There were needles
After Dudley left with the nurse Professor McGonagall, introduced herself to me formally as my temporary guardian.
She continued quite formally, “I expect I’ll see you in my classes when you turn eleven next year.”
Classes?, “Classes?”
She then said with her head tilted slightly to the side, “Because you’re a wizard.” “I’m a what.” Ok if I hadn’t seen what she did with the furniture and the fact she TELEPORTED us I would have thought she was a crazy person.
She looked sheepish, “Sorry about that Hagrid’s much better at talking to children, I deal mostly with parents.”
I a little bit shocked didn’t say anything, McGonagall didn’t say anything either.
So, a few moments passed as an awkward silence passed over us. I didn’t know what to say and she obviously felt the same. I could hear Miss Pomfrey and Dudley talking a few beds away, but nothing specific so there was nothing to distract me there.
So, to occupy myself, I fiddled with the handle of the small duffle bag I brought with me, it lay next to my book bag. It only has a few books that we were reading for class in it.
Wait, would that count as stealing? I’ll ask if I can return them to my school… After I’ve finished reading them.
Our uncomfortable silence was interrupted, when we heard Dudley start screaming, practically wailing. It freaked me out because I don’t think I’ve heard Dudley scream before, well not like this at least he sometimes screams to get his way but its constant? This was horrible, it sounded like he was in pain.
That nurse lady was not as nice as I thought.
“Don’t worry guys! he’s alright he Is just… stressed! yes stressed! There’s no problem here!” Miss Pomfrey said, lying very badly, while peeking out from behind the curtain. She popped back in after getting a bottle filled with some weird liquid in it, running straight back to Dudley.
“What could that be about.” The Professor McGonagall said confused.
I ask frightened. “That’s not what those are normally like… right?”
After being told that I’m a wizard, I was willing to believe a lot of things. Regular torture of kids wasn’t one of them, but the screaming wasn’t helping me to keep believing that.
She nodded once somewhat unsure of herself, “Its essentially a more detailed check-up, there are some stuff that cause pain, but that’s only some needles and one odd stinging hex.” The screaming stopped. Now there was just sobbing.
Then the sound cut out, like when something morally offensive was being talked about on TV and Aunt Petunia pressed mute.
The witch looked relieved. “She finally put up a sound proofing charm.” She huffed a little.
She then continued, “could have done it a bit sooner.” I had to agree.
“…”, We both sat in silence, at least it was slightly less uncomfortable now.
I was really not looking forward to that examination.
I hate needles.
-
A lot of time had passed, we had started playing some cards I brought while we waited, neither of us really knew how to play anything but solitaire but we made do.
Professor McGonagall grew increasingly worried as time went on.
McGonagall looked at me after my third win of snap-iter, and said, “How often did they hurt you.”
…I didn’t even understand what she said… then I got it, “Only the once.”
“Why was your stuff under the stairs,”
I sighed saying, “that was my room.” Her eye brow rose at that.
She brought her hands together and then looked a little more poised, more like when I first met her, but she was a little bit too still, she was still worried. What about? Then she asked the unthinkable. “Is… Dudley…mistreated by your aunt and uncle?”
I burst out laughing. She got a little bit wide eyed at my response.
“I was surprised you brought him really, his parents love him.” I didn’t realize it. But after Professor Mcgonagall wiped my tears away I realized.
I was crying.
“Yeah we don’t have the best friendship, he calls me freak and I call him pig… in my head.” As I said that last bit, she gave me a little bit of a soul piercing glare, I then remembered she was a teacher, but I couldn’t be blamed I’ve never had a teacher like this maybe professors are just better.
She sighed, “He’s just been in there a long time.”
“how bad could it be?” seriously I know he’s overweight, but he’s got no other problem really.
“I child who was partially buried alive was in them for less than him.” Ouch.
“I’m just not sure why he’s in there for so long.” She muttered with annoyance.
I shuffled my feet a bit, the shoes on the other foot now, I suppose. Feeling sheepish, I give an awkward chuckle. Slightly worried for my cousin now, what could be going on in there?
I’m not used to feeling worried for Dudley, but he did help me. Even if I’m not sure why.
“He was the one who told right?”
“…yes,”
“Why,”
“…I don’t know.” I awkwardly chuckled.
