The Family that Chooses You

Chapter 12: Broken Patterns

Madam Poppy Pomfrey, the school Medi-Witch and Matron, looked up as the door to the Infirmary was thrown open.  "What in the world?" she began to ask but then stopped when she saw Katie come running in with Angelina close behind, carrying Harry.  The girls were red faced and dripped with sweat and Harry was pale and moaning and whimpering.

"Bring him over here," she said, gesturing to an empty bed.  "What happened?"

Angelina gently laid Harry down on the bed and for a few moments he refused to let go of her.  "Harry, we're in the Infirmary.  Don't worry, Madam Pomfrey is going to take good care of you, you're safe."

He reluctantly let go of the girl, once again clutching the book and quill to his chest instead.

"He got hurt.  I found him on the ground and he said he fell and hurt his leg."  Katie's face became ugly.  "A Slytherin stomped his leg.  I think it was his fault Harry tripped too."

Pomfrey's face became severe.

Angelina's filled with pure anger.

Pomfrey smiled comfortingly down at Harry, pushing her feelings away for a moment.  "Which leg dear?"

"My right leg.  My knee really hurts."

"I'm going to cast a Diagnostic Charm, okay?  It will tell me what's wrong and give me an idea of what you need.  It won't hurt."  She began to shoo Katie and Angelina away.

"No!  Please, can they stay?" Harry asked desperately.

Katie's heart broke a little.  "Don't worry Harry, you're in good hands.  Madam Pomfrey has fixed so many injuries.  She's the best."

"Please don't leave me," he begged.

Angelina looked at Pomfrey pleadingly.

The Matron felt her own heart tugging.  "They can stay.  You two sit on the other side of the bed please."  As the girls moved she moved her wand slowly over Harry, incanting the charm.  She found the problem swiftly: a fractured knee with subsequent inflammation and soft tissue trauma.  However, the Charm drew her attention elsewhere.  As the spell continued to work her frown deepened, her face became more troubled.

"Is something wrong?" Katie asked.

Pomfrey shook her head but not in disagreement.  She shook her head in confusion, in disbelief.  She spoke as calmly as possible however.  "Oh no don't worry.  Just a simple fracture and lots of inflammation but easy enough to fix."  She noticed how frantic Harry looked, however.  He was very distressed, that was easy to see.  "Maybe a bit of a nap here to help recover while your knee heals?  It's nice and quiet here.  How does that sound?  An hour or so will do you will before you head down to dinner."

He looked up at the girls.

"If she said it's a good idea you should listen Harry."  Angelina tried to sound nonchalant.  "She's helped me recover from so many Quidditch injuries not to mention all sorts of things.  You can trust her."

Katie nodded in agreement.

"Okay," Harry whispered.  "Do you mind sitting with me until I fall asleep?" he asked them.

"We'll be here while you nap," Katie said.

It only took a moment for Pomfrey to cast Episky on the fracture and an Anti-inflammatory Charm.  Harry had taken a sip of a sleeping draught and soon fallen into a deep sleep.  The girls had convinced him to let go of the book and quill, promising Hermione's things would be fine on the table beside him.  As he drifted off he had reached out silently with his hands.  He fell asleep holding onto their hands.