Three Werewolves, a Pony, a Seer and a Skepticist walk into Hogwarts...

by SamuelK28

A New Week

“Why am I not surprised?” Madam Pomfrey said with a disapproving scowl as she opened the door to her office and discovered just who had interrupted her breakfast.

“The feelings mutual,” Limestone replied with an equally ferocious scowl.

Professor Sprout ignored Limestone’s retort. “Apologies to disturb you so early Poppy, Scoti was assisting Limestone with her flying and introducing her to the game of Quidditch…”

“Quidditch! You cannot be serious Pomona. To introduce such promising young witches to such a barbaric blood sport is not just cruel, it is pure evil. I have already had a stern word with Minerva about recruiting a certain first year that shall remain nameless and am pressing the matter with Albus to have a rule passed that prevents first-years from being allowed to participate. If I cannot have it banned, I can at least do my duty as the school matron and protect our youngest students,” Madam Pomfrey ranted.

Professor Sprout let out a heavy sigh. “We have been over this many times in staff meetings Poppy. First-years are only considered for the Quidditch team in exceptional circumstances and in such cases the school has the added responsibility of ensuring their safety, most notably in ensuring the correct equipment is worn to prevent serious injury. Unfortunately, during this session several unexpected things happened that I was unable to prepare for.”

“Like what?” Madam Pomfrey said scathingly.

“Limestone here not only caught a Bludger several times, she also threw it hard enough to break a Beater’s bat and may have potentially cracked one of Scoti’s ribs. The force also sent Scoti crashing into a tree and she has a nasty great bruise on her back,” Professor Sprout explained.

I told you, I’m fine, Scoti grumbled looking less than pleased at having been frogmarched to the infirmary.

“Are you a trained medical professional?” Madam Pomfrey queried emotionlessly.

Scoti glowered back at the matron in reply. No.

“Then go and sit on that bed over there whilst I inspect Miss Pie’s hands. Miss Song, please ensure she does not try to sneak away,” Madam Pomfrey said firmly.

The glower on Scoti’s face intensified but she was swiftly ushered away by Melody as Madam Pomfrey redirected her attention to stubborn brat number two.

“Come on, I don’t have all day,” she said sharply.

Reluctantly Limestone showed Madam Pomfrey her palms. The school matron was not the least bit pleased with what she saw and tutted disapprovingly before stating her diagnosis.

“I will need to apply some burn cream and wrap them in bandages. You shall also have to remain here for the whole day so I can monitor you as you will be unable to use your hands and due to the unfortunate burning sensation side effect the cream can cause.”

“That sounds lovely,” Limestone replied sarcastically.

“Yes, well maybe next time you will think before catching a ball travelling at sixty miles an hour,” Madam Pomfrey reprimanded unsympathetically before pausing in her tirade and staring for a while at Professor Sprout. She then let out a mighty sigh of resignation. “Just please tell me you will be buying her sufficient equipment, especially gloves, for when she plays Quidditch in future.”

“Of course. Scoti has generously decided to finance our Quidditch team this year and supply us with top-of-the-line equipment,” Professor Sprout explained.

“I suppose that is at least something, but I doubt it will have much impact on the annihilations we’ve been suffering in recent years,” Madam Pomfrey replied. “Have you even managed to form a team this year?”

A sheepish look formed across Professor Sprout’s face.

“What have you done,” Madam Pomfrey demanded to know with a look of thunder.

“Our whole team is first, second and third years aside Melody and we still don’t have a second Beater,” Professor Sprout admitted.

Madam Pomfrey began to rub her temple with her hands. “I wish I had not asked. Those poor kids are going to get slaughtered.”

“HEY, one of them is right here you know,” Limestone interjected testily. “But it is nice to know what you think; will make our victories all the more sweeter when we prove you wrong.”

“I highly doubt that considering you have barely been in our world a week and have had more flying accidents in that time than most students have in their entire first-year.”

“And I no doubt expect there will be a fair few more by the end of the year,” Limestone stated honestly. “But I’m as tough as a diamond and will do my utmost to honour my part of the deal I made with Scoti.”

Madam Pomfrey turned her look of thunder back on Professor Sprout. “I see. It’s like that is it.”

“Limestone just needed a little persuasion is all,” Professor Sprout said cryptically. “Scoti kindly offered a room in her home to Limestone during the school holidays in return for her participation. Wait, where are you going?”

“To get the burn cream before I hear anything else I regret,” Madam Pomfrey replied flatly.

*

Limestone spent the entirety of Saturday either in an uneasy sleep, due to the burning pain the cream caused, or trying to distract herself from the pain by watching the raging storm that had evolved outside through a window. Due to her hands, there was little else she could do and understandably, it was not an experience Limestone would like to repeat anytime in the future.

By Sunday morning though Limestone’s hands had healed nicely to Madam Pomfrey’s delight and she was discharged on the promise that she would at least try to avoid any further need for the matron’s services in the immediate future. The way Madam Pomfrey had spoke to her though, Limestone was certain the school’s nurse expected her to be back in no more than a week for one thing or another. Limestone had to confess, even she didn’t expect it to be that long considering her dormmates penchant for chaos and anarchy. At least Sunday gave her some respite. Limestone found Hermione in the Library and, even if her friend was still not really talking to her, the peace and quiet was exactly what she needed as she stubbornly ploughed through her remaining homework for the week.

