Chloe Cullen 4 - A Harry Potter and Twilight Crossover

Chapter 8: Invalid

I wake up the next morning feeling worse. I'm nauseous and dehydrated, but the smell of food makes me want to vomit again, so Madam Pomfrey has me drink potions that are supposed to give me nutrients and hydrate me without me actually having to eat. Then, there's my breathing. I'm short of breath, and the breaths that I do take are more like wheezes. Madam Pomfrey says I have pneumonia. The treatment for that is a potion, but the potion isn't a liquid. It's in the form of a gas that I have to breath in over a few days. Since I'm sick so much, Madam Pomfrey says she wants me to stay in the hospital wing until she is 100% confident that I'm cured. Madam Pomfrey also makes me write to my parents what's going on.

Dear Mom and Dad,

I told Madam Pomfrey that writing to you wouldn't be a good idea, but she doesn't compromise, so here goes. After the Quidditch World Cup, I got sick. Mrs. Weasley gave me a potion and made me stay in bed and I thought I was all better, but when I got to Hogwarts I got sick again. I felt very nauseous and I threw up when the food appeared on the table. Madam Pomfrey made me go to the hospital wing, and today she found out I have pneumonia. She can treat it just fine, she just wants me to tell you about it. She wants me to stay in bed until she knows I'm cured. I'm not arguing with that, because I feel really weak. Try not to worry about me MOM.

Love,

Chloe

I'm bored to tears most of the day. What's worse, Madam Pomfrey won't allow visitors the first day because I'm still contagious. The only thing that keeps me entertained are my text books - which Madam Pomfrey got for me. To my shock - and maybe a little horror - Madam Pomfrey allows Harry and Ron to come in. At first this is good, but then they tell me the amount of Divination homework we have. "What? It's the first day!" I complain. Ron blushes. "What did you do?" I growl. He repeats to me a little joke that he made about Lavender and Uranus. We talk for a little bit, but then they have to go.

Madam Pomfrey has to keep me in the Hospital Wing a little longer than she initially planned. Instead of a few days, I stay in the hospital wing for a week. Even then, Madam Pomfrey is making me go back to her after dinner each day to make sure that my symptoms aren't coming back. My mom wrote back and, to no one's surprise, she's scared I'm about to turn into a vampire, and convinced Madam Pomfrey of the same thing. I tell this to Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, and George and Hermione is the only one who believes my mother. My mom wants me to practice resisting delicious things already, starting with desserts. By the middle of October, I'm able to skip dessert entirely without much regret.

One evening, when we arrive in the entrance hall, we find a message that's being blocked by a large group of students. I stand on my tiptoes to read the sign. "Triwizard Tournament: The delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving at 6 o'clock on Friday the 30th of October. Lessons will end half an hour early. Students will return their bags and books to their dormitories and assemble in front of the castle to greet our guests before the welcoming feast." "Only a week away!" I hear Ernie says. "I wonder if Cedric knows? Think I'll go and tell him..."

In the days leading up the newcomers' arrival, the staff grows more tense. Mr. Filch is giving everything an extra cleaning and snapping at anyone who dares to make a mess. Even Professor McGonagall is more tense. "Longbottom, kindly do not reveal that you can't even perform a simple Switching Spell in front of anyone from Durmstrang!" The morning of their arrival, I arrive with Fred and George in the Great Hall to find it highly decorated. I would care more if Fred and George weren't having such bad luck with Ludo Bagman. Turns out the gold they were given was Leprechaun Gold, meaning it's already disappeared.The three of us sit quietly together, talking in low voices. "I think you should send the letter. Give him a while to respond, and if he doesn't respond in, say, a few weeks, then send another letter," I suggest. "If he won't talk to us in person, we'll have to send him the letter after all. Or we'll stuff it into his hand. He can't avoid us forever." George says. "Who's avoiding you?" says Ron, sitting down next to us. "Wish you would," says Fred irritably. "What's a bummer?" Ron asks George. "Having a nosy git like you for a brother," says George. I roll my eyes.

