Chapter 4: Necessary Pains
Hi everyone! I'm sorry for not updating sooner but I hope you like this. Some people have mentioned that these chapters seem a bit short. I agree but it would definitely take too long for you guys to wait for a longer chapter. Here's what I have.
The next few days followed the same routine. Harry had his meals with Minerva, and Albus frequently joined the pair in Minerva's living quarters. The two professors agreed that it would be better for Harry to be comfortable at least around Minerva before having his meals in the great hall. Furthermore, the students were still on break and in keeping with the consistency routine, the two wanted Harry to experience the great hall as it is intended to be used; filled with students and professors. As for Harry, he was becoming accustomed and even rather attached to his new guardian. He cried for his mama less and less and began to use "Min" more and more frequently (to Minerva's dismay).
Over the course of the past few days Minerva, a person who typically does not typically display her emotions, found herself becoming more and more protective of her charge. Harry was like the child and grandchild that she never had and she took every precaution when it came to his wellbeing. However, she had no idea of how great of a comfort she was to Harry until a recent visit to Madame Pomfrey.
Minerva had planned on taking Harry to Madame Pomfrey, and then pay the Headmaster a visit in his office to discuss how she was going to teach and take care of Harry at the same time. After lunch on the last day before the students returned, Harry was taken to Madame Pomfrey for a check-up to see how the boy was doing. Unfortunately for Harry, it was discovered that he needed an immunization injection. Minerva had brought along a stuffed lion to distract Harry during the examination, but even without having previous experience with young children, even she knew that the toy would unlikely distract the boy from the traumatic experience of being vaccinated.
Poppy Pomfrey had been a school nurse for a long time and she had been told numerous times that her medical skills matched those of the finest healers at St. Muggles. Yet, from the howls coming from the one year old boy, one would think that Poppy Pomfrey had just finished her healer training and had her first patient. The cries were so loud and full of misery that Madame Pomfrey performed a scan with wand after the injection to make sure that there wasn't anything wrong with the vaccination. She had to reassure Minerva twice that nothing was wrong and that Harry had exceptional lung capacity for a child of his age.
Minerva was caught in a bind; she didn't want to carry a screaming child throughout the halls of the school, which could bring out everyone who was at the school to come into the halls to see what all the commotion was all about. Yet, she had to meet Dumbledore for the meeting, which was already later than she had originally planned. In the end, Minerva decided that it would be best for everyone if she remained where she was with Harry until he calmed down enough to not disturb the entire Hogwarts population.
Holding Harry upright with her left arm, Minerva walked back and forth in the hospital ward, rubbing small, soothing circles around the child's back with her free arm. While the child clung to her neck and bawled into her shoulder, she softly spoke words of comfort to him, giving the image of a mother comforting a quietly ill child rather than screaming healthy boy. Madame Pomfrey offered her assistance to hold the boy but it seemed that the cries from the precocious child crescendoed each time she reached out to take him from Minerva's arms. Finally, Madame Pomfrey gave up and returned to her office, asking Minerva to call her if she needed any help.
The cries became softer but the boy still clung tightly to Minerva after ten minutes in the hospital ward. Her arms were becoming tired and the patience that Minerva was never known to have was starting to thin out. Just when she was about to have Poppy send a message to Albus to re-schedule the meeting, she heard his voice in the doorway, greeting Madame Pomfrey. As the two walked towards Minerva, Minerva could not have been happier to see anyone else. Harry had become accustomed to Albus, which meant that she could perhaps get some circulation to her soon-to-be-numb arms!
"Ah, so here you are, Minerva. I was starting to wonder if something was dreadfully wrong with your young charge that prevented you from keeping your appointment this afternoon."
"I apologize, Albus. Harry decided to demonstrate his extreme dislike of vaccinations with his unusually powerful larynx and the lungs. I do hope we didn't keep you waiting too long."
"Not at all, my dear, not at all. From what Poppy told me, it seems that you have managed to calm the boy down significantly. Why don't you let me take him while you let your arms rest. We wouldn't want to prevent our Transfiguration professor from being able to write on the boards tomorrow, would we," Dumbledore stated with the twinkle brightly sparkling in his eyes.
"Thank you for the offer, Albus. I apologize for not coming over to your office earlier. I did not expect Harry to reach so adversely to this visit."
"And how could you have known? If my memory serves me correctly, Divination was never one of your strengths. In fact, you stopped taking the course as soon as you fulfilled the school's requirement for at least one course."
Dumbledore either missed or chose to ignore the look of disdain on McGonagall's face as he mentioned Divination. Either way, he turned his attention to Harry, who's face was wet and miserable looking.
"There, there, my boy. I'm sure the needle was unpleasant but I am sure you much prefer it over the disease. Why don't come to me so your "Min" can rest."
As he spoke, Minerva gently transferred Harry to Dumbledore. However, as soon as Harry left Minerva's arms, he started crying harder and harder. Despite the magical entertainments that Dumbledore performed to try to distract, Harry kept crying harder and reaching out for Minerva.
Since a calming potion will react with the vaccine, the only option was to let Harry back into Minerva's arms.
"I'm sorry, Albus. I don't understand why he is like this today. Usually, he loves being around you. You know that."
"Not to worry, Minerva. I'm sure that Harry will be back to himself in no time. Meanwhile, I must commend the boy on his excellent choice of comfort. I, myself, cannot have picked a better choice. I honestly cannot think of no one who has provided as much comfort and joy to me as you, Minerva."
Perhaps it was the way the light reflected in the hospital windows, but Albus thought he detected a blush forming on Minerva's cheeks.
"Well, I shall return back to my work and leave you to Harry, Minerva. Do not worry about the meeting. We can schedule another more convenient time. I'll be sure to ask Madame Pomfrey to bring to you a pain relieving potion, Minerva."
With that, Albus affectionately patted Harry's head and walked towards Madame Pomfrey's office.
As he left the two, he couldn't help noticing how noticing how natural and comfortable Minerva looked while comforting the boy, as if she would rather be here than doing this than anything else. And you know what? Albus Dumbledore was absolutely correct.