Going to the Healer
Summary: To restore his health, Sirius took Harry to the healer. The only problem? Harry has never been to the doctor before, let alone a healer.
AN: It's been a while. I have unintentionally put this series on pause. I've been working on many different fics, some of which took more of my attention, but here we are, a new chapter for Harry Lives with Sirius, finally. Please note a lot of research has gone into writing this chapter. I mean a lot of research. I wanted to make sure I got it correct medically.
Thank you so much for your patience.
Harry had been living with Sirius for barely a week when, after dinner one night, Sirius announced that he was taking Harry to the healer in the morning.
"It's just a simple checkup," Sirius assured him. "Nothing to worry about."
Harry had never been to a doctor before, let alone a healer. When he went to school, his aunt had forged the immunization records. That was how Harry was able to go to school. It had helped that one of Vernon's friends was a doctor and made up the record himself for a small favor from Vernon. But Harry had been to see the school nurse. Compared to her, Harry thought that Madam Pomfrey was friendlier and kinder, or at least to Harry.
Harry had checkups with Madam Pomfrey every year when he returned to Hogwarts. She used her wand for most of the exam, waving it over him as he sat on the exam table in an exam room in the hospital wing.
He had asked Madam Pomfrey for recommendations, and she suggested Healer Morris.
"Harry might be more comfortable with a male," She said. "Harry's getting to the age where he will need to have things checked." She looked at Sirius pointedly as she said things.
Sirius had an idea of what Madam Pomfrey was talking about.
"Will he be like Madam Pomfrey?" Harry asked curiously.
"Yes, he'll use his wand to examine you. But I think he uses Muggle methods as well," Sirius said.
"He'll do things similar to Madam Pomfrey, with a twist," Remus said, cutting a roast potato in half.
"Is something wrong, Pup?" Sirius asked, using one of the nicknames he had taken to using with Harry. It had taken Harry some time to realize he was talking to him when Sirius used the nickname.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Harry said, picking up his glass of Coke and taking a drink.
"All Healer Morris is going tomorrow to do is make sure you're healthy. A mediwitch will check your blood pressure and vitals, verify your healthy history, or the lack thereof," Sirius muttered quietly. "They will ask about medications or potions you take and any allergies you might have."
"What else?" Harry asked.
"He will listen to your heart beating and lungs, examine your head and neck. Check your tonsils, lymph nodes, and thyroid. Feel your belly, check for any tenderness, and check the size of your organs. It's important to remember that Healer Morris is there to help you stay healthy. If you have any questions or concerns about your health, don't be afraid to ask them."
Harry nodded.
"I could go back to the exam room with you if you want me to," Sirius said.
"Could you?" Harry asked, his voice soft.
"I could."
Harry took a deep breath, feeling thankful he wasn't going alone.
Remus and Sirius knew how badly neglected Harry was. They were now realizing how much. Harry had told them about life with his relatives. Madam Pomfrey had confided in Sirius that Harry would leave Hogwarts at the end of the year at a healthy weight and would return underweight. Last year was the first year he returned to Hogwarts, and he was not underweight.
Poppy had sent copies of her reports in Harry's file to Healer Morris's office. Harry's file was thick, mainly due to his injuries and hospital wing stays in his three years at Hogwarts. Sirius had heard about them from Harry, but reading the notes was another thing.
She had done a physical on Harry when she realized he was missing a form. It was a more recent addition to his file. There was a detailed report on the head-to-toe exam. Sirius read over it, relieved that despite the abuse and neglect he had suffered, Harry was healthy.
"Sirius?"
"Yes, Harry?"
"Will I need to be naked for the exam?"
Remus and Sirius glanced at each other. Why would Harry be asking that?
"No," Sirius assured him. "You might have to put on a hospital gown. But you won't be naked."
"Okay, what about..." Harry trailed off.
"What about what?" Sirius asked.
"Will he need to look at my...?"
Remus realized what Harry was asking. "Are you talking about your privates?"
Harry nodded.
"What made you think of that?" Remus inquired.
"Well, I heard some of the older boys talk about physicals, and they needed to drop their pants."
Sirius realized what he was referring to.
"They were talking about hernias, Harry. You are at that age. I can't tell you what Healer Morris will do. If you're uncomfortable anytime during the exam, we can stop."
Healer Morris had been sure to stress that to Sirius when they spoke over the floo.
"I've seen patients coming from abuse and neglect. I allow them to tell me what they're comfortable with," He explained.
Sirius was glad to know that so he could tell Harry.
After dinner, Harry went upstairs to his room. Remus asked Sirius once he was sure Harry was in his room, "Do you think he's nervous?"
Sirius took the plates to the sink. "I think so. I know I would be. He's never met this healer before. I wish I could remember the name of that healer he saw when he was a baby. What was her name?"
"Healer Botts? She retired two years ago," Remus said. "I asked when I went to get my potion."
Sirus sighed. "Since you mentioned it, Poppy told me that."
Remus started the dishes as Sirius cleared the table. Harry had taken his glass and plate to the sink before he headed upstairs. As they cleaned up the kitchen and put away the leftovers, Remus and Sirius talked.
"Harry's appointment is at ten-thirty." Sirius removed the bag from the rubbish bin, tying the ends. He took the trash out to the scullery, sitting it by the door. He returned to the kitchen and put a fresh bin bag into the rubbish bin. "We'll need to leave here before nine-thirty."
Remus nodded, washing glasses and putting them in the dish drainer. "Does Harry need to fast?"
"Healer Morris said he would order blood work and any tests Harry would need after the checkup."
Remus nodded. "I have a feeling it would be multiple appointments."
Sirius stepped out to take the rubbish to the bin by the garage. Usually, this was Harry's job. But he had just about completed his summer homework. He had gotten a list from Hermione about the Herbology homework. Write about a plant we learned about this year. Professor Sprout had asked for details about the plant, including a description of the plant, details, and life span.
