1st March (cont'd…)

"Oh my poor boy…" Molly and Arthur Weasley hurtled through the Hospital Wing towards their son. I stood quickly from the chair where I had sat holding his hand and got out of their way as Molly stroked Ron's face, planting kisses on his forehead, fussing over him.

Arthur on the other hand, stood back beside me, regarding the scene, taking it in, "What happened Poppy? Albus said he was poisoned?"

"I'll em -" I pointed my finger towards the door.

"No you certainly will not," Madam Pomfrey pointed at my designated bed, "You are just after your evening medication."

"Have you told Fred and George?" Molly asked me.

I shook my head, "I was told not to."

"Do that now." Arthur placed a hand on my shoulder, "It would be better coming from you."

I nodded. Both Molly and Arthur were showing their age with worry lines etched on their faces as they asked about Ron's condition. They gleaned as many of the medical details as they could from Madam Pomfrey. The facts: Is he okay? Will he make a full recovery? How long do you think he'll be in the hospital wing for?

K: Hey Georgie, are you and Freddie free?

It took George seconds to reply.

G: Hello! We're both having some dinner. How was your day? Fred says hi!
K: Hey Freddie! Look, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but something's happened...
G: What is it?
K: Ron's been poisoned. He's here in the Hospital Wing. He's going to be okay, but he's asleep. I don't know the details, all I know is that he was in Slughorn's office with Harry, they had a glass of mead and Ron collapsed, foaming at the mouth and Harry stuck a bezoar down his throat. I've been with him all day. Your parents have just arrived.
G: Merlin's beard! He's going to be alright?
K: Yeah. Harry saved his life.
G: Can we come?
K: Of course you can.
G: We'll be there as soon as we can.

As soon as Molly and Arthur were satisfied with Madam Pomfrey's assessments and subsequent prognosis, the couple quickly made their way to Dumbledore's office. I resumed my seat by Ron's side, "He was in shock earlier, wasn't he?"

"Yes." Madam Pomfrey answered, "Are the twins on their way?"

I nodded.

"You may let your friends in."

I hurried to the door and swung it open to admit the three pale faces staring at me. Ginny ran straight to Ron's side, taking my seat and immediately re-engaged in theoretical conversation with Harry. Hermione remained as distant as she had been hours before, taking a seat at the end of the bed, watching Ron's chest rise and fall.

"What did mum and dad say?" Ginny asked.

"Not much…" I shook my head, "I think they just needed to know he'll be alright. They told me to tell Fred and George, so they'll be here soon enough. I think they're going up to talk to Dumbledore now."

Harry nodded, "Do you have any idea why this happened?"

"Unless Bellatrix thought that Ron was my ginger love, then I'm not sure." I paused and stared, "Does she know I'm alive? She did threaten to -"

Ginny gulped. I lifted out my litteras occultas.

K: Are you okay?
G: Yeah, I'm just getting ready, I'll be there soon. Are you okay?
K: Yeah, just be careful. If Bellatrix has found out I'm alive, she could be after you…
G: We'll travel via the Floo Network, then. I'll see you soon.

"There also happens to be a chance this isn't related to my family." I said, "I don't think I could take any more family drama at the minute." I flexed my fingers on my left hand, they felt stiff and sore after holding onto Ron for so long. Today was definitely the most they've been in use in months.

"Harry and I were wondering…" Ginny began slowly, her eyes unwillingly locking onto mine before she glanced away again, "why would Slughorn want to poison Ron?"

"Chances are," I said slowly, my brain working slower because of the pain and exhaustion creeping over me, "there's a connection between Katie Bell being cursed and Ron being poisoned. It can't be a coincidence."

Me. I'm the connection.

I climbed up on the bed I had occupied for my nap beside Ron's and laid down, staring at the ceiling. I tried to think logically… Did someone poison Ron to get a message to me, that I can still be touched within these walls? That I'm never safe? Is Slughorn secretly working for the Death Eaters? Will they hurt everyone I care about, leaving me til last, when I'm pleading for death? That's what Bellatrix threatened me with…

George's face was staring down at me when I opened my eyes, "Are you okay?"

I cleared my throat to rid myself of the lump that was developing, "I'm better for you seeing you." I stood and wrapped my arms around him, tucking my head in under his chin, listening to his heartbeat as he gently stroked my hair.

"So, all in all, not one of Ron's better birthdays?" Fred said, taking a seat beside Ginny at Ron's side.

"This isn't how we imagined handing over our present," George said grimly as the two of us sat on the edge of my bed, joining the conversation. He indicated to the wrapped present Fred had placed on Ron's bedside cabinet.

"Yeah, when we pictured the scene, he was conscious." Fred said.

George continued, "There we were in Hogsmeade, waiting to surprise him -"

"I told you Hogsmeade was cancelled, considering what happened to Katie -"

"Why were you in Hogsmeade?" Ginny asked.

Fred looked gloomy, "We were thinking of buying Zonko's, a Hogsmeade branch, you know, but a fat load of good it'll do us if you lot aren't allowed out at weekends to buy our stuff anymore… but never mind that now."

I turned to George and whispered, "You never told me about buying Zonko's!"

