12:30 P.M.
The ball, something that everyone had been looking forward to so they could forget about everything else, had been a total disaster. In fact, that was probably an understatement. During all the chaos, Hestia had lost Benjy in the crowd, and while she had tried to turn back to find him, no matter how hard she tried to fight against the crowd, they eventually pushed her out the doors. After the initial chaos had died down, and the professors had gathered everyone outside the hall, she'd tried to find him then, but only was able to find her best friend. After Dorcas calmed the panicked Hestia down, and after Ruddock made his exit, the two found out that Benjy had ended up in the hospital wing. Pomfrey wouldn't let anyone in, and while Hestia tried to argue, she gave up on the account that what Pomfrey had been saying was right. So, instead, she camped out opposite the doors. With all the drama, other students and professors hurried past, panicked, pretty much all night. Dorcas had kept her company for the most part, until eventually when she headed up stairs.
In the morning, Dorcas had come to check up on things, and brought her some breakfast. After a few hours of refusing to eat, Dorcas convinced her to go upstairs have a shower, and change into something more suitable. She reluctantly agreed, and headed up to her dorm. After freshening up, she immediately came back down to the Hospital Wing, sticking her head in the door to see if there had been any changes. Seeing her again, Pomfrey gave her a defeated look, and sighed, something that Hestia took as the okay to come in. Rubbing her eyes, she wandered in quickly, scanning the room as she searched for Benjy. Finding him almost immediately, she rushed over at took in the extent of his injuries. Hestia winced, almost as if she had been the one who had been physically hurt. "Benjy. I've been -- I lost you in the crowd and I couldn't find you and I -- Are -- I'm so sorry," she spoke frantically, telling herself over and over not to cry. She lingered at the end of his bed, her first instinct was to hug him, but she was too scared in case she hurt him, and it was the same with sitting down. So, she stood stiffly at the end of his bed, concern flooding her face as her eyes became glassy.