19 Aftermath

I woke up feeling pain all over my body, the effects of the battle last night was still present. I have never healed up since I only patched up my wounds. I feel I have internal injuries as well. That's not good.

'Oh God, it's too painful.' I groaned as I tried standing up. I really hate myself. I should really go to Madam Pomfrey. I don't want to suddenly collapse. I was ill-prepared when I confronted the grim, and now I'm paying for my foolishness.

'This is your fault, Logan.' I complained to the puppy observing me.

'It's still your fault, Frederick. You know you're facing a Grim and you decided to go and trust only your wand. Now, learn from your mistakes.' The wolf pup said before laying on my bed.

'I'm thinking of going to Madam Pomfrey. Do you want to come as well?' I asked him. I certainly can't use Logan's shadow travel since we're inside the castle. Who knows if there are people currently roaming the castle. It will be difficult if they find us.

'...Fine. I'm the one who dealt those damages anyway. I'll just have fun mocking you along the way.' The wolf said. I can feel he's very happy. Judging from how his tail was wagging. He's still hurt from his defeat.

'But first, can you transform into a cat? As far as I know, the school only allows an owl, toad, or a cat inside.' I asked the wolf. But the wolf looked offended on what I just said.

'Never in my eternal life, I will stoop down as low as them. I have pride as the Grim and I will keep myself as it is.' The wolf growled. Wow, magical creatures surely are prideful.

'Alright, then just be like that while I go down. You can bring me yourself in case I collapse on the way.' I told the pup.

Then I started walking slowly. Every step I took, I felt my body burning in pain. The hardest part though was when I stepped down the stairs. It felt like I would be pulled down the moment I let go of the rails.

I even got odd looks from the students at that. I can also tell that they were starting at Logan, but we both ignored them. I kept going outside the dorm. I was already sweating profusely because of how hard it was to move my body, with it only getting weaker as the second passes. It's just when I passed the great hall that I felt my knees fell weak.

I limped across the hallways with everyone I met looking at me weirdly. It felt reassuring that Logan's beside me. I even saw that some of the teachers found me just outside the great hall, looking very pale and weak. It seems that some of them became alarmed at that. It's just only when Professor Flitwick decided to approach me that I lost my balance and fell. I hit my head on the floor, and everything went black.

********

I opened my eyes to a very high ceiling. I tried to sit up and saw I am in a room with multiple beds inside. The room has arched windows with white curtains hanging on each side. There was a large door on the far end of the room, and two wooden cabinets with a bookshelf on both sides. There were no other people inside the room except me. I turned myself to the window and found the sky dyed in orange. I have passed out for almost the whole day since it's already sunset. I moved my body and little and noticed that my body is already free from pain. I feel also more lively and warm, unlike what I felt during the morning. I just sat on my bed until the window opened, revealing both Madam Pomfrey and Professor Flitwick.

"It seems you're now awake, Mr. Grindelwald. Do you feel any pain?" The short professor asked.

"I'm quite alright now professor, thanks for asking," I replied.

"Now comes a little problem here Mr. Grindelwald. How come you have internal injuries and lost a lot of blood? A poppy here told me that you may have been doing something that severely injured you. You're starting to get distracted in classes that your performance suffered." The Professor said. I can't exactly say that I went to the forest and fought some giant beast and won. They won't absolutely be happy with that.

"I-I may have been doing magic alone, Professor. I actually wanted to be more advanced than my peers. So I think I overextended my magic. I also injured myself in the process." I explained sheepishly.

"That explains a lot, Mr. Grindelwald. But you can't practice magic alone, especially if there's no one guiding you. For the consequence of potentially harming yourself permanently, I deduct 30 points from Ravenclaw and detention with Mr. Finch every weekend for 3 months." I Professor punished me. Well, I kinda deserve that. But my house will resent me when they find that the house just lost a lot of scores. I just sighed at that. I bet Filch will be happy to have a helper too, and Flitwick knows that the students didn't like helping the scary squib. Filch always makes them do a lot of things, and that includes cleaning whole corridors.

