Harry Potter and the Children of the Clan

Chapter 33

"Cor, blimey, two of 'em."

It took about half an hour before the two sisters were making their way to the hospital wing. Domi was talking in low tones, explaining to Vee what had happened on the train.

"Is he some kind of orphan, do you think?" Vee asked.

"I dunno, Vee. If he was I'd have thought Uncle Har..., I mean, the Professor would have known and made some sort of arrangements. The way they acted on the docks it was like they expected him to come just like anyone else."

"And you're sure it was bruises and not just him being dirty?"

"I'm pretty sure. We've been around Ted and James enough to know what bruises look like," Dominique replied.

When they reached the waiting room they found that the door to the ward was open and someone was talking to Madame Pomfrey already. The stood quietly and listened.

"Well, Harry, all I can tell at this point is that the boy might as well have been a bludger that the whole school had practiced with. There's hardly a spot on him that doesn't have a bruise of some kind. Some old, some new, but everywhere. I can't be sure, but there may be a few healed broken bones as well. I've sent to St. Mungo's for a specialist to confirm that. In all my years I've never seen a child in such a condition."

"Well, I'm sorry to burden you with this so early in the year, Madame Pomfrey. It's usually just stomach aches tonight."

"Nonsense, Harry. I'm a healer and this boy needs me, us, in fact. Now what?"

"I'm sending a message to an old friend in the Ministry. We know the address and we'll find out the particulars and go from there. I have my suspicions but at least for now the boy is safe. I have someone else in mind to have a chat with him. Young Miss Weasley did a tremendous job getting him to where he is now but I think more will be needed. I'll be back in the morning."

"Alright, Harry, I'll see you then. And Harry, it wouldn't kill either of us for you to call me Poppy. You are the Deputy Head after all."

"I know, but somehow it doesn't seem right," Harry replied with a grin.

As he turned to leave the ward he saw his two nieces standing patiently in the waiting room. He smiled and said,

"Well, we were just talking about you, Dominique. Again, our thanks for what you did for the boy. I hope you realize he's in the best of hands now and you needn't be concerned."

"I know, sir, but I did promise him that I'd come and see him after dinner. May I? Please?"

Harry turned to the Healer and said,

"What do you think?"

"I doubt he'll even know she's here, but it should be alright, for just a few moments. After all, a promise is a promise."

Harry stood back and watched as the two young witches followed Madame Pomfrey down the aisle between the rows of beds until they reached the last one. Under the blankets the small boy was laying on his side, pulled up into an even smaller ball. In the moonlight that was coming through the window, he looked even paler than he had on the train. The smudge of an old bruise was plainly visible on the one cheek they could see. Victoire said,

"He looks more like a china doll than he does a boy of eleven."

"I wonder what he did that could make someone hate him that much," Domi wondered.

Vee caught her eye and then gestured with her head to the man standing at the doorway on the other side of the ward.

"Need you really ask that?"