St. Mungo's Hospital
It was dark outside. The bedroom room window revealed a small band of light in the distance. Leonor's eyes were still closed. She nestled in the pillow avoiding the thought of getting up soon. Her duty started at dawn. It was the last day at St. Mungo's and the past four weeks had been everything to Leonor. It was an extremely challenging time. Leonor rolled over to the side to swing her legs out of the bed slowly. Pauline was still hunting; she had not seen the owl for days. Even if Leonor slept at home, it was too late, and Pauline left already into the nightly adventures. In the morning, Leonor put some biscuits into the cage and returned to St. Mungo's. Leonor felt like sleeping through a full day; a night with more than six hours of closed eyes would already be an improvement.
Leonor dressed while brewing a strong coffee. She left the terrace house through the front door with a hot double-wall cup. The walks from and to the hospital provided Leonor with some fresh air and time to recapitulate the events of the day. The Magical Medical Committee had organized a job rotation, but not between different medical wards. It was a rotation between different patients and treatments. Some days Leonor and the other examinees felt like on a round trip between transfiguration and charm accidents, poisoned and bitten patients and infections of all various kinds. They gave their suggestions for treatment and headed to the next patient waiting for a diagnosis. The last week was much better, still busy and challenging, but at least everybody breathed again by the assignment to a special ward. Jakub, the Pole, worked in the reception and emergency area. The increasing number of East European guests visiting the Quidditch World Cup made his native language very welcome. Brian, the 'advisory' healer, worked in the ward of infectious diseases. Despite his arrogant manner, he was well-adept in curing them. Leonor was assigned to the ward for Spell Damage to look after two cursed muggles and some long-term inmates. Lucy and Alexander Connor had been found unconscious by a ministry official near their home recently. The Auror department suspected the Crutiatus Curse, but without a clue of the origin. Initially, every try of waking them made them scream in agony. Lucy and Alexander had no perception of their surroundings anymore. They slept restlessly and constantly whining in the meantime, an unsatisfying improvement. Leonor frowned. Deep lines appeared on her forehead entering the closed ward. It was unlikely for the middle-aged couple to ever return home.
"Good morning, Olivia! How was the night?"
"The usual, Leonor." The healer in charge yawned.
"Fine. I'll make the morning round for the medicine and do the regular checks. Good night, sleep well!" Leonor grinned and took the notebook. Olivia looked pathetic.
XXX
Leonor sat smiling on the hospital bed next to Frank and Alice Longbottom. Alice was holding Leonor's hand as if she understood the goodbye. Leonor returned, but not in the daily routine as within the last week. Leonor would miss the friendly pair of Ex-Aurors and hugged Alice when the curtains to the small area opened. A round-faced boy and a formidable witch with an archaic hat entered. Both glanced at Leonor.
"Hello, Neville, nice to see you. Are you Neville's grandmother? Mrs Longbottom, I'm Leonor Scott, currently doing a healer's examination. I met Neville last term at Hogwarts."
Leonor shook their both hands and Alice nudged curiously at the nightgown.
"Neville, you didn't tell to have lessons in healing?"
"No, no!" said Leonor, "I've been teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts, but only once a month. So, nothing special to mention."
Neville blushed while his grandmother was taken aback.
"Professor, … thank you", Neville spoke sheepishly.
"Why? I've only given a new potion to your parents, they are very lovely patients." Leonor gave a questioning look to the boy.
"I mean … Professor Snape. You spoke to him."
"Yes, I did. Did he leave you alone?"
Neville nodded. "He vanished all my wrong potions and the burned cauldrons too but didn't mention it anymore. I think he's been more furious about Grabbe and Goyle for receiving same bad marks as myself", sniggered Neville.
"Sometimes silence is an improvement, isn't it? And you don't need to call me Professor, I'm Leonor, agreed?" Neville nodded again.
Leonor grinned, but was interrupted by Augusta Longbottom asking with an edge in the voice, "I was under the impression the treatment of Frank and Alice is completed?"
"Yes, unfortunately. The new potion is a household remedy of the Red Indians, something to improve the short-term memory and perception. I hope it makes the daily life a bit easier. Mrs Longbottom, can we have a word outside. You can tell Neville everything later, but Frank and Alice are waiting."
Leonor hugged Frank and Alice the last time and the two women left the ward.
