INVISIBLE STRING

7.THE WAND

CHAPTER SEVEN
THE WAND

Time, curious time, gave me no compasses, gave me no signs - Invisible String by Taylor Swift

MADAME POMFREY was readjusting Remus badges to the still sleeping boy. Over the years, she had come to know his mannerisms so now she always made sure to give him a sleep potion too. He never specifically asked for it, but of course Madame Pomfrey had discussed it with him before she changed something in his medicine.

She would not just change something without telling and discussing it with her patient first!

She had just noticed how the boy wouldn't sleep unless exhaustion caused him to pass out and how he wasn't able to change it even after she talked to him about the importance of sleep.

He had told her how there was just too much to think about and not enough time. How he didn't try to stay up, but how his mind made it impossible for him to fall asleep.

Madame Pomfrey wouldn't lie, she had kind of a soft spot for Remus, having seen him hurt ever since he arrived here at eleven, scared and embarrassed about his condition.

So she made sure her favorite students knew just how much she cared about him, how he could always talk to her if he wanted or needed to and how she was always there to listen.

She also made sure he got a good nights rest after fullmoons, the only time he allowed himself to take potions for his sleep and knew what to do with himself in those long, sleepless nights.

After all Poppy herself knew just how dark thoughts could get if you thought about them too long and too often.

And she wanted to do everything in her power to protect Remus of that dark place.

Poppy was a good healer. And she knew some things took time, that's why she wasn't too worried when the mysterious girl didn't stay awake immediately after the first awaking.

Of course she was still worried, it was part of the job, both about the girl and Hogwarts.

But it was like some part of Hermione was fighting to wake up, to make that first encounter reality again and this time stay awake longer.

She may not have done it consciously, but some part of her definitely wanted to escape from this state of being stuck and unreachable.

And then, it finally was time again and she was able to run away from the castle of sleep and unconciousness that had kept her trapped.

Minerva and Poppy had been talking quietly with each other as the alarm went of, charmed so only the two of them could hear and see as to not disturb the other students and patients of the hospital wing. So today only Remus, but that was besides the point.

As Hermione opened he eyes, the first thing she noticed was the bright light, red and alarming. Then she saw two people rushing to her, people she didn't recognize, they seemed weirdly familiar in an unfamiliar way.

Somehow that made sense to her confused mind. 

Hermione wanted to scream, wanted to stand up and run away to hide, but she wasn't able to move a muscle.

She tried though, making one of the woman immediately point her wand at her, the other one busy mixing some kind of potion.

As the woman tried to give her something to drink, Hermione refused. It could be poison for all she knew! She had to figure out where in hell she currently was and how she got here before she would even think about accepting something to drink.

"Where am I?", Hermione muttered, her voice barely audible and everything but smooth after days of not using it. She cleared her throat as the two woman were looking at each other pointedly.