"No. I'm not going to class" bluebell huffs as Eric dragged her to class.
"It's not that bad bluebell" said the boy but the girl didn't budge.
"I don't want to play or hear anymore of his stupid books" said bluebell
Eric narrow his eyes "it's not stupid it's educational."
"How is it educational making me play a fuckin' Yeti?" Asked Blue
Since the disastrous episode of the pixies, Professor Lockhart had not brought live creatures to class. Instead, he read passages from his books to them, and sometimes reenacted some of the more dramatic bits. He usually picked Blue to help him with these reconstructions; so far, the girl had been forced to play a simple Transylvanian villager whom Lockhart had cured of a Babbling Curse, a yeti with a head cold, and a vampire who had been unable to eat anything except lettuce since Lockhart had dealt with him.
"That's true, blue could barely play the part. She lacks of height" said Roman
"Shut up" murmured Blue "I just haven't hit puberty yet"
"None of us have" said Lorena
Bluebell groans "I don't want to embarrass myself again in front of Grindelwald"
"You do that everytime you open your mouth" said Roman
"And I reckon he doesn't like you much" said Lorena earning a slap on the arm form bluebell
"He's just in denial"
"Whatever, blue come on you know we need to be in his good grades" said Roman
Bluebell sighs and starts walking to class. They arrive later than all of their peers, Lockhart was in the middle of a sentence about his time with the banshee when the four arrived.
"There you are bluebell, come, today you'll be helping play the werewolf" said Lockhart when he spotted the group.
Bluebell sends her friends a glare before reluctantly walking to the front of the class. If she hadn't had a very good reason for keeping Lockhart in a good mood, she would have refused to do it.
"Nice loud howl, Bluebell - exactly - and then, if you'll believe it, I pounced - like this - slammed him to the floor - thus with one hand, I managed to hold him down - with my other, I put my wand to his throat - I then screwed up my remaining strength and performed the immensely complex Homorphus Charm- he let out a piteous moan - go on, Bluebell - higher than that - good - the fur vanished - the fangs shrank - and he turned back into a man. Simple, yet effective - and another village will remember me forever as the hero who delivered them from the monthly terror of werewolf attacks."
Bluebell's gaze turned from Gilderoy to her friends, Eric was hooked into Lockharts every word, Lorena had a sympathetic smile on her face and Roman was snickering silently. She scowls and turns to Grindelwald who was looking like a zombie lately. He instead of paying attention to Lockhart had his head on the table with his eyes closed. At least she doesn't have to embarrass herself further with him.
Suddenly the said boy jumped from his seat and said "The sword"
The whole class turns to him and Nikolai's cheek turns a shade of red at the sudden attention.
"No young Grindelwald, I did not used a sword. Although, I have studied the ancient arts of sparring—" before he could continue the bell rang and Lockhart got to his feet.
"Homework - compose a poem about my defeat of the Wagga Wagga Werewolf! Signed copies of Magical Me to the author of the best one!"
The class began to leave, Grindelwald was the first out of his seat. Blue returned to the back of the room, where her friends were waiting.
"Ready?" Eric muttered and blue nodded in confirmation.
"I was born ready" said Roman
"Wait till everyone's gone," said Lorena nervously. "All right..."
Eric approached Lockhart's desk, a piece of paper clutched tightly in his hand, the remaining Gryffindors right behind him.
"Professor Lockhart?" Eric said. "I'm sorry for bothering but I wanted to get this book out of the library. Just for background reading." He held out the piece of paper. "But the thing is, it's in the Restricted Section of the library, so I need a teacher to sign for it - I'm sure it would help me understand what you say in Gadding with Ghouls about slow-acting venoms."
"Ah, Gadding with Ghouls!" said Lockhart, taking the note from Eric's and smiling widely at him. "Possibly my very favorite book. You enjoyed it?"
"Oh, yes," said Eric eagerly. "So clever, the way you trapped that last one with the tea-strainer--"
"Well, I'm sure no one will mind me giving the best student of the year a little extra help," said Lockhart warmly, and he pulled out an enormous peacock quill. "Yes, nice, isn't it?" he said, misreading the revolted look on Roman's face. "I usually save it for book-signings."
He scrawled an enormous loopy signature on the note and handed it back to Eric who eagerly accepted it.
"So,Bluebell," said Lockhart, while Eric folded the note with fumbling fingers and slipped it into his bag. "Tomorrow's the first Quidditch match of the season, I believe? Gryffindor against Slytherin, is it not? I hear you're a useful player. I was a Seeker, too. I was asked to try for the National Squad, but preferred to dedicate my life to the eradication of the Dark Forces. Still, if ever you feel the need for a little private training, don't hesitate to ask. Always happy to pass on my expertise to less able players..."
"Thank you for the offer Professor but I'll rather set —" before she could continue, Lorena placed a hand over her mouth and dragged her out of the class.
