Eye Of The Storm

5. Cloudburst

1995: Cloudburst

A sudden violent rainstorm

Ollie's normal Tuesday

Pomfrey was rather surprised to see that Ollie's safe room was intact when she went to wake her the next morning. Ollie's body however, was not. Her left hand was mangled, and she had a new scar running down the side of her neck. From her ear to her shoulder.

Her right leg was covered with slashes, and a long scar ran across her rib cage. She was also supporting a rather swollen black eye, which was something that Pomfrey couldn't recall ever having happened before. Ollie hadn't breathed a word as Pomfrey healed her over, whispering the well rehearsed spells.

"Remember this one?" Pomfrey whispered suddenly, breaking Ollie from her trance of staring at the wood ceiling above her.

"I have many, what are you referring to?" Ollie sighed, leaning up on her elbows to see Pomfrey tracing a scar high on her thigh. It was whiter than the rest, and embedded in her skin rather than poking out like most of the others were.

"I was eight." Ollie breathed, reaching over to run her finger across it. It tingled at the touch, so Ollie drew her hand away. She rarely spent time looking at her scars, preferring to instead hide them away from view.

"It was the first time you hurt yourself." Pomfrey whispered, pushing clothes into Ollie's arms. "A sixth year boy had called you a name, and you had been ashamed of yourself." Pomfrey found herself fretting, as she hadn't a need to tidy the room.

"He called me a freak." Ollie recalled, standing on shaky legs as she pulled the sweats up to her waist. "Because I could turn a teacup into a frog at the touch of a finger." Ollie could vividly remember the shock on McGonagall's face when Ollie had reached forward, and done exactly as she had instructed on first try. She wasn't meant to have been participating in class, just to sit under McGonagall's watchful eye, but Ollie had been to excited.

At only eight years old, Ollie had more control over her magic than any other student.

"I was the only one on the staff against having you school so early, as I feared it would take away from your childhood." Pomfrey looked up, gazing at the girl she had known for so long yet the years seemed to be flying away. "I was afraid you would despise us for it." Pomfrey admitted, helping Ollie towards the door.

"I loved school, being around the older kids in class. I had fun." Ollie reassured, wincing as they took the stairs one at a time. "I also liked showing up the seventh years." Ollie teased, sighing as her feet met the dirt floor of the tunnel that was to lead them outside.

"Yes, everyone was always quite awed at your abilities." Pomfrey helped Ollie through the hole in the tree, and they spilled out onto the morning dew covered grass.

"Most everyone." Ollie recalled, her mind flashing with every student that had ever shot her a confused glance.

"You are very powerful Ollie, and I think you fear yourself because of it." Pomfrey suddenly spilled, pulling Ollie to a stop. "But power is not something to be feared, but rather respected. You've earned your power, and all of your abilities." Pomfrey turned to look at her, and found Ollie studying her.

"Like Voldemort? Am I to respect him simply because he is powerful?" Ollie asked, challenging Pomfrey's words.

"You certainly don't fear him." Pomfrey said with a slight calculation in her tone, as if she was attempting to draw something from Ollie. "Just as that Weasley boy does not fear you." Pomfrey said gently, and Ollie felt her point sail over her head.