Rosmerta

Madam Rosmerta was a lovely, shapely, warmhearted woman.

Even twenty years later, Ron Weasley would still blush whenever he saw her, and had secretly been smitten with her for a long time.

Ever since Madam Rosmerta had moved into the Hospital Wing, the atmosphere at school had changed. The boys were either sick or injured, as if they had planned it together.

The once-empty Hospital Wing was suddenly packed full.

Madam Pomfrey looked at the chaotic scene and had no choice but to fly into a rage, throwing out all the boys who were clearly healed but still lying in bed pretending to be ill.

When Pandora learned that Aber's memory had somehow suddenly worsened, that his leg had been caught by that prank-loving staircase, and that he had sprained his ankle and had to stay in the Hospital Wing, she decided to visit him purely out of concern for a friend.

"Are you sure you want to go?" Snape's tone was somewhat strange. "Trust me, there won't be anything worth seeing there."

"But we're friends," Pandora said, blinking her big eyes, her long lashes fluttering. "You should come with me."

"Uh, all right." Looking into her sparkling eyes, Snape truly had no reason to refuse, so he could only accompany her to the Hospital Wing.

"Where are you injured this time?" Madam Pomfrey asked Snape darkly, eyeing him suspiciously from head to toe.

"He isn't hurt. We're here to visit a friend." Pandora walked forward with light steps and said briskly, "Patrick Aber."

"Oh." Seeing that Pandora had come with him, Madam Pomfrey's expression softened considerably. She nodded gently. "You may go in. He's in bed six."

Pushing open the door, Snape spotted Aber at once.

One of his feet was wrapped in green herbs, and he held a copy of <How to Brew with Your Cauldron: The Ultimate Secrets of Firewhisky>, flipping through it while swaying his head.

But his eyes kept darting to the side, and a strange smile hung on his face. He clearly thought his manner looked noble and profound.

Following Aber's gaze, Snape saw Madam Rosmerta reclining against a feather cushion several beds away.

She wore a silk dressing gown embroidered with Fire Dragons, its color especially flattering to her skin. Her fair, slender feet rested casually on the mattress, her toenails tinged pink.

The room was filled with sunlight as an owl flew in through the window with a newspaper in its beak.

Madam Rosmerta gently took a copy of the Daily Prophet from its beak. Then she picked up five little copper coins from beside her and placed them into a small leather pouch tied to the owl's leg.

After receiving its delivery fee, the owl flapped its wings and flew back out through the open window.

"Hey, Aber," Pandora said as she walked over to him. "How are you?"

"As you can see." Aber reluctantly withdrew his gaze, dramatically shut the book in his hands, and said with a pained expression, "I've sprained my ankle. I need to rest and recover properly."

"Shouldn't Madam Pomfrey be able to heal that in the blink of an eye?" Snape asked skeptically.

"Ah, you don't understand." Aber sighed deeply, looking helpless. "A Horklump bit my ankle when I was little. Ever since then, healing magic hasn't worked very well on it. I can only apply herbs and wait for it to recover slowly."

"What trick are you playing?" Snape lowered his voice and leaned close to Aber's ear.

He knew perfectly well that a Horklump was merely a plump, pink, mushroom-like magical creature. The largest thing it could bite through was a small earthworm. How could it possibly leave such aftereffects?

"Shh!" Aber glanced at Pandora, afraid she would hear, then quickly turned and whispered to Snape, "Finite Incantatem. I used Finite Incantatem."

"Your nonverbal spells are certainly quick when it comes to this."

Snape had barely finished mocking Aber before he immediately understood why he had done it.

Madam Rosmerta let out a languid sound that drew everyone's attention.

Looking over, they saw Madam Rosmerta set down her newspaper and give a soft yawn, like a kitten that had just woken up.

She sat up and stretched lazily, revealing a fleeting glimpse of alluring scenery.

Then she rose gracefully, slipped her feet into a pair of exquisite fluffy high-heeled slippers, and padded toward Aber's bed.

Every swaying step was full of charm.

Aber's mouth fell open in surprise, and he could barely speak. "M-Madam... hello. Thank you."

Madam Rosmerta gave him a puzzled look, clearly unable to understand why Aber was thanking her.

Without further concern for Aber's strange behavior, Madam Rosmerta turned her gaze to Snape, a captivating smile appearing on her face. "Hello, Severus."

She was remarkably tall, even half a head taller than Snape was now.

Looking at the curvaceous Madam Rosmerta standing before him, Snape did not know where to look for a moment and could only reply stiffly, "Hello, Madam Rosmerta."

"You finally came," Madam Rosmerta said with a light laugh. "I've been waiting for you all day."

"Huh?" Snape froze and blurted out, "Why were you waiting for me?"

"I wanted to thank you in person," Madam Rosmerta said. "I heard from Minerva that if it hadn't been for you this time, I might not have lived to see today's sun."

If it hadn't been for me, the Inferi probably wouldn't have gone out of control either.

"You know, the Owlery at the post office is right beside the Three Broomsticks. That night was truly dangerous. I have to properly thank you for myself, and for all those ancestors of mine who were disturbed..."

As she spoke, Madam Rosmerta dramatically patted her chest, and even the air around her seemed to tremble.

"Aber, what are you staring at?" Mary's unhappy voice suddenly rang out in the ward.

It turned out that while no one was paying attention, Mary had also arrived at the Hospital Wing. She stood beside Aber's bed, looking at him with displeasure.

"Nothing." As he spoke, Aber hurriedly shifted his gaze away from Madam Rosmerta.

"I suppose your 'nothing' didn't even spare you a proper glance, did it?" Mary said sharply, angrily tossing a box of White Dittany Chocolate onto Aber.

"All right." Madam Rosmerta watched the scene with great interest, then said to Snape, "I should be heading back too, Severus.

"You must come visit me when you have time. The latest batch of Oak-Ripened Honeywine will be ready soon, and you'll definitely like it..."

With that, Madam Rosmerta gave a light wave of her hand, and a bellflower-blue Wizard robe flew to her side.

Even after she put on the robe, the hem of her dressing gown remained faintly visible beneath it.

Madam Rosmerta shuffled away in her fluffy high-heeled slippers and disappeared through the doorway.