I SPY || 𝕝𝕦𝕔𝕚𝕦𝕤 𝕞𝕒𝕝𝕗𝕠𝕪

Chapter 21. Beautiful Fool

Astrid's eyes opened to a blinding light, a golden glow, at first she thought it was over, her heart had given in and she had passed to the other side. But as her eyes began to adjust to the golden rays that illuminated the room, she realised that she was in fact in the hospital wing. She blinked and furrowed her brows, screwing up her face with a groan.

            "We really must stop meeting like this Professor." Madam Pomfrey's face came into view above her, a look of annoyance plastered on it, "One visit was quite enough."

Astrid pushed her head up and leant onto her elbows with a groan.

"It wasn't my intention to be back here so soon." she said as she pushed the covers back from her body and tried to swing her legs out of the hospital cot. Madam Pomfrey had other ideas, a firm hand pushed Astrids shoulder back down into the bed and whipped the duvet back over the girl.

"Just where do you think you're going?" Madam Pomfrey asked.

"To my chambers, I feel fine, I just need to rest," Astrid insisted pushing herself up again, just to have Madam Pomfrey shove her back down.

"Oh no you don't, you're staying here at-least for the night for observation, I won't take any back chat on the subject," Madam Pomfrey ordered the young woman as if she was a student.

            "If you would like Madam Pomfrey, I can conjure a charm to keep the professor restrained," The svelte voice of Severus Snape spoke as his black figure slowly stalked onto the ward.

            "Not necessary professor," Madam Pomfrey addressed the potions master over her shoulder, "besides I have a bone to pick with you,"

            Severus raised his brows in surprise, wondering what he had done to anger the matron, as far as he knew he'd delivered all the potions, ointments, balms and medicines she had listed for the months' supply run.

            "Regarding what Madam?" Severus asked, his bored tone only grating on the matron.

            "Severus just because you can whip up potions and ointments, doesn't mean you can just hand them out willy-nilly," Madam Pomfrey scolded. Severus feigned ignorance, he knew it was the matron's job to prescribe treatments, he had no authority. Astrid looked from Severus to Poppy as the tension in the air grew.

            "I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about," Snape said nonchalantly.

            "Pish!" Madam Pomfrey huffed as she reached into her apron and pulled out a familiar little glass jar. "So, you haven't been providing professor Moody with Bitterroot balm?"

            "I may have conjured up something for the professor... it aids her with her malediction," Severus muttered as his eyes flashed to the bed where two blue eyes watched the exchange groggily. Astrid felt incredibly awkward watching the two argue, like parents arguing over a child it made her feel small, like she wasn't even present in the room. 

            "Astrids malediction has been managed without treatment her entire life, if I thought it appropriate to start a treatment, I would have prescribed it myself professor!" Madam Pomfrey told Snape harshly. "I know you were only trying to help Severus but you should know as the potions master that Bitterroot balm can have severe negative effects on women in her condition!"

            "What condition?" Severus and Astrid asked, their words paired up in unison but their delivery couldn't have been further from matching. Severus' tone was snappy and demanding, whereas Astrid words were nerve filled and shaky. Madam Pomfrey looked between the two confused faced before her, her mouth agape.