The Founders

Chapter 38

Kyra became aware that Grace was beside her as they came onto the landing of the hospital wing, and felt her arm brush against hers. She twined her fingers around Grace's, still looking straight ahead at Professor Brockett's back.

"She is in a stable condition," she was saying. Her voice was brisk but with a hint of a tremor in it. "Madame Pomphrey says that it's a miracle she survived such a fall at all, let alone the curses, so we must be grateful for that."
Kyra mind processed this, realising that she must have missed some part of the story. "Professor," she said, her voice sounding stilted even to herself. "I'm sorry- what happened to Nina?"

Brockett gave her a look of sympathy as they reached the hospital doors. "She was found at the bottom of the dungeon steps. There was evidence that the Cruciatus curse had been used on her, as in the case of Mr Christensen, and that this had caused her to fall down the stairs. As I said, it's a miracle that she survived."

"Weren't the new school regulations supposed to stop the attacks from happening?" Grace asked, a barely veiled note of accusation in her voice.

To Kyra's surprise, Brockett only looked weary. "Yes," she said. "This third attack on students is- well. We can't let things continue like this. Students are at risk, and the question of school closing has been raised."

"What?"

Madame Pomphrey opened the doors for them and the Professor was saved from answering. She turned to them one last time as she left. "I'm sorry, girls. This is a blow for us all."

Kyra watched her retreating back, eyes burning. The sound of Madame Pomphrey's brisk voice made her turn back around. "This way, girls."

She led them down the aisle of beds, her heeled shoes clicking on the stone floor, until they reached a curtained bed. She pulled the blue curtain back, revealing Nina was lying still on the bed. Her pale skin was decorated with colourful bruises; blue on her wrists, purple on her elbows and a deep blue, tinged with yellow, on her cheekbone. Grace made a little noise and sank into the chair beside the bed.

Kyra kept her back straight. "Professor Brockett said that she'd be alright. Is that true?"

"Yes," the matron said. "The trauma that her body underwent ought to have killed her, but the only signs of lasting damage are her bruises, which I am currently healing. When she wakes up, she'll be completely healed."

Trauma, Kyra thought. Nina had been crucioed. She wouldn't be unharmed coming out of this. "Hang on," Kyra said, looking up suddenly. "Will she be able to remember who attacked her, then?"

"I'm afraid not," Pomphrey said ruefully. "There were, as in the other two cases, signs of the obliviation spell. She won't remember a thing. A blessing for her, perhaps."

Kyra sat down in the chair opposite Grace with a hard thump. Dead ends everywhere, one more person that she loved attacked, the school closing and still no clue as to who the attacker truly was.

"There is one thing that you could help me with, girls." Madame Pomphrey was shuffling through a pile of dressing on the bedside table, but she looked up after she said this and picked up a leather satchel from beside the bed.

Kyra recognised the yellow tassel attached to it; it was Nina's bag. Madame Pomphrey reached into the bag and pulled out a large conch shell, cracked and made of a shimmery black material.

Kyra stiffened. The last time she had seen that shell had been in Hagrid's hut. With Alexander.

"This shell," the matron began, "is an extremely rare form of protection, goblin made, and about seven hundred years old. Private possession of it is illegal, which is why I have not informed the other teachers yet." She peered over her glasses at Kyra. "This shell saved Nina's life. I'd like to ask you where she got it."

Kyra shook her head silently. "I have no idea." It wasn't, technically, a lie. She did have no idea how this shell came to be in Nina's possession. Unless, of course, Alexander...She saved that thought for later, refocusing on the present and trying to keep her face smooth and open.

"She won't get in any trouble for it, will she?" Kyra asked. "I'm sure she didn't know what it was."

Madame Pomphrey gave her a shrewd look. "No, she won't get into any trouble. This shell will be sent to the ministry, to be stored with other such artefacts. But I shall send it anonymously."

Kyra nodded gratefully, sinking back into her chair, mind whirring.

Madame Pomphrey eventually disappeared back into her office and Kyra felt a distinct sense of déjà vu as she and Grace sat there, beside a hospital bed. They stayed with Nina the entire night, watching her breathing slowly and seeing the bruises fade from her skin.