Metamorphose Chapter 38
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I make any profits from posting this fanfiction.
Summary: Non-Epilogue compliant. After the war groups of disgruntled Wizards and Witches terrorise England's magical nation, sending them to the brink of civil war and a war against the Creatures. Harry is in Gringotts when one terrorist faction attacks causing Harry and other survivors to go into hiding. There is an interested repercussion of the potion they use to hide themselves and now Harry finds himself stuck in a foreign country, with people he doesn't know and living in a style he has never even dreamed to imagine.
Warnings: Gender change. Fem!Harry…after a potions accident. Name changes for characters. Hurricane Sandy (use of artistic licence over the damage it wrought)
Pairings: LM/HP. DM/AG. RW/HG.
Authors Note: This is a very long chapter. 30 chapters long in fact. I was originally going to split it in half but then I decided not to, I'm sure you won't complain. Especially since you've not only got a long chapter but two chapters updated in one day.
(Chapter 38)
February 17th.
Another few busy weekends had passed and Henri was relieved to have a quiet house again. Last week at work had been a nightmare with all the students buzzing about Valentine's Day. It had completely put her off the entire day and she had almost decided not to give Lucas his Valentine's Day present because she was fed up with 'love'. Then of course Lucas squirrelled her away to their Hampton's home where they swam and made love all evening…she renewed her like for the occasion then and Lucas had enjoyed reading the book she gifted him with when they were taking a break from their activities.
She didn't have work until the morning and since it was a Monday there was only Dante, Lucas, Scorpius and her at home. Because of that she had enjoyed a reasonably lazy morning before making some more head way with converting some areas of Malfoy Manor into a Museum.
It had been decided that they would open up the dungeons, the corridor connecting the dungeons to the main rooms. The huge atrium that Henri and her friends had been kept in while they were captives there during the war would be opened to the public. As would the dining room the Death Eaters had used for their meetings and dinners. They would also open up the study that had been made available to Lord Voldemort and had similarly made plans to open the room that housed Bellatrix LeStrange during her time there. In stark contrast they also opened up a family room and two family bedrooms to show a complete distinction between how the Death Eaters liked rooms to be decorated and the lavish brilliance of rooms afforded family members. In those two family rooms would be information about the Mercury family and how the Malfoy family knew them. The rooms were nowhere near ready yet and since they had no plans to open the rooms up until the 23rd of March, which was the date Harry, Hermione and Ron had been held captive along with Ollivander, Luna and Griphook, there was no immediate rush to get things prepared.
"Where would you like this Lucas?" Henri asked and held up an impressive gold vase decorated with a jade coloured stone that formed the shapes of Dragons.
"That can be moved to Dante's wing." Lucas instructed and Henri sighed, passing the object on to a house elf who immediately disappeared with it.
"You know, I think it would be better if we had the chandelier that Dobby tried to make fall on Bellatrix." Henri pointed out, indicating to the area of the atrium that the particular event had taken place in. Lucas hummed in a dismissive way.
"I do not wish to ruin any more of my chandeliers. The last one is still not repaired and is in storage somewhere."
"So have that one brought back out. If it's still broken then it's fine to leave on the floor. Or Hey! We could have it enchanted to fall occasionally, add some drama to it." She mused with a laugh. Lucas would never go for it but it would be great seeing a beautiful chandelier suddenly descend onto the visitors only to stop before it could hit them.
"I shall bring out the chandelier if you think it would help however I refuse to put any extra effort into enchanting the damned thing. It can lie on the floor and we will cast a proximity line around it if we must however nothing else. This project is ridiculous." Lucas griped and Henri shook her head despairingly. Lucas had been all for the idea until he realised that he would have to do some of the heavy lifting and physically help with rearranging everything. Then he had been a complete sour puss and had grouched about everything.
"Alright Lucas." Henri gave in and then lifted up a five-candle candle holder. "Where should this go?"
"On the fireplace, to the left of the centre." Lucas instructed then went back to using different spells on the curtains. A doxy flew out from the short one foot drop curtains which went on runners around the main curtain track to hide it from view. The doxy hissed and garbled something to Lucas who merely shot it with a spell that froze its entire body. It dropped to the floor like a pebble and a house elf quickly scurried over to it.
"Dispose of it." Was Lucas' sneer and the house elf disappeared.
A few hours later and the room was actually complete. Thankfully.
Henri stood in the doorway and peered around at the atrium with all of its drab colours, cold hard unforgiving stone works and large intimidating fireplace. There was a gigantic mirror on the wall above the fireplace but instead of helping to add light to the dowdy room it somehow seemed to absorb all of the light that touched it. The chairs that had been there during the war were returned; huge hulking winged back Victorian brown leather chairs that were at least as tall as Henri was. There was a rug on the floor but the main piece of decoration was the chandelier that was laid on the floor exactly where it had fallen years ago. The room was exactly how it had been, minus the people, when Harry Potter had been captured.
With one notable difference. There was a picture of Abraxas Malfoy up on the wall. He was that room's guard, and he was more than happy to insult guests who asked for it. They had decided it would help add to the attraction.
"Finished. It looks good." Henri said to Lucas over her shoulder. Then she paused and deliberated her own words. "Well actually it looks terrible but it's perfect."
"Excellent. I find I am in great need of a stiff drink." Lucas pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. Henri turned to him with a concerned frown. Was he okay?
"Lucas? Are you alright? Have you got a head ache?" She asked and Lucas sighed.
Abraxas from his position on the wall started shouting to them. "A Malfoy does not show weakness!"
"Only weak men with no intelligence what so ever chose to mask their weaknesses. Strong men own up to them but face them. Which sounds better for a Malfoy?" She snapped at the man and he pursed his lips and glared at her. He might have accepted her marriage to Lucas and he might have been in awe at her power levels but Abraxas Malfoy did not like her.
