Riddle Me This

31

When I woke up, I was in the hospital wing. I felt a slight pressure on my right hand, which was on the bed. 

I didn't open my eyes yet, but I heard people bustling around me.

"Will she be okay?" someone asked. I recognized it as Harry's voice. 

"Yes. She'll just be on bedrest for a week or two," an old woman's voice replied reassuringly. I knew that was Madame Pomfrey. 

"I'll stay with her. She'll hate being alone for that long," a new voice said. My heart leaped into my chest, all fuzzy and warm as I recognized Mattheo's voice.

The pressure on my hand tightened. I wriggled a little at the uncomfortable tightness, then realized that it was Mattheo's hand.

"I think she's waking up," Madame Pomfrey said as I opened my eyes slowly. I'd been in the hospital wing enough times to know that you should never open your eyes super fast, otherwise you'd get temporarily blinded.

Partially from the light, but mostly from the people who were too close to your face.

I let out a small moan as I tried to sit up. I opened my eyes completely and saw that Mattheo was sitting next to me in an uncomfortable-looking chair, and Harry was sitting at the foot of my bed. Madame Pomfrey was standing on my other side with a plate of food.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, putting the plate in my lap. "It hurts," I groaned.

"That's normal. Where specifically?" she asked. "My arm, my shoulder, and my back. Especially my shoulder," I said. 

"Here, you need to eat," Mattheo said, picking up the plate. He scooped up some of the eggs and held it to my lips. I made to snatch it away and feed myself, but instead I screamed as my shoulder flared in pain.

Harry and Mattheo jumped up immediately. Madame Pomfrey only tsk tsked and repositioned my arm.

"Don't move it then," she scolded. She turned to Mattheo and Harry. 

"She's fine. Her shoulder will be in pain for a little while, so please make sure she doesn't move it, okay?" she asked. Mattheo nodded. 

"What did I break?" I asked. "Your arm was burned, and you fell on your back and shoulder, so nothing. But I can't be sure, since someone won't tell us what's wrong," Mattheo said. He glanced meaningfully at Madame Pomfrey.

"If I told you when she was unconscious, you would've done something irrational. It was bad enough, neither of you attending your classes," she said.

"Wait, you guys skipped class?" I asked. "Yeah. Mattheo slept here in the hospital, too. He didn't leave your bedside," Harry said. I looked to Mattheo.

"You didn't have to," I said. "It didn't feel right in our dorm without you," he replied. I smiled.

"Where's that egg that I risked my life for?" I asked. "I knew you'd ask for it. Here," Harry said, handing me the golden egg. I took it and looked into my reflection in the shinny gold.

I looked tired, and a couple bandages covered my face, but I looked fine otherwise. I was glad, and I smiled.

"Well, it better be worth it," I said. I turned the egg around in my hands, trying to find a way to open it. 

"You need to eat," Matthew said, taking the egg from me and holding up the spoon again. I ate the food, spoonful after spoonful, until the plate was empty.

At some point, Dumblewhore walked in with Professor McGonagall. "Good evening, Caelia," he said.

"Professor," I replied. "I'll just cut to the chase. You won't be able to attend any classes for the next two to three weeks, so-" Professor McGonagall began.