//------------------------------// // A Matron's Lament. // Story: Scoti Alaw Prewett // by SamuelK28 //------------------------------// Madam Pomfrey was not pleased. Firstly, ever since those girls had been let loose upon the school from another dimension her workload had tripled. She should have realised from the outset they’d be trouble. Secondly, who in their right mind sends students, especially first years, into a known dangerous environment for detention. She’d be having a few choice words with Dumbledore on that one, that was for sure. Finally, she’d been woken in the middle of the night for what felt like the hundredth time this year already as the Pegasus girl had slammed the doors of the infirmary open upon her entry. As she barely comprehended what the blasted girl was telling her at five hundred miles an hour, she was unceremoniously pulled from her bed and yanked towards the open doors still in her nightgown. The one thing she had been able to decipher from the girl’s ramblings though was that one of the kids in detention had been stabbed. ‘Fucking great’ she thought sarcastically as she dug her feet in and explained to the girl, she needed to call reinforcements. Thus, with the girl impatiently waiting and tapping one of her feet behind her she’d drafted a doctor and a nurse from St Mungo’s for assistance for what had already been a record-breaking number of times in any Hogwarts school year to her recollection. They met Potter helping a very pale looking Miss Song dripping blood from a knife sticking out her right-side half-way to the forest. She was astonished the girl was still conscious, even if only barely. ‘Why did it have to be her?’ The matron thought to herself. Out of the three hundred odd students in the school, it just had to be the one who was half centaur who got stabbed, didn’t it? At least they’d had the sense to leave the knife in the wound, that was at least some comfort. The black skin that surrounded the wound was not. “Mr Potter, fetch Professor Snape at once, Miss Alaw, wake and bring Miss Bloom from your dorm. I fear this knife has either been poisoned, cursed or both,” she said seriously as she helped the other two medical professionals lay the girl upon the stretcher they’d brought with them. “Oh, this night just gets better and better,” Melody said sardonically. “Can I go to sleep yet?” “You do and you may not wake up again. You’ve done incredibly well so far, just hang on for us a little longer please,” Madam Pomfrey stated as they started to carry the girl back to the infirmary. It proved to be yet another long night for the overworked and, in her honest opinion, vastly underpaid matron. Those screams of agony she’d heard from Miss Song as they carefully manoeuvred the knife from her would give her plenty of sleepless nights in the future. On a positive note a scan had shown the six-inch blade had somehow missed all her vital organs and they’d managed to remove it without any complications. Unfortunately, the blade had also been laced with poison and had countless dark magical curses engraved upon it. It wasn’t long after the removal procedure that the girl fell unconscious as Professor Snape battled valiantly to fight back the curses with an array of counter spells while his apprentice worked equally as hard in the dungeons below brewing an antidote to the poison. It was not even ten in the morning and Madam Pomfrey was already on her third scotch of the day as Dumbledore opened the door and walked into her office. “How you holding up?” he asked politely. “This answer your question?” she growled holding up the glass she’d just poured herself. “Understandable. Take the day off. I’ll also see to it that you receive a bonus and immediate pay rise for your services to the school this year,” Dumbledore responded matter of factually, not in the slightest bit perturbed that the school’s matron was drinking on duty. “You better,” Pomfrey growled. “Anyhow, how’s Melody doing?” Dumbledore pressed ignoring the Matron’s less than pleased tone. “You should have heard those screams when we finally managed to pull the knife out,” Poppy replied distantly. “In all my years as a nurse I don’t think I’ve seen even the Cruciatus Curse cause worse.” She took a sip of her scotch. “I’ll add a month of counselling to that as well,” Dumbledore interrupted rubbing his forehead. “Along with never using the Forbidden Forest for student punishments again unless you wish to be castrated,” the matron said calmly but deadly seriously as she placed her drink upon the table once more. Dumbledore’s eyes flickered for just a moment before he immediately regained his usual calm and composed demeanour. “I’ll certainly heed your advice; now, please, how is Miss Song faring? “Your balls