ORDER ONLY: Wet and cold.

[alt_hermione]

Terry is in the hospital wing.

He told me that Professor Carrow dunked him in a bucket of water, only I said that doesn't sound so bad, at least he didn't hit you or jinx you like he did that one time and so even if it was scary at least it's over now and it doesn't hurt any more. But it is actually worse because now he has something called asspiration pneumonia (Madam Pomfrey made sure that I knew how to spell 'pneumonia,' it isn't at all like you'd expect) and he has to stay in the hospital wing, only that doesn't sound so bad because now Professor Carrow can't dunk him in the bucket of water again, only Terry is very frightened and I'm not sure what of.

He won't ask to come stay with me in the library either, although I think that if Professor Carrow hates him so much he'd want him out of his sight, and he won't tell me why and I sometimes think he doesn't like me after all. But I know that isn't true. Anyway he has too much of a fever now to make alot of sense. Madam Pomfrey says he will be alright though because mediwizardry is so much better than Muggle healing ever was. If Terry were a Muggle before the Lord Protector came they would have fed him moldy bread, which sounds disgusting, only they must have had a reason to feed people moldy bread. Madam Pomfrey said it worked sometimes but all the Muggle Studies textbooks I can read don't say that, they just talk about how mean it was to feed sick people mold. But they caught the pneumonia early so maybe that is alright.

I wish I could apologise to Terry because I yelled at him, and I know it was wrong but he didn't tell me about Professor Carrow dunking him and I went in to work in the hospital wing and he was there all wet with Madam Pomfrey and I couldn't help it because I wanted to know what happened! But he just kept shivering and crying and all.

I don't think I ever have thought that I was going to drown. I suppose it is very frightening. Terry was very frightened.

And now I am going to bring him some books so that he can read them while he is in the hospital wing and no one can see that he's doing it.

Comments

[alt_mcgonagall]

Excellent spelling of "pneumonia," Granger. "Aspiration," however, has only one S.

[alt_kingsley]

Not to scare you, little one, but Carrow's killed mudbloods before. I wonder if this was such an attempt that was, for some reason, aborted?

If you can get any details out of poor Terry, please keep us apprised?

[alt_molly]

If Carrow's killed before, I wonder if the boy knows it. If so, then no wonder he's so frightened. Aspiration pneumonia . . . that means pneumonia caused by something he was breathing in, doesn't it? If it wasn't simply a matter of wetting the boy, if he was actually holding his head underwater long enough that he was forced to actually start breathing in the water . . .

Arthur, isn't there any way to break the contract that's given Carrow total power over the boy?

[alt_arthur]

No, Molly, I'm sorry to say it, but there isn't. Neither Muggles nor Muggleborn witches and wizards have any recourse under the law whatsoever if their masters turn abusive or even homicidal. The only punishment is a token fine, paid to the Ministry--for destruction of property--if a slave is killed.

[alt_kingsley]

Knowing Carrow, I have no doubt that the boy knows what's happened to his predecessors.

[alt_molly]

Oh, ugh, I hadn't even thought of that. But you're probably right.

[alt_molly]

There may be a point you can press him for further answers, Hermione, but I'd guess this probably isn't the time, as long he's feeling both sick and afraid. Maybe he would prefer to stay with you in the library, but if he fears Carrow as much as it seems he does, he might not want to draw Carrow's attention down on you. Perhaps he thinks he is protecting you by keeping you at arm's length?

So my advice to you is to not make any demands on him, especially since he seems to have just been through something harrowing, but simply be a friend to him. Visit him, bring him books, or whatever else you can to cheer him, once he feels a little better. Make sure he knows that you'd help him any way you can, and let the rest go for now.