Madam Pomfrey

[Vorona]

This is a character question, but it's about a specific situation, so, here's some background:

(yes, I know this is probably not plausible...but I'm not looking for plot help right now -- hence posting in the Character Clinic):

It's 7th year. Hogwarts *IS* open, but McGonagall isn't to be trusted (I haven't decided if she's under the Imperius or if someone is using Polyjuice), and Snape is back because Slughorn mysteriously disappeared. Voldemort has managed to corrupt or control the Minister of Magic, so the letters of complaint about Snape at Hogwarts are going unheeded. Snape has just been Summoned and is not in favour. Voldemort stepped on his left hand and used the Cruciatus Curse three times.

Snape has decided to go to Madam Pomfrey after these events even though he is not sure he can trust her. I wrote up a scene in which she acts very much like canon Madam Pomfrey -- "You should have come to me right away!" -- and I realized... hmm... She might not. In fact, she might not help him at all, and not because she can't be trusted but because he killed Dumbledore.

So... thoughts? Would she help him? What would her attitude be like (I really doubt she'd act the way I have it so far-- I think she'd be colder or hesitant or something)? Would her loyalty to Dumbledore overpower her nurse-side (wanting to help everyone)? Any other thoughts about her that come to mind after reading this?

[Amber0_o]

Well, this is more about Severus than Pomfrey, but I think Severus would heal himself. He healed Dumbledore's hand, Katie Bell after she touched the opal necklace, and Draco after Harry used Sectasempra on him. The only excpetion is when Filch was helping Severus dress the wound Severus got from Fluffy in book one, but I suspect that was for plot reasons. Everything else indicates that Severus is very much capable of being a Healer, perhapes more than Pomfrey as he deals with 'darker' or 'more dangerous' wounds.

Although, if you really want Pomfrey to do the healing I'll try and answer your questions.

Would she help him? What would her attitude be like (I really doubt she'd act the way I have it so far-- I think she'd be colder or hesitant or something)? Would her loyalty to Dumbledore overpower her nurse-side (wanting to help everyone)? Any other thoughts about her that come to mind after reading this?

Well, everytime I try and answer this I keep thinking of Bones from Star Trek: The Original Series. So my answers might be influenced by outside sources.

But it all depends on what the public knows about Snape. Has he been proven 'innocent' in the regards that Dumbledore wanted Snape to kill him? If so I can see her being hesitant, but after seeing that he is in a lot of pain I can also see her 'nurses instincts' not allowing her to leave him suffering. Perhapes she would do the bare minimum to help him, because she was still bitter about Dumbledore's health?

[Vorona]

No, he hasn't been proven innocent... He has "sanctuary" at Hogwarts (yes, I know, more implausibility).

And yes, I had thought of him healing it himself... but I don't think he'd be able to mend a broken hand. Especially one that was broken in a completely Muggle manner (Voldemort stepped on it). Yes, he's very intelligent, but he's got all the Potions and a whole lot of DADA -- I don't see much room in there for having time to learn actual Mediwizardry. All the times he's done healing have been related to dark magic. I think that's why Filch had to help with his injury from Fluffy.

Thanks for your comments, though!

[Mollie Black]

So... thoughts? Would she help him? What would her attitude be like (I really doubt she'd act the way I have it so far-- I think she'd be colder or hesitant or something)? Would her loyalty to Dumbledore overpower her nurse-side (wanting to help everyone)? Any other thoughts about her that come to mind after reading this?

I think she would be greatly unwilling to help him, as he caused Dumbledore's death, but, I don't think she has the ability to turn him away. Nurses have a great amount of compassion, and therefore, would heal anybody. I would think she would be a bit rough in healing him though, maybe snapping at him and berating him for killing Dumbledore, but I think she would do the best to her ability.

This little bit is really about Severus, but I think it plays a part in the whole thing... And as for what Amber0.o said about Severus healing Draco after Harry cursed him, he only knew the countercurse because he was the one who created it. And, after being hit with the Cruciatus Curse three times, I would think he would be MUCH too weak to heal himself.