Her hope for a single day where nothing crazy happened though was shattered as she approached the doors to the Great Hall on her way to dinner and overheard a commotion from inside. Opening one of the heavy oak doors, the last thing Limestone expected to see was a deer being chased by a mud monster heading straight towards her.

“Teeth,” Limestone growled ominously.

The mud monster stopped in its tracks as the startled deer scampered past Limestone in its bid for freedom.

“Bath time.”

Limestone’s stomach gave a loud growl of its own.

“After dinner,” Limestone clarified finding her dog’s collar under all the mud and dragging him to the Hufflepuff table.

*

With his stomach full and loyalty unyielding, Teeth, unlike another canine Limestone knew, had offered no resistance to his bath, and ended up falling asleep in the tub as his Mistress cursed constantly whilst trying to separate his long shaggy coat from the muck it was encased in.

It was nearly ten by the time Limestone got to bed and thus it was unsurprising she was up later than usual the following morning. Even so, she was still awake, washed and dressed by seven whilst the usual three were still entrenched in their duvets. As far as Limestone was concerned though, it wasn’t her problem if they were late for breakfast or class and besides, she had Teeth to consider. And when it came to food, the only thing getting in her wolfhound’s way was her, and he had already shown to Limestone that she was nothing more than a minor nuisance. So, she left the task of waking up her dormmates to Scoti and departed for breakfast before Teeth, currently sporting a large pink bow almost certainly courtesy of Scoti, apparated or dragged her to the Great Hall.

Scoti joined Limestone shortly but refused to disclose how she had come across the black eye she now sported. By the time the rest of their dormmates joined them both Scoti and Limestone were nearly finished with their breakfasts.

“I’m going to kill her!”

As soon as soon as Limestone heard Susan utter those words she turned and looked at Scoti expectantly.

Scoti ignored her and continued finishing her breakfast. That was until Susan came and dragged her out of her seat with a furry arm and a look of fury.

Limestone decided it was better to not get involved and returned to the remnants of her own breakfast.

“Miss Bones, what is the meaning of this?” Limestone heard Professor Sprout exclaim from the front of the hall as she hastily made her way over.

“This little wretch decided to wake us up with itching powder this morning. We’ve all been in the shower for nearly an hour and are still itching,” Susan griped scratching the back of her neck with her free arm.

“As far as I am concerned, Scoti was simply ensuring you didn’t oversleep and miss classes this morning. Maybe you should look at investing in an alarm clock in future because I know if you ever missed a Herbology lesson from oversleeping there would be a lot more to contend with than a bit of itching powder. So, I suggest you let your friend go and have some breakfast before it is too late. You wouldn’t want to go to class hungry now, would you?” Professor Sprout said sternly.

Susan’s stomach rumbled as she stared at Professor Sprout slack jawed. “But…” she tried to argue but her stomach rumbled expectantly once more. “No, mam.” She lowered Scoti back to her seat before settling in next to her friend and loading a plate with bacon and sausages.

“Excellent, now do either of you two have…” Professor Sprout paused in what she was about to say as Lavender poured a jug of milk over Scoti’s head.

Susan couldn’t help but let out a snort of laughter as Lavender turned and thrust the jug into the chest of a stunned Professor Sprout.

“I thought her cereal looked a little dry. Just trying to be an equally good friend,” Lavender said cheerily before taking her place at the table next to Limestone.

Professor Sprout meanwhile was left holding the jug utterly speechless. Even she had not expected that!

Leanne took her seat next to Lavender with an equal look of shock at her friend. “Where did that come from?”

“What? My hair is going to be itchy for days because of her! Oops. Week in the greenhouses,” Lavender said guiltily not even bothering to turn and look her head of house face to face.

“You know what. This time I am just going to class it as kids being kids. You’re a sensible girl Lavender and I am sure my leniency and words will not fall on deaf ears. Take heed all of you that although a prank might seem harmless, you need to understand when enough is enough. I have seen to many friendships damaged beyond repair after a simple prank escalates into a lot worse. You’ve all had your fun now shake hands and call it a draw whilst remembering in future to keep such actions within your dormitory please,” Professor Sprout said sternly as with a wave of her wand she removed the milk that now stained Scoti’s robes.

“Thank you, professor. I shall certainly heed your words as long as Scoti does,” Lavender said in surprise at getting away so lightly with her retaliation as she offered her hand out across the table to Scoti. “Friends?”

Of Course. Nice payback by the way, Scoti replied with a smirk as she took Lavender’s hand in her own scar covered one.

The smile on Professor Sprout’s face though did not last long as the owl post chose that moment to arrive and a ginormous parcel fell atop Limestone.

Oh, that’ll be the Keeper gear I ordered for you, Scoti quipped as Limestone picked herself and the hefty box up off the floor.

Comments

[Frostgear]

I'd doesn't really matter the sport, goalie/catchers gear is extra. :P