A Loss of Blood [February 2018]

[Samara Raillen]

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For June Wynne and Matty Barsky

Sam was a bloody mess. Her Quidditch robes were stained with it, her face was slightly spattered with it, and up until just recently, her left arm had been covered in it.

Samara had been playing her second match with the Gryffindor house team. She had only been a fill-in, due to the former Beater having to sit out the next three games for Troll-level grades, but she had quickly proven her worth on the pitch, training daily with Matty Barsky, her best friend and Chaser for the team, and putting in 110% every practice. They had done really well against Ravenclaw, and she was looking forward to another win with this game as well.

But that didn't happen. Instead, mid-game, she'd swiveled around on her broomstick only to watch a Seventh Year Slytherin smack a bludger straight for her, not even five feet away; the impact was beyond belief as it smashed straight through her bat, crushed her fingers, bruised her jaw, and bore its way into her shoulder, partially severing it from the rest of her body. She fuzzily remembered the blood splattering her face, and even less clearly remembered tumbling off of her broom as the penalty whistle rang through her ears. But after that, she had blacked out.

Only to wake up in the Hospital Wing, her least favorite place in Hogwarts. Her arm was mending; and she would have to spend a few nights in the infirmary to recover entirely, reported the nurse. But Sam didn't want to hear it; all she wanted to know right now was the outcome of the game. If they had lost, Samara would never be able to forgive herself -- or that Slytherin Beater.

Sam glanced at the clock; she knew that as soon as the match was over, Matty would be right at her side, masking his concern by cracking a joke, as usual. And maybe, some of the other team members might come, as well...Sam didn't really know. But, as anxious as she was, Samara felt quite exhausted, and she drifted back off to sleep.

When her hazel eyes opened again, she saw a fuzzy figure. No -- two? She blinked heavily, attempting to reach up to rub her eyes. She realized too late that she was using the wrong arm, as pain shot through her system. She groaned softly.

[June Wynne]

June Wynne was a raging lioness right now, and it was quite a sight to see. The Fifth Year usually had more of a flowerchild mentality, being optimistic and cheerful, and willing to forget any bad thing that had ever happened to her. But today, she was furious. And what made this scene even more exciting, was the person to be on the receiving end of her anger fit: namely Zeppelin Wynne, her older brother. Her best friend, the one she loved more than anything and would do whatever for to save him from any danger or misery. But not today, no.

June was the exotic one in the trio of her, Zeppelin and Mateus, the three best friends you'd ever find. She'd become a Gryffindor when she'd started her Hogwarts time two years after the boys, and despite all their similarities, today was one of the days when you might think to see a reason behind this sorting game. Zeppelin, the silly snake, had knocked a Bludger so hardly into Gryffindor's little reserve Beater Samara, it had literally catapulted her off her broom. And June could not accept such violence, not against her team's Beater, even if she knew it was more or less Zep's 'job' to do it, and especially not against a much younger kid. Oh, her anger fit had definitely been historical.

But now the blond Gryffindor hurried to the Hospital Wing, as she wanted to check on Samara. She felt like visiting a teammate was required anyway, but she also felt bad for being such an idiot's sister. As she arrived, there was already a boy beside Sam's bed and June recognized him to be Matty Barsky. She said a quick "Hi," to him, then leaned on the end of the bed and just looked at the sleeping girl. She looked madly injured. Zeppelin, you bloody fucker, the Fifth Year thought grimly. And then she suddenly held her breath, as Sam made a move and seemed to be waking up.

[Matty Barsky]

Matty had been chasing the quaffle, open for a pass from his fellow chaser, when suddenly the penalty whistle blew. He whipped around on his broom to watch in horror as his teammate, and best friend, plummeted to the ground with blood on her robes. He dove after her, being the first to land beside her. She was unconscious and covered in blood, her bat arm hanging at a gruesome angle on the ground. If players had been allowed to carry their wands during a match, Matty would have hexed the hell out of that Slytherin beater. He was livid. It had been a gross and deliberate cheap shot at a second year fill-in player at point blank range. The guy ought to have been removed from his house team for the rest of the year.

