Year 9

Late Winter, 1993

Everything after had been a blur. Barnaby could barely recount all that had happened as he faded in and out of consciousness. He had appirated straight to St. Mungo's, screaming for help, his dying companion in his arms. With wide eyes, the Mediwizards shuffled them into a private room as Barnaby struggled to explain, concussed and panicked making his words jumbled and confused.

They had whisked Pearl away and began to work on her. It was at that moment, his body decided it had held on long enough before passing out. He came to for brief moments, waking to the sterile hospital room, horrid potions being poured down his throat and bandages being re-dressed.

At one point, he had woken to a weight on the mattress by his feet. His eyes adjusted to the darkness, a pale dog had jumped into the bed, her head resting sleepily on his foot, a large bandage covering her side.

Pure relief washed over him, tears welling in his eyes. "Hey girl." his voice cracked with the lack of use.

Her tail wagged, weak and pitiful. With a pained grunt, he attempted to sit up and pet her proper, but there was no chance. The adrenalin had made him numb to most of his injuries; a concussion, 4 broken ribs, and a broken clavicle. He was lucky to even still have a leg according to the Healers. The bite had been deep- to the bone.

The Healers had worked their magic on both of them. The pain was dulled, but not enough to stop the deep ache in his ribs or his throbbing head.

But even through the discomfort, he'd managed to find sleep. That was until a commotion sounded outside his door. Barnaby stirred groggily, taking in the morning light that poured into the sterile glow of the hospital room.

"Where is he?!" A familiar voice echoed sharply from the hallway, each word tinged with desperation.

Before Barnaby could fully register, Arah burst through the doorway, her golden eyes wild and meeting his. She rushed to him without hesitation, throwing her arms around his neck.

"Thank Merlin," She sighed over and over, clutching him tighter with each prayer.

For a fleeting moment, Barnaby froze, overwhelmed by her presence. He had feared he'd never see her again. The battle, the pain, the terror—it all seemed so distant now. Arah was here. He buried his face in her hair, ignoring the way his ribs protested, and held her tight, letting her scent wash over him, grounding him in a way nothing else could.

"I'm okay." He murmured into her shoulder, throat tight.

"What were you thinking going up against a Dragon like that?!" Her voice cracked as she drew back, her hands gripping his shoulders with a mix of fury and fear, cheeks wet with tears.

"I couldn't leave her," he jerked his head toward Pearl whose tail thumped weakly against the mattress. "I couldn't leave the farm. Or McConnor. I couldn't just—" His words faded, the image of the old man's lifeless eyes flashing in his mind. He squeezed his eyes shut. "I couldn't walk away."

"You brave, stupid, brilliant Slytherin." She sighed, her anger melting into something softer, and she leaned into him again, hugging him as if she couldn't let go, as if letting go might make him disappear. "Don't ever do that to me again."

Barnaby closed his eyes, resting his chin on her head. "I'll try not to make a habit out of it." He gave a low chuckle.

"You better not." Arah pulled away, swiping at her cheeks to dry them, letting out a watery laugh. "Honestly, Barns, you're lucky you didn't get yourself killed. Maybe next time you pick a fight with something, I don't know, smaller? A Grindylow, perhaps. Or a particularly feisty Jarvey."

"I'll keep that in mind." He smirked, taking note of the way her shoulders relaxed. He hated to know he was the cause of her worry.

"And who is this?" Arah turned to Pearl whose tail picked up speed at the attention.

"This is the real hero." Barnaby grinned as Pearl's tongue lolled out the side of her jowls in a happy pant. "I'd be dead without her."

Arah leaned down and cupped the dog's face, "Thank you for saving my best friend's idiotic ass." she said, planting a big kiss on top of her head.

Pearl licked her freckled nose as she let out a giggle. Barnaby's heart melted as he watched the two of them.

"You should have seen her. She was braver than Godric Gryffindor himself."

"She's much cuter too." Arah cooed as she scratched behind her ear in that place she loved so much. "Who's a good doggy?"

The door swung open as Chiara stepped inside in her Healer's uniform. Behind her soft smile, she looked absolutely knackered.

