A Wonder

“Uh— hi.” She said. 

“Oh love..” her mother whispered. Ryleigh winced at the emotional incoming.

“I— I’ll keep it together.” Erin said though and pulled the tears back. 

“Thanks mam.” Ryleigh said, “I’m really okay…” 

“The assailants have been expelled from the school and banned from campus grounds.” Snape said and she gave him a half smile. 

“You’ll need to stay in hospital for the remainder of the week but after Madam Pomfrey has cleared you the other professors and I can make amendments to your term schedule should you wish to return home.”

“No! I —“ her mother looked a little shocked, “I mean, I don’t need to go home, I’m f-fine I want to stay.” 

Erin looked less convinced. “Ryleigh you’re hurt… I think it would be best if you—“ 

“Please mam… I don’t want to…” she begged. 

“We’ll talk about it more later.” She said. 

“Ms Weasley has asked me to inform you she will be returning soon.” Snape informed her. 

“Excuse me.” He said and then took his leave. 

“Right strange bastard that one is.” Erin said as soon as Snape was gone. “And he’s your favorite?” She asked and Ryleigh laughed. 

“He’s a little rough around the edges but…” she sighed, “he found me with Ginny. He’s a good person and he’s a good teacher. To me at least. Harry might beg to differ.” She shrugged with a light laugh. 

As if she summoned him Harry and the group entered the hospital wing. Ginny was running after them trying to stop them and Ryleigh laughed. 

“Mam, this is Harry. Harry this is my mam.” 

Harry stuck out a hand, “nice to meet you ma’am.” 

“Ah yes, Harry Potter, the godson.” She said with a smile. He smiled back awkwardly then looked at Ryleigh. She thought he looked appreciative of the description, he wasn’t “the chosen one” or “the boy who lived” to her mother who lived mostly in the muggle world, but rather he was Sirius’ godson.

“What happened?” He asked and she looked at Ginny who shook her head.

From behind Harry, Ron and Hermione looked about ready to kill each other. And in the back next to Ginny were Fred and George. 

“Seamus says that Flint and Pucey got expelled.” Fred supplied. 

“Mam, you remember the Weasleys I’m sure, and this is Hermione.” 

Erin smiled at the group. 

Ryleigh bit her lip, “they pushed me down the stairs.” She said, “last night after the ball.”

“Right bastards.” Ron murmured. 

“I’m glad you’re alright.” Hermione added. 

“I’m fine—“

“Sirius will want to know.” Harry said and Ryleigh looked at him.

“I don’t need anyone else worrying about me Harry.” She said. 

Erin raised a brow, “you aren’t going to tell him?”

She looked at her mother with a face implying to, not right now and the woman held up her hands in defeat. 

“Alright, that’s enough, clear out.” Said madam Pomfrey and ushered the group of kids out of the room. 

“Thanks” Ryleigh said softly.

“You drink this, and I’ll have some food brought up for you.” She said. 

Ryleigh took the potion and swallowed it then have the vial back to the mediwitch. 

“Who has the kids?” She asked her mother. 

Erin sighed, “got a sitter.” 

“You don’t need to stay mam.” She said and Erin shook her head. “I’m staying. I’ll go home tonight and come back tomorrow.”

Xx

She wasn’t much hungry for the meal that Ginny brought her but she nibbled on it anyway. That could pretty much be said for all the meals that were supplied, the sick sinking feeling in her stomach had not gone away yet and it had been days. Her mother had finally agreed to let her stay for the term and Luna had returned as soon as the term started.

Despite her argument that she was fine, madam pomfrey had insisted on a few extra days in hospital causing her to miss more than a few classes. She’d given her crutches to walk with and told her to stay off her ankle. 

On the sixth she was finally told she could go back to the dorms and classes as long as someone helped her. 

She hadn’t realized just how difficult it would be to navigate the massive amount of staircases that were at Hogwarts until she and Luna, who was carrying her things for her, arrived at the stairs to get down to potions.

“Um…” she said as she looked down the steps. Luna bit her lip. Then she put both of their bags onto the other side of her body and wrapped her right arm around Ryleighs waist. 

“Leave the crutches I’ll come back for them. You hold onto the railing and my shoulder and sort of, hop down. I’ll keep you upright.” She said and Ryleigh leaned the crutches on the top railing and then did as Luna instructed. 

