Fire And Ice - Yin and Yang (Harry Potter fanfiction)

Shock

Periwinkle visited Azalea throughout the day whenever she had time. Her sister looked a little pale and she still had some pain in her side, but at least the wound had begun to close (thanks to Madam Pomfrey).

Professor Snape had been the one to conjure a stretcher and take Azalea to the hospital wing, after forcing a blood-replenishing potion down her throat. There, Madam Pomfrey had pulled out the piece of wood. It had probably been better that Azalea had remained unconscious throughout the story. Periwinkle had refused to continue playing, so two fourth-year Gryffindors took hers and Azalea's place. Gryffindor still won, but Periwinkle didn't care much. As soon as the snitch had been caught, the entire Gryffindor Quidditch team had gone to the hospital wing.

Ron's face had turned an odd color when Periwinkle told him Azalea had been impaled.

The next day, McGonagall seemed to understand how scary the situation had been for Periwinkle, and didn't say anything when the girl came twenty minutes late to class after visiting Azalea.

Periwinkle still had to apologize to Lockhart because she called him a buffoon, but he just laughed it off, saying he'd understood completely that she'd been worried about Azalea.

"Not everyone has the gift of keeping a clear mind in such situations," he'd said with a wink.

What a buffoon.

Three days later, in the evening after curfew, Periwinkle sat with Hermione and Ron in the common room, finishing their homework.

"Will Azalea be able to come to class tomorrow?" asked Hermione.

Periwinkle shook her head. "Madam Pomfrey said the wound will need a few more days to heal. There were so many small pieces of wood in there, she said she can't speed up the healing process until she's sure they're all out."

"Can't she just summon them?" asked Ron, "You know, to make those splinters come out."

"Seriously, Ronald," Hermione scolded him. "Imagine the pieces would shoot straight out, they would puncture everything else on the way."

"Oh. Right."

Periwinkle had to laugh at Ron's sheepish face. "Let's sneak some chocolate pudding into the hospital wing after breakfast. I'm sure Azalea would like that."

"Like a secret picknick," said Ron, his face brightening.

****

The very next day, the three of them had just finished breakfast and were about to take three bowls of chocolate pudding to Azalea, when McGonagall suddenly appeared.

"You three," she said and her mouth thinned, "Come with me."

The Gryffindors exchanged a perplexed look.

"We were going to visit Azalea, professor," said Hermione and inconspicuously hid the pudding behind her back.

Periwinkle noticed that McGonagall seemed a little troubled.

"This is about your sister," said the professor to Periwinkle and motioned them to follow her.

The three Gryffindors hurried after her, and Periwinkle forgot to set the pudding down, keeping it clutched in her hand. Once they entered the hospital wing, she saw that Azalea's bed was empty.

"Where's Lea?" said Ron.

McGonagall flicked her wand at the white curtain dividing the hospital wing into two parts, and it became see-through.

In shock, Periwinkle dropped the pudding and the bowl smashed to the ground. Her sister was laying in a bed, her skin grey and her lips a blue color. Azalea was breathing raggedly and she made a wheezing sound every time she inhaled.