The first thing Aria was aware of when she opened her eyes was Hermione crying over her behind the Head Table. Her head was propped on her friend's lap, but the way Hermione wailed Aria almost thought that she was dying.
"Wh-what happened?" Aria whispered, finding her throat dry and her entire body heavy and hurting. It almost felt like she had been hit by a car, or at least, how she imagined she would feel if she were ever hit by a car.
"You fainted," Ron answered. "That was a brilliant show of magic!"
"A bit of accidental magic no doubt," Daphne said from over Ron's shoulder. She and Harry peered over Ron at Aria.
"Everything hurts," Aria said, tears now pricking at her eyes as her brain fully registered how much her body ached. "What's wrong with me? Why does everything hurt? Why can't I move?"
"Out of the way!" Snape's voice cut a path through the students and brought some relief to Aria. Professor Snape would be able to figure things out, she just knew it. He pushed Ron aside and began waving his wand over Aria's body, muttering incantations as he did so. Behind him appeared the other Heads of House.
"We need to get you to the Hospital Wing," he finally said. McGonagall transfigured a chair into a stretcher and Snape helped Aria maneuver onto it even though moving hurt and she had almost no energy to be of any use. Once she was on the stretch, a transfigured pillow was placed under her head and a blanket tucked around her. Only then, with the added warmth of Heating Charms, did Aria realize she was actually very cold.
"Here's her wand, Professor," Harry said, holding out Aria's wand. A look of surprise crossed Snape's face as he took the wand from Harry, tucking it into his pocket before levitating the stretcher with Aria on it. McGonagall, Sprout, and Flitwick began ordering students around as Snape took Aria out of the Great Hall and through the hallways towards the Hospital Wing.
In the Hospital Wing the mediwitch, Madam Pomfrey, directed Snape to bring the stretcher to one of the beds which Aria was transferred onto. Pomfrey pulled curtains around the bed and Snape stepped out long enough for Pomfrey to magically switch Aria's uniform with a hospital gown that Aria felt was very much like a nightgown out of Jane Eyre. When she was clothed Snape returned and Madam Pomfrey waved her wand over Aria, producing numbers and runes in the air over her. Fascinated by it all, Aria stared in wonder as the two adults muttered over the numbers and runes, clearly seeing something she wasn't.
"What happened?" Madam Pomfrey demanded. "A first year should not have this kind of magical exhaustion!"
She had magical exhaustion? Well that explained why she was so exhausted.
"You have truly missed a most eventful Halloween Feast," Snape replied. "Miss Bourne took down a fully-grown mountain troll with one Stunner. Burnt her wand out." He produced Aria's wand, showing it to Pomfrey who's eyes widened.
"I have never seen such a thing!" Pomfrey declared. "Not even with adults."
"Whadaya mean I burnt my wand?" Aria asked, struggling to enunciate her words. Snape held her wand out for her to see since she was securely cocooned in the hospital bed. Her wand, her beautiful ten-inch willow wand made with the heartstring of a feisty and strong female unicorn, was cracked from handle all the way to the tip. The unicorn hair was exposed, and parts of the wood actually looked charred.
"You used a terrible amount of magic at one time in one spell," Snape explained, "your magic has literally fried your wand's core."
"I did think the wand was getting very hot," Aria said.
"Only those with exceptionally strong magical cores burn out their wands," Snape told her, "and even then, it's rare. Dumbledore's the only one I know who's ever burned out a wand, and as far as I know, he's only done it once."
"Yes, only a few of our kind have ever had the strength," Madam Pomfrey agreed, returning to Aria's side with a tray full of potions. "But they were adults, many years out of Hogwarts or whatever school they attended. Miss Bourne is a mere first year! It's astounding, and a miracle thank Merlin, that she even has any magic left!" She untucked Aria and helped her sit up so that she could drink several potions. One potion made steam come out of Aria's ears, tickling the insides of her head, and filling her with a comforting warmth.
"You'll be staying the night," Pomfrey told Aria, tucking her back in. "Perhaps even a few days, it'll depend on how quickly your magical core replenishes itself."
"But it will?" She had not liked hearing Pomphrey's insinuation that she could have lost all her magic.
