Wheels Within Wheels
Iolanthe
Chapter Sixty-One
Potters Here, Potters There
Once he had the concurrence of his immediate family, Harry started thinking about how to make an offer to recognize Hester without giving the appearance he was either poaching on Hestia's family or patronizing the twins. Harry and Daphne agreed the Carrows had done what they'd set out to do: create a family for themselves while they lived their quiet lives largely out of sight of Britain's magical society. The last thing they wanted to do was disrupt a functional family that had raised a wonderful young witch to the threshold of adulthood.
"Tea in Lady Black's study?" Harry asked. "You do wonders. Something happens when you're in there. It's like magic."
Daphne gave Harry a very skeptical look.
"Your sense of humor is intact," Daphne said. "I always enjoy mentioning that in your case notes. As for tea, that sounds like a good idea. My study isn't the place, in my opinion. Why don't you invite yourself to the Carrows? Everyone knows you're sitting in the midst of all of that Black magic at #12. It can be intimidating. Same for Potter Manor and the Mill. The Leaky Cauldron has certain, may I say resonances, for the three of you? The fact is you don't want to muscle anyone. You're making an offer that you sincerely believe will work to Hestia's daughter's advantage. Let them hear it in their family seat."
"So I should just send them a note asking them to designate a time when I can come calling?" Harry asked.
"Something like that," said Daphne. "Yes, a note. Do it on a nice piece of stationary, leave the crests off, just a nice 'Potter Manor' at the top. Handwritten note, something like, 'I would very much appreciate your advising me of a convenient time when I might call upon you at home. Most sincerely,' blah-blah, humble obedient…"
Harry's note followed Daphne's outline exactly. He sent the note with the big barred owl he liked and counted on. Hestia was apparently in a mood to tend to business because the owl returned with her reply.
"I am free Wednesday. Unless you advise otherwise, I will expect you at 2 p.m."
The note was signed 'HC.'
Harry didn't advise otherwise and floo-called the Carrows' at two minutes before two on Wednesday.
"Please come through, Harry," said Hestia, or possibly Flora. Harry wasn't good at telling them apart if he couldn't see which one was talking.
"Thank-you for seeing me," Harry said when he stumbled out of their fireplace. Flora held her hand out for his cloak, which she took and gave a quick wanding before hanging it on a peg near the front door.
"Sit down, Harry," said Hestia. "I've made tea. If you want something else I'm sure we can accommodate you."
"Tea is fine," Harry said.
Harry, Hestia and Flora sat down in the salon and started sipping tea. Hestia put her cup and saucer down first.
"So," she said, looking Harry in the eye.
"So, I've looked into some things, even talked to a lawyer, and I wanted to see you face to face and ask if you have thought about allowing me to legally recognize Hester?" Harry said. "There could be some advantages later on in life for her, and the time to do it is now, before she attains her majority."
Hestia looked at Flora.
"We have talked about it," Flora said. "I advised Hestia not to take this up with the Potters, from the beginning. You have a huge family. You don't need more. We have Hester. I feared it would come to this."
Harry sat quietly, listening. He knew about loss, and he had his own fears, about meddling in another family's affairs, about mishandling Potter-Carrow relations and alienating Hester, Hestia and Flora.
"Have you discussed what you would like to do?" Harry asked. "I'm pretty sure the population of Hogwarts will be buzzing as soon as winter break is over. Maybe they are already. Lying isn't an option, it seems to me. We'll all just end up looking foolish. Nor is ignoring the fact of Hester's parentage. That becomes more obvious by the day. People will just naturally fill in the blanks, with speculation, if they don't have the truth."
"We know," said Hestia with a sigh. "Flora just had to have her say. We've been very fortunate to get this far without having to do any of this. It's been idyllic. Well, life in a suburban development isn't idyllic but raising Hester here with Flora and no one around trashing Carrows has had it idyllic moments. I would even credit your honesty and transparency, Harry. You don't have anything to gain, I'd estimate, from any of this. As Flora said, you're more than busy enough being a father to your existing brood, and we don't have enough wealth to matter."
"Look," said Harry, "It's an offer, nothing more. Talk to your own solicitor. Compare, advantages versus disadvantages. You'll be invited to family events, one way or the other, unless you ask us not to. Just so you know, I'm not going to lie about Hester, if anyone asks. Well, make that if anyone who I deem needs to know asks. If I acknowledge her, just being honest, it's not a huge step to legal recognition. There's no pressure, no deadlines. All of you discuss it and let me know. I won't think ill of you if you want to do what you've been doing. No one can argue with your results. She's a remarkable young witch."
