A Bend In Time

Still feeling a sickly nauseating throbbing behind her closed eyes, Rowan let out a groan and rolled over to her side. She hastily reached for the bedpan and began to hurl the contents of her stomach. Letting out a feeble mȯȧn, she returned the self-vanishing bedpan at her bedside.

The force of throwing up had caused her headache to increase causing Rowan to close her eyes to slits. She can easily make out the pulled white linen curtain around her. So, she was in the infirmary again she privately concluded having been here for a brief stay during the past month of December.

Rowan begins to close her eyes when the contents of last night return. "Severus!" She said bolting up. Feeling dizzy, she sways sickly but somehow manages to reach the edge of her bed. She hadn't even opened the curtain when the linen curtains are forcefully pulled open around her to reveal the infirmary matron. A kind, middle-aged witch in a bright red dress, white apron, and crisp white matron cap.

Madam Pomfrey frowns and puts her hands on her hɨps. "Miss Prince, you are still in recovery need I remind you! Lay down immediately, this instant!"

"Severus," Rowan weakly croaked feeling rather dizzy.

Madam Pomfrey's expression softens just a tad, before taking Rowan firmly by the arm and leading her back to bed. "Miss Prince, I can ȧssure you, your brother is safe and sound and resting. Your grandfather was able to arrive in a timely manner to ensure the safety of your brother. I can ȧssure you that Mr. Prince will make a complete recovery within a week's time!"

"Thank goodness," Rowan said feeling the energy go out of her limbs. She tiredly flops back against her pillows.

"Not that you are in much better shape, Miss Prince," Madam Pomfrey chided. "By Rowena's tuft, what possessed you to attempt to channel a vortex of magic. You could have easily gotten yourself or your brother killed!"

"It seemed like the only solution at the time," Rowan winced at the increasing headache.

Seeing the state of her patient, Madam Pomfrey sighs and moves forward to lightly rest the back of her hand against Rowan's forehead. "Your temperature is still low less than I would like."

Madam Pomfrey withdraws her hands and turns to the side. Her skirts softly swirl as she brings a tray of food with her. Rowan turns a ghastly yellow sheet of color at the sight of the food. "Now, now, I know that you are still feeling ill, Miss Prince, but these potions are best taken on a full stomach. I had the House elves prepare some lighter foods, a bit of pudding if you will." She carefully placed the bowl of pudding in front of Rowan.

"Miss Prince, I-," Madam Pomfrey is unable to finish her sentence when Rowan is throwing up in the bedpan again.

Madam Pomfrey sighs and removes the pudding and instead returns with the sweet box at the end of the table. "Miss Prince can you at least manage to down a couple of sweets," she said holding out the sweet box for Rowan to take.

Rowan looks reluctantly at the sweets, but still selects three sweets. The sweets are thick to chew on with an overpowering taste. With a pained grimace, she manages to chew the three sweets down. Madam Pomfrey carefully observes that Rowan finishes the sweets before handing over the first potion vial.

"We'll start off with the pain-relieving potion," Madam Pomfrey said and motioned to Rowan to drink the vial down.

With a grimace, Rowan does as she is instructed trying not to gag. She is handed next a blue-colored potion, Burning Bitterroot Balm. It tasted foul causing her to want to dry heave for a moment. The headache quelling potion isn't too bad as it removes most of the pounding in her head.

However, in the last potion, Rowan instantly recognizes the yellow solution, Chelidonium Miniscula, a powerful healing draught. The draught had to be used in very small doses as an overdose by even a few drops would be harmful or even become deadly. There is often a very thin line between healing and poisoning.

Madam Pomfrey carefully pours out the exact amount into a wooden ladle. "Now open up, Miss Prince," the matron firmly ordered holding out the wooden ladle for Rowan to drink from.

Tired and ready to rest again, Rowan opens her mouth and swallows the contents of the yellow potion. She grimaces at the taste as it was less bitter, but worse than even the Burning Bitterroot Balm. Feeling exhausted as though she had completed a great feat, she slumps back weakly against her pillows.