"Mrs Longbottom, I know it might be difficult, but can you tell me as much as you know about the fate of your son and daughter-in-law? It's difficult to get precise information after so long time."
"Are you consequential ignoring the facts?"
"No, I'm not promising anything, but I'm going to research a treatment for victims of the Crutiatus Curse. There are two more recent cases, two muggles, found near Barty Crouch's house."
"And what does an assistant know better than all the experienced healers at St. Mungo's?"
"Assistant is not correct. I take the examination of the 'Level A Healer's Certificate' in Europe. I've seen people die by the Crutiatus Curse and investigated the Unforgivable Curses already. Sorry, I have nothing better, but I'd like to continue in the future." Augusta Longbottom considered Leonor a while.
"Some Death Eaters, Barty Crouch Jr, the Lestrange's and some others tortured Frank and Alice after You-Know-Who's downfall. Barty Crouch Jr was sent to Azkaban together with the others. Barty Crouch sentenced his own son and you say there are two more victims near his home?"
"Yes."
"Barty Crouch was against You-Know-Who and the junior died in Azkaban. That serves him right!"
"Thank you. I'll look after Frank and Alice from time to time."
"Since when are they taking the new potion?"
"About three weeks."
"They seem to remember little things from a visit to the next."
Leonor nodded understandingly. It had been good to meet Neville again outside of the school. The victims had all something to do with Barty Crouch, was it a fact or coincidence? She used Legilimency on the Connor's and found a male face, blurred, terrorizing. It was not Barty Crouch, the face was much younger, but the junior was apparently dead. Everything else inside their minds was chaos and only the destroying pain of the curse visible. It was almost as if the Crutiatus worked like the destructive and criminal variant of Legilimency, both without remedy. Leonor pinned the further research on mental damage on top of her work list and walked down to the hospital canteen for dinner with Jakub and Brian.
XXX
"Good evening, love!" cheered Brian. "You are late." He continued eating with a wide conceited grin.
Leonor took it humorously and nodded unwillingly. She hated Brian's endeavours. He was her age, maybe a little older and known for romances with more fun to him than his partner. Leonor accepted his work but was glad to skip his personal company soon. He was no colleague anymore after the examination.
"Difficult day?"
"No, not at all." Leonor would never admit it to him anyway.
"So, what are you wearing at the nomination party tomorrow?"
"I thought it's a dinner and not a party." Leonor snapped. "Jakub, is your family coming?"
Jakub nodded. "We all like to invite you to Poland, any time you like. My father would like to hear more about America. He may interrogate you at the nomination already."
"Thank you, I'll prepare myself." Leonor grinned and ate the sandwiches quickly.
"And how was your day, Brian? Maybe I better take my face mask to avoid all the infections you cannot cure?"
Brian became solemn and made a pompous pause. Jakub and Leonor looked interested.
"The South American Ministry asked for help. An infection is spreading slowly on the continent. There's no elixir to heal the patients. The patients suffer silently and die in the last state by a muggle disease, like pneumonia. The magical abilities of the infected vanishes over a period of about a year and the positive reactions to magical healing is decreasing. That infection is like turning a wizard or witch into a muggle, but no remedy helps, neither muggle medicine nor magical healing. It's secret and undecided, but the Medical Committee may start a research group and I will be in it", explained Brian proudly.
"Sounds challenging, there couldn't be a better job for you. Where does the infection spread and how many are affected so far?"
"Brazil, about twenty known infections and no clue how many have died or are suffering already. Let's see if they say something tomorrow. Luckily Brazil was already eliminated from the Quidditch World Cup."
Leonor swallowed, South America sounded familiar. The three healers finished dinner and went back to their wards.
XXX
It was Saturday afternoon. Leonor lazed in the armchair at the mantelpiece. It was the first free day in the last four weeks. The enchantment on the peonies had worn off, but Leonor couldn't encourage herself to throw them away. Dusting and cleaning had to wait. She got up and walked upstairs.
The prospect of getting the Healer's Certificate was great. The Ministry was busy with the Quidditch World Cup and the Triwizard Tournament; therefore, the nomination was earlier than expected. Leonor could do the negotiations with Jackson soon. Gringotts and the Greengrass family agreed finally to the relocation of the treasure chest. The Goblins had been impervious, and Leonor had to insist on the contractual right defining the location of breaking the curse. Leonor sighed, and a small thought of Severus crept through her mind. The 'old' Greengrass had revealed the place of Catherine's suicide.