After Harry had left and the twins were sure they were alone they mutually agreed he'd just reminded them why they'd been so ready to go upstairs with him at the Leaky Cauldron all those years ago.
"It's all coming back," said Hestia.
"Oh, yeah," said Flora.
"We weren't that drunk," Hestia went on. "Or I wasn't anyway."
"Neither was I," said Flora, "Not the whole three days, certainly. Either one of us could have proposed, right then and there. Offered him the package deal. What did we have to lose?"
"She deserves to know her family," Hestia said. "We had her to ourselves for fifteen years. She told me Iolanthe used 'sister' when they went to lunch. It meant a lot to her."
"She could do a good deal worse," said Flora. "I look at Iolanthe and see every kind of magic—old, deep, mysterious. It doesn't want anyone trifling with her. Hester has that same aura, a kind of glow. It might be a good idea to be in alliance with Harry and Daphne and all their minions. Obscurity may not always be our most effective strategy."
"Something to sleep on," said Hestia. "Let's not share with Hester right away. I want to let it roll around in my head for a day or two, to think it through."
Hestia let it roll around until the final day of winter break. Hester was communing with textbooks and parchment when Hestia finished cleaning up from breakfast. She caught Flora's eye and flicked her own towards the front door.
"Got to get some air, love, are you staying?" Hestia asked Hester.
"I'm fine, Mum," said Hester.
Once outside, Flora turned to Hestia and asked, "Walk? Long or short?"
"A block or two, I think," said Hestia. "Unless you drag it out."
They waited until they reached the cross street before they got down to business.
"I'm inclined to take Harry up on his offer, if that is what Hester wants," Hestia began. "Hester knows, so the surprise is past. She's doing fine, now that we've been honest with her. Daphne didn't curse any of us."
Flora had to laugh at that.
"Yes, we don't want to cross Daphne, that's for sure," said Flora. "She doesn't appear to demand complete surrender from the people nearby. That was a bit surprising, to me. I don't know about you."
"I don't suppose she needs to," Hestia said. "We thought she was an introverted grind. Turns out she just needed the right surroundings. Well, she is the pureblood dame of two noble houses and the heir to one more on her own account."
"And a healer," Flora added. "And she's been very gracious to us."
"Hasn't she?" Hestia asked. "That was completely unexpected. Didn't you think we'd have to spend at least a little time in the dungeon under the townhouse?"
Flora shuddered enough that Hestia saw it.
"You haven't raised any objections," said Hestia, "So I'll take it you are fine with me informing Hester. She goes back tomorrow. I can advise her to think about it until the Easter break, then she can let us know. Between now and then we'll get some legal advice."
"I'm going to miss being on our own," Flora said. "Harry Potter will become a consideration in everything now, won't he?"
"One more thing we didn't think through," Hestia conceded. "Still, that's not the worst unforeseen consequence ever."
Flora and Hestia strolled along in silence as they worked their way back to their house. The winter light was shading to darker and darker grays as they walked, the air still and cold.
"We're back!" Hestia called as they closed and wanded the front door. Hester had taken a thick textbook to the salon and was stretched out on the sofa.
"In here," she said, raising a hand, still focused on her reading.
Flora and Hestia came in and sat down. Hester looked at them, checked the page number and closed her book.
"The Saga of Hester Carrow," she said. "Please continue."
"Very well," said Hestia, "Your father called on us a few days ago. He offered to recognize you, legally. He left it entirely up to the three of us, whether we wanted to do it or not, and assured us that he will accommodate our wishes. He also said we can decide how far we want to go beyond recognition, if you do decide to take him up on it."
Hester's face turned pale, even taking on a waxy look.
"Excuse me," she said, before dashing up the stairs. The sounds of a young person losing a meal drifted back down, followed by the flush of a commode, and running water. Hester came back to the salon with a hand towel, still dabbing at her face.
"Better," she said, sitting down again.
"Good," said Hestia. "Do you want to talk?"
"After all this time…" Hester tried before the towel went back to her face.
"It's a lot to have dumped on you, we know," said Flora. "We feel the same way."
"No…you don't," Hester said. "You don't know how I feel, because you can't. You always had each other. I grew up thinking I didn't have a dad, and that was just the way it was. When I got old enough and learned how babies get started I had to assume Mum had an accident and I was the result. I was an error in calculation. Still, I was happy to be here. I reminded myself over and over that my mum and aunt loved me and raised me, kept me fed and clothed and sent me to school. I even felt like I was luckier than the kids I'd see on television, starving and drowning in the Med when the boat capsizes. Then it turned out I had a father all along. I'd been going to school with his children, my brother and sister! You don't know how I feel. Nor do I. I'm a mess. Ohhh…"
Hester went off into inarticulate sounds while Flora and Hestia looked at her, then back at one another, then back at her. They did what was probably the wisest thing they could have done, which was to stay where they were and hold their tongues. Hester eventually got to a place where she could speak again and came out from behind her towel.
