The next day Penny had packed all her stuff and travelled by the Floo Network to Moonstone Crescent. Andromeda had been very welcoming, smiling warmly and giving her a gentle hug when she arrived. Ted and Tonks had been more boisterous in their greetings, Tonks nearly sending Penny flying in her haste. Penny had tried questioning Tonks about the reformed Order but Tonks just responded by transforming her nose into a massive hook nose. The first night however, Penny had managed to convince her to take her down to her bunker where they duelled again. Much to Penny's frustration Tonks still managed to hold her own, even as the force Penny's spells made the bunker shake violently.
"Why can't I beat you?" Penny growled in frustration. "I know I am better than you." Tonks made an indignant sound at Penny's arrogant statement.
"More powerful perhaps, not the same as being better Penny." Tonks replied as Penny huffed. "You rely far too much on being more powerful than your opponents. Understandably your peers haven't developed duelling skills yet. You haven't had as much experience as older opponents and it shows." Tonks said as Penny scowled. "A skilled dueller can overcome a much more powerful dueller. Mad Eye told me the same when I first started my Auror training." Tonks said, a fond tone entering her voice. Penny's lips thinned, although she knew she had never met the real Mad Eye Moody, her recollections of the imposter made her blood boil.
"So, try again, but this time focus on precision and try not to be so predictable." Tonks said with a wink and a smile, the corner of Penny's lip twitching upwards despite herself.
Two days after travelling to Moonstone Crescent, Andromeda escorted Penny via the Floo Network to St Mungo's. Penny peered around the waiting room with interest as Andromeda led her to the small desk. Healers in lime green robes were walking between patients carrying clipboards and taking notes, a white emblem of crossed wand and bone on their robes. Some of the conditions were obvious, such as a wizard with large antlers sprouting from his head, and others who Penny could only speculate about. Which kind of patients would she be working with first, she pondered as she continued to intently study the reception. It was loud and bustling with odd noises coming from some patients, and Penny could sense a mixture of emotions floating in the air. Some worry, some excitement, but mostly a resigned impatience.
"Good morning Madame, this is Persephone Black, she is here to begin her community service." Andromeda said politely to the welcome witch. She placed a gentle hand placed on her niece's shoulder, as the welcome witch's blue eyes flickered nervously to the young witch.
"Oh…yes. I shall send Hippocrates a quick reminder, if you would like to take a seat." The witch said hastily, her voice a little high pitched. Andromeda turned to Penny, wishing her luck and giving her a hug before ushering her to a seat. Walking to a small area off reception, Penny only had time to read a sign that said "Disapparition ONLY. Apparition fine: 200 Galleons." before Andromeda turned on the spot and disappeared with a quiet pop. A few minutes later a Healer in royal blue robes appeared in front of Penny. Looking up Penny saw very dark brown eyes scrutinizing her sternly. The man's beak like nose and alert gaze gave Penny the impression she was being observed by an oversized bird of prey.
"Miss Black?" He said in a gruff voice. Penny nodded. "I am Hippocrates Smethwyck. Follow me please." He said before turning and leading Penny out of the noisy reception. They went along a narrow brightly lit corridor, Penny tried to catch a glimpse into the various wards as Healers in the same lime green robes came bustling in and out. Inside one ward she spotted a man covered in shrapnel from what Penny would have guessed was once a cauldron, now embedded in fragments across his face and chest. A pair of Healers seemed to be working together to carefully remove the fragments and heal the wounds left behind, the man shrieking like a banshee throughout the procedure. Trotting a few quick steps to catch up with the older wizard, she followed Hippocrates up a flight of stairs and into the first-floor corridor, where a large sign read "CREATURE INDUCED INJURIES". Reaching halfway down the narrow corridor Hippocrates lead her into a large room with rows of shelfing full of folded bedding, a few large cauldrons whirling with various garments in them, bubbles frothing from the surface. In an open area down the far end of the room stood a group of mostly middle-aged witches in plain white robes.