Sirius couldn't help but feel worried as he washed his hands in the downstairs loo. What if Harry wasn't as healthy as they thought? What if there was a problem?
He tried to get those thoughts out of his head. But they came floating right back.
All he could do was hope that Healer Morris would confirm what he knew. He had a healthy godson.
OoOoOoOoOoOoO
Sirius and Harry left the house at half past nine to make it to London by ten thirty. Sirius led Harry to the garage, where he pressed a button beside the garage door. The door rumbled as it raised to reveal the SUV parked inside.
Sirius approached the driver's seat as Harry got into the passenger seat. Buckling his seat belt, Sirius asked, "Ready?"
Harry nodded, buckling his own seat belt. "I'm ready."
Sirius started the engine and backed out of the garage. He eased the SUV onto the road, the tires crunching on the gravel driveway before finding smooth asphalt. Sirius switched the car into drive and began the journey to London.
The countryside rolled past them, a blur of green fields and quaint cottages under the vast blue sky.
Harry watched the world go by, his mind filled with questions about what the visit to Healer Morris would entail. He had never been to a healer before. The Dursleys had always neglected his health. Madam Pomfrey was his first real experience at having an actual physical exam.
Sirius glanced at Harry, reaching over to pat his shoulder. He offered him a reassuring smile.
"Don't worry, Harry. According to Madam Pomfrey, Healer Morris is one of the best." He tried to keep his voice steady and comforting. He would have to be to get Madam Pomfrey's recommendation.
He was concerned, worried even. The only thing he wanted to hear today was Harry was healthy.
Harry nodded, taking a deep breath to calm his racing heart.
The scenery changed as they neared London. Open fields gave way to rows of houses. They gradually grew taller and more densely packed as they drove towards Central London.
St. Mungo's Hospital was located in Central London. It was a five-minute walk from White Hall and the Ministry visitor's entrance.
Traffic increased as they approached Central London. While not located in the heart of the city, traffic around St. Mungo's tended to be heavy. Sirius navigated the busy streets with ease. He had Lily to thank because she made him and James get their Muggle driver's license.
Sirius pulled into a car park near the entrance of St. Mungo's.
"We're almost there. Just down the block," Sirius explained as he killed the engine. "Ready?"
Harry nodded, "Ready?"
They got out of the car, Sirius locking it once Harry was out. Together, they headed to the car park exit and walked towards the red brick building at the end of the block. There was a dummy sitting in front of the red brick wall. The dummy resembled a manikin to blend in with the Muggles.
Harry was puzzled when Sirius stopped in front of the dummy.
"This is it?" Harry asked.
Sirius nodded, glancing around. "We have an appointment with Healer Martin Morris. The patient's name is Harry James Potter. Date of birth is July 31st, 1980."
The dummy lowered itself into the ground as the bricks moved to reveal a set of double doors. Sirius glanced around again and opened the door, gently pushing Harry inside.
The front entrance and hospital lobby resembled a muggle hospital. Harry looked around at the wizards and witches running around in lime-green scrubs. Sirius put his hand on Harry's shoulder to guide him towards the clinic area. It was located on the main floor and was where healers who took care of the primary care of wizards and witches. Like Muggle doctors, there were specialty healers.
"We need Paediatrics," Sirius murmured. He studied the directory of the St. Mungo's Clinic. He found Paediatrics and then searched for Healer Morris. He was located in suite 113, down the hall.
As they walked to Suite 113, Harry noticed each door had a rectangular frosted window with the name of the healers on the door. Beside the door were numbers starting at 100 with the St. Mungo's emblem of a wand and a bone in a cross.
They reached 113, which announced it was the office of Healer Martin Morris and two other healers, whom Harry didn't bother to see their names.
Sirius opened the door, and Harry walked in ahead of him.
The waiting room was different from what Harry expected. The room was decent-sized for a waiting room. There were magazines on the tables and a fish tank in the corner. A wireless sat in another corner, where soft music played from.
A door marked exam rooms, and a window with a sign 'check in' was in the waiting room between the fish tank and the wireless.
Sirius approached the window. A woman who reminded Harry of Molly Weasley, only this woman was brown-headed, opened the window.
"Can I help you?" She asked, her voice sounding kind.
"Yes, we have a ten-thirty appointment with Healer Morris," Sirius explained.
"Name?"
"My name or his?" Sirius asked, pointing to Harry.
The woman smiled sweetly. "His, dear,"
Sirius nodded. "Harry Potter."
The woman didn't bat an eye. She nodded, checking her form. "Okay," She murmured. "There you are, and you're a little early, which is good. I have some forms I need you to fill out. You can give it to the mediwitch who takes him back or return it to the desk."
"Thank you," Sirius said, taking the clipboard.
He and Harry found a seat near the fish tank. Sirius picked up the self-inking quill and began to fill out the forms. He knew most of Harry's health history from when he was a baby. The rest came from what he had learned since he's had custody of Harry.
He had brought a copy of the custody papers for the healer's file. Madam Pomfrey and Hogwarts had a copy.
Sirius had finished the paperwork and took it to the window with the custody paperwork. The woman from behind opened the window.
"I have a copy of the custody papers with me. Can I turn it in with the forms?"
"Yes, you can. Have you named a guardian for Harry?"
"That's included in the papers."
He had named Remus as a guardian. He could make medical decisions for Harry but couldn't have full custody of him.
"With the submission of the custody papers to our records department, they would be in Harry's file that you and," She scanned the guardian form. "Remus Lupin would be notified if Harry was brought into the St. Mungo's A&E department."
Sirius nodded.
"All I need is your signature here, and you are signed in."
Sirius took the form she handed him and the quill. She scrawled his signature on the line, handing it back to the woman.
"Thank you. A mediwitch will be with shortly."
"Thank you."
Sirius sat down beside Harry, picking up a Wizard's Choice magazine. Harry had picked up a Which Broomstick? magazine, reading an article on the broomstick that the Quidditch World Cup had chosen.
