35 Chp 35: Gaslight, gatekeep ..

Hermione's face suddenly became serious only to point behind Adam, causing him to spin around to see what she was pointing at.

----

Behind Adam McGonagall, Snape and Quirrell burst into the girl's toilet the distressed, the shocked face of McGonagall moved from emotion to emotion as she spoke hurriedly.

"..." spat Snape.

".... ..... .... .. ..." said McGonagall.

".. ... ... . ... ..... ... .... ... ..... ..... ..".

'Calcifer what do you think she's saying'.

'Congratulating you for your kill'.

'Makes sense, how nice of her'.

"Thank you Professor McGonagall it was a tough one but we were all fine back here, is it normal for these things to just wander into toilets it might be a good idea to hand out memos or something in advance, people could get hurt".

McGonagall halfway through another concerned tirade stopped, mouth open like a rabbit had jumped down her throat.

".. ... ..... .. ... .. .... ... . .... ... .. .. .... ....".

"It's a pleasure professor anytime" said Adam smiling only for a crazy look to pass across McGonagall's eyes.

----

Meanwhile, for this who could hear

"Mr Potter never in all my days, has a student spoken to me like that!" shrieked McGonagall.

"Um ... sorry Professor I don't think he can hear you", said Hermione pointing to Adam's ear.

"Oh ... dear me, he can't can he, better go to Madam Pomfrey, take him now Ms Granger I will be expecting a full explanation once his hearing has recovered" said McGonagall peering at Adam having returned to her usual stern demeanour.

Hermione tapped Adam on the arm, pointing out the door before motioning with her hand that he should follow her.

Adam complied with a smile on his face a bit of impromptu adrenaline rush having much improved his prior mood.

Passing Snape, Adam patted him on the shoulder almost causing Snape's sneer to crack as he said, "Don't worry professor you'll get here first next time".

----

Reaching the infirmary, Adam caught site of Madam Pomfrey the matron of Hogwarts tending to her potions store, she was an older lady garbed in medical apparel like that a nurse would have worn in World War Two.

Spotting them she strode quickly across the room.

"What now, what has happened, out with it".

Hermione pointed at Adam.

Forgetting about Hermione almost shoving her aside she shooed Adam to the nearest bed helping him sit down.

"His eardrums seem to have burst, young lady may I ask what happened".

"I'm not sure the troll attacked us it hit him and then Adam cast a spell, and there was this big flash of light and a big bang which made my ears ring".

"Mmmm well, that'll be the reason; the troll, has it been captured".

"... well it's not moving, Professor McGonagall, Snape and Quirrell had the situation under control when they sent me here with Adam".

Adam meanwhile was looking from person to person trying to understand what they were saying but getting nowhere.

Madam Pomfrey waved her wand at his head, a yellow glow pulsed from the wand but nothing happened then she cast again and the bleeding stopped. Crossing the room she grabbed a green potion from the potions cabinet then returned offering it to Adam.

Adam happily necked it.

'Aaaarggh gross'.

"... ... h..r .e, he.lo Adam".

"I think my hearings coming back," said Adam his hearing growing louder like a speaker dial was being turned up.

"What did I miss" asked Adam.

".ou al.ost got ... exp..led" replied Hermione.

"Eh, okay well, am I all good to go, I was going to go to the library when I got interrupted ... uh thanks for the potion by the way," said Adam awkwardly. 

Adam got up to go, only for Madam Pomfrey to slide in front of him.

"No back in the bed, from what Hermione told me you likely have more injuries lie down you shan't be leaving here tonight not with the houses on lockdown". Turning to Hermione, "if you go back to McGonagall she should be able to let you into Gryffindor common room as your head of house, thanks for all your help, now shoo shoo, you're not a patient t-t-t-t-t out".

Hermione walked off still with tear marks on her eyes but happy to go back to her house, turning she said "Thanks for coming to help me I don't know what would have happened". Getting embarrassed, she quickly hurried away, down the adjoining corridor.

"Now Mr Potter do you feel any pain anywhere else, Ms Granger said you were hit by the troll".

"Yeah, it got lucky, managed to hit me square in the chest knocked the breath right out of me".

"Well, it's a miracle you are standing here young man I've seen the result of what happens when a troll hits something and you're not it, if you would ... please take off your shirt".

Adam looking awkward did as she asked exposing his bruised but otherwise intact chest.

Pulling a strange monocle up to her eye she inspected Adam's chest.

"Mr Potter most abnormal" she exclaimed, looking at him.

"Your bones are much too thick your ribs are almost fused, I will need to vanish them and then regrow them that can't be good for you," said Madam Pomfrey.

"What do you mean thick" asked Adam confused.

"They must be three or four times thicker than normal and more than that they're growing into each other your bottom two ribs are almost one and the same".

"I mean is there a problem" asked Adam.

"Honestly I don't know ... hey wait your bruising is almost all gone a Wiggenweld potion shouldn't work that fast ... something strange is definitely going on, I'd strongly recommend going for a full check-up at Saint Mungo's, now normally I'd never condone this but I'm going to have to vanish and regrow those bones".

"No, no no, no ... no, nooooo, I think I'm maybe a check-up first then vanish bones," said Adam thinking about some cursed jellies he had seen floating on the edge of the deep warp.

[This is a message endorsed by the vertebrate gang]

"I would advise it as the best course of action, but if it's not causing you any pain, I mean it's up to you, though you must promise to come to me, straight away if it causes you any discomfort".

"Of course Madam Pomfrey, can I ask what the monocle does," said Adam politely, having narrowly dodged his bones getting vanished.

"Oh this old thing, it's just something I made myself as part of my healing mastery I always enjoyed taking ancient ruins, and this was its culmination, it enchanted to allow me to see through materials with lower densities like water, flesh and blood, essentially ... it's a bone-seeing eye".

"Wow, I didn't think enchanting like that was a thing".

"Thank you for the compliment but this is the only substantial project I've ever completed ... now go to sleep and I might release you in the morning" said Madam Pomfrey dimming the lights in the room.