The Rogue Bludger

                                    

                                          

A few days had passed yet Hogwarts was still reeling over the writing upon their walls. Not to mention the horror of discovering the petrified Mrs. Norris and Storm Shield. With the knowledge of the Chamber of Secrets being opened, many students and the various faculty were on edge. Never before had anything like this ever happened at Hogwarts in the last thousand years; and yet, McGonagall's lesson rang true to the ears of those willing to listen.
At this very moment, Twilight Sparkle sat on a chair in the hospital wring alongside the petrified Storm Shield laying in bed. She stared toward the petrified Prince of Peace with tears streaming down her face like waterfalls. To this day, she still couldn't believe such an incident could ever befall upon one of her closest friends... especially the Princess's son.
"Storm... I'm so sorry," Twilight wept. "This shouldn't have happened to you."
"Twilight."
The lavender alicorn gasped and stood straight up, reeling about toward the source of the voice. And ever so suddenly, her eyes were locked with the magenta gaze of Princess Celestia herself.
"Princess Celestia!" Twilight gasped, straightening out. "I'm so sorry about all this. If I had known, I would have never..."
But Princess Celestia merely raised her hoof, and her former pupil went silent. Celestia slowly approached her son's bedside, leaned her head down, and planted a kiss upon his petrified forehead. Eventually, she turned her attention toward her most faithful student.
"Twilight, you have no reason to apologize," Celestia assured. "There was no way you could possibly know something like this would happen."
"But I should've done more to ensure his safety," Twilight replied, dejected. "Not only his, but the safety of every pony! It's my responsibility to ensure their safety on these missions... and I feel like a failure."
Celestia extended one of her great wings, gently placing it around Twilight's shoulders.
"Not even a princess can ensure nothing will go wrong," Celestia informed her. "No matter how hard you try, bad things are bound to happen. You can't place all the blame on yourself."
Twilight Sparkle gazed toward her teacher with a halfhearted smile. Though she was still confused over what she learned recently, specifically what happened between Celestia and Chrysalis so very long ago, she was willing to put that all aside. All that mattered was basking in the familiar comfort her teacher provided and was still willing to do.
"Celestia, what if he...?"
Celestia quickly placed her hoof along her pupil's lips before she finished.
"I won't hear such talk, Twilight," Celestia scolded mildly. "Albus assured that Storm Shield will be just fine. Professor Sprout is already at work on the Mandrake Draught, and soon we will have him back in no time."
Though still incredibly worried for her friend, Twilight took comfort in knowing Celestia's words rang true. As they spoke, many people were at work crafting the very potion that should revive both Storm and Mrs. Norris. Provided, of course, that nothing else went wrong.
"I really hope so," Twilight sighed, gazing at Storm.
Celestia observed the manner of how Twilight was looking at Storm Shield. The princess couldn't help but smile to herself. For that gaze was the exact manner of how she used to look at Cosmic Galaxy many moons ago; she knew exactly what it meant. Her most prized student cared so deeply for her son, it was plain to see it was more than just mere friendship. Deciding not to question the manner, however, Celestia instead chose to change the subject.