"I'm sorry, Mum," she began. "I'm sorry, Aunt Flora. I love you both, don't ever think I don't. I just can't talk about this right now."
Hester left the room with her book and went upstairs. The door to her bedroom closed, but it wasn't slammed.
Hester was ready to talk at breakfast the following morning.
"Do I have to change my name?" she asked, dispensing with any preparatory remarks.
"Not according to Harry," said Hestia. "All of our lives have already changed, of course. I expect they will change some more."
"Can I still live here?" Hester asked.
"Of course," Hestia said. "Harry is giving you an option. There are some things that come with it automatically. If Harry and I swear to your paternity the birth record is amended and his name added. I'm still your mother and he's still married to Daphne. The three of us are still the same and his household is as well. You'll be a Potter and a Carrow."
"And a Black," added Flora.
"A Black? How?" asked Hester.
"The Blacks' male line ended with Sirius, who made Harry his heir," said Flora. "Harry has a Black grandmother or great-grandmother, I'm not sure which. It's close enough, though. He's accepted by the cousins, it seems."
"How do you know all this?" Hester asked.
"I read the Daily Prophet," Flora shrugged.
"They make half of that stuff up!" Hester protested. "Except the quidditch news."
"Anyway, Hester, leaving that aside," Hestia said, trying to regain control of the conversation, "You have a choice. Yes or no. We'll answer all your questions, or get the answers. Think about it until break and let us know then."
"No need," said Hester. "Of course I'll say yes. We can't pass this up. I can guess how vulnerable you must have felt, cut off from your family, blending into a muggle neighborhood. It was the war, wasn't it? I haven't heard the whole story, but there have been people who went like this when we were introduced."
Hester mimed a person backing away from something repellent.
"This branch of the Carrows will be allied with Harry Potter if he recognizes me, won't we?" Hester asked. "Harry's married to Daphne Greengrass. Her mother has a reputation. Old magic. Runes. No one will come looking for you. And if they do…"
Hester's face changed. Flora and Hestia saw young Harry's war face as if it were superimposed on Hester's. It was a good look for a witch, a seeker, and a daughter of Harry Potter.
"Well, then," said Hestia. "If you're sure, we can tell the Potters we are leaning. I still want to talk to a lawyer. Someone we find on our own. It's always good to get an independent perspective. Harry would have been looking out for his own family's interests, which is only natural. Commendable, really."
Flora nodded in agreement.
"Harry told us he will tell the truth, if asked. You may be asked as well. You have nothing to hide, okay?"
Hester nodded, then hugged Hestia and Flora, in turn.
"Some final things," she said, pointing toward the second floor before running upstairs.
The Potters stood on Platform Nine and Three-Quarters with Tracey, Zelda and Blaise, enjoying the passing scrum and greeting friends and acquaintances as they walked by with their students. Evans and Davis were at Greengrass Manor under the supervision of Kendra and Trix.
"Oh!" said Tracey, dipping her hand into her bag. "Almost forgot."
She pulled out a crimson 'GO, ZELDA, GO!' button and reached for Blaise' lapel.
"You have the honor, as the father of our latest quidditch superstar…" Tracey said.
Harry just stared as Blaise stood there and took it.
"Never thought I'd see the day…" Harry muttered, accepting his own button before pinning it to his cloak. He winked at Zelda, who winked back.
Daphne upped the stakes when she took her button from Tracey, pulling Zelda into a bear hug finished off with a smacking kiss to her cheek.
"Merlin, you've grown over break!" Daphne exclaimed. "You're as tall as me!"
Daphne pinned her button to her cloak, so Iolanthe really didn't have much choice. She accepted the button from Tracey, pinning it to her tam before she jammed it back on her head.
"There," she said to Zelda.
"Hullo, Daphne, hullo, Harry," said someone, and the group turned to see Hestia, Flora and Hester walking up.
"Everyone," Harry said.
Flora and Hestia exchanged greetings with Tracey and Blaise. Iolanthe reached out and took Hester's hand, hanging on for a few beats. Hester looked at the buttons, then at Zelda.
"Do I get one?" she asked.
"Do you want one?" asked Zelda, clearly surprised.
Hester shrugged.
"Might as well," she said. "It's going to be a collector's item someday. Could be worth some money."
"You're a very smart witch," said Zelda. She held her hand out to Tracey, who gave her a button that Zelda handed on to Hester. "If you wear it on game day I expect the collectors will pay even more when you get ready to sell it."