"Your scans look promising," Pomfrey said, waving her wand over Aria again. "And the potions have already begun to improve your core. We'll see how you are in the morning. I might have someone from St. Mungo's come over and take a look just to be on the safe side." She waved her wand one more time over Aria and she suddenly felt even more tired than before. Her eyelids dropped and within seconds Aria found herself drifting off to sleep.
The morning came with a little more clarity, but still a little pain. Aria felt like she had just completed running the mile in gym class, every bit of her body ached, though not as terribly as last night. Her mind was not as fuzzy, and she did not have trouble speaking like she had had last night. Madam Pomfrey was pleased.
"How are you feeling?" the mediwitch asked once she finished her examination and a breakfast tray popped up on the table beside the bed. "My scans say you're recovering, but how do you feel?"
Aria took a moment before speaking.
"I'm still achy," she told the matron. "Like I've been exercising, or something hit me. I also feel like I'm being . . . refilled?"
"That would be your magical core," Madam Pomfrey said, "I expect you'll be a bit sensitive to it for a while. Like I said last night, what you did was astounding, but it has never been done by someone your age." She handed Aria a few potions which Aria dutifully drank. Her pain disappeared and steam came out of her ears again.
"Eat your breakfast," Madam Pomfrey instructed, placing the tray over Aria's lap. "The Headmaster and Professor Snape will be here after breakfast as well as a healer from St. Mungo's."
"What's St. Mungo's?"
"The wizarding hospital."
Finding herself famished, Aria tucked into her breakfast, a full English, complete with pumpkin juice and tea. Still, even when she finished, she felt like she could eat more. The tray popped away when it was empty, and she settled back against her pillow.
Professor Dumbledore, Professor Snape, and an unknown man in lime green robes entered the infirmary. His robes were almost as ridiculous as Professor Dumbledore's turquoise ones! Madam Pomfrey greeted them cheerfully before handing the unknown man a clipboard which he began to study as the four wandered over to her.
"How are you feeling, Miss Bourne?" Dumbledore asked.
"Tired," Aria said. "And I'm still hungry."
"That's to be expected," the unknown man replied with a smile. "Magic uses energy. The older you get the more magic you can use without being tired, but at your age, the amount of magic you've performed could have put you into a coma. Or turned you into a Squib."
"Like Mr. Filch?" Aria cried, alarmed.
"Yes," Snape replied, glaring at the healer. "Aria, this is Healer James Smith from St. Mungo's. He specializes in Spell Damage and Magical Cores."
"Healer Smith is the best in the field," Dumbledore said. "He has studied my magical core many times over the years."
"The headmaster has one of the strongest cores of his generation," Smith stated. "Possibly many generations. By the looks of it, Miss Bourne, you're on the way to developing a fine magical core yourself. Only time will tell how strong it will be, especially since your feat of accidental magic should have rendered you a near Squib and yet your core is already two-thirds replenished."
"But it wasn't accidental magic," Aria told them. "I did a spell. I was trying to do stupefy like the older kids."
Healer Smith did not look convinced.
"I told you," Madam Pomfrey said. "Here is what remains of her wand." She produced Aria's wand. Aria held her hand out for it, but no one gave it to her. A part of her wanted it back, even though she knew it would not be of any use to her, but it was her wand! Healer Smith's eyebrows rose as he inspected the wand. Finally, he handed it to Professor Snape who handed it to Aria who happily took it from him and hid it under the blankets so no one else could take it.
"Accidental magic or not," Healer Smith said, "only time will tell her magical strength. I would say that her magical core does appear a little oversized, it appears to be the size of an average thirteen-year-old instead of an eleven-year-old's, so she may experience some accidental magic for a few years as her body and mind catches up with the core."
"Will her magical core outstrip her ability to control it?" Pomfrey asked.
"I don't think so," the healer replied. "As she gets older her natural maturity gained in her teen years will hopefully help temper any emotionally charged accidental magic. Accidental magic feeds off emotion as you know."
"And this isn't a school of emotional, hormonal children," Snape drawled.