"I didn't want to get your hopes up, until we were certain it was on the cards." He responded, kissing my forehead, "I know it would make me feel better being that bit closer to you, but I don't think it's going to be worth the investment right now…"

"How exactly did it happen, Harry?" Fred had asked.

Harry recounted every detail he could remember. I dread to think how many times he's had to tell the story. "Madam Pomfrey said he's going to be in for a week or so… What's the potion you've been giving him again, Kathryn?"

"Essence of Rue." I said quietly, "I've been sitting with him all day, giving him the potion every three hours… He's not himself when he's woken up… I doubt he'll remember anything." I stood and crossed over to Ron's bed and performed the scanning spell and pointed to his lungs and where the excess fluid build-up was and how far it had receded.

Fred commented, "When'd you learn to do that?"

"Today was the first time I'd performed it myself, but they've been scanning my arm constantly these last number of weeks, so if you ask the right questions, you pick up a thing or two." I remarked, "He's doing a lot better than he was earlier."

"Blimey, it was lucky you thought of a Bezoar, Harry." George said in a low voice.

"Lucky there was one in the room," Harry said.

The group shivered at the thought of what would have happened if Harry hadn't of been able to lay his hands on the little stone. Hermione gave an inaudible sniff, the loudest she had been in quite some time. I could only imagine what she was going through, feeling as though she had to suppress her emotions, when realistically there would be no objections within the group of a relationship between the two. My mind flickered to Lavender Brown and I wondered why she hadn't come searching for her beloved boyfriend, considering we'd all been AWOL all day…

"Do Mum and Dad know?" Fred asked Ginny after minutes of silence.

"They've already seen him, they arrived about an hour ago – they're in Dumbledore's office now, but they'll be back down soon."

Ron mumbled in his sleep. This is the first noise he had made other than being woken for his potion. George and I shared a glance. He could always read me like a book; he knew I was worried and I couldn't hide it. But he didn't understand what it was like seeing the fear in Ron's eyes, waking him up to force a potion down his throat and how he doesn't understand what's going on. He may never be the same again.

"So the poison was in the drink?" Fred asked quietly.

"Yes," Harry spoke at once, "Slughorn poured it out -"

"Would he have been able to slip something into Ron's glass without seeing?"

Harry took a short time to think about it, "Probably, but why would Slughorn want to poison Ron?"

Fred shrugged his shoulders, "No idea," he frowned, "You don't think he could have mixed up the glasses by mistake? Meaning to get you?"

"Why would Slughorn want to poison Harry?" Ginny asked.

"I dunno," said Fred, "but there must be loads of people who'd like to poison Harry, mustn't there? The 'Chosen One' and all that?"

"So you think Slughorn's a Death Eater?" Ginny asked, looking around the group.

Fred lowered his voice, "Anything's possible."

"He could be under the Imperius Curse," George suggested.

"Or he could be innocent," Ginny added, "The poison could have been in the bottle, in which case it was probably meant for Slughorn himself."

I sat forwards, "Didn't you say that Slughorn took the job here to get rid of the Death Eaters trying to track him? Wasn't he in hiding? Could there be something valuable he knows?"

"You didn't mention him when you were in Malfoy Manor, did you?"

I thought back, "Only with regards to the Christmas Party. Hard to miss those pictures." I said, "So Voldemort knows he's here, but I doubt he'd use something as fallible as poisoned mead, there are easier ways to kill someone. He's smarter than that."

"But Voldemort doesn't care about collateral." Harry reminded me.

"And you said that Slughorn was planning to give that bottle to Dumbledore for Christmas," Ginny said, "So the poisoner could just as easily have been after Dumbledore."

I fidgeted for a moment as more waves of realisation came upon me, "Okay, so going with what Ginny said… Hear me out… Who was Katie supposed to give the necklace to?" I asked.

"Dumbledore."

"Who was Slughorn going to give the mead to?"

"Dumbledore."

"What's the chances someone's out to get Dumbledore?" I said before taking a deep breath to continue, "Or they're out to get me. I mean – Katie Bell and going after the red heads one by one? Tell me I'm crazy or I've got this completely wrong."

George put an arm around me. No one said anything. The silence accentuated a headache that was quickly presenting itself. My body was tired, but my mind was running a marathon.

Hermione's voice was hoarse as though having a bad head-cold when she spoke, "The poisoner didn't know Slughorn very well. Anyone who knew Slughorn would have known there was a good chance he'd keep something that tasty for himself."

Just as I was about to suggest that Slughorn dying would also be of benefit to Voldemort, Ron mumbled in his sleep.

"Er-my-nee."

All eyes were on Ron. I strode from my bed across to his and took a seat on the edge, taking his hand, squeezing it to see if there was any reaction, talking to him using my ability, asking him to squeeze my hand back, but there was no reaction. He simply mumbled incoherently in his sleep. There was no reaction to stimuli – touch, sound or pain. I shook my head at everyone watching me as he let out a snore.

The Hospital Wing doors flew open, making everyone bar Ron jump: Hagrid strode towards us, his hair rain-flecked, his bearskin coat flapping behind him, a crossbow in his hand, leaving a trail of muddy dolphin-sized footprints all over the floor.

