I can see you turn away
When I ask what for
You say it isn't anything
But I'm not sure
Somethin' underneath the skin
Won't let you be
And you try to keep it in
But I can see
The woman before me
Must have been hard on you
'Cause that hurt in your eyes
I never put you through
Sometimes, I think
You must be talking to
The woman before me and you
Amanda's first instinct was to ask Edward to take her to see Aunt Eloise. Accustomed as she was to him obliging her in such matters, she was stunned to silence when he adamantly refused to take her out of the house.He quickly explained through, that he had heard, through whatever mysterious source he attained his knowledge, that the illness Eloise had contracted was seriously contagious, and quite possibly fatal. With no known cure, he simply could not risk Amanda and Lottie becoming infected.
He would not even allow her to owl the hospital, or to open any owls that came to the house, as it soon became understood that it was through the post that the dreadful disease was being so rapidly spread, from friend to friend, parent to child, customer to merchant. Parents were advised to ignore owls from their children, and to send no owls in turn to the school. Amanda and Patsy agreed to stay indoors, and to keep the windows and Floo closed, until the Healers could find a solution.
She spent that first day reading, coddling Charlotte, and worrying. There was no mention in the paper about the scourge--but there were a few more death announcements than was ordinary for that time of year. That evening Edward Flooed Winter , only to be answered by Stella, who claimed that Winter too had fallen under the mysterious disorder, and that she had contacted the hospital.
Both Eloise and Winter were taken to St. Mungo's, and while waiting there for word of their condition, Stella began to show the first symptoms. That evening, they heard from Giles that several persons from the Ministry had caught this new disease, which was nicknamed Toad Pox, due to the strange texture that occurred on the skin after the first fever ended and the first set of hallucinations began.
He had acquired a bulletin that one of the healers at St. Mungo's had hastily compiled. According to them, only Pure-bloods could catch and become sick with Toad pox. Half-bloods could carry it, pass it to pure-bloods, and experience mild fevers and hallucinations, but seemed to be safe from any serious fevers, death, and the actual skin eruptions. Muggles and Squibs were completely immune.
They also posted that so far there were two distinct types of the pox-the first one struck first with a fainting spell, then fever, nausea, dizziness, bleeding from the eyes, hallucinations, and severe thirst. After all of this the skin turned hard and calloused, before being split into hundreds of tiny cracks by some inside force. The complications from this were pain, infection, gangrene, itching, and blood-loss, to name a few.
In the second type, four different degrees of fever and hallucinations occurred, varying in severity; bleeding from the eyes, nose, and mouth, then the skin would turn toad-like. Instead of bursting as in the first case-it developed large, fist-sized boils that soon began to spew yellow fluid which would promptly infect any area it had touched. Even boils grew boils, until the patient was one large knobbly mess. Strangely, the patients with boils, though miserable, recovered faster. The patients who developed the skin splits seemed to die more rapidly of heart failure and asphyxiation, much to the healer's confusion.
After Edward was certain that Amanda was at no risk of catching the sickness, he agreed to take her to St. Mungo's to visit her mother, grandmother and aunt. Before he could fulfill this promise, however, he too began to be gravely ill. One moment he was pulling on his cloak in front of the study fireplace, and the next he was laid out on the rug unconscious...his cloak tail in the cinders. Before Amanda could get to her to ask for help Patsy was stricken with a sudden fever and collapsed in the kitchen.
Amanda had too little knowledge about magical maladies to be entirely effective. Without magic, a means of transportation and an unaffected person to contact for assistance, what could she do? She could do the best that she was able, energetically applying steams, compresses and febrifuges though they did little to assuage the fevers or hallucinations and her patients attacked her with their fists whenever she lay her hands on their skin.
Upstairs and downstairs she went, carrying water and towels, stopping only to nurse the baby whenever she was wakened by the terrified screams of Edward and Patsy. She made weak broth, boiled all the linens in a great pot and kept a wary eye on the dwindling supply of stovewood and foodstuffs. After the first fevers were passed, she was able to look at the chart from St. Mungo's and verify that Edward had the first type of Pox, and Patsy, poor girl, the second.
