Chapter 11:

Battle Wounds

Zeta woke up screaming, as someone was trying to calm her down.

"Ms. Arwin, calm down, it was just a nightmare. Calm down..." Zeta tried to sit up, and screamed.

"AHHH!" She clenched her fists, as she fell back onto the bed. The pain of her rib still pounded throughout her body. She opened her eyes, and saw she was still in the hospital wing as Madaam Pomfrey was holding a wet clothe to her head.

"What happened?" Zeta asked quickly, hoping someone would tell her.

"I was hoping you could tell me..." Madaam Pomfrey told her, raising an eyebrow.

"WHAT?!" Zeta shouted, unable to believe her.

"We found you in the forest yesterday, because they sent out a search. They found you like this..." She told her.

"Well what's wrong with me?" Zeta asked, beginning to get nervous.

"You have a broken rib, your hands are all scratched up, and your neck and back have countless slashes..." Madaam Pomfrey said, standing, walking over to the sink.

"Can't you just fix that with a potion?" She asked irritably, just wanting to get out of the bed, and be out of pain.

"No... these aren't normal wounds. They are not able to be healed with a potion, for they were given to you that way. They aren't supposed to heal quickly. Are you sure you don't know what happened?"

"NO!" Zeta screamed, getting terribly upset, "I don't remember what happened, and now your telling me I have these stupid scars forever?!"

"I don't know how long they will stay." Madaam Pomfrey told her sternly, "And calm down, Your rib will heal with time."

"How much time?" Zeta snapped.

"Three or four month's..." Madaam Pomfrey held the clothe to her head, as Zeta opened and closed her mouth, unable to find the words.

"FOUR MONTH'S?" She screamed, and sat up, only to be pushed back down by the nurse.

"Yes, and if you don't calm down, it is going to take longer. If you will please excuse me, I must go tell Dumbledore you are awake." She shot at her, annoyed. Zeta sighed, and looked at the ceiling. This was great. She was in the hospital, full of pain, and she had no idea why, and no one could tell her why. She didn't know if it was Draco who had done this to her, or if it was someone, something else.

Madaam Pomfrey walked back into the room, shooting her a dark look, but saying nothing.

Zeta looked at her hands. The bright white bandages held her fingers together. Staring at her hand, as Madaam Pomfrey went back into her office, she began to take it off. Slowly unwrapping the bandage, as she tried not to scream out in pain, Zeta saw the blood shine through on the lower layers. The clothe was beginning to become a brighter red with every wind, as her hand felt worse and worse. Swallowing hard, she continued. Zeta bent her fingers, sucking in the air quickly, the pain shot through her arm. She finished taking off the bandage and saw the blood, staining her hand. Countless deep openings covered them, as it looked like she was slit with a knife. Turning her hand over she saw the glistening blood, and more deep wounds. The blood was still wet as she tried to bend her fingers, the had to stop herself from yelling out in pure agony. The pain ran through her entire body, as she straightened her fingers quickly. The door to the hospital wing began to open and Zeta quickly tried to put the clothe around her hand, but it was useless. Madaam Pomfrey ran in screaming.

"What in the world?!" She yelled, unable the comprehend Zeta's hand. "What did you do child?" She screamed as Dumbledore walked over to the bed. He tried to calm the frantic nurse down.

"Poppy, Poppy, please calm down, I must speak to Miss Arwin alone, you can fix it when I am done." Madaam Pomfrey opened and closed her mouth, gaping at Dumbledore. She finally collected herself and angrily stomped away into her office.

"Ms. Arwin..." Dumbledore began after a long pause, looking at her through his half-moon glasses, "Madaam Pomfrey has told me that when you woke up, you didn't remember a thing. Do you remember how you got in the forest?"

"Oh...yes.." Zeta said about the explain, "I went in Saturday before Hogsmeade with Dr-" She stopped herself.

"With who, Ms. Arwin?" Dumbledore asked crossing his hands.

"Was it with...?" Zeta quickly lied, trying to make it seem like she couldn't remember. She began mumbling question to herself.

"Did I? No, no, no...That's it!" She yelled out quickly. "I remember now, went in alone." She chimmed and raised herself up.

"AH!" She yelled and fell back onto the bed behind her. "Stupid rib!" She shouted, closing her stinging eyes.

"Are you sure you went in alone Ms. Arwin?" Dumbledore asked, his eyes full of compasion as he placed his hand on her shoulder. "Lying will only make the pain feel even worse."

Zeta stared into his eyes, as they sparkled, telling her to tell him the truth. Tell him what had happen. She knew inside she should scream out that Draco was there, he had manipulated her.

"No..." She told her, tearing her eyes away, and shaking her head. "That's the truth."

Dumbledore looked at her defeatedly and frowned.

"I will go tell Harry you're up." He smiled half-heartedly, showing he knew Zeta was lying, and stood up. When he reached the door, he turned around and smiled.

"You can tell me whenever you would like Zeta. I will listen."

Madaam Pomfrey ran in with a new clothe, holding her tounge, clearly about the scream.

"Child.." She looked at Zeta as she was rebandaging her hand, "What provoked you to take this off." Zeta ignored her.

"Well if you aren't going to respond." She took out a bottle, and poured the liquid on her hand. She yelped in pain as it felt like pure lemon juice. "It helps to heal quicker." She told her, and finished the bandage. "Next time let me deal with your wounds." Madaam Pomfrey shot her a menacing glance, and walked back into her office, closing the door behind her.

Zeta stared at her hand, and shot a dirty look at the office door.

"Stupid hand..." She cursed. "DAMN IT!" She shouted. "I wish I wasn't even here, stupid wounds, stupid forest, stupid DRACO!" The door to the hospital opened as she quickly shut-up. Harry walked in.