"Bin in the Forest all day!" He panted, "Aragog's worse, I've been readin' to him – didn' get up ter dinner till jus' now an' then Professor Sprout told me abou' Ron! How is he?"

"Not bad," Harry said, "They say he'll be okay."

"No more than six visitors at a time!" Madam Pomfrey hurried out of her office.

George did a quick head count, "Hagrid makes six, unless you're not counting Katy as your patient anymore?" he placed a hand on my thigh as I sat down on the bed beside him.

Madam Pomfrey looked at her watch and reasoned, "I suppose she is… yes…" she then hurried to clear the muddy puddles created by Hagrid.

"I don' believe this," Hagrid said hoarsely, shaking his great shaggy head as he stared down at Ron, droplets of water flying around him, "Jus' don' believe it… look at him lying there… who'd want ter hurt him, eh?"

"That's just what we were discussing," Harry said, "We don't know…"

"Someone couldn' have a grudge against the Gryffindor Quidditch team, could they?" Hagrid asked, "Firs' Katie, now Ron…"

George shook his head, "I can't see anyone trying to bump off a Quidditch team."

I agreed, "This is a whole lot bigger than that…"

"Wood might've done the Slytherins if he could've got away with it." Fred said fairly.

I couldn't help but giggle. I remembered the hours I sat listening to him rant and rave about Quidditch. I could have told you Gryffindor's plays and their tactics without ever playing a match. He would have loved nothing more than to burn all of Slytherins brooms and hospitalise all of their players in a series of freak accidents.

"Well, I don't think it's Quidditch but I agree with Kathryn, I think there's a connection between the attacks." Hermione nodded to me, "they both ought to have been fatal and weren't, although that was pure luck. And for another, neither the poison nor the necklace seems to have reached the person who was supposed to be killed. Of course, that makes the person behind this even more dangerous in a way, because they don't seem to care how many people they finish off before they actually reach their victim."

Before anyone had the chance to respond, Molly and Arthur entered the ward, returning from their meeting with Dumbledore. Molly seized hold of Harry and squeezed him tight.

"Dumbledore's told us how you saved him with the bezoar," she sobbed, "Oh, Harry, what can we say? You saved Ginny … you saved Arthur … now you've saved Ron …"

"Don't be… I didn't …" Harry muttered awkwardly. He always was so modest. I may have been with him in the Chamber of Secrets, but I have no doubt in my mind that he saved their lives.

"Half of our family does seem to owe you their lives, now I stop and think about it," Arthur spoke in a constricted voice, "Well, all I can say is that it was a lucky day for the Weasleys when Ron decided to sit in your compartment on the Hogwarts Express, Harry."

Fred affectionately messed up Harry's hair as Madam Pomfrey reminded the group of the six-to-a-bed rule. Harry looked relived to be given the out, he never did know how to take praise or compliments. I find it hard too, especially after growing up in such harsh environments. Hermione rose to her feet at the same time as me.

"Where are you going, Katy?" George tugged on my hand as I started to walk after Harry and Hermione.

"You see this?" I indicated towards my hair, "This isn't red. This is a time for the red-heads."

"Don't be stupid, Kit-Kat, you're family." Ginny said, "Besides, you've been sitting at Ron's bedside all day making sure he's okay. You should stay."

Molly wrapped her arms around me, "You've been with him?"

I nodded, though feeling like I was about to be crushed.

"Sit down on your bed." Madam Pomfrey demanded, "You are still my patient and you've overworked that arm of yours, I've been watching you flex your hand and I know when you're in pain." she set down a range of potions on the table beside me, "Kathryn has been the most amazing help today," Madam Pomfrey remarked to the Weasleys, "she's been giving Ron his potions, keeping him calm and talking to him. Couldn't have done it better myself."

I scrunched up my face, "I'll deny it all whenever he wakes up."

"We will make sure he owes you a huge debt of gratitude, too." Fred smiled at me.

"Potions, Kathryn." Madam Pomfrey demanded, tapping the table with her wand impatiently.

Harry, Hermione and Hagrid all left the room and I waved to them, indicating that I didn't have a choice. My bed was calling me, but I don't think sleep was going to bestow itself upon me for a while. So I sat back down beside George and took the potions one by one. I was now used to the vile flavour of the new nerve regenerating potion, which worked a lot slower, but was much more effective in doing the job properly. My hand function was about 60%, but it did, admittedly, ache after all the excess strain of lifting Ron's head today. My pain relieving potion also tasted a little chalky and made me feel nauseated, so I followed it with a sip of sweet pumpkin juice with dissolvable medications mixed into it.

Madam Pomfrey then followed by examining my hand and subsequently my arm. The ugly scar was now a blush pink colour rather than blood-red, but it still stuck out like a sore thumb, so I liked to keep it covered. "Hmm…" she said, "Your arm aches doesn't it?"

"I don't know why you bother asking when you already know the answer."

"Sling?"

"Please." I said, "I'm already fighting sleep, but this is keeping me awake."