funeral if you don’t,” she retorted before lifting the glass and taking another swig. It was now nearly empty as she placed it back down. “Anyway, I believe Severus has just finished countering all the curses he could detect on the blade; there were a lot, twenty-seven apparently, in total. Some were even preventing us removing the blade; that’s why it proved to be such a tricky and painful operation. God those screams.” The Matron shook her head in an attempt to clear it of the disturbing images and allow her to re-focus her mind. “Anyway, Miss Apple also successfully finished brewing the necessary antidote a few hours ago, which they are now administering via a drip. Severus immediately awarded her a perfect mark for the practical section of her potions exam this year; he was that impressed by it. Only time will tell though if Miss Song is able to make a full recovery or not, but she’s an extremely strong girl and a fighter. I have high hopes she’ll be awake and out of the coma by this evening and back in classes sometime early next week. The only lasting ramifications will be the impact on her mental health and physically, the scar will be with her the rest of her life. On the plus side, thanks to Severus, at least the corrupt skin tissue should heal over time,” the Matron ended with the final swig of her drink. “I need some sleep,” she sharply added. “And I won’t keep you anymore. I’ll find cover for the weekend also. Enjoy your time off,” “I will,” Madam Pomfrey replied as the door to her office closed behind the professor only for a loud commotion to suddenly erupt outside her door. So much for her sleep. Sighing she approached and opened the door to see Dumbledore trying to calm down a very irate centaur with dark black hair, a black furred body and white furred hooves who was barking angrily at the nurse from St Mungo’s. How’d the creature even got in here her sleep deprived mind could not fathom. Then, next to the bed where Melody lay fast asleep hooked up to all sorts of machines was an older but almost identical chestnut-haired woman talking to Miss Prewett, the latter having not left the other girl’s side since fetching Miss Apple last night. The parents had arrived. Silently Madam Pomfrey pushed the door to her office closed once more and bolted the door. She was sure Albus had the situation well in hand and besides, she was off the clock. Instead, she went back to her desk, poured herself a fourth scotch and exited via a door at the back of the office which led to her private quarters. * “She was incredibly brave,” Scootaloo said trying to find something to console the tearful mother at her daughter’s bedside. “She risked her own safety in an attempt to save another student.” “So I’ve heard. The famous Harry Potter if I’m not mistaken. Sounds like something she would do. Always has been a tough little runt ever since the day she was born,” Mrs Song replied. “I know how she must have felt. I haven’t had it particularly easy growing up myself,” Scootaloo replied. “Ah, so she finally told you then. Me and Sorlith took bets over how long it would be,” Mrs Song said with a chuckle. “Yep, although kind of obvious now with a centaur in the infirmary and her hoof poking out the bottom of the covers. And who won the bet?” Scootaloo deadpanned “Good points and me, not a good advertisement for a fortune teller that is it? Although something tells me he let me win,” Mrs Song added with a chortle. “We always wanted another child you know, but we were lucky enough to be blessed with one and we’ve no clue how that even happened,” she digressed. “She told me and my girlfriend how you met, really does show how love has no boundaries. I’ve realised that too myself this year,” Scootaloo chipped in. “That’s for certain, although he can be stubborn at times and does have a fiery temper to boot. All centaurs do.” “I hadn’t noticed,” Scootaloo said sarcastically nodding her head towards Melody. “That’s probably part of the reason I’m guessing she ended up in the forest in first place.” “Nah, my parrot kind of started a war with the Gryffindors last Sunday during breakfast. Professor Sprout unfortunately got in the way of a wayward hair removal jinx from Melody.” Mrs Song threw back her head and guffawed loudly. Finally getting herself under control she managed to utter “I wish I’d been there to see that.” “Yeah, she was certainly not in the best of moods that morning, especially after one of the wizard crackers I caused to rain down upon the hall covered her in permanent blue dye.” This was followed by more laughter from Mrs Song. “Please tell me you got a picture,” she finally managed to stammer. “I think Discord might somewhere, I’ll have to ask him when I next see him.” “Please do.” “Honestly, although