"Would you want to go get lunch after we're done?" Sirius asked.
"Sure," Harry replied.
Sirius made a mental list of the errands they needed to run after the appointment. While in London, Sirius needed to take Harry to pick up a pair of trainers. When they went shopping for clothes and things Harry needed, Sirius didn't consider buying Harry a second pair of trainers. In Diagon Alley, they needed to go to Gringotts, the apothecary, Eeylops for food and treats for Hedwig, and Quality Quidditch Supplies. In Hatfield, they needed to stop by the grocery store for a few things.
Remus had made a list, but Sirius would come home with more than what was on the list.
The door leading back to the exam room opened. A short, skinny mediwitch in lime green scrubs stepped out.
"Harry Potter?"
Sirius and Harry stood up and approached the mediwitch.
"Hello, come back this way," She said. "We'll get your height and weight first."
Harry followed her to the scales first. He slipped off his shoes and stepped onto the scale. The mediwitch watched for the numbers, nodding when they flashed.
"Okay, sweetie, let's get your height."
Harry pressed himself against the measuring tape on the wall as the mediwitch lowered the height scale.
"Okay, come this way," She said, leading them through a small maze of exam rooms, stopping at the door of one. "In here. My name is Emily, and I'll be your mediwitch today."
"I'm Sirius, and he's Harry. I'm his godfather and legal guardian."
Emily nodded. "Nice to meet you both."
Harry walked into the exam room to find it was decorated with the wizarding children's storybook characters.
"At least I'm not included," Harry whispered as he sat down, opting for the chair for the time being. Sirius sat down in the other chair.
"Is this your first visit?" She asked.
"Yes, it is," Harry replied.
"I'm going to take your vitals, which means I'm going to check your temperature, heart rate, pulse, and blood pressure."
She pulled out a wand and waved it over Harry's head. Numbers appeared above his head. Emily nodded, writing each vital down and recording them in her notes.
"Temperature is 37.0. Heart rate, pulse, and blood pressure are good."
"That's good to know," Sirius commented.
"Okay, now I'm going to ask you a few questions. How are you feeling today?" She asked, her quill poised above a piece of parchment.
Nervous, Harry thought, but he said, "I'm okay."
Emily nodded. "I see you're a new patient, so is this a checkup or get established as a patient?"
Sirius shrugged. "I guess both."
"Since Harry is a new patient, we are creating a patient file for him for our records. Notes from every visit, regardless of the reason, will be added to his file. The notes will be from a mediwitch as well as Healer Morris."
Sirius nodded.
"That takes care of what brings you in here today. Any pain, discomfort, unusual feelings?"
Harry shook his head. "No, ma'am."
"That's good." Emily added Harry's response to her notes. "Any problems eating or sleeping? Are you eating or sleeping well?"
"No problems eating or sleeping," Harry answered honestly.
"He eats good," Sirius added. "I would say a normal teenager amount. Same for sleeping."
Emily nodded, smiling softly.
"Any problems falling asleep?"
"No." Harry shook his head.
"Good." Turning to Sirius, she asked. "Any changes to Harry's behavior or mood you have noticed?"
"No. Harry's only been home a week. He's been quiet, but then we're adjusting."
"Understandable," Emily commented. "Okay, I understand there are some notes from Poppy Pomfrey regarding his history in the Hogwarts Hospital wing."
Harry knew the incident when he had to have bone regrown in his arm would be included in the notes.
"Before I got custody," Sirius began. "He was living with his Muggle aunt and uncle. Needless to say," Sirius paused to find the right words. "They weren't fond of anything relating to our world."
Emily nodded. It was easy to tell Harry had been neglected. He was slightly underweight for his age. Healer Morris would definitely be addressing that.
"Are you on any potions or medications?" Emily asked, continuing the questions.
"That he takes regularly or prescribed," Sirius clarified. "No."
Emily nodded, marking no on potions and medications. "Any allergies you are aware of? Are you allergic to any potions or plants?"
Harry shook his head as Sirius said, "No."
Emily marked zero on allergies. "Any recent exposure to dark magic?"
"No," Sirius said. "Unless you have and haven't told me." He directed to Harry.
"No," Harry assured him.
"Okay, now how have you been feeling emotionally? Any signs of stress, anxiety, or mood swings?"
"Happy," Harry replied. "And no to the second question."
Emily smiled softly. "Any physical symptoms? Any headaches, dizziness, fatigue, or nausea?"
"Not today, but I have had headaches and nausea before. Not at the same time," Harry added quickly.
Emily cleared her throat. "Any headaches relating to..." She pointed to her forehead.
Realizing what she was referring to, Harry shook his head. "There's pain sometimes, but no headaches."
"Define sometimes."
"Once in a while," Harry replied.
"Do you have any other symptoms then? Any nausea?"
"Occasionally," Harry admitted.
"Let's move on," Emily said, deciding to change the subject. "Any issues with concentration or memory?"
"No."
"Are you able to complete tasks or daily activities normally?"
"Yes."
"Good." Emily added Harry's responses to her notes. "How's your diet?"
"Good," Harry answered.
"He eats a variety," Sirius added.
"A little bit of everything then," Emily added to her notes. "How often do you exercise?"
"Would flying on a broom count?" Sirius asked with a smirk.
Emily shrugged and nodded. "I would say so."
"Daily," Sirius replied promptly, making Emily chuckle. "A few hours in the afternoon. He walks around the garden, too. We've gone on walks to explore the nearby village we've moved to."
Emily nodded, adding walking to the exercise line.
"Okay, that's all I have. Healer Morris will ask you more questions throughout the exam."
Sirius nodded.
Emily opened a drawer on the exam table and pulled out a gown. The color was the same green as on the St. Mungo's emblem. She laid the gown on the exam table.
"Alright, sweetie, you'll need to change into the gown. You may keep on your underwear."