"If I did that," said Hester, "There wouldn't be a collector around who could afford it."
Hermione arrived with Hugo and Rose. Rose looked around the platform, then she looked at Iolanthe. Iolanthe knew what she was looking for and shook her head.
"Not yet," she added. Rose blew her breath out through her pursed lips.
"Probably scrivening a footnote," said Iolanthe, concluding with, "The little scrivener."
"Speaking of which," said Rose as Scorpius and Draco walked up to the group.
"Rose," said Scorpius.
"Scorpius," returned Rose, nodding.
A few days earlier, Rose had called on the Malfoys at Malfoy Manor. Lucius was distant, as always. Rose and Narcissa had shared a pot of tea and a few laughs. When they'd completed their social duties Rose and Scorpius went to the salon to exchange gifts by the tree. Everyone left them alone, so they hugged after one gift, then, after the next one, Rose kissed Scorpius on the cheek before nuzzling his neck just a little. Scorpius had one last gift for Rose, a very special one. Rose removed the wrapping and found a small velvet box, inside of which was a mechanical pencil not quite six inches long. Rose recognized the model, a magical one often sold along with tasteful little journals made for witches to tuck inside robes or a handbag.
"It was Mum's," said Scorpius.
That was it. Rose laid her hands flat on Scorpius' cheeks and closed in. Neither one of them knew a lot about kissing, at least not the kind lovers indulge in, but they closed their eyes, Rose took her time and they got started. They didn't overdo it. They were disciplined scholars, after all. Still, it lasted long enough, and was pleasant enough, they both smiled when they'd stopped and pulled away.
Time got short on the platform and the adults began hugging and shaking hands, giving out good luck wishes and observations that spring break was just over two months distant. Hugo and James fell in next to Hester.
"Playing Gryffindor next week," Hugo noted as they crossed the platform.
"Tell me about it," said Hester. That was news to James, who usually had his head immersed in plants, planting, thinning, transplanting, fertilizing, harvesting and selling plants, or something else to do with them like greenhouse design. He decided to stay well clear of quidditch and remain neutral. Otherwise his life would become needlessly complicated.
"Of course it's complicated," Iolanthe said to Rose, two hours later, as they stood in the corridor of the Hogwarts Express. Their backs to the cabins, they gripped the handrail and chatted as they watched northern England rolling past. Rose had completed her prefect duties and Iolanthe had made one circuit of the train, meeting and greeting and radiating good cheer. Each one kept an eye on the comings and goings, breaking off and restarting the conversation as interlopers passed through. Iolanthe continued with her briefing on the Carrow news.
"The parental generation couldn't really count on there being a world from one day to the next, so they didn't get a lot of practice at making long-term plans," Iolanthe went on. "Perfectly understandable. They have my most sincere sympathy."
"Of course, Daphne Greengrass…" Rose submitted.
"Well, we have to allow for the anomalies," Iolanthe said, "Such as Hermione Granger, to cite another outlier."
"Then there's Harry Potter and…which Carrow?" asked Rose.
"Both of them, but Hestia is Hester's mother," said Iolanthe. "Such a story for the ages. I was always jealous of Hugo, I suppose you know. Insanely. It seemed so unfair to me."
"Really? Why?" asked Rose, genuinely surprised.
"He had a sister," said Iolanthe. She felt her eyes get watery and went for her handkerchief.
"Oh, Iolanthe, that is the sweetest thing," said Rose. "I don't have one either. I've always had you, though."
"And you always will," said Iolanthe. "Oh, you've been great, and so has Zelda. I don't know if it's even possible to do better. Probably not, truth be told. It's just the symbolic value, isn't it? 'Hi, I'm pleased to meet you. This is my sister…"
Iolanthe laid her arm lightly on Rose's waist. She dropped her voice to make extra-special certain she wouldn't be overheard.
"When are you going to tell me?" she asked.
"What?" said Rose, her voice full of suspicion.
"About…" Iolanthe said. "Something is different. Are you going to tell me?"
"Iolanthe, I am surprised at you," huffed Rose, her own voice barely audible. She looked both ways to make sure they were alone, then leaned her head close to Iolanthe's.
"We were giving each other our presents and I thanked him," she said. "With a kiss. On his lips. Merlin, Iolanthe, it felt so good. Your cousin is a gentleman, I'll say that. He didn't get all grabby or anything. We just kissed, my lips on his, his lips on mine. So sweet."
"And then he told you he loves you?" asked Iolanthe.
"NO!" said Rose. "We don't have room in our lives for that right now."
"Well, okay, then," said Iolanthe. "I was just curious."
