Amelia Potter and the Chamber of Secrets PART 1

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anxious crowd of Gryffindors pressing around them. 'Not to worry, Harry. I'm about to fix your arm.'

'No!' said Harry. 'I'll keep it like this, thanks ...'

He tried to sit up, but the pain was terrible. He heard a familiar clicking noise nearby.

'I don't want a photo of this, Colin,' he said loudly.

'Lie back, Harry,' said Lockhart soothingly. 'It's a simple charm I've used countless times.'

'Why can't I just go to the hospital wing?' said Harry through clenched teeth.

'He should really, Professor,' said a muddy Wood, who couldn't help grinning even though his Seeker was injured. 'Great capture, Harry, really spectacular, your best yet, I'd say.'

Through the thicket of legs around him, Harry spotted Fred and George Weasley, wrestling the rogue Bludger into a box. It was still putting up a terrific fight.

'Stand back,' said Lockhart, who was rolling up his jade-green sleeves.

'No – don't –' said Harry weakly, but Lockhart was twirling his wand and a second later had directed it straight at Harry's arm.

A strange and unpleasant sensation started at Harry's shoulder and spread all the way down to his fingertips. It felt as though his arm was being deflated. He didn't dare look at what was happening. He had shut his eyes, his face turned away from his arm, but his worst fears were realised as the people above him gasped and Colin Creevey began clicking away madly. His arm didn't hurt any more – but nor did it feel remotely like an arm.

'Ah,' said Lockhart. 'Yes. Well, that can sometimes happen. But the point is, the bones are no longer broken. That's the thing to bear in mind. So, Harry, just toddle up to the Hospital Wing – ah, Mr Weasley, Miss Granger, Miss Potter, would you escort him? – and Madam Pomfrey will be able to – er – tidy you up a bit.'

As Harry got to his feet, he felt strangely lopsided. Taking a deep breath he looked down at his right side. What he saw nearly made him pass out again.

Poking out of the end of his robes was what looked like a thick, flesh-coloured rubber glove. He tried to move his fingers. Nothing happened.

Lockhart hadn't mended Harry's bones. He had removed them.