13. The Medicinal Properties of Friendship

"Moody?" Alastor groaned and pulled his covers over his head. "Moody, what's wrong with you?"

Alastor gritted his teeth, trying to ignore the pounding in his head. "Go away, Malfoy."

"All right, fine." His cousin, Cassius Malfoy sounded hurt, but Alastor was too busy trying not to cough up a lung to care.

Alastor heard the other boys leave the dormitory, but he couldn't bring himself to get up. His head was pounding, his arms and legs felt weighted down, and he could barely breathe. He drifted off to sleep before he could muster up the energy to get up.

"Al?"

"Danny?" Alastor's eyes opened slightly to see the other boy standing over his bed, looking concerned. "What brings you here?"

Daniel shook his head. "I haven't seen you all day, so I asked Cassius and he said you hadn't gotten up this morning."

"He's right, I didn't," Alastor replied before a coughing fit seized him.

Daniel looked even more concerned. "That's it. Up with you. We're going to the H-Wing."

"All right," Alastor answered on a moan as Daniel turned the covers back. "I'm not sure I can walk, though."

"Who said anything about walking?" Daniel asked as he conjured a stretcher and levitated Alastor onto it. "There we go, nothing to it," he smiled, levitating the stretcher and guiding it as he made his way downstairs to the common room.

The last voice Alastor expected to hear called, "Riley! What are you doing with him?"

"Taking him to the hospital wing, Moody," Daniel answered, his voice still quite easy-going.

Aurelius sounded suspicious as he came to a stop in front of Alastor and Daniel. "Why?"

"Take a look at him, what do you think?"

"What's wrong, Alastor?" Aurelius actually sounded concerned!

Alastor stared at his brother in surprise. "Dunno. That's why Danny's taking me to the Hospital Wing."

"I'll come along then," Aurelius offered, looking a little worried.

Though exceedingly surprised Aurelius's look of concern, he nodded. Daniel and Aurelius exchanged a glance and the both of them nodded as well. Aurelius went forward to open the door while Daniel kept up focus on the levitation as he followed Aurelius out.

"Thanks, both of you."

"Think nothing of it, partner, just doing what any good person would do, ain't that right, Aurelius?" Daniel glanced over at him.

Aurelius turned his gaze to Al, and then to Daniel, his eyes flicking from both. "Yes, quite right." His lips twitched over Daniel's drawl.

Alastor coughed again, great hacking coughs that seemed to rip themselves from his chest. "Oh, Merlin, that hurt."

Daniel winced. "Sure sounded like it," he responded in a softer voice.

Aurelius nodded, his eyes on Al. "We should move faster, he sounds terrible," he said, glancing at Daniel.

"Sure thing, boss." Daniel quickened his pace. He and Aurelius moved quickly down the corridors and up along several flights of stairs. "All right there, Al?" Daniel asked when they'd nearly reached their destination.

Alastor nodded. "I'm fine, Danny." He was very glad to see they were just about there.

"Acute bronchitis," Madam Arden, the school nurse, announced after examining Alastor thoroughly. "Medicine and bed rest for you, young man."

Alastor nodded, wishing only to go back to his bed in the dormitory and sleep. "May I go, Madam?"

"Leave my hospital wing when you're this sick?" she exclaimed, appearing shocked that he'd even suggest such a thing. "You're staying right here where I can keep an eye on you."

Alastor sighed, resigning himself. "Yes, Madam Arden."

"I'm glad you have the sense not to argue," she commented before bustling off to her office, presumably to get the medicine.

Alastor looked over to where Aurelius and Daniel had been waiting patiently. "Danny? You'll tell the others?"

"No worries, partner." Daniel saluted with a grin. "Just get better, all right?"

Alastor nodded as Aurelius moved forward. "I'll let Mother and Father know as well."

"Thank you, Aurelius." Alastor smiled faintly up at his brother. He wasn't sure what was going on with Aurelius, but he rather liked being fussed over by more than his friends.

Nodding, Aurelius briefly squeezed Alastor's hand and left the Hospital Wing. Sketching another salute, Daniel left as well, just as Madam Arden returned with Alastor's medicine.

