A/N: Harry and Cedric both meet with Dr. Latour to discuss Harry's condition and treatment. Not much else, but perhaps a few 'doorknob comment' surprises.

Please see previous disclaimer.

Chapter Four

Harry Potter was sitting in an examination room in a hospital in Paris, France, plotting evil pranks to inflict on his boyfriend, Cedric Diggory.

On some level, Harry realized that Cedric loved him deeply, so deeply that he would risk the Wrath of Harry just to get Harry a medical check-up. However, Harry Potter hated hospitals almost as much as he hated Dark Lords. So, even though he realized that Cedric was probably right in thinking he needed a good looking over by a healer with no obligations to a certain barmy Headmaster, Harry Potter was still not happy about it.

Harry had just decided that charming Cedric's undershorts to change any skin they touched blue would be a good first step in his retribution when the door to the examination opened. The doctor who had just given Harry the most embarrassingly through examination in medical history entered, followed by the soon-to-be-blue-bum'd Cedric Diggory.

Warily, Harry looked the pair over for any sign of medical devices. When he saw none, he allowed himself to relax slightly.

Dr. Latour sat at the small desk in the examination room and gestured for Cedric to take the other seat.

"Where's Fleur and Gabrielle?" Harry demanded.

"They're waiting for us in the waiting room," Cedric replied calmly. "Why, do you want them to join us?"

"I don't see why not," Harry snapped back. "They're responsible for dragging me here, too…why shouldn't they hear the horrible news, too? Oh, wait, they probably already know that Harry's a stunted freak with messed-up magic!"

"Harry…" Cedric started, then stopped, not knowing how to deal with a Harry in this mood. In desperation, he turned to Armand Latour and shrugged.

"Mr. Potter, I assure you that I only spoke with Mr. Diggory and Miss Delacour because they are both of age, and here with you as your guardians. However, I will tell you that both of them appear to be quite concerned about you, with good reason, as it turns out."

"Humph." Harry turned away from both other men, angry at his friends, the doctor, and himself for acting like such a git. He wasn't prepared for the next question his soon-to-be-pranked boyfriend asked the doctor.

"So, tell me, doctor…how much prat can you cut out at one time?"

Harry spun back around, eyes blazing. "I'm a prat? Who got a 10 year old to do his dirty work? A 10 year old girl, even?" Harry was just getting warmed up when he noticed that Cedric was just grinning at him. Even the doctor was looking away, but his shaking was a dead giveaway that he was laughing at Harry. Narrowing his eyes, Harry gave his boyfriend a death glare, then clenched his teeth angrily. He was prepared to continue his rant until Cedric crossed his eyes at him, then stuck out his tongue.

It was such a ridiculous looking face on his always-serious boyfriend that Harry's anger melted away. He snorted, swallowed a giggle and then started choking. Before he could move away, Cedric's arm was supporting his chest while he pounded on Harry's back. When Harry could finally breath again, he looked up at his concerned boyfriend, tears in his eyes from the choking making his eyes bright.

"Prat," he rasped out, then coughed again to clear his throat.

"Git," Cedric said warmly. He continued to support Harry gently, his hand now making comforting circles on Harry's back.

"Cedric…you realize this man just tortured me, don't you?" Harry grumped.

Cedric smiled, vastly relieved that Harry's sour mood was going away. "Oh really? How painful can a little wand-waving be?" he asked.

"He did more than that! He froze me with his stethoscope, and hit me with a hammer…then he squeezed my bits, made me turn my head and cough…and THEN he put his finger in my bum!" Harry crossed his arms and made a sour face.

Cedric bit the inside of his cheek HARD to keep from laughing out loud at the disgusted expression on Harry's face. He was rescued by Doctor Latour, who recognized a clear opening in the conversation.

"Mr. Potter's description, while being a bit dramatic, is essentially correct. Unlike the healers you may be familiar with, many of us here in France are comfortable using both muggle and magical methods to evaluate patients. The stethoscope, for instance, allows me to listen carefully to the heart and lungs. The reflex hammer is used in assessing the muscles and nerves, and the genital and prostate exams should be done on every young man of your age, Mr. Potter…as I explained earlier."

"Humph," was Harry's only reply, but Cedric noticed that he wasn't nearly as angry as he had been.

"So…the doctor says that he can help you grow quickly…." He was cut off as Harry spat out.