"I am suffering a little with a headache. It is nothing serious and I am most certain I just need a little time to relax." Lucas muttered and walked away from the rooms. Henri rolled her eyes and jogged to catch up with him. Taking his arm in her hands she began to steer him through the manor and up to the Master Suite or the Lord's suite.
"Then you are going to bed." She said firmly.
"I am not so weak that I have to take to my bed with a headache Henrietta. I am perfectly fine."
"Yes and you were only a 'little under the weather' when you had meningitis." She countered and gave Lucas her most stubborn glare. He glared back, but with shining blue eyes and golden blonde hair it really didn't look threatening.
"The two situations are nothing alike. I was ill that time, this time I only have a headache. It's nothing a stiff drink and some relaxing won't cure." He began but Henri interjected, pushing him down a different corridor.
"Which is why you are going to indulge me now by going to bed. You can have your alcohol there if you like but you are going to bed." She didn't even bother to look at him this time, she just dragged him along and up to the bedroom.
"It is truly not necessary to-"
"Necessary or not that is what we are doing. Do stop arguing Lucas, I don't want to have to hex you for being a stubborn arse." Lucas made a choked noise and Henri did glance at him then. He was looking at her as if he hadn't seen her before.
"Henrietta!"
"What?! You're being stubborn!"
"As are you!"
"Yeah so? You don't have monopoly on the stubbornness market you know."
Lucas eventually gave in and followed her up to their rooms. The silence wasn't comfortable. It held the sourness of defeat and the spice of anger. Henri wasn't going to let it bother her. And when Lucas did climb into bed dressed head to toe in pyjamas that revealed none of his skin barring his neck, face, hands and feet, she tried not to take it as a snub. Considering, when he leaned back against the head board to read his book he winced and closed his eyes for a minute quite obviously in pain, Henri felt more justified for forcing this upon him.
She found her own bed clothes, which garnered her a sneer from Lucas because she wore a pair of pyjamas that looked like men's pyjamas, then climbed into bed too. Lucas lay stiff as a board next to her and for a moment she entertained the idea that since they weren't happy with each other she should perhaps go and sleep in the rooms designed for her. The Master Suite had a bedroom for the Lord of the house but also a bedroom which had a hidden door to a corridor to another hidden door into the Lord's wife's room. Henri had never used the room. She and Lucas had shared a bed since their marriage and had always planned to. Perhaps today she should use it?
No. That would be admitting that a simple argument had got to her. She wouldn't do that. That was a worse weakness than admitting to feeling 'under the weather'. Such a British phrase.
She settled down for bed but it took ages for her to drift off. Lucas kept the lights on until quite late before finally putting his book down and going to sleep. Henri still couldn't drift off. When she did eventually fall asleep it was past midnight and her dreams were distorted and uncomfortable.
February 18th.
She had just finished showering and dressing for the day and was walking through the bedroom to get her bag when Lucas called out to her.
"Good morning my dear." Henri twisted slightly.
"Good morning." She replied. Lucas was sat up in bed with his iPad on his lap and a cup of tea in his hand. He gave her a smile from his position on the bed but made no effort to move.
"Off to Salem?"
"Yeah." She picked up her bag and slung it over one shoulder. She wasn't really sure how to confront their coldness last night and knew brief answers weren't going to help. She cautiously approached the bed, standing on Lucas' side level with his knees. Close enough but not really close.
"Ah. It is that time already." He commented with a glance down at the IPad screen. Henri could only assume he looked at the clock. Then Lucas held his hand out to her beseeching her to come closer. Feeling a knot unwind in her stomach Henri did step closer and slid her hand into his. His large warm fingers encased her hand and brought it up to his lips to kiss. She smiled, relief sweeping through her. "Had it not been so late I would have attempted to apologise for my behaviour last night. As it is you must accept my words and I shall make amends when you return."
"You are feeling better then?"
"Much improved my dear. Rest and sleep did wonders it seems."
"Good." She said and leaned close to give him a kiss. He happily met her half way, hands cupping the side of her face and holding her into the kiss. "I'm glad you feel better."
"And I am glad we are not at odds. Now go and enjoy teaching, my dear. I shall see you when you get home." He smoothed his hand down her wet hair, brushing it from his cheek and smiled at her.
"Okay. Have a good day." She gave him another kiss and then made for the bedroom door.
"No doubt it shall be a rather monotonous day however I shall look forward to your return when it shall be much improved."
February 18th.
Henri's day had sucked. A few stabbing pains in her head, sporadic but painful enough to make themselves known, had escalated through the day to a crushing, blinding head ache. Henri's head felt too heavy and too painful to hold up. But at the same time she felt light headed. Any time she moved her eyes pain would flare up there too. Her eyes were nearly constantly watery and periodically through the day she was asked if she was okay because she looked like she had been crying. She wasn't crying and had told everyone she was fine but she had something stinging her eyes and it wouldn't go away.
Apparating had been a most painful experience and Henri had actually needed to sit down for a while to recover and wait for the pain to finally abate. Then she attempted to take the floo.
That was a disaster!
Henri fell out of the other end of the floo and collapsed to the floor. Her eyes stung, her head was killing her and she couldn't breathe! She couldn't breathe!
She tried sucking in air but it wouldn't work. She opened her mouth and tried to cough but that didn't work. She couldn't speak. She couldn't clear her throat. She couldn't breathe!
She somehow managed to fumble and pull out her wand as navy blue, white and black stars started to dance in front of her eyes. Not able to speak to verbally cast, and not being able to think beyond her panic Henri just flicked her wand around as much as she could hoping that her magic would do enough damage in the room to get some attention. She heard crashes, bangs, huge cracks and some explosions. Something round and metal hit the ground spinning and the sound rang through her ears then got louder and louder.
The spots in her vision grew until she could see nothing at all.
"Merlin's beard!" The words somehow penetrated through the ringing in her ears but they sounded far away. Like a whisper in a dream.
Like…
February 18th.