"Ladies" He acknowledged as the witches nodded politely back at him whilst peering with curiosity at Penny, who stared haughtily back at them. They didn't look like Healers to her. "This is Persephone Black, she is here on community service and will be helping you for the next couple of days." He clarified, turning to Penny who stared at him in disbelief.
"You want me to help do...laundry?" Penny asked incredulously as Hippocrates looked back at her, his face void of humour.
"Yes." He said simply. "Laundry, dishes, bed pans. Whatever the Ward Caretakers require of you." He said as Penny wrinkled her nose in distaste. Ward Caretakers, she thought scathingly, fancy phrase for cleaner. "What exactly did you expect to be doing during your time here?" He asked impatiently.
"Something a bit more...useful...than cleaning." Penny muttered in response, causing much angry muttering of the Ward Caretakers. Hippocrates merely looked sternly at her.
"Well perhaps having a little humility would be useful for you, given your arrogant assumption that you would be treated differently to anyone else on community service, Miss Black." He said tersely, Penny pale cheeks darkening, looking away to the shelf across from her as her arms folded across her chest. "You are not a qualified Healer Miss Black, nor are you a Trainee. You are here to pay penance for your misdeeds, in whatever way the Hospital deems suitable. Good day Miss Black." He finished sharply before turning and exiting the room. Sniffing indignantly Penny unfolded her arms and approached the Ward Caretakers who all eyed her icily. They parted to reveal a stout witch with her grey hair in a tight bun, who stopped in front of Penny. Looking down at the short witch Penny internally commented how this individual gave her the impression of someone who was a combination of Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey.
"Name's Hilda Smock. So Miss Black, or should I call you Lady Black?" The woman said sharply to the chuckles of her co-workers. Penny remained silent for a moment, pouting a little.
"Penny." She muttered with a resigned sigh. Hilda looked her up and down critically.
"You certainly hold yourself like who thinks she is too good to clean bed pans." She commented. Penny scowled to herself, considering that Narcissa would probably think that is was a good thing. Although slightly amusing, the thought didn't improve her mood. After donning a white uniform Penny spent the next few hours following Hilda around the hospital, collecting spoiled bed sheets and bed pans from the wards of Ground Floor and First Floor. When she had reached for her wand she had been sternly reminded by Hilda she was underage.
"St Mungo is a purely magical building, it doesn't pose a threat to the Stature of Secrecy." Penny countered sulkily as Hilda snorted.
"It poses a threat to your backside if you don't put it away, smart arse." She threatened as Penny rolled her eyes. Though she had done some cleaning duties in the Hospital Wing, nothing at school compared to what she had to deal with here. Many of the stains were questionable in both colour and odour, and the bed pans made her dry heave as she tried her best not to look in them or breath in. She could sense some of the younger Caretakers bitchy thoughts being shared in meaningful glances but mostly choose to ignore them, clenching her jaw. Bind your time, she thought to herself.
On the last ward of the day, Penny was gathering the dishes from a patient Hippo was examining, along with a young wizard, who appeared to be a Trainee, dressed in lime green robes, with a white collar. He was slender in build with tousles of brown hair and a narrow face. The witch they were examining had a large smoky burn down her right arm, spreading part way onto her shoulder and torso.
"So Pye, by examining this witch's burn, what information can you deduce?" Hippo asked the young wizard. Noticing some crumbs under the bed, Penny grabbed the dustpan from her trolley and crouched to scoop them up.
"Erm…well clearly she has been burnt." Joked the young wizard, his toothy grin vanishing as Hippo's sharp eyes didn't soften. "Okay, well without knowing what sort of creature burnt her, I would start by using a Cooling Spell to reduce the heat of the skin…"
"No you will not." Penny muttered to herself as she dust-panned some crumbs off the floor.
"What was that Black?" Hippo snapped. Penny stood back up, hand on hip with her dust pan pointing upwards. The young wizard Pye watched her curiously, whilst Hippo watched her with narrowed eyes.
"Cooling Spells are for Thermal burns. Looks like whatever burnt her used some sort of liquid, Chemical burns need neutralizing first." She said as Hippo looked mildly impressed, against his will. Scoffing slightly, he waved a dismissive hand.