"Now rest, Miss Prince," Madam Pomfrey sternly said. "Your grandfather will be sure to be along shortly, he had just stepped out for a moment." .

"Mm," is all Rowan could do, before her eyes closed of her own accord. She didn't know how long she slept, but when she opened her eyes, the morning was that much brighter.

A rustling sound from her side causes Rowan to turn her head to see her grandfather reading the Daily Prophet from her side. "How's Severus?" She hoarsely asked.

Reginald neatly folds the Daily Prophet on his ŀȧp, before replying, "He is alive and will recover."

"That's a relief," Rowan sincerely said. She uneasily waits to be reprimanded for her actions last night, but her grandfather does not even bring up the subject. The silence grows longer, and she decides to tactfully not bring up the subject of her own accord.

"How bad was the damage?" Rowan somberly asked.

"Sufficient to be worrisome," Reginald honestly admitted, "but the majority of his awakened powers have been sealed until he grows into his powers."

"That's good to hear," Rowan sighed in relief as her adrenaline begin to drop. Much more tiredly, she asked, "And how are Aunt Georgine and Cousin Rodrigo?"

"An energetic child," Reginald snorted. "Although I must admit it is surprising to see how eagerly child waits for your, but especially Severus's return. I would recommend that Severus at least pen a letter to the child for Georgine to read out loud."

"I'll remind Severus later to write," Rowan stifled a yawn unable to suppress her exhaustion. Without further ado, she closes her eyes and promptly begins to doze off. From a great distance she seems to hear her grandfather say, "Go to sleep, child, you need to rest."

Reginald watched over his two grandchildren all night long before departing from the infirmary at noon. He had duties to fulfill, and he knew that they would be safe enough for the time being at Hogwarts. Sanderson had sent two of his men to work at Hogwarts, the new muquib caretakers of Hogwarts's, the Peterson brothers. They were muscular identical twin brothers, but they are held in high esteem and trust by Sanderson.

And Reginald in good conscious could not very well fault them for last night's events as they were not to blame. Though if anything were to occur to his grandchildren, they and Sanderson would have to pay the price. And it would be paid in blood for blood.

Upon exiting the infirmary and making his to the front hall, Reginald encountered the new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, Bob Ogden. "Prince," Ogden frostily said glaring at him through is enormous thick spectacles. He knew that Reginald Prince had abruptly been summoned late last night by the headmaster. Early this morning at a staff meeting, Professor Dumbledore had informed them that the Prince twins had abruptly fallen rather ill with at least one of expected to be absent for a week. Dumbledore had requested that the Professors cooperate with ȧssignments and homework.

"I suppose that your grandchildren must be better considering your departure," Ogden drily remarked. "Their recovery seems rather abrupt just as abrupt as their illness."

"Oh," Reginald said staring down his nose at the much shorter, plumb wizard. "I don't believe it is any of your business, Ogden, you are no longer the Head of Magical Law Enforcement, you would do well to remember that."

Short-tempered, Ogden narrows his eyes at the older wizard. "Be as that may, I am acting as a concerned professor in the wellbeing of his students."

"Naturally, I would never presume to believe that Professor Ogden would abuse the newfound powers of his position," Reginald crisply said. "However, should any person have any concerns I am certain that the Chairman of the Hogwarts Board, Lucius Malfoy will be sure to investigate such a report."

A vein begins to throb on Ogden's side temple, but he maintains his cool when speaking. "I am certain that Headmaster Dumbledore will have something to say about the matter."

"I very much doubt it," Reginald confidently answered, before brushing imaginary lint off his sleeve. "Excuse me, Ogden, I have much to do this afternoon unlike some." Leaving Ogden sputtering irritably after him, Reginald strides away and departs from Hogwarts.

Ogden is left clenching his hands watching the figure of Reginald leave through the front entrance of Hogwarts, before vanishing on the cobblestoned path leading to Hogsmeade. He was far from convinced that the old Prince had visited Hogwarts without any ulterior motives.. However, a short trip to the infirmary would in fact not only not confirm his doubts, but rather, on the contrary, they cleared Reginald Prince of all suspicions as both twins were still rather ill according to Madam Pomfrey.