Bedknobs and Broomsticks [HP fanfic; BNB Book 1]

In the Tower; June 1994

The doors to the Hospital Wing burst open and Snape entered, closely followed by Dumbledore and five stretchers. Madam Pomfrey screamed.

"What in blazes--" She waved her wand and the sheets on the five nearest beds folded themselves down. "Nurse Jaeger! Quickly! Oh Potter again?" Madam Pomfrey waved her wand, and Harry's body levitated off of the stretcher, floating to the first bed and settling down beneath the sheets as gently as a feather. She looked over the other stretchers as Mariah came running up from the storeroom, carrying a water jug and a few linen towels. "Oh! Weasley and Granger, too? And Professor Mansfield? And who... but..."

"We'll just be needing four beds, I think," said Snape, his lip curling. "I think notorious mass-murderer Sirius Black will require more security."

The water jug Mariah had been carrying crashed to the floor. As all eyes fell on her, she pulled out her wand and repaired the jug.

"Aguamenti," she muttered, refilling it from her wand and placing it on Harry's bedside table.

"You caught him, then?" breathed Madam Pomfrey, looking up at Snape as she levitated Hermione's body into the second bed.

"I did indeed," said Snape. "He'd bewitched Potter, Weasley and Granger into attacking me, and had already done his work on Mansfield and Lupin when I'd arrived."

"But you're bleeding, Professor, do you need attention?" asked Madam Pomfrey. "Mariah--"

"There's no need. We've got to be seeing to Black before he wakes up," said Snape, levitating Sirius's stretcher towards the door. "The Minister will be arriving at any moment, and it won't be long until the Dementors are brought up to take care of him."

"After I have questioned him," said Dumbledore then, speaking for the first time since entering. Snape scowled, but nodded. Dumbledore looked at Mariah. "Nurse Jaeger, as Poppy needs to attend to these four, would you accompany us to see to Black's injuries."

"Headmaster, is that really wise?" muttered Snape, but Dumbledore shook his head.

"We can't leave him in the Hospital Wing, and Poppy needs to attend to our students," he said firmly. Mariah glanced at Madam Pomfrey, who sighed in exasperation.

"I can manage fine on my own," she said finally, nodding.

Mariah continued to stare at her with wide eyes, but Dumbledore said, "Thank you most ardently, Poppy. Nurse Jaeger?" and she reluctantly followed Snape, Dumbledore, and the stretcher carrying Sirius from the Hospital Wing.

Professor Flitwick had finished charming his office into a temporary holding cell by the time they reached it, and stepped aside as they entered. Dumbledore lowered Sirius Black's stretcher onto the floor, and Mariah knelt next to it, pulling out her wand. The bonds around him vanished.

"What do you think you're doing?" hissed Snape. Mariah glared at him.

"I can't examine him when he's all tied up, Snape."

"Headmaster, might I insist that--"

"No, Severus, you may not," said Dumbledore. He glanced down at his watch. "The Minister should be arriving shortly, would you be so kind as to go down to greet them?"

Snape looked from Dumbledore to Black as though he thought his prize might be snatched from him at any moment, but a second later turned on the spot and exited the office with a swish of his long robes. Dumbledore closed the door and waved his wand over the lock before taking a seat and gesturing to Mariah.

"Won't you revive him, Nurse Jaeger? I would like to question him thoroughly before we are interrupted again."

Mariah pulled out her wand and held it over Sirius's sunken face, muttering, "Ennervate." Sirius's dark-lidded eyes flew open, and he sat up so fast that the top of his head collided with Mariah's nose.