The Shadows Cast

Chapter 4

Varian never thought he'd be the student that was brought into the school infirmary on a stretcher. It wasn't like his fault, but he couldn't help but feel embarrassed and guilty. He wasn't certain if it made him feel better that he wasn't the only student being brought in with a stretcher.

He laid in the infirmary bed, looking up at the ceiling. As abruptly as the attack had started, the more suddenly it had ended. But it left the anxiety and fear that someone would suddenly appear and Avada Kedavra him. Or something like that. No matter what he told himself, he was still having difficulty calming his racing heart.

Once the attack had died down. Eugene had ran and found Professor McGonagall. She was able to get Varian a stretcher and had two people take him to the infirmary. Thanks to having Eugene watching over him, he was one of the first to arrive. But that meant he had to watch as they brought in all the other injured students. He also had to listen to Dumbledore telling students that they couldn't check on their friends or siblings yet. It wasn't a fun experience.

"Are these the last two?" Pomfrey asked.

Varian turned his head to look at who the woman was talking about. Remus was carrying Ginny and Tonks held a blonde girl. They set them in the beds across from his, but in a sitting up position.

"Yes. All the students are accounted for," Tonks answered. "These two aren't hurt. They're hexed though."

"I'll see to them, thank you." Pomfrey nodded.

"Do you need any help?" Remus inquired.

"Yes. Ask Snape to make a batch of pain killers. We're low and I have a feeling that Cassandra will need them with her minor concussion."

Remus nodded. "I can handle that."

"Once I finish the students medical reports, Tonks, can you get them to Dumbledore so he can send the news to their parents or guardians?"

Tonks nodded. "Will they all be alright?"

The nurse nodded. "No one is seriously hurt. The worse we have is a shattered femur, but nothing we can't heal with magic, medicine, and time."

The husband and wife let out a small sigh of relief at the news before stepping out of the way. But the news only made Varian question the point of the attack. If no one was killed, could it be that it wasn't an attack but rather a distraction? Maybe not. A threat? Perhaps. Maybe it was a statement, a show of a power. A warning of a great evil that was daring them to defy. It was all so much to wrap his head around and so many possibilities on what it could be or mean or the purpose of it.

Pomfrey then took two potions out a cabinet and handed it to the two girls. Ginny and the other girl struggled to swallow it, but they managed. Due to their pale faces and how they clutched their stomachs, it appeared that they hit with a hex that made them dizzy. Usually that lead to nausea, but he wasn't going to bet on his theory. Though, the thing that told him the most what was wrong was the potion Pomfrey had handed them. He had recognized it and tried to remembered what hexes it was used as a remedy for. Considering how quickly the two began to recover, it appeared to be one of the more mild curses.

"Are any visitors allowed in?" Tonks asked.

The nurse nodded. "I can manage now as long as they don't all flood in at once."

When Pomfrey finished writing out her student health notes, she handed them to Tonks and her and Remus left.

Varian scooted himself up into a sitting position. Unfortunately, he couldn't reach his satchel and he wasn't moving to get it. He wasn't a patient that liked to cause trouble, but being in a state of helplessness really irked him. He let out an exasperated sigh and ran a hand through his thick black hair that had a single blue strand.