Harry nodded.
"Healer Morris will be with you shortly," She said as she picked up Harry's file, then her quill and wand. "Have a good day."
"Thank you, you too," Sirius said as she left the room.
If Harry was nervous before, he was really nervous now.
OoOoOoOoOoOoO
The sterile room was filled with a tense silence, broken only by the occasional rustle of the paper on the exam table as Harry shifted uncomfortably. The gown hit him at the knees. It was thin and did little to ward off the chill in the room, leaving him feeling exposed and vulnerable.
Sirius, ever the picture of calm, sat in a chair in the corner. He was flipping through an old issue of the Quibbler that had been left on the side table.
The anticipation was amplified by the soft ticking of the clock on the wall, breaking the silence with each stretching second. Harry's heart pounded in his chest, a staccato rhythm that echoed his growing anxiety.
Sirius must have noticed Harry's nervousness and broke the silence.
"It's okay, Pup. Healer Morris is one of the best healers. Madam Pomfrey wouldn't recommend just anyone."
If you had the recommendation of Poppy Pomfrey, you were golden.
Harry nodded, swallowing as he looked around the exam room. Healer Morris indeed mixed magical methods with Muggle during his exams. There was a tray with Muggle medical equipment. Harry knew the magical instrument would be the healer's wand.
"It's just a checkup, kiddo. Nothing to worry about."
Harry nodded, pushing his glasses up his nose.
"If you're uncomfortable or need anything, just let me know, okay?"
Harry nodded again.
A knock on the door made them sit up a little straighter. The door opened, and a tall man with dark hair walked in. He looked to be close to Sirius's age. He had big hands and a friendly smile.
"Hello, I'm Healer Morris, " he greeted warmly.
"Sirius Black," Sirius said, stretching out his hand.
Healer Morris shook it in return. "Nice to meet you, and you must be Harry," He said as he turned in Harry's direction.
"Yes sir," Harry replied.
"I hear that this is your first time here. So, we'll take things slow. Okay?"
"Okay."
Healer Morris began by reviewing what Emily had noted in Harry's file.
"Vitals are all within normal range. We'll need to address the weight, though. You're a little underweight for your age. Nothing serious, but something we do need to address. We'll discuss that at the end."
Sirius cleared his throat. "Before he was in my custody, he was with his aunt and uncle. They're Muggles and were, for lack of a better term, neglectful."
Healer Morris nodded. "Okay. I see she noted that he eats well and everything."
Sirius nodded. "He eats well. Very well."
"Teenage boys tend to," Healer Morris noted. He read over the notes. "No recent injuries or illness, that's good."
He looked over the next page of forms, nodding as he read the responses. He flicked through another stack of parchment. Sirius saw the emblem on a few of the forms for the Hogwarts Hospital Wing.
"Any issues with your arm since having bones regrown?" He asked.
"No. Not now," Harry replied. "After the incident, my arm was stiff for a while."
Healer Morris nodded.
"Okay." He closed Harry's file, laying it on the desk. He washed his hands in the sink, wiping them on the towel on the hook. "I'll be asking questions as we move along with the exam. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. Mr. Black..."
"Please call me Sirius," Sirius requested.
"Sirius," Healer Morris corrected. "If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Any concerns you may have?"
"I just want to have Harry checked out," Sirius said.
"Make sure he's healthy," Healer Morris added.
Sirius nodded. "Yes."
"How long has he been in your custody?"
"Three weeks," Sirius replied. "Getting his health sorted was my first priority. Poppy Pomfrey recommended you."
"I've worked with Poppy before. I'm among a list of healers who come to Hogwarts to assist her when she needs it," Healer Morris explained.
"That's good to know," Sirius commented. "Especially if Harry is one of the ones sick in the hospital wing."
"I do have patients who attend Hogwarts. I've taken care of them in the hospital wing before. Again, it's usually when Poppy needs reinforcements or at the parent's request."
Sirius nodded. "Okay."
"Shall we get started? As we go through the examination, I'll be asking questions. If you have any questions, please let me know. We'll take things slow, and I want you to be comfortable. If you feel uncomfortable at any point during the examination, please tell me, and we'll stop and move on. Okay?"
"Okay," Harry murmured.
"As we proceed with the exam, I'll tell you what I'm going to do before I do it," Healer Morris explained. "So you know what to expect."
Harry nodded.
"Now, to begin the physical exam, I will begin with the HEENT exam. HEENT stands for the head, eyes, ears, nose, and throat. Let's start with the head."
Healer Morris began examining Harry's head. He started at the top of Harry's head, palpating his head and feeling Harry's skull.
"I'm checking for any external abnormalities, such as tenderness, masses, or signs of infection. Does it hurt anywhere I'm pressing?"
"No," Harry replied.
"Good," Healer Morris murmured as he moved to the face, palpating his forehead, cheeks, around his nose, and felt his nose and chin. "Now, let's have a look at the scalp. Obviously, I don't see hair loss. No dandruff. The scalp looks healthy. Hair feels soft and healthy."
Removing his hands from Harry's hair, he stepped back, looking at Harry's face.
"Try and match my facial expressions."
Harry matched Healer Morris as he smiled, frowned, puffed his cheeks out, furred his eyebrows, closed his eyes tight, and made a mean face.
"Good," Healer Morris murmured. "Nerves and muscles in the face are working normally. How old were you when you got your glasses?"
"Six."
"How did you know you needed glasses?"
"I had a vision exam in primary school. I think Aunt Petunia found these in a bargain bin."
Healer Morris blinked. "A what?"
"It's a bin that has glasses for cheap," Harry explained. "In a charity shop."
Sirius knew Vernon and Petunia could have afforded to buy Harry glasses. He didn't realize just how badly neglected Harry was. Yes, Petunia bought Harry's glasses, but they were cheap. Harry admitted Hermione or Molly had repaired them every year when he returned to the wizarding world after a summer with his relatives.