"My mind used to drift to whatever we were working on that I really liked, you know?" Rose said. "In idle moments. I'd run through spells, long lists, every one we'd learned. I just naturally assumed that was what smart witches' minds did, for fun. The last few days I've been thinking about that kiss."
"So, what you're really saying is, 'SAVE ME IOLANTHE, I'M FALLING FOR YOUR COUSIN HE'S SO HOT!" teased Iolanthe.
'Shut UP," said Rose in a hoarse whisper, "Or I swear I'm never telling you anything again as long as I live!"
That comment ended the serious business portion of the meeting.
"Five months," said Rose.
"Yep," said Iolanthe. "A little less, really, and sixth year is done. Still thinking law?"
"You bet," said Rose. "No one in the family does it so I wouldn't be going over plowed ground. I might even make a little money, so I could go shopping for a nice, intelligent scrivener drone to make me happy. You?"
"Healing is pretty compelling," Iolanthe said. "Of course, Mother has gone ahead in our case, but I get to have these wonderful conversations with her about things she's encountered, symptoms, diagnoses and so on. Shop talk. She focuses on mental maladies, it's true, but she still went through the course everyone goes through before they specialize. I expect to stay with it."
"Excellent," said Rose.
When they got to Hogsmeade, Iolanthe sent Rose to look for a carriage with three vacant seats while she went to see if she could locate Hester.
"Come on up here," she said when she found her. "We can sit together."
Hester gave her a look before picking up her bag and coming along.
"What?" asked Iolanthe.
"Not sure," said Hester. "Maybe I was wondering what your intentions were."
"Mmm…" said Iolanthe. "I see your point. How about no intentions at all? Other than I find you to be an agreeable companion and would like you to occupy a seat near me? Because if your bum is right there, that is one less place in the carriage for some tedious person I don't care to ride with."
"That I can understand," said Hester.
They found Rose standing guard at the tail of a carriage and took the last two seats.
"That worked out," said Rose.
"Amazing, isn't it?" asked Iolanthe. "Like some kind of magical imperative is at work. Glad it isn't too cold tonight."
A custom had taken root over the Headmistress' tenure that on the first evening back after the mid-winter break the far ends of the tables in the Great Hall were open seating. Students mixed freely regardless of houses, eating with sweethearts, relatives or in subject matter affinity groups, the latter sometimes joined by their professors. Professor McGonagall had encouraged this slight dissolution of the encrusted house system as she viewed excessive tribalism to have been an aggravating factor in the near-destruction of Hogwarts during the late war.
Rose and Scorpius sat at the furthest end of the Slytherin table, joined almost immediately by Iolanthe, who waved James and Moira over. Hester seemed to be headed toward Ravenclaw until Hugo walked up and tilted his head at the group. Zelda arrived last, took her time surveying the little gathering, gave a great stage sigh and sat down.
The food contributed to the informal atmosphere. The most fundamental component was a fresh baguette, about five inches long, already split for the convenience of sandwich makers. Students had their choice of hamburger patties, hand-formed to match the baguettes, several cheeses, great bowls of salad greens, fresh tomatoes from the herbology greenhouses, pickles, relishes, sliced onions both raw and grilled. French fries were in unlimited supply as were crunchy carrot spears. One Anglo-German protested the absence of 'vursts' but few took him seriously.
Iolanthe looked toward the head of the table and noticed Bridget O'Brien and Cordelia MacMillan sitting across from one another. After watching for a bit she concluded they weren't any closer to establishing rapport than they'd been at their sorting. Iolanthe excused herself and walked to the other end of the Slytherin table.
"Witches," Iolanthe began.
"Iolanthe," they both said. They appeared to be grateful for the distraction.
"You don't have to congregate in Slytherin tonight, you know," said Iolanthe. "Unless, of course, you just want to. There are some people down here I'd like you to meet. You may know some already, but I doubt you know them all."
Bridget and Cordelia popped out of their seats.
"Sure!" said Bridget, Cordelia reserving comment.
Iolanthe walked back to the foot of the long table, charges in tow behind her.
"Everyone," she said, "Two fine young Slytherin witches here, strong candidates for future leadership positions."
Iolanthe identified the two for her tablemates, noting their hometowns, before working her way through her group. Everyone seemed to get extra quiet when Iolanthe got to Hester, but Iolanthe rolled on.
"This is my sister, Hester Carrow, who's a fourth year Ravenclaw, same as Hugo…"
That was it. By the next day everyone who paid attention knew Hester, James and Iolanthe were siblings, just as they'd suspected.
Hester sent a short letter to Surrey by owl the following Friday.
