Hospital Wing

In spite of her severe lack of stamina, Olivia made it from the Dark Arts room to the Hospital Wing in record time, praying that there was a counter-curse to that horrid spell.

The Hospital Wing was probably the last sane place in the school. It was quiet, and the atmosphere was warm. Madame Pomphrey came out with a cup of some sort of thing, and went to a kid with a heavy cold. "It's okay, drink this, and your allergies ought to be fine." She said softly.

The person- probably a third year drank it, and sighed. "It's really spicey," she said quietly, and shook her head. Then she glanced at Olivia. "Is that a rat you're holding?"

"Chinchilla. Some Dark Magic spell... I-I really don't know."

"Oh! That's horrible! Man, Don't tell anyone, but the horror's this school is becomng... There's nothing I can do, the hair will have to grow back. But the skin seems infected too..." She took a wipe out of her pocket and dipped it in the water. Then, carefully taking the shaking chinchilla, she wrapped it in the towel to wipe away some of the blood from the fur. She gently rubbed it and set it with Olivia. "you should keep it hidden, They might confiscate it."

Olivia nodded. "Will it be okay?"

Madame Pomphrey nodded slowly. "Physically, yes. Mentally, I'm not sure. It's probably scarred, and totally terrified. You be careful with it."

"Yes ma'am..." Olivia was trying to remember what class she was supposed to go to next.

Olivia entered, wondering where they would even keep a chinchilla in a place like this.

Serenity came in after her, excitedly looking for the chinchilla.

"Liv, I don't mean to ditch you, but I'm going to go write a letter. Maybe I'll see it some other time." She ran off.

"Oh, okay, bye."

Farley was in there. Treating a nosebleed.

"Oi!" called Olivia. "You seen a chinchilla around here?"

[[I just realized he's already graduated.]]

"Umm. No. No greeting?"

[was gonna say.]

"... Oh. Hey." Olivia frowned. "Didn't you graduate...?"

Farley thrust his fist into the air. "All summer, I've been hunting, searching, eating away my life in desire of a new job. Every interview, every form, EVERYTHING went to waste, I was completely rejected every time. So... I decided to come here and study as a nurse. Unfortunately instead of reaching for my glass of water, I reached for one of the medicines, and it gave me this nosebleed."

"... Whatever. So, the chinchilla?"

"I mean, I'd love some companionship, or some body to understand me. Why can't I get a job? Is it the way I act? Because I sweat too much at the interviews? It's so unfair! They never listen, they're all so blind! Well, they watch. This small job, they don't know what it'll do, but it will SHOW them. Oh yeah, two years of this, and I'll have an envelope in my hand, proving them that I studied extra abroad in Scotland, and it will definitely improve my work performance! Anyways, how's life with you, Olivia?"

"... My life lacks a chinchilla, Franklin."

"You know, there's a chinchilla in the back... Hey, it must be yours! Poor thing... shivering and terrified, making small squeaking noises all night long. I felt so bad for it!" Farley sat up, and a few drops of blood fell to the ground from his nose. "Here, I'll go get him for you. We'll give you a good diet sheet for him, and a cage. Be sure to keep him under the bed when you leave the dorm, though! Sunlight will hurt his bare skin."

"How long'll it take to grow back, do you think?"

Farley stared at Olivia for a few seconds with his mouth open. "I don't know."

"Oh. Alright. Where is it, then?"

"Here, follow me!" He took her hand and pulled her into the back room. There was a cage in the back with some woodchips and that stuff you keep with rodents as flooring. Inside there was a small glass of water and another glass with tiny little food pellets. Farley lifted the cage and handed it to Olivia, with a big back full of food and refills for the flooring. "Try and keep it hidden from the people. We'd like you to bring him next week, for some checkups. Man, this is fun!"

"Got it." Olivia staggered a bit from the weight of the cage, but she regained her balance after a moment. "Err, bye." She left.