Madam Pomfrey helped me put the sling on, tying my arm tight to my body, providing a little bit of relief, "You'll be sleeping down here tonight."

"Okay." I said, "Can I get some odansetron please?"

"What's that for?" George asked as Madam Pomfrey headed into the store.

"The overwhelming nausea I have right now," I swallowed, "I took those potions on an empty stomach. Big mistake."

George placed my head on his shoulder, "Have you not had dinner?"

"I didn't eat much."

"Are you okay? I know this is probably hitting a little too close to home for you."

Molly then joined in, "It didn't even dawn on me… Are you okay dear?"

I gave her a small smile and nodded, "I'm fine. It was just a bit of a shock to the system, I thought Bellatrix -"

Arthur spoke softly, "To the best of my knowledge, she doesn't know."

"Two completely different poisons were used," I said as George took my hand and gave a comforting squeeze, "by the sounds of it, Ron had about a minute, whereas Bellatrix wanted me to suffer. She wouldn't want to make it that easy. She would want me to see him suffer and for me to be helpless. It makes me feel sick the thought that she could be behind this in some way."

Ginny reached over to me and patted my leg, as Madam Pomfrey gave everyone a cup of tea and biscuits, "He's going to be alright and that's what matters… Harry was wondering -?"

"I'll talk to Draco tomorrow." I answered quickly, with a hint of disgust at Harry getting Ginny to request such a thing on his behalf, I took a bite out of my ginger biscuit after swallowing the odansetron, I turned to Arthur, "D'you think Dumbledore'll be here in the morning?"

"Yes," Arthur said, "why?"

"Part of me thinks this person wants Dumbledore dead. I think Ron was collateral."

2nd March

When I woke this morning, I was in the Hospital Wing. Ron was snoring beside me and the sky was only just beginning to brighten. I was lying in yesterday's clothes and I had a blanket placed over me. I must have fallen asleep on George.

"I'm surprised you lasted as long as you did last night…" Madam Pomfrey said, making me jump, "I had to stop the twins from drawing a moustache on you before they left." She shook her head, a smirk on her lips.

"I appreciate you making them come to their senses." I stretched, picking up the blanket and folding it, "I dread to think what I look like…" I went into the bathroom and freshened up, making me feel slightly more human again.

She gave me a small smile as I returned, "Much better. Did you wake up because your arm was in pain?" With only one look of confirmation she gave a swish of her wand, my potions and medications were laid out on the table in front of me with a few slices of toast and a second glass of pumpkin juice.

"Thank you." I rubbed my eyes sleepily, "Any change?" I nodded my head towards Ron's bed.

She shook her head.

"You should waft some food under his nose." I suggested with a smile before taking a bite of toast, "He's bound to wake up, especially if it's bacon!"

"How is your hand this morning?" she asked, ignoring my ingenious suggestion.

I took a hold of the glass of juice with my left hand and took a drink, "Not bad. I think I just overdid it yesterday."

She performed a few spells after I'd finished all the potions and medications, checking the scar as she did every day, ensuring that my progress would not be tainted again. It was still early enough in the morning, I could see the bright oranges and yellows of a spring morning growing ever stronger in the horizon, "Slow and steady does it." Madam Pomfrey remarked, she contented herself with a cup of coffee and sat between Ron's bed and mine and we chatted for a while.

The two of us were engaging in a very animated conversation about Madam Pomfrey's most memorable patient from her days as a trainee Medi-Wizard. She was telling me about a young gentleman, who, from her description sounded wildly attractive with his brown tousled curls, who'd been admitted following a Quidditch accident involving a Bludger and him being suspended from the goalposts. She was in the middle of telling me about his internal injuries as Ron started muttering in his sleep again.

"Her-my-oh-nee…"

"Isn't his girlfriend Lavender, not Hermione?"

"Who his girlfriend is and who he is in love with are two separate people…" I said, "Not that he'll admit it."

She stood to examine him, "I see…" opening his eyelid with a finger to shine a light into his eyes, she got a surprise, "Good morning Mr Weasley!"

"Ron?" I jumped out of bed and sat beside him, "How are you?"

"What happened?" he said gruffly, his throat was dry and he still wasn't quite awake.

"What d'you remember?" I plonked myself on his bed to face him.

He opened his other eye and sat himself up slowly with a little assistance, "Romilda Vane."

I stared at him blankly, "Come again?"

"I swallowed a love potion and Slughorn gave me an antidote and a glass of mead… after that I remember not being able to breathe…" he said staring at me, he was pale and clammy, "I remember you talking to me…"

I took hold of his hand and to my surprise he didn't pull back, "Ron, there was poison in the mead…" I followed this by explaining everything to the best of my knowledge, telling him about Madam Pomfrey's treatment plan, how Harry and Ginny sat all day trying to work out who the poison was really for and who came to visit last night.

"Hermione was here?" he asked, a small smile appearing on his face.

"Yeah, she sat outside all day making sure you were okay."

"And you…" he looked confused, "you sat with me?"

Madam Pomfrey interjected, "Before Kathryn tries to deny it, yes, she was here all day making sure you were as comfortable as possible, giving you your medication, she even slept in the bed next to yours. You're very lucky to have such a good friend."