"What can you see without them?"
"Only things up close."
"That's nearsightedness. Okay, without your glasses, can you see the chart?"
Harry took off his glasses. "I can see the chart a little," Harry said.
"Okay, read the lowest line you can."
Harry began reading a line that was sixth from the bottom. Healer Morris nodded as Harry got each letter correct.
"Good. Let's see how well you can see with your glasses. Can you tell me what lowest line you can read?"
Harry began reading the fourth line from the bottom. Healer Morris nodded.
"I think we'll get you new glasses."
Harry's glasses looked like they had been repaired one too many times.
"Okay," Harry murmured.
"We'll take care of that," Sirius said. "We'll pick out new ones before we leave here today."
Healer Morris picked up the ophthalmoscope. "Alright, let's have a look at your eyes."
He used the ophthalmoscope to look into Harry's eyes, starting with the right eye. He changed the lens to get a better look inside Harry's eyes. He nodded as he saw the eye was healthy.
"Okay, now let's look at the left," He murmured. He checked Harry's left eye, noticing the same as the right eye. "Everything looks good so far. Next, I'm going to check your pupils. I do this by shining a light in your eyes to check your pupils to see how reactive to light they are. Try to keep still."
Harry nodded.
Healer Morris sat down the ophthalmoscope on the desk and picked up a small flashlight. He shined it in Harry's right eye, switching back and forth between his right and left eye to check his pupils.
Lastly, he checked Harry's depth perception and peripheral vision. To check Harry's depth perception, Healer Morris held up a pen.
"Focus only on my pen," Healer Morris said as he held a finger six inches from his eyes. Then he told Harry to follow his pen. He moved it up, down, side to side, bringing it close to Harry's face, noticing how Harry's eyes moved following the pen.
"Good," Healer Morris said as he sat down the pen, making notes in Harry's file about the eye exam. "Okay, now the peripheral vision test. I'm going to have you look straight ahead."
Harry looked straight ahead. Lights of varying intensities were flashed in different parts of his visual field. Harry indicated when he saw the lights, and the results were used to map his visual field and identify any areas of reduced vision.
"Despite the glasses, your vision is good," Healer Morris said as he finished his notes on the eye exam. "Now, let's have a look at the ears."
He picked up the otoscope and walked over to Harry's right side. Healer Morris asked Harry if he had any hearing problems and if he had trouble with his ears or ear pain. Harry said no to all.
He looked into Harry's right ear. Using the otoscope, he looked into the ear canal, examining the eardrum.
"Looks good. Now let's check the left ear."
Healer Morris moved over and checked the left ear, looking at the ear canal and eardrum.
"I think your ears are the cleanest I've seen in a thirteen-year-old boy." Healer Morris sat down the otoscope. "Okay, now let's check your hearing."
Healer Morris began by covering Harry's right ear and fluttering his fingers near his left.
"Can you hear this?" He asked.
"Yes," Harry replied.
"Tell me when you can't hear it anymore." Healer Morris fluttered his fingers, moving away from Harry's ear.
Harry indicted when he couldn't hear the fluttering. Healer Morris noticed how far his hand was, nodding.
"Okay, now the other side." He covered Harry's left ear. Then he started fluttering his fingers near his right ear. "Can you hear this?"
"Yes, I can."
"Tell me when you can no longer hear it." Healer Morris moved his hand the same distance away.
"Now," Harry said, indicating he no longer heard the fluttering.
"Good." Healer Morris made notes in his chart and picked up a tuning fork. "This is a tuning fork. It's another tool to check your hearing. I strike the tuning fork with my arm so it will ding. First, I put it on top of your head. Then I'll move it behind each ear."
He struck the tuning fork against his arm. He put it on top of Harry's head.
"Can you hear that?"
"Yes."
"Does it sound the same in both ears?"
Harry paused before he nodded. "Yes."
"Good." He stroked it again. This time, he moved the tuning fork behind Harry's left ear.
"I'm going to repeat that, this time behind your ear. Can you hear that?"
"Yes."
"Tell me when you can't hear it."
About ten seconds later, Harry said, "Now."
"Okay," Healer Morris turned the tuning fork to the ends near Harry's ear. "What about now?"
"Yes."
Healer Morris repeated the hearing test on Harry's right ear. He stroked the tuning fork against his arm and put it behind Harry's right ear.
"Can you hear that?"
"Yes."
"Tell me when you can't hear it anymore."
Again, a few seconds later, Harry said, "Now."
"Good. Hearing is excellent. Ears are clear, and now, let's move on to the nose."
Healer Morris started with a general inspection of Harry's nose, looking at it from all different angles. As he did, he checked for abnormalities.
"I'm going to have a feel of your nose. Tell me if you have any pain or tenderness."
Healer Morris palpated Harry's nose, feeling with his fingers, before moving on to the next part of the exam.
"Okay. I'm going to look in your nose now," Healer Morris said as he pushed the tip of his nose up. He looked into the anterior nerves. He was looking at the color of the anterior, for swelling, the color and nature of discharge, and for the presence of any foreign bodies.
Using a torch, he looked inside Harry's nose. He switched the torch for the otoscope with the nasal speculum to have a better look inside Harry's nose.
"Nose looks great." Healer Morris added it to his chart. "So far, everything looks good. Now, let's move on to the mouth and throat."
He picked up the torch, again, and a tongue compressor. "Open your mouth, please."
Harry opened his mouth. Healer Morris held his tongue down with the tongue compressor as he looked into Harry's throat.
"Teeth look healthy," Healer Morris noted. He then used a tool called a laryngeal mirror. He inserted it into Harry's mouth to get a better look at his throat.
He was looking for redness and swelling of the tonsils. He also looked for signs of inflammation or infection.
"Throat looks good. I see you still have your tonsils."
"Is that a bad thing?" Sirius asked.
"Most kids need their tonsils removed when they're young. We'll keep an eye on them."
