In the meantime, Ms. Alderton will be transferred to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries later tonight, for her own safety and that of the school."

As Professor Longbottom finished his statement, the fourth years immediately began bombarding him with questions. How long had she been infectious before going to the hospital wing? How close did one have to have come into contact with Debbie to have risked contracting the disease? Could they have gotten it from sitting in the same chair she'd sat in, or did they have to come into contact with her physically? Everyone was worried about themselves, and about whether they had contracted the dangerous disease. But all Molly wanted to know was whether Debbie was alright.

Exchanging a look with Sarah, Molly knew they were in agreement. While the rest of the fourth years pelted question after question at their Deputy Headmaster, Molly and Sarah slipped out the door and hurried down to the fourth floor, racing across the castle towards the hospital wing.

They came to an abrupt halt outside the large double doors when they found Julie sitting on the floor in the corridor, tears running down her face.

"Julie!" Molly exclaimed, coming to a stop. "Is she - ?"

Julie looked up at the two Gryffindors. For a moment, she narrowed her eyes, identifying them as the enemy. But then her eyes softened.

"She's getting worse," she said. "This morning she was just feverish, but the rash has spread and she's already having difficulty speaking."

Molly didn't know a whole lot about spattergroit, but she knew that the inability to talk was the final straw. It meant the infection had reached Debbie's uvula, which meant that a natural recovery was near impossible. Debbie would need a team of healers dedicated to her care if she was going to make it through this.

Suddenly, everything that had happened over the past year ceased to be important. Molly didn't care about sides, or about who had ditched whom, or who had been mean to whom. She didn't care that she hadn't been friends with Julie or Debbie since last fall, and all the reasons she'd had for why she hated them suddenly seemed unimportant.

Molly walked over to Julie and sat herself down on the ground next to her. Then, Molly reached out an arm and wrapped it around the Ravenclaw girl, letting her lean her head on Molly's shoulder as she cried.

Sarah joined Molly on Julie's other side, sitting close enough that Julie could feel her presence there too. Together, the Gryffindors enveloped Julie with their empathy and joined her in her worry and despair over Debbie's condition.

Madam Eldridge came out to check on Julie a little while later only to discover that Debbie now had three people sitting vigil for her right outside.

"I want to see her," Molly said at once, moving into a standing position.

"I'm afraid it's too late for that," Madam Eldridge said sadly. "You may continue to sit out here until the healers come to move her, but I can't let anyone who isn't a health care professional into that room until she's been moved and it's been thoroughly sanitized. It simply isn't safe."

"I don't care," Molly insisted, tears forming in her eyes. She needed to see Debbie, needed to talk to her, even if Debbie couldn't talk back anymore. She needed Debbie to know that she cared, needed for her not to spend the next weeks, months, maybe even years, at St. Mungo's thinking that Molly still hated her. "I want to see her."

But Madam Eldridge held firm to her rules, refusing to allow Molly, Julie, or Sarah entry. So instead, they reclaimed their spots on the floor. If they couldn't sit by Debbie's bedside, they could at least sit out in the hall. It felt like the right thing to do. Molly couldn't even imagine going back to Gryffindor Tower now, knowing Debbie was laid up in bed with an infectious disease.

Dinnertime came and went. Molly barely even noticed the time passing, and hunger was the furthest thing from her mind. Debbie's parents arrived, distraught and frantic, and when Madam Eldridge refused to let them into the hospital wing they threw a fit. But eventually they too gave in, and Madam Eldridge brought out chairs for them to sit in and they joined the three girls sitting just outside the room.

"So you girls are friends of Debbie's?" Mrs. Alderton sniffed.

Feeling uncomfortable, Molly stayed silent, but Julie nodded for the three of them.

"I'm so sorry," she said ashamedly. "If I'd realized something was wrong sooner – I could have made her come to the hospital wing earlier and maybe this could have been prevented – "

"Hush sweetheart, this isn't your fault," Mrs. Alderton insisted. "This is just one of those things."

Mr. Alderton remained silent, staring at the doors to the hospital wing as though the longer he stared at them, the more likely they were to open.

After another while, at this point Molly had completely lost track of the time, the healers from St. Mungo's arrived. Madam Eldridge ushered them into the hospital wing, and the five of them that were left in the hall waited with bated breath to see what would happen.

Then, finally, the doors opened and Debbie was brought out.

She was on a stretcher, and the stretcher was surrounded by a large impenetrable bubble. The whole thing was being held up and moved along by magic. Nobody was able to come within six feet of the thing without hitting resistance of the magic bubble.

Scrambling up, Molly tried to get as close as she could. Debbie was asleep, and most of her was covered by a blanket, but her face was still visible peeking out the top. Except it didn't look like Debbie's face anymore. Instead of her soft features and blond hair, all Molly could see were the ugly, large purple pustules that were the signature of spattergroit.

"Oh Debbie!" Mrs. Alderton cried, falling into her husband's arms at the sight.

One of the healers who was near her assured her that it only looked bad, but that he'd seen worse. He assured her that St. Mungo's was well equipped to deal with this disease, and that they were going to do everything in their power to cure Debbie.

Molly, Sarah, and Julie followed Debbie and her entourage all the way down to the first floor and through the castle to the front doors. They continued to walk with them as they made their way down through the courtyard and towards the castle gates, just outside of which they would be able to apparate to St. Mungo's safely.

When they reached the gates, Madam Eldridge held the three girls back as the group of healers and Debbie's parents stepped outside of the scope of Hogwarts' protective enchantments. Debbie's form began to drift out as well, and suddenly Julie ran forward, reaching for Debbie, but being rebuffed by the magical bubble surrounding her.

Tears ran down her cheeks as she looked upon her sleeping friend.

"Debbie I – "

But whatever final message she'd wanted to relay, she couldn't bring herself to say it.

"We'll see you soon," Molly whispered to Debbie, loud enough that Sarah and Julie could both hear her.

"Yeah," Sarah agreed, gently pulling Julie back as Debbie's stretcher floated through the gates and joined the healers on the other side. "Don't worry Julie, she'll be back."

Julie nodded, and Madam Eldridge moved to shut the gates behind the group of healers.

"Come on girls, let's get back up to the school. It's almost curfew," she said.

Molly hadn't realized how late it was, though now that she looked around, she realized that the sun had long since set, and that it was night. She, Sarah, and Julie followed Madam Eldridge back up to the castle, and then parted ways, Madam Eldridge making her way back to the hospital wing to sanitize it, while the girls made their way up to the seventh floor.

Molly and Sarah escorted Julie all the way to the entrance to Ravenclaw Tower, not wanting to leave her to walk back alone tonight. When they arrived at the entrance, Julie turned back to the two Gryffindors, her face still wet with tears, though her eyes were empty of them now.

"Thank you," she said. "You didn't have to – "

"Of course we did," Sarah interjected. "We care about her too. Whatever's happened… well it doesn't matter now. We're all in this together."

Julie sniffed and a small smile peeked out of the corner of her lips.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Julie said, almost tentatively.

Molly and Sarah nodded.

"We'll join you for breakfast," Molly promised.

And as Julie turned around to receive her riddle, Molly and Sarah began to make their way back to Gryffindor Tower. Molly was still reeling from all the events of the day. She couldn't believe how much had happened, and how much had changed, so suddenly. This morning she'd awoken feeling positive and optimistic and happy. Now… now Molly didn't know what she was. She just knew that she wished that Debbie wasn't sick.