"I'd like to do a check up on Miss Bourne once a year," Healer Smith finished, handing Aria's chart back to Madam Pomfrey. "Around the start of each school year should do. I expect her body to catch up with her core. There should be no size difference by the time she's fourteen, I'd say. Fifteen at the latest. Still, I expect Miss Bourne will be a very powerful witch come her maturity at seventeen." He gave Aria a quick, toothless smile, before turning fully to the three adults. "Do any of you have any questions?"
"When can I get a new wand?" Aria asked.
"Give yourself another few days to rest and recuperate," Healer Smith told her. Aria groaned.
"Make sure she had plenty of nutritious snacks," he told Pomfrey. "Until her core is fully replenished, she's going to need the extra energy."
The two medical professionals and Professor Dumbledore headed back to Madam Pomfrey's office while Professor Snape stepped closer to the bed.
"I am glad to see you recovering," he said. "How are you feeling?"
"I was a little sore this morning," Aria replied, "but I'm feeling much more myself."
"Hm. You certainly are able to speak easier this morning which is good." He pulled an envelope out of his pocket and held it out to her. She recognized her dad's writing.
"When children come to the Hospital Wing overnight their parents are notified," Snape told her as she took the envelope. "Depending on why they've been admitted, parents may opt to come and visit. Unfortunately, your dad being a Muggle, that is not possible."
"Why not?" Aria asked.
"There are many Muggle Repellent charms and wards on Hogwarts," Snape said, "not to mention Hogsmeade. If Muggles do happen to come this far into the Scottish wilderness, they find nothing but rubble and a distinct desire to leave. I believe that is how there have come to be haunted woods and fields and plains and such."
"So, Dad can never come visit?"
"I never said that. There is a . . . process. It is unfortunate for our Muggleborn students, and I will instruct your dad on how to go through that process if he wants the ability to visit you next time you're admitted to the hospital, but most Muggle families never ask to come to it's never been an issue."
Aria opened the letter.
Aria,
I hear you fought a mountain troll? Do trolls really exist and why were you fighting one? The way Severus Professor Snape explained it, it doesn't seem like a normal thing at that school of yours. Is it a normal thing?
Anyway, I won't be able to visit you. Professor Snape said he would keep me up to date on your health. I would really appreciate it if you did not get sent to the Hospital Wing since communication is so much slower than a phone call. Your dad, unfortunately, is a worrywart.
I love you lots. Please stay safe. I love your letters.
Love,
Dad
Sighing she placed the letter on the bedside table. A phone call would be nice.
"When can I see my friends?" she asked. If she couldn't talk to her dad or see him, the next best thing was her friends. Surely, they didn't expect her to be alone all day!
"Ah yes, your little friends," Snape muttered. "I believe they are finishing up their own breakfast and have been told they may visit you as long as they do not tire you."
"When can I leave?"
"Only when you stop asking questions."
Aria glared at Snape, but he was unmoved.
"You'll leave when Madam Pomfrey says you can," he informed her, "and not a moment sooner. No one gets released early under her watch." He spoke like a man with experience.
Madam Pomfrey reappeared carrying a basket full of snacks which she placed on the table beside Aria's bed. Aria pulled the basket closer, studying the different food within. There was a large bag of dried bananas and another bag of pretzels as well as a bag that looked like some sort of wizarding trail mix, but Aria didn't recognize any of the goodies in it. There were also miniature muffins wrapped in their own little cloth coverings. After sampling two, Aria discovered that one kind was chocolate chip and the other was blueberry.
By the time she had unpacked the basket and had the food spread over her lap, Hermione, Harry, and Ron appeared. Hermione flung herself at Aria, hugging her tightly and filling Aria's mouth with her hair.
"I was so worried!" Hermione cried. Aria spat out her hair, patting her friend's hair aside as she quickly returned the hug. Harry managed to nudged Hermione off Aria. Ron was perusing Aria's snacks.
"Why you got all the snacks?" he asked.
"Ron!" Hermione cried. "Aria could've died last night and all you can talk about is food?" Aria laughed at Ron's wide eyes.
"Sorry," Ron muttered.