It worked, but it was extremely exhausting for both girls by the time the reached the half way point. 

“Take a break.” Ryleigh panted and sat down, her ribs were aching something fierce and Luna looked tired too. 

“You ladies need some help?” They heard from behind. Fred and George were stood at the top of the staircase holding the crutches. 

“Lots of stairs in this castle.” Luna said and they nodded. 

“Indeed.” They said back then jogged down to meet them with the crutches in hand. 

“Climb on.” George said as he stood in front of her a few steps down. Fred took the crutches and Luna kept the bags. 

Ryleigh rolled her eyes but wrapped her arms around his neck and legs around his waist. 

“This castle really needs to be more accommodating.” She huffed. 

At the bottom of the steps she expected them to let her down, but instead the twins continued on to the potions room, stopping in front of the door and letting her down then handing back the crutches. 

“What class do you have next?” Fred asked. 

“Defense.” She said with a groan at the thought of the spiral staircase. 

“We’ll be at the bottom of the stairs for you” they said then jogged off and she and Luna laughed but she was more than grateful for them.

They walked into potions very late, drawing lots of attention but Snape had no comment. They just sat down next to Ginny and took out their books. 

She paid close attention in class even though the gnawing feeling in her stomach had yet to go away and her ankle was throbbing. She could feel Luna and Ginny looking over at her constantly but ignored them.

After Snape dismissed the class he walked over to her. 

“How are you managing, mobility wise?” He asked. 

“Managing, although this castle has an enormous amount of stair cases.” She said and he smirked. “The Weasley twins have decided they’ll carry me up and down them. Hopefully I won’t be quite as late in the future.” She said.

“I suppose I’ll keep that in mind the next time they are late.” He said.

“Please.” She said with a soft smile. 

“Will you be making our work study tonight then?” He asked she nodded eagerly.

“Can’t wait actually.”

“Very well.” She let Ginny take her books and followed the two girls out of the room and back to the staircase were Fred was waiting. 

“I’m your ride today kid,” he said, “hop on.” 

She laughed and rolled her eyes. Handing her crutches to Luna she used her good leg to jump up onto his back while he was crouched over before he stood straight up again and grabbed her legs while she wrapped her arms around his neck. 

“To defense!” He shouted before started up the stairs.

Moody was already rambling about red caps when the group arrived. He stopped mid sentence and watched them as she settled into the back row. 

“Sorry professor…” she said awkwardly. 

“You’re late.” He said to them and she nodded.

“I’m very sorry, it’s not their fault, I can’t get up the stairs myself so it takes some time.” She said with just about as much sincerity as she could muster for the man. Why he couldn’t have gather that information for himself and refrain from commenting like Snape had she didn’t quite understand. 

He just hummed and took another swig from his flask.

Xx

One evening she was sipping a tea in the great hall before her portion work Snape when Harry approached. She could tell from the guilty look on his face that he’d done something she wasn’t going to like. She rubbed a hand over her face and took a deep breath, reminding herself far to much of the potion master for her own taste before looking at the boy. 

“What have you done Harry?” She asked. 

“Sirius wants us to meet him in hogsmede this weekend.” He said and she’s stared at him with wide eyes. 

“You told him.” She groaned. “Harry! You held out so long! It’s been 2 months! What happened?” 

He sighed and sat down, “he just kept asking about you and I felt bad lying to him…” 

She looked over at the clock, “help me to potions and I’ll forgive you.” She said and he nodded. He took her things and followed behind her to the stairs where he held her crutches for her as she hopped down the steps. With her ribs better she hadn’t needed as much help going down the stairs. Going up was another story.  

At the base he handed her back her crutches and then followed her to the potions room and put her things down. 

“Will you need help getting back up?” He asked. 

“Thanks but George said he’d come get me.”  

As he went to leave he walked straight into Snape. 

“Potter.” The man said sourly. 

“Sorry professor.”

He practically sneered at the boy as he scurried away. 

“He was just helping me.” She explained and Snape said nothing about it. 

She sighed and took out her things in silence. 

“We’re going to brew a Draught of living death today.” He said and she nodded. 

She grabbed her things and set up her station while he retrieved the ingredients. 

Some time later had stomach growled rather loudly and she groaned. 

“Have you not eaten?” He snapped. 

“I wasn’t hungry.” She snapped back. 

“You body begs to differ.” 

“I wasn’t feeling well.” She said then. 

