For the Greater Good || Tom Riddle ||

Chapter Eleven: The Hospital Wing

It was extremely early when Gwen and Simon ambled down to the Hospital Wing to check up on Jane. They wanted to make sure that she was doing well before they embarked off to their classes for the day. When they walked into the Hospital Wing, Jane was still lying in the cot next to the window, motionless as a rock.

Madam Starkwell had pulled Jane's hair off of the nape of her neck with a baby blue ribbon. The sea of white sheets covered her still body almost as if she was a fossilized insect incased in amber. Her skin looked ghostly pale, and her eyes were wide open in fright. Simon ran to her bedside and grabbed her frozen hand.

"Gwen, look at her. Who could have done this to her? She didn't deserve this!"

Gwen stared down at the muggle-born with a cool gaze. For the first time, she noticed that Jane had a small scar on the side of her chin. It was barely noticeable on her pallid face.

She had the sudden urge to move some of the girl's wisps of bangs off of her forehead, and did so very timidly and with the gentlest of touch.

Gwen felt a strange mix of sorrow and pity stir in her heart. However, she couldn't help but wonder if this tragedy would have happened to Jane if she was pure of blood. Would she have been petrified? She quickly got rid of the morbid idea, and conjured several brightly colored poppies to put next to Jane's bedside.

She's your friend, Gwen... It doesn't matter if she is a muggle-born.

However, something innate within her wanted to fight every bit of sadness she felt for the girl.

She deserves this...

"You're quite good at nonverbal magic," Simon mused quietly as he stroked Jane's hand. He turned to face Gwen, and she knew that he was only making conversation because he couldn't stand the silence. "You fixed my glasses with a nonverbal spell too. Is that something they taught at Durmstrang often?"

Gwen walked over to a small desk beside the window where she spotted a vase for the poppies. She stared solemnly out at the foggy sky.

"A bit, yes. We began learning nonverbal magic our third year."

A small, sad smile crept over her lips as she turned around to look at Jane. "But I began earlier. My grandparents taught me many spells at home as well."

"I desperately hope that Headmaster Dippet writes to Jane's parents. They need to know," Simon sighed. He pulled off his glasses and wiped the lenses on his robes.

"Yes, I suppose they do," Gwen said as she stared off into the distance.

Just as the conversation died, heavy clad footsteps could be heard outside in the hall, headed for the infirmary. Madam Starkwell, Headmaster Dippet, and all of the Heads of Houses walked into the Hospital Wing.

The matron's weathered voice carried as she entered the room. "Her vitals are fine, she is in tip-top shape. Other than the fact that she is as still as stone, everything appears to be normal. No other curses were used-" The woman's voice trailed off as the adults realized they were not alone.

Professor Hollingshead immediately caught sight of Gwen and Simon. A weak smile spread across her worn face. "Good morning, both of you. Gwen, I am particularly glad to see you," she divulged.

"I have something important to tell you. Headmaster Dippet and I have been talking." She paused and an expectant lull filled the air. Gwen believed the Hospital Wing to be quiet before. Now, it would be perfectly plausible to hear a pin drop from the top of the tower.

"And we have agreed that there is an obvious breach of security at Hogwarts," Headmaster Dippet admitted somewhat reluctantly in the charged silence.