“Stript, wounded, beaten nigh to death,
I found him by the highway side.
I roused his pulse, brought back his breath,
Revived his spirit, and supplied
Wine, oil, refreshment – he was healed.
I had myself a wound concealed
But from that hour forgot the smart,
And peace bound up my broken heart.�
— “A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief,� James Montgomery

Sally-Anne Perks snorted when she caught Susan Bones sending furtive glances at Ernie Macmillan’s N.E.W.T. Potions book.

“It’s time you got over it, Sus,� she said, and Ernie, looking up in time to catch Susan eyeing his homework, nodded.

“You should be glad you don’t have to take it,� he agreed vehemently.

Susan shrugged. “I am glad, I think,� she said musingly. “I never liked Potions anyway.�

“Then why were you looking at the book?� Sally-Anne accused.

“I don’t know,� Susan began. “Probably I was being glad that I didn’t have to take it.�

Sally-Anne rolled her eyes and leaned over her Charms essay. “Hey, Susan, help me with this bit, will you?�

Susan glanced at her watch. “I need to go; Justin said we could study Ancient Runes tonight, and I haven’t seen him. Look on page 425 for what you’re trying to find, Sally-Anne.�

“Thanks,� Sally-Anne murmured, hefting her book toward her and flipping pages. “Good luck finding Justin.�

There was a little too much innocence on Sally-Anne’s face as she stared at page 423, Susan thought, blushing. Was her crush on Justin really that obvious? If even Sally-Anne noticed how eager she was to spend all the time she could with him, it must be painfully apparent. However, the truth was that she was dreadfully impatient to find Justin – and not just because she needed help with Ancient Runes. Susan just didn’t feel her day was complete without seeing him. But where could he be?

“He was at dinner,� Susan murmured to herself, making her way toward the entrance hall. “But he didn’t walk back with us because he wasn’t finished yet. Hmm. How peculiar.�

The Great Hall was deserted when Susan checked in there, so she thought maybe he’d gone to the library. Feeling slightly hurt that she’d been deprived of walking to the library with him – one of her highlights of the evening – she began walking up to the fourth floor.

On the second floor, she suddenly stopped short. A bit of what looked alarmingly like a Hufflepuff robe was poking out from around a corner. Susan ran toward the place and felt her heart drop.

Justin Finch-Fletchley sprawled motionless on the floor, his face bloodied and bruised, his robes torn, and one of his arms at a disturbing angle.

“What happened?� she gasped, kneeling down next to him and stroking his hair away from his bleeding forehead. At her touch, Justin groaned and seemed to come a bit to life.

“Water,� Susan thought she heard him whisper. This was something Susan could do confidently, even in a panic.

“Aguamenti,� she murmured. The charm worked perfectly, and water began dribbling out of the tip of her wand. She brought it to Justin’s mouth and took a handkerchief to wipe what spilled.

After Justin had spat out some bloody water and had some more to drink, he looked more alert. “Susan? Susan, what are you doing here?�

It was hard for Susan to watch him trying to look at her with both eyes blackened and swollen. She looked down at his ripped uniform and wrung her handkerchief around in her hands.

“I was looking for you,� she admitted. “Justin, what happened? We have to get you to the hospital wing right away!�

“Crabbe and Goyle,� Justin began, before moving his broken arm and hissing with pain. “I’ll tell you more after Madam Pomfrey’s seen me.�

Susan pulled him up and offered her shoulder for him to lean on. His legs were shaky and threatened to topple him any moment, so the journey up to the next floor was slow. Susan was battling several emotions. She was shocked and sickened by Justin’s appearance – it wasn’t so much that he looked terrible, it was that it was Justin. She also felt a surprising amount of rage toward Crabbe and Goyle – and Malfoy. She didn’t think they’d randomly beat someone up without a little urging from their leader. As they made their way down the corridor, Susan found herself devising the best ways to get back at the thugs – some of the hexes Harry had taught them in the DA were tempting, as were some poisons she’d read about. She had to discard the latter when she remembered that she was hopeless at Potions.

“What’s this?� Madam Pomfrey met them at the door of the infirmary and immediately shuttled Justin to a bed. “Miss Bones, did you do this to him?�

“Of course not,� Susan replied haughtily, sending a responding wink to the one Madam Pomfrey had shot her way. She couldn’t remain haughty for long, though, because she was so worried. “Is he going to be all right?�

Madam Pomfrey looked up from cleaning the blood from Justin’s face and peering consideringly at his black eyes. “I daresay he will. Were any spells cast?� she asked.

“I don’t think so,� Justin said, wincing when Madam Pomfrey picked up his arm to fix it.

Susan watched the whole process a little wistfully. Until this year, she had wanted to grow up just like Madam Pomfrey, a general Healer that would be capable in any emergency. With her Potions grade, though, it just wasn’t in the cards.

With a start, Susan realized that Justin was watching her through his swollen eyes. Somehow he seemed to sense what she was thinking. She blushed and looked down.