"I'm glad to see those boys have some sense. Here, drink."

"Yes, Madam Arden." Alastor drank the dose without comment, though he shuddered at the taste.

"What were you expecting, gillywater?" She tutted as she had him lay back down and tucked the covers in around him. "Now, sleep."

"Yes, Madam Arden." Alastor sighed as he let sleep wash over him like a wave.

When he awoke, Alastor was surprised to find he had a visitor. "Professor Dumbledore?"

"Hello, my boy," the potions professor answered calmly, a twinkle in his bright blue eyes.

He stared at his professor for a few moments before asking, "Not to be rude or anything, but why are you here, Professor?"

"I only wished to see how you were faring, Mr. Moody." Professor Dumbledore patted the boy's hand reassuringly.

Alastor was puzzled. "How did you know I was here, Sir?"

"I overheard Mr. Riley informing your friends of your illness," the potions professor explained, the twinkle in his eyes dimming slightly. "May I inquire as to the nature of your illness?"

"Madam Arden called it acute bronchitis," Alastor told the professor, wondering why he was so concerned.

For his part, the professor nodded thoughtfully. "Not a pleasant experience, if I remember correctly, but, then again, illnesses are never pleasant experiences."

"No, they certainly aren't," Alastor agreed with a laugh, which quickly turned into a coughing fit that left him clutching his ribs. "Oh, ow."

Professor Dumbledore had risen from his seat during the boy's coughing fit and now gently squeezed a shoulder. "To prevent another coughing fit, I shall leave you now. Get well soon, my boy."

"Thank you for coming, Professor." Alastor smiled sincerely up at his professor.

As the professor moved to the door, a buzz of voices preceded the appearance of Alastor's friends. "Hello, gentlemen and lady."

"Hello, Professor, came to visit the patient, I imagine. Hasn't died yet, has he?" Stewart was the first to answer.

Rremly quickly inserted himself, "Stew! What a thing to say!"

"Rrem, he's just joking and you know it," Griffith sounded vastly amused.

Percy's deep voice was the next to be heard: "Now, now, we're here to visit a friend, remember?"

"Honestly! Do you two need a time-out?" Belladonna's dry voice followed on the heels of Percy's.

For their part, Felix and the twins chuckled and kept silent.

Stewart countered, "Oy! I'll have you know, I haven't had a time out since I was six."

"Yeah, because his Mum finally figured out that it didn't do any good," Griffith added, deadpan.

While the others roared with laughter, Rremly slipped over to Alastor's bed and quietly asked, "Feeling all right there, Al? I brought you something from lunch because you missed it."

"And breakfast," Alastor added, accepting the ham sandwich Rremly held out to him. "Thanks."

Rremly ducked his head and smiled the quiet smile that was such a comfort to all of them, blushing profusely. "Think nothing of it."

A nudge at his knee caused him to look past Rremly to see Belladonna standing by the bed expectantly. A little surprised, he moved his leg and she plopped down on the bed.

"You all right there, Al? You haven't lost a lung or anything, have you?"

"No, Bella, I haven't seen any lungs come out while I was coughing," Alastor assured her as the others made their way over to the bed and gathered around it.

Griffith climbed over the footboard and sat cross-legged at the foot of the bed. Stewart bounced over to the bed with Percy, Felix, the twins, and even Milo, bringing up the rear.

"Merlin, Al! Don't you know that there's a lady present?"

"Stew, I'm no lady, so put a cork in it," Belladonna shot back at him as he perched on the other side of the bed from her.

Alastor looked at the faces gazing down at him, a little humbled by what he saw in them. Rremly and Milo, standing near the head of the bed, looked concerned and ready to help at the first sign that Alastor needed any. Belladonna, perched by Alastor's right knee, still wore the smirk, but he could tell that she would have kicked arse if the bronchitis had been tangible. Griffith, lounging at the foot of the bed, had a half-grin on his face, but Alastor could see the concern in his blue-gray eyes. Percy, stood at the corner of the bed beside Milo, both looking similarly concerned and sympathetic. Felix and the twins, stood beside Percy, three sets of vivid blue eyes gazing at him with equal consideration and solicitude. Stewart, perched by Alastor's left knee, wore a bright, daffy grin and his eyes were bright with mirth. A touch on Alastor's knee told him that Stewart was trying to comfort Alastor the best way he knew how. He'd expected his friends to visit him, but not en masse like this. It was at the same time overwhelming, yet warmed his lonely heart.

