Chapter 11: Hugo

Monday, 1 December 2025

Hugo blinked and squinted at the scribbled letters on the chart. His head felt fuzzy, and he knew it had been too long since he had slept, or even briefly closed his eyes. He frowned, and he had to think for a moment what day it even was before he remembered it was Sunday. Early Monday, really, which meant he had been working close to twenty-two hours, as his shift had started early on Sunday morning. He had once again missed the lunch at his mother's, and the dinner at his father's place – and was sure he would hear about it afterwards.

He let out a weary sigh and rubbed his face, cursing himself for taking Healer Sanders's rounds, when the senior Healer had had a family emergency and had to leave late on Sunday evening at the beginning of his night shift. Unfortunately, there was a serious understaffing situation going on at St Mungo's, and there wasn't really anyone else who could've helped. It seemed that everyone in the department Hugo was training to be a Healer in – Accidental spells and Emergencies – was doing overtime, and it wasn't any different in the Permanent Spell Damage and Blood Curses department, where Healer Sanders was one of the Healers in charge.

Hugo glanced at the stack of clipboards – there were only five of them. He would manage, as they were all non-critical patients and those rarely required more than fifteen minutes each. And then he would finally get some sleep. But for now, he had to stay awake, and had to remain alert, and for that, he needed something stronger than a simple Pepper-up Potion. Hugo took the charts and made his way to the Potions cabinet in the cellar. Only Healers had access there, but since he was substituting Healer Sanders, Hugo had no problem letting himself into the secured room.

He grabbed a vial of Wiggenweld Potion, and another one of Wideye Potion, which were both used as antidote for the Draught of Living Death, and together made quite the concoction – something that would allow Hugo to stay clear-minded and awake for some hours, giving his brain a shock of energy and a much-needed boost.

Hugo knew the Healers were allowed to use a simple Pepper-Up Potion for a similar purpose he was seeking help for, but also knew that everyone thought it didn't really help much. He knew that Sanders himself had taken Wideye Potion occasionally to sharpen his focus, but mixing potions – as well as taking them without approval – was prohibited. He also knew that the mixture he was going for had a rather unfortunate side-effect: it was highly addictive.

It wasn't the first time he had resorted to taking it.

Hugo hurried towards the fourth floor, passing a handful of witches and wizards in their lime-green robes who he greeted, and who looked like Hugo felt – like they would very much like to be sleeping in their own beds rather than being dragged from patient and emergency to another.

Once he reached the fourth-floor hall, Hugo glanced at the topmost chart, wondering where his first patient was. During the day, there was a secretary directing the Healers, visitors and the patients on each floor, but at night time, it was every wizard for himself. It didn't really help that Hugo had never been on the fourth floor.

The Janus Thickey Ward had been reformed into three separate wards some years ago: a closed psychiatric ward for long term spell damage patients, a clinic that treated both spell damage and non-spell damage related psychiatric patients, and a ward for permanent spell damage and blood curses.

Hugo's first three patients were in the permanent spell damage and blood curses ward. There was a young woman, suffering from an ancient blood curse. Then there were two men who had received permanent spell damage after a duel where one of them had used a spell of their own invention. Both men suffered occasional moments of unconsciousness, during which their vital functions weakened somewhat. They were monitored throughout the day with magical bracelets, in case there wasn't a Healer stationed in their ward during their seizures.

The last two patients were in the closed ward. Hugo groaned inwardly. Perhaps his thoughts about fifteen minutes had been too optimistic.

He wondered if Scarlett had been asked to do hours in addition to her apprenticeship, as Hugo was rather sure his house mate from school treated some of the permanent spell damage ward patients. He made a mental note to ask her the next time he would see her. Hugo took in a deep breath and walked inside the quiet ward. The lights were dimmed in the short hallway and the small sitting room that opened to Hugo's left. There were only six doors, and his first patient was in room one.

Hugo pulled the vials he had grabbed from the Potions cabinet from the pockets of his lime-green robes, and tossed them down in one go.

