Chapter 53

"Happy Christmas!"

I turned around to see Henry walking up to me. We'd spent every Christmas for the last three years together. We had both been accepted into the St. Mungo's Program. There were 8 of us to begin with and through the years ended up with four. Henry and I were the only two left from Hogwarts. Jacqueline DeRose was from Beauxbatons and Ilya Fyodorovich was from Koldovstoretz.

From day one there was an unspoken competition between Henry and I. Whether it was answering a question first or being the first one to list symptoms, diagnose, or suggest treatment options, Henry and I were always fighting for the top spot. This competitive edge put both of us in a spot of high opinions with our head healers.

"Happy Christmas, Henry." I answered back.

"Susan is coming by with the baby and some lunch this afternoon." He said. "You should join us. Susan won't admit that Thomas is a handful but I know that she is desperate for some grown up conversation with someone besides me."

"I'd love to!" I said. "It feels like forever since I've seen her! I feel like I'm always here. I don't know how you manage to maintain a competitive edge and have a life."

"Ruby, a word." Mathilda Rathbone, one of the head healers said, poking her head out from a doorway.

"I'll catch up with you in a bit." I said to Henry as I raised my hand in goodbye.

I stepped inside the room with Mathilda to find she was joined by a number of Wizards I had never seen before.

"You must be Ruby Winston." A man with a white, particularly bushy mustache said.

I nodded with a smile, unsure of why I was here or with whom I was speaking.

"We have a rather unusual problem we need to solve quickly." A wizard with square spectacles and greying temples said. "We have been contacted by Professor Dumbledore. It seems Madam Pomfrey has requested leave to tend to an ailing family member. This sounded to us a wonderful opportunity to give to one of our more advanced Healer trainees experience in a real hospital, working, diagnosing, and healing on their own. We have spoken with the Head Healers and yours is the name that always came up. We are prepared to offer you this chance to really put your training to the test, that is, if you are comfortable with such a task."

My heart was pounding and I could feel tears of pride brimming in my eyes. I had been working tirelessly for years without really having a complete sense of how I was doing. The only thing that I had to hold on to was that I had not been let go from the program. The Head Healers were much harder to read than the professors at Hogwarts and I didn't have test scores to tell me that I was doing well. It was amazing to know that I had been making positive impressions after all.

"When do I start?" I asked.

"As soon as classes resume, we need you to be settled and ready to help students and staff." Said the man with the bushy white mustache. "I am sure that Professor Dumbledore will be thrilled that a Hogwarts student has been selected. You may report to Hogwarts on January 2nd. Madam Pomfrey will be there to show you where everything is located and who you may contact should you need supplies. Congratulations and thank you for all of your hard work here at St. Mungo's."

My heart was still pounding and excitement coursed through my veins as I joined the other three trainees during morning rounds. I was completely useless at answering any questions or making any observations. My mind was a million other places. When they had mentioned Professor Dumbledore I felt a pang of embarrassment and guilt. The last conversation I had with him was less than graceful. Part of me was worried that he would hear my name and request to have anyone else take Madam Pomfrey's place. I would be lying if I denied there wasn't anything else I associated with Hogwarts; Severus Snape.

I tried to calm myself down by convincing myself that I would be busy in the hospital wing with ailing students and that I would never see him because he would be teaching down in his dungeon and brewing his experimental potions.

The last time I had seen him was in Diagon Alley those years ago before I started at St. Mungo's. However, every summer when I visit home, Sean complains about him non-stop and asks how I was able to put up with him. It sounds like he has been far worse than he was even in the beginning for me. Sean is convinced that he is being purposely singled out and treated worse than any of his classmates. I suggested that maybe the professor has issues with freckles. He did not find that excuse as funny as I did.

"Ruby, Ruby, Ruby!"

I was jolted from my thoughts.

"I said are you going to have lunch with Susan and I?" Henry said, apparently not for the first time.