she wouldn’t admit it, I think part of her wanted to go into the forest in the hope she met some of her family. If it makes you feel any better, she really did stick it to Hecate when we bumped into her last night,” Scootaloo stated. “You met her?” Mrs Song replied in surprise. “Yeah, total bitch with the face of a troll’s behind. No wonder your husband ditched her,” Scootaloo said bluntly. Mrs Song let out another bellowing laugh before replying, “that’s her all right. Name’s Amber by the way; the grouchy centaur your headmaster is talking to is Sorlith.” “Formally Scoti, but I prefer Scootaloo.” “I think we’ve already established that we know a fair bit about you. Melody’s talked a lot about the one-armed Pegasus girl during her visits to Hogsmeade,” Amber stated. “Nothing bad I hope,” Scootaloo chipped in. “Just that you’re an arsehole who needs to fucking shoot quicker,” A voice groused from the bed. “Good lord, could you lot be any noisier? Some of us kind of got stabbed last night by a ridiculously powerful dark magical object and are trying to sleep.” Scootaloo giggled. “I’m sorry, next time I’ll throw the hundred-pound mutt that launched itself into my arms instead.” “I’d prefer there not to be a next time,” Melody said scathingly while gingerly sitting up in the infirmary bed. “Oh, and hi mum, sorry to scare you and dad.” “You are so grounded over the summer, but right now I’m just glad to have my daughter back. How you feeling?” “Thanks, great exam incentive that. I prefer the crossbow from Hagrid. And shit, getting stabbed hurts, a lot,” Melody grumbled before attempting a laugh which turned into a grimace of pain. Scootaloo sniggered. Sighing Amber shook her head. “It’s good to have my wisecracking daughter back. Don’t you ever do something so stupid again. I’ll also be having a word about a certain half-giant providing teenage girls with lethal weapons.” “I have no plans to and please don’t confiscate my crossbow.” Melody replied before turning her head to Scootaloo. “Hey Scoots shouldn’t you be in lessons?” “All lessons are cancelled in preparation for the final quidditch weekend. I hope you can still make it Sunday?” “You just try and stop me. Well then, what about your ankle tracker?” Scootaloo’s face dropped as at that precise moment the metallic ring around her left ankle started beeping. “Oh no,” she groaned as in a flash of light she disappeared. Upon reappearing she found herself falling head first into a tub of ice-cold water. “AH THAT’S FREEZING!” She screamed as she landed with a loud splash. “Surely visiting a friend in the infirmary is a good enough excuse?” she groused through a mouthful of water. “No exceptions,” a stone-cold voice growled from somewhere. “If you ask permission, I might allow you to visit your friend again later, might.” “Totally not cool,” Scootaloo pouted sitting up in the bathtub and resembling a drowned rat. * Back in the infirmary, Amber’s eyes had gone wide. “Where did she go?” she exclaimed. “Remember how I informed you her father is the God of Chaos? He caught her sneaking out of her dorm one night recently and fitted her with a tracking device for the rest of the semester. She’s only allowed to go places he lets her, which is basically lessons, detentions and her common room. Seems like I’m not included on that list, thanks Discord, and as such she’s now experiencing a very cold bath back in her dorm,” Melody explained from her bed trying to stifle the laughter that was causing her way too much pain. She was though failing miserably. “Oh, where can I get myself one of those?” Amber said mischievously. The laughter immediately stopped. Melody’s wide eyes stared at her mother. She could not be serious. She felt something cold and metallic clamp around her left fetlock. “As you wish, same settings as Scoti’s?” Discord said with a malevolent grin plastered across his face as he appeared out of the void. Melody’s face dropped. “Please,” Amber requested with a wide grin. “But can we have it for the entire summer holidays as well?” Melody’s face dropped even further. “Of course,” Discord snapped his fingers. “Would you prefer the bath dunking, electric shock or physical restraint variant?” “Ooh, the electrical shock version sounds hilarious,” Amber responded, sounding like a kid in a candy store. “Can there be a curse word filter added to?” “A great choice and of course, what a brilliant idea!” A further snap. “There, that should be all set up with the necessary prerequisites. If the ankle lock perceives the girl to be in a location she shouldn’t be it shall emit a growing shock of electricity through her body every five minutes until she stops whatever trouble she may be up to. The smallest, mildest electric shock shall also emit whenever