Nocturnal Nights ( Harry Potter ~ Marauders Era )

Chapter 37

Carrying my books down the hall, I pushed myself through the crowds. Everyone funneled into the Great hall for lunch, and soon the whole room was loud with chatter. I took a seat at the Gryffindor table and started filling my plate as I waited for the boys to arrive so we could discuss training for tonight.

Not long after, all four of the boys dragged themselves in and flung themselves down. "I didn't think the school would let plants that kill you in the lesson." Sirius groaned with his face in his hands.

"Devil snares huh?" I chuckled, taking a bite of my food.

"Ours almost tore my arm off." Peter whined, rubbing his left arm and shuttering. I laughed and pat the poor boy on the shoulder. Everyone filled up their plates and dug in. They were still tired from trying to wrestle the plant beast and were sore from being thrown around.

"So," I started, swallowing my food. " Are we up for any practice tonight?" I asked, hoping to find out before lunch ended. Everyone groaned and closed their eyes, not up for extra training. "Oh come on guys,"I laughed at them, " We have do this almost every night, I'm sorry but it has to happen."

Placing his fork down, Remus turned to look at me from the side. With a tired look in his eyes he yawned," Can I at least sleep in? I'm not even training." He pleaded.

"No!" James exclaimed, "You have to suffer with us." He mumbled out, pointing his silverwell at him. " We're doing this for you Moony." He reminded him with a look.

Remus whinned, rubbing his temples and almost dropping his head on his plate. I reached around him and rubbed his shoulder, and he playfully leaned his head onto me. Oh my god this is contact, what do I do. Do I lean my head on his, do I push him off? No, why would I push the guy I like off, are you stupid? Calm down Thisbe, you're panicking over something small again. Soon enough, he lifted his head from my shoulder and went back to eating normally. God if I'm going to overreact to every small gesture this year it's going to be hell.

Letting out a sigh, everyone continued to eat their food in piece. Until a certain dark skinned Hufflepuff came running my way. "Thisbe! Thisbe!" Alyssa panted, running through the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor table. Her robes were swaying behind her as she tried not hitting the backs of people.

I knotted my eyebrows together and stood up from the table, meeting the girl face to face. I took her arms and held her in place as she caught her breath," Alyssa, what's wrong?" I questioned. She swallowed and blinked a few times, still flustered from what looked to be running across the castle.

"It's Victoria, some ugly Slytherins attacked her because she was muggleborn and she's in the hospital wing right now." She sputtered out in a long sentence, still quite panicked. I gasped sharply and suddenly a raging fire lit inside of my Hufflepuff soul. Who could have done such a thing to her, I hope it's not bad. But she's in the hospital wing...

Turning back to the boys, they all looked at us wide-eyed as they couldn't believe the information either. I quickly rushed to pick up my bag and I left my plate sitting there. "I'm sorry but I have to go, I'll see you guys tonight." I told them, pulling my bag over my shoulder. They all nodded solemly and Alyssa and I speed walked out of the Great Hall. " How bad is she?" I asked, worried for my friend and dorm mate.

"Bad." Alyssa cringed, feeling a pang of guilt hit her chest. " We were out by the lake and Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange appeared out of no where,"She started, "They were talking her down, even called her the mud word a few times. After that I started to yell back at them but they didn't even care. Before you know it, they shoot some spell that flung her twenty feet back into tree." She emphasised , using her hands to gesture her slamming pretty hard into an object. I cringed again knowing that was never good. "She had passed out and She broke a few bones. I had to get some Ravenclaw boys help me carry her to the hospital wing." She ended as we finally came upon the wing Madam Pomfrey was on.

Without saying another word, we rushed into the large medical room that smelt of medicine and gauze. With the exxception of one or two students, there, in the very back of the room was our Hufflepuff friend laying almost crippled in a hospital bed. Rushing down to her, I leaned on the side of the bed and looked over her with worry.

"Hey Thisle." She teased with a weak voice, cracking a smile. I couldn't bring my self to get mad enough at the stupid nickname.

"Bloody hell Vic, you look awful." I told her, as she winced in pain.

"Noted." She muttered back sarcastically.

Alyssa was about to add in before she was cut off by Madam Pomfrey. "Please move Miss." The middle aged woman asked politely, coming up behind me with a small black vile of a potion. Whatever it was, it did not look appetizing to drink. It was a solid onyx black color and it bubbled over the top of the lip as it swayed. "Here drink this sweety." She lifted Victoria's head up and tilted the contents into her mouth.

Quickly, Victoria gagged and the nurse pulled away as the Hufflepuff continued to cough on the syrupy potion. She groaned loudly and pushed her head away. "That was horrid!"She exclaimed in protest, not wanting to drink anymore.

"Well you have to drink it." Pomfrey said stubbornly." You have 32 bones in your body that you have to heal and the more you refuse it the harder and longer the process gets." The nurse explained. Victoria let out another whining sound before Pomfrey pushed the bottle to her lips again. In three last chugs, she gulped the whole thing down and finally pulled away cringing. "You girls have five minutes before I'm getting you out. She needs a good rest and she'll be good in the morning." She told the two of us and then left to go to tend to the other children in the bay. Stepping forwards again, I watched as she still struggled with the foul taste in her mouth.

Alyssa was the first to speak up again," You gave me quite the scare." She confessed, holding her heart.

"I swear Victoria, I'll destroy Malfoy and Lestrange to where they would be too afraid to look your way." I toughed up for her, promising to get revenge.

"No- no, Thisbe." She started, "Don't get yourself in more trouble because of me."

"But they called you that foul name and broke half your bones!" I exclaimed, not understanding her reasoning.

Victoria let out a loud groan as she felt the potion working. Laying her head back onto the pillow , she closed her eyes again and took deep breaths. "Thisbe, seriously. You can't get in trouble over somethings like this. You could get detention or even worse, Dumbledore might not let you fly anymore."

I paused, realizing that she was right. I had more of a risk than anyone with my animagus abilities. Sighing loudly, I ran my hand through my hair out of habit. Thinking for a moment, a sudden plan popped into my mind. A small smile graced my lips as I looked up to Alyssa.

"Don't worry, I know some people are willing to help."