"I'm fine, Hermione," Aria said. "I have magical exhaustion. A healer from St. Mungo's (that's the hospital) came to take a look at me. My core is refilling itself, he thinks that it's overextended itself and that I might experience accidental magic for a bit. My wand is burned out and I'm supposed to eat a lot to gain my energy back." She held up the trail mix. "What's this, Ron?"
"Scroggin," Ron replied. "It's just cereal, granola, chocolate and . . . dirigible plums."
"Dirigible plums?"
"Yeah, it's a fruit."
Aria repacked the basket and set it aside.
"You were all anyone could talk about last night," Harry told Aria. "I think half the Slytherins are in denial that you, a Muggleborn and a first year, could take down the troll."
"But they saw it which means they must believe it," Hermione stated. Harry shrugged.
"Some of the older students in Slytherin don't really like Muggleborns," Aria told Hermione. "Professor Snape's made it clear that no one's to bother me, but it's hard to miss because they're always glaring at me or muttering whenever I walk by."
"You were all people could talk about too," Ron said, "I think Fred and George are going to give you a gift or something. They were really impressed."
"Well, it's not all good news," Aria said, pulling her wand from under the sheets. "I burned my wand out, that's why I have bad magical exhaustion. Healer Smith said I was lucky I didn't turn myself into a Squib."
Her friends stared in shock at her wand.
"I didn't think that was possible!" Ron cried. Hermione studied the wand with the air of a scholar. Harry looked as surprised and intrigued as Ron.
"Professor Snape said only extremely powerful wizards and witches can do it," Aria told them, tucking her wand away. "But only when they're adults."
"Well I'm happy you're all right," Hermione said, "and that you're not a Squib because then you'd have to leave, and I'd be stuck on my own with these two!"
Harry and Ron sputtered with mock indignation while Aria laughed.
"So, when do you think Madam Pomfrey will let you out?" Hermione asked.
"Only when she's satisfied that my core's replenished enough," Aria said. "Probably not for another day or so."
"That sucks," Ron commented. "Fred and George have talked all about being sent here because one of their pranks backfired on them. Says Madam Pomfrey's a slave driver!"
"Only because your two brothers are hellions, Mr. Weasley." Madam Pomfrey bustled over to them with a tray of tea. "This is for you, Miss Bourne. A special blend for energy."
"Magic tea?" Aria asked as she lifted the top off the teapot and peered inside. Hermione peered in too.
"All the ladies know it," Madam Pomfrey replied. "It'll sooth any linger aches and pains and give you a little more energy. It'll keep you until it's time for another round of potions." Aria poured herself a cup from the tea pot and grinned at the bright pink color that came out.
"My mum has a tea that looks at that," Ron commented.
"I'm sure she does," Madam Pomfrey muttered, walking away with a smirk on her face. Ron and Harry glanced at each other with shrugs.
"Anything new happen after the troll?" Aria asked.
"I got these in the mail!" Harry reached into his pants pocket and pulled out an envelope which he opened, pulling out several photos.
"Oh, wow!" Hermione cried. "Are those your parents?"
"Yeah, it's on their wedding day," Harry answered, though Aria could have guessed that based off the beautiful white gown and flowered veil Lily Potter wore, her red hair long and flowing. In one photo she and James Potter smiled and waved at the camera before kissing and posing for a standard wedding portrait. Another photo had James surrounded by the three other boys from some of the McGonagall's photos: Remus, Sirius, and Peter. Another photo had those four and a fifth man which the back of the photo identified as Frank Longbottom. A photo of Lily had her with two women, identified as Alice Fortescue and Marlene McKinnon.
"Longbottom?" Aria questioned, "is he related to Neville?"
"Probably," Ron said, "it's not exactly any old family name now is it?"
The last few photos were not of a wedding. Rather, each photo had Remus in them, dressed in various states of casual clothes from brown tweed jackets to tan tweed jackets, and in each of them there was a little black-haired baby.
"You were such a cute baby!" Hermione cooed. Harry's face turned bright red.
Aria held up one of the photos for closer inspection. It was labeled "July 31, 1981, Harry's 1st Birthday" and it had Harry, his parents, Remus, Sirius, and Peter all gathered together with a cake in front of them wearing silly party hats. They all waved at the camera before Lily kissed Harry's cheek, James kissed Lily's cheek, and Sirius kissed Remus' cheek. Peter bounced a balloon off of Sirius' head.