"Fuckin' goon" mutters bluebell as she walks away.
"I don't believe it," Lorena said as the four of them examined the signature on the note. "He didn't even look at the book we wanted."
"How are you surprised? He's brain the size of a nut," said Roman.
"Proper brainless git, he is. At least we got what—" Blue was interrupted
"He is not a brainless git," said Eric shrilly as they half ran toward the library.
Blue gave him a look "Eric, mate, Just because he said you were the best student of the year--"
They dropped their voices as they entered the muffled stillness of the library. Madam Pince, the librarian, was a thin, irritable woman who looked like an underfed vulture.
"Moste Potente Potions?" she repeated suspiciously, trying to take the note from Eric; but the boy wouldn't let go.
"I was wondering if I could keep it," he said breathlessly.
"Oh, for Merlin's balls," said Roman, wrenching it from his grasp and thrusting it at Madam Pince. "We'll get you another autograph. The git's sign anything if it stands still long enough."
Madam Pince held the note up to the light, as though determined to detect a forgery, but it passed the test. She stalked away between the lofty shelves and returned several minutes later carrying a large and moldy-looking book.
Eric put it carefully into his bag and they left, trying not to walk too quickly. They have made that mistake before which got them caught.
"So now what?" Lorena Asks as they walk
"We can't go to the common room or the great hall." Said Eric
"The tree?" Romna suggested but the idea was shut down by Bluebell.
"No, too public. It needs to be a place no one goes. Secluded."
After a few minutes of mindless walking, Lorena suddenly stops. "I know exactly where to go"
Five minutes later, they were barricaded in Moaning Myrtle's out-of-order bathroom once again. Lorena had overridden Roman's objections by pointing out that it was the last place anyone in their right minds would go, so they were guaranteed some privacy. Moaning Myrtle was crying noisily in her stall, but they were ignoring her, and she them.
Eric opened Moste Potente Potions carefully, and the three of them bent over the damp-spotted pages. It was clear from a glance why it belonged in the Restricted Section. Some of the potions had effects almost too gruesome to think about, and there were some very unpleasant illustrations, which included a man who seemed to have been turned inside out and a witch sprouting several extra pairs of arms out of her head. To Roman it seems funny"
"Can't you imagine having 4 arms" he laughs "I'll shake hands with two, and the others to scratch my bum."
"Roman Shut up"
"Here it is," said Eric excitedly as he found the page headed The Polyjuice Potion. It was decorated with drawings of people halfway through transforming into other people.
"Are they... in pain?" Lorena asks, frowning when she sees the drawings.
"I'm sure it was just the author's imagination, Lore, don't worry" said blue, trying her best not to sound nervous.
"This is the most complicated potion I've ever seen," said Eric as they scanned the recipe.
"Lacewing flies, leeches, fluxweed, and knotgrass," he murmured, running his finger down the list of ingredients. "Well, they're easy enough, they're in the student store-cupboard, we can help ourselves... Oooh, look, powdered horn of a bicorn - don't know where we're going to get that - shredded skin of a boomslang -. that'll be tricky, too and of course a bit of whoever we want to change into."
"Excuse you?" said Bluebell sharply. "What d'you mean, a bit of whoever we're changing into? I'm drinking nothing with Crabbe's toenails in it--"
"Yeah, me neither mate. I may eat a lot but I have a delicate stomach" Said Roman
Eric continued as though he hadn't heard them.
"We don't have to worry about that yet, though, because we add those bits last..."
"D'you lot realize how much we're going to have to steal? Shredded skin of a boomslang, that's definitely not in the students'cupboard. What're we going to do, break into Snape's private stores? I - I don't know if this is a good idea..." said Lorena, anxiously pacing.
Eric shut the book with a snap. "It's unbelievable that you three are turning into a bunch of melts but fine,"he said glaring at them "I'm always up to breaking a few rules and some stupid heir threatening Muggle-borns is far worse than brewing up a difficult potion. But if you don't want to find out if it's Malfoy, I'll go straight to Madam Pince now and hand the book back in.... after writing down some potions in our book."
"I'm not a fuckin' melt" blue scoffs, crossing her arms. "I'll do it"
"All right, we'll do it. But not toenails, okay?" Said Roman
Lorena looked between the two and hesitantly nods "I- I want to do it too"
"How long will it take to make, anyway?" said Roman as Eric, looking happier, opened the book again.
"Well, since the fluxweed has got to be picked at the full moon and the lacewings have got to be stewed for twenty-one days... I'd say it'd be ready in about a month, if we can get all the ingredients."
"You're takin' the piss? A month? "Blue exclaimed.
"Daddy's boy could have attacked half the Muggle-borns in the school by then!" Roman agreed. Eric's eyes narrowed dangerously again.
"Don't look at us like that Eric, you know it's a long time" said blue
"It's the best plan we've got, so stop complaining and full steam ahead." said Lorena
However, while Lorena was checking that the coast was clear for them to leave the bathroom Roman mutter to the two "It'll be a lot less hassle if you can just knock Malfoy off his broom tomorrow."