He'd been sat at Samara's bedside in the Hospital Wing since the game had ended. His face was creased with worry lines, watching warily as the nurse worked over her in her sleep. He was told she was mending nicely, but that she wouldn't be out of the infirmary for quite a while. His head snapped up as another team member entered, nodding at her in greeting and mumbling something that sounded like 'Hey'. He wondered where the rest of the team was and why they weren't here checking on Sam, but part of him was glad that he'd get a chance to talk to her without a crowd hanging over their shoulders. His eyebrows raised when she stirred. He immediately put on a smile and gently touched her good shoulder. "Hey, Sammy," he said quietly. "Welcome back."

[Samara Raillen]

The unmistakeable sounds of the Second Year Chaser's voice confirmed Samara's theory; at least one of the figures was Matty, and she couldn't yet be sure about the second one. She rubbed her eyes with her good arm finally and looked up at them both. Another player, June Wynne was there, as well. Her eyebrows creased suddenly -- why did they both look so grim?

"Awh, no! Don't tell me we lost!" she moaned weakly, entirely skipping the pleasantries and going straight for what was most important. The promise she had made to Matty last semester rang in her ears. Slytherins don't scare me...Stupid Snakes...We'll take 'em down, for sure... Well, she had been wrong about that for sure. Entirely wrong. What was that quote the Slytherins were always shouting? It only takes one bite from a snake to take down even the mightiest of lions...

[June Wynne]

June scoffed as the other girl's first words after waking up from unconsciousness were used to find out the result of their Quidditch match. It was ironic, really, that these words almost charmed a grin onto June's features. She liked Samara, who was strong and positively fierce despite her young age. And seeing her looking so lively in that hospital bed, asking about the damned results, the Fifth Year wondered if Zeppelin would have to stand another another anger fit of a girl lion.

"Thanks to my most charming brother, yeah," came June's reply with a very much annoyed roll of her eyes, as she leant forward, with her forearms resting on the end of the bed.

[Matty Barsky]

Matt rolled his eyes, sitting quietly as the two girls exchanged words. Sure, he was bummed about losing the match, but what did that matter when Sam's arm was smashed all to pieces? Not that he would let the worry stirring around in his gut show on his face. He just smiled uninterestedly and waited for the older girl to stop talking. Then he sighed and gave Samara a gentle poke in the stomach. "Don't feel too bad, Sammy," he said lightly. "It was a cheap shot."

[Samara Raillen]

"It's all my fault!" she continued, not at all comforted by Matty's words. Her mind was becoming increasingly less groggy; nevertheless, she still gave it her best shot to sit up, but to no avail. Any bit of movement resulted in sharp, hot pain all throughout her injured arm. "I -- I let you all down!" As she spoke, she was staring straight at June. The upperclassmen were the ones she really had cared about proving herself to. Now, how would she ever get picked for the team next year?

[June Wynne]

June snorted out a dry attempt of laughter, not at all a hearty one but quite the sarcastic sort. "Don't be silly, Samara. You were excellent! Up until that asshole knocked you off your broom, yeah, but there's nothing anybody could have done in your position!" The Fifth Year really meant what she said, and wanted Samara to believe her. It was silly to insist something was your fault when it clearly wasn't, and the younger girl better not start with such insecurities when she wanted to make it in the Quidditch world.

[Matty Barsky]

Matt squinted at his friend curiously. She wasn't usually so down on herself. It was difficult for him to see her like this. He wasn't sure what to do or say, which was an oddity for the boy. Luckily, the older girl with them, June Wynne, was able to conjure up some comforting words. They were good, too. He couldn't have said it better himself, though that wasn't exactly saying much considering his current ability to speak and cheer. Still, it was the thought that counted, wasn't it? He flashed Sam a grin and poked her stomach again. "Shut up," he managed, hiding his worry quite well. "You were brilliant!" And she most certainly was.