Ron stared at his hands as he said, "She's my annoying sister who will never forget to remind me. But… thanks."

I gave his hand a squeeze, "How could I let you die? Not when we get so much pleasure from mocking each other? And Harry would have been mad after -"

"Where is he? Ginny? 'Mione?"

"Want me to go get them?"

He nodded.

I turned to walk away but stopped in my tracks and turned back to him, "I'm really glad you're okay."

"Hey, Dean? You seen Gin this morning?"

"No…" he furrowed his eyebrows, "Is Ron okay?"

I nodded, "Yeah, would you mind getting Harry for me, tell him to meet me down here." I instructed as I made my way up the stairs to the girls' dormitories, going up the extra floor to Ginny's room first. I knocked on the door before letting myself in, "Gin?" I called out in a loud whisper.

"Kit-Kat?" she nearly fell out of bed, "Is Ron okay?"

"Yeah, he's woken up!" I beamed at her.

She rubbed her eyes, "I'll be right down."

That's when I closed the door and went to my own dorm and entered. Immediately Hermione's eyes clapped onto mine, "Is he okay?"

"He woke up. He's asking to see you."

"Won-Won?" Lavender tripped over a hairbrush she left lying on the floor, "Has he been asking for me?"

"Erm…" I made an overly high pitched noise as I changed my clothes, "No." I said rather brutally, pulling a clean jumper over my head, "He's still a bit groggy, you should probably give him some time before going to visit. Madam Pomfrey is a little funny about visitors…"

She cleared her throat, "But I'm his girlfriend!" she spluttered indignantly, "Why is she getting to visit when she hasn't spoken a word to him in months? And you – you've been -"

I put a hand in the air to stop her, "Harry saved his life. Ginny is his sister. Ron is my brother, because I'm going to marry his brother. As for Hermione, she's been in Ron's life a hell of a lot longer than you have. Ron has asked to see Hermione, not you. Take it up with him later."

"But -"

I walked out the door, fixing the buttons on my jeans, "Talk to him, Lavender, not me." I descended the stairs and found Harry in his pyjamas waiting for me in the Common Room, "Before you ask… He's okay! He's awake, I've filled him in with the details and he's asked to see you."

Harry gave me a wide smile before pounding up the stairs toward his dormitory again to get ready to see his best friend. There was an excited buzz in the Hospital Wing as everyone gathered to see the survivor. Ron was pleased at all the attention he was receiving, telling the group what he remembered and his ideas as to why Slughorn had a bottle of poisoned mead. It was during this time I realised that I'd experienced a teeny bit of what George went through with me in the hospital, how tense it was and how time dragged by waiting for him to wake.

I took some time to write to him.

K: Hey! I just wanted to let you know that Ron woke up. He's fine, sitting up chatting and eating some breakfast now. Unfortunately, he remembered me giving him the potions, so I couldn't deny it…!
G: Great news! I'll tell everyone on our end, they'll be delighted. Thanks for staying with him.
K: I'm assuming I fell asleep on you last night?
G: Oh yeah, you were out like a light! I could just feel your whole body relax, I'm sure you were exhausted.
K: Completely. Before you go… Thanks for sitting at my bedside all those times I've been in hospital, which happens to be a lot, it couldn't have been easy for you…
G: I wouldn't have been anywhere but by your side. I'll chat to you later.

"Kathryn?" Harry called out to me.

"Sorry?" I shook my head, returning from the other world I was momentarily escaping to, "I was just filling in the rest of the family." I tapped the Litteras Occultas with the quill before putting both away, "What were you saying?"

Hermione filled me in, "Hagrid let slip to Harry and me last night that Dumbledore was arguing with Snape. Snape told Dumbledore that he didn't want to do it anymore, we don't know what 'it' was, but Dumbledore told him that he'd agreed to do it and that was all there was to it. Something about Snape making investigations in Slytherin, maybe about the necklace? Maybe Snape didn't ask the Slytherins? All we know for definite is that Dumbledore is angry at Snape for trying to back out of something…"

"If you think I've got a clue, you've another thing coming…"

"I think Dumbledore is hiding something…" I said to my friends as I re-entered the Hospital Wing this afternoon, following a trip to the headmaster's office after lunch.

"You actually got into his office?" Harry questioned, surprised that my plan actually came together, "And you just asked him about the mead and…?"

I nodded, "Yes, because that is how you find out information… by asking questions."

He rolled his eyes at me, "What did you find out?"

"Well…" I sat down and leaned forwards so Madam Pomfrey wouldn't be likely to overhear, "I asked him if he thought that Ron's poisoning was linked to mine. He said no. I then theorised that Katie being cursed and Ron being poisoned were linked. I said that Katie Bell and Katy Belle sound similar and Bellatrix did threaten to harm the Weasleys. He didn't say anything. I asked him if Bellatrix knows I'm alive and he couldn't confirm or deny… I then said that the other way they are linked is because the necklace was supposed to be delivered to him and the mead was originally a gift for him. He proceeded to tell me that the shock of Ron's poisoning is making me overthink things."