"count on it" she smirked but it didn't reach her eyes.
"Come on, let's go" said Lorena after a few seconds.
They all walk out of the bathroom to their next class, charms. When they entered the class, they came face to face with four Slytherins. The worst of them. Draco Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle and Elliot Pertwee.
"Look who it is! Scarface and company." Said Malfoy he turns to Eric "counting the days you've left?" Elliot, Crabbe and Goyle laughed.
"I was wondering where that rotten, trash smell came from. Guess I found the source" said Roman with a smirk.
"Marcel? Is that you? I couldn't recognize you without the snails coming out of your mouth. I got a good aim don't I?" Elliot laughed just like the other three Slytherins. Then turned to Blue "I reckon I'll put it to practice tomorrow, with that big head of yours it'll be an easy shot"
Roman glared at him. He was about to take his wand off but Lorena stopped him.
Bluebell made a disgusted face and plugged her nose "Pertweener, your mouth stinks, it's probably from all that shit that you talk" Her friends laugh.
"I can't wait for tomorrow to use our new brooms. Quite fast aren't they Draco?" Said Elliot
"Fastest there is. I reckon your little nimbus won't stand a chance." said the malfoy boy
Before the girl could respond, Flitwick called them to sit down. Needless to say the two long lessons of charms, both groups were glaring daggers at each other.
Blue woke early on Saturday morning and lay for a while petting Mago and thinking about the coming Quidditch match. She was nervous, mainly at the thought of what Wood would say if Gryffindor lost, but also at the idea of facing a team mounted on the fastest racing brooms gold could buy. She had never wanted to beat Slytherin so badly. After half an hour of lying there with her insides churning, she got up, dressed, reluctantly put on her glasses and went down to breakfast early, where she found the rest of the Gryffindor team huddled at the long, empty table, all looking uptight and not speaking much.
"Morning Blue" said Harry who was also very tense.
Blue smiled and sat down next to him "Hazza, ready to kick some Slytherin ass?"
"Always ready"
"Oi Harry, is your family coming?" Asked George who was sitting a few spaces from them.
"You know they'll never miss a game" said Harry smiling.
Bluebell thought of what that would feel like, having a family who never misses one of your games, sure she had Amelia who was still very angry at her and probably isn't coming and her friends but it's still not the same.
As eleven o'clock approached, the whole school started to make its way down to the Quidditch stadium. It was a muggy sort of day with a hint of thunder in the air.
"Hey, Quidditch star" Roman yelled.
Blue was about to enter the locker rooms but came to a halt at her friend's voice. She turns to see the three gryffindors making their way to her.
"Nervous?" Lorena asks
Blue scoffs "Me? Please"
"So you are" Eric concluded and blue scowls and looks away.
"It is a little intimidating to have to play against a entire team with super fast brooms" Bluebell mutter
"Blue no matter the broom, you are the best seeker around" said Eric smiling at her and Lorena nods
Roman pats her on the back "you'll be fine. Just... bring the lion out"
Blue looks up at him with a smirk and nods "Bring the lion out"
"Bring the lion out?" Lorena said mirroring the confused look on Eric's face.
"I'll explain when we're up there, let's go"
"Oh blue, be careful it's going to rain" said Lorena.
Bluebell frown "what? How d'you know?"
"I can smell it coming" she said and left.
With a confused look, Blue entered the locker room, the team pulled on their scarlet Gryffindor robes, then sat down to listen to Wood's usual pre-match pep talk.
"Slytherin has better brooms than us," he began. "No point denying it. But we've got better people on our brooms. We've trained harder than they have, we've been flying in all weathers -" ("Too true," muttered George Weasley. "I haven't been properly dry since August") "- and we're going to make them rue the day they let that little bit of slime, Malfoy, buy his way onto their team."
Chest heaving with emotion, Wood turned to Bluebell.
"It'll be down to you, Bluebell, to show them that a Seeker has to have something more than a rich father. Get to that Snitch before Malfoy or die trying, Blue, because we've got to win today, we've got to."
"So no pressure, Blue" said Fred, winking at her.
"Don't worry, I got this in the bag." Said Bluebell smirking although she feels like throwing up.
As they walked out onto the pitch, a roar of noise greeted them; mainly cheers, because Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were anxious to see Slytherin beaten, but the Slytherins in the crowd made their boos and hisses heard, too.
Madam Hooch, the Quidditch teacher, asked Flint and Wood to shake hands, which they did, giving each other threatening stares and gripping rather harder than was necessary.
"On my whistle," said Madam Hooch. "Three... two... one..."
With a roar from the crowd to speed them upward, the fourteen players rose toward the leaden sky. Bluebell flew higher than any of them, squinting around for the Snitch.
"All right there, Scarhead?" yelled Malfoy, shooting underneath him as though to show off the speed of his broom.
