What If? Year 1

Chapter 46

When I get to the hospital wing, Madam Pomfrey is all over me. She takes my arm and studies my fingers and face.
"Oh, look at your fingers!" she says, "and your face.. Dear me, you look worse than Miss Weasley. Come sit down on next to Hermione, she'll be happy to see you when she gets up. I'll get you patched up." She starts to stitch up a large cut on my face. I have no idea how I got it, but it was starting to hurt.
"How did.. how did this happen?" She points to a bruise under my chin. Tom's wand.
"Wand got shoved up to my chin," I whisper, "I doesn't hurt." She pats my shoulder.
"That's good, because I don't think I should try to heal it. I'll try to heal these cuts on your fingers." She does and the ink starts to come off too. A rustle from besides me and I look over to see Hermione sitting up.
"Oh, Miss Granger!" Madam Pomfrey says, going to check on her, "Don't move to quick, your joints are going to be very sore.. Miss Potter, you are all good for now, come see me after the feast." Mum and Dad walk into the hospital wing. Dad gives me a hug.
"Oh, Marigold! My little flower, you're so brave, love." He moves a piece of my hair from my face. Mum runs her fingers down the new stitching along my face.
"Did Professor Dumbledore talk to you?" she asks, "we're so proud of you." I smile and hug them both.
"I'm so happy you're safe," Dad whispers, "And you're so smart. I can't believe you're going to be in Harry's year!" I giggle.
"I have to pass first, Dad." He hugs me tighter.
"You will."
"Hey, Goldie... umm, do you remember what happened in the Chamber?" Mum asks. I know what she is referring to, but I was not ready to explain that.
"Only some of it," I lie. Hermione comes over to me.
"You found the Chamber?" I nod.
"Yeah, it was in Myrtle's bathroom."
"And the monster?"
"Just like you thought, a basilisk." Hermione smiles and hugs me.
"I'll see you at the feast, we'll talk then." She waves and walks off.
"Can you tell us what you remember?" I look at the floor.
"I can try," I whisper, "I remember waking up in the Chamber, and Tom talked to me. He pressed his wand up here." -I point to my chin.- "Then there was a lot of pain.. and I-i don't remember much after, besides stabbing that bl-bloody diary. And Harry getting b-bit. Then we found our way out, and went to McGonagall's office." Mum nods and Dad sets a hand on my shoulder.
"Okay, we should let you get to the feast, love. We will see you in three weeks, alright? I love you, and I'm so proud of you." I smiles and give him another hug. Mum joins us before they leave.

"Marigold!" Ara's voice startles me as I walk into the Great Hall. She jumps up from the table and starts to run to me. I break into a run and we meet very quickly. Her arms wrap around my neck and her hair turns red.
"Are you okay, Goldie?" she asks, "I went to Dumbledore after your note and...-"
"That was bloody brilliant, Ara! Exactly what I wanted. Thank you." She points to my stitches and frowns.
"What happened?"
"I don't know.. I was unconscious for a while.. It didn't even hurt until Madam Pomfrey started stitching it up."
"Where's Ginny?" I look at her.
"She's with her parents, don't worry. She's okay, just a little shaken." Ara smiles and we walk back to the table. Heather and Hermione are sitting close to besides Harry and Ron. Ara and I sit across from them.
"So how did you all figure it out?" Heather asks, "I would have never been able to." Hermione explains how Ara, her, and I basically went through the entire Magical Creature's section of the library. She continues on how, the one day that I was going to meet her, she finds it and gets petrified.
"Then, Harry and Ron found the note in her fist and they brought it to me." I continue, "we took about five minutes to figure out the entrance and how it all worked. The boys went off to find one of the teachers, and I went to the bathroom. Well, it got choked out and taken to the Chamber."
"Choked?" Hermione and Ara asks, concerned.
"Yeah, I'm fine. See?" I show them the only bruise on my chin.
"Then Ron and I went down to the Chamber and Lockhart tried to erase our minds."
"Yeah, let's just say we're going to need a new Defense teacher next year." Harry and I share a look and I giggle.
"And exams are in three days," Heather says, and we all watch Hermione. Her eyes get really wide, like she might faint.
"Oh, bloody hell," Ron says, "break it to her easily, why don't you?"
"I have a feeling that exams are going to be canceled, Mione," I tell her, "Don't worry. Besides I don't think that the teachers would make you take them." Ara nods, while the boys try not to chuckle at Hermione. McGonagall gets up to the front of the school.
"Because of resent events, exams have been canceled as a school treat and Professor Lockhart will not be returning next year." Cheers erupt, even from the teacher's table. Dumbledore stands up and gestures to the point hour glasses. Gryffindor's was filled almost to the brim.
"Mr. Harry Potter, Mr. Ron Weasley, and Miss Marigold Potter all received two hundred points each for finding and saving us from the Chamber of Secrets. All three of them will receive a Special Service Awards at the Last Feast." The Gryffindor table claps and cheers crazily.
"Even though there are no exams, you will all be expected to show up to class. Students taking the N.E.W.T.S and the O.W.L.S. will be taking them next week. Now please enjoy this midnight feast!" Food appears on the tables and everyone digs in.