The screams! Amanda wisely confiscated the wands and locked them away in a drawer, fearing what might come from them being used under such circumstances. Edward screamed for his wand to be returned. Patsy screamed for hers. They screamed for Amanda, screamed for mercy, screamed for very strange things at random.
Edward cursed vehemently beneath his breath at a ' she' who was not, she suspected herself. He mentioned too Elias' name when he was agitated, and long dialogs on wands when he was mild and exhausted.
Patsy, convinced that a vampire was biting her ankles, became so hysterical that Amanda eventually had to lock the girl in her room to prevent her from harming herself. Patsy spent the next two days clawing at the door and screaming until she went hoarse. When Amanda would go in, she would cling to her skirt, and beg, and cry for relief.
They were thirsty, they were cold, they couldn't bear to be touched by the softest cloth, couldn't bear the noise of their own breathing. They kept Amanda so busy that she could not eat or sleep, and was constantly worrying about Charlotte, who was now crawling around and trying to stand. Unable to leave her safely in one place unattended, she had to carry her every where she went. Eventually she designed a rickety pen, out of chairs, and corralled her there whenever she needed to go into one of the sickrooms.
It helped, but she lived in constant fear that Lottie was going to crash the chairs over on herself at any moment, or crawl up the stairs, or into the fireplace. By the time the first fevers had passed, Amanda was exhausted and weak.
The first fever did evaporate, just as the bulletin promised, and she breathed a short-lived sigh of relief. For a moment, both Edward and Patsy were capable of thinking and speaking rationally; though they were very weak. Amanda tried not to let them see how worried she was, or how afraid, but Edward noted her haggard appearance immediately.
He chastised her softly, and wanted to see Charlotte, who was blissfully unaware that anything was out of the ordinary--except that for the last three mornings, her mother had neglected to see that she was safely shod, and had let her eat nearly all the sugar out of the sugar bowl without complaining.
Amanda wanted to ask what she should do. She tried, but Edward had already begun lapsing back into a semi-consciousness.
Patsy claimed that she felt well enough to get up and help, but as soon as she stood, she began to bleed. It was the closest that Amanda had ever come in her short life to utter panic--when Patsy called to her in a weak frightened voice. She had rushed from the kitchen into the maids room, only to discover the girl covered in blood, which seemed to spilling like scarlet tears from her eyes. More gushed from her nose.
Amanda took her gently, and helped her back to the bed; but as soon as she lay back she began coughing and gagging, and writhing desperately,s he turned and vomited a great mouthful of phlegmy blood into Amanda's lap. Amanda was not a particularly squeamish person, but she had her limitations-- it was all she could do to keep from being sick as well while she cleaned Patsy, and changed her gown. She said a silent prayer of thanks that she had not eaten in the last twelve hours, or else that might have been her undoing.
She found that a very cold compress, and her grandmothers old cure of brown paper held in the mouth caused the bleeding to abate, and eventually cease, save for a tiny trickle from beneath one eyelid as Patsy slept.
Taking up the soiled linens, she began scrubbing them in the kitchen sink, rubbing out the stains as best she could in water so cold it made her fingers ache. Charlotte fell asleep on a pallet at her feet, and Amanda sat down briefly to rest.
She knew that she should eat, but the recent episode, the evidence of which was drying on her dress and apron, had stolen away whatever appetite she might have been able to summon. She drowsed for a moment, head on her arms, while a pot of white laundry boiled, and the baby slept.
The sharp, unfamiliar pealing of the doorbell startled her from her daze, and for a moment she couldn't remember what it was. It wasn't the bell in Edward's room, which he was supposed to ring when in need of assistance, and it wasn't the clock in the hall...
It rang again.
Amanda stood quickly and took Charlotte up into her arms. It wasn't the cleanest place for her to be, but she couldn't leave her in the kitchen with the boiling kettle wither.
