Waking up in the Infirmary, and Closing Out the School Year.

You wake up in the Infirmary, with Madam Pomfrey looking at you. She looks different than the other times you've seen her. Worn and Ragged, but **** and gentler.

"Good Morning, Marvolo" she says. "You gave us quite a scare."

You sit up, realizing that you have bandages across your torso, as well as splints along your ribs. You wince, your torso is still tender.

"Now nothing too exciting young man," says Madam Pomfrey "We can't have you hurting yourself in the infirmary."

You open your mouth to ask a question, but she cuts you off.

"I am sure your friends can wait to see you a few more minutes. Harry is next door and he's doing well. He's still asleep but he should be waking up in the next few hours." You sense a strange wistfulness to Madam Pomfrey's tone.

Before you can ask anything you see Professor Dumbledore sweep into the room. Madam Pomfrey looks at him apprehensively, but says nothing. The Headmaster strides to Harry's bedside and sits down, waiting.

"The Headmaster has been very attentive to Harry's condition." Madam Pomfrey says, her tone reserved. "I think he's on the mend, but the Headmaster is fretting over him." The School Nurse hands you a glass of water, and smiles.

"Did Quirrell make it?" You ask, after sipping on some water. The cool liquid is quite refreshing, and you realize that you are quite thirsty.

"Unfortunately Quirinius did not survive." says Madam Pomfrey sadly. "He wasn't always a servant of evil, you know."

You lie back down in bed.

"He used to be a Ravenclaw, and he taught Muggle Studies. He was a curious boy, quiet, ambitious. He felt he had something to prove, not just to himself, but to everyone." She says softly looking at you. "In the end it brought him nothing but misery and ****."

You smile thinly. "I think I understand."

She smiles wider and says, "Rest up, I have to go kick out a disruptive visitor."

You watch as the Nurse steps over to chastise the Headmaster and some of the First Year Gryffindors who came over to see if Harry had woken up yet. You wonder where the school nurse gets her less-than-hospitable reputation when she chases two Gryffindors out of the Infirmary with her wand.

Sinking back into your bed you check out your surroundings, realizing that you might be here for awhile. On a nearby bed-table you see a small pile of items. Presumably left by your many admirers you think wryly.

You see Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, by Newt Scamander. The latest light read you picked up from the library. A letter from Kingsley laid a top the book. To the right of the book was a couple of cauldron cakes, probably from Ezra and Raj.

Picking up the book you flip through the pages. Scamander's work was well respected, but you found most of the entries to be frustratingly cursory. However, its the only book you are likely to get until you are well, so you might as well enjoy it.