Book Two: Snape's Memories

Chapter Nine

Harry took a few minutes to file the forms requesting his long overdue leave before he and Ginny left to pick Lily and Tim up from school.

The healer set up an appointment for Tim the next day. First a general check up and then a session with a healer who worked with victims of the Cruciatus curse. Given the boy's age, it was highly likely that he'd suffered magical and mental damage.

"Can we do this, Ginny?" Harry asked her, as they prepared to Floo to the school.

Ginny smiled at Harry. Her bright, determined smile that made her look like her brother, George, "Of course we can." she said, taking his hand.

Tim was nervous all that evening. Harry understood, better than before, Tim's habit of creeping around. His flinch from a raised voice. The child was also no fool. He was well aware that Penny had been testing him. Harry heard him ask Lily if he'd passed.

After dinner, the four of them sat in the drawing room, as was Ginny and Harry's habit. Ginny and Lily were knitting. Looking a little bored, Tim sat down next to Lily and Ginny produced a second set of needles. Lily was patiently showing Tim how to cast on. Tim's fingers were actually quite nimble to the task.

Harry had his feet up on the coffee table and stack of parchments spread around him. From time to time he looked up at Ginny, thinking how very beautiful she was and how very lucky he was.

"Tim?" said Ginny said after a while. She kept her eyes on her knitting. This was a tactic Harry had seen her use many times with the children. She often found that they talked to her more easily about difficult things if their eyes and hands were occupied, "You've got an appointment with the healers tomorrow afternoon, after I pick you up from school."

Tim stopped, his eyes narrowed with suspicion, but then he nodded and went on with what he was doing.

Harry noticed him open and shut his mouth a couple times before finally whispering to Lily.

"Mum?" Lily chirped, "Can I go with you?"

"If you like." replied Ginny serenely, "Bring a book, we might be a while so the healer can give Tim a good once over."

Tim whispered to Lily again. Lily turned to look at him in confusion, "What? What do you mean?"

"What is it Tim?" asked Ginny, never taking her eyes off her handwork.

"Will there be any needles?" asked Tim, just loud enough to be heard.

Ginny looked up at Harry, at a loss.

Harry just smiled at her, so she relaxed a little, "No, Tim. Wizards don't get shots. If a healer needs to get medicine into you that you can't swallow, they can just spell it into you."

"So thats something like those stitches Dad tried that time?" Ginny asked. There was a lot about the Muggle world Ginny didn't know, since Harry, unlike other muggleborns had never seen fit to retain ties to it.

Harry nodded, "A lot of muggle potions can't work if you swallow them."

"So how do they get them into you?" asked Lily.

"They use a hollow needle to put it under your skin." replied Harry.

Lily wrinkled her nose, "Eeeeewwww."

Harry laughed and nodded, "I completely agree."

Not too long after, the children got ready for bed. Harry tucked Lily in, thinking that she wouldn't let him tuck her in much longer.

"Dad?" asked Lily, "Is Tim going to stay with us for a long time?"

"Yes, I think so. Why?" said Harry, concerned that perhaps Tim's constant attention was starting to wear on her.