The fog was lifting. Why was it foggy in the first place? She wasn't outside was she? No, she couldn't be. She wouldn't be lying down if she was outside. Or was she standing up? She felt strange. Something was pressed along the backs of her legs, her bottom and her back and her head was resting on something. She must be lying down, mustn't she?
So where was she? She could hear voices…or something but they were echoing. Echoing and indistinct. She was in a sea of black so perhaps people were trying to speak under water which was why she couldn't hear anything. Maybe they were Merpeopole!
No of course not. Merpeople sound like screeching Banshees. It couldn't be Merpeople.
No. Merpeople only sounded like Banshees above water. Under the water they had melodious voices. Like the egg.
Eggs had voices?
Henri sighed completely confused and the fog descended again.
February 18th.
Henri frowned and tried hard to concentrate on the buzzing she could hear around her. A weight that she hadn't realised was there was lifting suddenly and as she listened more and more, the sounds grew less distorted. They began to have more clarity and she could make out the individual phonemes. The 't' was particularly clear. Then slowly more and more became clear. There were lots of people around her, not like a crowded place but a place with people walking through or around.
She was so tired…But why was she sleeping when people were around?!
Henri pushed her eyes open, her eyelids uncooperative at first but then light slipped through them. The light sent an immediate wakeup call through her body. It stimulated her brain and that screamed instructions to her muscles. She managed to easily open her eyes then and blinked around.
White. That was what she could see. White everywhere. The white was so bright it was all she could make out at first until her eyes adjusted to the light. Then everything became clear. She was in a hospital.
Which begged the question – why?
She had been at work having the worst day she could remember having as Henri, because she could think of plenty of worse ones when she was Harry. She went home but that hurt and then she took the floo back to England and…and she couldn't breathe.
As if to comfort and prove to herself that she could breathe now she concentrated on taking a deep breath. It hurt. Her throat hurt and her chest ached horrendously. How had she not noticed before? Her ribs hurt, her muscles hurt but also something inside her chest hurt as she breathed. Now she was aware of it she felt it more sharply. On the plus side, she reasoned, she could at least breathe even if it did hurt.
She had another look around and saw that she was in a metal framed bed with white covers and a lime green heavy throw blanket covering her legs while the white blankets came up to her shoulders. She was sitting up on the bed too, not lying down. Around the bed was a white curtain hanging from the ceiling and it circled all the way around her bed and back to the wall behind her, closing her in this cocoon with material walls. And right there by her bedside, engrossed in a heavy tome was Lucas.
"H-hey." She tried to say hello but just making the initial sound was hard, it strained her throat and sent more pain through her chest. It felt like her chest tried to contract rapidly as she tried to speak. Her voice came out as barely more than a croaked whisper too.
It was enough for Lucas to hear though. He picked his head up so fast Henri was sure he almost cricked his neck. His blue eyes fixed on her with shock and then relief visibly flooded them. Tenseness in his features relaxed immediately and his eyes softened. He set aside the book and slid to the front of his chair, reaching out to touch her face. He smoothed her hair back and caressed her cheekbone with his thumb as his other hand slid into hers.
"Hello my love." She smiled. She knew she did. She must have because Lucas smiled back. He lifted her hand up to his face and kissed her knuckles lovingly. "You gave us quite a scare Henrietta. I am glad you are awake now."
"Wha-…" Henri winced at her voice and the pain she felt. Lucas shook his head and put his finger on her lips.
"No do not speak. Your throat and lungs are not ready for that yet." He said then gave a rueful smile. "As painful as this is for me to say my dear, as it will deny me as well as it will deny you, you must remain as silent as possible."
Henri frowned at him. Silent?! Why? And why would that pain Lucas? Lucas chuckled at her expression and pressed his finger a little harder against her lips when she opened them to try to speak again.
"You have badly damaged your lungs and throat, my love. You most likely have a head ache too."
Did she? Henri thought about it and, again, as if suddenly recognising what she was feeling was pain she was automatically incredibly aware of it. She hissed and shut her eyes a little. Lucas' smile and concern replaced it on his face.
"I shall contact Healer Abrams for you. He wanted to be notified the second you woke. I'm afraid my selfishness has prevented me from doing so. I wanted a few moments with you my dear." Lucas said and unfolded himself from the chair. He leaned over and gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead, then another one, then a third as if he couldn't bear to leave just yet. Then he pulled back and with a lingering look he made to slide between the curtains.
"'S no' selfish." Henri managed to say, the hard consonants completely evading her and the words coming out more as a raspy hiss.
"Silence, my love. I shall be back momentarily." And he slid through the curtains with as much grace and poise as that action could allow.
Henri sighed to herself and leaned her head back on the bed. Now she was alone with no distractions the pain seemed to increase threefold. She closed her eyes and tried to think of something else other than how much her head hurt, how much her throat ached and how much her chest did not like breathing.
Seconds felt like days and minutes felt like an age. Henri was sure she drowned a little in her pain and drifted off to sleep but the snap of metal rings clashing against each other had her opening her eyes. Her curtains had been pulled back allowing for Lucas and Healer Abrams to come into the curtained room, followed by a woman dressed in lime green robes. St Mungo's healer then. Which meant she was in St Mungo's. She could see another bed through the gap in the curtains which was closed seconds later by the newest healer. Why was Healer Abrams at St Mungo's? He was American. Had he come over just for her?
"Healer?" She breathed then winced at the pain. Lucas gave her a reminding look and gesture to remain quiet and returned to her side, taking her hand in his again. Healer Abrams just gave her a very stern look.
"Now now Henri. No talking. I am adamantly serious about that point. You will do yourself damage if you attempt to talk and I will not stand for it. Do you understand? No talking."
Henri went to say yes but Lucas squeezed her hands so she nodded. Being quiet was going to be hard.
"Excellent!" Healer Abrams said and approached the bed picking up the chart hanging off the end of the bed. He examined it then turned to the healer behind him. "This is Healer Paisley Plaskett, she works on this ward and is your primary healer when I am away. She was the one who treated you when you first arrived and I took over the case an half an hour later when I arrived in England."
