Break Time

(OOC: Marigold's healer outfit.)

Marigold went into the kitchen, rubbing her eyes and yawning. It was early morning, about three. She was in her healing robes, similar to those of Healer Alys. Only difference is that instead of where Healer Alys had white, Marigold had green to represent her beginner status and Marigold had the gold beginner necklace.

"May I help you?"the house elf on duty asked. He was reading a newspaper.

"Can I get a cup of apple cider?"she asked. The house elf nodded and handed her the cup of hot cider. Marigold was exhausted. Healer Alys kept her up longer than usual to teach her the advance healing spell, Anapeno. It's supposed to clear a person's throat but Marigold can't make it clear away bigger objects. Small things like bugs worked but bigger pieces of food.....not so much. They have been practicing all night.

"Anything else?"the house elf asked. Marigold shook her head and drank her cider. Hopefully this will wake me up.she thought.

"Can I help you miss?"the house elf asked the person that had just come in.

Arya had been tossing and turning all night long, and it was driving her mad. She knew it was because of her back - she’d fallen a few feet from her broom earlier, something that had never happened before. It was extremely embarrassing, so she just brushed it off and acted aloof; but she was left with a killer ache.

“This is mental,” she muttered, squirming under the covers.

Quietly, she slipped out of the bed and dressed. Tiptoeing through the dorm and common room, she headed down to the kitchens. There was never a bad time for bacon! When she arrived, Jinxy the house elf immediately came to her attendence so she politely asked for her usual - a bacon platter. Arya was surprised, however, to find that she wasn’t alone.

“Marigold, hello,” she greeted the Ravenclaw, sitting across from her. “What are you doing down here at this hour? And what on earth are you dressed as?”

Arya chomped down on the bacon in front of her, which was cooked to perfection. Healer lessons? She had no idea Marigold was into such things, though it didn’t come as a complete shock. But why was she having lessons so far before dawn?

“You have bags under your eyes,” she pointed out the obvious. “Can’t you have your lessons during the day?”

Marigold asked what she was doing here, and Arry honestly wasn’t sure she wanted to tell her. It was slightly superficial, but Arya was ashamed - she actually failed at flying for once. If she was like Adele or Deirdre, good at pretty much everything, maybe it wouldn’t matter. But aside from potions, flying was the only thing Arya was really great at.

“I couldn’t sleep,” she said, sifting through bacon slices. “Back ache.”

It was the truth - just not the whole truth. Another thing that had never happened to Arya before happened that second, as she took another bite. Before she knew it, she was hunched over and coughing, choking on her beloved bacon.

The first time Marigold attempted the spell, the bacon seemed to lodge even further in her throat. The second time, it disappeared. An odd feeling, but it was over now and Arya was glad. She sat up and went straight back to the bacon platter.

“Thanks a heap,” she said enthusiastically, chowing down. “Guess you’re coming along well in your lessons?”

Arya took a moment to picture Marigold all grown up and healing people. She looked like a miniature Healer Alys right now. Then Arya pictured a less joyful site - the healers and physicians that paraded through the towns during the Great Plague. They were useless, they wouldn’t help anyone.. Arry shook the image from her mind, not wishing to associate all medics with bad things.

“So, Marigold,” she ventured, changing the subject. “Did you have a good time at the dance?”

Probably not, she thought, remembering the night. It had only been a couple weeks, but most of their little group still wasn’t speaking to each other. She wasn’t sure if it was do to with the mix-up at the event, or something that happened afterwards. Arya wasn’t woken up for the trip to the Hospital Wing to see Marigold, and Adele didn’t say a word about what went on there.

Arya called Jinxy over and asked politely for another platter of bacon and mug of butterbeer. Marigold seemed to be hiding something; she was terrible at it, Arya had come to realize. You could always tell when Marigold Belet was keeping something from you. Arry decided not to pry for once.

“That Victoria is a bawdy louse,” she said. “You should hear the things the Baron says about her.”

She blinked and tried to remember whether or not she’d told anyone about her meetings with the Bloody Baron. I’m certain I told Marigold, she thought confidently. It was probably at this very place, as well. Yes, I remember now, I told her I had tea with him and she didn’t believe me, she recalled. The baron absolutely hated Victoria; in fact, he was glad she wasn’t Slytherin - it would be an insult to his house, he said. Sipping butterbeer, Arya decided to pry after all.

“What sort of run in do you mean?”

Arya stopped mid-chew and stared at Marigold, furrowing her brows. A concussion and broken arm? Why wouldn’t anyone just kick Victoria in face and be done with her??

“Hold it there, we are not changing subjects,” she said forcefully, downing the rest of her drink. “What on earth did the wench do to you? Should we gather the villagers?”

That last question was meant to be a joke, but for a moment Arya wondered - they could gather the villagers. Just go spread the rumor that a heretic witch (regular magic was tolerated, but never heretic magic) was in charge of their land and livelihood, and Victoria would be…I’m not quite evil enough, yet, Arya thought, shaking the image out of her head.

“Nevermind about the villagers,” she said, as if Marigold would’ve taken it seriously. “Tell me what happened, maybe we can get the Baron on our side and have a little fun!”

Arya followed along with the elves and clapped at the end of Marigold’s play. Then she remembered that it was not a play, it really happened. And then she recalled seeing a hairless Victoria shrieking through the Gryffindor common room recently, and was pleased to know how it really happened.

“Bravo to Asher,” she chuckled. “Victoria is convinced it was a fourth year girl who did that. Why didn’t you go to the headmistress? Oh well, I’m sure you have your reasons. I’d go the revenge route as well.”

Marigold asked about her back problem, and Arya blushed. Should she tell her? It certainly wasn’t as bad as being slammed into a wall repeatedly, but still… If she can tell me the truth, then I can tell her, she decided.

“Well, the truth is… I fell off my broom,” she muttered, ashamed all over again. “When I was practicing with Seamus. It’s never happened before, and I just… I couldn’t get back on, I just froze up. Because what if it happens again? What if I don’t make the team next year because of it? The Pitch is the only place I feel like I… belong.”

She let that sink in, then rolled her eyes.

“Wow, I don’t think I’ve ever sounded more superficial.”

Arya felt the ice and fire just like Marigold said she would. Her back was better in seconds.

"Thanks,"she said enthusiatically, standing up. "I feel fantastic; like I could jump up and down!"

She didn't jump, because she was lazy. It's the thought that counts,she told herself. Jinxy came by with another round of butterbeers and Arya took it gladly. They were hot this time; the house elf's way of hinting that they should go to bed. Hot butterbeer always made her sleepy.

"You're right," she nodded, sipping. "About getting back on the broom. I can't let it affect me, especially with the scrimmage match coming up soon. By the way, I've never heard you sound so philosophical."

Arya laughed, but she meant it. There was something different about Marigold now; she was more confident. She's finally found where she belongs,she realized. When Arry found flying, she went from being a hesitant muggle to a fully-fledged witch.

"I'm off now,"she yawned, setting down the mug. "I'll see you at breakfast. Thanks for the butterbeer and bacon, Jinxy!"

The house elf high-fived her and she walked back to Gryffindor Tower with a smile.