"I saw that."

Cold trickled down his spine while the voice made him jump slightly. Hugo spluttered, shoving the vials back into his pocket and looked around the room.

There was a girl not much older than him, sitting in an armchair in the dark corner of the sitting room.

Hugo ground his teeth together, cursing himself inwardly for not checking his surroundings well enough. He knew he would be in a spot of bother if word got out that he was taking potions on the job. He schooled his features and cleared his throat. "Saw what?" He asked innocently, clasping his hands behind his back.

The girl smirked. She was small and frail looking, with black pixie cut hair and pale skin. She was nearly buried in a thick woollen blanket. "Clever," She said with a tiny nod.

Hugo frowned at her. "Is everything all right, Ms…"

"Olivia Parker." The girl said with a weary smile. "Sanders mentioned he would be sending a Trainee to check on me," she said lightly as she studied Hugo.

Hugo had met lots of different patients and people during his short time at the hospital, and knew that some of them didn't approve being treated by the Trainees, and instead thought that only Healers were qualified enough to see them. He also knew that some – especially the patients who stayed long periods in the hospital, like for instance, Ms Parker, who had a terminal illness – were somewhat attached to their usual Healers and had difficulties accepting care from others.

He was curious to find out if she would be like that. Hugo summoned a polite smile on his face and gave her a nod, deciding to worry about the potions later. "Indeed. I'm Trainee Healer Weasley. How are you doing today, Ms Parker?" He asked and pulled up the clipboard with her information to glance at it. He had read all the charts before his rounds, but he had been somewhat overcome by fatigue at that point.

The girl – she was only nineteen, so she was a girl in Hugo's opinion – had been in St Mungo's for a little over a year. The blood curse made her weak by default, but during the past year, the disease had debilitated her even further, so that she was unable to live at home due to a congestive heart failure and muscular dystrophies. The curse had been attacking her body for a long time, and she was now considered to be in the terminal stage of the disease.

Ms Parker gave him a wry smile. "I don't feel like dying, so there's that."

Hugo glanced at the chart once more and then gave her a searching look. "Trouble sleeping?"

Ms Parker huffed and looked away. "Did you just read it or are you being perceptive?" She muttered scornfully.

Hugo breathed in through his nose. In a few hours, he could be at home. "Does it matter?" He asked simply, lifting his brows at her.

She turned back to look at him and let out an amused sound. "Fair point."

"May I perform the diagnostic charm?" He asked, like he did from every patient who wasn't in critical condition and was conscious and able to decide for themselves. She didn't answer, but merely stared at him with a scrutinising look.

"Well?" Hugo asked, standing still.

The girl shrugged.

Hugo forced down the hint of irritation he felt, and reminded himself that the patient was meeting him for the first time, and was entitled to be wary when meeting new Healers. But he wasn't going to move on to the next patient before doing the diagnostic charm, and if it was the only thing he would be able to drag out of her, so be it, he thought as he swished his wand.

"Anything besides sleeplessness?" He asked and then tapped his wand at the chart to write down the results. "The diagnostic looks similar to the one taken in the morning," Hugo muttered after a quick compare.

The girl leaned back against the chair, looking at the ceiling. "I'm bored out of my mind, and I think someone should just do a solid and end my life," she said steadily.

Hugo watched her for a long moment. "Have you –"

"Talked to anyone?" She asked sharply, interrupting him. She gave him a pointed look. "I'm talking to you."

Hugo nodded slowly. "Unfortunately, I'm not – "

"A professional?" She said, cutting his sentence once more. "Didn't think you were," she said shrewdly, the meaning behind her words not lost to him.

Hugo reminded himself to stay calm for the umpteenth time during his longer-than-a-year-shift. "I can talk to Healer Jacobs – the psychiatric Healer in charge – if you wish."

Ms Parker's eyes danced as she looked at Hugo. "You don't think Healer Sanders hasn't already tried that?" The corners of her lips were turning upwards.