"Dante flooed Healer Abrams while I brought you here to St Mungo's." Lucas explained, and would have gone on to explain more only Healer Abrams jovially rose up on his toes then relaxed back onto his heals and interrupted Lucas.
"Quite right. Your condition was much too serious for you to await my presence and Lucas acted quickly enough to have ensured your survival. Something happened earlier today which resulted in you being unable to breathe when you arrived back home at the Manor. Now, understandably we need your version of events in as much detail as possible. Since you are unable to talk you shall have to write everything down. Here, you may use my parchment and my pen." Healer Abrams handed Henri the two items and then with a flick of his wand summoned a writing table to go over her legs and allow her a hard surface to write against.
"What is a-a 'pen'?" The female healer asked, craning to see what it might be. Healer Abrams gave an impatient sigh and pulled another pen from his pocket.
"This is a pen. It's like a quill only less messy. Now if you don't mind, I don't find the game of 'name that object' to be particularly fascinating." The healer said with such derision in his voice that Healer Plaskett blushed furiously, the colour clashing terribly with her red hair beneath her healer's hat.
Henri would have laughed but instead she smiled with the humour of it and then went back to writing her version of events. 'I started getting headaches around mid-morning. It was nothing at first but they got worse. My throat also started to feel sore and as the day went on it got progressively worse too. Something irritated my eyes as well and they were red and watery most of…' She wrote down all that she could think of.
"While you are writing I shall perform a few tests if you don't mind. I want to check your temperature and…well, and other healer stuff. You know the spells; you helped me with them when your husband was poorly." Henri nodded to Healer Abrams and he immediately started waving his wand around muttering a variety of spells. "Quite the beautiful wedding you had by the way. I had a very enjoyable day."
A few long minutes went by with Henri scribbling away and Healer Abrams casting spells and making notes. Healer Plankett also made a few notes, happily doing them with her pen. When Henri finished she handed over the piece of paper to Healer Abrams who took it and scanned it quickly, frowning more and more.
"I see. And what had you doing prior to the time when the head aches started?"
"Sl…"
"No! Do not talk! Here, write it down." The Healer handed the piece of paper and pen back to Henri who angrily wrote one word down.
'Sleeping!' She held it up and the healer rolled his eyes.
"Exact details of everything is vital Henrietta. Sleeping is not helpful in the least. You did not go from sleeping to at work with a headache. I need to know everything you did. You see your reaction leads us to the conclusion you suffered an extreme allergic reaction. Now, write out what you were doing before the headache showed up. Were you around any harmful substances? Were there any different plants or anything around you that would release allergens into the air? Tell me." He then handed the parchment over.
Henri wrote everything out. She got up, she showered, she got dressed then kissed Lucas goodbye and went downstairs. She ate the scrambled egg on toast that the house elves had prepared for her, and the bowl of fruit, then took the floo to their home in the Hamptons. From there she apparated to the Salem Institute and attended work in the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. She handed the parchment back.
Healer Abrams scanned that too then handed the parchment back to Healer Plankett while he stared upwards quite clearly thinking. Healer Plankett looked over everything and hummed as she got a look of concentration.
"You definitely had a shower this morning?" She asked and Henri nodded. "Were the clothes you put on new? Unworn? Or had they been through the wash? If they had been through the wash did you use a different soap than normal?"
Henri held her hand out for the paper and quickly wrote down her answer. Healer Plankett looked disappointed that the clothes she had worn were not new and that they always used the same washing detergent as normal.
"Had a shower…went about as normal, doing and encountering nothing different to normal." Healer Abrams was saying, voicing aloud his thoughts. "Allergy…allergy…could still be airborne but nobody else is suffering. Could have gong in through the skin but that's unlikely as there's no rash. Had to be airborne or ingested. What did she have for breakfast and snack before lunch. Give me that parchment!"
Healer Abrams snatched the paper from Healer Plankett who blinked in shock and then gave him a scornful look for his childish and rude snatching. Healer Abrams paid her no mind and Henri found herself smiling fondly. Healer Abrams was a very strange man. He was old and sometimes acted his age with his mannerisms and so on. But often he'd forget himself and just do what he liked without reference to anybody or anybody's rules.
"Damn, she had all of those things before. Sometime between showering and mid-morning she picked up the allergen. Henrietta, are you sure there's nothing else that you had been doing that morning? And that you didn't encounter anything different? Nothing at all?" Henri shrugged and shook her head. Not that she could remember. Healer Abrams looked disappointed.
"What had you been doing the day before all this started?" Healer Plankett asked and Henri frowned thinking about it even as she took the parchment from the Healer.
"It had to have been something she got between getting up and getting in to work. Unless you think it isn't an allergy now?" Healer Abrams contested and Healer Plankett shrugged.
"Well it could still be an allergy but since she works at a school and any number of the students could have brought in an allergen and she probably didn't eat anything they gave her or touch them then I find it hard to believe she could have had contact with a source to have caused such an extreme reaction."
Henri finished writing about the day before, putting as much detail in as she could and handed the parchment over to Healer Plankett. Healer Abrams snatched it first though and read it while Healer Plankett tapped her foot impatiently.
"You cleared out the…" Healer Abrams said and handed the parchment back to Healer Plankett. He looked to Lucas. "You were cleaning out a room near the dungeons? Did you encounter anything unusual while you were down there?"
"Nothing unusual per say." Lucas said with a considering tone of voice and a thoughtful look on his face. "There was a small nest of Puffskiens which I had my house elves take care of. There were also numerous common spiders and a doxy or two which I took care off. It was reasonably clean considering it had not been cleaned since before we moved in. We only tended to the rooms were used instead of having the house elves see to the whole house."
"Ah yes well that's understandable. Perhaps you might give the whole manor a clean now though just in case, since we don't know what caused Henri's reaction."
"It says here that you went to bed early yes? Any particular reason?"