Healer Morris added notes to Harry's file, writing down his findings from examining Harry's mouth and throat.
"Okay, now I'm going to have a feel of your neck."
Healer Morris began palpating Harry's neck, feeling his lymph nodes and the structures of the neck. He moved to sit behind Harry, reaching around to palpate or feel his neck from behind.
"Swallow," He said.
Harry swallowed as directed. Healer Morris got up, approached the desk, and added his findings to Harry's chart.
"Good, now let's check the range of motion. I'll give you instructions on how to move your neck."
He got up from the table as he spoke.
"Touch your chin to your chest," He directed. Harry touched his chin to his chest. "All the back," Healer Morris moved his head along to show Harry the directions.
Harry let his head fall back.
"Back towards me."
Harry moved his head to the original position. "Ear to the right shoulder, then ear to the left shoulder."
Harry moved his head as directed. Healer Morris nodded, seeing the range of motion was excellent.
"Good. Lastly, chin to right shoulder, then to left shoulder."
Harry moved his head in the direction he was told. Healer Morris nodded.
"Very good. Now, let's listen to your heart. Can you lower your gown for me?"
Harry nodded, pulling down the gown for the heart exam. Healer Morris pulled out a stethoscope, putting the earpieces in his ears. He put the diaphragm part of the stethoscope on Harry's chest. It was cold to Harry's skin.
"Just breathe normally."
Listening in one spot for a few seconds, he moved the diaphragm over, listening to Harry's heart beating. It sounded normal. Finally, he removed the diaphragm from his chest.
"His heart sounds good. It sounds normal, no problems."
He sat on the exam table beside Harry, moving the diaphragm from Harry's chest to his back to listen to his lungs.
"Okay, now I'm going to listen to your lungs. Could you take a deep breath for me? In." Harry took a deep breath in. "And out." Harry exhaled.
Healer Morris nodded, hearing the sounds of Harry's lungs expanding. "Again."
Harry took a deep breath. Healer Morris moved the diaphragm around, listening to Harry's lungs as he breathed deeply.
"Again," Healer Morris directed, telling Harry to take a deep breath. Harry took another deep breath.
"Excellent," He said, removing the diaphragm from Harry's back, then removed the earpieces from his ears and letting them fall down his neck. "Lungs sounded good."
He wrote down what he heard during the heart and lungs exam on Harry's chart.
"Alright, the next part of the exam is called the abdominal exam. I'll need you to lie down on your back."
Healer Morris lifted the lever to lay the table flat and pulled out the extension. Harry laid back on the table, noticing the ugly clown face on the ceiling. The healer draped a sheet over Harry's lower half and then gripped the hem of the gown Harry had on and pulled it up, exposing his abdomen.
"Do you have problems with your bowels?"
"No."
"Have a lot of stomach aches?"
"I might have one once in a while."
Healer Morris nodded.
"Okay. The first thing I'm going to do is auscultation. Using my stethoscope, I'm going to listen to your belly. If you have any questions, please let me know."
"What are you listening for?" Harry asked.
"When listening to your belly, I'm listening for two things. One is for bowel sounds. Bowel sounds are the noises your stomach and intestines make when they move food around. The second thing I'm listening for is bruits. Bruits are a whooshing sound that can happen when blood flows through a narrow or blocked blood vessel.
Harry nodded. "Okay."
Harry was startled at first when the cold diaphragm of the stethoscope met the warm skin. Healer Morris laid the diaphragm on the right of his belly button. He listened for a few minutes before he moved to Harry's left lower abdomen. Harry could feel the diaphragm move along his belly.
"You must be ready for lunch. I can hear your stomach growling."
Healer Morris listened to Harry's belly for a few more minutes before he removed the stethoscope.
"Bowel sounds sound good. I could hear no bruits. Everything sounded good. So far, your abdomen is good." Healer Morris added his findings from auscultation to his notes and Harry's chart.
"Is that good?" Sirius asked.
"Yes, very good. Now, next is percussion. Percussion is where I tap around your abdomen. Like this."
Healer Morris laid his left hand on Harry's abdomen. With his right hand, he used firm, constant pressure as he tapped down with the middle finger of his right hand on his left hand. He tapped twice in Harry's lower right region of his abdomen.
"Percussion involves tapping on the abdominal wall. It's to elicit sounds that have different pitches for different structures." Healer Morris explained. He tapped on different parts of Harry's belly, listening carefully for the sounds the tapping produced. Harry could hear the tapping, noticing the various sounds the tapping had made.
"The predominant sounds of percussion in the abdomen are called tympany and dullness. Tympany is typically heard over air-filled structures such as the small and large intestines. Dullness is typically heard over fluid or solid organs such as the liver or spleen."
The feeling of the healer's finger tapping along his abdomen was odd to Harry. He had never had percussion done before. Hearing the sounds the tapping produced was something he never heard before.
Healer Morris moved to Harry's right side to tap over his liver. He nodded, hearing the sounds the tapping produced.
"Good. Everything sounded normal."
Harry was relieved to hear that his belly was working just fine. Well, so far.
Healer Morris added some notes to Harry's file, noting the results of Harry's abdominal exam thus far.
"Okay, the next part of the abdominal exam is palpation. Palpation is where I gently press on different areas of your abdomen. If you feel any pain or tenderness, please let me know."
"I'm going to start with light palpation. Then, I'll do a deep palpation. Do you have any pain in your stomach or abdominal area?"
"No." Harry watched as the healer's hands started on his lower abdomen. The tips of the healer's fingers brushed against his skin. It tickled, making Harry laugh. Healer Morris paused his hands.
"Are you ticklish?" he asked.
"Kind of," Harry admitted.
Healer Morris nodded. "Okay, what I want you to do while I palpate your abdomen is to take deep breaths for me." He turned to Sirius and explained. "Deep breathing will relax the abdominal muscles for me. It allows me to examine his abdomen properly."
