Chapter 90: Pumpkin Pasty Hunt
Near the fireplace in the lobby was the tea cart Claire saw earlier, being watched over by a man in a green robe. Claire guessed he was a Healer, since the symbol on the wizard's pointed hat depicted a wand crossed over a bone. She tepidly went up to him, while Jae and Chiara followed.
"Excuse me, sir?" Claire said.
"Yes, Miss?" the Healer in the green robe asked.
"Do you have any pumpkin pasties left? A patient I'm working with would like one."
The green-robed Healer shook his head in a guilty way. "I'm afraid I gave away the last pumpkin pasty not too long ago."
"Could you tell me who took it? I really want to make my patient feel better."
The green-robed Healer paused before saying, "Since you seem dedicated to the well-being of your patient, all I can tell you is this person made a lot of jokes and had a handlebar mustache. You'll find him in the Hospital Ward."
After Chiara picked another pastry off the tea cart, the green-robed Healer walked away with the cart. Meanwhile, Jae had a contemplative look.
"I think I know who might have taken the last pumpkin pasty," Jae said.
"So do I," Claire said, guessing Jae was thinking of the same person he was.
"Well, I should get back to my patient," Chiara said, holding the pastry in her hands. "Good luck, you two."
Jae blushed again as Chiara walked away. Claire didn't say anything as the two made their way to the Hospital Ward. This was where the more severe patients were being taken care of. Among the rows of beds sat Bilton Bilmes, who had a teacup stuck to his nose.
"What happened to you, Mr. Bilmes?" Claire asked.
"What does it look like?" Bilmes said sarcastically. "A Nose-Biting Teacup is stuck to my face!"
"That's strange," Jae remarked. "Don't Nose-Biting Teacups eventually let go?"
"I received a defective shipment, as I make sure to test all of my products before putting them on the shelves of my store," Bilmes said.
Jae suddenly broke out laughing. "This certainly is funny."
"Bedside manner, Jae!" Clarie emphasized. "Remember that."
As Jae stopped laughing, Bilton sighed.
"Though I enjoy a good laugh as much as anyone, I hope you two didn't show up just to make fun of me," Bilton said.
"No, actually we're here to ask about a pumpkin pastry you got from the tea cart recently," Claire said.
"Oh, this?" Bilton looked down at his bedside table, where a bunch of sweets were laid out including a pumpkin-filled pasty.
But while the pumpkin pasty was intact, the other sweets were half-eaten.
"I've been trying to comfort my situation with sweet treats, but having this teacup stuck to my nose has severely affected my sense of taste to the point where I can't enjoy them as much as I normally do," Bilton moaned. "This is simply tragic!"
"If that's the case, could we possibly have your pumpkin pasty?" Claire said delicately. But when Bilton seemed offended at the request, Claire elaborated. "This isn't for me or Jae. Hagrid is here in the hospital, with a bite from a creature in the Forbidden Forest."
"Oh, dear," Bilton remarked sympathetically.
"I'm trying to help him feel comfortable here at St. Mungo's as part of my class field trip," Claire added.
"While I do see your point, I was hoping to save this pumpkin pasty for when I got this teacup off my nose," Bilton said. "It's one of my favorite treats."
"The pumpkin pasties remind Hagrid of home, which he misses greatly."
"Ah, I see now. Then Hagrid should have my pumpkin pasty by all means."
"I'm sure Hagrid will appreciate the gesture."
So Claire picked up the plate with the pumpkin pasty on it, and wished Bilton to get better before leaving the Hospital Ward.
"You know, this experience at St. Mungo's has made me…reconsider things," Jae admitted.
"Do I detect some uncharacteristic compassion from Jae Kim, the Troublemaker of Hogwarts?" Claire said jokingly.
"Let's not go that far," Jae said. "I'm not about to turn into another Penny."
Back in the patient room, Claire was about to present the pumpkin pastry to Hagrid when she noticed Penny was standing next to his bed.
"What are you doing here, Penny?" Claire said.
"Oh, she was just tellin' me all abou' her time here at St. Mungo's," Hagrid explained.
"Do you like it here?" Claire asked Penny.
"It's amazing!" Penny beamed. "Not only do I get to help more people, but also it's a nice change of pace from chasing Dark Witches and Wizards. Wouldn't you agree, Claire?"
"Both are important, I suppose," Claire said. "Healing people from their ailments is good, but so is protecting people from the dangerous witches and wizards that hurt them in the first place."
"That's a good answer!" Penny said. "Who knew you were so wise."
"Of course she's wise!" Hagrid chimed in. "But no matter which path either of you take, I think you'll do jus' fine."
"Speaking of healing, I managed to get the last one," Claire said, presenting the pumpkin pasty to Hagrid.
"Well, I'll be!" Hagrid smiled. "Yeh actually did it."
Hagrid then swallowed the pumpkin pastry in one bite. But as he finished it, tears fell down his face making Claire and Penny nervous.
"What's wrong now, Hagrid?" Claire said.
"You can tell us," Penny emphasized.
"I'm jus' worried about Fang," Hagrid said, drying his eyes. "He's all alone at me hut."
Claire wasn't sure how to answer, so she went to a corner of the room while Penny followed.
"What are you thinking, Claire?" Penny asked.
"This is going to sound strange, but I think we need to transport Fang to St. Mungo's," Claire said. "It will not only ease Hagrid's mind, but help make him feel more at home until he's cured of his bite."
"Sounds like a brilliant idea to me, and I know you'll pull it off," Penny said encouragingly.
To be continued…