One day was similar to another. Anastasia would wake up early, prepare some food for herself and Barty… or rather, the subject, they would eat it, she would provide some experimental potions to Bar… subject, and leave to work. Some of the other Healers saw already that she was thinking about the subject almost all the time, but said nothing. They knew that she was more a researcher than a Healer.

After the work, Anastasia would return home and find Bar… the subject walking around the house. Weeks of experiments made the subject able to move around on his own, but he was still too clumsy to use a spoon, let alone a fork or a quill. Anastasia smiled to herself. It was almost like caring of a child.

At least she didn't need to change diapers.

'Barty, I'll be in the potions room, brewing something new, do you want to join me?' she asked. The subject didn't react. Anastasia pulled her sleeves up and got to work. The potion she was going to brew was a variation of most common potion used to treat some mental diseases. She boiled carnation flowers longer than the recipe claimed she should, and she added more yarrow leaves. After all, it was her experiment. And this change should have helped in this case…

While brewing, she let her thoughts wander a little. She remembered her own Hogwarts times…

Barty was just a year older than Anastasia, and they were both Ravenclaws. From her first year, she had a crush on the boy. She was, however, too shy to tell him about this. But could he miss all these looks she was giving him? She hoped that one day they would become a couple. They were both in the Slug Club, and quite close friends…

But Anastasia didn't want to be only a friend of Barty. She wanted to hug, to kiss him… and more.

He didn't notice it, apparently. He was working really hard on his O.W.L.s, and then N.E.W.T.s, and she was studying hard too, as she planned to become a Healer. The two of them sometimes worked together, but they were only studymates…

And since Barty left school, Anastasia never heard of him.

Until he was caught a Death Eater and sentenced to a lifetime in Azkaban.

And now he is mine, Anastasia thought.

Or rather, her voice of reason said, he is my experiment subject.

Anastasia sighed. Finally, the potion was ready. She took a batch and went to find the man. He was sitting at the kitchen table, staring blankly at the ceiling.

'Drink this' Anastasia said. Of course, there was no reaction. He didn't seem to understand any words. Thus, Anastasia helped him to drink the potion. He blinked a few times. Then Anastasia drew her wand and murmured a spell matching the potion. Barty blinked a few times, but returned to his normal, blank stare. His eyes were stuck somewhere about Anastasia's chest.

Anastasia knew that a man staring at her breasts could be annoying, but a man staring at her breasts and not noticing them was even worse.

Almost every day, Anastasia was trying new potions and spells, anything that she thought could help. She wasn't a quitter. Of course, she would always check the interactions between different potions before she provided any of them to Barty.

One Sunday, when she didn't need to go to the hospital, she had a long lie-in. She liked it sometimes. She woke up about midday, and she yawned, rubbing her eyelids. Barty was already awake, sitting right on the floor.

'Barty' Anastasia said. 'You shouldn't sit on the floor. It's too cold, you may get ill. Stand up.'

And the man stood up. Anastasia smiled widely and got up.

'Barty, look at me' she said, and he did. She wanted to squeal in joy. He already could understand the words!

She continued the experimental therapy. Soon Barty seemed to understand everything she told him and followed two-step instructions.

'…and he manages to use the spoon properly now, my clever boy!' Anastasia told her fellow Healer at the hospital. 'He tries to be helpful, but I don't let him wash the dishes yet, he's still too clumsy… he drops things a lot… I gave him a duty to pair the socks every week, I do the laundry on Saturdays, and he loves it…'

'You know what, Anastasia' Healer Coldblood sounded amused. 'Someone who doesn't know your case would think you have a three-year-old kid, not a man in his thirties at home…'

'I sometimes feel like this too' Anastasia sighed. 'He still doesn't speak though…'

'Well, how about the Mallow Potion? I know it's mostly for children, but…'

'Thanks for the advice! I'll try today. You see, he doesn't control his hands enough to write, and I just wish I had some way to communicate with him…'

'But as for now, you proved the theory right, didn't you?' Healer Coldblood grinned. 'He has some mind. So maybe all the victims of dementor's kiss may be treated – and brought to this level…'

'What I fear most now is that this could result in using such victims to labor' Anastasia sighed. 'All this wandering is quite tiring…'

'You're doing well' Healer Coldblood patted her shoulder. 'You should remember that not all those who wander are lost…'

'Is this some quote?' Anastasia frowned.

'Well, you're not familiar with Muggle literature?' Healer Coldblood smiled. 'I'll borrow you this book. You may read it aloud for your subject.'

'Thanks' Anastasia chuckled. 'Is this appropriate for children?'

'Just some violence, nothing too bad.'

'I'd rather not expose my subject to violence.'

'Oh, I'm sorry' Healer Coldblood sighed. 'Should have remembered.'

Anastasia nodded. She went home as soon as she could.

'Barty, I'm going to brew another potion for you' she said. Barty nodded blankly to show he understood. Anastasia hesitated.

'Are you hungry?' she asked. Barty shook his head. Anastasia went on to brewing. Mallow Potion didn't take a long time to be ready and soon Anastasia handed a vial to Barty.

'Drink it all at once' she said. The man nodded and drank. Then he licked his upper lip, like he would do almost all the time before. Anastasia patted his shoulder.

'Good boy' she said.

For a few following weeks, Barty would drink a vial of Mallow Potion every single day. As the nights were getting colder and Anastasia never turned the heating on before the temperature fell below zero, he started curling in her bed and hugging her really tightly. Anastasia felt a little embarrassed about it. Sure, she had dreamed of being with Barty in one bed… but not this way.

One Saturday, after doing the laundry, she sat in her favorite armchair, reading a newspaper. Suddenly she heard Barty coming in and tripping over something. She turned around to see him. He was on the floor, just standing up from the fall. A bump was growing quickly on his forehead, but the man didn't seem to mind it. He finally stood up and pointed at Anastasia. He opened his mouth, shut it back and looked away for a while, then looked right at her again and moved his lips.

'Ana' he said finally.

Longer chapter this time, and I'll try to keep them all this long or longer… please leave a review!