𝕲𝖔𝖊𝖙𝖎𝖈[𝕬 𝕿𝖔𝖒 𝖗𝖎𝖉𝖉𝖑𝖊 𝕾𝖙𝖔𝖗𝖞]

Lemonade.

"I'm here to collect the body of a deceased student who went by the name, Tom Riddle," Leo said with the most serious expression she could manage.

"Oh dear, what in the Merlin's name are you taking about?!" Hogwarts' healer cried out, her hand pressed tightly against her mouth.

Leo rolled her eyes at her exaggerated response. Old people simply didn't have the perception of jokes. She was still standing by the threshold, wondering if it was the best idea to visit Tom just after she found out how she felt towards him.

"He is alive, my dear. He is currently asleep on the last bed by the window. But please do tell me who said such an awful thing about the poor boy. I must send a complain-"

"T'wast a gleek, Madame," Leo said theatrically, waving her hands and pulling a distant look on her face. The healer gave her a very confused nod.

"If thou shall guide me, I shall venture forth and seeketh mine beloved friend, who hath returned from death's door. Bestow thy mercy upon me, I beseech thee," she curtsied dramatically and started walking towards Tom's bed. 

The healer contemplated whether she should stop her but decided against it at the last moment.

It was late in the afternoon. Tom had missed his second last exam, History of Ancient Ruins. But she heard from a little birdie that Tom would be given a second chance to sit for the exams. Very unfair indeed.

Leo reached Tom's bed quicker than intended. Tom was fast asleep. His body was crouched like a baby. Leo didn't know why but she always assumed that Tom would sleep like Count Dracula ready to wake up and suck the blood of his enemies. But now Tom looked so innocent.

Leo flinched as soon as her heart started beating faster. That was her cue to leave and never come back. But before she could escape, miss healer came with a bowl of water and a white towel. She had a soft smile on her face. A smile that said 'I need your help and you cannot leave'. Very specific but that was exactly what it looked like.

"Poor guy is getting constant fevers. None of my healing potions is working on him," miss healer placed the bowl on the table that was beside his bed. Leo bit her lips which were still quite raw from previous incidents.

She knew that there was no escape. Leo simply accepted her fate and stood there letting miss healer continue her monologue to drain out every bit of sympathy Leo had in her system.

"I have been so busy thinking of a special potion that I barely have time to look after him. There are other students too who need my attention," the lady paused and looked up at Leo with a wide smile making her flinch.

"I know you care about him. If you could help-"

"Sure," Leo sighed in defeat. 

It was clear that miss healer didn't appreciate being cut off in mid-sentence but she didn't say anything else. She handed her the bowl of cold water and pulled a chair for her to sit. With a quick thank you, the lady disappeared, probably to go and talk with the new librarian about her new set of tea cups.

Leo huffed. She eyed the bowl of water in her hold. She could see her own reflection on the surface. Her face was littered with several small cuts that she had earned from the merpeople. Well, it was better than the huge gashes on her hands. Her lips were bleeding once again. Her under eyes looked purple due to how tired and worn out she was.

So much for saving a stupid leprechaun.

Leo placed the back of her hand against Tom's flushed cheeks. Her eyebrows furrowed at the temperature. She then caressed his forehead and bit back a gasp. He was burning with fever. That was the reason why he was sleeping like a baby. He was trying to keep himself warm under that thin blanket.