"I suppose he has?"

"He has."

Before Hugo was able to flick his wand at the clipboard to add more notes, she hastily added. "I'm not suicidal, you know. Just bored." She said quietly, her eyes moving over Hugo's features, before she looked down at her hands. "There's nothing to do here but to wait. Wait for death."

There was a short silence. After looking at her chart, Hugo knew that the girl didn't have any family, or any visitors either. She was alone and had nothing to help her spend the time of her remaining life. He tried not to feel bad for her, to pity her. It was hard, but it was something every Healer and Trainee needed to learn in order to do their jobs.

"I can summon you some books," Hugo finally suggested.

The girl shook her head slightly. "Don't bother," she said a bit defeatedly. "I've read everything in this hospital, I'm certain of it. Just…go ahead with your rounds. I'm sure you have other patients waiting."

Hugo frowned at her, but admitted defeat when he saw it. "Very well. I'm here until four if something comes up."

He was nearly by the door number three, when she spoke. "What did you take? The potions?" She asked with a curious voice.

Hugo turned back to look at her, and saw a hint of a smug smile on her lips.

"Pumpkin Juice." He said simply, knowing she wouldn't believe a word.

The girl rolled her eyes. "All right, Mr Mystery. Your secret is safe with me," she said and winked at him.

Hugo bristled, but knocked on the door before slipping into the room of his next patient.

The two patients in rooms three and four were checked upon relatively quickly – Hugo woke them both up for a moment to perform the diagnostic charms and informed them that he was substituting Healer Sanders before the morning shift would start. They were both pretty out of it, but as nothing was out of ordinary with their condition, Hugo was able to leave sooner than he had thought.

Ms Parker had already disappeared from the sitting room when Hugo came out of room three. Hugo wondered if she had finally managed to get some sleep.

After seeing all five of Healer Sanders's patients, and helping with two more in Hugo's own department as the morning shift was late, he was finally able to leave home.

Hugo was tired: the potions he had taken some hours ago were wearing off, leaving him feeling sluggish and unable to focus. It was close to five in the morning, and he had been awake for over twenty-five hours. He apparated into the small shed in their garden and dragged himself to the house, ready to sleep for twenty hours in a row.

The house was silent, as it always was when he stumbled in at such time. His mother was still sleeping, and most likely would wake up in an hour to get ready for work. Hugo wondered when the last time had been he had talked with her, and knew what conversation was waiting for him the next time he did. He knew she was worried for him, but Hugo was doing fine. Sure, he did long hours in the hospital, but he had it under control. He just needed a sleeping draught to help him sleep and then he would be right as rain.

Hugo woke up to the sound of the doorbell. He blinked and glanced at the watch on his wrist. There was a moment of shock when he saw the time, but then relaxed, as he remembered that he didn't have to attend to his training that day, after working nearly the whole previous day and night.

It was four in the afternoon, and the doorbell chimed again. Hugo groaned, slid off from his bed and threw on a pair of joggers and a worn-out t-shirt. He scratched his head as he walked downstairs to the door. Whoever it was, either respected his mother too much to use magic and was not aware that she wasn't home, or the person at the door was a muggle.

He wasn't sure which option he hoped to encounter – one of his relatives or one of his mother's acquaintances.

It was Albus.

"Hey, mate." Albus said cheerfully as he stepped inside, and then took another look at Hugo, a small frown between his brows. "You just woke up?"

Hugo grunted an incoherent reply and walked past his cousin towards the kitchen to make himself coffee. He needed something to properly wake him up.

Hugo felt Albus's gaze on the back of his neck as he silently made coffee, and when Hugo finally turned towards his cousin, lifting his brows and an empty cup as in to ask if he too wanted coffee, Albus shook his head and finally spoke. "No, thanks. You okay?"