"Now, leave alone for the boy to recover for now Filius. You can continue scolding him when he's healed completely." Madam Pomfrey ushered the short Professor out of the clinic.

"You young man, are very much in trouble. Do you know that you almost killed yourself back there? Youngsters are very easy to get excited about anything nowadays. One day, you might just blow yourselves up. And do not even think of leaving. You will sleep here until tomorrow, no excuses." The old lady admonished me. She gave me a blood replenishing potion and drank it before leaving.

"Yes, Madam Pomfrey." I just followed her and laid on my bed. I want to sleep anyway.

********

The next day, I was fully healed and Poppy practically kicked me out of her clinic. Saying she doesn't want to see me again. Well, she said it in a good way, so I understand her. I don't want to be a loyal patron of the clinic like one Harry Potter. So I just cleaned myself with household magic before getting ready for class.

"Fred, wait!" Chi said as she approached me when I got back to the dorm. The others are already in the great hall eating breakfast, so we're quite alone inside the common room.

"Oh, hello Cho." I greeted her.

"What happened to you back there? You suddenly fell on the floor and Professors even rushed to you when the students noticed you're unconscious. they even said you looked very pale." Cho asked worriedly. It felt good that someone was actually worried about me. I haven't had that feeling since I left the orphanage.

"I-it's nothing to worry about, Cho," I reassured her.

"What's nothing to worry? You never got out of the clinic the whole day!" She said with a little more volume in her voice.

"I actually overextended myself... I think. Used too much magic." I shrugged.

"You think?! You do know that magical exhaustion is very dangerous!" Cho almost shouted. I understand her though. Having magic exhaustion is very dangerous, especially when I was facing the Grim back then. I might be left in a coma if magical exhaustion was not cured quickly, the same thing with the loss of blood. The only difference is that there's no known cure for magic coma. They have to supply your body with magic, which can only be accomplished through a very complicated magic ritual.

"I'm sorry Cho. I won't do it again, I promise." Can't let Cho get stressed. The Quidditch team will not be very happy.

"You better do Grindelwald." She left with still a bit of anger. Yeah, I screwed up big time. I really should've brought at least a blood replenishing potion back then so I wouldn't have caused a ruckus.

'I'll just make it up for her later and apologize properly, I guess.'

With a sigh, I walked to my room and found Logan there. I thought he will be more carefree and preferred running outside the castle.

'Hey, Logan.'

'You should be thankful that you passed out near the hall, you know?' The wolf told me. Well, that was one of my plans. If I was not able to reach Madam Pomfrey, I would want to pass out where there will be people so I can be carried to the clinic quickly. I don't want to pass out in some empty hallway.

'I thought you would prefer going outside?' I asked the pup.

'I can only do that if you're fine. As a familiar, it is my duty to keep you safe.' The wolf stated.

'Oh, I was touched, Logan. Didn't know you had a soft spot for me.' I teased the pup. The wolf was good at hiding his feelings.

'Well, if you want you can go outside since I am mostly fine for now. I can even attend classes already.' I spoke.

'Right. My paws are already getting numbed from staying here all day long.' The wolf stood up then jumped to a nearby shadow.

I admit that ability is hella useful. If I can't have a Phoenix, a Grim definitely will be a good familiar.

Then, I went down to the great hall to eat breakfast. The moment I reached the great hall. Several eyes were directed at me. As usual, I ignored them and ate my food. I am sure even the teachers were watching me. But Madam Pomfrey is definitely good in her craft, so no worries there.

I quickly finished my food before heading to Charms class. I still remember Professor Flitwick's words, so I decided to take things easy for now and return to work after a few more days. I still want to familiarize myself with Logan, so I can know more things about him. There are no detailed books about Grims since only a few have seen them. People have only seen them as jet-black spectral wolves that bring the omen of death, but nothing about their abilities.

I went back to my usual routine of arriving first in class. Although I don't know what to feel with Professor Flitwick. I was scolded the other day, so I don't know what will happen. It was quite awkward inside the room alone with my house head.