Ginny raised her eyebrows, "Does he seriously expect you to believe that?"

"Well I told him that I think someone has placed a target on his back."

Ron stared at me before asking, "Did he say anything else?"

"He told me not to worry about him. Then he bade me good day."

Hermione's reaction was similar to mine. She was now all the more determined to find out what was going on. Ron had been poisoned. One of our own had been affected by this and if Dumbledore isn't going to concern himself with it, we were just going to have to meddle like we always do…

3rd March

"Did you hear about Ron?" I asked Draco in Alchemy class after lunch today. I asked Junis if we could be paired together this week so I could discuss what happened without being told off, "He took a sip of this mead from Slughorn's collection and he dropped to the ground and started foaming at the mouth."

He looked at me blankly, "The Weasel probably deserved it."

"Draco!" I gave him a shove, "I'm being serious! He nearly died! He was poisoned."

His eyebrows furrowed, "If you're looking for me to act like I care about Weasley then you've come to the wrong person."

I glared at him as I took out my parchment and flicked through a book on the properties of gold, "I just wanted to tell you about it. It sucks being poisoned and then looking after someone who was also poisoned." I indicated my arm, "Don't I have the right to be slightly freaked out and come to you to talk about it because you understand what it was like watching me?"

"Sorry…" he said quickly, he had gone pale at the thought of it, it was mean of me to bring it up, I know from what I remember of that day that he was terrified, "So why'd old Sluggy want him dead?" he asked after a moments reflection.

"So here's the thing…" I said, waiting for Draco to lift his eyes from the book and look at me, "That mead was supposed to be given to Dumbledore as a Christmas gift."

Draco swallowed, "That doesn't make any sense…"

"And Katie Bell, the cursed necklace – she was meant to give it to Dumbledore, too. Something's going on and I don't understand… Do you know anything about it?"

"No," he said his attention hadn't wavered from mine, "nothing at all. But if I overhear something, I'll tell you."

I smiled at him, "Thanks. I just don't want any more of my friends getting hurt. Don't you be accepting any weird gifts, okay? I'd quite like to have you around."

Draco looked down at the parchment, "Are you planning on doing any work today? Or am I going to have to pick up the slack again?"

"Sorry," I said in a very sorry, not sorry, I was dying way, "I'll get right to it Professor Malfoy."

6th March

"Morning!" I said with a smile as Jensen arrived at the Hospital Wing for my check-up, "Any interesting cases coming your way today…?" It has become my question every time I see him since he told me of an interesting case he treated in St Mungos.

He smiled, sharing a joking exasperated glance with Madam Pomfrey, setting down his belongings in the office before returning to me, "You're my first stop, but yesterday I did look after a seven-year-old who managed to turn his nose into a trumpet, but every time his parents tried to get rid of it, it multiplied."

"Oh my." I nodded, scrunching up my face at the thought of a many trumpeted nose, "I'm impressed. How –?"

Jensen put a hand up to stop me before I asked anything, "Poppy and I have agreed that it is best to give you this gift now, rather than at the end of your treatment." A heavy parcel landed on the table in front of me, "Go on, open it."

I did stare at the two of them for a few seconds in disbelief but I gasped as I ripped open the brown paper, "Gray's Anatomy: for modern Healers?" I let out a high pitched excitable noise, "This is – wowzah – you two are the best! But I can hardly accept, these cost a fortune!"

"Trust me, I think it's worth the investment." Jensen said, giving Madam Pomfrey a knowing look.

Madam Pomfrey continued, "And it might stop you from asking quite so many questions in future. Don't get me wrong, I love the enthusiasm, but now you can read about it for yourself. All the bodily scanning spells are in there, the anatomy is explained and a lot more!"

"It's the foundation stone for your healing knowledge." Jensen said succinctly, "And, just in case you get yourself into… a situation…" he nodded his head towards Ron's bed, "it might come in handy."

"Thank you," I beamed, "I suppose I'll have to be a nicer patient now?" I joked.

Jensen smiled, "Right," he said in his best impression of me, "let me take a look at that arm."

The door into the Hospital Wing swung open and Ron turned over in the bed and stared at me desperately before closing his eyes. I realised that it was Lavender checking in on him, now that she appeared behind the curtains.

"Is Won-Won still sleeping?" she asked me as Jensen worked on my arm, which was blocked to her view.

I nodded, "He's exhausted with all his treatments. I was much the same when I was in hospital."

"Oh." She said, sounding both concerned and disappointed, "Will you let him know I was here?"

I smiled, "I think whenever he opens his eyes, he'll know."

Lavender let out a loved-up noise giving his arm a loving stroke before leaving, walking with added bounce in her steps. It was only when the door clicked shut that Ron opened his eyes, "Really?"

Jensen, Madam Pomfrey and I all let out a cheeky giggle, "You really ought to break up with the poor girl, Ronald. And no, I'm not doing it for you, but I'll give you pointers if you like?"

"Lavender…" Madam Pomfrey began in a very low, sorrowful voice.

"… things have changed between us…" Jensen suggested in an equally doleful voice.