"Who sent these to you?" Aria asked Harry, setting the photos back down on the bed. Harry reached back into the envelope and pulled out a piece of parchment.
"Remus Lupin," he told them. Aria glanced at the smiling face of the young man in the wedding photos, his facial scars giving him a rogue-like handsomeness. "I'll read what he wrote. 'Dear Harry, I hope you don't mind me writing to you, as you most likely do not remember me, but Professor McGonagall tracked me down a few days ago wondering if I had any photos of your parents that I could spare. She informed me that, for whatever reason, you had no photos of James and Lily. These are copies of the photos I have most readily on hand. There are many more, which I will attempt to get out of storage. I have moved about since the night your parents died; I have not kept in touch with people in the wizarding world. Frankly, I'm surprised Professor McGonagall's letter even found me, but I'm certain there was a stern lecture in there for the poor harassed owl that delivered the letter in the first place—so maybe I shouldn't be so surprised.'"
"True that," Ron muttered. "You should have heard her the other day when she came into the common room to yell at Fred and George."
"'I hope you are enjoying your first year at Hogwarts. Are you in Gryffindor like your parents or did the Hat put you somewhere else? There were times I thought Lily would have been better suited for Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff, her intelligence had her sitting at the top of the class all seven years and she was loyal to a fault. Regardless, I am sure you are a credit to whichever house you are now a member of.
I hope you enjoy the pictures. Yours truly, Remus J. Lupin.'"
Harry put the letter back in the envelope with the pictures.
"He sounds very nice," Hermione said.
"He seems like a good person to ask all your questions about your mum and dad to," Aria added. Ron nodded.
"I've still got to talk to Professor Snape," Harry told them. "See what he has to say about my mum."
The infirmary doors opened, interrupting their discussion. Lavender, Parvati, Dean, Seamus, and Neville trooped in; the girls carrying a large bouquet of flowers in a vase.
"We brought your flowers!" Lavender cried, setting the flowers on the bedside table on Aria's other side. "Professor Flitwick taught Parvati and me the charm that makes them come out of your wand. Do you like them?"
"They're pretty," Aria replied, not sure about how gigantic they were. "Are they supposed to be that big?"
"We might've gotten a little enthusiastic," Parvati admitted with a giggle. "But we were so excited about learning the charm and so wanting to see you that . . . well . . . they came out like this."
"We brought you chocolate," Seamus cut in, dumping an armful of chocolate into Aria's lap. "This is from me, Neville, and Dean."
There was a wide assortment of chocolate, Aria noted, as Ron helped her paw through the sweets. There was Cadbury and Aero bars as well as chocolate frogs and chocolate bars labeled HONEYDUKES.
"Thanks," Aria said, putting them into her basket of snacks. "Where's Fay and Sophie?"
"Oh, they couldn't be bothered to come," Lavender cried, flipping her curly hair over her shoulder. It was clear she did not think highly of the two other first year Gryffindor girls. "They seem to think it beneath them to make friends from Slytherin. They just don't know how cool you are."
"I am not cool," Aria argued.
"You took down a mountain troll single-handedly," Seamus cried.
"And you burnt your wand," Ron pointed out.
"You burnt your wand?" Neville cried. "We didn't hear that!" Aria sighed, pulling her wand back out for inspection.
"That's a little disturbing," Dean commented, pulling out his own wand to look at. "Like . . . that's not how a wand should look."
"When will you get a new wand?" Lavender asked.
"Whenever Madam Pomfrey says I'm well enough."
Eventually Lavender and Parvati revealed they had brought a bag of hair care items and the boys immediately vacated the infirmary with well-wishes, leaving the girls to do Aria's hair and for Parvati to bully Hermione into letting her experiment with some styles on her.
Aria immediately shared the chocolate with them.
"I feel quite rebellious," Hermione stated, breaking into the bar of Cadbury. "My parents are dentists and don't allow sweets into the house."
"What's a dentist?" Parvati asked as she parted Hermione's thick locks into sections and began applying conditioner to each section.