"I see that you've fully recovered Mr. Grindelwald. Just remember that the school gives severe punishments to those who practice magic recklessly. I hope you have learned your lesson." Flitwick said while I was sitting in the middle of the classroom.

"Yes, sir. I will be careful from now on." I spoke.

"Though you'll have a handful of lessons to catch up with. However, I can see you're already more advanced than your peers, so I might suggest reading some theories about future lessons this year. But no practical unless I said so." Flitwick spoke again.

"Yes, Professor," I said and my house head nodded.

We were silent a bit until the other students started entering the classroom. Unsurprisingly, we are beginning the class with Slytherins today. I hope yesterday won't leak outside the school.

'What am I thinking? Of course, it will.' I sighed as I listened to the lecture.

Eventually, the class ended. I was thinking about doing something today except working on my spells when I felt someone touched my hand and stopped me from walking. When I turned my head, it was Daphne standing behind me.

"What happened to you yesterday, Fred? You were quite the topic of everyone yesterday." She asked. Maybe she wasn't in the hall when I collapsed. So I just used my alibi I told both Cho and Professor Flitwick yesterday.

"Well, Madam Pomfrey said it was internal injuries and magic exhaustion. I might have pushed myself too hard last time." I shrugged.

"What were you thinking about doing that? You know the teachers are very strict about it!" She scolded.

"Well, it was very severe. A lot of house points we're deducted for me, and I have detention with Filch for a couple of months." I said. I remember that Filch has confiscated a lot of items, maybe some will be useful. After all, the Weasley found the Marauder's Map there. Although I doubt I'll find it there. Not that I'm thinking of stealing it anyway.

We talked for a few more minutes, with Daphne both scolding and checking if I was completely fine. Girls and their mood swings, I can't just understand them.

The whole day went like that. I had no incident with Snape though. Even if I was not in Slytherin, he was fine with it as long as I was not sorted tot he house of lions. And I proved to be quite competent in potions, so he left me alone and busied himself deducting points to whoever messes their potion.

Even McGonagall and Professor Sprout were fine, except that they scolded me like what Flitwick did but without the deduction points. It was the responsibility of the house head to admonish their students. The others only scolded me out of concern and worry. I was very close to falling into a coma, so it's natural they were like that.

Cho tried to avoid me the whole day by hiding with her friends, but I managed to talk with her during lunch break. Her friends had something to do, and it will probably be my only chance to properly talk with her. Although she tried to go with them, I managed to stop her and pulled her inside one of the empty classrooms.

"Hey Cho, I'm... I'm really sorry. I know what I did was very foolish because I got overconfident and hurt myself. I thought I could take anything, so I learned the hard way and ended up almost dying. I also became very selfish since I only thought of myself. I forgot that I have friends. I-I have you. It was very stupid of me to think that you're distancing from me because you're already a celebrity in the house, and I was an outcast. I-" I didn't finish what I said as I was hugged tightly by the shorter girl. I said nothing and patted her back. What I said was try though. I am so confident of defeating the beast just because I learned new spells and created one. I overestimated my abilities, and it almost killed me. My desparation for a familiar when Feordian told me that I'll have one if I defeat the Grim came from that feeling I had when I thought Cho was abandoning me. I was very shallow and judged everything quickly it almost cost me a friend.

"You are an idiot. You are one bloody idiot. Did you think I am abandoning you?" She started while sobbing. I hate myself. I just made my best friend cry. How shallow can I get?

"You're my friend, Fred. Don't think that I abandoned you just because I gained some kind of fame inside the house. We may not be able to meet always because I'm always busy, but it doesn't mean we stopped being friends. We always see each other in the great hall, remember? So don't ever think of something like that, okay?" She continued while tearing up. I just hugged her again and let herself cry. I didn't know someone cared for me like that, not even grandfather. I know he cared about me in, but his duty as a head to prepare me for my future weighs more heavily than his familial love. Hell, he already did that the moment we met each other. He does feel and express love in a weird kind of way.

After I few tear-jerking moments, we already made up. I got a light punch in my shoulder for scaring her like that. We are friends again, and I was very happy.

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