"Hi Barnaby, you've got more visit-"

A flood of bodies shoved past Chiara as all their friends rushed in, surrounding him with loving pats and squeezes, voices overlapping with questions and comments in a chaotic symphony.

Tulip leaned in, inspecting him closely. "Do you have a scar? Is it gross? Can I see it?"

"Seriously, mate? Another Dragon?" Andre gawked, shaking his head in disbelief.

"We're just so happy you're alright," Penny said in that sweet voice of hers.

"Glad you made it out in one piece, Lee." Merula said flatly, but her eyes shone with warmth.

Liz bent down low and squeezed his hand, "Nice to see you're okay, Barnaby."

Jae shuffled in, handing Chiara a steaming cup of coffee which she accepted gratefully before placing a cupcake on the table. "Get Well Soon" written delicately in purple icing. "Made it myself, that's how you know it's good." he gave a wink.

"Sair do caminho!" a loud boisterous voice echoed from the back of the room. Colorful Alanza elbowed her way to the front, carrying a basket filled with clinking jars. "Oh, Barnaby." She gushed as she set the basket down on the table beside him, nearly crushing Jae's cupcake

"How are you feeling?" she plopped down by his side, ignoring both Arah and Pearl on the cot next to her.

"F-fine?" Baranaby stammered as she gripped his hand tenderly, bringing her palm to his forehead as if checking for a fever.

"I brought you some Barbatimão Bark tea. My Avo used to make me drink it to help cure different ailments when I lived in Brazil." She rambled, bringing out a cup from her basket and bringing it to his lips. "Now come on, drink up. You need your strength back."

"Thanks, Alanza- " she shoved the tea to his lips, the gritty liquid filling his mouth with the taste of bitter dirt. It was more foul than any potions the Healers had given him. "You didn't have to- "he sputtered, his voice strained with forced politeness.

"Of course I did! You need someone to look after you properly," she said, fluffing the pillow behind his head despite his mild protest, "No more talking, drink the rest and then I will pour you another." She urged him on, bringing the cup back to his lips as he grimaced.

Arah raised an eyebrow, watching Alanza pamper him like a nursemaid. "Merlin, he's not dying, Alanza," she muttered under her breath, her gaze lingering a moment too long.

"That tea might kill him." Merula snickered.

Barnaby's cheeks flushed as everyone held back a snort.

Alanza paused, blinking as if realizing everyone were still in the room with them. "Well certainly not now that I'm here."

Chiara scoffed, "I'll try not to take offense to that." Barnaby could see the dark bags under her eyes, realizing it was she that had nursed him throughout the night. He gave her an apologetic smile which she kindly returned.

Arah stood up, tucking a loose silver strand of hair behind her ear in that anxious way of hers. She tugged at the sleeves of her sweater, wringing them uncomfortably. "I better go. My boss is going to be wondering where I am If I don't turn up soon. I'll visit you later, Barns." She smiled, giving his hand a quick squeeze before walking out the room.

"Okay, I'll see you-" Arah was already out the door before he could finish his sentence.

The room hummed to life with the friend's laughter, lifting his spirits as Barnaby recounted the tale of facing the beast in the barn. Yet Arah's absence tugged at his heart as it always did, the room feeling slightly empty without her bright presence to fill it.

The silver-haired girl sat crossed-legged on the opposite end of the cot. Her fingers stroked Pearl absently, studying the playing cards as if it were an OWLS exam, her eyebrows knitted in that way when she was deep in thought.

She flipped a card, the paper sparking in an explosion of cinders.

"Damn."

Barnaby grinned, flipping another set and adding it to his growing pile of Exploding Snap.

Arah had returned just as she promised, and he was grateful for this time alone with her after such a busy afternoon. Not that he wasn't thankful for his friend's company, he just found himself exhausted after trying to keep up with them. Chiara had thankfully escorted the group out so he could rest. But with Arah, it was different. It was easy. Effortless.

"So... Alanza must really care about you." She lifted a brow at him, turning her gaze back to their game.

Barnaby blushed, eyeing the half-empty cup of murky green liquid on his bedside table.

"She means well," he muttered, feeling a strange need to stick up for the girl.