"Yeah, I'm scrawny…'cause my relatives wouldn't feed me when I was little…and it'll hurt worse than Skele-grow, probably."

"Actually, Mr. Potter, the discomfort you will experience will be considerably less than regrowing bones, and I will be providing you with pain-relieving tablets and potions to keep you as comfortable as possible." The doctor smiled at the still-irritated teen. "I will also be giving you…and Mr. Diggory, here…a set of written instructions that will more fully explain just what potions and draughts should be given at which times. There is also a salve which you can use on your muscles and joints to reduce the pain their growth will cause."

"See, Harry…the doctor's going to try to help you as best he can…and I'll help you. Don't you want to get better?" Cedric asked soothingly.

"I thought you liked me the way I am," Harry muttered, looking at his shoes.

Cedric leaned back, shocked. Eyes wide, he looked at the doctor, who rose quickly and put his hand on the door.

"I need to step out for a minute, gentlemen. I will return in a few minutes," he said, stepping out to give the two a few minutes alone together.

Once the door was shut, Cedric swept his resisting boyfriend into his arms. "Harry, love…of course I love you, but…I just want you to get the best treatment you can get. Can you understand that, please?"

Harry's arms went around Cedric's back and he hugged the Hufflepuff tightly. "Ced, I know, its just…its just…." He sniffed, giving way to wracking sobs. Cedric just stood there, caressing Harry's hair and letting Harry cry himself out. After a minute, he felt Harry's breathing become more regular and a small voice came up from his chest.

"He said it'll hurt." Harry whispered.

"And he'll give you potions and pills so that it won't hurt too badly…and I'll rub your arms and legs every day, if you need it."

"If I get big, I won't be able to sit in your lap."

Cedric shook his head. He had never suspected that Harry might worry about that particular thing, but obviously he did…and it was terrifying him.

"Harry, love…if you grow to be as big as Hagrid I'll still love you…and then I can sit in YOUR lap." He kissed the top of Harry's head and gave him a quick squeeze for reassurance.

"Prat. He said I might be almost as tall as you, but not taller."

"Git. We'll work something out, whatever happens."

"Then he said something about blocks on my magic, but that if he took them off I'd blow up the building."

"Yes, he did talk about that with us in the waiting room. He said that he couldn't do it today, because it'd be dangerous."

"See? I'm dangerous, Ced…I'm too dangerous to be around people, they'll just get killed, like you in that other future, or Sirius, or Ginny, or…" Harry started to sob again, his agitation rising quickly.

Cedric moved to reassure Harry before he could get hysterical. "Harry! It's only dangerous if it happens all at once, and the doctor says he can make the blocks go away slowly. In fact, he said that he wanted to do it that way, but only after your body grows first…he said something about making more room for your magic, so it would be safer that way."

"But…he said I could have accidental discharges…."

"Harry, every magical child has those…and you already have them. Remember Dumbledore's office? We'll manage." Cedric started rubbing Harry's neck, a move he had learned the small Gryffindor craved.

"But Cedric…he said that I might hurt people around me accidentally…and that's you, Cedric. I couldn't stand that, I just couldn't," Harry whispered.

"Shush, now…I'm not worried, I'm a big boy and can take care of myself. Anyway, it won't take very many weeks, and then just think of how powerful you'll be—Voldemort won't stand a chance." Now it was his turn to squeeze Harry, then pull back so that he could look the smaller boy in the eyes.

"Harry, I know you're still mad at me, and will probably hex me from here to Surrey and back again for bringing you here, but I don't care. I love you, and you needed this examination, and this treatment. I want you to get better…to be as healthy as you can…because…because...." Cedric stopped, his voice failing him as tears gathered in his eyes.

Harry looked up, green eyes shining, face wet with his tears. "Because you're a prat?" he asked, a small smile crossing his face.

Cedric smiled back. "Yeah…and you're my prat."

Harry pulled Cedric back to him, resting his head on the older boy's chest.

"Well, okay then."

***

Several minutes later, Dr. Armand Latour returned to the examination room. He found Harry and Cedric red-eyed but composed, calmly talking about how they were going to managed weekly appointments in France with him while Harry's magical core was being unblocked. The doctor had been busy while he gave them some time together to discuss his findings, and brought with him several sheets of parchment with instructions for them to follow.

"So, then…I take it that you wish to proceed with the growth and nutritional potions as we discussed, Mr. Potter?" he asked.