A fifth-year boy with fine, short, red hair and green-gold eyes suddenly appeared at the bedside between Rremly and Belladonna, holding a goblet in one hand with amber round-rimmed glasses perched on the bridge of his nose.

"Hello, Alastor, I trust you're feeling a little better?"

"Er, yes, I am, though I wouldn't mind if the coughing stopped, too," Alastor replied, wondering who this boy was, taking notice of the prefect badge on his Ravenclaw robes.

The fifth year prefect barely nodded, his eyes full of understanding. "Yes, I can quite imagine, which is why I'm here." He leaned forward slightly, offering the goblet he held to Alastor. "I was told by Madam Arden to bring you this cider. It'll help soothe your throat." His eyes flickered to the goblet, conveying that Alastor should take it, which the younger boy did. "I was also told to kindly ask your friends to leave," here he paused and glanced at the group before moving on, "but I can see that the comfort they provide will greatly benefit you. I'll speak with Madam Arden about their staying, but mind you, get some rest."

"Thank you, er, what's your name?" Alastor asked, cradling the goblet between his hands for moment, fully intending to drink.

He offered his hand, "Stephen Carrick, pleased to make your acquaintance."

"Hello, Stephen." Alastor smiled a little.

Stephen returned his smile with tiny half-smile of his own. He paused and glanced around at the others. "Alas, I must get back to my studies. Good day to you, Alastor." He started to go, but turned back for a moment, "Remember, you must rest."

Alastor and the others watched him walk to Madam Arden's office.

Rremly was the first to break the silence. "Carrick… Holden knows him. I wonder that I didn't recognize him."

Stewart pursed his lips, thinking for a moment as Alastor began drinking the cider. "Oh, yeah, I've seen him in the library. Always has a stack of books surrounding him." He gestured to indicate what he meant. "Takes up nearly the whole table. Always did wonder about that."

"I've heard that Stephen takes on extra projects," Milo commented quietly. "He likes to study Muggle subjects."

Felix calmly remarked, "Yes, he's something of a naturalist."

"I've seen him out in the courtyard, looking at all the different plants and inspecting insects," Belladonna remarked, pursing her lips, her dark green eyes slightly narrowed in thought.

When Alastor finished the goblet, Rremly took it out of Alastor's hands and set it on the small table nearby. "It's time we let Alastor rest."

"Thanks, Rrem." Alastor smiled up at the other boy as Griffith clambered back over the footboard and landed lightly on his feet.

Rremly ducked his head, his cheeks turning red again. "You needn't thank me. Just get well."

"All right, you rest, and no partying while we're gone," Stewart told Alastor, nudging Alastor's shoulder in a playful way.

Alastor laughed at that, only to have it turn into another coughing fit.

"Bloody hell, Stew! Don't make him laugh!"

"Oy, I hadn't expected you to lose a lung over that!" Stewart exclaimed, glaring at Belladonna with a mock-indignant expression, as she'd been the one to chastise him.

Alastor managed to catch his breath and grinned up at Stewart. "I will, if you stay much longer, prat."

"Prat and demmed proud of it!" Stewart grinned and saluted in a jaunty manner.

Percy leaned in over Stewart's shoulder. "I'll see you later, Al. Come on, Stew."

"Yes, Mum." Stewart laughed and followed Percy.

"Hope to see you feeling better tomorrow," Alfons winked, Maximilian and Felix echoing the sentiment.

Rremly was the last to leave after Milo said his goodbye, closing the door behind him after a last glance at Alastor. Sighing contentedly, he let himself relax into the pillows, wondering why he felt so much better. Moments later, he was fast asleep, a slight smile curving his lips.