Chapter 20-The Research Wizards of Saint Mungos
When they entered the room the five people standing around the bed turned around, and Victoria was surprised to see her parents there, even her dad, who looked like he had come straight from the Ministry.
"Mom, dad, what are you both doing here?"
"The headmistress sent both of us an owl, and of course I was already here," her mother spoke first, "your father Apparated straight from London."
Her father was a tall wizard with dark, slightly thinning hair and he stood behind her mother talking in a low voice. In the middle of this all was Madame Pomfrey, who was talking to two wizards in white robes bearing the symbol of two crossed wands and the Swiss flag. Then the nurse spoke up so everyone in the room could hear.
"Well, now that we're all here I think we can begin." She said in her typical brisk tone. It was then the other two wizards in the room turned to face Victoria and she got her first real look at them. Along with their official looking robes, befitting of the wizarding medical community, they were relatively nondescript; one was tall and slender with short brown hair, slightly shorter than her dad. The other was short and stout with blond hair and a cherubic face.
"May I introduce Healer Bollinger (she gestured to the tall dark wizard) and Healer Fessler (the short blond wizard) they are here on behalf of Victoria at my request, perhaps they can help her. The men each in turn as they spoke (in heavily accented English) shook hands with both her parents before launching into a very wordy explanation about why they were there.
"You would like to see your daughter walk again, yes?" Healer Fessler asked, "I think our program at St. Mungo's can certainly do that."
Healer Bollinger spoke up picking up where his colleague had left off.
"Now, while it is not a guarantee, we can certainly make her stronger; she may be able to walk with a cane at some point instead of riding around on a broom." He gave her Firebolt an appraising look and a little smile.
"Our techniques use a combination of stabilization spells and strengthening potions. This is administered over a three-month period as part of an in-patient program within the hospital."
"So I would have to stay at the hospital all summer?" Victoria asked.
"That's correct Ms. Smith." Madame Pomfrey answered.
"What about the Quidditch game I'm going to in August?" I glanced at Jeremiah, who raised his eyebrows.
"Now while this study is extensive," Healer Fessler, "we are by no means keeping you prisoner. You have to attend your treatments, yes, but other than that you can come and go as you please." He ended his explanation with a cheerful smile. "Where is your Quidditch game?"
"America." Victoria muttered, "I was planning on spending a few days there at the end of the summer."
"Now I'm a Quidditch man myself the Swiss, German and Italian teams are good this year, the French and the finished team… Not so much." He gave an amused chuckle.
They talked about Quidditch for a few minutes before the Healers got back to the business of discussing the treatment plan. They were more now discussing things with her parents, and Jeremiah and Victoria were left out the conversation, talking quietly amongst themselves.
After an hour or so and her parents had signed several pieces of parchment Healer Bollinger and Fessler shook hands once again.
"We look forward to seeing you at St. Mungo's on the first of June." Healer Bollinger said. "The least we can do is let you finish your exams, and congratulations on the win for your Quidditch team here at school. I hear you're quite the player."
Victoria blushed, giving Jeremiah another sideways look, he smiled back.
"Well, I did catch the snitch this morning sir."
Healer Bollinger chuckled.
"Very good, very good."
Compared to her unexpected meeting with the Swiss Healers the remaining weeks of the term turned out to be relatively easy. Her exams were not as dreadful as Victoria had expected, and she had managed to pass her Potions exam without too much trouble, much to her surprise, even Professor Slughorn seemed pleased with her progress.
"Well Ms. Smith, it looks like you managed to remember all your ingredients and processes after all. I'm not making any promises, but I should think you should pass. Won't know your results till July or August, of course, but this is setting you up quite nicely for your fifth year."
He had given her a beaming smile then, and walked out of the dungeon which served as the classroom.
Buoyed by Slughorn's confidence in her, some of Victoria's anxiety about her exams evaporated, even Laura and Pansy seem to notice.
"Will we see you at all this summer?" Pansy asked one morning at breakfast.
Victoria shrugged, before swallowing a mouthful of pancake.
"Probably not, unless you want to spend half your summer at St. Mungo's."
"You're coming back to Hogwarts, aren't you?" Laura asked.
Victoria nodded.
"Until the Ministry captures the rest of these Death Eaters, but from what I've heard they're not making it very easy, even on the most seasoned Aurors."
"No kidding," Laura muttered, "according to my mom, my aunt comes home every day looking exhausted, she says it's something about the stacks of paperwork on her desk related to raids. There have been dozens since the middle of February."
"So what's going on with Jeremiah?" Pansy asked, changing the subject. For a moment Victoria thought she preferred discussions about Death Eaters.
"He's staying in London for a few weeks before returning to America, but we have plans for sometime in August."
Pansy nodded.
"So you'll get to see him then."
"For more than a day, yes." Victoria replied.
Just then Pansy's watch let out a shriek.
"You're late, you're late, you're late!" It trilled in a shrill voice. A few seconds later Victoria's own watch went off piping a similar message. For the moment, she was glad the Great Hall was mostly empty.
"Come on," Laura muttered, "let's go before Flitwick gives us all detention, that's not exactly how I want to start my morning."
...
Hope you have all enjoyed it; last chapter coming next week