[Samara Raillen]

She sighed in frustration. "Well, it doesn't matter how good I played, does it? We lost and -- we could lose the Cup for this!" Why hadn't she seen him there? Why hadn't she noticed? Why hadn't he noticed her?! "I can't believe that was your brother," she mumbled sourly toward June. "'f I ever get my arm right again, I'm gonna punch him." Family or no, he had, in Sam's mind, just ruined her chances at playing for the team, or -- she glanced wonderingly at her arm -- ever playing at all.

[June Wynne]

"Now don't be so dramatic," June said lightly but with a tone to her voice that sounded more like 'shut up already'. Honestly, she was being a tad oversensitive about this, wasn't she? It was true that they had lost, and June sure was aware that it might cost them the Cup, but they all knew it and therefore there was no need to repeatedly mention it. The Fifth Year was not much of a fan of such depressing moods, and of people who kept causing them by being the way Samara currently behaved.

"Oh, you sure should," were the blondie's next words, delivered with an encouraging nod of her head. "It's time someone other than me pulls him off that high horse of his." Zeppelin was only halfway as bad as June tended to describe him, but right now her anger was winning her over. Plus, a nice punch (and June had faith that Sam could deliver these just nicely, despite being only a Second Year) would probably do him good.

[Matty Barsky]

Matt rolled his eyes and gave her a nudge. He was fully aware of what this incident had done to their chances of winning the Quidditch cup, but right now that wasn't entirely as important as his friend's condition. He made to make eye contact with her and smiled comfortingly. "Regardless, with your display of talent today, not to mention the way you took that hit, you're sure to be getting a lot more attention round the pitch. You might even be promoted to first line." He winked playfully at her, hoping to conjure a smile on her face. He knew he was supposed to be doing the cheering, but right now he could really use the comfort of seeing her smile. He was so worried about her he thought he might be sick.

[Samara Raillen]

Samara groaned internally. It felt impossible to just forget about things and go on as if everything were all right when in her mind, everything was not all right. She kept her mouth shut about the match, but inside she was still pretty upset about it. She glanced at Matty, shooting him a very small half-smile. "I dunno that I want the sort of attention that goes with "The one that got her arm destroyed."

But she really didn't want to talk about herself anymore. And anyway, they were right -- she was being too hard on herself. It really was that stupid Slytherin who did this in the first place. She began to vividly imagine a revenge of taking her bat to his head. Oh, my bat... "My bat...did it...survive?" she asked them.

[June Wynne]

June gave a small smile, although far from a happy one. Delivering bad news was annoying business. Zeppelin should have done this, oh yeah, since it was his fault after all. "No," she said, shaking her head and even the little attempt of a smile vanished. "Smashed as your bones."

[Matty Barsky]

Matt clenched his jaw slightly at the mention of her bat. He'd seen the thing splinter into a million pieces under the force of that bludger, right before he'd watched Sam plummet to the ground. In the past few weeks, that bat had become an extension of Samara herself. He frowned and waited as June delivered the bad news. "Sorry, Sam," he said sadly. "We saved what was left of it for you, in case you wanted to keep it." It was an awkward thing to say. It almost felt like asking someone if they wanted to keep their dead, severed finger to remind them of what it was like before. He almost wished she could take the words back once they were out there in the air. Too late though. He just waited apprehensively for Sam's reaction, still trying to keep himself looking calm and collected and unaffected by it all.

[Samara Raillen]

It's that bloody Slytherin, she thought angrily. Maybe it wasn't entirely his fault; maybe it hadn't been extremely off-base. But she blamed him with all her heart. Merlin, even his own sister was mad at him.

Sam swallowed and attempted a weak, half-hearted grin. "S all right, I was askin' for a new one anyway," she said, trying to shrug while inside, her stomach was flopping painfully. She could remember the millisecond of sheer terror when the realization that she'd flown straight into the warpath of a horribly forceful bludger, before she became unconscious. "Maybe my dad'll -- buy me one."

Did the school write her parents about this? Were they going to come see her? And that thought was the one which completely slapped the pathetic smile off her face. She didn't want to see the look on her father's face, wouldn't he be disappointed?

