Wolfsbane // Neville Longbottom

Chapter 32: Change

A bright light blinded her eyes - just for a second - before she adjusted to it, slowly opening them further. There was a ringing in her ear that didn't seem to fade and her skin... her skin hurt. It hurt worse than any other type of physical pain she had ever felt. Her skin, her bones, everything. Every single hair on her body hurt.

She blinked a few times, looking around frantically. What had happened? "Help," she croaked, her voice low in volume and rough. She coughed a few times. "Help." It was a little louder but not loud enough. She pushed herself up on her elbows before letting herself fall down again, letting out a yell of pain.

"Cassie!" it was a high, feminine voice. The curtains around her opened and the one Poppy Pomfrey appeared. "Oh, dear. Oh, dear," she repeated, moving closer at a fast pace and stroking Cassie's hair.

Cassie looked at her with a bewildered look in her eyes. "Poppy," she stuttered. Madam Pomfrey nodded, a kind smile on her lips and tears burning in her eyes. "What-"

"Shh, shh, it's going to be okay," Madam Pomfrey assured her. "You need to rest, okay? I'll fill you in in just a minute, just... how do you feel? Are you in pain?" Cassie nodded. "Where, dear?" Cassie shook her head, feeling tears rise to her eyes.

"Everywhere," she whispered. Madam Pomfrey nodded and grabbed a vial from her apron. "Thank you." Cassie drank it, feeling the pain ease with every passing second. "What... What happened?"

"Let me get Neville and Minerva," she said, stroking Cassie's hair once more before pressing a kiss on her forehead. "I'm so glad you're back." Back? How long have I been 'gone'?

Madam Pomfrey returned a minute later with Neville and Minerva who both had worried eyes - not to mention the huge bags underneath them. "Oh Cass," Neville said, leaning down to give her a kiss on her forehead.

"Nev," she whispered, looking up at him with teary eyes. "What happened?" McGonagall looked at her and let out a soft sigh.

"Do you remember anything?" she asked. Cassie thought hard for a moment, hoping that flashes of memories returned.

"I remember we were in your office... all of us. And then Maevis attacked me and... I don't remember what happened then," she said. "My skin hurts." She looked down at her arm, pulling up the sleeve of her shirt on one side. Her entire arm was red and purple and bruised. "Oh."

"Maevis attacked you with wolfsbane laced ropes," Minerva said. Neville gently stroked her hair. "Three days ago."

"Three... but the full moon..." Cassie frowned as she looked at Neville who had tears in his eyes. "Did I?"

"Yes. You still transformed as usual," Minerva informed her. Cassie closed her eyes for a moment. "Only a few people were hurt, from our side, I mean. They're all patched up and doing fine. Hermione imme-"

"Stop," Cassie whispered, opening her eyes again. "I need to- I need to get out. I need to get out of here, I need to-"

"You need to breathe, Cass," Neville said sternly, looking at her. "Come on. Breathe with me." She nodded, taking a few deep breaths with him to steady her heartbeat again and to calm down. "Good. Very good."

"Neville, they got hurt because of me," she whispered, tears in her eyes.

"They got hurt standing up for what's right. For you and all people infected with lycanthropy. You would've done the same thing if it had been Padma in your shoes, or Mandy, or Hermione, or Ron or any of us. They're all fine now, I promise," he assured her. She nodded slowly. 

They're all fine now.

"What happened to Hermione?" she asked Minerva.

"Nothing. She was fine after the battle," Minerva assured her. "She took out two Aurors by herself. You know how good of a fighter she is." Cassie nodded, a small smile forming on her lips. "She immediately took it up with the minister."