"Dear Mum and Aunt Flora," it began.
"Everything is back to normal at Hogwarts following break. We play Gryffindor tomorrow. I've been avoiding Zelda Davis since our back-to-school dinner on Sunday evening. I don't think she wants to see me either. Just as well.
Iolanthe did the most remarkable thing Sunday. I was in a mixed group at the end of the Slytherin table. Iolanthe brought two second-year Slytherins down. They only had two witches last year. Odd. They aren't at all alike but they only have each other in-house. When they sat down with us Iolanthe did introductions and when she got to me she just said 'This is my sister, Hester Carrow' like it was the most normal thing. The two Slytherins just smiled and said 'So happy to meet you.' So, I'm Iolanthe Potter's sister now, and it's not a big deal at all.
My partner and I study in an empty classroom because I'm pretty sure Zelda and Moira Turley are together in the section behind Madame Pince. After the game on Saturday we won't play again until February. You really should come up for those games, if you can. They ought to be good. Our final standings will be determined by the Ravenclaw/Gryffindor results.
Love, love, love,
Hester"
Hestia and Flora took the floo to the Three Broomsticks on Saturday. They arrived early because they guessed, correctly, that January or no January, the stands would be packed for the match. Word had been circulating among quidditch fandom that the two best seekers in years were fourth-year witches playing for Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. The showdown had been delayed until January due to scheduling as both teams worked their way through the other houses before finally meeting on the pitch.
Ravenclaw and Gryffindor were well-matched at the chaser and beater positions. Gryffindor had an edge, if one went by statistics, at keeper. Figures for keepers could be reversed in the time it takes to play one match, of course, if an opponent exploits a flaw in a keeper's game and the keeper's teammates can't disrupt the successful attacks.
The scoring on Saturday was great fun to watch, each team running up thirty or forty point leads only to slide back, get behind, then claw back again. The snitch proved elusive, though, and the grinding attacks and defenses began to wear on the players. The weather didn't help. It was sunny, cold and dry. Athletes often dehydrate in such conditions before they detect any problems. Both teams were using warming charms as well, which have their own drying characteristics. By the second hour the beaters and chasers were getting sloppy, the keepers were getting cold, and the seekers were wondering where in Merlin's name the snitch was hiding.
Zelda was flying clockwise circles around the scrum, convinced the snitch had to be going to ground in the thickest clusters of chasers. Hester stayed close but flew at a higher altitude to give her a little wider field to study. Zelda was actually closer when the snitch made its break. She should have been able to chase it down and get the win for Gryffindor. In fact she was stretched out, almost one with her Firebolt, flying one-handed and about to close the gap when the snitch stopped and reversed direction. Before Zelda could react she hit the snitch with her forehead, opening up a small gash and instantly making her woozy.
Hester kept her eye on the snitch, which had caromed off Zelda's head at an angle, but just catchable, if Hester got lucky. Holding onto the broom with her right hand, Hester grabbed the broomstick with the back of her right knee a little further down and lunged, fully extending her body to the left to make a desperate grab. The snitch smashed into Hester's left palm, nearly spinning her around and right off her broom. As it was, she held on to the snitch, stalled, lost control and began a spiraling descent.
The stadium took a collective gasp as Zelda, her face covered in blood, lay against her broomstick and tried to navigate her way out of traffic and down to the pitch. At the same time, Hester was trying to get her center of gravity aligned with the broom so she could regain control before the rapidly-closing ground smashed her and her broom to bits.
Madame Pomfrey's station for quidditch matches was just off the pitch on a little wooden seat next to the Slytherin grandstand. Sixth and seventh year students from the healing curriculum sat in similar positions around the stands. Zelda managed to fly down without assistance, landing nearly blind but fairly close to Madame Pomfrey, who was still watching Hester trying to re-establish control of her broom.
"Potter!" Madam Pomfrey shouted. "Wand that blood so she can see. Let it bleed a little before we try to stop it. I may be busy with Carrow!"
Iolanthe trotted out across the pitch to Zelda and took hold of her right arm, just above the elbow. She waved her wand across Zelda's face, getting her vision back and exposing the short but deep gash in the skin of Zelda's forehead.
"Not bad," Iolanthe said. "A good clean-up and dittany. Good as new by next weekend. You're not playing anyway, are you?"
Iolanthe had no idea what the Gryffindor schedule looked like, she was just making conversation in an effort to assess Zelda's awareness.
"Here we go, sit down and let me take a look," Iolanthe said, easing Zelda down on Madame Pomfrey's seat.
She waved her wand again and got more of the blood cleaned up.
"How's it look?" Zelda asked.
