The Space Boy and The Red Head

28 - Visiting Hours

Friday - 5th April 1996

"You better not be going without me!" George was hopping on the spot, shoving his shoe on with one hand, trying to flatten his hair with the other.

"You really should just stay in bed George. What if you catch his cold? You've got to be ready for the big prank." Lee said huffing. Fred was enjoying watching them bickering.

"I can't just stay in bed. I didn't see him at all after breakfast yesterday. I need to know he's ok" George had tried to visit the infirmary several times yesterday in hopes of seeing his friend. Madame Pomfrey had kept telling him he wasn't allowed in and he was hoping that going at this time she might be asleep so he could sneak past. After much arguing Lee and George, followed by a very sleepy Fred wandered up to the infirmary.

The door opened and closed as they approached. The healer stepping out, carrying a bundle of empty bottles in her arms. Potion jars to be refilled most likely.

"No. Away with you. Not until after breakfast at the earliest" she said rushing past them and briskly descending the stairs at the end of the corridor.

"Well that went well" Lee said turning to leave.

"The door is open" George said pushing his way through. Leaving the others in the hallway. Lee and Fred huffed, rolling their eyes.

"Alright. Let's go see your lover-boy before Pomfrey gets back" Fred followed. The three boys tiptoeing into the room. The sterilised smell welcoming them as soon as they crossed the threshold.

George saw him first. He was lying, heavily bandaged and had a thick paste lathered across his neck. A putrid smell coming from the pinkish substance. As he walked closer, George saw a waste bin filled almost to the brim with bloodied bandages. Looking around to see who else they could belong to, finding no other beds occupied but the one he was heading towards.

"Hi Georgie. You look very pretty. Have you come to take me back to the tower?" A very loopy voice giggled. George was taken aback, he'd never seen Apollo quite so out of it after a bout of illness. Apollo seemed like his mind was higher than the stars, he reached over to lazily grab at George's hand. Still giggling to himself as he counted and played with the red haired boys fingers. Holding their hands up against one another.

"Look! Fits perfectly" Apollo intertwined his bloodstained fingers with George's own. Holding the clasped hands aloft, admiring them. His face adorned a bloody grin, and the others noticed that some of his teeth had been chipped. Pomfrey would fix that soon enough, they hoped.

"Geez. Apollo, we can't leave you alone can we? You only had an upset stomach. What in Merlin's beard did you do?" Fred said as he took a seat beside Apollo. This prompted George, who had not yet moved or spoke. George perched on the bed, careful not to hurt the boy in it more, though he made sure not to let go of his friend's hand. He used his free hand to reach for his wand, summoning a basin and cloth. George set about cleaning Apollo's face and hair like he had a few months ago.

"Oh hush Frederick! Can't you see I'm talking to the love of my life?" Apollo practically sung. The other three boys heads all snapped in his direction. Fred and Lee burst out laughing as George blushed furiously and hid his face from view. The boys kept laughing and talking, hardly noticing that the school matron had already returned. Although she had grumbled something under her breath she let the boys stay. They weren't doing much harm anyway.

A pleasant silence had taken over the group. Apollo (now looking much cleaner) and George were now both sitting up in the small bed, thin sheets pulled over them whilst Lee sat on the foot of it. Fred still on the small, stiff chair left for visitors. Lee clamped a hand to his abdomen, as if it would silence the hungry rumbling that suddenly broke the peace. Sending the boys into another burst of giggles.

Although, he really didn't want to leave him alone, George knew Apollo still needed to rest in the infirmary, and he couldn't deny his own hunger as his belly was echoing Lee's. So the Weasley twins and Jordan headed off to breakfast. Which would have been lovely if a group of miserable Slytherins hadn't marched up to them.

"What d'you wan'?" Lee said, mouthful of porridge.

"We want five good reasons why we shouldn't hex you all right now? And where's the other one? He had to have been a part of your stupid prank!" A girl with very shiny hair and piercing eyes spat.

"What are you talking about? We haven't pranked anyone this week yet" Fred crossed his arms, his patience wearing thin already.

"We saw you" they pointed at Lee, "and the McLaggen boys, going to the dungeons. Top of the stairs when we caught you. Then for some strange reason, all night none of us Slytherins can get to sleep. Some nasty howling noise. So loud it woke all the portraits too. We've got bloody exams coming up! Cut it out!" She cried in frustration befitting turning and leading her gaggle of sleep deprived followers away.

"What were you and Apollo doing in the dungeons?" Fred asked. Both Lee and George had paled. George nervous as to why the man he liked was keeping secrets from him. And Lee because it dawned on him.

McGonagall wouldn't tell them where they were going because they weren't leaving the castle. His best friend had been placed in a cell in the dungeon. Filch had told the group numerous times of how the dungeons used to be used to punish students, how students would be chained up. The thick paste around Apollos neck made sense now, Lee found himself rubbing at his own neck, feeling as though it had been him restrained all night as he gulped nervously.

He snapped back to reality from the nudge in the ribs from the twin next to him.

"Oh uhm we weren't? Wasn't us" he lied. Neither Weasley believed it but chose to ignore it for now. Though they were very suspicious.

Across the hall, Cormac was sat at the Ravenclaw table. After his chat with McGonagall as they had retrieved his brother together in the morning, he had found out more about the incident. Apollo had been true to his word and told him as they made the trek back up the many stairs.

So at breakfast he had joined the one person to have truly seen the beast, and the two conversed. Though they made sure no one listened in. They discussed how it had happened, how Luna had recovered, if she was scared of Apollo now. Cormac was happy to learn that she was alright, and more happy that she wasn't going to give up his brother's secret. Even talking about what Apollo looked like as a wolf as he'd never seen his brother transformed before. The thought of seeing his brother like that scared him. Eventually their discussion led to a route Cormac hadn't imagined. He was discussing crushes with the lovegood girl.

"Well i don't think it'll ever work between her and I. I keep saying the wrong thing.  And anyway, anyone can tell she likes Ron really" he said, pushing the food around on his plate. Luna patted his back reassuringly.

"But enough about that, what about you and Longbottom aye? Any chance of that?" He swiftly moved on. She shook her head no.

"I don't know. Maybe? He seems a nice boy. I don't know if he's the one for me though" she replied. Playing with her own food.