"Draco-darling, you look lovely today" said Bluebell winking at him which cause him to turn pink.
Suddenly a heavy black Bludger came pelting toward her; she avoided it so narrowly that she felt it ruffle her hair as it passed.
"Close one, Blue!" said George, streaking past her with his club in his hand, ready to knock the Bludger back toward Elliot Pertwee.
Blue saw George give the Bludger a powerful whack in the direction of the Pertwee boy, but the Bludger changed direction in midair and shot straight for Blue again.
The girl dropped quickly to avoid it, and George managed to hit it hard toward Malfoy. Once again, the Bludger swerved like a boomerang and shot at Bluebell's head.
"What the..."
The King girl put on a burst of speed and zoomed toward the other end of the pitch. She could hear the Bludger whistling along behind her. What was going on? Bludgers never concentrated on one player like this; it was their job to try and unseat as many people as possible...
Fred Weasley was waiting for the Bludger at the other end. Blue ducked as Fred swung at the Bludger with all his might; the Bludger was knocked off course.
"Gotcha!" Fred yelled happily, but he was wrong; as though it was magnetically attracted to the girl, the Bludger pelted after her once more and Blue was forced to fly off at full speed.
And suddenly, just like Lorena said, it had started to rain; Bluebell felt heavy drops fall onto her face, splattering onto her glasses. She didn't have a clue what was going on in the rest of the game until she heard Lee Jordan, who was commentating, say, "Slytherin lead, sixty points to zero."
The Slytherins'superior brooms were clearly doing their jobs, and meanwhile the mad Bludger was doing all it could to knock Blue out of the air. Fred and George were now flying so close to her on either side that Blue could see nothing at all except their flailing arms and had no chance to look for the Snitch, let alone catch it.
"Someone's - tampered - with - this - Bludger -" Fred grunted, swinging his bat with all his might at it as it launched a new attack on Bluebell.
"We need time out," said George, trying to signal to Wood and stop the Bludger breaking Blue's nose at the same time.
Wood had obviously got the message. Madam Hooch's whistle rang out and Blue, Fred, and George dived for the ground, still trying to avoid the mad Bludger.
"What's going on?" said Wood as the Gryffindor team huddled together, while Slytherins in the crowd jeered. "We're being flattened. Fred, George, where were you when that Bludger stopped Angelina scoring?"
"We were twenty feet above her, stopping the other Bludger from murdering Bluebell, Oliver," said George angrily. "Someone's fixed it - it won't leave Blue alone. It hasn't gone for anyone else all game."
"The Slytherins must have done something to it." Said Harry Potter
"I reckon it was Pertweener, that dodgy twat" said blue narrowing her eyes at nothing.
"But the Bludgers have been locked in Madam Hooch's office since our last practice, and there was nothing wrong with them then..." said Wood, anxiously. Madam Hooch was walking toward them. Over her shoulder, Bluebell could see the Slytherin team jeering and pointing in her direction.
"Alright Listen," said Bluebell as hooch came nearer and nearer, "with you two flying around me all the time the only way I'm going to catch the Snitch is if the bloody thing flies up my sleeve. Go back to the rest of the team and let me deal with the rogue one."
"Don't be thick," said Fred. "It'll take your head off."
Wood was looking from Blue to the Weasleys.
"Oliver, this is absolutely mad" said Harry Potter angrily. "You can't let her deal with that thing on her own."
"We should ask for an inquiry..." said Katie bell
"I'll be fine. If we stop now, we'll have to forfeit the match!" said Blue. "And I'll rather sallow one of Snape's greasy hairs before losing to Slytherin just because of something as stupid as a Bludger!"
"It's not stupid Bluebell, it's dangerous one wrong hit and you'll be in the hospital wing for weeks" said Harry
"For Godric's sake, I'll be fine." She looks at Oliver "Come on, Oliver, tell them to leave me alone"
"This is all your fault," George said angrily to Wood. "'Get the Snitch or die trying,'what a stupid thing to tell her—-"
Madam Hooch had joined them.
"Ready to resume play?" she asked Wood.
Wood looked at the determined look on Bluebell's face. "Come on Oliver. I can do this"
"All right," he said. "Fred, George, you heard the lass- leave her alone and let her deal with the Bludger on her own."
The rain was falling more heavily now. On Madam Hooch's whistle, Bluebell kicked hard into the air and heard the telltale whoosh of the Bludger behind her. Higher and higher Blue climbed; she looped and swooped, spiraled, zigzagged, and rolled. Slightly dizzy, she nevertheless kept her eyes wide open, rain was speckling her glasses and ran up her nostrils as she hung upside down, avoiding another fierce dive from the Bludger.
She could hear laughter from the crowd; she knew she must look very stupid, but the rogue Bludger was heavy and couldn't change direction as quickly as Blue could; she began a kind of roller-coaster ride around the edges of the stadium, squinting through the silver sheets of rain to the Gryffindor goal posts, where Adrian Pucey was trying to get past Wood.
