Strange Beginnings

Chapter VI.II

The remaining week of the break went by quicker than expected. Y/N had spent most of their time either in the library, their dorm, or hanging out with Cedric. Despite their apprehensions of staying at the school during the holiday, they didn't run into many of the other students they were hoping to avoid. In fact, they realized they hadn't seen some of them at all, in particular, Hermione Granger. One evening Y/N was reading in the library when they saw Potter and Weasley running about the stacks trying to find a particular book it seemed but left empty handed. Perhaps they didn't know Madam Pince would have helped them locate the text if they had asked. Although, when are they ever looking for things that wouldn't get them in trouble. 

There had been no development of a cure for whatever condition Frankie and the Creevey boy were in. Cedric had asked Madam Pomfrey twice if they could see her but the matron was set on her answer both times; No. Y/N however didn't like to be told what to do. 

On the Saturday before the rest of the students returned Y/N excused themselves from dinner early. Without the Diggory boy (they knew he would have advised against it) they made their way to the hospital wing. They knew the nurse would be at least twenty minutes more at the meal and she typically liked to chat with a couple of the professors after. The large doors were surprisingly quite as they pulled one open enough to slip inside. The shortened winter day made the room barely lit with the last remaining light that struggled to peak over the horizon. Y/N could make out a couple lumps laid across the beds.

When they tiptoed closer they could see the Creevey boy. Remembering when he was brought in the night they tried to come and apologize to Harry, they were now face to face with his frozen expression of shock. They felt somewhat unsettled to stare at him, a statue, but knowing he was still alive (or at least that's what they assumed, since the professors insisted that a cure was still in the making). 

Something shuffled in a bed covered by its drawn curtains, bringing Y/N out of their daze. Perhaps someone in here was awake or at least not petrified. They held their breath till the movements went silent and heard a soft... purring? They figured it must have been snoring unless they had managed to find a cure for Mrs. Norris. In the next bed was another still body. As they stepped closer they could see her short brown hair behind hands that were stuck in front of her face as though she had tried to block something. As they were standing above her they wondered what animal could do this. It seemed she was in the same outfit as the day she had been found. They searched her skin for bite marks but found nothing of the sort. No rashes, or bruises, nothing to show other than her paralyzed state. 

Perhaps it was a spell or a curse. They thought to themselves. 

A quickened step from outside the doors echoed through the opening. Y/N's heart sank as they tried to quickly think of a way to sneak out without being seen. By the entrance was a small alcove, the young student bolted as quietly as they could towards it and hid as much of their frame inside as they could, hoping the shadow would envelop most of them from sight. The fed and merry Madam Pomfrey walked through the doors with a tune humming on her tired lips. She hadn't even realized the door was open and walked back towards her office. As soon as the woman disappeared into the back room Y/N quickly exited the hospital wing. 

~~~

The first Monday back from the Christmas break, Y/N was cleaning up their books and parchment from the day's transfiguration lesson. Before they could exit however, McGonagall asked them to stay for a brief moment after class. 

"Am I in trouble, professor?" Y/N timidly asked.

The woman was confused by the question, "Not at all Y/N and on the contrary. I actually wanted to task you with delivering this weeks class work to Ms. Granger."