"They are newlyweds, of course there was a reason." Healer Abrams tutted at Healer Plankett who blushed again and averted her eyes. Lucas did answer though, probably because while the question was inappropriate the hinted answer was not the truth.
"Henri insisted that we retire early because I had a headache. When I woke the next day I felt perfectly fine."
"Okay." Healer Plankett said and Henri waited for her to say something else. Healer Abrams chose that moment to snatch back the parchment and scan over it again.
"Where did you find the Doxies?" He asked suddenly and pinned both Henri and Lucas with his stare.
"Up in the curtains of course." Lucas announced and Healer Abrams nodded.
"Yes, yes, of course. Who found them and who took care of them?"
"I did. Henrietta was tending to the ornaments on the fireplace and on the tables. I shot a spell at them rendering them unable to move and a house elf disposed of them for me."
"Right, right, very well." Healer Abrams went back to reading over the parchment. "Were there many Doxies?"
"Not at all, just one on each occasion that I found them. They looked rather aged and my house elf did inform me earlier today that when they deep cleaned the rooms in question they found some dead Doxies inside the curtains between the two pieces of fabric." Lucas said and Healer Abram's face transformed and light up as he obviously reached enlightenment.
"Doxy Dung! Healer Plankett, get me a Doxy Dung scratch test!" He ordered and literally bounced forwards pulling his wand out. Surprisingly he didn't go and point it at Henri, he pointed it at Lucas.
"What on earth for?"
"She's allergic to Doxy Dung."
"Henrietta did not come into contact with either the Doxies or their dung." Lucas said impatiently and with a nasty look on his face. He batted away Healer Abram's wand as if it was an annoying fly and pinned the healer with his most impressive glare. Healer Abrams just merrily grinned and flicked his want over Lucas again.
"No she didn't. But you did." He announced happily.
"I am not the patient." Those words were ground out between gritted teeth.
"No you are not." Healer Abrams agreed and finally stepped back. "Let me explain it all to you."
"Yes, please do." Healer Plankett asked. Henri huffed out a sigh and crossed her arms over her chest. She flopped back onto her pillows and watched the two unhappy people stare at the lively happy healer.
"Last night when you were cleaning out one of your rooms you came across a Doxy. I'm willing to bet that the Doxy was in some very tall curtains and, as you said before, it was an old Doxy. A family of Doxy's had been living in the curtains, as they liked to do, but had died off. Only one was left. Now, as you sorted out the curtains and no doubt shook them, Doxy Dung would have fallen from the curtains onto you."
"I did not have Doxy dung on me. They are pellet shaped and I would have felt them." Lucas defended himself with a disgusted sneer.
"Ah yes but as I've said the Doxy family had been there a long time. They would have excreted and urinated on those curtains and over time the excretion would have broken down into small bits. When you disturbed those small, miniscule, particles they would have landed on you and you probably inhaled some and got some in your eyes. What caused your headache yesterday Lucas was because you had an immediate minor reaction to it all. Your sinuses swelled and gave you a headache."
Healer Abrams took a great big breath and then held up the parchment before them both before continuing. "Skip forward to this morning. Henri had gotten up, showered and dressed. It says here she didn't dry her hair. Then she gave you a kiss Lucas and went on with her day. You'll pardon my saying so but it was the kiss that has caused all these problems. You had all those tiny particles of dung on you which Henrietta picked up when she kissed you. I don't need to know details but I imagine her hair, her wet hair, touched your face and your hair as you kissed. Particles had already gotten onto Henri's lips, skin around her mouth and probably her hands too because I've rarely known people kiss without touching each other with their hands too, for balance if for no other reason. As Henri ate her breakfast she ingested more of the particles. As she went about her day and her hair dried, the dung particles couldn't hold on so well to her hair and as she went about her day they were released and she probably inhaled them. With me so far?"
"Yes."
"Healer that is quite a leap. How could inhaling and ingesting some tiny particles of Doxy Dung affect her as violently as that?" Healer Plankett questioned looking perplexed and angry all at the same time.
"Shush shush, I was getting to that. Honestly, do you always need to know the ending before hearing a story?" Healer Abrams tutted. "Where was I? Ah yes. She inhaled them. Now, the combination of inhalation and ingestion of the small particles would have given her the headaches and the sore throat. Her sore eyes were a result of some of the particles from her hair getting into her eyes. The really important bit was her journey home though. She apparated. Now she had already done that once that day but she had done it with wet hair, if you remember? This time she was doing it with dried hair. The loose particles on her hair were completely loosened by the apparition and she inhaled lots more of them. It also puts more strain on the sinuses. Then she went and took the floo. With all those particles floating around coupled with soot and all sorts Henrietta couldn't have failed to inhale some. When soot meets Doxy Dung what happens?"
"Ah, I see. Undiluted chemical reaction and if you add heat then the chemical reaction happens faster. With that happening inside of her lungs inside of a body already overheated with a temperature from already suffering with an allergic reaction the results were horrible. Considering her lungs were also having an allergic reaction the extra chemicals released because the soot increased the potency of the doxy dung, she suffered with anaphylaxis." Healer Plankett completed the explanation and joined Healer Abrams with a look of complete understanding.
"So I'm…"
"Don't talk!"
"SHHH!"
Henri scowled and looked away at the double rebuke from the healers.
"Your airways closed up, your lungs shrivelled up and your voice box suffered because of the allergic reaction. You don't talk unless you want to be permanently mute for the rest of your life. Speaking now could tear the skin open. Breath slowly, and carefully."
"I'll go and get the allergy test for you Healer." Healer Plankett left the room then.
Twenty minutes later, and with a thick stinking balm slathered over her arm from where they had tested her for an allergy to Doxy Dung to which her skin had violently confirmed she was allergic, Henri was staring up at her husband who had a stricken look on his face.
"I caused that?"
"No, Doxy's caused it. You just happened to pass it along. It's not your fault." Healer Abrams said distractedly. "Now then, there are new rules for you both to follow. First one is…"
Henri snatched up the piece of parchment and hastily scribbled something. Healer Abrams looked at it and tutted.