"I've loved the snogging," I smirked, "But I just don't feel like it's enough to form a deep and lasting relationship. We both deserve so much better than what we have and it's taken me almost dying to realise that."

Madam Pomfrey raised her eyebrows, "You think that'll work?"

"Lavender will lap it right up." I said, "And don't forget to mention that you need time alone, to give you the chance to get to know yourself as an adult and to explore the beauty of this world and discover what the world has to offer you beyond the here and now."

Jensen let out a bemused breath, "Wow, you're good."

"Hours of therapy." I nodded proudly, "I'm out a huge amount of money, it had better be useful for something."

"Well, Kathryn…" Jensen stood, placing his wand in his pocket, "I'm delighted with your progress, I'll let Clara know that you are progressing well with your physical therapy. Keep doing what you're doing and I'll see you in two weeks."

I stood, "What? No reduction in medications? Still with the strict regime?"

He nodded, "Unfortunately you've still got a long journey ahead. I'm sorry, I understand that's not what you wanted to hear. You're doing spectacularly well, but you're just not 100% and I won't change the regime until I can guarantee you won't regress."

I resigned myself to a half nod, "I'd better get to class…"

8th March

"I hope Ron gets better soon -" Ginny looked over at Cormac McLaggen as he wolfed down his eggs in a way which only made me gag.

"He's a nightmare…" Dean groaned, his knuckles white.

Hermione sighed as he chugged down a concoction of thick and bitty drinks and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, giving an almighty belch, "Harry hasn't had a break all week, sure you haven't Harry? Between him telling you how to run the team -"

"And Lavender constantly asking for updates on Ron's condition because he's always mysteriously asleep every time she visits…" Ginny told me, rolling her eyes.

I shook my head, "I've even told him exactly how to break up with her. I gave him a good spiel, even Madam Pomfrey and Jensen were impressed."

Harry sighed, "Oh, here we go…"

"Ready for the game? I was thinking, Potter -" McLaggen approached the group of us, his towering frame casting a dull, gloomy feeling between the five of us.

"I'll see you down there," Harry interrupted him quickly, "I've got to go…" and he disappeared before Cormac had the opportunity to say anything more.

Cormac then turned to Ginny and Dean and opened his mouth to speak, "Remember that today -"

"Not now." I snapped, holding up my hand, "I'll kindly warn you that annoying me may result in you getting another broken nose, don't be fooled by my arm… I can feel everything I need to feel."

Cormac licked his lips, "Why don't we meet later and I can make you feel everything a girl wants to feel… that pent up sexual tension, you just need a release." He made a very inappropriate gesture. Hermione inhaled her drink and started coughing and spluttering pumpkin juice everywhere. Ginny's face was red, not with embarrassment, like Dean, but in anger.

I laughed coolly, "You wouldn't know how to handle a girl like me." I stood, and my three friends rose slowly behind me, ready for whatever I was going to unleash, because realistically, I can be a little unpredictable at times. I took a few steps closer to the vile boy and stood on my tiptoes, leaning in close and whispered, "I like men with a bit more… experience."

His jaw dropped.

I walked away, swinging my hips as I did.

"You are a bad egg, Kathryn…" Hermione told me for the umpteenth time as we climbed up the stands to watch the match.

"Tell me something I don't know," I said, slightly out of breath after climbing the steep staircase, "just think where my egg came from."

Hermione grimaced, "Sorry…"

"Hi boys!" I said as I squeezed in beside Seamus and Neville.

"How's Ron doing this morning?" Neville asked.

"He's doing really well, actually, gutted he's not here though," I told him, "I think he's worried Harry'll replace him as Keeper if McLaggen does well today, but I don't think he has anything to worry about. He seems to have a knack for rubbing the team up the wrong way."

Seamus and Neville knew what I was talking about, "We haven't heard the end of it from Dean." Seamus told me, "Said something about you punching him again."

I laughed, "I'd better not, I might get expelled. Oh here, look -"

The Gryffindor team joined the Hufflepuffs on the pitch. You could see the tension in Harry's stance as he shook hands with Hufflepuff's Captain before he shot up into the air. His aim for this match was to catch the Snitch as quickly as possible, so as to not let McLaggen become completely unbearable and impossible to work with.

"Oh my -"

"Is that who I think it is?" Hermione asked me.

"This is going to be good." I snorted, rubbing my hands together.

Luna Lovegood was commentating over the match, "And that's Smith of Hufflepuff with the Quaffle," Her dreamy voice echoed over the grounds, "he did the commentary last time, of course, and Ginny Weasley flew into him, I think it was probably on purpose – it looked like it. Smith was being quite rude about Gryffindor, I expect he regrets that now he's playing them – oh look, he's lost the Quaffle, Ginny took it from him, I do like her, she's very nice …"

"WHOOOO GINNNNAYYYY!" I cheered loudly.

Hermione and I shared amused glances as Luna continued, "… but now that big Hufflepuff player's got the Quaffle from her, I can't remember his name, it's something like Bibble – no, Buggins -"

"It's Cadwallader!" McGonagall said loudly from beside Luna.

