Potter

Chapter 70

The rest of February passed by slowly and without much happening.

While I hadn't been present, apparently the Carrow's crashing of the Valentine's party was something loud and brutal, and even in March I found myself attending to several still-mending-bones, cuts and bruises that refused to fully heal.

"Stop grimacing, Neville, it's not even that bad." I hushed when he kept staring at me reproachfully, looking rather put-out as I worked on healing the black eye he had recieved. The skin was puffy and irritated looking, and to my frustration, wouldn't die down.

"Not that bad?" He scoffed, flinching when I dabbed at it with the anti-bruise paste that normally worked flawlessly. I grimaced.

"Okay, so it's not great. But it's not the worst I'm dealing with right now. I mean, you pull it off very dashingly- No?" I asked, simpering at the exasperated expression he gave me. "Okay, fine. But it isn't horrible. At least you can still see! I'm still trying to coax Emma Dob's eye to open even a little bit."

Neville sighed. "You're right. I'm sorry- How is she, anyway?"

"She's alright. I've got Nigel with her right now. He makes her laugh, keeps her mind off of it I think."

"Nigel's good at doing that." Neville agreed with a nod. With narrowed eyes, I retracted my hand and stared at his eye carefully. The bruise still looked nasty, but some of the tension in his forehead had relaxed, so I was hoping it felt better.

"Okay, Neville, move on- Seamus, come here. I want to check on your hand." I called, switching out the bruise paste for something that would help the swelling of his broken fingers calm down. As Neville moved Seamus quickly took his place, sticking out his hand for me to inspect.

For awhile we had been certain it was getting better, healing, but then two days after nothing it swelled up again and felt hot to touch- Enough so that Seamus had used a sticking charm to attach an icepack to it. Most of the Professors allowed it, but it had to be taken off for the Carrows' classes, as if they caught sight of it they'd surely take it away and break his hand further. The Carrow's and their anti-healing movement had almost officially put Madame Pomfrey out of a job, and the witch now spent most of her time speaking more than acting, and if she was able to get away with it, handing out books and potions.

"It's gotten a bit better. Less pulsing, if nothin' else." Seamus informed me, taking the potion I handed out to me and downing it without a question. It was nice to be trusted unconditionally sometimes. I bit my lip, brows furrowed.

"Well, the ice should be helping. When you're done with that glass, could you give it to Parvati? She's been taking them to the kitchens to be washed so they can be reused later." I hummed, applying slight pressure on his index finger as I spoke to see how long it took him to react. It took a surprisingly long time, but when he finally felt it he let out a few choice words that made one of the reading fifth years by us scowl disapprovingly.

"Sorry." I said, completely unapologetic as I let go. "But you didn't feel that pain for awhile. That's a good sign-"

"That hurt!"

"And if you want to complain about it, go find someone else." I said, smiling as pleasantly as possible. Part of me felt a little guilty, but not too much- Ever since Lavender had informed me of her feelings for the Irish boy, and his less-than-kind treatment of her, my tolerance had become increasingly short when it came to dealing with him. Seamus looked at reproachfully, resembling a kicked dog.

"What's got your wand in a knot, Longbottom?" He asked, rubbing the palm of his hand gently. I let out a big puff of air.

"Nothing, Seamus. Sorry- Stressful day, I don't mean to take it out on you." I said with a sigh. That was part of it too, I decided. My entire weekend so far had been made of checking up on others, on their healing progress, on if they were okay. It was important, but I'd be lying if I said it didn't get tiring after awhile. But if I got everyone taken care of now, with some luck, I might be able to get to bed at a decent time tonight.