Chapter 41: Potions Class
When the door to the hospital wing finally opened again, it marked Mikel's official discharge. He had at last fulfilled his wish to escape, but his current state left much to be desired. His footsteps were unsteady, and he was constantly retching, looking far from well.
Kyle, standing nearby, had never thought it possible for a person's face to turn blue, but here was Mikel, proving him wrong. Even the boldest portraits in Hogwarts hadn't dared to paint their subjects in such a shade. Mikel's entire head was blue—his forehead, nose, lips, and even his hair and teeth shared the same alarming color. From a distance, he resembled a large, blue dandelion.
"Kyle..." Mikel croaked, extending a shaky hand. "What are you smiling about? Help me up."
"Nothing, just thinking about something happy," Kyle replied, stepping forward to assist Mikel while making a conscious effort to avoid looking at his face. "I added twenty points to Hufflepuff yesterday."
"That is something to be happy about," Mikel nodded, deciding not to ask any further questions. He wasn't in the mood for conversation. Whatever Madam Pomfrey had poured down his throat had left a burning sensation, and his voice felt raw.
They began the slow walk toward the underground Potions classroom. As they crossed the courtyard by the pendulum clock, Mikel's blue complexion gradually faded, returning to a more normal hue. Although his appearance wasn't fully restored, the dim lighting of the castle masked most of it. Kyle realized that Madam Pomfrey hadn't intended for Mikel to embarrass himself too badly in public.
Despite their steady pace, Mikel's sluggish walking meant that by the time they reached the classroom, they were late. Snape had just finished calling roll when his eyes landed on them standing at the doorway.
"Late to your first lesson? Are the new students this year all so incompetent?" Snape's voice dripped with disdain. "Ten points from Hufflepuff."
Mikel's eyes widened in recognition as he stared at Snape. Without thinking, he blurted out, "Huh? You're the one who—"