"Of course you didn't suffer from the allergy before. Remember, when you took that potion years ago it rearranged your DNA? DNA has information in what you are allergic to in it. Effectively by taking it you have given yourself an allergy to Doxy Dung, potentially you could be allergic to their wings, bites and skin too but we shall test for those another time."
Henri nodded her understanding and waited for Healer Abrams to continue.
"Now then, rule number one! Make sure your hoses are kept completely clean of Doxies. Have regular checks, done by your house elves or by a family member. Henrietta must not be a part of those checks. If you even suspect there is a Doxy in a room then you keep Henrietta away from it. Next rule, no making potions that use Doxy Dung…or any other part of a Doxy for that matter. Third rule, read potion labels to make sure they do not contain Doxy Dung. Forth rule…what form of contraceptive do you use?" Healer Abram's face went from authoritatively serious to questioningly serious.
"How is that any of your business?" Lucas demanded.
"Nearly all contraceptive potions contain Doxy Dung." The healer shrugged. Lucas gave a heavy sigh that spoke of his reluctance to speak.
"We use spells, not potions." He announced.
"Good choice. You are aware of the risks involved yes?" Lucas nodded but Henri quickly shook her head. Risks? Healer Abrams frowned briefly and looked at Lucas who was looking at Henri with a perplexed look. He was obviously asking her why she didn't know, but it was never a subject that came up really. They had both said they needed contraception before the wedding because she didn't want to get pregnant and Lucas had no desire to be a father again, and when Lucas asked which she would prefer and listed her choices she had shrugged and said spell. "Ahem. The spell is a highly effective method of contraception in that it renders the body briefly infertile before sexual relations. However, the body is a remarkable thing. We are geared to reproduce you see so the body will fight to give life to the next generation. After a while of suffering under this spell it starts trying to produce more fertile eggs or sperm as a result. For men it's as simple as an increased sperm count. For women it can mean more eggs released during ovulation or longer periods of fertility. If it still suffers through magical infertility over a more prolonged period of time those symptoms increase additionally or the reproductive organs will just shut down completely."
Henri frowned and nodded thinking she understood but pretty sure that she couldn't remember anything Healer Abrams had said past the words sexual relations.
"I'll get you a pamphlet. Now where was I? Ah yes, rules. Rule four! Alert relatives to allergy and make sure they are aware of what to do should you have a reaction. Rule five! Make sure your employers and or employees are made aware of your allergies and what they should do if you have a reaction. Rule six! Make sure you know what to do about your allergies. Oh! Speaking of that, I'd better go through that with you. Let me just get a chair."
February 22nd.
Henri laughed with Molly as they played a game of 'people watching' and took turns to come up with stupid back stories for each of the people who walked by Henri's hospital bed. She was still in the hospital but would be going home on Sunday because the potions she had been given would completely rid the Doxy Dung of her system by then. Lucas had stayed with her nearly all day every day however Molly had decided to take over since it was a Saturday and she was the only person not readying herself to become a member of the party. It was nice because Molly had been telling Henri lots of different stories and then the people watching game had started an hour ago and was still going strong.
"…but I don't wanna! No! Go away! You're mean! I hate you! I WANT MY BROTHER!"
The shrieking young voice pierced through their ears and immediately shuttered off concentration on the game.
"Silke!" Another voice said, weaker and quieter but equally as desperate as the first. Henri and Molly looked around trying to find its source. There was nobody immediately in sight but that didn't mean much because there was only one cubicle curtained off in the ward and that was the one off to the far right, by the entrance. The screaming was coming from there.
"LET GO! I HATE YOU! CECIL! CECIL!" The voice screamed and there was a loud sneeze followed by a burst of flame that immediately caught the curtains ablaze. Henri and Molly were up and crossing the room straight away, drawing their wands. The burning curtain blackened immediately and people began to scream and race around. Healers rushed over and started trying to put out the fire too.
Henri brandished her wand and fired water at the curtains which thankfully subdued the fire. The combined efforts of everybody had the fire out in under a minute. The smell of burning and the smoke, however, irritated Henri's lungs and chest. She almost reached out to Molly to tell her but as she turned to the red haired woman she saw what all the screaming was about.
A boy lay on the bed with bright green skin and angry looking pox all over his body. Henri could see them bumping up between his fingers, they had puckered up in his eyebrows and his hair was sticking out in strange directions because he no doubt had pox there. It was Dragon Pox, pure and simple.
There was a little girl dressed in a grey pinafore dress who looked no more than five years old who was battling against a rather stern woman who had tight hold of her wrist. The girl had tears streaming down her face and she was reaching for the boy on the bed who held his hand out to her. Despite the bright green hue the boys skin had taken on it was quite plain to see that the children were brother and sister. Their auburn hair was a striking similarity as were their pointed chins.
"Come away child! We've got to get back to the orphanage." The woman holding the girl was saying and trying to tug her off towards the door. With a surprising amount of strength for such a young child the girl yanked the woman and halted the movement.
"NO! I WANT TO STAY WITH CECIL!"
"You can see Cecil tomorrow." One of the other people who had come to help with the fire said with a tone of impatience. The little girl fixed the man with a heart breaking devastated look and wailed.
"No I won't because he'll be DEAD!" She screamed.
"Surely not, that's only Dragon Pox. It's cured easily now with Gunhilda's Pox Potion." Molly said kindly but that didn't have the reassuring effect that she had obviously wanted.
"Yes, easily cured if you have money to buy the potion." The woman holding the little girl said scornfully.
"What do you mean? Potions are included in treatment prices." Molly countered and the woman sneered again.
"Yes and we don't have the money for that either. These children are orphans. There's hardly enough money to feed the lot of them, there's certainly not enough money to buy treatments. We have enough to pay for his bed here while he dies but nothing else."