[June Wynne]

June noticed that Samara didn't look like she honestly cared so much about her bat, but she didn't want to push the topic either. If the younger girl wanted to pretend it wasn't much of a big deal, it was not June's business to claim otherwise. Instead, the Fifth Year decided to do more cheering-up.

"You'll need a new bat though, so prepare to be real good in talking to your daddy. Captain's said he wants you on the team." June said and smiled encouragingly.

[Matty Barsky]

Matt grinned, albeit half-heartedly, at June's last comment. "You see?" he said triumphantly to his friend. "Didn't I tell you?" He knew Samara would make the team. If she'd been excited to be a fill-in, he could only imagine how she'd feel about being a starting player. He could certainly relate, having been allowed on the team the year before. Now he was one of the top chasers of the team, and excited for his friend to join him in the ranks of Gryffindor Quidditch heroes. Still, he couldn't help the slightly sick feeling in his gut at the look on Sam's face. Whether she admitted it or not, he knew the loss of that bat was affecting her. He'd have to work hard to keep her cheered up in the coming days and weeks.

[Samara Raillen]

"Yeah, maybe I'll -- What?!" Despite her weakened, slightly potioned-up state, Samara exploded loudly, sitting upright the best that she could with a rapid jerk. "You mean -- really?!" she asked June, searching her face just to make sure she wasn't kidding. No way had she expected the captain to want her on next year, not after what had happened.

She then turned to share a grin with Matty. "I'll show you up soon enough," she teased, a bit of her old spark back in her. She winced suddenly, settling back into the sheets. That was kinda stupid.

[June Wynne]

June was grinning widely now, happy to see Samara finally having some life inside her again. "You think I'd joke about Quidditch?" she asked accusingly, but then grinned again and nodded her head. "He really, honestly, wants you. I mean, you'll have to do the try-outs, but I'm pretty sure you'll have no problem with that," she explained, sincerely happy for the younger girl. June liked Sam, and she was a good Quidditch player.

[Matty Barsky]

Matt rolled his eyes, grinning down at his friend. He was happy to see some spark of life back in her. She looked much better when she wasn't wallowing. "Yeah, we'll see about that," he teased, giving her a gentle poke in the stomach and winking. He smiled and nodded at June as she spoke. He was probably just as glad to hear it as Samara was. They'd both been waiting anxiously for her to get a spot on the team. Matty had known all along, she was without a doubt good enough. She'd just needed an opportunity to show that to the team, and that's exactly what she'd gotten today. He just hated that it had come with a hospital visit.

[Samara Raillen]

Perhaps this wasn't all for awful after all. Of course, Sam was still mad at the Slytherin idiot -- Merlin, was she mad -- and probably would be for who knew how long.

"June, your brother's lucky it's his last year here, or he'd have to watch his back on the pitch next year," she growled. "No offense, but I really hate him."

[ Click for OOC Comment ]

LOL XD if only she knew

[June Wynne]

June laughed about Sam's comment regarding Zeppelin. "Oh trust me, I wish that would happen. He can be a big fat bloke at times, and he'd totally deserve being smashed off his own broom." June was 99% certain that she'd always love her older brother, no matter what he might say or do, but she still held the power to be incredibly mad at him regardless. It also came as a special right to her, the sister.

[Matty Barsky]

Matt smiled and rolled his eyes at the two girls as they talked about the Slytherin that had knocked Sam off her broom. It irked him a little that they were talking about him so casually, smiling and laughing all the while. He wanted to see truly terrible things befall the boy, in a deep dark crevice of his mind. Still, it was quite good to see Samara perking up. Her feisty attitude was even making an appearance. That was good, right? Flashing her a bright grin with barely a shadow of concern on his face, he asked, "You'll be alright if I head out, will you?"

[Samara Raillen]

"I"ll get him back, someday, you can be sure of that," she said firmly to June, before looking over at Matty. "Sick of me already?" she teased wearily, her eyes betraying her slight disappointment at the prospect of being left alone in the hospital wing, of all places. Of course she'd never admit that to him, though.

"Yeah, 'course I'll be fine," she said after a moment. "You didn't have to come in the first place, either."