Snake Pit (Ryeji)

Inpatient

Twenty minutes later and Ryujin was lying tucked up in a bed in the Hospital Wing. Yeji was by her side, leg bouncing up and down nervously, watching the gentle rise and fall of Ryujin's chest, eyebrows knitted in concern despite the fact Madam Yoo had told her Ryujin would be fine.

Her shoulder was mostly ok now, Madame Yoo had said it was dislocated but had carefully popped it back in for her. It had been painful at the time but since then had got considerably better, just a bit tender to move and touch.

Yeji sighed and clenched her hands together, fiddling with her fingers and shaking her head. It was the screams. Yeji couldn't get the sound of Ryujin screaming out of her mind no matter how hard she tried. She kept imagining what it was like, an unforgivable curse, and then immediately getting the shivers and feeling sick even thinking about it. The image of Ryujin tied to that chair with blood running down the side of her head burned into the back of her eyelids. It was awful. Like a nightmare she saw whenever she closed her eyes. She was Yeji's her friend and Yeji failed to protect her when she had had the chance to stop Professor Jeon before he even started. Yeji mentally cursed herself for being so useless.

However before she could berate herself any further the clatter of the doors opening shook her out of her troubling thoughts, Professor Kim coming striding over to where they were. Yeji stood up and clasped her hands together to stop herself from nervously fidgeting.

"Miss Hwang. I am terribly sorry for what has happened. Are you alright?" He asked in a gentle voice.

"I'm fine. It's Ryujin I'm worried about." They both looked over at the girl sleeping peacefully.

"Yes, I think we all are. She's been through quite a lot. Your classmate Miss Yu told me some of what happened, I was wondering if you might fill in the blanks?"

Yeji nodded and he motioned for her to sit down. He pulled up a seat for himself and sat opposite.

Yeji shifted nervously and gulped before clearing her throat and beginning the explanation...

"Well is started this morning I think in potions class. Professor Park was acting very abnormally, Professor Jeon told me later he'd cursed her, so I'm guessing that was the reason. Anyway, Ryujin somehow messed up her potion and Professor Park got really mad, she told Ryujin to stay behind at the end of class and that was the last time I saw her until later. Karina had told me she'd seen Ryujin with a Professor by the Whomping Willow so I went to see if she was still there but instead I found a secret passage. Following it I ended up at the Shrieking Shack where I found Ryujin. She was tied up and bleeding and there was a person there and it turned out to be Professor Jeon. I was so shocked and I asked him for he was doing. He explained about how Ryujin's-"

Yeji suddenly stopped mid-ramble and looked up at the Headmaster for a moment to consider whether he'd know about Ryujin's secret. What if she was hiding it and she'd getting expelled if anyone knew? But surely for them to allow her to enter in the middle of the school they had to know the reason?

"Go on." Professor Kim encouraged her. Yeji glanced back at Ryujin and decided to go with her instinct.

"He said about how Ryujin's father had killed his sister and so he wanted to hurt Ryujin as a threat. I tried to stop him but I couldn't and he cursed her with..." Yeji drifted off, her voice turning into a whisper. She desperately tried to hold back her tears, feeling a lump forming in her throat. "It was the cruciatus curse." She managed in a whimper. "She was..."

Immediately the image came back to Yeji's mind and the tears she'd been holding back fell. She bowed her head and wiped them quickly away. "I'm sorry."

"No need to apologize. Take as much time as you need. You don't need to go into the details of it. I know what the cruciatus curse does." Professor Kim looked solemn and Yeji's heart felt like a lead weight as she continued.

"Somehow I managed to stun Professor Jeon and helped Ryujin back to the castle. I was taking her to you when Professor Park attacked us. I tried to stop her but I wasn't good enough. It was Ryujin who managed to take her down. But Professor Jeon then found us and he... he was about to kill Ryujin when Karina stunned him and then. And then... well, that's everything."

"Thank you Yeji." Professor Kim patted her good shoulder gently. "You have been very courageous. By risking yourself you have saved your classmate. Don't ever doubt your abilities. You should be very proud." The headmaster then stood and clasped his hands behind his back. "The authorities will be hearing about this incident. Professor Jeon is currently locked away in the castle dungeons so he won't be bothering you again. I wish all the best for both your recoveries and will speak with Miss Shin when she is awake and ready."

Yeji nodded and with that he turned and walked out.

...

The next day was when Ryujin finally awoke and from then on Yeji was at the other girl's side every spare moment she had. She brought Ryujin snacks and books, often chatting with her about her day or something interesting she'd learned, anything to keep the conversation  away from what had happened. Yeji wasn't ready to talk about it yet and she certainly didn't want to bring up any troubling memories for Ryujin. And for the most part Ryujin seemed happy.

By now the altercation between Ryujin and Professor Jeon had reached the entire school, Yeji often having to avoid people so she wouldn't have to answer any of their dumb questions. It meant Ryujin's bedside had now become her safe haven, her hideaway.

Yeji was currently on her way to Ryujin again, a new book in her hand she had borrowed for her from the library, the winding stone corridors toward the hospital wing a now familiar route, when suddenly a hand on her shoulder made her snap her head around.

"Hey, Yeji."

"Karina!" Yeji backed away surprised.

"Yeji wait, I just wanted to tell you something."

Yeji looked at her suspiciously, bracing for an insult, although the other girl looked unusually shy, her eyebrows furrowed and a guilty frown on her face.

"What is it?" Yeji asked warily.

"I... I wanted to apologize." Karina said quietly, her gaze lingering on the floor. Yeji was taken aback.

"What?"

"I wanted to say sorry... for how I've treated you." Karina said again. "I... It was wrong of me. I've been thinking recently since... you know, and I realize now I was just insecure about myself and my own abilities. I hope you're feeling better. And I hope Ryujin is too."

Yeji didn't quite know what to say. Karina actually sounded sincere and Yeji couldn't quite wrap her head around it.

"I..." Yeji paused momentarily. "I accept your apology. And I'm feeling a lot better. I don't think I ever thanked you properly for saving me, or Ryujin."

"It's the least I could do." She said, looking more relieved than anything else. "Oh and... you can forget about polishing my shoes. That was... I'm sorry about that. I-I'll see you round." Karina then turned and disappeared again.

Yeji stood there for a second, thinking. Would an apology make up for everything Karina had ever done? No. Was it perhaps the start of a new friendship between them? Probably not, but it was certainly a step in the right direction. Besides there was no point in furthering their animosity towards each other. Yeji hoped she had done the right thing. She glanced down at the book she was holding and suddenly remembered what she was meant to be doing. She turned back around and headed off to Ryujin.