He walked in front of her table then and met her eyes. 

“Ms Walsh. This will be the tenth time you’ve skipped your meals for this workshop.” Her face dropped.

“No it’s— how do you know that?” 

“You’re meant to eat before you come and instead you have a tea in he great hall.”

She sighed, “I eat okay?” She said.

“You eat when someone is watching.” He stated, correctly, “as such you I’ll eat dinner here with me each weekday.”

She looked disgruntled but found it not worth the effort to argue with the man. 

Instead she crossed her arms and looked away, he did something and before she knew it a small house elf was standing in front of her, placing down a plate. It had some fruit and vegetables on it with a piece of bread.

“Thought you’d like to keep it lite.”  

Realistically she didn’t have any issue with eating per say, it wasn’t a disorder, at least not yet, she just genuinely wasn’t hungry and eating to much made her feel ill. It was an anxiety reaction she knew, it had always been like that, but she looked at the food and did feel hungry so she ate. 

Xx

Luna and Ryleigh we’re headed down to the lakes edge at the back of the crowd. 

“These damn things are the bane of my existence.” Ryleigh complained as she stumbled over the uneven path. Luna caught her before she fell and looked at her. 

“We could skip it.” She offered, “I’ll stay with you. We can.. talk” 

Ryleigh smiled at her, “I wanna watch.” 

Luna nodded, “alright, on we go then.”

As they continued on they could see everyone getting onto their boats, they could also see the Weasley twins walking toward them with there boxes full of bets.

“Need a ride cripple?” Fred asked with a smirk.

“She does.” Lin answered for her. 

Ryleigh laughed as George handed his box to Fred and came over, kneeling down so that she could climb onto his back, she handed the crutches to Luna.

“Just leave ‘em at the dock Lovegood, we’ll carry her to a seat and then back.” Fred instructed and Luna nodded.

Xx

They helped her up onto the platform and she sat on the edge, conveniently her injury provided a front row seat.

She watched with Luna by her side as they jumped in, Harry lagging behind. Then a minute later he jumped back out and did a little flip in the air before diving back down. 

It was quiet for a few minutes before Fleur came splashing out of the water choking. Two safeguards jumped in after her and pulled her to the dock. They all watched worried as they wrapped her in blankets and whispered to her.

Next Cedric emerged from the water with Cho. She waited and watched as Viktor dragged Hermione up. More agonizingly slow minutes passed before Ron and Gabrielle’s head popped up but without Harry. 

Ron helped the young girl swim back to shore as they all watched full of worry for the boy.

Finally he sprung from the water onto the dock with a thump, Dumbledore was at his side instantly, they wrapped towels around him and Hermione took her own blanket off and gave it to him. 

“The winner is Mr. Diggory!” He yelled, “for his innate bubble head charm. However seeing as Mr potter would have finished first, had it not been for his determination to rescur not only Mr Weasley but the others as well, we’ve agreed to aware him second place! For outstanding moral fiber!”

Every cheered loudly.

Xx

Fred and George got her back into the boat with Luna and then up onto the dock before they jogged over to Harry. 

“Thanks!” She yelled after them. 

“Wanna go sit on the beach?” Ryleigh asked and Luna smiled. 

“We could visit the thestrals?” He blonde suggested and Ryleigh agreed. 

They walked from the shore slowly with Ryleighs crutches, out into the forest where Luna would often come spend time with the large winged beasts, and took a seat on a large flat rock. 

“Do you remember when we first arrived at Hogwarts and you said you saw something in the woods?” Ryleigh asked and Luna nodded. “The thestrals.” 

“I thought you were crazy.” Ryleigh said and they laughed, “not like crazy crazy but a little, cause there was nothing there but now I realize you were just right. You’re always right.” Ryleigh said. 

“Not right just hopeful.” Was Lunas response. 

“You were right about Sirius. The thestrals… both going to the yule ball.”

Luna looked over and took her hand. 

“You can always talk to me, you know that.” Luna said rather seriously. 

“I… have something I need to say to you but… I don’t want to say it now because it’ll come out like I’m just… conflating feelings about the Yule ball with these feelings and I don’t want that, because I’ve had these feeling for a long time before the Yule ball I just never got around to saying anything..”

Luna leaned over and gently placed a kiss on her cheek, Ryleigh froze.

“You can tell me whenever you’re ready, I’ll wait.”