Casualty of Love: Turning Tables

What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger

Dealing with all the pity glances was a whole lot easier now that I knew I had people who knew what I was going through. After about a month, I wasn't noticing them at all. It felt like such a relief to have people on my side. 

Today, I was going to Madam Pomfrey's for a checkup but first, I needed to check myself in the mirror. I attempted to smooth out the dark curls that were cascading down my sides. With a little work, they began to smooth out and look halfway decent. My cheeks were flushed and glowy--people weren't kidding about that 'pregnancy glow'.

I turned to the side and lifted up my shirt. My torso was growing. I had to have new clothing sent a week before. I sighed, putting my shirt back down and turning away from the mirror. I quickly made my way to the portrait so I could get to the hospital wing.

Madam Pomfrey was bursting at the seams when I came in. "I'm so happy that you got here early! I've done mountains of research preparing for this--I really have! I even got my hands on one of those X Ray cameras that St. Mongo's uses! I tested it out on a boy today who broke his arm, it photographs beautifully!" she gushed as she helped me settle into one of the beds. 

"Wait, so, you can take a picture of my insides? Will I get to see the baby or just the bones?"

Madam Pomfrey smiled so broadly that I was scared the tops of her cheekbones would jut into her eyes. "You'll get to see the baby, dear! I'm quite excited myself. I've never dealt with such a situation before! What an experience! Alright dear, lift up your shirt a tad," she instructed, holding up the camera. It looked like a completely normal camera, although there was a big X on the side. Unlike a regular camera though, the flash on this was so bright that it blinded me momentarily.

"Alright, let me go stick this in the developer!"

I sat waiting on the bed for a minute before she came back. "It'll be a few minutes. Would you like me to tell you what I found out in my research?" she asked anxiously. I knew that she really wanted to tell me so I nodded. 

"Well, your baby is developing quickly. By now, week 13, it's already got fingernails and eyelids and it's developing most of it's organs! It may even stick it's thumb in it's mouth! I feel so terrible referring to your baby as an 'it'. I do hope we find out the gender soon! I better go get that picture," she exclaimed, running back to where she had come from earlier.

It was hard to wrap my head around everything she had said. There was a baby growing inside of me? It wasn't a concept I thought I'd have to grasp for a long time. 

I hardly noticed Madam Pomfrey when she appeared in the room again. Her bubbly fit had fizzled and she looked somber. "What is it?" I asked anxiously. My stomach had fallen to my feet when I took in her expression.

"I think you better look for yourself." 

I reached out and took the picture, closing my eyes to steady myself. Was the baby gone? I had heard that that could happen to people...but I hadn't noticed anything different. I opened my eyes. Right there, in a small black and white photo, I saw a baby with it's thumb in it's mouth and a baby squished against it; they sort of swayed in the fluid. "Is that...two babies?"

"I'm afraid that the particular potion that was used on you has this side effect. I read about it when I was doing research but I didn't think too much on it. You can keep the picture... I'm sure you'll need a moment to yourself so I'll leave you now. Come back in two weeks time, alright?" And with that, she left the room.

Wow, two babies, I thought as I got up from the bed. Suddenly I felt a whole lot heavier. What did this change? I looked back down at the picture I had in my hands while walking the corridors. Those were my babies. They were part of me. I gave them life and in a few short months, they would be living and breathing on their own--in a world that I absolutely despised. How could I do this to them?