the girl swears, I should really consider adding that feature to Scoti’s.” He paused for a moment stroking his beard in thought before finishing, “anyway, enjoy and whenever you wish to have it removed just give me a buzz!” he snapped his fingers one further time and disappeared, leaving a rather startled bee in his place as a photo floated into Amber’s hands. “Not cool mum, not fucking cool,” Melody pouted before screeching “YOW” as a sharp pin prick of electricity coursed through her body. Her mother fell onto the floor in hysterics, partly at her daughter’s suffering and partly at what the photo had shown her. “I’m so getting you back for this, I get stabbed and you punish me for it, how’s that fair?” “That’s for scaring me half to death. Maybe if you behave yourself between now and the end of term, I might consider releasing you by the time the holidays begin,” her mother’s voice wheezed from the floor still getting over her laughing fit. Melody continued to pout in her bed plotting unspeakable revenge as her right side throbbed painfully. “As long as I can continue shooting practice with Hagrid and keep my crossbow,” she finally grumbled. “I think I can allow that, if you’re good. Right now, I think your father has finally stopped berating the nurse and has a few choice words for you.” “Oh shit, YOW,” Melody yelped as another electrical shock coursed its way through her body. “Not a very quick learner are we. I’ll leave you two in, well, I would say peace, but the words your father likely has for you and the volume at which he’ll likely project them, it certainly won’t be a peaceful exchange,” Amber stated rising from her chair and placing herself beside the huge centaur. “Please don’t be too hard on her dear, I’m going to go fetch a cup of tea.” He lowered himself nearer to the ground so that Amber could kiss him on the cheek before she departed. “MELODY,” a deep, booming voice resonated throughout the infirmary. The girl tried desperately to hide under her duvet. * Dumbledore walked back to his office his head swimming. It had been a troublesome morning thanks, once again, to his Quirrell/Voldemort problem. The school matron’s psychological health was under increasing strain and nearing breaking point. She was also possibly drunk at ten o’clock in the morning and threatening to castrate him. A fifth year had been stabbed during detention by some incredibly dangerous creature that was roaming the forest. Her father had then nearly trampled a nurse to death and he’d shortly be having a visit from the Ministry’s Centaur Liaison Officer, something he’d never in his wildest dreams imagined would ever happen. If that wasn’t bad enough, he still had the backlash and minor skirmishes stemming from the ‘Battle of the Breakfast Tables’ last Sunday. Could this morning get any worse? That was the worst possible thing he could have thought to himself as he opened the door to his office. “Hello Severus,” he said completely unfazed to see the other professor in his office scratching Fawkes beneath his beak. The bird was cooing in delight. “Please tell me you’ve good news,” Dumbledore asked hopefully as he walked up and around his desk, sitting down in his favourite armchair. “Well, I’ve worked out where Quirrell is hiding Voldemort,” Snape droned in his monotonous tone. “Where?” Dumbledore sighed wondering if he really wanted to hear this. Snape chucked the still blood-stained knife onto the table. Not all of it was human. “He’s possessed Quirrell. That’s why he’s been going to the forest so much lately and looking so gormless. He’s dying from hosting the soul of another and unicorn blood is the only thing which can sustain him for the time being.” Dumbledore’s head hit his hands. “The turban, I should have known. Well at least that solves the mystery of the monster among monsters in the forest. Still, even after everything he’s done, I had still hoped we could have saved Quirrell but now I see that won’t be possible. I’m just thankful this whole episode will soon be over. I don’t think the school could handle the backlash of another student suffering a catastrophic injury. Let us just hope our Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher keeps his head down for the next few weeks. It seems he is growing ever increasingly desperate as time goes on, most likely due to his body failing him.” “Agreed, What about the exams?” Snape enquired. “They’ll go ahead but likely results that would have been marked by Quirrell will likely have to be annulled if what I expect comes to fruition,” Dumbledore sighed once more in resignation. “Is there anything else you would like to inform me of? “Yes, two things. Firstly, as you are well aware unicorns are not easy to catch and this knife was specially