Rowan lets out a groan as she feels as though every single muscle in her body is unbelievably sore. Her eyelids felt incredibly heavy as she struggled to crack them open only to wince at the bright morning light. Slowly blinking she was for her eyes to adjust; she tries to swallow to only find that her mouth is bone dry. It is an exhausting task just to turn her head. She spots the cup of water next to her bed, but it seems impossibly out of her reach.
"Here," a voice said, causing Rowan to flinch in pain, before turning to study the pale and rather angry face of her twin brother, Severus. Severus gently held the cup in hand and pushed the straw into her lips for her to sip from. She thirstily drank half of the cup, before pulling away and leaning her aching head back against the pillows.
"Am I at St. Mungo's?" Rowan croaked as Severus clutched the cup in his hand so hard that she was afraid that it would crack in his hand.
"You were in the intensive ward up until yesterday, but they moved you early this morning to this ward," Severus said as clutched the water cup again rather too tightly.
"What day is it?"
"Christmas was yesterday."
"Oh," Rowan quietly said. "Sorry to ruin Christmas, it wasn't my intention too."
"I know that," Severus softly murmured as he reached over to squeeze her hand as Rowan weakly squeezed his hand back.
"Have you been here all night?' Rowan rasped.
"Grandfather, Grandmother, and Aunt Georgine have been taking turns staying with you," Severus confessed. "They wouldn't let me see you until this morning. They said that you were in a rough shape before and that I shouldn't see you in such a rough state that as I might have nightmares afterward."
Severus makes a bitter face and harshly whispers, "As if I could ever sleep well after knowing that."
"So, what'd the healers say?" Rowan finally asked.
"They said, you'd been either cursed or been given a poison that was causing your magic to spiral out of control," Severus tightly said. "The healers tried everything as your body was threatening to break apart, when in a hopeful turn of events your magic all grew still enough for the healers to do their work. The healers said it is a miracle that you are even alive with your magic core. They all thought you were going to die or in the best case of scenarios end up as a squib."
"Well, I'm happy to be a disappointment for once," Rowan mumbled trying not to show her inner emotional struggle at nearly dying.
Seeing Rowan trying to make a joke even if in bad taste, Severus tries to lighten the mood. "I think you took it too far in trying to get out of attending our relatives' festivities. What did the Verniancs' ever do to you?"
Rowan lets out a low chuckle to only wince in pain as her stomach muscles protested the action. Severus must have noticed as he agitatedly rose to stand up, but Rowan hastily said, "I'm just very sore right now and it hurts to laugh."
Severus slowly eyes her until he's certain she's telling the truth. Sitting back down, Rowan finally asks him, "So what were the Verniancs' like?
Severus made a wary face in response, "They're cheerful, snobby Frenchmen. You would utterly hate them."
"You're right," Rowan said with a smirk. "Did you at least get kissed by some cute distant cousins?" Severus turns cherry red as Rowan almost laughs before wincing in pain.
Ignoring the fierce ache, Rowan says, "So, how many times was it? Or better yet with how many girls?"
"They weren't all our cousins," Severus protested. "It was some of their friends too!"
"Why do I get the feeling that you had all the fun, Severus?" Rowan teased her brother a bit too much.
"I was worried sick the entire time!" Severus instantly roared back.
"I thought you were going to die-!" Severus choked as moisture appeared in his eyes. "It was like seeing it all over again the time father hit you and you were so very still. Only this time, I wasn't even there with you!"
"I am so sorry, Sev," Rowan sincerely said as she gently reached over to wipe the tears off his face ignoring the screaming pain in her body.
Severus sniffs and dries his face with his sleeve. "Good just don't do it again."
"I'll try," Rowan tried to lightly say as she couldn't make any promises. This time had proven there were no guarantees in life.
The bed curtains were suddenly pulled to reveal an elderly man in green healer robes with silver hair with a touch of bronze still left behind. Staring down his large nose, Lancelot Prewett says, "Good you're awake." Behind him stands a younger wizard in trainee healer's robes, Hippocrates Smethwyck.
"Now let's get a good look at you, young lady," Healer Prewett said as he waved his wand over her to get a better diagnosis. "You have more than moderate internal damage to your organs and core from your magic running amok. Not to mention minor nerve damage and muscle damage. You are quite lucky to be alive as it is."
Healer Prewett arched his brow at his patient. "Nevertheless, since you have stabilized sufficiently at the request of your guardians you will be released into their care to recuperate at home." He pursed his lips in annoyance at the very thought.
Healer Prewett glanced down at his notes to double-check check his notes. "I will be prescribing a regimen of pain, nutrient, and muscle relaxation potion that are to be taken as prescribed. With the existing internal damage, a stronger healing regimen of potions is not recommended at this time. A sleeping draught though be taken as needed no more than once every three days. In addition, Madame Pomfrey will also be informed of your needs and ensure your professors are aware of your needs."
Healer Prewett pointedly stared down his long nose at his patient. "It is perfectly natural for the body to be tired after such an event. Sometimes patients can be overzealous and cause further damage to their bodies. I am certain that will not be the case," he pointedly glared at Rowan Prince.
Healer Prewett glances at his apprentice who is jotting everything down and nods in approval. He frowns again looking at Rowan and Severus Prince. "And do tell your Aunt Georgine Prince that if she kicks up a fuss one more time, I'll have her kicked out and banned from St. Mungo's or I'll eat my hat!" With a swirl of his robes, Healer Prewett marched out of the quarters with his apprentice in tow.
Having noticed the similarities and recognized the name on his tag, Rowan instantly knew this must be a cousin or relation to the Prewett brothers. Turning over to glance at Severus she curiously asks, "What was that all about?"
Severus ruefully grins and says, "When the healers couldn't do much for you beyond stopping the bleeding and the worst of the shakes, Aunt Georgine called them all quacks. Let me tell you the healers did not take that very well. But well, Aunt Georgine isn't one to back down and she got into a loud debate with several of them. And which I might add, she was winning. Anyway, it took grandfather finally dragging her away to get her to stop."
Severus suddenly stands up and says, "Let me go and get grandfather, he, grandmother, and Aunt Georgine were all having some tea on the fifth floor. They said, for me to come to get them if you woke up, while they were gone." Severus hurries away leaving Rowan merely staring at his distant figure.