“Examinations are not a laughing matter, I would ask you to be a little bit more respectful, and if I hear you try to get information out of your cousin about his examination, I’ll have you in detention for the first half of your next school year. Of course, this would apply to your cousin as well if he does the same, no matter where he ends up after this.”
“But I don’t go to this school until I’m eleven right? And how would you get Dudley in detention if he goes to a school you’re not a Professor of?” She looked at me and just smiled. A genuine, full toothed smile.
I’d hate to know what she would do if Professor McGonagall was angry. Laugh?
I want my examination now.
-
I still can’t get over the fact that this school is in a giant castle, in the middle of nowhere Scotland, I can’t wait to go here, they play a game on broomsticks, and my dad was pretty good at it, so I am told. She was talking a bit about the houses of the school, but before getting far into that conversation, Dudley and who I was told was to be referred to as Madam Pomfrey came back.
I didn’t take a good look at Dudley at first when I found out he was being taken with me as well, but he did start bawling just before I had finished getting my things, and he didn’t stop, he did get shocked out of it when we TELEPORTED. But started again when he started screaming after he started his examination, and then never stopped. His eyes were puffy, I’d almost think he had pillows in his eye lids, they were that bad, it made his pi-. His face normal by comparison and his blond hair unusually fluffy like it came alive. He wasn’t crying anymore, but I felt like it could change at any moment.
Pomfrey, after gently patting Dudley’s shoulder. Then explained, “I will be explaining some basics about the wizarding world to you Harry while we do our examination, seeing as it seems that neither of you know anything of it.”
Looking pointedly at the nice Witch she said sternly. “You could have done the transfer of this young boy better Minerva; do you see how upset this boy is? You did ripped him away from his home and parents, and I had to spend a good deal of time helping him deal with that... but, it was… “ She then looked at Dudley.
“…For the best that you brought him along.”
So, he was upset about being taken away from his Mum and Dad.
I can understand that, even if I’ve never met mine.
I don’t get it though, he got really upset about being taken, and is treated …well by his parents, why is it good thing that he was brought along? The nurse looked at McGonagall again.
Professor McGonagall asked. “Well what was with that screaming, that couldn’t have been the only cause for that racket.”
Madam Pomfrey responded with a little bit of a guilty, tired laugh.
“He didn’t respond very well, with learning about being a Muggleborn.” Dudley flinched at that.
The first Witch looked a bit surprised. “Young Dudley’s a Muggleborn?!” She exclaimed, bringing her hand to her chin in shock.
“I suppose it explains why he was calling me cat lady.” She seemed assured now and was waiting for the nurse to continue. Why that explained anything making no sense to me.
But being a bit confused I asked, “What’s a Muggleborn?” I knew muggle was the word they used for people without magic from what Professor McGonagall had been telling me while we were waiting, but I hadn’t heard the word Muggleborn before. While I said that, Dudley looked at me angrily, for even daring to mention the word in his presence.
The Witch looked a bit unsure and coughed before speaking. “Well, it’s what your mother was, well it’s an umm, well it’s a witch or wizard... when their born to a Muggle family.” I didn’t process what she said for a second.
Then I got it.
Dudley’s a wizard, does that means Dudley’s coming to this school next year with me. Dammit. It was a good thing that he was brought along, because he’s also a wizard…
Dudley still looked at me angrily but also a little bit guiltily. He said, “Sorry… apparently, you got in trouble sometimes for the freaky things…” He trailed of and paused for a second.
“…I did…” He looked really sad when he said that, and I almost felt bad for him, almost.
He stuttered, “Including the vacuum.” That was him?
“As you can see Minerva.” Giving Dudley a little calming shake, “Dudley didn’t have the best reaction to the news… and some of the other things I had to say to him.”
Contemplating what she said really carefully, she uttered, “So I need you to be very gentle with this one, really careful and answer every question and sate his curiosity even if he doesn’t ask any questions, he also needs a lot of reassurance that he is perfectly fine young man. Even…”
She puts a tighter hand on Dudley’s shoulder, getting his attention, “…if he can do better in the future.” The witch then looked at it her pointedly.
The Witch said with a little bit of confusion ,“Any particular reason why for the gentle approach? I wasn’t aware this was something needed from a boy from a good home” I guess from what I said she didn’t have a good opinion of Dudley and was confused by the instructions.