"They're healers," Hermione explained, "but they specialize in the health of people's teeth. Don't you have something like that in the wizarding world?"
"No," Lavender said. "Our teeth get checked when we go for our healer's appointment every year. But if they specialize in teeth, why haven't they done anything with your two front ones?"
"Lavender!" Aria cried. Hermione's face went red.
"Sorry," Lavender muttered. "It's just . . . magic makes sure our teeth are white and straight and the right size."
"Mum and Dad think I'll grow into them," Hermione said. "If not, there are ways to fix it."
"You should have Madam Pomfrey fix them," Parvati stated, "That is, if you want them fixed. They aren't that bad."
"Oh please," Hermione cried, grimacing slightly as Parvati began brushing through her sectioned hair. "I got called 'beaver' enough times in primary to know that's not true."
"Beaver?" Aria cried. "I'll sock anyone in the mouth who calls you that."
"Thanks."
The infirmary doors opened again, and this time it was the Slytherins who showed up. Daphne and Tracey led the crew into the infirmary, Theo and Blaise and surprisingly Draco, trailing behind.
"I'm glad we didn't bring you flowers," Daphne said, admiring the vase of flowers. Tracey practically stuffed her face in the bouquet in her haste to smell them. "I see your . . . friends are making you comfortable."
"I might never have a chance to have Aria in one place for so long," Lavender answered, handing Aria a hand mirror. "What do you think?" Aria admired how soft her hair was, each curl defined without any frizz.
"I'm not sure about the bow," she said.
"I think it's adorable."
"I think the color's off," Tracey replied. "You might be able to wear pink, Lavender, but Aria's coloring really matches the gemstone colors better."
Lavender looked thoughtful before waving her wand with a whispered incantation and the hair ribbon expertly tied into a bow was changed to the Slytherin emerald green. Aria grinned with approval. Parvati handed Hermione another mirror so that Hermione could watch as Parvati managed to smooth out Hermione's own thick curls into tight ringlets that fell to her shoulders. Her hair, helped along with whatever hair product Parvati had used, was still full and big, but no long had the untamed bush to it.
"We are glad that you are well," Blaise said to Aria, handing her a card that was signed by almost everyone in Slytherin. "You've managed to impress a few of the older students."
"They should be," Lavender said, "she burnt her wand."
"Lavender!" Aria cried.
"What? Bet no one bothers you anymore." She glared at Draco before handing Aria another brush and sitting cross legged in front of her. Aria dutifully began to brush Lavender's hair.
"You burned your wand?" Daphne asked.
"Nearly turned myself into a Squib," Aria said, showing her wand. "I'm in here for magical exhaustion. Pomfrey even called in a guy from St. Mungo's. I might experience some accidental magic for a while."
"That's incredible," Theo muttered, his hand hovering over Aria's wand. "I've never heard of anyone burning their wand out before."
"How're you going to afford a new one?" Draco asked.
"Draco!" Daphne cried. "That's so rude."
"Well, it's true isn't it?" Draco retorted. "I'm not trying to be mean—,"
"Well you're doing a poor job at it."
"—I'm just being realistic."
"I have money left over from the trip to Diagon Alley," Aria bit out, shoving her wand back under the covers. "I'm pretty sure there's enough there for a new wand."
"I'm sure Professor Snape and Professor Dumbledore would make sure that you're able to afford a new wand," Parvati soothed, sending her own glare at Draco whose face was now turning pink at all the glares being sent at him from the six girls. "Professor Snape seems really scary, but he really likes you Slytherins."
"Do you think," Lavender mused, "that Professor Snape wears the exact same set of robes every day, or do you think he has a wardrobe full of identical black robes?"
"It's clearly a wardrobe full of robes," Tracey replied. "His robe would wear out eventually if he constantly cleaned it every night."
"I didn't say he cleaned it every night."
"Ew, gross!" Hermione cried.
"If you girls are going to talk clothes," Draco said as he yanked Blaise and Theo backwards, "then we don't need to be here anymore. We only came because Daphne and Tracey bullied us."
