Disclaimer: I do have red hair, do have a J and K in my name (although in the wrong order), I do write. But unfortunately I am no JK Rowling!

Poison Ivy

Miss Cassia, as I came to call her, had me in her underground chambers most days from early morning to mid afternoon. When we were not patching Sir Elric Gryffindor or his knights up from one of their hunts, or tending to the sick, she would teach me to read and write. It was slow learning, but Briona, much to her elder sister's displeasure, helped me during any other free time.

My days were busy, healers unlike those of different occupations, do not have 'normal' working hours. We were always ready to receive the sick or injured. Many times I was woken in the dead of the night to scramble to assist Miss Cassia in an emergency. But I loved my work.

I learned pretty soon that the voice I was hearing in my head was that of Miss Cassia and was something she referred to as essence. Soon she started teaching me to communicate and step into other people's minds (to state simply). This of course was brilliant in case of emergencies, but its downfall was that the old woman always seemed to know what I was thinking.

Salome spent much of her time inside our shared chamber working on her charms. Most of which she practiced on me! If she wasn't in our chamber, she was utilising her time in Sir Elric's library and was often accompanied by Darcy, (whose first name was William but people only ever used his last name). Darcy was Sir Elric's 'personal assistant' and had taken quite an interest in Salome's studies. If you were to ask my personal opinion, I believe he was more interested in my sister than the study; he never admitted it.

On dreary night after gruelling over some very sick cattle, yes our duties also included looking after his lordship's stock, I took a walk before starting work once more. It was early morning just prior to dawn and I felt there was no reason to sleep only to rise again in a few short hours. I was resolved to take an energy giving potion once I entered Miss Cassia's workshop. I knew she would disapprove, but would grudgingly agree that it was better for me to take it than to fall asleep on the job.

It was becoming cold outside, but the greying sky turning from darkness to the dawn was beautiful outside the castle walls. So, I wrapped my bottle green cloak about my shoulders and strolled.

I know that some would say it was foolish to be alone outside at that hour. But I was young and restless and wanted nothing but fresh air. I did not expect company.
It was cracking twigs that alerted me. Paranoid as I am, I spun around on my heel and came nose to nose with Hearne Gryffindor.

I fell backwards onto my bottom with a yelp. Hearne only scowled down upon him his thin lips twisting into a malicious sneer.

"Milord," I gasped in surprise, "what are you doing…" My voice trailed off as I remembered one should not question someone of a higher rank.

Hearne glared me up and down then drew his sword so that the steel rang against the firm hold of the scabbard. The sound will forevermore make me cringe.

"Well, well, well," Hearne drawled lazily running a finger up and down the shining blade, "isn't it the little village healer."

My throat was dry. I had known many bullies in my life, but never a nobleman standing over me.

Hearne lifted his head back and let out a short bark of laughter that only served to chill my blood.

Still sneering he lifted his sword above his head. I squeezed my eyes shut expecting the blade to slice through my skinny body. Instead I heard a distinct whistle of air barely missing my ear and the thud of dirt. Very slowly I opened one eye. The sword was wobbling from side to side; its tip stuck firm in the soft dirt.

"Accio wand."

Before I could even register the danger my wand sailed through the air and into Hearne's outstretch hand. Hearne was smirking victoriously as he fiddled with my wand. There was nothing that I could do but stare up at him hoping against hope he wasn't going to kill me. I was defenceless against him.

"What are you going to do with me?" I demanded in a husky voice, trying to kick myself clear of Hearne's vengeful glare.

"Don't worry, swamp rat, I'm just here to teach you a lesson," Hearne replied lightly, as if he was merely commenting on the weather. I watched my wand as he twisted it around and around in his hands.

"Can I have my wand back?" I demanded clearly standing and stepping towards the older boy. Hearne growled. "Please?" I amended all too quickly.

Instead of handing my wand or using it against me Hearne backhanded me twice and pushed me roughly against the trunk of an ancient tree so that I slid down slowly back down onto my backside.

Hearne leered as he brought my wand up to rest against his cheek. Very casually he wrapped his long fingers around the slender wood and…

SNAP!

My wand was successfully divided into two; only held by a strand of dragon heart string.

My face flushed in anger and confusion to why this young immensely wealthy wizard of the nobility would pick on me. Wands were expensive. They will always be. And the wand the man had just ruined belong to my long dead grandfather Praxiteles Slytherin. Wands amongst the poorer classes were often handed down my generation from generation to save money.

It would have been better for Hearne to hurl the remains of my wand at me; inside he pocketed them and brought his own wand out.

I heard him hiss out a spell I never heard in my life. Yelping I made to drive for cover, but a great white light prevented me from doing so. Transfixed I didn't realised the danger until the light faded and all became black - pitch black.

I heard Hearne's confident footfalls and jeering laugh as he approached me and pulled me to stand on my feet. I was blind. It came as a shock and then I realised what a coward Hearne Gryffindor was. I was blind and powerless against him.

He started to drag me through the forest and gave no sign of hearing my sharp yelps of pain as he dragged me over the forest floor. Rather, I think he enjoyed out little outing and causing me so much pain and bother.