A whistling in Bluebell's ear told her the Bludger had just missed her again; she turned right over and sped in the opposite direction.
"Training for the ballet, King? I reckon it's more suitable for girls like you than quidditch" yelled Malfoy as Blue was forced to do a stupid kind of twirl in midair to dodge the Bludger, and she fled, the Bludger trailing a few feet behind her; and then, glaring back at Malfoy in hatred, she saw it - the Golden Snitch. It was hovering inches above Malfoy's left ear - and Malfoy, busy laughing at Bluebell, hadn't seen it.
For an agonizing moment, Bluebell hung in midair, not daring to speed toward Malfoy in case she looked up and saw the Snitch.
WHAM.
She had stayed still a second too long. The Bludger had hit her at last, smashed into her elbow, and Blue felt her arm break. Dimly, dazed by the searing pain in her arm, she slid sideways on her rain-drenched broom, one knee still crooked over it, her right arm dangling useless at
her side - the Bludger came pelting back for a second attack, this time zooming at her face - Bluebell swerved out of the way, one idea firmly lodged in her numb brain: get to Malfoy.
Through a haze of rain and pain she dived for the shimmering, sneering face below her and saw its eyes widen with fear: Malfoy thought the girl was attacking him.
"What the -" he gasped, careening out of Blue's way.
Blue took her remaining hand off her broom and made a wild snatch; she felt her fingers close on the cold Snitch but was now only gripping the broom with her legs, and there was a yell from the crowd below as she headed straight for the ground, trying hard not to pass out.
With a splattering thud she hit the mud and rolled off her broom. Her arm was hanging at a very strange angle; riddled with pain, she heard, as though from a distance, a good deal of whistling and shouting. She focused on the Snitch clutched in her good hand.
"Aha," she said vaguely. "We fuckin' won."
And she fainted.
She came around, rain falling on her face, still lying on the field, with someone leaning over her. She saw a glitter of teeth.
"Oh, hell no, not you," she moaned.
"Doesn't know what she's saying," said Lockhart loudly to the anxious crowd of Gryffindors pressing around them. "Not to worry, Bluebell. I'm about to fix your arm."
"No!" said Blue. She tried to sit up, but the pain was terrible. She heard a familiar clicking noise nearby.
"Collin, I kindly ask you to piss off... " she said loudly.
"Lie back, Bluebell," said Lockhart soothingly. "It's a simple charm I've used countless times--"
"We should take her to the hospital wing, with someone with actually experience" said Harry looming over blue.
"Yes, just take me to the hospital wing" said the girl through clenched teeth.
"She should really, Professor," said a muddy Wood, who couldn't help grinning even though his Seeker was injured. "Great capture, Bluebell, really spectacular, your best yet, I'd say--"
"Of course It bloody was" blue huffs through the pain.
Through the thicket of legs around her, bluebell spotted Fred and George Weasley, wrestling the rogue Bludger into a box. It was still putting up a terrific fight.
"Stand back," said Lockhart, who was rolling up his jade-green sleeves.
"Do not fuckin' touch me" said blue weakly, but Lockhart was twirling his wand and a second later had directed it straight at Blue's arm.
A strange and unpleasant sensation started at Bluebell's shoulder and spread all the way down to her fingertips. It felt as though her arm was being deflated. She didn't dare look at what was happening.
She had shut her eyes, her face turned away from her arm, but her worst fears were realized as the people above her gasped and Colin Creevey began clicking away madly. Her arm didn't hurt anymore - nor did it feel remotely like an arm.
"Oh fucking hell" she heard Roman said.
"Ah," said Lockhart. "Yes. Well, that can sometimes happen. But the point is, the bones are no longer broken. That's the thing to bear in mind. So, bluebell, just toddle up to the hospital wing - ah Mr. Quinn, Miss Blood and Mr. Marcel would you escort her? - and Madam Pomfrey will be able to - er - tidy you up a bit."
As blue got to her feet, she felt strangely lopsided. Taking a deep breath she looked down at her right side. What she saw nearly made her pass out again.
Poking out of the end of her robes was what looked like a thick, flesh-colored rubber glove. She tried to move her fingers. Nothing happened.
Lockhart hadn't mended the girl's bones. He had removed them.
Blue took a deep breath before jumping straight at Lockhart "You underdeveloped dickhead"
Wood and Potter were holding her back as she tried to punch Lockhart with her good arm. The man in question, squeaked and quickly left the field.
"LET ME AT HIM....."
After the girl had calmed down, her friends took her to the hospital wing and placed her in a bed.
"That was mad Blue, brilliant but mad" said Roman.
Lorena was playing with her hand, bending her fingers all the way back "This is so odd"
"At least one of us is having fun" Eric choked, trying not to look at Bluebell's arm.
