All American Hufflepuff

Chapter 4

Olivia had never felt so awful in her entire life. Her skin burned, her head pounded, and she was absolutely drenched head to foot in sweat. The nightgown they had given her to wear was awful, and every time she moved to try and get comfortable she felt like she was getting strangled. Finally, she had had enough. The curtain around her bed was wide open, but it didn't stop her from stripping down to her birthday suit. As far as she could tell she was alone. She looked around. Where had Madam Pomphrey gone, anyway? Had she just poisoned her and left her to suffer alone?

Olivia tried sitting up, but the world around her began to spin. Her stomach lurched. Oh no! No! No! No! Here came the purge everyone had been talking about. Olivia looked around in a panic. She needed a bucket. A basin. A vase of flowers. Granger's book bag. Hell, she'd settle for a pair of Justin Finch- Fletchley's shoes! Too late. She leaned over the side of the bed and began violently getting ill. Her stomach painfully contracted before every heave. She groaned and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. Once the nausea had subsided for the moment she collapsed down on the bed.

Silent tears began to run down her face. Where was everybody? She was so weak. If she threw up again, she was sure she would drown lying on her back. How had no one heard all the racket?

As if on cue, she heard footsteps approaching. Now Olivia began to panic. Would she be punished for the mess she had made? Would they make her get out of bed and clean it up? She'd probably fall straight to the floor if she tried to stand up.

"Madam Pomphrey!" A boy yelled. Olivia quickly pulled the sheet up and over her. "What the bloody hell is that smell? Ugh!"

She could hear another voice let out a groan.

"Dude! It hurts!"

"I told you not to do it!" The first boy said. Olivia flinched as the footsteps came closer to her bed. The second boy let out another groan. He seemed to be dragging his feet. Curiosity made Olivia peek her head out. Curiosity, and mostly the need for fresh air. Olivia frowned. She must be having a fever dream. It almost looked like the second teenage boy had stuffed a bowling ball down his pajama pants and was trying to hold it up through the fabric. If she hadn't been feeling so sick, she would have laughed. Had he...had he put his thing in a bowling ball hole and gotten it stuck? Why would he do that? And why would he even have a bowling ball in the first place?

"There are signs everywhere in our dormitory and the restroom not to do it, can't you read?" The first boy chastised. The second boy let out another primal yell of what Olivia could only assume was from the worst pain he had ever been in. Even from this distance and despite the low light, Olivia could tell he had been crying.

"I can't walk anymore!"

She would have felt bad for him if she wasn't about to get sick again.

"Ugh! That's disgusting!" The first boy said when she had finished.

"Thank you for that observation, Mr. Weasley." Madam Pomphrey said sarcastically. "Do you have business here?"

Olivia laid back down with a groan and closed her eyes. She didn't care anymore why they were there or if she was punished later. She just wanted the room to stop spinning.

"Why is it always the Gryffindor's?" Madam Pomphrey said with a humph. "I'll be with you in a moment Miss Rodger's, I need to deal with this first." Olivia let out a groan of acknowledgement. "Alright, boy, let's take a look, drop the pants." There was a moment of silence, before a loud crash made Olivia open her eyes. The first boy with the red hair and glasses was passed out on the floor. "Oh Merlin! So much for the house of bravery. Yes, that's quite swollen. Let me see, ah, this isn't my night! I don't have enough of the anti-swelling ointment for that. I'll have to call Pomona back and have her make some. Just lay down for the time being."