I nodded and followed him to the canteen. As soon as we walked through the doorway Susan was loping towards us. Her hand clung to the small baby that was strapped to her chest like an extension of herself. She looked absolutely exhausted but still wore the biggest smile I had seen in a long time.

Her eyes met mine and her smile turned into a pursed lip glare. "What's wrong?"

"What?" How did it seem like she could always read my mind?

"You have that look." She said. "What happened?"

"Nothing bad." I said. "I've, er, been asked to go to Hogwarts and take Madam Pomfrey's place while she helps a family member."

Her eyes went wide. "That's great!"

Her sudden shout caused baby Thomas to jump awake. She automatically began rubbing his back and his eyes soon closed again.

"Does that mean they are trusting you to go on your own and take care of real patients?" She asked.

I shrugged, "I guess."

"When did you find out about this?" Henry asked.

"Just this morning." I answered.

"I thought you seemed a bit quiet this morning." He observed. "Were you not expecting it?"

I shook my head. "I thought I was in trouble when Mathilda pulled me aside this morning."

"What are you going to do about Snape?" Susan blurted.

My heart gave a hard thud at the sound of his name. Henry looked at me for my answer. I don't know why I was surprised that he seemed to know what she was talking about. Susan wasn't one for keeping secrets, especially from her husband.

"I won't see him." I shrugged. "He's going to be teaching in the dungeon and I'll be in the hospital wing."

"What about meals?" Susan urged. "You'll be at the staff table now. What are you going to do about that?"

I hadn't thought about that. "I'll...take my meals in the hospital. I don't think my presence is necessarily needed in the great hall. Hopefully I'll be gone before the end of the year feast."

"Are you afraid you're going to fall for him again?" Henry asked.

Susan and I exchanged looks and Henry's cheeks began to turn red as if he'd just said something ridiculously stupid.

I paused, "No." The absolute finality of the word sent my gut sinking. Did I really still have feelings for him? I felt as though I hadn't really thought about him in a long time. I was sure I had been consumed with my studies. Was I just fooling myself into believing that I was too busy to think about him?

Susan raised her eyebrows in shock but didn't say anything.

Henry nodded his head and exchanged glances with Susan, a glance I am sure was married for 'We'll discuss this later.'

"Anyways," Susan said, breaking the awkward silence. She reached her hand into the basket sitting on the table. "I brought turkey."

That night when I returned home to my London flat I called my parents to tell them the news of my 'promotion'.

"Are you going to need a ride?" My mum asked. "I'll tell your father to drive you."

"No," I laughed, "I'll apparate to Hogsmeade and walk from there."

"That's right." she said, "I always forget you can teleport now."

"I can't telep-,"

"When is your brother going to start teleporting?"

I let out a deep sigh "Not for a while, mum."

"Do you think any of those Star Trek people is a wizard?"

"I...don't know." It was becoming an increasing trend for my mother to ask me if I thought famous people were wizards.

"I bet the guy with the crazy ears is, that's just not normal."

"Sure, mum. Look, I've got to go, packing and all that. Happy Christmas, I love you."

I hung up the telephone and sat in silence for a while, partially thinking about what I would need and partially thinking about Snape. Clearly I had been fooling myself into thinking I didn't think about him anymore.

I went into my bedroom and started loading clothes into my suitcase that I kept in the closet. I wasn't concerned about clothes much but I did realize that I had no idea if I should bring old Hogwarts robes and remove the Ravenclaw patch or if I should bring my healer robes from St. Mungo's. I packed a set of each.

I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the suitcase. Was I ready for this? What if I got flustered and administered the wrong potion? What if I didn't actually know what I was doing? Was I just fooling everyone into thinking I was competent? What if I killed someone?

I shook my head trying to rid myself of these thoughts. Someone has to have a lot of confidence in me. They aren't going to let just anyone be in charge of the hospital wing in a school.

I decided that was enough packing for now since I still had a week before I actually needed to be at Hogwarts. Hopefully within that week my confidence would pick up and I wouldn't fear my success anymore.