"Not life-threatening," said Iolanthe. "A good rap to the forehead like that will almost always get you a cut. The skin is so thin and there is nothing to take up the shock. In your case, it was snitch, skin, bone. Skin's going to lose, every time. How do you feel?"
"Not good," said Zelda. "I don't feel wobbly anymore. There is a kind of throbbing."
"That's to be expected," said Iolanthe. "I don't think you have anything to worry about, long-term. We'll clean you up some more when we get you to the infirmary, look you over top to bottom, probably put a little dittany on that wound, keep you warm and comfortable and with luck you'll be back in class early next week."
Zelda looked over Iolanthe's shoulder and gestured with her chin. Iolanthe turned around to see Daphne standing quietly behind her.
"Care to consult, Healer Daphne?" asked Iolanthe. Daphne's eyes looked sparkly.
"Nothing to add, Apprentice Healer Iolanthe," Daphne said. "Will your patient walk or will she be requiring transport?"
"Ready to try standing?" Iolanthe asked. "Take your time."
Zelda arranged her feet in front of herself, got her weight centered and stood up. Iolanthe held onto her upper arm as she had before.
"Zelda!"
Tracey pushed her way through the crowd, Harry right behind her.
"Everyone! Out!"
The command voice of Madame Pomfrey announced her return, along with Hester. Harry didn't move, nor did Tracey. Flora and Hestia had followed Madame Pomfrey and Hester across the pitch.
"What do you have, Potter?"
"Clean incision, through the skin into the subcutaneous tissue, probably caused by the snitch striking my patient in the forehead," Iolanthe said. "There was quite a bit of bleeding typical for a head wound. Balance has returned and the patient can stand unaided."
"Pupils? It's a head injury, remember," Madame Pomfrey reminded her.
"Hadn't gotten that far, Madame," said Iolanthe. "Do you wish to do a field assessment or get the injured to the hospital wing?"
Madame Pomfrey turned her attention back to Hester.
"How's the back?" she asked.
Hester grimaced. She moved a bit trying to find some way to hold herself to alleviate the pain.
"Hurts," was all she said.
The other healing students had made their way to the Slytherin station.
"Two stretchers, please, and plenty of bearers," said Madame Pomfrey. "We will take it slow, with no bouncing. Anyone who doesn't trust their wand work can find something else to do. Ready, witches?"
The quidditch teams took charge of the two brooms, which, by some miracle, had not been damaged at all. Two stretchers appeared and the healers got in place and waited for their patients to arrange themselves. Iolanthe no longer had a job, so she put her wand away.
"See you upstairs," she called out to no one in particular, although the sentiment worked for Hester, Zelda, her colleagues, even Madame Pomfrey.
"Coming?" Iolanthe asked Daphne.
"Of course," said Tracey. "Don't even think you can keep me…"
"I have to stay with my professor," Iolanthe said to Daphne, ignoring Tracey's intervention. "I'm sure you'll be a big help."
She gave the Carrows, Tracey and Harry a look.
"I'll see if I can get immediate family admitted."
Iolanthe stepped off behind the procession and headed to the castle.
"Write it up," said Madame Pomfrey as Iolanthe stood at Zelda's bedside. "Just the way you told me down there. When you're done you can do pupillary response again, and chart it. Don't leave out the time. Healer Daphne? Over here?"
Daphne joined Madame Pomfrey at Hester's bedside.
"Ladies," said Madame Pomfrey, addressing Hester, Hestia and Flora as a collective. "Hester appears to have incurred some painful muscle strain in her posterior thoracic and/or lumbar region. In other words, she's wrenched her back. This usually doesn't require anything but time to cure, although something for the pain is indicated for a few days, along with massage. We can do all of that here. If you want to go to St. Mungo's, that can be arranged. It's up to you. If Miss Carrow is here she can return to class as soon as she feels up to it. St. Mungo's might be a little more, bureaucratic, would you say, Healer Daphne?"
"Could be, I suppose," said Daphne. "Perhaps Mum and Auntie could let us pull these curtains so Madame Pomfrey and I can evaluate a little more?"
Madame Pomfrey stepped out of the enclosure to find the Headmistress had arrived.
"Both doing fine, injuries painful but unlikely to cause anything permanent, at least physically," said Madame Pomfrey. "Perhaps Winky could bring tea for these family members, and yourself, to my office? We'll just need a few minutes."
Taking it as read that all would be carried out as she'd just described, Madame Pomfrey stepped back inside the enclosure to Hester's bedside.
Hester was lying on her left side, Daphne behind her, probing her back muscles.
"Here? Uh-huh, thought so. How about here?" Daphne went over Hester's back identifying the areas that were pain free and those that hurt.