Reaching the front door, Amanda, took her wand out, and held it concealed in her skirt folds, as she unlocked the door, and peered through the narrow crack.
" My gods Amanda! Are you all right?"
It was Philo Fenwick, looking particularly unwell himself. He took in the site of her. Her white apron and pink dress were splashed in blood, her hair was damp and falling down on one side. He noted the red, raw hands, dark circles, and the general posture of fatigue. The baby, in a rumpled damp dress, fidgeted and Amanda nearly toppled from the movement.
" Here..." he offered, reaching too suddenly to take Lottie. Amanda pulled back slightly.
" You'd best not. Their both sick...Edward, and Patsy...our maid."
" I figured as much. Here, let me in. I can't catch it, you know."
" Can't you?" she asked despondently, stepping aside to allow him through without argument. She was too desperate, too worried and too tired to question his purpose.
He shook his head, and began nervously rubbing his left shoulder, a habit she had noticed in him when he was thinking.
" I see.." he said at last, after looking around at the disordered state of the house." Is everyone sick? Eloise as well?"
It was her time to nod, and she was about to explain that she simply did not have anyway of getting her patients to the healers, when the bell from Patsy's room sounded.
" Excuse me.." she said hastily.
" Wait.Let me hold her." he held his arms out for the baby, and after a moment's hesitation, Amanda handed her over.
She returned quickly, wiping her face. Patsy had needed more compresses, and was now hallucinating and bleeding simultaneously. Fresh blood smeared Amanda's cheeks and hands.From upstairs came a low wail that caused Philo to shudder involuntarily.
" Mr. Fenwicke.."
" Please...Philo."
" Philo...would you be so kind as to please help me? Please? I'm afraid they both might die...I haven't anyway of doing a thing for them." There. He must guess now secret.
" Of course I'll help!" he smiled wanly. " I have every intention of it. I have to explain though...you see, I came by at first to see if you know...if you have heard anything about Giles Barkwater?"
Amanda paused, thinking.
" No...Well, not since three days ago. He Flooed to give us this information." she pulled the crumpled bulletin from her pocket. " Why? is something wrong?"
" No. " he smiled quickly. " I...was supposed to meet him somewhere yesterday, and he didn't' show, is all."
" Perhaps he too, is ill."
Philo inexplicably brightened at that idea.
" He might be...and he'll be at St. Mungo's, if it's so. Here, why don't the two of you freshen up, and I will Floo to St. Mungo's immediately and see what they advise us to do."
Amanda looked down at her dress, and turned crimson.
" Oh, my goodness...yes. I'll only be a moment." she said, taking Charlotte back.
She hurried upstairs, wondering to what extent she could trust Philo. She knew very little of him, he had never been one of Eloise's more vocal friends. A philosopher or sorts, his opinion was rarely welcome among the more conservative minds of the Pureblood traditionalists. Even courting her, as Eloise called it, he had been unconventionally polite and reserved. Almost disinterested compared to Martin.
Still, even if he were the dark lord himself in disguise, she needed his help. She hastily changed her dress, and washed her face and hands. Then she did the same for Charlotte, before stuffing a few supplies into a bag, which she shrank to fit in her pocket. She thanked Edward silently for including that charm in her wand, as well as the few handy charms she had been utilizing all week to lessen her burdens. Still, with the maker ill, the wand produced it's magic only anemically at best.
By the time they made the downstairs Philo had returned, with four medi-wizards, who promptly transported the two patients to St. Mungo's. Amanda breathed a sigh of relief, and let Philo Apparate her and Charlotte along, where she was reassured that everything was in good hands, and was allowed to visit her mother and grandmother. Eloise was very ill, and was not allowed visitors yet.
Stella, except for the ugly shrinking boils, seemed to be in good enough spirits, until she saw Amanda's condition. She made her sit down, and demanded that one of the assistants bring her something to eat. Soon she had a large tray of food, and despite her protests, she ate--feeding small bites to Charlotte as well, when she would take them.
