Hidden Wings - Part II

Everything changes

When Mioha read the Daily Prophet the next morning at breakfast, she smiled broadly. On the front page was a black-and-white photograph of a hospital room at St. Mungo's. Flowers were blooming in all corners, on the patients' nightstands and hanging down from the ceiling.

SPRING AT ST. MUNGO'S
On the morning of Easter Sunday, patients woke up to find themselves surrounded by various spring and summer flowers. While the plants are not impairing the Healers in their work, the question where these flowers came from remains.
However, whoever has planned this little Easter action, has managed to make the day a little more special to the patients.
"I have not had any visitors since 1986", said Mr. Chuggins, a 90-year-old wizard who has been a permanent resident in St. Mungo's for 45 years. "And this morning was more exciting than all the other days together."
But some others do not seem to appreciate the gardening in the hospital.
"It's ridiculous", said a witch whose name shall remain unknown, "this is a hospital. Not a greenhouse. Whoever has done this should have checked first if this was the right building."
There are different opinions about this move, yet it seems that many visitors who came to St. Mungo's today believed that this was a very kind gesture for the residents at St. Mungo's.

Mioha glanced up the table and found Ginny grinning at her. Since only a handful of students at remained at Hogwarts, the House tables had been replaced with one long one, at which the professors and the students now sat. Mioha was sitting in the middle between Harry and Hermione and a few seats to the right sat the professors. From the staff everyone was present, except Hagrid and Gandalf. Unfortunately for the students and the staff, Professor Slughorn had decided that today was another one of his "chatty" days.

"Now this is very interesting", said Professor Slughorn while chewing his toast. "Very interesting. What do you think, Severus? Flowers sprouting overnight, eh?"

The Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor scowled into his black coffee at being addressed, yet did not bother to answer. He did not need to, since Professor Slughorn kept on talking.

"It's a shame those flowers will die the next few days anyway, just like everything else has lately. I am actually surprised how this person had been able to accomplish this in one night. If you ask me, it had to be someone with a green thumb, obviously, to be able to grow these plants in a drab hospital..."

Mioha rolled her eyes and poked at her blueberry pancake, not bothering to listen to the chattering professor any longer. It seemed she wasn't the only one.
She saw Harry grimace at Ginny and the redhead responded by pretending to fall asleep in her sunny side up.

Esma, who had decided to spend the breakfast with Mioha, pecked at a piece of pancake on her plate.
"He sure talks a lot", she chirped and cocked her head.

Mioha couldn't really reply, so she only shot the blackbird a grin.

"...and I have been thinking of organizing another Slug Club meeting on April 28th", said Professor Slughorn brightly. "Of course, Miss Granger and Harry, you both are invited..."

Ron looked very sour and downed his jealousy in a big swallow of cranberry juice.

"Can I come?", peeped Esma curiously.

Mioha lifted her goblet and slightly shook her head.

"...and I have written another singer, a friend of mine, who has an excellent voice. Penelope Peabottle is her name. Poor thing...has a magnificent voice, but you can't say the same about her face..."