designed to assist in killing them. With the number of runes and curses embedded on it, it would be very hard to replicate and require a significant amount of time to do so. Thus, this will likely result in our dear friend Quirrell pushing forward with his plans to acquire the stone before his body completely fails him,” Snape explained. “Okay, well that will likely benefit us to a certain degree, lets just hope he can at least wait till after the first exam period before making his move. The second thing.” “There was still unicorn blood on the blade when he stabbed Miss Song. It was ultimately this which saved her life by slowing and negating the effects of the curses and poison on the blade,” Snape explained once again. “Well thank goodness for that. Wait, that is a good thing isn’t it?” Dumbledore ended looking at the Potions professor a little worried. “It is well known that although unicorn blood can be used to sustain life, the means to acquire it often involves slaying the unicorn which leads to the drinker suffering a cursed life. I’ve been rapidly checking what texts and manuscripts I have, but have so far come up with nothing,” Snape continued. “Okay, so what are you getting at exactly. The girl will now face suffer from a cursed life?” Dumbledore said a little lost. “No, that’s just it. There are no recorded accounts from what I can find of the use of unicorn blood accidentally or without the person’s prior knowledge. Every single account is of some despicable soul with nothing to lose and everything to gain. I have absolutely no idea what might befall the girl or if her fate shall be the same as those who have used it for ill-gotten means,” Snape stated. Dumbledore felt a headache coming along. * After the rollicking her father had given her followed by the most touching of embraces between father and daughter anyone could possibly have imagined, Melody had slowly drifted back to sleep. It was late into evening when she awoke once more to see a whole collection of people surrounding her bed, Madam Pomfrey, the nurse and doctor from St Mungo’s, her parents, Professor’s Dumbledore, Sprout and Snape, Scootaloo and finally, for some reason, Scootaloo’s friend Sweetie Belle. To top it all off she had a pounding headache. “Erm, somebody like to cue me in on the joke?” she asked groggily from her bed. “Darling,” Amber Song began. Uh oh Melody immediately thought. It must be serious if her mum was giving her that tone. “We don’t want you to be alarmed but,” Amber handed her daughter a mirror. Melody stared open mouthed at her reflection for a few moments trying too comprehend just what she was seeing. There, coming out of her forehead and in amongst her chestnut hair, was a white furred horn with a black furry tip. “Please tell me this is one of your jokes?” she finally managed to say, nervously feeling the protrusion that now extended from her forehead. Much to her horror, it felt all too real. “I’m afraid to say it is not.” It was Dumbledore who spoke. “The knife you were stabbed with was also coated in the blood of the dead unicorns according to Professor Snape here. It was this blood which initially saved your life. Unfortunately, the use of such blood often comes at a cost to the user due to the nature of which it is acquired. If not already, they are usually driven insane by the guilt of what they’ve done within a year and very often end up killing themselves.” “Well, thanks for the heads up.” Melody replied sarcastically. “So why have I got the horn to go with the impending madness?” “Well, the good news is we don’t expect you to go mad. You are, in all terms, an anomaly.” Dumbledore continued. “I’ve been one all my life and that’s at least some kind of relief. So, why the horn?” Melody interrupted. “Yes, well if you just let me explain I will get to that. You see, the use of unicorn blood accidentally or unbeknownst to the treated party has never happened before or at least never been recorded.” “So basically, you have fuck all idea what is going to happen to me, YOWCH. Damn ankle lock,” Melody grumbled with a heavy sigh. “In a less crude way, yes. Although initial scans suggest the unicorn has gifted you its powers for some bizarre reason,” Dumbledore finished. “Great, just fucking great. I’m possessed by a dead unicorn and an even bigger fucking freak than before. YOWCH.” she cried as a slightly larger jolt of electricity coursed through her body. On this occasion though, the larger dose decided to exit through her new appendage as she cried out in pain. Everybody dove for cover as a blinding bolt of light shot from the girl’s horn. “Oops,” Melody stammered as she looked at the rather large hole that now adorned the wall to Madam Pomfrey’s office. “At least my headache’s gone.”