The Tale of the Black Knight: The Mark

Whispers in the Hospital Wing

Guaranteed, she was going to get an earful as soon as he would step through those doors. She really dug a fine hole for herself by only trying to defend a friend, among one of the first she had ever made. Especially after the forewarnings her Guardian gave - - Lyra could not feel any more embarrassed, of not bruised, as she sat close to be examined on one of the beds in the wide Hospital Wing.

"Gave us all quite a turn, young Prince," spoke the stinging voice of the Headnurse, Madame Pomfrey as she soon concluded examining Lyra's right side where a bruise had formed harshly. She winced and how she deserved that when her arm was allowed to lower back to resting on her lap.

Lyra looked at the woman, tensely, and it wasn't her well deserved pain that caused it. It was that calloused look within Pomfrey's own that made her feel much worse. The Headnurse wore a kindly sort of demeanor about her but she held a sternness in her eyes that prevented argument.

"Granted, child. It is he who you must answer to, not I. Best to follow the advice given to you."

"I was only trying to help someone..."

"Again, Miss Prince, keep your wits about you, if it my place to say."

From where her bed was, it was easy for Lyra to overhear talking out in the corridor and she picked up on his baritone voice among them. Lyra was then allowed to lean back against her pillow.

"Now, keep still. My pick-me-up will do you just fine to ease this bruising. You will be right as rain, soon enough."

Lyra softly smiled, gratefully at the woman before noticing a shadow over them. The Head nurse delivered some side-eye at him as she tucked Lyra's blanket under her legs snugger like prior to moving on with her tray, walking past the stark Professor.

"Thank you, Madame," he told her, upfront and slow. "Allow me a moment alone, to have a word with my ward."

"Mind hearing a bit of advice, Professor?" Poppy Pomfrey whispered to him, even though that earned her a very scathing glance. "Despite her efforts seemingly rash, they were noble nonetheless."

"Do be quiet." he deeply hushed at her, appalled at her audacity of even stating such.

Madame Pomfrey only shared a sweet smile before walking off to leave the family alone, for now. Lyra soon lowered her eyes to her hands, twiddling with them as she gnawed hard on her lip.

"You desire for me to trust you again." he began, as though coldly. "Indeed."

"Please, I can explain. I really can..."

"If it will suffice enough for me to state that Malfoy has been suspended." Professor Prince shared. "...until then, it will be a battle between us, the faculty, and that family in question. All of which do not fall upon your shoulders, however."

Lyra rose her eyes up to him, slightly relieved.

"It is not the only time he has aroused rage within others, intentionally." he spoke, and he soon closed in to her and sat at the bedside, gently holding her hand in both of his. "So you say you can explain to me the reasons why you thought mounting a strange broom trying to prove yourself to a boy who elects to humiliating you, after we had just discussed how delicate life is. As noble as your stance for Miss Slone was and is, such recklessness would only worsen matters —"

"I was not being reckless~ and sir, you know I hate that word!" Lyra spoke up finally. Yet she sighed in defeat upon seeing daggers shoot at her from those tunnels. "... I suppose I was trying to show him that he wasn't as great as he thought he was, that... you know, he'd go away. That I could show you that I can defend myself~"