"Yes, sir…I'm sorry I was such a baby about…everything. It's just that…" Harry shrugged. "I don't like Healers very much…nothing personal."

Dr. Latour gave a wide smile. "I quite understand, Mr. Potter…and quite frankly, given your history with my profession, I would be surprised if it were not so. Now," he said, pulling out an ornate fountain pen and making notes on Harry's folder. "I took the liberty of notifying our apothecary that you would be needing the first set of potions today, along with pain potions and a supply of topical analgesic salve for at least the first week. Now, I need to know how long you will be in Paris, so that we may make arrangements for the remainder of the treatment." He looked up expectantly at Harry, pen poised over the parchment.

"Uh…another week, maybe?" Harry shrugged.

Cedric cut in smoothly. "Doctor, we were planning on traveling extensively for the next few weeks…do we need to cancel those plans and stay here in Paris, or can Harry safely travel." He smiled reassuringly at Harry, who smiled back weakly.

"I see no reason why you cannot continue your vacation, with certain precautions," the doctor mused. "Will you be going to any isolated locations? Specifically, will you be going to any places where you are more than several hours away from a healer's care?"

"We're planning to spend a few days each in Greece and Egypt, then go to Japan for two weeks," Cedric said. "We've got…travel guides that have the locations of the wizarding areas, including hospitals. And, we'll have…other adults with us for the entire trip, we won't be alone."

"That should be acceptable, as long as you understand that should you have any problems, take Mr. Potter--and his medications and instructions--to a healer immediately. Is that understood?" He gave each of the boys a serious look, and smiled again when they nodded. "Another thing…will you be able to carry all the supplies with you? While it might be possible to ship them by owl, transport to Japan might take several days, and I do not want Mr. Potter missing any doses."

"Doctor, can these medicines be stored in a wizard's trunk?" Cedric asked. When the doctor nodded, he chuckled. "Then, we'll have not problem…both Harry and I have wizard trunks with plenty of room in them."

"Very good…I feel better about having you leave here with all of the supplies you will need to restore Mr. Potter's growth and health. I'll have the apothecary begin making it up…can you come by tomorrow for the remainder?" Dr. Latour was talking and writing furiously at the same time.

Cedric couldn't help himself. "Doctor, what kind of self-inking quill is that you're using? I don't think I've ever seen one so compact before."

Harry looked at his friend, shocked. Then, he answered for the doctor. "Cedric, that's a fountain pen…haven't you ever seen one?" When Cedric just shook his head, Harry grinned. "I'm sorry, doctor, but Cedric is an English pureblood…and for them, time pretty much stopped somewhere around the fourteenth century." He dodged a half-hearted smack and yelped. "Hey! Patient, here…Doctor, tell this prat to stop hitting your patient!"

Cedric mock-growled at Harry, while the Doctor pointedly refused to look up from his paperwork. "I am completely focused on your instructions and cannot be bothered to look elsewhere at the moment," he deadpanned.

Harry made a production of crossing his arms and pouting, then stuck his tongue out at Cedric when he thought the doctor was still looking down. The resultant 'ugly face war' only lasted for a few more seconds until the doctor looked up once again.

"One last thing, gentlemen," he said, blithely ignoring the antics of the two. "Mr. Potter, as your body rapidly grows you will notice some clumsiness or awkwardness, as you adjust to your new body. This should pass within one to two weeks after this phase of your treatment ends, but until then I would recommend that you refrain from vigorous sports, activities or extended periods of exertion. I would not like for you to trip over your own feet and injure yourself. Oh, and be aware…your appetite will increase dramatically during this treatment…do not stint yourself, as your body will need significant amounts of food—good food, not what is called 'junk food'—to properly repair itself." He gathered a handful of papers together and handed them to Cedric, who glanced through them as the doctor rose to leave.

"Now, gentlemen, are there any last questions?"

Both Harry and Cedric shook their heads.

Doctor Latour smiled, then shook both their hands. "Very well. Should you have any questions or problems, either owl or floo me. I want to see Mr. Potter back in four weeks…and you, too, Mr. Diggory. Enjoy your vacations, gentlemen." And with that, he turned to leave the room, then stopped. "Oh, and Mr. Diggory…before I could examine Mr. Potter I was forced to remove all of the tracking and monitoring charms he was carrying. Quite an impressive number, I must say…I don't believe I've ever seen such so many informational charms on a single person. Mr. Potter is quite free of all such spells now, of course…but you should probably renew the ones you find necessary. Obviously, several of those charms had been in place for years, so I know that you did not cast them on him. The most recent ones, since they were only a few days old, I presume you will want to continue…and you'll find a list of acceptable spells that will not interfere with Mr. Potter's treatment in the papers I have given you. You should also review any wand that Mr. Potter will be using for similar charms. I believe that Miss Delacour can refer you to an excellent maker of wands here in Paris for any needs you may have in that area. Gentlemen," he said, leaving the room and closing the door behind him.