Hugo shrugged. "Brilliant." He grunted, thrumming his fingers on the counter as he waited for the coffeemaker to prepare his much-needed refreshment. He knew not to speed up the muggle electric device with magic, after breaking the previous one and causing a mild blast in the kitchen. His mother hadn't been pleased.

"Late night at the hospital?" Albus asked, leaning against the kitchen island, his eyes moving studiously over Hugo's face.

"Long shift," He muttered. "What's up?"

Albus chewed the inside of his cheek. "You sure you're doing all right?"

Hugo narrowed his eyes at his cousin. "My mum had your mum put you into this?" He asked bluntly, and poured himself a fresh cup of coffee. Finally, he thought, almost itching to have something to clear his mind.

Albus gave him a sheepish look. "Something like that, yeah."

"I'm fine. I had a long rest, and other than my sleeping schedule being a bit off-kilter, everything's brill," He said and took a long sip of the scalding hot coffee.

He hissed after the coffee burned his tongue slightly, knowing he should've cast a cooling charm on the drink.

Albus hummed. "If you say so…" he muttered. "You, um… talked to Rose recently?"

Hugo stared at his cousin for a moment, trying to think what he was on about, before he realised. "This about Nick, then?"

Of course, Al would come to him after finding out that Rose and Nick were dating – or, for what Hugo knew, had been only one date so far. The last time Hugo had seen his sister, she had told him that she and Nick had agreed to go on a date – which was something Hugo had anticipated, after seeing the two of them at the Quidditch game.

He had also anticipated Albus confronting him about it sooner or later. Hugo knew that Albus was rarely interested in meddling into other people's relationships, but at the same time, he knew that when it came to Scorpius, Albus always left his comfort zone for his friend.

Albus looked a bit displeased. "That obvious, huh?"

"Scorpius wants her back, doesn't he?" Hugo asked bluntly, putting his cup on the counter and crossing his arms while watching Albus squirm slightly under his steady look.

"I dunno," Albus grumbled, and then grimaced. "Yeah. I suppose he's wanted her back for a long while now, even if he denies it…"

Hugo scoffed quietly. The bloody git had an odd way of showing it. Hugo wasn't interested gossiping about other people's matters, but when it considered his sister, Hugo got his defences up. He knew Rose had messed up when she had broken up with Scorpius, but what the blonde Slytherin had done in return, had been outright brutal. Hugo might've been biased, but he would always choose his sister's side over anyone else's.

"Tell me about it," Albus said wearily, replying to Hugo's exasperated expression.

And it wasn't like Hugo had any grudge against Scorpius – it was a long time ago when Scorpius and Rose had broken up, and if Rose had come to terms with it, then Hugo had no reason not to do so himself. He didn't really prefer Nick to date Rose either, as Hugo knew enough of what kind of a bloke he was, but he wasn't going to intervene, as long as Rose was happy. And she had seemed happy at the Quidditch game, where she had laughed and smiled and seemed more relaxed than Hugo had seen her in a while.

"Just… leave it, okay?" Hugo said and dropped his arms, before grabbing the coffee cup. "I'm sure Rose knows what she's doing."

Albus nodded slowly, looking thoughtful. He spoke again after a moment, as Hugo was filling his second cup.

"Wanna go for a run?" Albus asked, rubbing his hands together.

Hugo shook his head. "Nah. I need to grab some books and head back to the hospital for the night."

He would be doing yet another night shift at the Accidental spells and Emergencies, and would stay there until Tuesday afternoon to complete his eight to four training hours.

Albus frowned at him. "You sure you need to go there?"

Hugo gave his cousin a long look. "I appreciate the concern, mate, but I'm fine," he said firmly and nodded his head at the door. "I gotta go soon, so I'll catch up with you later, yeah?"

It was obvious that Albus was somewhat taken aback by Hugo's blunt behaviour, but after a short moment, his cousin merely nodded and took his leave, telling Hugo to contact him whenever he liked.

Hugo put his coffee cup on the counter and made his way towards the library.

