Ortum Infernum [d.m]

Chapter Thirteen

    For the next couple of days, Draco treated her like she was made of porcelain. He wouldn't touch her unless it was to escort her up and down the numerous flights of stairs in Hogwarts, which she continued to argue was completely unnecessary. Odette pointed out the fact that her right arm was injured, not her legs, but Draco would just huff and brood until she agreed to his chivalry.

Her brothers were no different. Icarus took it upon himself to clear the hallway for her to walk through without being bumped into. Glaring down at the other students with her satchel slung over one shoulder like some juvenile delinquent.

Alistair was more subtle, but he did pull her out of prefect duties for the time being and tried to talk her out of overworking in the library. Something about giving her brain time to recuperate from her 'severe' concussion and 'excessive' blood loss in order to avoid risking a Hypovolemic shock. It was all rather endearing but also quite frustrating at the same time.

On the seventh day, Odette thought she would finally catch a break since her bandages were off and her injuries had all but healed into silver scars, thanks to Madam Pomfrey. Draco and her brothers were equally too busy to hover by her side today so it meant she could finally go and collect her Venomous Tentacula leaves for her experimental potions.

But as she was getting ready to leave, Hannah Abott had peeked into her dorm room and told her that Dumbledore had requested her audience in his office. She paled significantly before gathering her satchel and left through the hidden entrance. A Gryffindor prefect was waiting outside the Hufflepuff Basement to escort her to Dumbledore's hidden office.

Odette recited potion recipes in her head as they made the journey, trying to distract herself from the anxiety that was building in her system. They stopped in front of a statue of a gargoyle where Professor McGonagall was waiting.

She thanked the prefect then waited until he was out of earshot before she turned to the gargoyle and said the password in a precise Scottish accent. "Sherbet lemon."

Before Odette stepped into the revealed staircase, Professor McGonagall called out to her.

"Odette. I hope you're in a much better state, dear. If you should ever need anything, my office is open to counselling for all students."

She blinked confoundedly at the Deputy Headmistress who looked at her with immense concern. Odette nodded her head despite the unsettling feeling in her chest as she fidgetted with her fingers.

"Thank you for the offer, professor. I'll keep it in mind."

With a deep breath to calm her nerves, she ascended the steep spiral stairs. Dumbledore's office looked significantly different than what she had expected. Odette had envisioned a very organised and professional study with bookshelves lining the walls, much like Professor McGonagall's or Professor Vector's. Instead, his office was filled with all sorts of odd bobs and trinkets.

She spotted the Sorting Hat snoozing above a shelf, some spinning astronomical devices and some old artifacts kept behind glass domes. The walls were lined with animated portraits of previous headmasters, all of them were snoring away in their chairs. It appeared she might have intruded in on their nap time.

The sound of a loud bird made her jump and abruptly lose track of her potion recipe. Odette whirled around to see a phoenix eyeing her from where it was perched. She stared at it in fascination.

"That's my old friend, Fawkes," came Dumbledore's voice as he emerged from the next room. "It seems he's equally as fascinated with you as you are with him."

She tilted her head slightly and Fawkes mimicked her. Odette smiled, feeling her earlier apprehension leave her system.

"I see you're in much better health."