" I think she has grown since I saw her last." Stella commented thickly.
" She is standing now. Or at least...she is trying."
" Oh! Already?"
" Yes." Amanda looked around and sighed. " I have seen this hospital too many times."
" Isn't it just charming though?" Winter commented form the next bed. " So very...green."
A healer soon found his way in to tell Amanda that Patsy and Edward were being treated with the newest potions; and that they seemed to be stabilizing nicely. She visited Edward briefly, before the sleeping draught took over, and told him about Philo. He frowned tiredly.
" That's strange..." he commented at last. " I must speak to Giles...about it...soon." He had trouble speaking, the skin about his mouth and eyes had begun to toughen and break. The Healer urged her to leave him in peace, so she wandered down to Patsy's room, and found the girl just beginning her outbreak of boils. There was no more blood, but she looked very pale.
" How are you?" she asked, for want of anything better.
" Fine...what's that you've got? Oh...my book. " Patsy smiled, weakly.
" I brought it along to read."
" Do you like it?"
Amanda had not started it yet, but she humored the other woman.
" Yes. You were right. It's very well written."
" Isn't Jorund simply edible? What a gentleman! I wonder how Philip is doing without me." Patsy sighed. " Do you think he still remembers me?"
" I'm sure he couldn't forget you so soon."
" What is today?"
" Wednesday."
" Oh...it's been ages since I've seen him. And look at me, ruined. "
" You're not ruined. They'll have you healed shortly."
" I don't think so. I believe I am doomed. Have you ever read the ''The Blue Witch of Elberburry' ? That was such a gripping book. I swear I couldn't put it down...but it gave me the terrors. The girl in there was called Roberna, and she was a orphaned witch who had to go live with her step-aunt and uncle in this enormous.." she broke off to cough fitfully.
" Perhaps you should tell it another time." Amanda suggested.
" Oh, no! There might not be another time, as you'll see. She was a good girl, very humble, and she fell in love with the handsome gardener, whose wife had died tragically the year before. Her Uncle and Aunt didn't approve, of course, but they were Muggles and couldn't do anything except threaten to force her out. Then, one day the girl mysteriously came down with some romantic disease.Quite an ordinary one, but no one could heal her, it just grew worse and worse. Well, since she was a witch she knew it was some evil being worked on her, so she swore to find the culprit. Then she died. "
" Oh..." Amanda winced.
" Yes. They thought she was getting well, but she died, and the gardener was terribly upset, so he sent for a medium to bring her ghost back. When she came back, she began to solve the mystery, and found out that her aunt was a witch too, and had been hexing her to death, because she was jealous, and wanting the gardener for her own."
Against her better judgment, Amanda had to ask;
" And what happened?"
" Oh, that's the best part! You see, in a fit of rage, the ghost pushes her aunt from the top of the castle. Did I say they lived in a castle? They did...one of those mysterious grey stone castles. And Roberna's spirit entered the body of her aunt, and she came back to life, only she was crippled...from the fall, and she married the gardener. The Uncle catching them together, thought it was his wife, and in a jealous rage, he blew their brains out." Patsy imitated a pistol with her hand and forefinger, and 'shot' at the wall.
Amanda's expression was something between a smile of disbelief, and a perplexed look of distaste. She was not quite sure whether or not that sounded like a good book, or a Gothic soap opera; but she quickly gave Patsy a reassuring smile, and promised she would read the book if Patsy promised to get well.
Patsy insisted that if was highly doubtful, and went on to quote several instances of young women who were poisoned, hexed, or otherwise murdered due to jealousy, and began to suspect people one by one. Amanda, after her previous tragic encounter with Demogene's insane jealousy, felt uncomfortable with this conversation, and urged Patsy to not think on it anymore, and to rest.
Soon Patsy grew too tired to speak, and the boils began to experience boils of their own so that her head was too heavy to hold erect anyhow. Amanda promised her that she would be back shortly, and with a sad, anxious sigh to herself, she returned to Stella's bedside.
Lyrics --T. Yearwood