#11 Wounded Pride

Madam Pomfrey appeared at her side, as if sensing a broken arm from a room away. She tsk tsked about it while examining the damage, which was quite a painful process for Elara.

Promfrey didn't understand why people kept playing with such injuries, or why adults let them keep playing, but alas it was like screaming into a void on that topic. Sports were nasty business, but thankfully Elara's break was quite clean and nothing a swift mending charm couldn't take care.

'Brace yourself; this will be quite painful, but only last a moment or two.' Pomfrey had Elara place her arm straight on a wheeled table. She had her wand raised, ready, then cast the mending charm.

Elara's bones seemed to snap back into place and heal themselves, the pain of which was possibly worst than when it was broken. Or maybe it was the lack of adrenaline that helped her then yet was absent now? Either way, dull ache aside, she felt much better.

'Wear this for tonight, and try not to sleep on this arm,' Pomfrey said, slipping Elara's arm into a sling. She was tempted to keep her overnight, but it really wasn't necessary. 'You're free to go, unless there was something else?' She frowned in disapproval.

Her arm was good as new, just felt a bit weird and achy -- as if she'd slept on it funny or something. And to think it was broken a few minutes ago...

Elara flinched, surprised when Madam Pomfrey materialized beside her. It was as if she had just appeared out of thin air, which was definitely not what had happened. Maybe someone should make her wear a bell, give her victims some warning of her approach.

"Ow!" Elara glared at the woman as she began to examine her broken arm, without so much as a word of warning. If she'd known she was going to be subject to such rough handling, then she would've gone back to her dormitory and attempted to fix it herself- at least then she wouldn't have to deal with Pomfrey's judgement and grabbing.

Allowing her arm to be placed straight on the table, she watched Madam Pomfrey raise her wand. Then the words sank in.

"Wait, what-" before she could finish the sentence she felt her limb flare with a white hot pain that caused her to cry out. She could feel tears pricking at the corners of her eyes and shut them tight against the biting pain, but it did fade to a dull ache after just a few moments- at least that was accurate. Why did mending bones hurt more than actually breaking them, that made no sense.

This whole ordeal made her even more determined to dodge any future bludgers, she didn't want to have to endure any more of Pomfrey's bone mending spells. With her arm now in a sling and with some parting advice from the healer, she was ready to go down to dinner and drown her sorrows in a lot of food- too much food.

"No, there's nothing else" she said quickly, not wanting to give Pomfrey the excuse to keep her longer. Turning away, she was surprised to see her cousin waiting for her. He should be off celebrating with the rest of his house, it was kind of sweet that he'd thought to check on her instead.

He looked nervous and she smiled in an attempt to reassure him. "Hey, you played really well today" she told him, hoping that he didn't think she was mad at him just for performing well. She'd be more upset if he threw the game or something just because he was up against her, that would be poor sportsmanship and his mama didn't raise no cheat.

"Just a bit sore, but it'll be good by Christmas" which was great, no one enjoyed being ill over the holidays and injured and heartbroken was totally a kind of sick.

Glancing down at his fist when he presented it to her, she bumped it with her own "I'll get you next time though, so don't get too comfortable on that throne of yours" it would be a while before she had the opportunity to play her cousin again, but when she did- she'd be more determined to win and less inclined to underestimate him.