A look I did not recognise came over her, “The case is a lot like young Annabelle’s.” That led to a lot of silence. The Witch continued to look at the Nurse, with a blank expression, while Dudley just stared at the floor.
“I’ll do the best I am capable of.”
-
The examination room was not really a room as such, it was a bed, with a white curtain around it but it was oddly quiet, as I couldn’t hear anything outside the curtain.
First of I was asked very simple questions about my home life, afterwards she told me that what I felt was normal was very important and would give her a better idea on what to do for me.
It was weird.
She would ask me questions that I didn’t think twice about, and she would write them down very seriously. Even if it was something simple like describe your bedroom, what do you usually wear, what is your relationships with your classmates and who is your favourite adult.
The last one I gave was Professor McGonagall she is so cool. Scary but cool and nice.
“we will get you a proper physiatrist to get a look at you, though otherwise you seem surprisingly well adjusted. Its surprising how people react sometimes.” I tried to interrupt he, but she just continued, “You do have symptom of extreme neglect though and imprinted on us surprisingly fast which indicates...”
Next she gave me a check-up, but it was really invasive, she got me to strip, she tested all my bones and muscles, she told me to tell her if I got too uncomfortable.
She said that certain spells and parenting practices, she said that word with a scowl, can cause very specific things in particular points of the body, and that she unfortunately has to be very thorough due to certain ailments and spells being able to interfere with basic diagnosis spells, at one point she cast a spell on me, as a precaution so I wouldn’t bleed as she checked, and took off my bandages. She replaced them after she was done, she said, “These bandages were wrapped very well, and that whoever must have done them was very experienced.” Yep that’s why I think it was Aunt Petunia, glad someone agreed with me about it even if we never discussed it.
She told me, “You’re a little bit underweight for your age, height and width. I prescribe eating a little bit past full for one month, eat normal meals after that, as well as a couple of nutritional potions once every week.”
She said a bunch of weird words behind my back, where I couldn’t see, it made me feel all tingly.
After I got my clothes all back on, which fit a bit better for some reason. She asked what I remember from when Uncle Vernon hit me, so I told her. She frowned the entire time. She then passed me a potion and said, “This should help with the damage from any possible concussion.” Concuss what?
She then told me was going to give me a few injections.
She explained, “Most wizards don’t know this, but despite are version of immunisation practices using a combination of potions, the original concept was conceived by a muggle and, that in fact we both use the ce-“. It got very boring very fast, but it distracted me long enough to get the needle in.
Then she warned me that she was going to cast a very small stinging hex on me and that she wants me to describe the pain out of ten, or if I could find an accurate way to describe it in relation to a memory, to tell her that. She then cast the spell it glowed like red as she said.
“Crucia.” As it hit me, it glowed yellow and dissipated. It felt like someone flicked me with a rubber band. I tell her that, and she writes it down, I tried to read what she wrote but unlike what I thought, it wasn’t upside down, the writing squiggled around like it was alive, but Miss Pomfrey seemed to be reading it just fine.
She then asked me some questions on what she described as accidental magic. After a few dozen questions on what odd things I had seen happen, and feelings I had while those things happened. She told me I had only done a little more than half of the magic I described, the rest being Dudley’s doing.
She said that my magic use was normal and was following normal projections for a child my age. Whatever projection are, I’m glad their normal.
I think.
She then said. “The examination is over, I now just need to give you some information on your prescriptions. I expect you take them exactly as I describe okay?” She doesn’t let me respond, as she lists off a few different potions when and how I’m to take them and for how long.
She finishes off by saying. “I’ll get the potions to you every day you need them, as you need them, you don’t have to worry about running out.” She paused for a small instance and then continued. “and if they do it means you don’t need them anymore okay.”
She seemed to start to lead me out, then stopped and said the best thing I’ve heard all day. “Please make sure young Dudley wears the glasses I gave him, he was awfully embarrassed about them, but with vision as bad as his I’d be surprised if he functions well at school, and really it’s for the best that he wears them all the time.” This is going to be great.
-
We left the curtains only after a little over an hour, while Dudley’s lasted three. When we got back there was a new kid that Professor McGonagall had been called told about while we were gone.
He nervously walked up to go for his examination, but he was quickly turned around to introduce himself to me.
The boy had a round face, he was also short and plump and blond.
He held out his hand weakly and said, “My names Neville Longbottom… What’s yours?”
-