"No, we didn't!" Blaise cried. Draco shoved him out of the infirmary. With the boys gone Daphne and Tracey climbed onto the bed with Lavender and Daphne pulled out a Witches' Weekly and the five poured over the issue, and Hermione complained every other page, even though her face turned pink and her lips quirked up with pleasure whenever any of the other girls involved her in the conversation. Aria hoped Hermione wasn't too lonely in Gryffindor Tower. She didn't seem to have too much in common with her four roommates, Fay and Sophie kept to themselves if they weren't hanging out with some of the older Gryffindor girls, and she was always hanging out with her and Harry and Ron. Still, she was glad that everyone her was willing to at least get along. From the way kids talked in the common room, she would have thought Parvati and Lavender would want nothing to do with her Slytherin year mates.
A soft hiss interrupted their dissecting of an article about up-and-coming hairstyles that women like Narcissa Malfoy and Patricia Parkinson were wearing. They all glanced to the bed beside Aria's and gasped as Mrs. Norris stared at them, hissing again.
"Stop that, Mrs. Norris," Aria scolded, patting the bed. "Did you come to see me?" The cat, eying the other girls warily, jumped onto the bed and settled across Aria's lap, still glaring at the girls with her unusual and creepy red eyes.
"Aria . . . ." Hermione murmured. Aria petted Mrs. Norris, the cat eventually closing her eyes and purring loudly.
"She likes me," Aria said. "Don't ask. I don't understand it either. She hissed at Lord Malfoy the day he came to try and argue against Draco getting detention for yanking me across the courtyard by my hair."
"Lord Malfoy tried to get Draco out of detention?" Daphne cried.
"Do you think Draco complained to his grandfather?" Lavender asked.
"I think Professor Snape wrote the Malfoys," Aria replied.
"Lord Malfoy's pretty scary," Tracey admitted. She reached out to try and pet Mrs. Norris, only to have the cat take a swipe at her hand. The others laughed while Aria soothed Mrs. Norris.
In the later afternoon while Aria did the reading assignment for History of Magic, Mrs. Norris now snoozing at the foot of the hospital bed where a patch of sunlight was, the doors to the infirmary opened and Professors Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall, and twelve other adults entered. Madam Pomfrey came out of her office, greeting most with a smile. Lord Abraxas Malfoy was among wizards and witches that had arrived. Aria slouched beneath the covers seeing him, hoping they would ignore her if she just stuck her face into her history book.
"Miss Bourne is over here," she heard Dumbledore say. So much for hiding. She lowered her history book to peek over at all the adults. "As you can see, she is quite well. When do you think you'll be able to release her, Madam Pomfrey?"
"Tomorrow morning," Pomfrey replied. "I have been monitoring her vitals and magical core all day and it is nearly back to completion. I will be advising her professors to not expect her to use her magic while in class for a few days, even after she gets her new wand."
"I find it very difficult to believe that a girl of her age and lineage could ever burn out a wand," Lord Malfoy stated. A few of the wizards and witches nodded. One woman, a severe looking lady with a sharp nose and a hat with a large bird on it, glared at Lord Malfoy.
"You would be surprised at what people are capable of under duress, Abraxas" Madam Pomfrey replied. "Aria, could you mind showing the Governors your wand?"
These must be the Board of Governors then, Aria thought as she reached under the covers for her wand. Neville had mentioned his grandmother was on it. She wondered which witch was Augusta Longbottom.
Producing her wand, she made to hand it to Madam Pomfrey, only to have Lord Malfoy snatch it out her hand. Several people gasped.
"Give that back!" Aria shouted, pushing to her knees, reaching for the wand. Lord Malfoy pulled it out of her reach to continue looking at it.
She did not want that man to have his hands on her wand. Even though she had shown her wand to her friends and others they hadn't just taken it out of her hand without permission. And Draco said his grandfather thought Muggleborns were uncivilized!
"Give that back right now!" Aria ordered. "That's my wand."
"Enough, girl," Lord Malfoy snapped, holding the wand up for closer inspection.
"My name is Aria Bourne!" A wind sped through the infirmary, whipping around Aria, waking Mrs. Norris up, ruffling the older witch's bird topped hat and several cloaks. The wand leaped out of Lord Malfoy's hand and Aria caught it. Mrs. Norris' back arched, and she hissed at Lord Malfoy.