He had had a thought the previous night after talking with Ms Parker – that perhaps there were still books she hadn't read. And if there was someone who had a magnificent collection of literature, it was Hugo's mother. His mother actually had a small library in the house, and while only muggle books were on display, Hugo knew the magical ones were hidden by a spell behind one of the walls.

He looked around the large room: there were several tall bookshelves covering the walls and framing the narrow floor-to-ceiling windows. In the middle of the room, there were two sofas opposite to each other, and between them a long coffee table. Hugo had never counted, but he was rather sure there were thousands of books: fiction, children's books, history books, biographies, cookbooks, science books, and a large collection of medical books. The wizarding collection – perhaps not as magnificent as the muggle one, but still something that rivalled some of the old wizarding family libraries – was stacked in a windowless storage room behind one of the walls, accessed by a spell from the only strip of wall in the room in the far corner that wasn't taken over by a bookshelf.

Hugo decided that muggle literature should do, as Ms Parker had most likely read only wizarding books while staying in St Mungo's. He walked closer to the shelves, skimming the spines with his fingertips, while wondering what she would like to read. In the end, he grabbed three books: two of which he hadn't read and were categorised under 'Natural Sciences', and one which was one of Hugo's favourite books as a child and found under 'Children's Books': A Bear Called Paddington.

He hurried upstairs to get ready for work, and after fifteen minutes, he was making his way towards the shed in the backyard, in order to apparate into the hospital.

"You're back." Ms Parker said as soon as Hugo stepped into the quiet ward.

She was alone in the room again, sitting in the same armchair she had sat the previous night, gazing out of the window into the darkness. The lights were still on, as it was only eight in the evening. Hugo knew that Healer Sanders had already done his evening rounds, and that there would be someone else in the night shift. Hugo was going to be working in his own department that night.

"Sanders didn't mention about you."

Hugo gave her a small smile. "I'm in Accidental spells and Emergencies today. I believe Trainee Healer Barrows is in the night shift," He said – recollecting the name from the 'in charge' list he had reviewed when he had started his shift.

Ms Parker nodded slowly, watching Hugo closely.

"I actually came here to give you something." He said and walked closer to her, noticing how a mix of emotions crossed her expression: curiosity, excitement and surprise.

Hugo stopped next to the small table in the centre of the sitting room and placed the three books on the table. "Something I doubt is stored in the hospital library…"

The girl stared at the books in silence, before she glanced up at him, blinking. "You… you brought me… books?" She asked carefully.

Hugo shrugged. "I do want them back." He said with a small grin, watching as she leaned closer to examine the three books, moving them to lie side by side on the table so that she could see the covers.

"Don't really know what your taste in books is like, but I hope you'll find at least one of them readable," Hugo said as the silence stretched on.

Her fingertips touched the corner of the children's book, and a small smile curved her lips. "…A Bear Called Paddington?" She asked pointedly, amusement flickering in her eyes as she looked at him.

Hugo lifted his brows. "Be nice. It's one of my favourites."

Ms Parker sniggered. "Good to know," she said and glanced at the books, before looking back at him, her expression a bit more serious. "Thanks. I appreciate it."

Hugo nodded, knowing that he was taking too long with his visit and was expected to be downstairs, where everything always seemed to be hectic, regardless of the time and day. "I should go. You can, uh, give the books to Healer Sanders when you've finished them." He said and turned to leave.

"Save some lives."

Hugo glanced at her over his shoulder, a small frown between his brows. "I'll, er, try my best," he said awkwardly, hoping that it was the right thing to say. He was still a bit bothered by her words the previous night and had wrote a note to Sanders what she had said. About hoping that someone would finish her off.

The girl snorted, evidently guessing Hugo's line of thought. "Even if I'm dying, doesn't mean I wish it to happen." She said with amusement in her voice.

Hugo huffed, shaking his head slightly, and scolded himself inwardly. He left the fourth floor and quickly made his way back to his ward on the ground floor.