This will be a series of stories that take place during my main story The Essence Books. They didn't make it into the main story for a number of reasons. Mainly because I thought of them after I had already posted a chapter. But some because I felt the flow would have been interrupted.

Title is subject to change. If you have any ideas let me know.

Disclaimer: I do not own, although it would be pretty cool if I did.

Takes place during Chapter 7.

The Check-Up

Madam Pomfrey was of half the mind to hex the next person who walked into the Hospital Wing. Not that she really would mind you. It was just the principle of the matter. It had all started off simply enough. First thing Monday morning the Headmaster had stopped by to inform her that Mr. Potter would be stopping by for a full check-up sometime this week. Which was, as previously stated, simple enough, it was after all one of the first things taught to Healers. You can't help your patients if you don't know what's wrong with them.

Unfortunately running a full check-up was not mandatory at Hogwarts. In fact, according to Hogwarts by-laws it was only to be done when requested by the student's parents or the student himself. Of course a student would never ask for such a thing (they all seem to be under the belief that they're invincible) and parents were rarely informed of this by-law (it was assumed they knew of its existence).

Over the years Dumbledore had tried going to the Board of Governors to have the law overturned in favor of making them mandatory for all students entering Hogwarts for the first time. More often than not he found himself rebuffed by either a Malfoy or a Nott who had blackmailed and paid the other Governors off. The Board has changed a great deal since then, but now the main obstacle was tradition. The members were so stuck in their ways they refused to change the rules.

Poppy had wanted to do a full work-up on Mr. Potter the day Dumbledore carried him into the Wing unconscious. She would have too had it not been a fire-able offense. She enjoyed her job here too much to let that happen. And Dumbledore trusted her with his special cases (such as Mr. Lupin, who was one of the sweetest boys she ever met).

Back to the point though, it was now Thursday and she still hadn't seen Mr. Potter. Curfew was fast approaching and with it a visit from either Minerva or Mr. Lupin (who seemed to be taking turns to see if he finally showed up). It was then that she heard the doors opening up and someone shuffling in. She rather hoped it wasn't Mr. Longbottom again. He had an alarming habit of injuring himself. Or at least he claimed he did. And while she could admit that most of his injuries were accidental she had treated a few she knew for certain were caused by another student.

So you could understand her surprise when she left her office expecting Mr. Longbottom only to see Mr. Potter fidgeting by his usual bed. "It's about time you showed up Mr. Potter; I've been expecting you since Monday."

"Sorry. I – er – I was busy. You know homework and stuff."

She rolled her eyes at his obvious lie. "Be that as it may this is just as important. Now do I have your consent to run a full check-up on you?"

"Yeah."

"Good. Hop up on the bed, I'll be right back." With that she went to one of her file cabinets and pulled out a piece of enchanted parchment and a silver dagger.

"Alright Mr. Potter, I need a few drops of blood from you," she said showing him the silver dagger. "You can either cut your finger yourself or I can do it for you. Which will it be?"

Harry looked at her warily. He had thought that she would just wave her wand and tell him what was wrong with him. He had never imagined blood being involved. "I can do it."

She handed him the dagger, "Excellent. Just cut your finger carefully – there's no need to go too deep – and let a few drops of blood drip on this parchment." While Harry watched the paper absorb his blood Pomfrey had begun closing the cut and before he knew it she was waving her wand over him. Various words and numbers were appearing in the air before disappearing, only to be replaced with another set.

"So – er – why did I need to bleed on the parchment?"

Madam Pomfrey paused in her work. "Hmmm – oh. It's a common method of transferring results from the scans I'm running without me having to pause between each one to write it down." She was about to go back to her tests when she saw him looking at her curiously. "Basically the parchment has enchantments on it that detect the spells I'm casting and record the outcome of them."

"But then wouldn't it record any spell you cast?"

"Yes it would, which is why I needed your blood. Now it will only record the ones I use on you. The effectiveness wears off after an hour or so."

Pomfrey cast a few more spells before looking at the parchment. "Your results are just about finished." Looking at the parchment he had momentarily forgotten he saw that it was nearly full. "While we wait I want to get your measurements. Follow me."

Pomfrey led him over to the other side of the room where she kept a scale and height chart. "39kg and 150cm. Not a bad weight for your height. You're a bit shorter then I would expect given your parents height, but that's nothing to worry about. You'll be hitting your growth spurt soon enough."

Harry sulkily followed her back to the bed where his results were waiting. He hated be short. He didn't think he stood a chance of ever being taller than Ron but he did hope that one day he would be taller than Hermione. He wondered how long he would have to wait for that growth spurt.

"Hmmm. Let's see. According to this you have a few vitamin and nutrient deficiencies and you've had them for about a decade. Some of these deficiencies cause problems in your bones, making them weaker than they should be. Luckily for you the Skele-Gro I gave you last year repaired any damage you had and strengthened your bones.

"These deficiencies also could be a factor in your height. As we start correcting them you'll reach at least average height in no time at all. Now you're already on a Nutrient potion – "

"No I'm not."

"Honestly Mr. Potter, this is a boarding school. Everyone who eats the food served from the kitchens is on one. Between all the homesickness, depression, exam nerves and teenagers trying to watch their weight it's a necessity. I want you to return here once a week for a couple of supplemental potions to help speed things up. Every month we'll retest you to see if we can take you off of any.

"Now, I'm not going to lie Mr. Potter, but your test concerns me. Had you not been receiving meals here for the last two years you would most likely be in worse conditions. These sorts of deficiencies often cause illness. Though I can't say for certain, I'm quite sure you haven't suffered worse because your magic was fixing what it could. But magic can only do so much, which is why some of the effects are still lingering.

"You seem to have inherited your father's eyesight. He was also shortsighted. How long have you been using that prescription?"

"I'm not sure," Harry answered. His brow furrowed in thought. "I think I was in Year One in primary. I was tested at school and they sent a note home saying I needed glasses," which the Dursleys threw a fit over. Aunt Petunia had been forced to take him to an eye doctor and then got him the cheapest pair she could find. Dudley ended up breaking them a week later and he was forced to use sellotape to repair them. He was lucky that it was only the frame that ever broke.

The witch held back a groan. She had hoped the prescription was more recent. "Have you been to an eye doctor since?" He shook his head. "Then you need to go, the sooner the better. That prescription is most likely very out-of-date. There are a few places, both Muggle and magical, I can recommend when you're ready."

"Can't I just take a potion or something to fix my eyesight?"

"If that was possible do you think you would see many wizards and witches wearing glasses?"

"No," he said sheepishly.

"As I said before, magic can only do so much. Perhaps one day someone will make such a potion, but until then you're stuck with glasses. Now, we have one last thing on here. I scanned you for curses, hexes, jinxes and charms. And I can happily say they all came back negative." That was just about the only positive thing to come out of this check-up.

She sighed as she rolled the parchment up. "Well, Mr. Potter, unless you have any questions you can return to your Tower. Just be sure to see me in the morning – before breakfast – for your potions." With that he hastily said goodnight and left.

Poppy took the scroll into her office and began preparing her report for the Headmaster and his Head of House. (Whenever a student is put on any type of potion regiment it is a requirement of the Healer to inform them to ensure that said student doesn't miss a dose.)

It wasn't long before she heard the doors open again and the sound of brisk steps making their way to her office. It was going to be a long night, and she was seriously considering rethinking her thoughts on hexing someone.