“Really, a magical institution like this shouldn’t bring me patients who haven’t had a single spell cast on them,� Madam Pomfrey was muttering as she checked Justin’s body for bruises and fractures. “I really shall have to talk to Professor Snape about letting his students beat up on others in this primitive way.�

“I’m not sure they know any spells,� Justin said, cocking his head. “Assuming we’re talking about the same stupid, hulking Slytherins.�

Madam Pomfrey smirked. “I expect we are, Mr. Finch-Fletchley. I’m going to go get you a potion, you’re going to drink it, and then you’re going to stay the night.�

“Aw, do I have to?� Justin sat straight up. “I feel fine now, thanks to your ministrations.�

“Yes, you have to,� Madam Pomfrey said firmly, pushing him back onto the bed. “Now, you just sit tight there. Miss Bones, you may stay as long as you wish.�

“Thank you,� Susan murmured, scooting closer to Justin as Madam Pomfrey bustled away. “Justin...�

“Susan.� He reached over and grabbed her hand. “I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done for me. I don’t know how long I’d have lain there if you hadn’t come and found me.�

Must I always blush? Susan thought, cursing the heat that flooded her face at the touch of his hand. “I only did what anyone would do.�

“Mm, I doubt that. You’ve a rare kindness, my dear. I bet if it had been anyone, you would have stopped to help. Wouldn’t you?�

“Of course,� Susan replied. “But I’m glad I found you.�

“I am too,� Justin agreed readily. “I’m trying to say something else, though.� He withdrew his hand so he could stick it under his chin while he pondered – Susan mourned the loss of warmth. “The way I see it, this sympathy of yours that you have for everyone would be a great asset to being a Healer.�

Susan glared at him, and if he hadn’t already withdrew his hand she would have snatched hers back.

“I’m not finished!� Justin said hurriedly. “I know it still hurts that you can’t be one. You may pretend that you’ve gotten over it, but I know you haven’t. Susan, maybe I shouldn’t have said that. But ... don’t you see, the attributes you have would make you great at almost anything. The world needs more kind people like you, in all fields of study. You don’t have to feel limited to Healing. One day you’ll make a great wife, a wonderful mother, a fantastic coworker, all because of these things you’ve seen as good for Healing. But they’re so much more.� He sighed and rubbed his face with his hands. “I don’t think I’m saying this very well. Do you get what I’m trying to say?�

Susan took a deep breath. “I...think so. Thank you.� She considered trying to explain how Justin’s confidence in her was making her feel, but before she had formulated anything concrete Madam Pomfrey came back.

“Now, you just drink this,� she said briskly, handing Justin a goblet.

“Will it make me sleep?� Justin asked, eyeing the contents.

“Perhaps,� Madam Pomfrey said, smoothing her apron. “It won’t hurt you, at any rate.�

“Well, then, good night,� Justin said. “Good night, Madam Pomfrey – I’ll see you in the morning.�

“Sleep well,� she replied, turning away to check on another overnight student, now confident that her patient would drink as he was supposed to.

“Good night, Susan,� Justin said, a hint of tenderness entering his voice as he looked at her. “I’ll see you in the morning.�

“Wait,� Susan said, touching his wrist with two fingers to forestall him drinking. “You have to tell me why they beat you up first.�

Justin blinked and lowered the goblet. “Fine. But only if you promise not to revenge yourself on them.�

While Susan was blinking at his divination of her plans, he continued, “It was really stupid of me, but my honor was at stake. Malfoy called me a Mudblood, you see, and I wouldn’t stand for that so I got out my wand to hex him. I didn’t have time to do anything before those bullies were on top of me. And...well...I think you can guess the rest.�

“Sinking to new lows of cruelty, I see,� Susan said softly, trying not to betray how much she hated Draco Malfoy at that moment – it might lessen Justin’s opinion of her kindness.

“Do you promise not to do anything stupid?� Justin said, raising his goblet again.

“I suppose,� Susan replied, clenching her fists and releasing them in order to calm down.

“Mr. Finch-Fletchley! I thought I told you to drink your potion!�

“Sorry, Madam Pomfrey,� Justin said. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Susan.�

“Good night,� Susan whispered. Justin smiled at her and drained his glass. He’d hardly lowered it when his eyes closed and he drifted into sleep.

“You’re a good friend to him, Susan,� Madam Pomfrey remarked. “I hope he appreciates you as much as he should.�

“Oh, he does – probably more than I deserve,� Susan said, tentatively reaching out and stroking his curly hair from his forehead. To her surprise, he turned into her hand and murmured something she couldn’t hear. Slightly alarmed, Susan looked up at Madam Pomfrey, who only smiled.

“Curfew’s in fifteen minutes, Miss Bones,� she said, walking away to her office.

Susan sat at Justin’s bedside for the next ten minutes, pondering. It would do her no good to revenge herself on the Slytherins, she decided, and quickly put all such thoughts out of her mind. Instead, she marveled at the way Justin had said just the right things to make her feel better about her life. Sure, she’d made different goals when she’d gotten her O.W.L. scores, but a slight bitterness remained. Somehow, that had disappeared.

Peeking at Madam Pomfrey’s office and seeing that she wasn’t going to come out anytime soon, Susan leaned over Justin and gently kissed his forehead, glad that he was deep asleep and couldn’t question her action. Then she scurried back to the Hufflepuff common room to do her Ancient Runes homework alone.