It seemed like hours before he stopped, pulled me to my feet and turned me around and around and around…

I dizzily raised my hand to my head and took a tentative step forward. "Hearne…" I cried softly, "Hearne…" My heart started to beat frantically. Where was my tormentor?

"GRYFFINDOR!" I screeched at the top of my longs. My personal motto was if being polite doesn't help; yell your lungs out.

"Hello…" I continued after a pause and my voice I am ashamed to admit was rather timid. "Anyone…"

I was alone in the middle of the forest… or so I guessed. I was blind. I had no idea which was to go and I was ruddy scared.

It was then I remembered the mind ability to contact Miss Cassia and Briona. Shamed faced I took a step forward. How come it took me so long to remember? I was suppose to be cunning and smarter than my foes. Now I was stranded in the middle of the forest with cuts, bruises, and a wounded pride and all I had left was to contact the aged head healer.

I relaxed and pulled myself together. 'Miss Cassia?' I asked softly.

I felt the healer's essence enter my mind almost immediately. 'Salazar where have you been?'

I think I whimpered in reply and brushed away some poison ivy from my hose legs.

'Salazar I'm warning you boy…'

Miss Cassia was annoyed. It never took much to irritate the head healer. She was the no nonsense type. Briona always told me that is where I got my reputation as a grumpy old man.

'Help, Miss Cassia,' I pleaded, 'I got ambushed and I'm wandless and… and I don't know where I am and…'

'Use your eyes boy!" Miss Cassia admonished.

'I can't I'm blind!' I returned timidly and desperately. Being blind is surprisingly frightening. You never realise how much you depend on your sense of sight in everyday life; never until you lose the ability to see that is.

'Okay, okay don't panic!'

'…and I'm covered in what I think is poison Ivy!" I continued almost screaming at the top of my lungs ignoring her last message.

'I said don't panic!' Miss Cassia snapped. I could almost see (ironically) her bustling through her cabinet of medicines and stuffing them into a canvas bag. 'Stay there…'

I would have liked to have known where Miss Cassia thought I was going to go. But I shrugged my shoulders and sat as calmly as my situation would allow on something I assumed was a log or a boulder.

The sounds of the forest played a melody around me with harmonic counter melodies. My sight of hearing seemed to sharpen around me. I even fancied I could hear Hearne's breathing nearby. But on closer inspection - Hearne was nowhere in sight (or rather in hearing distance).

I twiddle my thumbs and sat and waited… and waited for something to happen.

Clip. Clop. Clip….

Horses. I recognised the sound instantly.

I rose suddenly and darted behind a tree. Clumsily with lots of cursing, tripping and snarling - no wonder they heard me before I could reach a hiding place.

"Who's out there?" a voice cut through the forest - much like a blade slicing through any obstacle in its way.

I recognised the voice as to belonging to Sir Elric. 'At last,' I thought, 'someone has found me!'

"Milord!" I cried, "I am here!"

I heard the stunned cries and the horses moving closer. Even blind I was looking (or trying to) frantically around.

"Salazar." I heard the fall of feet as Sir Elric dismounted from his stallion. "What are you doing…?"

His words were cut off. "What's happened?" he continued his voice lowering dangerously. I fancied he was looking me up and down.

"I - I…" I very well couldn't tell him Hearne had done this. His own son. He wouldn't believe me! "I got lost."

"And you blinded yourself in order to achieve this?" a young voice commented wryly.

"Godric hush," Sir Elric replied.

Blood rushed to my face and the humiliation of the whole scene and the fact I told quite a transparent lie to his lordship.

I heard Sir Elric mumbled a counter jinx. Blinking I realised I could see again, admittedly all I could see was colourful blobs. It was an improvement and welcome relief.

"Like Godric, I don't believe you," Sir Elric snorted ruefully.

I looked to my feet I am sure my face resembled the colour of crimson blood. I thought I was going to die of embarrassment. If I didn't think my situation could get any worse I hear a distinctive voice, "There you are Salazar… ah milords… you found him…"

I turned very slowly dreading to see the visage of my new mentor. Miss Cassia didn't look entirely pleased to see me.

"I see you are in one piece, Salazar," she commented, "… and seeing…"

"Miss Cassia… I…" she held up her hand in silence so I resorted to staring fixedly at my new doe skin boots, which Salome had gotten for me via Darcy.

"Cassia what is the meaning of this?" Sir Elric gestured around the forest looking particularly annoyed. I hadn't thought lying would have bothered him that much. I would learn later that Sir Elric was more perceptive than I had given him credit for; he already gathered what had happened.

"The boy sent to me that he had been ambushed, blinded and abandoned."

My redden cheeks grew worse.

"Truly," Sir Elric murmured in reply his keen eyes were already on me, "who attacked you boy?" There was a hint of sympathy in his voice but at the time I did not register it.

"I… I don't know…" I stammered.

"I see…" Elric returned in a tone that clearly said that he didn't see at all. He rubbed his bearded chin in agitation then abruptly turned his white stallion around. "Godric!" he called over his shoulder.

Godric gave me an appraising look and shook his head before turning his own small bay around and charging after his father.

For those who are not familiar with my other pieces the bold will usually signify messages sent from one mind to another.