Madam Pomfrey wasn't at all pleased.
"You should have come straight to me!" she raged, holding up the sad, limp remainder of what, half an hour before, had been a working arm. "I can mend bones in a second - but growing them back--"
"You will be able to, won't you?" said Bluebell desperately.
"I'll be able to, certainly, but it will be painful," said Madam Pomfrey grimly, throwing Bluebell a pair of pajamas. "You'll have to stay the night..."
The boys waited outside the curtain drawn around Blue's bed while Lorena helped her into her pajamas.
Lorena laughs as blue slither her boneless arm into a sleeve "eww"
"Sod off"
"How can you stick up for Lockhart now, Eric, eh?" Blue heard Roman asked Eric through the curtain as Lorena pulled Bluebell's limp fingers through the cuff. "If Blue had wanted deboning she would have asked."
"Roma's right, look at her arm" Lorena called out.
"As if you lot haven't ever made a mistake," said Eric. "And it doesn't hurt anymore, does it, Blue?"
"Course not ," said Blue, getting into bed. "There's nothin' for me to feel pain about, literally"
As she swung herself onto the bed, her arm flapped pointlessly.
The boys and Madam Pomfrey came around the curtain. Madam Pomfrey was holding a large bottle of something labeled Skele-Gro.
"You're in for a rough night," she said, pouring out a steaming beakerful and handing it to her. "Regrowing bones is a nasty business."
So was taking the Skele-Gro. It burned Bluebell mouth and throat as it went down, making her cough and splutter.
"That's disgusting" Bluebell coughs
"What d'you expect? Pumpkin juice?" Huffs the healer
Blue nods "Yes, this is the wizarding world, it should taste of strawberry and fuckin' rainbows"
"Watch your language King" said the woman sternly. Still tut-tutting about dangerous sports and inept teachers, Madam Pomfrey retreated, leaving her friends to help Blue gulp down some water.
"Apart from this, today's game was wicked. We won," said Roman, a grin breaking across his face. "That was some catch you made. You should have seen Malfoy's face blue..." he laughs "he looked ready to kill..."
"Malfoy's a wind-up" smirk Bluebell.
"I thought the Bludger was going to squash you for a second" said Lorena
"The Bludger.... I want to know how they fixed it," said Eric darkly.
"It was probably Pertweener" said Roman
"Or Malfoy both hate bluebell" Lorena adds
"Easy, we'll hex weener till he admits and we can ask Malfoy when we've taken the Polyjuice Potion," said bluebell, sinking back onto her pillows but Eric stopped her.
"Wait" he grabbed the pillow and punched it before putting back on the bed "You know they are uncomfortable"
Blue smiled at him "Thanks bruv. Anyways, I hope the Polyjuice tastes better than this stuff..."
"Doubt it mate. It got Slytherins scent." said Roman cringing.
The door of the hospital wing burst open at that moment. Filthy and soaking wet, the rest of the Gryffindor team had arrived to see Blue.
"Unbelievable flying, Blue," said George. "I've just seen Marcus Flint yelling at Malfoy. Something about having the Snitch on top of his head and not noticing. Malfoy didn't seem too happy."
"It's not his fault he thought he could win against me," said blue, smirking smugly.
They had brought cakes, sweets, and bottles of pumpkin juice; they gathered around Bluebell's bed and were just getting started on what promised to be a good party when Madam Pomfrey came storming over, shouting, "This girl needs rest, she's got thirty-three bones to regrow! Out! OUT!" And Bluebell was left alone, with nothing to distract her from the stabbing pains in her limp arm.
That was until the doors of the hospital wing flew open and Amelia King walked inside the room.
"Amy?" Blue said
Amelia head to her, her eyes hold worry but relief. "Belle"
She walked to where blue was and gave her a big hug which the girl accepted, blue sighs, inhaling the familiar smell of her sister before it turned into a wince when the older King slapped her good arm.
"That was for the car"
Blue cringe "I'm so sorry Amy, I really am I just panic."
Amelia sighs and softly runs a hand over Bluebell blonde hair "It's fine Belle."
"No, it's not. I put your job in danger. I —"
"Not really, the only bad thing that happened was my suspension of having any kind of muggle vehicle." Amelia shrugged
"Really? Well, that's good to hear" blue breaths out and tried to lay back down but Amelia hit her again in the arm.
"Ow, what the fuck was that for?" Said the girl rubbing her arm. "I only have one functional arm, be gentle"
"I'm still mad but I'm glad you're okay.... what happened anyway?"
Blue moved a little to let her sister sit next to her and began to tell the entire story, from the brooms, Malfoy saying the slur to which she gasp in indignation and finally the recent events.
"You joking? Gilderoy? The handsome Gilderoy Lockhart did that?"
Blue nods "That's the best seller author for you ladies and gentlemen..."
"But in his books he's so..."
"Fake?"
"Well composed, and a brave man" Amelia said, sending a look at the younger girl.