The breathing exercise helped Harry to relax enough that it didn't tickle as severely when the healer pressed on his belly.
With a gentle touch, Healer Morris began to palpate Harry's abdomen with light palpation.
Sirius watched as Healer Morris began to palpate Harry's belly. He started with light palpation to feel for any abnormalities. Sirius appreciated the explanation of what the healer was doing.
"I'm feeling for any abnormalities. I'm checking to see if everything is okay with the organs inside, like the stomach and the liver. I'm also feeling for any lumps or bumps that shouldn't be there," Healer Morris explained as he palpated Harry's belly.
Harry couldn't remember having his belly palpated. It was a strange sensation, but it wasn't unpleasant. Healer Morris would look from Harry to his abdomen to see if he would wince or scrunch his face.
"Do you feel any pain or tenderness anywhere I press?" Healer Morris asked as he palpated.
"No," Harry replied.
"Good. Now, I'm going to move to deep palpation."
Healer Morris began deeply palpating Harry's abdomen. As he palpated, he explained to Sirius, "I'm feeling for any lumps or bumps I might have missed during light palpation. I'm pressing in deeper with this palpation. It might feel a little uncomfortable, but it shouldn't hurt."
Harry nodded. The deep palpation did feel a little uncomfortable. Healer Morris's fingers pressing in deeper was a little intense as well.
Healer Morris pressed his fingers firmly into Harry's abdomen, moving them in a circular motion. He palpated the same areas as he did during light palpation.
After palpating Harry's abdomen, Healer Morris began to check the organs that resided in the abdomen.
"Let's start with your liver," Healer Morris said as he began to palpate Harry's upper right side. "It should feel firm and smooth. You should feel no pain here as well."
Harry used the breathing exercise that Healer Morris suggested as the healer performed the exam of his liver.
"Now, let's check your spleen. Your spleen is located on the left side of your abdomen, just under your ribcage," Healer Morris explained as he tried to feel Harry's spleen. "Harry, take a deep breath, inflate your belly for me."
Harry did as the healer asked, inhaling and inflating his belly. "Now, exhale and deflate your belly. What you're doing is called belly breathing. It's one of the ways I can palpate some of the harder-to-feel organs like the spleen."
As Harry did what Healer Morris called belly breathing, Healer Morris tried to palpate his spleen. After a few attempts, Healer Morris nodded.
"Okay, the spleen is not palpable."
"Is that good?" Sirius asked.
"If I can feel Harry's spleen, it means his spleen is enlarged. An enlarged spleen isn't always a good sign."
He explained to Sirius what an enlarged spleen means. Sirius nodded, happy to know Harry was healthy. So far.
Healer Morris continued the abdominal exam by carefully checking the other organs in Harry's abdomen.
"Everything feels normal. That's a good sign."
He deeply palpated Harry's belly, checking his aorta and around his belly button for hernias.
Finally, Healer Morris finished his palpation.
"Alright, everything seems to be in order." Turning to Sirius, he added, "His abdomen feels soft, non-tender. There are no signs of swelling or masses. His liver and spleen are not enlarged. There are no signs of hernias. Overall, his abdominal exam is completely normal. He has a very healthy belly."
"Good," Sirius said.
Healer Morris turned to Harry. "Harry, you can sit up for a moment."
Harry sat up, pulling the gown down.
"That concludes the muggle version of my exam. During his next appointment, which will be his fourteen-year well check, there are additional checks I'll be doing. I'll be doing a check on your spine and posture, called a posture screening."
Healer Morris paused for questions before he continued. "Then we'll do a puberty development assessment. It's a standard part of the growth and development for teenagers. We'll be discussing the changes to your body during puberty," he explained to Harry. "I'll also answer any questions you might have."
"Does that exam include an examination of his..." Sirius trailed off, trying to figure out how to approach the topic. Healer Morris knew what he was meaning.
"The puberty development assessment is more of a discussion. But I might do a physical exam to check everything is developing as it should."
Sirius nodded. Harry swallowed.
"The last part of your exam I'll be doing today is a full scan diagnostic."
"What is that?" Harry asked.
"It's where I scan you with my wand doing a diagnostic charm. If there's a problem in your body, it picks up that part of your body will glow red."
Harry nodded.
"I'll need you to lie back down on the exam table. Arms to your side and try to lay still."
The paper on the exam table crinkled as he moved, making Harry want to move less to avoid the crinkling noise.
Harry watched as Healer Morris waved his wand over him from his head down to his feet. He did this twice before slipping his wand into his pocket.
"Harry, I need you to raise your gown to examine your belly again."
"Is everything okay?" Sirius asked concerned.
"The diagnostic charm tells me something is amiss in his abdominal area. It glowed red twice," Healer Morris explained. He laid his hands on Harry's abdomen, adding slight pressure. "I'm doing a special diagnostic charm that would tell me what's going on in the area I'm pressing on."
A flash at the clipboard signaled the completion of the diagnostic charm. Healer Morris removed his hands from Harry's abdomen, and he looked over the piece of parchment with the results.
"The scan shows there is something off in Harry's abdomen. To get an idea of what exactly is going on, I want to order a test called an ultrasound."
"What's an ultrasound?" Sirius had never heard of it before.
"An ultrasound is a type of imaging test. It uses high-frequency sound waves to look at organs and structures inside the body. During an ultrasound test, you lie on a table. I will either use a transducer or my wand. They send out sound waves that bounce off the tissues inside your belly. The transducer, or my wand, captures the waves that bounce back. The ultrasound machine creates images from the sound waves."
"What are you going to be looking for?"
"To see if his stomach is shrunken or if it's something else entirely," Healer Morris explained. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. It's more of a precaution than anything."
"Okay," Sirius murmured.
"Harry, you may sit up," Healer Morris told him. Harry sat up slowly, scooting down to the edge of the exam table.
Sirius cleared his throat. He wanted to ask Healer Morris if Harry was okay. Was he healthy?