Cedric and Harry just looked at one another, shocked.

"Tracking charms?"

"Harry, I didn't…I never…"

Harry's eyes narrowed to slits. "Dumbledore."

***

Harry and Cedric had both been rather shocked at the number of potions they had picked up at the hospitals apothecarian. Over two dozen vials, each carefully labeled in both French and English, along with two bottles of pills and a medium-sized jar of salve had been shrunk down and pocketed. Fortunately, the apothecarian had provided them with a wooden potion case as well, and each vial now rested in its own padded slot. Harry had been told to take two potions immediately and had done so, remarking that the taste wasn't nearly as horrible as he expected.

The Frenchman behind the counter had just smiled at him. "It is but a little more difficult to make the potions palatable. Only a fool, or a sadist, would inflict an unflavored potion on a patient, you see."

Cedric and Harry hadn't said anything, only shared a look before thanking the man profusely for his help. Smiling, the neatly-dressed man (robed in the olive robes of his trade) had promised that the remainder of their supplies would be ready the next day. As they were leaving, they passed what appeared to be the hospital's potions laboratory—a large, open, well-lighted room with literally dozens of people working over simmering cauldrons, bubbling retorts and other paraphernalia of the brewer's art.

"It's not a dungeon," was all that Cedric said.

"I don't know, it's just not potions without the explosions," was Harry's response. Then, he remembered that he was supposed to be angry at his boyfriend, and went back to sulking.

Cedric just smiled, knowing that he was probably going to be hexed or pranked in the very near future…but that ultimately, whatever he went through would be well worth it. Harry was going to be okay.

***

Harry, Cedric, Fleur and Gabrielle stopped on the way back from the hospital for lunch. Harry was still sulking, but it was becoming more and more difficult for him to maintain, since Gabrielle was using her puppy-dog eyes on him every chance she got. She had even taken his hand as they had left the hospital and said in a little voice, "'arry…please don' 'ate me…we jus' don' want you to be sick."

Faced with either relenting or continuing to be mad at a ten year old, Harry thawed a great deal…although he was still plotting against Cedric, and probably Fleur, as well. Maybe, he thought, he could get Gabrielle to help him prank her sister….

Harry had already polished off a salad, two sandwiches and his chips before the others were even halfway through their meals. Noticing Harry eyeing his plate, Cedric waved the waiter over, then told Harry "Order another sandwich, and get another one or two to take with us."

When Harry started to protest, Cedric shushed him. "Harry, I've never seen you have an appetite like this…remember what the doctor said, the potions must be working. Please…for me?" Harry might have argued, but the sandwiches were very good, and he was ravenously hungry.

Fleur and Gabrielle just smiled to themselves as they watched Harry and Cedric there together. Fleur had taken the chance, while they waited on the boys at the hospital, to have a little talk with Gabrielle about them. The older sister had been a bit surprised when the ten year old had just nodded, then said with certainty, "Oui, c'est que le devez être. Toutes seront sain maintenant."1

1 Yes, as it should be. All will be well now.

A/N: a 'doorknob comment' is so named because it's very common for a patient to go through an entire visit without any significant complaints, then as they (or the doctor) is leaving, with a hand on the door knob say 'oh, and by the way...' then drop something significant that should have been brought out first thing. I couldn't resist giving Dr. Latour his own 'doorknob comment' as he was leaving. I hope you like the fountain pen, it's something that just seems so obvious to me as a calligrapher (trust me, goose quills are horrible to use regularly, and only idiots or wizards would continue to do so once metal pens became available--there MUST be a quill charm that JKR never mentions). Also, I'm still hoping that one of you lovely people will be artistically inclined and can do a drawing or three for this pic (I still can't draw stick people).

Happy Boxing Day!

Next chapter: new discoveries, and new friends. Please review...if you reduce me to groveling, it'll be REALLY ugly, and none of you want THAT!