Closed Worrisome Wonders

Sitting in the back of the Hospital Wing, enjoying their little break, was Emery. When the head nurse noticed that the other staff didn't need her help, she decided to take her break. While slowly eating her salad, their mind went over their to-do list. In less than two weeks there was another birthday in her family, this time from one of her older sisters. Emery took pride in the presents they gifted others, as she always made sure they were special and fitted the person perfectly. They already had a list of ideas, but they were still trying to think of something better.

Despite being deep in thought, Featherstone noticed the young student before he spoke. As the boy made his way over to her, she took a deep breath, preparing herself for the social interaction. They had been at Hogwarts as the head nurse for a while now, but they still weren't used to the social interactions with the children. She definitely preferred kids over their grown-ups, but it did take some getting used to. Their blue eyes narrowed slightly when they were called Featherhead. Maybe the boy had remembered her name wrong. Calling out somebody's mistake wasn't Emery's strongest suit and she let the comment slide. Instead, they gave the young student a small nod, to indicate that they were listening.

It was not unusual for a student to ask about somebody else, especially after a sports game or when their friend got injured. When the boy spoke about a specific student, the nurse expected him to say that the specific student had just arrived in the Hospital Wing due to an injury, not this. To a certain extent, Emery was willing to inform other students about the well-being of others, but this was different. While she hadn't been a part of the Hogwarts staff at the time of the incident, she was aware of the events and the current state.

A glimmer of recognition could be seen in their eyes when the name was mentioned. As the boy outed his opinion about the situation, Emery tried to think of a good answer. They weren't willing to share too much information with a random student. Yet, it was not unlikely that the boy would see the other student in the hallway or somewhere else in the castle. Maybe he already had. "It is indeed true that she has returned to Hogwarts," she confirmed shortly. It was clear she knew more about the student than she was sharing with the boy. "What's your name?" she asked, trying to distract the boy and hoping to gather information as to why he was asking about Ava.

I knew it was true before I asked but to hear the verbal confirmation was like a dragon jumped on my body. "She is back?" my face showed fear for a few seconds before I masked and licked my dry lips. She knew more than the simple fact she was poising the halls of this esteemed building every time she so much as gazed upon the old walls. She is a disrespect to the legends that once graced this castle.

The Nurse then asked for my name. "Lucian Michael Bauer Mornstern," I introduced with a mocking bow, my left arm going on the middle of my torso and my right on my back as inclined my head. "At your service ma’am," I started to kick my feet back and forth. "So… do you think she should be allowed back? Can I see your notes on her? Is she in a special wing? Are you sure she isn’t possessed?" I asked in a quick fire speed, not taking my eyes off the new nurse.

Although I knew that she wouldn’t tell me too much which was a bummer. I ended up giving in to my curiosity got the better of me and J decided to ask questions about the nurse.

"Nurse, how old are you?" I asked, deciding to lay down and tilt my head to look at her. "You look very young to be a nurse,"

Emery had always been observant. Growing up, they were the quietest of their family. The time they didn't talk, they spent reading others. Especially with her twin sister, she would know exactly how Maria was feeling even if she didn't say it. A little twitch of her eye meant that her sister was annoyed or angry, and when she avoided eye contact it meant she was hurt. Despite the few seconds that the look of fear was on the boy's face, Emery knew exactly how he was feeling. He tried to mask it, but it was too late, she had already noticed it.

The nurse wasn't a very expressive person and they were harder to read, but a small frown could be seen as they tried to figure out when the boy had been so shocked by that information. A bit of worry made sense, but this had been pure fear. A lot more than she expected. They stored the observation in the back of their mind, maybe it would be useful later.

As the boy introduced himself, everything clicked in her brain. This was the boy that had been attacked, that was why he was so scared. The speed with which Lucian asked his questions threw the nurse off. Social interactions already weren't Emery's favorite thing and now this boy asked a million questions in a few seconds. At least that's what it felt like to them. As the boy kept his eyes on her, the uncomfortable feeling grew inside her and she broke off eye contact. In their mind, they went over all the things the boy wanted to know. Most of it she wasn't allowed to tell him, not that she wanted to tell him. Despite the other student's actions, she deserved privacy.

The seer felt like they had to be very careful with their words. The boy was greedy for any type of information and seemed determined to get answers to his questions. "Winchect has had guidance and they have deemed her worthy to return. I trust the opinion of these experts. They wouldn't allow her to return if she wasn't ready. And yes, I am sure she isn't possessed." Despite the mocking bow, which showed disrespect, Emery still tried to reassure the boy.

Sticking up for herself wasn't her strong suit, so they didn't change the topic or cut off Lucian's many questions. Not that it was needed. The kid had already changed the topic randomly. Emery hadn't been a fan of the previous topic, but this wasn't their favorite either. Being one of the youngest staff members at Hogwarts, they were really self-aware about it. Honestly, she didn't even like talking about herself in general. "I am 26," they answered shortly. It was true, she was on the young side to be the head nurse. Most were older. However, Emery had always worked really hard on her healing skills, which lead to her being one of the best in her classes. This attitude was also something she showed in the workplace and she had rapidly improved as a nurse.