"Hate to break it to you Ames, but that's nothing but lies" said Bluebell, waving her good arm.
"And how would you know?" Amelia challenged.
Blue shrugged "Easy, I'm not a brainless oaf like his fans"
"So now I'm a brainless oaf?" Said Amelia with a small smile.
"You said it not me" Bluebell said with a sly smile.
"You little—" Amelia started to tickle Bluebell, the girl couldn't help but laugh wildly as her sister's fingers poke her sides.
"Amy, stop" she laughs
Amelia stop to say "Say you don't meant it"
"I can't lie to you like that" said blue
And Amelia once again was poking her side. Blue squirm around laughing. "Alright, I didn't meant it"
"And?"
"And you are not a brainless oaf"
"And?"
"And... I'm sorry I lost the car in the forbidden forest."
"An— the car is where?" Amelia asked, stopping her poking attack.
Blue smiled innocently she opened her mouth to respond but Madam Pomfrey appeared from behind one of the curtains.
"Who is in here? I told everyone to leave—" she stopped when she saw Amelia "oh dear Amelia, how are you doing?"
Amelia smiled at the healer "I'm good Poppy, how are you?"
"I'll be better if they stop hiring such incapable professors." Huffs the woman "Now dear, I'm going to have to ask you to leave, this girl needs lots of rest."
Amelia stands from the bed and wave her hand dismissively "It's fine Poppy, I should be going anyways, I'm just going to say bye"
The healer nods "Alright, but quick" she then left the two Kings alone.
"I'm glad you're okay Belle" said the older king kissing the head of the younger one.
"Of course I'm okay, I'm Bluebell."
Amelia laughs and ruffles her head "Bye Belle. Take care, don't cause trouble and use your glasses."
"Just go" and once again she was alone.
Hours and hours later, Bluebell woke quite suddenly in the pitch blackness and gave a small yelp of pain: Her arm now felt full of large splinters. For a second, she thought that was what had woken her. Then, with a thrill of horror, she realized that someone was sponging her forehead in the dark.
"The fuck? Get off!" She said loudly, and then, "Dobby!"
The house-elf's goggling tennis ball eyes were peering at Bluebell through the darkness. A single tear was running down his long, pointed nose.
"Bluebell King came back to school," he whispered miserably. "Dobby warned and warned Bluebell King. Ah Miss, why didn't you heed Dobby? Why didn't Bluebell King go back home when she missed the train?"
"What? Dobby move!" Blue heaved herself up on her pillows and pushed Dobby's sponge away.
"What're you doing here?" She said. "And how did you know I missed the train?"
Dobby's lip trembled and Blue was seized by a sudden suspicion.
"You dodgy bastard. It was you, innit?" She said slowly. "You stopped the barrier from letting us through!"
"Indeed yes, Miss," said Dobby, nodding his head vigorously, ears flapping. "Dobby hid and watched for Bluebell King and sealed the gateway and Dobby had to iron his hands afterward" - he showed Blue ten long, bandaged fingers - "but Dobby didn't care, sir, for he thought Bluebell King was safe, and never did Dobby dream that Bluebell King would get to school another way!"
He was rocking backward and forward, shaking his ugly head.
"Dobby was so shocked when he heard Bluebell King was back at Hogwarts, he let his master's dinner burn! Such a flogging Dobby never had, sir..."
Bluebell slumped back onto her pillows.
"You nearly got Roman and me expelled," she said fiercely. "I'm not in the best mood. So you better hope my bones don't come back while you're here, Dobby, or I will strangle the fuck out of you."
Dobby smiled weakly.
"Dobby is used to death threats, Miss. Dobby gets them five times a day at home."
He blew his nose on a corner of the filthy pillowcase he wore, looking so pathetic that Blue felt her anger ebb away in spite of herself.
"Those rags are... ugly, Dobby. Why d'you wear them bruv?" She asked curiously.
"This, Miss?" said Dobby, plucking at the pillowcase. " Tis a mark of the house-elf's enslavement, Miss. Dobby can only be freed if his masters present him with clothes, Miss. The family is careful not to pass Dobby even a sock,Miss , for then he would be free to leave their house forever."
Dobby mopped his bulging eyes and said suddenly, "Bluebell King must go home! Dobby thought his Bludger would be enough to make--"
"Back the fuck up.... YOUR Bludger?" said bluebell, anger rising once more. "What d'you mean, your Bludger? You made that Bludger try and kill me?"
"Not kill you, Miss, never kill you!" said Dobby, shocked. "Dobby wants to save Bluebell King's life! Better sent home, grievously injured, than remain here Miss! Dobby only wanted Bluebell King hurt enough to be sent home!"
"Is that fuckin' so?" said Bluebell angrily. "I don't suppose you're going to tell me why you wanted me sent home in pieces?"
