~Chapter 16~

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TW blood, and injuries

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TW blood, and injuries.

Then, she stumbles again, blood loss accelerating. Hagrid bounds closer and swiftly picks her up.

She yelps. "What are you doing?"

"Hospital wing," he simply replies.

Josie relaxes in his arms, her wand's grip loosening. The pain in her leg catches up, and she winces as Hagrid carries her out of the forest, the sounds of struggling animals faintly audible.

"I'll tell them I went into the forest alone," Josephine's slurring voice conveys a growing weariness.

"No, don't do that," Hagrid grunts as he continues walking. "You'll get in trouble then."

"It's okay, I have a perfect record. I don't mind," she half-shrugs, trying to divert her focus from the throbbing pain in her leg.

The pain intensifies. The desire for comfort overwhelms her, but she knows it's a luxury she hasn't received before.

Josie falls silent, lost in her thoughts. They reach Hogwarts, and Hagrid carries her all the way to the Hospital Wing.

Bursting through the doors, Hagrid calls out, "Madam Pomfrey!" His voice echoes in the empty room, unlit candles and vacant cots.

Madam Pomfrey, seemingly roused from sleep, slowly emerges from her office, a gasp escaping her as she takes in the situation.

"Oh dear," she exclaims. "Set her down, set her down." Hagrid gently lays Josephine on one of the cots.

She whimpers in pain as her leg hits the bed, avoiding a detailed look at the sizable cut.

Hagrid wears a worried expression, on the verge of tears.

"I'm fine," Josie assures him. "Just a bit of blood." More than a bit, and she feels a pang of guilt at the blood staining the cot.

Pomfrey rushes over, arms laden with potions and bandages.

"What did this?" she inquires, leaning forward and examining the torn pants.

"Werewolf," Josie responds. Perhaps she could have been more discreet, but Pomfrey needs the information for proper healing.

Pomfrey leans back, eyes wide yet poised to defend Remus.

"I know who it is," Josephine claims. "He told me." It's a lie, but she had pieced it together herself.

Pomfrey hesitates before looking at Hagrid. "Go get Dumbledore; we need to inform her parents."

"No," Josephine interrupts. "It's fine, I'm okay. It's my fault I was in the forest. My parents don't need to know." The mere thought of Euphemia and Fleamont coming makes her heart race.

Pomfrey appears to disagree, and Hagrid is ready to claim the blame. "It's fine, Hagrid," she smiles despite the pain radiating from her leg.

Hagrid grows emotional again. Pomfrey quickly examines Josephine's leg, then looks up at Hagrid. "You go; I'll get you when she's healed enough for visits."

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