Hope I helped,
Mollie

[potter101]

So... thoughts? Would she help him? What would her attitude be like (I really doubt she'd act the way I have it so far-- I think she'd be colder or hesitant or something)? Would her loyalty to Dumbledore overpower her nurse-side (wanting to help everyone)? Any other thoughts about her that come to mind after reading this?

I'm pretty much agreeing with the everyone.

I believe she would be very mistrusting at first, after all that has happened. I think it would take more then just one day to convince her to heal Snape.

To me, Madam Pomfrey has of course seemed to like Dumbledore, and she definitly wouldn't just trust Snape right away.

I'm pretty sure that Snape would end up doing some lying and trickery to convince her to help him, and that she in turn would be pretty sharp about it. I mean, I think she will be perfectly clear with how she feels towards him. Her fondness of Dumbledore will keep her from helping Snape for a while, but she might just do so in the end.

In the meanwhile, I think she would have many questions for Snape.
Why did you kill Dumbledore?
How did you hurt your hand?
etc.

Hope that helps.

Erni

[Ryan The Wizard]

It would definitely be a power struggle.

From what we see from canon, she is extremely loyal to Dumbledore. Each time they are in the hospital with Harry and his friends, the kindly matron says something to Dumbledore that proves they have a deep sense of trust and understanding.

On the other hand, she has a matronly instinct, so she'd definitely be a little (or a lot) hesitant before she helped him. We're assuming that all the Hogwarts staff knows how Dumby died correct? Because otherwise, only Harry, Snape, Draco, some Death Eaters, and anybody who believes Harry would know. I doubt Harry took the time to inform Pomfrey of what he witnessed, and since he hasn't been proven innocent, or guilty, she would reluctantly agree to help him.

However if he told her how he got the injuries she would help him immediately, given that he wasn't in the Dark Lord's good books at the moment.

[OliveOil_Med]

I have a few ponderings about Madam Pomfrey that I want answered.


About how old do you think Madam Pomfrey was during the series?

Madam Pompfrey is a Healer, so that implies she is a fairly talented witch. What do you think her Patronus form is?

What house do you think she was in while she was a student in Hogwarts?

[Inverarity]

Really, the answer to all your questions is "No information, no idea, make up whatever you like." Canon gives no basis for anything more than wild guesses. But I'll take a stab at it.

About how old do you think Madam Pomfrey was during the series?

I don't think there's really any indication as to whether she was on the young or old side. There's no mention of her being around when Molly and Arthur Weasley were in school, but that doesn't mean she wasn't. I think I'd make her about their age, which means she was probably classmates with them, or maybe a few years ahead of or behind them.

Madam Pompfrey is a Healer, so that implies she is a fairly talented witch. What do you think her Patronus form is?

While there's no reason to think she wasn't a talented witch, I don't think becoming a Healer necessarily indicates someone of unusual ability (except maybe in Healing magic). Also, being a good Healer doesn't necessarily mean she'd be able to cast a Patronus. That said, if she does have a Patronus, I'd suggest a rabbit, or a swan, or a bear if you see her as more of a protector than a nurturer.

What house do you think she was in while she was a student in Hogwarts?

The stereotypical answer would be Hufflepuff. But if she came to Hogwarts out of a desire to protect students (particularly during the time of Voldemort's first rise), then she could be a Gryffindor. If she became a Healer because she was very studious and diligent, then Ravenclaw is a possibility. There's no obvious reason I can think of to make her Slytherin, but with an interesting enough backstory, she could be.

[Tim the Enchanter]

Like Inverarity said, I have no solid answers for any of those three questions - she's essentially an OC, just... not.

However, if I was to pin a Patronus on Madam Pomfrey, I was thinking of a Saint Bernard for some reason, complete with the small barrel of brandy (or Skele-Gro) around it's neck. Since Saint Bernards are used as rescue dogs, I think that fits with Madam Pomfrey's character, since she is a rescuer... of sorts.

Tim the Enchanter