Falling Sick Sucks

While the three were still in the middle of their discussion, Draco and the twins managed to catch a sort of shrill scream coming in the direction of the bathroom of the floor they were on.

" You two heard that two right? " Draco asks the twins nervously. " Yup, " They say without hesitation in faux confidence.

" Guys? " He calls for the attention of the three Princeton's. " What is it, Draco? " Louis asks, in the middle of having a staring contest with Bandit.

" There was a scream coming from the bathroom, " Draco says pointing to the direction they heard it from.

" Really? " Richard asks. " We can check it out if you guys don't believe us, " Fred says and starts dragging Richard by the arm to the bathroom.

" Okay then, " Annie says as she also gets dragged by George to the bathroom.

" No need to drag me, I'm coming! " Louis says with his hands in the air, losing the staring contest with Bandit. " Whatever, " Draco says with a small smirk on his face, turning around and leading the way.

When the six reach the bathroom at last, they did not expect - or take into account - most of the school population there too.

" How did something happen in the short five-to-ten minute timeframe we were gone? " Richard asks, seeing the worried faces from the students cluttered together putting him in a weird mood.

" That's the least of our worries, Richy, " Annie says, pointing to the bloodlike writing on the wall. Mrs. Norris hangs by the tail on the torch bracket in a suspended animation.

" Since when could Basilisk's write? " Richard mumbles out when he pieces the puzzles together.

" Really? That's what you're concerned about? Not the cat in suspended animation hanging near the torch, or how the Basilisk got the bloody like substance on the wall? " Annie questions, a brow raised at Richard.

" But in hindsight, how it learnt to write is also concerning. " Pondering on it, Annie decides to leave the topic for another time.

" You okay there, Louis? " Draco asks as he holds onto the suddenly feint boy. " Define okay. " Louis tumbles out, feeling bile rise up in his throat.

" Are you dying internally and just want to lie down and do nothing? " Annie asks. " Among many other things, " Louis answers, having to hold his mouth closed or he might just projectile everything right then and there.

" This is worrisome, " Richard states. Both Annie and he look to each other with worry. " Why is it worrisome? " Draco questions looking at Richard, still supporting Louis.

" Louis is sick, " Annie says as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. " And? " The twins ask. " Since birth, Louis has never gotten sick. It's like it wasn't programmed in his body to fall sick, " Richard informs the three.

" Now that's not fair, " George says, arms crossed. " Everyone should get sick at least once in their life, " Fred follows grumpily.

Richard goes to support Louis on his right, seeing how Draco's beginning to struggle with holding up Louis. The boy in question swaying, still on the verge of puking.

" Madam Pomfrey? " Draco asks " Yeah, " As they slowly bring Louis to the direction of the hospital ward, they bump into Neville at the stairs.

" Richard! Where were you? I was loo- What happened to him? " Neville asks in concern, moving to follow the six worry still on the move not having slowed down once.

" Don't know, so we're heading to madam Pomfrey to know why. " Neville nods his head in understanding. " Got it. Mind if I follow you guys? You'd probably need all the help you can get bringing him there. "

Richard nods his head in gratitude. " Thanks, " He says. " Don't sweat it, " Neville waves his hand before moving to help them with the best of his abilities.

• • •

The six become visible before they enter the hospital wing with Neville. " Goodness! What happened? " Madam Promfrey frantically asks when she notices Louis, hurrying the three to guide Louis to a free bed.

" He started feeling unwell out of the blue and since he's never fallen sick before. We don't know what's wrong, " Annie hurriedly informs as Madam Pomfrey checks Louis' temperature.

" How peculiar, I'm going to need more time to determine the cause of his sickness. In the meantime, the boy's parents should be informed of what's happened, " Both cousins nod their heads.

" Now, you six should be in bed for the night. You can come in and check on him tomorrow, okay? " As the group very reluctantly leave the hospital ward, they release a collective sigh of defeat knowing they can't disobey the one person who makes sure everyone is alive and in one piece while in Hogwarts.

They turn in for the day, their heads hung low.

• • •

The first thing Louis sees when he comes to, is the blinding rays of light from from sun.

" Hiss!! The sun is too bright, turn it down a few notches! " He hisses out, shielding his face from the light. Breaking out into a violent fit of coughs due to the sudden movement.

" Good to see you're awake. " Louis hears after his coughs have calmed down. He attempts to sit up only to be pushed back down on the bed from his shoulders.

" Yeah, no. Considering the fact that you look like a vampire and just coughed the life out of yourself, you're not moving. " Louis recognizes the voice to be that of Draco's.

" Where's Richy and Ann? " He asks coarsely looking for a glass of water. " Went for breakfast and sneak you some food while they're at it, " Draco says handing him a glass.

" Jello? " He curiously asks with a tilt of his head " Obviously, " Draco replies. Louis nods in approval.

Madam Pomfrey comes and gives Louis a check up and gives the boy a remedy she'd found in an old book, figuring that it might help him feel better.

It did not make him feel better.

" You look even worse compared to yesterday, " Richard bluntly states the second he sees Louis' from the entrance.

" I'm dying Richy, " Louis whines dramatically as he places his right arm over his face. He hears a faint snicker come from Draco.

" I'll make sure your funeral will be nice. " Richard says flatly, eyebrows raised. " Did the remedy Madam Pomfrey give really not work? "Annie asks sadly.

" No, it worked wonderfully. Wonderful enough that I can see a talking lion inside a cabinet! " Louis sarcastically says to Annie.

" Don't you give me sass, " She scolds, slapping the boy up his head. " I'm sick! " He reminds. " Not dying, " She retorts, her arms crossed to show her disapproval.

" Violent tendency for the sick aside, did I miss anything while I was out cold? " Louis asks the two boys.

" Depends on what you call exciting, " Richard says before he takes note of the time, they have at least fifteen more minutes before class starts.

Rolling his eyes, Louis asks again " I mean, did anything out of the ordinary happen while I was acting like I ate the most wretched thing on earth? "

" Ah, yes, " Draco says making Annie and Richard look at him in confusion. " Really? " They ask. Louis gives him a look, silently asking him to go on.

" I overheard the trio talking over something when I was heading back to the Slytherin dormitory. It turns out Potter heard a voice in Lockhart's office before the thing struck outside the bathroom yesterday. "

" How peculiar, " Richard says, taking down notes in the notebook he whipped out from inside his robe.

" Something is definitely wrong with this school, " Louis says the more he thinks about it.

" This coming from you? The definition of weird? No offence, " Draco says. " None taken, I know I'm weird. " Louis replies half-heartedly, deep in thought.

" We should get going for classes now, Louie. You stay here and get better and we'll see you for lunch. Make sure Madam Pomfrey doesn't see these. " Annie whispers the last part as she passes Louis an armful of Jello.

" Gotcha! Tell me more when lunch comes! " Louis cheerily says before he breaks into a coughing fit once again.

" Better get well soon, Louis. Meister and the others are worried about you. Bandit especially, he's running around like a lost child at the thought of you being sick, " Draco informs before following the two out the hospital ward.

" Like I'm going to be stuck in bed sick for more than a day - even if it is comfy, " Louis says coarsely. Already stuffing his face with Jello.