"Despite being slightly underweight, Harry is healthy. Considering what he's been through, it's nothing short of miraculous that he doesn't have more health issues."
Sirius released the breath he didn't realize he had been holding.
"If he were twenty or so pounds lighter, I would have Harry admitted for the inpatient nutrient program. But he doesn't qualify for that."
Sirius nodded. Harry breathed a sigh of relief.
"I'm going to prescribe Harry a nutrient potion. I will warn you what I'm prescribing is an extra-strength nutrient potion. They're not easy on the stomach. One of the side effects is stomach cramps. The cramps shouldn't be severe. If they are, call me immediately. I'll give you an after-hours floo code to call. If he has severe cramping, call me."
Sirius nodded. He was sure he looked like a bobblehead.
"I'll see Harry back after the ultrasound. We'll go over the test results then and discuss any further tests or treatments."
Sirius nodded again. "Okay."
"Any questions?"
Harry and Sirius glanced at each other.
"I don't have any questions right now. The weight issue aside, I'm relieved that Harry is healthy. That was my main concern for this appointment."
"I'm glad," Healer Morris murmured. He smiled softly. "If you have any questions, call me on the floo or send an owl."
The mention of an owl reminded Sirius he needed to get a new owl. They had been using Hedwig to send letters or one of the post office owls.
"Great," Sirius said.
"Need me for anything, or if you have any questions, please call me or send an owl."
"I will, thank you. I feel Harry is in good hands with you."
Healer Morris smiled. "I'm glad you feel that way. Let's schedule the ultrasound and blood tests while Harry gets dressed."
"Blood test?" Harry asked.
"It's not a part of today's exam because it requires fasting," Healer Morris explained. "It's another way we make sure you're healthy."
"Oh," Harry murmured.
"It's one little prick. We'll update immunizations at the next appointment as well."
"Okay," Sirius said as Harry nodded.
"We'll go out to the check out to schedule the tests. A mediwitch will bring you to the desk, Harry, when you're ready."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome.
When he was alone, Harry realized it wasn't as bad as he thought. Yes, he would need to take nutrient potions for a while, but that wasn't too bad. Healer Morris seemed to be kind and friendly, and he was gentle throughout the exam.
When Harry was dressed, he met the same mediwitch who had brought them back to the exam room.
"Follow me, sweetie," Emily said. "We'll go to check out."
Harry followed her through a short maze and met Sirius at the checkout desk. He was talking with Healer Morris.
"It takes a few days to get the results. Scheduling the appointment the week after allows me time to review the results. If I need to see you sooner, I will call you."
"Thank you, Healer Morris."
"You're welcome. It was nice to meet you and Harry," He added when he saw Harry standing next to Sirius. "I'll see you next time."
"Thank you. Have a good day." Sirius led Harry to the door, waving to the healer.
Healer Morris waved back. "You too."
As they walked out of the clinic and into the main lobby of St. Mungo's, Sirius wrapped his arm around Harry.
"Let's go get some lunch before we go shopping. Where would you like to go?"
Harry thought for a second before replying. "Five Guys?"
Sirius smiled. "Five Guys it is."
OoOoOoOoOoOoO
Sirius stood in the doorway of Harry's bedroom, watching him sleep. It was a habit he had picked up since the first night Harry had come to live with him and Remus. Seeing his godson asleep in his bed soothed him before he could go to sleep himself.
He watched as Harry's chest rose and fell with each breath. Tonight, he was extra grateful.
Harry's health had been his first priority since he got custody. He was drawing from his own experience. He knew he wasn't the healthiest when he came to live with the Potters. James's parents, Monty and Effie, had offered him a place to stay. It was James who opened the door and found him bruised and beaten, but it was Effie who ushered him inside and to James's room. It was Effie who took him to the family healer. Monty brewed the potions he needed. Together, they healed him. Physically, mentally, and emotionally. Showed him what it was like to be loved and the love of a family.
He had grieved as much as James did when they died.
Now, he was raising his godson. Well, finish raising him. Harry will be fourteen this summer, and Sirius had missed the last twelve years of his life.
Hearing Harry was healthy was a relief to Sirius. Yes, Harry was underweight slightly, enough that the healer felt they needed to do something about it. But to Sirius, this was minor. Remus could hear the relief in his voice when he recounted the appointment.
"I'm relieved too," Remus admitted.
Sirius quietly walked into Harry's bedroom, approaching the bed. He tucked the blanket around Harry and pushed the hair that had fallen into his eyes away.
Harry never stirred.
Sirius leaned down and pressed a kiss to his forehead. Then he stood up and quietly walked to the door. Turning around, he leaned against the doorframe, watching Harry sleep.
"I promise Prongs, I'll take care of him." He sighed. "I hope I don't let you or Lily down."
Even though they had some tests coming and treatment for the underweight issue, Sirius felt they were off to a great start in restoring Harry's health. However, there was little they needed to do.
With a final look at Harry, Sirius pulled the door closed. Closing the door quietly, he headed to his bedroom. He mentally checked off going to the healer for Harry off of his list.
It would be his turn to go to the healer next week. Poppy had suggested it. He knew he needed to be healthy and be around to raise Harry.
Maybe over the summer, they both could heal from the past. For now, Sirius was thankful.
Thankful to be alive and free.
He was thankful for Harry and that he was finally in his custody. Grateful, he had Remus, his best friend, with him.
He was very thankful for Healer Morris. He had already made a thank you card for Madam Pomfrey. Healer Morris was sending her a copy of his report, so she was in the know.
Healer Morris told Sirius he wanted to monitor Harry closely to ensure he was healthy. Because of this, he and Harry would be seeing Healer Morris frequently over the next month for any tests and appointments to discuss the results of the tests that were done.
Sirius felt that they were in good hands with Healer Morris. He thought he had made a great choice for a healer for Harry.
For now, Sirius was thankful for a healthy godson. He just hoped that Harry remained that way.