"Do you not have some dishes to wash?" He said with a bite of impatience. "Or have you already forgotten what your job here is?" Sneering slightly Penny turned away, returning to the cleaning room to change. Gathering her things with the other Ward Caretakers, she stretched her aching arms above her head, picturing whatever mouth-watering dish Andromeda had in store for dinner. A few minutes later the young wizard appeared in the cloakroom, causing much chatter amongst the ladies.
"Penny isn't it?" He asked, a toothy grin on his face as she nodded. "I'm Pye, Augustus Pye."
"Not Bond, James Bond then" Penny said without thinking. To her surprise Pye's smile widened at the reference.
"Bond wishes he was as cool as me." Pye said with a laugh. "Mum's a muggle, couldn't marry James Bond so she married a wizard instead." He explained. "So you wanna be a Healer then?" He asked.
"Yes, and a Healer I will be, whether Hippo likes it or not." Penny replied stiffly.
"Determined one eh? Slytherin I take it?" Pye teased as Penny smiled. "And I thought you'd be good enough to be Ravenclaw with knowledge like yours. Can't all make the best house I guess." He quipped as Penny snorted.
"I think you'll find Slytherin is the best house." She retorted as Pye smirked.
"Well, you do need a fair amount of determination to make it as a Healer. I have been studying years to make Trainee, and you still manage show me up." He said laughing. "Look don't take Hippo's criticism personally. He has spent years dealing with jumped up Trainees who think because they are the few to make the cut, that they know everything. There is much more to Healing than reading a few books and getting twelve O.W.L.s"
"Well I won't be getting twelve O.W.L.s" Penny remarked.
"I'm sure if you apply yourself…" Pye began, his brow furrowed in puzzlement.
"Oh I could get twelve O.W.L.s if I wanted" Penny replied. "But I have seen first-hand the stress keeping up with twelve subjects can cause." She said thinking of how awful Hermione had looked over a year ago. "I am only taking nine subjects." She said shrugging as Pye looked confused. "I already knew what subjects I needed to be a Healer. Why would I do subjects I don't need? I grew up with Muggles, I don't need to do Muggle Studies. Divination is a questionable subject at best, Arithmancy is far more reliable. Care of Magical Creatures is the only subject I regret not taking, but I didn't see the need to know how to care for them, only how to treat injuries caused by them." Penny finished.
"Well you probably won't be able to specialise in Creature Induced Injuries without Care of Magical Creatures O.W.L" Pye commented.
"Well I figured I might as well have some freedom before having to study for five N.E.W.T.s so I choose to stick with mainly core subjects. Arithmancy and Ancient Runes seemed appropriate, especially seen as a lot of the older Healers insist on using traditional Ancient Runes on labels." She said rolling her eyes. "I would probably want to specialise in Spell Damage anyway." She concluded.
"Well best of luck to you." Pye replied with a nod. "If you study and keep your nose clean I'm sure you'll get hired. Who knows, by the time you are of age I might even be a Healer-In-Charge, and put in a good word for you." Pye said with a smile, which Penny returned. Glancing at her watch she hurried down to the reception were Andromeda was waiting for her.
"How was your day Penny?" Andromeda asked once they had returned to Moonstone Crescent. Ted was working late again, as apparently was Tonks. Penny suspected it wasn't official work but rather something Order related, but choose not to push it. Juno slithered up on the adjacent chair, going to rest her head on Penny's lap.
"You smell awful Mistress." She commented, retracting her head in disgust.
"Thanks." Penny replied tartly. "A mixture." She answered to her aunt as Andromeda stirred the contents of her pan, the smell of chorizo and tomato making Penny's stomach growl. Andromeda glanced at her face as she scooped some food into a bowl.
"Not what you expected?" Andromeda asked carefully.
"They have put me with the cleaners." Penny whined as Andromeda smiled.
"How preposterous." Andromeda said. Penny noticed a twinkle in her aunt's eye that told her she was being teased. Her amusement was clear despite her serious tone. "It is not befitting of a Black." She said, sounding so much like Narcissa Penny cackled despite herself.
"Okay, okay. I get it." She relented, digging into the steaming bowl in front of her.