The Other Hale.

Chapter Twelve: The Forbidden Forest.

I waved to the boys as they all bundled into two cars, I gave Paul a swift kiss on the cheek before he also got in the car. I continued waving until both cars were out of sight.

Back in the castle, all the students were returning from their holidays. I listened as they exchanged stories with their friends, bickering over who got the best present. It all brought a smile upon my face.

"Madam Hale!" Called a voice behind me.

I turned around to find Ginny Weasley and a Romilda Vane behind me. "Girls."

"Are your friends gone?" Romilda asked, her voice gaining a pitch of excitement.

"I'm afraid so." I replied as I smiled at them. "I just watched them go."

"You were outside?" Ginny asked, confused.

I nodded, wondering where she was going with this conversation.

"Then why haven't you got rosy cheeks?" She demanded.

"Yeah, it's freezing outside." Added Romilda.

"Really? I never noticed. I don't feel the cold that much." I replied with a shrug. "Now, I'm really sorry, but I must go." I told them as I continued on my way.

I was busy cleaning up the hospital wing when the Headmaster himself coughed from the entrance, gaining my full attention.

"Madam Hale, surely you must have heard me coming?" He asked me, eyes twinkling.

"I'm afraid not, sir. I was too engrossed in my cleaning." I laughed.

"Ahh of course. I was simply enquiring Madam Pomfreys' assistance." He replied, stepping forward.

"I'm afraid she went out for a Butterbeer with Professor McGonagoll, but is it anything I can help with?" I asked, putting my broom down.

"I guess so. Do you have a calming draught here? I'm on my way down to Hagrids'. I fear he may need it." He whispered, his smile leaving his face.

I made my way to the potion cupboard and retrieved a calming draught. "Hagrids?" I replied as I approached him.

"You haven't heard the news?" He asked me, holding out his hand for the calming draught.

"The news? Is Hagrid okay?" I asked, picturing the gentle giant in pain.

"His Hippogriff, Buckbeak, has been sentenced to death." He whispered, his eyes twinkling.

"The one who attacked Draco?" I asked him, recalling my first real job here.

"That's the crime." He sighed.

"Give him my condolences will you?" I whispered as I handed him the calming draught.

He nodded before leaving.

After a couple of hours of sitting on my own I decided to go into the forest. The castle was quiet as I made my way out. The full moon was high in the sky.

I was deep in the forest when I heard it; a werewolf's howl. I strained my hearing, to see if the werewolf, presumably Remus, was alone.

I could hear another voice, trying to sooth the werewolf. It wasn't a voice I recognised. There was three more heartbeats, young ones. One was more rapid than the others, injured. Then a fourth joined the three younger heartbeats. I could hear him speaking, Snape.

"POTTER!" His voice screamed out, bouncing off the trees.

"So two Professors, one a werewolf, and Harry Potter were here. Along with a friend of Remus's and two other children, students. Considering Harry was here, the other two could be Hermione and Ron.

I hurried over there and up a tree so I could see what was going on without being seen myself. Snape was bent over Ron, attending to his leg, broken by the look of it. I could see Hermione and Harry further away, one fighting a werewolf, the other making some noises.

"Severus. Let me." I ordered as I approached Snape and Ron.

Both looked at me in surprise, not hearing me approach. "Katrina, you shouldn't be here." Snape muttered, shielding Ron's leg from me.

"You need to help the others, I'll deal with this." I told him, pushing him to the side.

He rolled his eyes but got up and left anyway. I looked down at Ron's injury, it wasn't a break, but a bite. I immediately thought the worst: werewolf.

"Madam Hale?" Ron moaned through his pain.

I smiled as I thought what I would have to do. "I know it hurts Ron, but I'll fix it." I soothed him before I punched him in the face knocking him out. I grimaced at the sound of his jaw breaking, another injury.

I ripped his trouser leg, so his injury was exposed. It was getting worse as time went on. Bracing myself, I lowered my mouth to his leg and sucked the bacteria, dirt, venom, anything that would cause him harm out of his leg.

Sitting back up I scolded myself, I took more blood than needed. I ripped my shirt, making it shorter, and tied it at the top of his injury. I then ripped both my sleeves and tied them together before tieing them at the bottom of his injury.

I bit my wrist, shuddering at the black blood that oozed out before I held my wrist to Ron's mouth. I could feel him squirm away before he began to drink. I let him drink until he had gained his colour back and his jaw was healed.

I picked him up and put him over my shoulder before I started running. We reached the hospital wing within one minute. He was awake when I laid him on the bed.

"It doesn't hurt anymore." He gaped reaching for his leg.

"You need to rest." I told him, propping his leg up and bandaging it.

"Harry and Hermione! They're still in the forest." He shouted.

"They're safe." I assured him before slipping him a potion that put him to sleep.

Once he was asleep I paced the room. Waiting on anyone coming in. That's when I heard the babble of voices.

One by one, Dumbledore, McGonagoll and Snape entered the Hospital Wing, there was two stretchers following them. Once had Harry Potter on it, unconscious. And the other had a grown man, who had been all over the papers. Sirius Black, he too was unconscious.

"Ahh, Miss Hale. Severus told us you attended to Mr Weasley." The Headmaster praised me, glancing at Ron.

"Something tells me he isn't my only injury tonight." I joked, glancing at the stretchers.

"This one needs something to wake him up." Snape growled pointing at Sirius Black.

"You can attend to Potter." Added McGonagoll.

I gave a potion to Sirius. "He'll wake up in half an hour." I told him before I took Potter off the stretcher and onto the bed opposite Ron.

When I turned around, all four were gone. I got to work on Harry. Hermione came running in at half eight.

"Madam Hale! Is Ron? Harry? Are they okay?" She shouted.

"They're fine, sleeping so don't shout" I replied approaching her.

I put my hand to her head, she was running a temperature and there was a small gash on her head which was bleeding. "Sit." I ordered, pointing to the bed next to Harry.

She did I said and I tended to her head. "You going to tell me what happened?" I asked her as I cleared the wound.

She never replied but stared at Ron's bandaged leg. "Okay. You going to tell me what Sirius Black has to do with all of this?" I tried, choosing the correct potion to give her.

She stiffened at my question but only averted her gaze to Harry.

"What about Professor Lupin, is he okay?" I asked.

"You know what he is?" She asked, finally answering me.

I smiled at her. "Of course I do, drink this and sleep." I ordered.

She nodded and did as I said.