"NO! HE CAN'T DIE! HE'S MY BROTHER!"
"Doesn't the government provide you with money?" Another gentleman asked and the woman gave an angry growl of rage.
"Yes but not for pureblood orphans!"
"But surely they don't let all the children suffer." Another onlooker said questioningly.
"No just the unworthy purebloods." The woman sneered again.
"That's awful!"
"Horrible!"
"Evil sods!"
The jeer of many of the onlookers didn't make the woman's rage filled expression change. In fact, as her anger got more and more pronounced she began squeezing the little girl's arm so tight that the girl began to scream in pain. Henri wondered if anybody else noticed, or was it just her?
"Look! If you think it's that horrible then one of you pay for the boy's care! Go on! Will somebody pay?" Nobody said anything. In fact, Henri gaped with astonishment, they all stepped back and refused to make eye contact. The woman sneered and shook the poor little girl's arm ruthlessly. "See?! You don't care for the brats any more than I do! So shut your pie holes and leave. Come, Silke, we are leaving."
The woman made to drag the little girl away. Henri launched herself forwards to catch her only the deep breath she had taken to help fuel her muscles had her lungs protest and her chest constrict painfully. She wheezed out and stumbled. She looked up angrily and tried to speak but for some reason she couldn't.
Luckily for her somebody else did.
"STOP RIGHT THERE!" Henri snapped her head around and saw Molly standing there, wand drawn and all puffed up with as much spitting anger as she had when she took down Bellatrix. The woman turned around and froze when her eyes met with Molly's. "You conniving, evil monster! How a woman like you cannot bring herself to care for children and to do everything in her power to make sure they are safe, happy and healthy makes me sick! How dare you! And how dare you hurt a child and then ignore that you are causing them pain."
"They are pureblood."
"I AM PUREBLOOD!" Molly screamed and cast a deadly glare around the room. "I am Molly Weasley, formerly of the house Prewitt and I am a pureblood! I also stood up and fought the war against Voldemort! Being pureblood doesn't mean anything! Being an immoral, monstrous human being, however, oooooh!"
Molly let the last word trail off with a growl that spoke more than words could of her anger and hatred. The woman quailed slightly, as did many of the people in the crowd. Molly didn't care. She stood tall, shoulders back and wand clasped in her hand though now she held it pointed down as she strode purposefully forward towards the woman.
"Now you listen here! I don't know what type of family you came from, but my family brought me up to know that if you willingly leave another person to suffer and when you cause that suffering as well then you are the type of person who should rot in Azkaban!" The woman flinched completely then. "You let go of that little girl this instant!"
The woman did and immediately the little girl cradled her arm to her chest and ran up to the bed. As soon as she got there she jumped up onto it and snuggled up against her brother, snivelling and weeping. A healer tried to shoo the girl away telling her it was dangerous and her brother was contagious but the girl didn't care. And the little boy wrapped his arms around the little girl and cuddled her close.
"Good. Now then. Where were we? Ah yes. Children dying." Henri turned her attention back to Molly. "I shall pay for the child's treatment, I shall pay for everything he needs and I shall also pay for the girl to stay with her brother. In return you shall write down your name, your employers name and the name of whichever incompetent ministry worker failed to provide you with the funds to keep the children in your care healthy. You will do this or by Merlin you will not want to see the consequences."
"Yes Madam." The woman said with a quiet shaky voice. Molly nodded again and spun on her heal. As she returned to the bed and Henri she muttered under her breath but loudly enough for everyone to hear.
"What is that government playing at?" She questioned angrily. As she drew level with Henri she gave her a rather sheepish look. "Henri love, I'm terribly sorry but could I possibly borrow the money for the child's treatment? I only have Australian dollars. I will pay you back as soon as we get home."
"Take it." Henri said then coughed. "Take it and don't pay me back."
"Henri are you quite alright?" Molly said.
"I'm fine. My purse…is in the bedside cabinet." Henri said wheezing heavily on every word. Molly nodded with a concerned frown but went over to Henri's bed to get her purse. Henri turned to the horrible woman and the healer who were standing side by side now by the bed. "Healer. Fetch me Healer Abrams…Healer Plankett has his contact details…Tell him Henrietta Mercury…says it's…urgent...and to come...at once." Henri breathed, her words lacking all authority and indeed much of their sound as well. The healer nodded and scurried off thankfully reading something into the stare Henri gave her. Once she was gone Henri looked at the woman who winced when she met Henri's gaze. "I am ashamed…of you."
"Here's your purse Henri…where is the healer?"
"Fetching…fetching Healer Abrams." Henri breathed and some spots appeared in her vision. She wavered where she stood and took too hesitant steps towards the bed. She slid onto it and tried to breath evenly for a few short moments. Then she turned to the children who were now looking at her with a scared expression on their faces. The little boy with dragon pox looked horrendously ill with it but even as fevered and sick as he was he was trying to care for his little sister, he still tried to protect her. "You…are a very brave boy…"
"I am?" The boy questioned, voice raspy and weak. Henri could see how much the words cost the boy because his eyes closed with extreme fatigue after uttering just two words.
"Yes." Henri confirmed and smiled at both of the children despite the increasing blurriness of her vision. She tried for another deep breath but felt it catch in her throat and then her lungs heave again. She put it aside for now and tried to concentrate on the children. "You are looking after…your sister…and she is brave…for…trying to…look after you…even when adults are…are trying…to stop you…I am v-very…proud of you."
Even though the words were barely whispered, even though it came from a stranger, even though the children didn't know and probably didn't care about who she was, when Henri gave them that praise something bright and beautiful light in their eyes and they smiled. The boy gave a painful smile which made on of his puss filled pox spots burst and ooze. The girl gave a shy but pride filled smile. And Henri felt a smile cross her own lips at their simply but beautiful happiness at a few words of simple praise.
"And don't you worry about a thing dears." Molly said which made the children turn their focus to her. "We shall do our best to make sure you get all healthy again. Now, while we wait for a Healer why don't you tell me your names?"