The crowd erupted in laughter. Soon after, Hufflepuff scored the first points of the game… McLaggen looked furious, glancing around for anyone to blame than himself. He yelled at Cootes for not sending a Bludger at Cadwallader. The reason he missed the Quaffle flying past his ear was because he was guldering at Ginny for losing possession of the Quaffle.

The four of us watched as Harry bellowed at McLaggen. McLaggen shot back at Harry, red-faced in anger.

"And now Harry Potter's now having an argument with his Keeper," Luna commentated serenely as Hufflepuffs and Slytherns all cheered in delight.

"FOCUS HARRY!" Hermione yelled in frustration.

Luna surmised in her usual far off voice, "I don't think that'll help him find the Snitch, but maybe it's a clever ruse…"

Harry hastily flew high into the skies and began frantically searching for the Snitch. Tensions lowered after Ginny and Demelza both scored a goal apiece, but it wasn't long before Cadwallader scored again, equalizing the score 20-20. Not that Luna noticed, she was more interested in the shape of the clouds and what they meant. Hufflepuff scored again. So did we. Then the Puffs scored twice.

The best piece of commentary of the day was spoken after the score was 60-30 to Hufflepuff. Luna's insightful mind picked up that Zacharias Smith had failed to maintain possession of the Quaffle for longer than about 40 seconds. Then she wondered aloud if he was suffering from something called 'Loser's Lurgy'. Not a dull moment with that girl, I tell you.

"Seventy – forty to Hufflepuff!" McGonagall barked impatiently into Luna's megaphone.

"Is it, already?" Luna said vaguely, "Oh, look!" The Gryffindor Keeper's got hold of one of the Beater's bats."

"Oh this is never going to end well…" Hermione verbalised what we were all thinking as she raised her hands to cover her eyes as McLaggen, for reasons best known to himself, had pulled Peake's bat from him and appeared to be demonstrating how to hit a Bludger towards and oncoming Cadwallader.

I felt Harry's fury as he yelled.

I gasped as McLaggen mis-hit the Bludger. The entire stadium heard the crack of Harry's skull as he was knocked unconscious off his broom and he crashed to the ground in a heap.

"You stay here," I told Hermione, as I stood to push past Seamus and Neville who were staring in shock, "I'll see to Harry. You need to send a curse at McLaggen, preferably the Killing Curse, cause so help me if I get my hands on that boy, I'll get expelled, you hear me?"

Hermione swallowed hard, watching as Madam Pomfrey was promptly summoned onto the field to scoop up Harry's limp body. I hurried behind her into the castle, not even waiting to be invited to help, holding a pressure dressing onto the crack on his skull as it bled profusely.

"Wha -?" Ron exclaimed as he saw us barging into his calm environment.

"McLaggen mis-hit a Bludger and it hit him. Out like a light. Cracked skull." I said quickly, performing spells I'd read about in Gray's Anatomy for Healers over Harry's body, ensuring that he hadn't any other injuries as Madam Pomfrey cleaned his head wound from all the sand and gravel from the ground.

Ron was pale as he watched over us. We could all hear cheers erupting every few minutes from the Quidditch pitch, but all we could assume was that Gryffindor were being thrashed without Harry there to catch the Snitch to end Gryffindor's misery. Nevertheless, I worked to ensure that Harry would be able to play another match. Madam Pomfrey nodded in confirmation to every spell I did and we both came to the same conclusion: his body was going to be bruised and his head wound was going to be an easy fix. In fact, I watched in amazement as a few drops of Essence of Dittany closed over the bloody wound and it scabbed as though a few days old. Bandages were wrapped around his head and now we had to wait for him to wake up.

"It's bad that three of us have been in the hospital wing this year…" I said to Ron conversationally, as Madam Pomfrey wrote her notes.

"It's like you enjoy being here." She joked.

I smiled, "You know it's my favourite place to be."

She tittered to herself, "I don't know if you're joking or not. You hate being a patient, you hate it when your friends are ill, yet you spend so much time in here -"

"Doing your head in?" I joked.

She looked at me in confusion, "That's one of your Northern Irish expressions, isn't it? Let me guess… It means annoying me, because you've certainly mastered that. Why do you think I bought you that book? You'd have the ear talked off me. That's one of your expressions, too, isn't it?"

Ron watched the two of us with bemusement, "Do you always talk like you're -?"

"Besties?" I questioned.

"Unfortunately so," Madam Pomfrey said sarcastically.

"I'll have you know," I began, with a huge smile on my face, "that one of these days you'll be delighted that you wasted so much of your time humouring me by answering all my silly little questions and letting me perform healing magic… Know why?"

Ron answered, "You'll probably end up saving all our lives. If you can keep yourself alive long enough to do so, that is…"

G: Has the match not finished yet?
K: I don't know… Harry got hit by a mis-hit Bludger from McLaggen and has been unconscious ever since. I've been sitting with him in the Hospital Wing.
G: Is he going to be okay?
K: Should be. Sorry I didn't write sooner, my head's a bit all over the place…
G: It's okay! I'll see you tomorrow for our meeting with Maura?
K: Shall we skip Maura and do something wild instead?
G: I'll take you out for lunch after the appointment, how about that?
K: Sounds perfect.