Leonor flicked through the wardrobe pensively. The few festive dresses were all from the U.S. She had not bought anything new, not for such occasions. Everybody she knew would come in company. She hoped the nomination wouldn't take too long. The Daily Prophet was invited too. It made her feel uneasy. She had no strategy to avoid it completely but shielding herself from an official photograph was more essential than etiquette. Juan found her once; almost.
Leonor walked down to the hall. The dress accentuated her slender figure. It had a small collar, but no sleeves. Leonor would wear the long fingerless gloves over her forearms. Leonor put the dark hair over her left shoulder and fixed it with a silver brooch. Some make-up concealed the lines and shadows around her eyes. She swallowed the lump in her throat. The invitation asked all women to attend in silver or blue. The men were expected in black. She started to transfigure the gown into different shades and decided on a sapphire blue in the end. The gloves matched the brooch. Her bronze-coloured complexion faded with the English weather, but it gave still a good contrast. Leonor looked solemn at herself. She was satisfied. The hard part was to train the disillusionment charm. She could not vanish herself completely nor change her face to invisibility. It had to look like a blurred picture. The disillusionment charm needed to be placed managing the vagueness of her face on every picture.
An apparition from the backyard of her small house to the Ministry of Magic took only seconds. The tiled fireplaces and apparition spots were opened for the participants of the nomination. The event was the most important every second year at the Magical Medical Committee. All executives of St. Mungo's, the ministry officials as well as the sponsors of the hospital participated in the formal dinner. The tables were laid exclusively in white china and shiny golden cutlery. The fountain with the magical status glittered majestic in the large entrance hall.
A friendly witch ushered Leonor into the large room with the advice on where to find the numbered seats. House elves served sparkling Champaign and appetizers. Most of the guests had already arrived. Leonor received greetings and congratulations from every side. The thesis about the poisoning and their remedy had been a breakthrough. The attention would be very helpful to undergo the next steps in becoming an independent healer. St. Mungo's and private sponsors showed increasing interest. Lucius Malfoy fawned particularly on the Magical Medical Committee recently and Leonor sensed to play a role in it.
Leonor took her seat in between Jakub's parents and Brian's acquaintance. Krzysztof Nowak and his wife were talkative and the dinner pleasant while Brian's girlfriend spoke no word, overwhelmed by the audience and convinced of her beauty to outshine the banqueting table. Leonor sniggered to herself, but the girl had not the faintest idea of the topics discussed tonight. Three key speakers of the magical hospital introduced their recent researches and emphasized the necessity of donations. The charity was in magical circles as important as within the muggle world. Different awards followed the lectures of specialist's knowledge with the nomination of the 'Level A' graduates as the final highlight. A photographer of the Daily Prophet had positioned himself in a good angle near to the platform in the Atrium. A joint picture was planned with award winners, sponsors, and graduates. Leonor was tense. It was almost impossible to draw her wand in front of a hundred guests. She needed to operate the disillusionment charm wandless and silent, unsure if the sheer touch of the wooden stick hidden in the gloves was sufficient. The St. Mungo's executives congratulated heartily, and Richard gave Leonor a large wet smack on the cheek. Richard was her best mentor in England and Leonor felt grateful and proud towards him.
"Leonor, cheer up. It's over and everybody knew you would make it!" Richard tapped on her shoulders and others gave encouraging nods in agreement. Leonor forced a smile to her face and the pushing into the best places of the official picture started. Richard grasped Leonor and placed himself in the last row with Leonor in tow. Nothing was better than hiding behind broad shoulders. Leonor cast the charm as good as possible. The tall men of the last row overlooked everything, unaware to block out the woman in between. The posing for the group photograph was soon over.
Leonor was lucky and breathed freely to bid goodbye to Jakub and his family. She left the come-together quickly to escape the stalking reporters. Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy greeted lavishly on Leonor's exit, but she didn't waste more thoughts about it. The tension was gone. Leonor copied the healer's certificate still the same night and placed the original into a picture frame. It would be in the newspaper tomorrow. She was proud and thanked all the helping hands silently. Leonor carried herself into the bedroom with a fleeting thought of Severus and his wandless magic at the lake. She could do with a warm hug of some strong arms tonight; the loneliness was soon overpowered by the exhaustion of the past weeks leading into a deep sleep.
Author's note: Hope you enjoy reading! If you like, please give some credit to the story! I'll answer every review!