"Ah, if Bluebell King only knew!" Dobby groaned, more tears dripping onto his ragged pillowcase. "If she knew what she means to us, to the lowly, the enslaved, we dregs of the magical world! Dobby remembers how it was when He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was at the height of his powers, Miss! We house-elves were treated like vermin, Miss! Of course, Dobby is still treated like that, Miss" he admitted, drying his face on the pillowcase. "But mostly, Miss, life has improved for my kind since you triumphed over He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Bluebell King survived, and the Dark Lord's power was broken, and it was a new dawn,Miss , and Bluebell King shone like a beacon of hope for those of us who thought the Dark days would never end, sit... And now, at Hogwarts, terrible things are to happen, are perhaps happening already, and Dobby cannot let Bluebell King stay here now that history is to repeat itself, now that the Chamber of Secrets is open once more."
"You know about that?" Asked bluebell, surprised.
Dobby froze, horrorstruck, then grabbed Blue's water jug from his bedside table and cracked it over his own head, toppling out of sight. A second later, he crawled back onto the bed, cross-eyed, muttering, "Bad Dobby, very bad Dobby..."
"So there is a Chamber of Secrets?" Bluebell whispered. "And did you say it's been opened before? Tell me, Dobby!"
"Mate stop" She seized the elf's bony wrist as Dobby's hand inched toward the water jug. "I'm not Muggle-born - how can I be in danger from the Chamber?"
"Ah, Miss, ask no more, ask no more of poor Dobby," stammered the elf, his eyes huge in the dark. "Dark deeds are planned in this place, but Bluebell King must not be here when they happen - go home, Bluebell King, go home. Bluebell King must not meddle in this,Miss , tis too dangerous--"
"Who is it, Dobby?" Blue said, keeping a firm hold on Dobby's wrist to stop him from hitting himself with the water jug again. "Who's opened it? Who opened it last time?"
"Dobby can't, sir, Dobby can't, Dobby mustn't tell!" squealed the elf. "Go home,Bluebell King , go home!"
"How thick are you? I ain't goin' anywhere!" said Bluebell fiercely. "One of my best friends is Muggle-born; he'll be first in line if the Chamber really has been opened--"
"Bluebell King risks her own life for her friends!" moaned Dobby in a kind of miserable ecstasy. "So noble! So valiant! But she must save herself, she must, Bluebell King must not--"
Dobby suddenly froze, his bat ears quivering. Bluebell heard it, too. There were footsteps coming down the passageway outside.
"Dobby must go!" breathed the elf, terrified. There was a loud crack, and Bluebell's fist was suddenly clenched on thin air. She slumped back into bed, her eyes on the dark doorway to the hospital wing as the footsteps drew nearer.
Next moment, Dumbledore was backing into the dormitory, wearing a long woolly dressing gown and a nightcap. He was carrying one end of what looked like a statue. Professor McGonagall appeared a second later, carrying its feet. Together, they heaved it onto a bed.
"Get Madam Pomfrey," whispered Dumbledore, and Professor McGonagall hurried past the end of the girls bed out of sight. Blue lay quite still, pretending to be asleep. She heard urgent voices, and then Professor McGonagall swept back into view, closely followed by Madam Pomfrey, who was pulling a cardigan on over her nightdress. She heard a sharp intake of breath.
"What happened?" Madam Pomfrey whispered to Dumbledore, bending over the statue on the bed.
"Another attack," said Dumbledore. "Minerva found him on the stairs."
"There was a bunch of grapes next to him," said Professor McGonagall. "We think he was trying to sneak up here to visit King."
Bluebell stomach gave a horrible lurch. Slowly and carefully, she raised herself a few inches so she could look at the statue on the bed. A ray of moonlight lay across its staring face.
Her heart dropped, it was Colin Creevey. His eyes were wide and his hands were stuck up in front of him, holding his camera.
"Petrified?" whispered Madam Pomfrey.
"Yes," said Professor McGonagall. "But I shudder to think... If Albus hadn't been on the way downstairs for hot chocolate - who knows what might have--"
The three of them stared down at Colin. Then Dumbledore leaned forward and wrenched the camera out of Colin's rigid grip.
"You don't think he managed to get a picture of his attacker?" said Professor McGonagall eagerly.
Dumbledore didn't answer. He opened the back of the camera.
"Good gracious!" said Madam Pomfrey.
A jet of steam had hissed out of the camera. Bluebell, three beds away, caught the acrid smell of burnt plastic.
"Melted," said Madam Pomfrey wonderingly. "All melted..."
"What does this mean, Albus?" Professor McGonagall asked urgently.
"It means," said Dumbledore, "that the Chamber of Secrets is indeed open again."
Madam Pomfrey clapped a hand to her mouth. Professor McGonagall stared at Dumbledore.
"But, Albus... surely... who?"
"The question is not who," said Dumbledore, his eyes on Colin. "The question is, how..." And from what Blue could see of Professor McGonagall's shadowy face, she didn't understand this any better than she did.