"You two got any ideas on the Triwizard Tournament yet?" Harry asks. "Thought any more about trying to enter?" "I asked McGonagall how the champions are chosen but she wasn't telling. She just told me to shut up and get on with transfiguring my raccoon." "Wonder what the tasks are going to be? You know, I bet we could do them, Harry. We've done dangerous stuff before... Chloe should try to! You're really smart, and have better reflexes," Ron says. "And mess up my hair? No thanks," I answer. Ron rolls his eyes. "Besides, we haven't done dangerous stuff in front of a panel of judges." I continue. "Who are the judges?" Harry asks. Hermione is the one to answer. "Well, the Heads of the participating schools are always on the panel, because all three of them were injured during the Tournament of 1792, when a cockatrice the champions were supposed to be catching went on a rampage."

She looks at the boys, who are all looking at her. "It's all in Hogwarts, A history. Though, of course, that book's not entirely reliable. A Revised History of Hogwarts would be a more accurate title. Or A Highly Biased and Selective History of Hogwarts, Which Glosses Over the Nastier Aspects of the School." "What are you on about?" says Ron. "House elves! Not once, in over a thousand pages, does Hogwarts, A History mention that we are all colluding in the oppression of a hundred slaves!" I roll my eyes and continue attempting to eat - my appetite isn't completely back. Hermione has been bugging me for a month to buy a spew badge, but I refuse. Firstly, I don't want to walk around wearing the word spew on my chest. Secondly, they like their jobs. I don't want to dampen their happiness.

The rest of lessons, nobody really pays much attention. Finally, at the end of the day, we're lead down the steps and line up in front of the castle. It's cold and clear, so I probably won't get pneumonia again. "Nearly six. How d'you reckon they're coming? The Train?" "I doubt it," says Hermione. "How, then? Broomsticks?" Harry suggests. I don't contribute much to their conversation about different ways that they can arrive. I mostly just stand around, looking at my surroundings, searching for anything out of the ordinary. Then, Dumbledore speaks. "Aha! Unless I am very much mistaken, the delegation from Beauxbatons approaches!" "Where?" asks a few students. A sixth year points in the direction of the forest.

A huge black shape skims over the trees. It's drawn my Abraxans - winged horses - and the carriage is actually more like a large house that's powder blue in color. A minute later, the carriage lands and the doors open. A boy in thin, pale blue robes jumps out of the carriage, bends forward, and opens golden steps. Coming from the carriage, is a woman about Hagrid's size. Her skin is olive toned, and she has black eyes. Dumbledore claps, and the rest of us follow his lead. "My dear Madam Maxime. Welcome to Hogwarts." "Dumbly-dorr," says Madam Maxime in a deep voice. "I 'ope I find you well?" "In excellent form, I thank you," says Dumbledore. "My pupils," she says, waving one of her hands behind her. About a dozen more kids come from the carriage. They should have prepared better for the weather. Their robes consist of only blue silk. They are all staring up at Hogwarts.

"'As Karkaroff arrived yet?" she asks. "He should be here any moment. Would you like tow ait here and greet him or would you prefer to step inside and warm up a trifle?" Madam Maxime decides to go inside. It's a few minutes more before we hear any more new noises. Then, we hear a rumbling coming from the lake. A whirlpool appears in the lake, and a long pole merges from it. Slowly, a ship emerges. It looks like a ghost ship. Finally, it emerges entirely. It takes a minute for people to emerge. Their headmaster is in the front. "Dumbledore!" he calls heartily as he walks nearer. "How are you, my dear fellow, how are you?" "Blooming, thank you, Professor Karkaroff," Did I just hear Dumbledore right? Karkaroff? As in Igor Karkaroff? The man who used to be a Death Eater? I read about his trial in an old copy of the Daily Prophet. I take a few steps. "Dear old Hogwarts. How good it is to be here, how good... Viktor, come along, into the warmth... you don't mind, Dumbledore? Viktor has a slight head cold..." From the darkness, emerges a boy I've certainly seen before. Viktor Krum.