Disclaimer: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter does not belong to LittleTee, (who shall henceforth be referred to as "The Author.") While the plot of this fanfiction, (henceforth to be referred to as the "Story,") is of The Author's creation, neither the characters nor the locations therein belong to The Author, as they belong to JK Rowling, with the exception of any characters or locations within this Story which have no representation in cannon-these original characters and locations are the property of The Author. This is a work of fiction produced for the single purpose of entertaining fans of Harry Potter, and no Copyright infringement is intended.

Rating: T

Submission for: HSWW's November Event - Male Appreciation for level 4, entry 1: Chauncey Oldridge.

Task: Write a story focusing on Chauncey Oldridge within 250-2,500 words.

Word count: 574.

oooOOOooo

Chauncey frowned as he administered another dose of the elixir he had just brew for his son, Simon. The dreadful Dragon Pox had gotten hold of his son. The green-and-purple streaks shooting from his toes up his legs and the pox ridden skin eliminated any lingering hope that Simon didn't have it. Chauncey thanked the Lord that even with the terrible stigma of being green for the rest of your life not it was not fatal like some sicknesses that seem to terrorize both magical and non-magical realms of God's Earth. That was one miracle.

He just hated seeing his son hurt, and there was always the nagging dread in the pit of his soul that the young did not have the same strength as adults. A case of the snuffles could prove disastrous for a babe while only be a mild nuisance for a grown man. If there was anyway Chauncey could take anyway or transfer the illness to himself to give his child health and peace, he would do it in a heartbeat.

Silently he prayed for Simon as he mopped his young child's feverish forehead. He prayed that whatever the child had done wrong would be transferred onto him. Not to take his son from him, but if need be for him to be taken.

For the following six nights Chauncey continued to play family healer for his younger son. Alternating between ministering elixirs, applying cool, damp compresses, and feeding him soup and drink. It was times like this he missed Mary. She had been his love, his life, and his wife. She had past when delivering Simon. Five long years ago.

"Rest son. Rest." he told Simon halting the boy from his attempt at trying to sit. Seeing the tiredness and desire to escape his sick bed brought new hope for Chauncey.

"When?" Simon cloaked, his mouth still parched even though he had just drank both a bowl of broth and a goblet full of juice.

"Not to long from now," Chauncey answered as he flicked his wand and uttered several charms. One to open the windows. Two to clean and send the bowl and goblet back into their proper place. And, lastly one tied to his wand that would signal him if his son's state worsened any.

With a light kiss to his son's brow he left. Reminding the boy to sleep. To rest.

Later that night Chauncey awoke coughing and fighting for breathe. His limps felt heavy and he felt afire. After downing some mead to quench his thirst and to extinguish the fiery burning that plagued his throat, he uncovered his feet and paused. As he suspected green-and-purple streaks were beginning to etch themselves upwards from his toes. He had caught it. Even though he not stepped foot out of the cottage or interacted with any dragons.

Flashes of his prayer came rushing back to him and he sighed. This was his fate it seemed. He summoned Pixie, his late wife's house-elf, and order it to look after Simon and to check in on him. He had had Dragon Pox before, although back while he was in Hogwarts, and he knew what to expect. If it was the Lord's will then he would live through this. If not...

He shook his head and regretted the action immediately.

He would not focus on the bad, he reminded himself as he allowed slumber to overcome him.

Fini

Author's Note: This was not what I had in mind when I first set off to write about Chauncey Oldridge, but I'm not unhappy with the ending result. So, yeah.

Little is known about Chauncey except for the approximate year he died and that he was the first wizard to die from Dragon Pox. Also, there isn't a lot of medical information available about Dragon Pox, so I utilize some basic pathophysiology principles while writing this. The main one being that the virus probably mutated and could now transfer from human-to-human contact instead of dragon-to-human contact.