After the War.

Sent Home.

By the time the sun rose, I was still sat on my mattress but my bags had been packed and left at the foot of my bed. Not my best night ever and I was sure that it had to be noticeable so I plastered on the makeup and a smile. Like nothing was wrong. My eyes gave me away though as they were bright red and filled with sadness. Melissa would never forgive me. I could never forgive myself.

Eventually, the clock hit breakfast time and I walked to see Madam Pomfrey. She would be someone that I would miss and yet I was glad to never hear her get on at me for not doing this or that. I couldn't handle food though and so something would have to be done. Just this once though would I lie. I couldn't take them on an empty stomach and I couldn't handle eating any food so I would hide them.

On my way out of my door though Apollo stood with Isaac and Professor Vector. Not the faces I expected but soon the woman walked on and I realised that it was just her passing by. Once she was gone though I gave them hugs and wanted to cry, I bit my lip to stop myself. Then, all three of us spoke at once. It was a mix of needing to tell each other something. My news could wait though and so I showed that the two of them should speak. Apollo bit the bullet.

"Early this morning Mike came to see us because he didn't know where your room was, but he told us of how Professor McGonagall had turned up at his common room and took Elliot. He was so confused and kept muttering about not knowing and how it is all your fault but then she told him that he would have to leave even if what happened last night didn't happen. She also told him to stop lying. Apparently, he looked pale. Iona, he's going to lose his wand." My eyes went wide for a second and guilt ate at me for a while.

"It's all my fault." I wanted to continue but couldn't think of what to say. That and the look on Isaac and Apollo's faces told me to stop. Both of them walked at a fast pace.

"No, apparently he was up to stuff all summer. That is why he got with Leah. They met whilst he was doing something and they got to know each other. I had heard the rumours but didn't want to say what I had heard because nothing was being done about it and that wasn't fair. To spread lies. Turns out it was all true." I smiled a little but walked on again to find the hospital wing. The boys had followed even though I had hoped that they would have just gone to eat.

"Madam Pomfrey?" I couldn't see her anywhere. The room looked empty of students and the resident healer. My eyes were either deceiving me or she was out of sight to me.

"Why are we in here?" I opened my mouth to make a response but decided against it. Calling out to the healer again. Nothing was heard though so I moved to her desk and sat on the chair. Both boys watching me and then standing beside me with an awkward air.

When the doors flung open I knew it couldn't have been her as she never did that but both boys looked and curiosity claimed me as I watched and a rather worried Professor Slughorn stood with a student beside him. The student was in a lot of pain and I got up. Pulling a curtain back and doing what the healer would normally do. I helped the boy onto the bed and when I noticed bruising I walked to where the paste was. The grey sludge was always appealing, or not, but the result was worth it. Perhaps the smell that would be stuck to my hands made it a lot worse.

"Where is Poppy?" I shrugged my shoulders and the smile on my face stuck firm as I shook my head to really show that I had no clue where she was or what she was up to. The student seemed to be in pain still and I tried to think but I couldn't.

"What happened?" I asked and the student grunted as the pain passed through him and he lifted his top. As he kept his face scrunched I couldn't identify him but he was a Ravenclaw. For a second he relaxed and I could work with more than just his tie. It was Mike. For a brief second, I wanted to hug him but I didn't as the bruise on his stomach was seen. At that, I picked up the grey paste and put some more on it. Yelps and muffled sounds of pain left him until I finally let the lid fall back onto the pot and I put it aside. The dark, almost black bruise slowly fading and less pain was seen on his face.

"I fell down the steps. I shouldn't have been reading and walking down steps that move." I laughed to myself and noticed a few grazes that would be able to heal on their own but I was sure his body would be aching.

"I can't give you anything else because I am not quite trained but Madam Pomfrey will have you sorted soon enough." Mike nodded and put a hand to his head. It was bound to hurt and so I just quietly used my hands to close the curtain and I walked back to the desk where I sat. Professor Slughorn was gone but I had heard him mutter something at a point. No doubt off to be busy and persuade McGonagall to let him hold his pompous club again.

"You never answered the question of why..." Isaac got interrupted by the sound of a door slowly opening and then closing. Steps filling the room until they came to a halt.

"I will be a second Miss Flint." I was quiet as she got into a rhythm of steps as she found her way into her room and the same sound was heard as she left, walking out of the room until she came to the front of her desk. Food placed down and then tablets that I was going to have to swallow and then leave.

"Can I take them later?" Her eyes closed briefly and a look of boredom covered the woman's face as she kept her eyes on me. Slowly hands lifted to her hips and tapping was heard. Eyebrows slowly lifting until my mind came back to the present.

"Professor Slughorn brought in an injured student. Mike was reading and then fell down the steps until he was found. He is in a lot of pain." She turned so slowly that her eyes stuck to me for as long as they could until she pulled back the curtain that I had been pointing at. Mike was there but asleep and I felt annoyed that he had managed to fall asleep so quickly. It meant that I would have to eat and I was sure that I might throw it all up again.

"He is fine for now. As for you, eat up and then take your tablets. I haven't had to do this before, you may have forgotten in the past but you never delayed or refused to. What is the issue?" I bit my bottom lip to try and keep to myself but clearly, something was all wrong for her.

"Can I meet you two later? I have Crohn's Disease so have to take these. I feel really sick otherwise." It was the first time that I had been the one to tell someone that I was ill and it felt so wrong and right. Slowly they left, confused as to what the disease was but they had time to ask later on.

"Your eyes look bright red and you look pale. Even if you did your makeup it is obvious to me and you are a smart girl. Don't ruin it all now because of some issue. Eat and then take the tablets." She wasn't one to complement but I had a feeling that she didn't even realise what she had said to me. It was like she was saying the truth as a way to get me to take it but I couldn't. I felt too sick.

"I feel sick. If I eat I might not be able to handle it." Her face told me that I was wrong and so shaking ever so slightly I ate the food and then took the small tablets. The water tasting gross and dirty. "That water tasted odd." She nodded and sighed out as she collected the rubbish from her desk.

"You have a few deficiencies and I have to get it into you somehow. I mean, if you ate three times a day it would resolve these issues but you are as stubborn as..." She cut herself off and I tried to question her as she went about. Looking for something.

"As what? I am as stubborn as what? Madam Pomfrey." I couldn't think but her muttering about the potions she needed caught my attention and I was able to grab one of them for her. She then tried to usher me out. "My mother? I'm as stubborn as my mother?" Clearly, I had chosen the right person as Madam Pomfrey was quick to roll her eyes at me but I gave her a type of smile that told her I knew. With that, I walked out to go to my lesson.

"You look like her as well." It was clearly on her mind but something in her tone was off.

"I know." That was all I could say to that. As the doors had almost closed though she spoke again.

"You may be as stubborn as she was but you two couldn't be much more different."