Arah leaned back, her eyes sparking with amusement. "It looks like the swamp water Hagrid would use for slug repellant."

"It's herbal tea," he corrected, though his tone was less than convincing."It's supposed to help."

Arah smirked, leaning forward, abandoning their game completely. "And did it? Or are you feeling slightly poisoned?"

His cheeks strained, fighting the grin that threatened to spread across his face. "It wasn't that bad."

"Wow." She whistled, "That Dragon must have really done a number on you if you think that sludge was remotely tolerable." She leaned her chin on her hand, her eyes narrowing playfully. "You drank it just to impress her, didn't you?"

"I did not!" he protested, his voice jumping an octave in playful defense. "She practically shoved it down my throat. I didn't even have a choice."

"Okay, whatever you say." She surrendered her voice light and teasing.

"I can't help that she's smitten by my new dashing scars and tales of resourceful heroism." He gestured to his battered frame, his voice dripping with faux bravado.

"Dashing scars?" She sneered, poking his shoulder lightly, earning a feigned wince. "You've been reading too much Gilderoy Lockhart."

"I only wanted to match yours." His voice softened, eyes lowering to the discolored burn that dimpled her shoulder. A scar she had sustained from Dragon fire in their 5th year while facing the Cursed Vaults.

Arah's cheeks reddened, adjusting her oversized jumper, her fingers curling tightly around the fabric. It was a gesture so small, so fleeting, but Barnaby noticed. He always noticed. He wanted to tell her she didn't need to hide—that the scar didn't make her any less radiant—but the words never made it past his lips.

"Yeah, well, no need to make it a competition, yeah?" Her teasing demeanor faltered for a moment, replaced by something raw and unguarded. "I don't think I could take it. You scared me, Barnaby. More than you know."

"I'm sorry," he said after a pause, his voice quieter. "I didn't mean to scare you."

Arah's eyes met his with a growing intensity. She had that look- like she was wrestling to say something, turning the words over in her mouth as if to taste it before thinking better of it. In typical Arah fashion, she changed the subject.

"Do you remember that time in fourth year when you tried to impress all the Gryffindor girls by attempting to mount a Graphorn?"

I was trying to impress you, was what he really wanted to say. Instead, Barnaby groaned, covering his face with his hands. "Whhhy?"

Her eyes danced with mischief, her grin widening. "There you were, swaggering toward the beast like some sort of Graphorn whisperer—"

"Trolls tame them for riding! Surely If a Troll could do it, I could-" he interjected defensively.

"—and instead," she continued, undeterred, "It bucked you right off—landing you face-first in a steaming pile of Graphorn shite." she snorted, holding her stomach as if in pain.

"It was raining. The mount was slippery." he defended. Salazar's soul, this girl would be the end of him. Being bedridden in a hospital bed wouldn't protect him from her teasing. Yet, he found himself smiling as her nostrils flared with another wave of laughter.

Her laugh—it wasn't just the sound, but the way her whole body joined in, like she couldn't contain it. It filled the room, seeped into his chest, made everything else—his injuries, the dragon—feel like a distant memory.

"Sure it was." She winked. "And the best part—instead of laughing, half the Gryffindor girls ran down to help you up, cooing like mother hens... Oh Barnaby, are you okay?! Let me help you up, Barnaby." She feigned in a ridiculously high-pitched voice, batting her eyelashes with mock flirtation.

Barnaby chucked his pillow at the giggling Gryffindor, Pearl shooting him an unamused side-eye.

"I've never seen you so flustered in my life."

Barnaby snorted despite himself. "Yeah, well- if I recall, you just stood there laughing."

"I did not! I... merely observed," Arah said, feigning innocence.

"Observed my ass," he muttered, though the corner of his mouth twitched upward.

"You know I love you." She grinned, nudging his knee gently.

There were those words again. The one that made his stomach flip. The same words she had spoken the night they kissed. He felt his cheeks flush, unable to meet her gaze-wondering if she were thinking the same thing.

"Yeah, yeah," he laughed. An unspoken warmth filled the sterile hospital room between them, her presence far more effective than any herbal remedy Alanza could conjure.