"Calm yourself, Bourne," Snape instructed, stepping between Lord Malfoy and Aria. Immediately Aria's attention was on her Head of House. The wind disappeared. Madam Pomfrey began waving her hand over Aria.
"Really, Abraxas," Pomfrey hissed. "You would think you had been raised in a barn! If you insist on terrorizing my patients, I will throw you out of this infirmary."
"As the head of the Board of the Governors, I—,"
"Don't go waving your position at me, sir," Pomfrey retorted. "You're still the little boy I hexed down two flights of stairs and I'll do it again if you continue to act like a spoiled brat in my infirmary!"
McGonagall and the bird hat witch snickered.
"Ah yes," Dumbledore mused, "that was an excellent piece of Transfiguration, though I hadn't even taught it to you yet. You were always one to read ahead in the text book . . . ."
Lord Malfoy sneered.
"May the rest of us see your wand, Miss Bourne?" the bird hat witch asked, stepping forward. "I promise no one else will take it without permission. You were right to protect your wand like that."
Aria frowned at her.
"Only if you promise," she finally said. With the witch's nod Aria pulled back out her wand and held it, allowing the Board of Governors to step forward one by one to look at her burnt wand.
"Extraordinary," the bird hat witch eventually said. "I thought my grandson, Neville, was exaggerating when he said you had burnt out your wand."
"You're Neville's grandmother?" Aria cried.
"He has spoken about me?"
Aria looked the woman up and down. She was every inch as fierce and badly dressed as Neville had described. But she was also the lady who had cried tears of joy after Neville had bounced after being dropped out a window!
"When will Miss Bourne be getting her new wand?" one of the governors asked.
"Ollivander will be by tomorrow morning," Dumbledore replied. "Miss Bourne will leave the infirmary in possession of a new wand." Aria perked up at that.
"Well now that we have intruded on Poppy's time and Miss Bourne's," Lady Longbottom said, "we should return to your office, Headmaster. There's still the matter about the troll that we would like to discuss with you."
"Ah yes," Dumbledore agreed, ushering the Board of Governors out, Lord Malfoy and Madam Pomfrey shooting one last glare at each other before he exited the infirmary.
"You could've found a way to warn me that Abraxas was on his way here," Pomfrey snapped at McGonagall who had the audacity to snicker.
"And miss seeing you two go at each other's throats in less than two minutes?" the Head of Gryffindor asked. "I wouldn't do anything to miss a such a spectacle from happening."
"Did you three go to school with each other?" Aria asked.
"Abraxas Malfoy was in our year," Pomfrey replied. "He was a Slytherin, obviously, while I was a Hufflepuff and Professor McGonagall a Gryffindor."
"What about Lady Longbottom?"
"Oh Augusta? She was a Gryffindor as well."
"Yes," McGonagall replied, "she and I shared a dorm room. Quite a time. Quite a time."
"Did you really hex Lord Malfoy down two flights of stairs? Was he hurt?"
"His pride was hurt," Pomfrey responded, giving Mrs. Norris her own pillow to sleep on. "He was fine. I transfigured him into a bouncing ball." Aria's eyes widened and her mouth dropped. "It was a very large ball and since it was a human transfiguration to non-animate object he wasn't physically hurt by the experience. If I had transfigured him into something alive like a ferret—,"
"Do stop putting ideas into Aria's head," Snape ordered. "I can just see her now attempting to transfigure her own Malfoy into a bouncing ball."
"I'd transfigure him into a football," Aria stated. "Then Dean and I could kick him around a bit." The two older witches tried not to snicker while Snape glared at her.
"I think I should tell you that I did receive two weeks of detention," Pomfrey told Aria. "I'm certain Professors Snape and McGonagall would also give you such a punishment if you happened to transfigure young Mr. Malfoy into a . . . football."
"You have no idea what football is do you, Madam Pomfrey?"
"That is correct. Is it a Muggle sport?"
"Only the best there is! I suppose though that instead of transfiguring Draco into a football I could transfigure Pansy into a cricket ball and then transfigure Draco into a cricket bat."
That earned her another sharp glare from her Head of House.