Henri barely heard the children telling Molly that they were Cecil and Silke Selwyn and Cecil was seven while little Silke was four and a half. Henri barely heard as Silke jabbered on and on about where they lived. Henri barely heard and saw the audience leave them alone. She did notice when Healer Abrams turned up though because he marched straight up to her and calmly demanded an explanation.
"I want you…to…heal him…whatever it costs…I'll pay…" Henri breathed.
"Of course, if you wish, but you need to go back to bed at once! You were recovering but now you look like you are having a reaction again. What could have…"
"Abrams please…the boy…I can wait." Henri insisted and batted away his wand. Healer Abrams huffed.
"Fine."
Through blurred vision Henri watched as her healer and friend engaged the children in some silly conversation and managed to get plenty of diagnosis spells in between jokes and silliness. Cecil had a tired smile on his face as he listened but little Silke became a little more animated, seeming to thrive under the light and happy attention. A few minutes later Henri had to give herself a shake to listen in carefully as Healer Abrams gave his diagnoses.
"Dragon Pox, which of course was obvious. He is also malnourished and anaemic. Start him on Gunhilde's Pox Potion immediately, a nourishment potion and a sleeping potion because the poor boy is quite plainly exhausted and I am not remotely surprised. Dragon Pox is a very trying disease and considering his physical state it is no wonder the disease has progressed to this level. Now, as for Silke. A nourishment potion for her as well and a pepper up. I would also like her to be monitored as she is showing signs of a weak immune system and I do not want her contracting Dragon Pox too. Well? I gave you my instructions and I realise I am not an employee of St Mungo's however I have already discussed my contractual arrangement to see to any under the Mercury family's scope and the administrators agreed that all healers would assist. Now assist me!"
The healers in lime green robes wandered off, hopefully to collect some potions. Henri relaxed a little. Good. At last. Silke on the bed started cheering and then jabbering on to poor Cecil. Henri also distinctly made out Molly's voice. But a rushing sound had started in Henri's ears and the pain in her chest had increased. It felt like a huge stone was being pressed against her chest.
"H-Heal…" She rasped and tried to suck in a breath. Tried being the operative word. She tried again only the weight increased on her chest and no air travelled into her lungs. She tried to speak again but she had no air to use to make a noise. So she tried to move.
The world tilted and instead of twisting around on the spot Henri toppled forwards. She shut her eyes and waited for impact with the floor. Hands caught her instead. A pair of large hands and a pair of smaller hands. Henri blearily blinked up and somehow, somehow, managed to raise her head to see who was holding her. Healer Abrams and the horrible woman who had a look of concern on her face. Concern? The horrible woman was concerned? She had enough goodness to feel concern?
"Oh dear Henrietta. We are back to where we started." Henri heard Healer Abrams say. "Did anyone bring Doxy Dung into this ward? Anyone been in contact with Doxy Dung?"
"Healer Abrams, there was a fire in here earlier. You said soot made her react the first time." Molly helpfully mentioned.
"Yes, yes, very well then problem solved. Up with you Henrietta. Back to bed. Healer! You there! Get me a lung clearing potion, a muscle relaxant and…"
Henri shut her eyes and drifted away with the roaring in her ears and the darkness dropping over her vision.
February 26th.
Henri smiled as she watched Silke chatting happily with Molly, who had stayed behind in England even as her family went back to Australia to their jobs. She was sitting on a chair next to Cecil's bed and the boy was grinning as he watched his sister and Molly. The boy's treatment had gone very well indeed. Under Healer Abram's instruction, and the care of healers who were now not restricted in their jobs because of money, the boy had been put on a regular dose of potions for his pox and general maladies. Silke also seemed to have a healthier glow about her which was no doubt due to the nourishment potions she had been encouraged to take.
Lucas hadn't been very impressed when he turned up to visit Henri on Saturday and find that she had relapsed. He hadn't been very happy when he discovered that she had put herself second to the needs of others either. He also hadn't been happy to learn that she was paying somebody else's hospital bills. However, he had forgiven her when she had explained Voldemort's past and how she had often been left to suffer as a child and how she refused to let children suffer like that when she had the means to stop it. She wasn't about to start on a worldwide crusade to save everyone but she also didn't want Cecil and Silke to experience such horrible things. Lucas had immediately set about checking with Healer Abrams that the children were getting the best care possible and he also made several notes to put in orphans and the care of orphans into their political manifesto.
Molly had out right declared that she wanted to be in charge of the children. She knew more than most people about raising children. She said she had done it for years and now was helping to raise her grandchildren. She even decided that ahead of her family finishing their notice periods at their jobs in Australia that she was going to move back immediately and start helping our in an orphanage to make sure the children were looked after. Lucas had suggested perhaps she not volunteer but instead start to put together a business plan to form a new orphanage.
What had really shocked and pleased Henri was that Lucas had suggested dedicating the whole North wing of the manor to an orphanage. Had Henri been able to she would have climbed out of bed and hugged the man. But she couldn't. So she didn't. She just told him she loved him over and over again until the man swooped in for a kiss. Then she hugged him.
Now though he wasn't here. He was at home working on finishing the rooms ready for the manor opening to the public in a month's time. There was only one room left to go but work had been halted in the manor while Lucas hired numerous extermination teams to get rid of any Doxy's and any traces of Doxy's in the house.
"Miss Henri! Miss Henri! Is it true that you've flown on a dragon?" Silke asked, jumping up and down on Cecil's bed.
"Indeed I have. Now please stop jumping…I don't want you to land on Cecil." Henri whispered and the little girl stopped jumping at once. She threw herself onto the bed beside her brother and let out a huge sigh.
"I want to ride a dragon."
Henri and Molly laughed.
AN: So, Henri has been ill now and Lucas has had to take care of her. We've also discovered something else the government is failing to take care of.
I hope you are all still enjoying the story and you continue to read on. Next chapter will be out Monday, I hope.