Ember Potter (A Harry Potter Fanfiction) Book 1: The Chamber of Secrets.

Chapter 14: Tragedy and Ailment

Things have been going awful lately. I can't heal them all. Dottie, Rylan, and Daniel have been petrified. I couldn't heal them. Now Colin, Hermione, Ron, Neville, Luna, Draco, and Justin have been petrified. My last transformation left my unusually weak. Minnie has been growing worried. At first we thought it was just Muggleborns, but Ron is a pureblooded wizard. I've been feeling alone. All I have left is Harry and the Hogwarts staff. I went to the hospital wing to visit my friends. I looked at Hermione and saw a piece of paper in her hand. I carefully took it out and looked at it. It was about the Basilisc. I realized that must be the monster. I went quickly back to Minnie's living quarters and realized something. I was utterly exhausted. I set down the sheet and went to my room to change clothes. I decided that, no matter how tired I felt, I couldn't go to bed, not this early in the evening. I started to practice magic when I closed my eyes for a minute and ended up drifting off to sleep. I woke up on a soft surface with a cold hand on my forehead. 

"No fever, she must just be exhausted," I heard Minnie say. "I'll let her rest. If she isn't feeling well, I trust that she'll let us know." 

"Really? That's definitely what she did all the other times she was ill," I heard Harry's voice say with a note of sarcasm. 

"You watch your tone young man," Minnie told him in her strictest voice. Harry seemed to back down after that because I didn't hear anything after that. I fell back asleep with ease that was unsettling. I had very strange and upsetting dreams. I woke up crying in what seemed to be the middle of the night. I thought I was crying from a dream but then I felt my stomach churning. I tried to quiet my cries as I got up, intending to go to the bathroom. The movement must have awoken Harry because before I knew it he was next to me. 

"Ember, what's wrong?" He asked groggily. I was about to speak when I felt the urge to be sick and put a hand to my mouth and shook my head before resuming my dash to the bathroom. I didn't want anything for anyone to clean up. I flicked on the lights and sat down next to the toilet opening the seat. Harry was back by my side. He put a hand on my back as I removed mine from my mouth, allowing the contents of my stomach to pour into the toilet. I was panting and coughing. 

"H-Harry?" I asked shakily and weakly. 

"Yes?" Harry asked urgently. 

"G-Go g-get M-Minnie," I told him. He didn't seemed surprised and just nodded and stood up and another wave of contents came out of my mouth. I was shaking and sweating, but I was cold. I heard footsteps coming toward me, ones that I recodnized as Minnie's. As my last wave of sick came up I felt a hand on my back. I flushed and fell back, being caught in Minnie's arms. I just laid my head on her shoulder and whimpered. I felt her cold hand on my forehead. 

"Are you alright, dear?" Minnie asked with great concern. I just shook my head. She picked me up and carried me back to my room. She grabbed my pajamas and handed them to me. She left the room and closed the door. I got changed and proceeded to open the door almost falling over in the process. I quickly grabbed onto Minnie, who was waiting patiently outside the door. Minnie was usually very strict but caring. She was very short tempered when we did something wrong, but she never used physical punishment. She was very patient when it was needed, like when we needed help with homework and when we were ill. I felt very cold. 

"C-Cold," I stuttered. She helped me lay down and tucked me in. She once again put a cold hand on my forehead. She did not seem surprised by what she found and grabbed a tissue out of her pocket and her wand. She proceeded to transfigure the tissue into a thermometer. She had taught me this trick a while ago when I learned that I could do healing magic. She gently put the thermometer under my tongue. I flinched at how sore my throat was and how cold the device was. It beeped and I opened my mouth allowing her to grab the device. I never liked to talk after I was sick, and Minnie knew this, which is why she didn't ask many questions. 

"103," she muttered. "Harry, could you please go get Poppy? It seems I may need some assistance." 

"Of course," Harry said and walked out of the room. He returned with a very tired Poppy. She had her wand out and was casting a spell as soon as she was close enough to me. A sheet of parchment came out. 

"Ah, the flu, of course. I'm not surprised with all the stress she's had lately," Poppy told Minnie. "You really need to learn a diagnostic spell." 

"I know I do, Poppy," Minnie told her. 

"Here, the parchment has some treatments for this. I hate to keep this short but I'm needed in the hospital wing. I'm just trying to keep those who are... petrified alive," Poppy finished. 

"Of course, thank you Poppy," Minnie told her. 

"Your welcome, Minerva," Poppy said and went out of the room. "Harry, please watch your sister while I grab some medicine to help her." Minnie always got a bit worried and soft when one of us were ill. Harry nodded and I did my best to stay awake. I was spent, which is why I hate being sick. Minnie returned to the room with the pink medicine. I tried to smile but failed. I didn't like people worrying or fussing over me, but at a time like this, all I want is Minnie and Uncle Sev. Minnie seemed to understand this. Harry put a hand on my forehead. 

"She feels warm, Minnie," Harry said worriedly. 

"The medicine should help with that," Minnie said. She poured me some of the medicine and handed it to me. I could see how soft her usually stern eyes were. I took the medicine and some water and laid my head down. Minnie created a chair for Harry and herself. She sat down in her chair next to my bed. I reached out for her hand. I just wanted her. She held my hand and I fell asleep.