"Lower left, lower right, stops at the lumbar area," Daphne said. "No radiating down arms or legs. Head and neck are pain-free."
Madame Pomfrey nodded as she stood at the head of the bed looking down at Hester.
"You wrenched your back, and you did a darn good job of it," she said. "We'll get you something for pain. Then I'm going to ask Healer Daphne to give you a rub with a nice herbal compound. I need to keep an eye on your rival seeker. Is that okay with you?"
Madame Pomfrey didn't wait for an answer, disappeared and was soon back with a glass of red liquid and a bottle of herbal liniment. She put the glass down on the bedside table.
"A good splash and gentle rubs, up and down, up and down," she said, indicating the bottle.
"I remember," said Daphne.
"I know you do," said Madame Pomfrey. "Relax, Miss Carrow, you've got the best healer Hogwarts ever produced working on you."
"First you'll roll toward me and drink the red stuff. Then I'll need to lay my hands right on your back, so you'll feel me under your shirt," Daphne said. "I'll ask you about pain now and then, but if I hit a place that gets your attention, tell me right away. It could be important."
"Miss Davis," said Madame Pomfrey, back with Zelda. "Do you remember what happened?"
"I remember I was closing on the snitch, then a white flash when it hit me in the forehead," said Zelda. "After that I was just trying to get down. Couldn't see for the blood."
Madame Pomfrey was going over Zelda with her wand.
"You might not think so right now," said Madame Pomfrey, "but you were very lucky. You didn't take the snitch in an eye, for one thing. Plus you got a fine assessment from this apprentice healer here. Well done, Potter Junior. You got everything right. Remember with head injuries to check the pupils and look for fluid in their ears and nostrils."
"Yes, Madame Pomfrey," said Iolanthe. "May I ask how Hester is?"
"The only thing manifesting at the moment is serious muscle strain in her back," Madame Pomfrey said. "She was doing all kinds of contortions going for that snitch, plus cold muscles and the unnatural position. Hard to see how she would not be feeling it.
"Okay, Miss Davis, let's try sitting up," Madame Pomfrey went on.
After having Zelda walk the length of the ward, stand on one foot, then the other, Madame Pomfrey pronounced her done with evaluation and treatment, and ready to start twenty-four hours in and around her bed under observation. With that she joined the parents and the headmistress in her office and advised Tracey and Harry that they could go visit with Zelda.
Hester was a little more complicated, but Madame Pomfrey thought she should respond to bed rest, something for pain, and regular applications of the herbal liniment. She invited Hestia and Flora to join her at Hester's bedside.
Daphne was just finishing up, drying her hands on a towel that hung on the rack next to the bed.
"Better?" she asked.
"Lots!" said Hester. "What did you do?"
"It's a potion," said Daphne. "Herbs, something that has been around forever. Rubbed on the skin, not too light, not too hard, not too slow, not too fast, it really does the trick. Remember you're taking something for pain as well, so I can't claim all the credit."
She pulled Hester's shirt down, being careful to keep it free of wrinkles, before helping her to ease onto her back.
"Your patient," Daphne said to Hestia and Flora.
The twins tried a few histrionics but they were wasted on Hester. She'd won for Ravenclaw by keeping her mind on the game and reacting to the snitch doing a bank shot off Zelda's forehead. It wasn't a conventional win, by any means, but the reflexes and extraordinary athleticism needed to adapt to the situation and get herself and her broom down to the ground intact were the components of legend.
Daphne went looking for Madame Pomfrey and found her in a circle of her students. Madame was thanking everyone for their quick response and cooperative work in getting their patients back to the infirmary. She finished by asking everyone to write up a short case summary as an assignment for Monday.
Harry left Zelda to Tracey and stepped over to Hester's bedside.
"Harry," said Hestia, with a nod. Flora didn't say anything.
"Mr. Potter," said Hester in acknowledgment. "Thank-you for coming."
"You won for Ravenclaw," Harry said. "That was quite a move you put on the snitch."
"Oh," Hester said. "Thanks. Is that my quidditch robe?"
She pointed to a pile of blue on a nearby chair.
"I need it."
Flora bundled up the robe and brought it over. Hester folded the robe back near the top and fiddled with something, which turned out to be a GO ZELDA GO button.
"Zelda?" Hester called out through the curtains.
"What?" came the reply.
"Sending something over," said Hester. She handed the pin to Flora. "Give this to her?"
There was some muttering around the other bed.
"This is…what?"
"Game-worn pin from today. I had it inside my robe. Something for your trophy case," Hester called through the curtains.
"We play you again next month, you know," said Zelda.
"I'll be there," said Hester.