Partners in Crime || PJOxHP || Marauders' Era

Second Home

James and Jessica followed Fleamont through the double doors and along the narrow corridor beyond, which was lined with more portraits of famous Healers and lit by crystal bubbles full of candles that floated up on the ceiling, looking like giant soapsuds. 

More witches and wizards in lime-green robes walked in and out of the doors they passed; a foul-smelling yellow gas wafted into the passageway as they passed one door, and every now and then they heard distant wailing. They climbed four flights of stairs and entered the fourth flour corridor, and James wailed almost like a baby- his legs felt like lead. 

The second door on the right bore the words "DANGEROUS" Nigel Radagast Ward: SERIOUS SPELLS. Underneath this was a card in a brass holder on which had been handwritten:

Healer-in-Charge: Thomas Blitzer Smethwyck, 

Trainee Healer: Linda Henry.

Outside the ward stood a couple of other witches and wizards, and Jessica realized that Mister Fortescue was among them too. Fleamont nodded at Florean. "Alright?" the ice cream man asked.

"Yeah," Fleamont replied. 

"We'll wait outside," he said. "Mia won't want too many visitors at once... It ought to be just the family first."

Next to him stood a man- Jessica almost frowned at his appearance- his face was hideous. A large chunk of his nose seemed to be missing, and he was tapping his metal leg on the floor in a rhythmic beat. His blue eyes looked at the two children critically. Jessica wondered if anyone could ever be so disfigured. He set himself with his back against the corridor wall, leaning on a walking stick. 

"Let's go, Jessica," Fleamont said. He nodded at the disfigured man too as they entered the ward.

***

The ward was small and rather dingy as the only window was narrow and set high in the wall facing the door. Most of the light came from more shining crystal bubbles clustered in the middle of the ceiling. The walls were of panelled oak and there was a portrait of a rather vicious looking wizard on the wall, captioned 

Mungo Bonham,
1612–1697,
Founder of St. Mungo's.

There were only three patients. Euphemia was occupying the bed at the far end of the ward beside the tiny window. To her right, was a man who was so heavily bandaged that Jessica wasn't sure who he was until she had seen his eyes- blue with golden flecks. It was Sterling McKinnon. Jessica was pleased and relieved to see that her mother was propped up on several pillows and reading the Daily Prophet by the solitary ray of sunlight falling onto her bed. 

She looked around as they walked toward her and, seeing whom it was, beamed.

"Hello!" she called, throwing the Prophet aside. She extended her hand to Jessica, and the girl knew she was trying to crush her into a hug. Jessica took Euphemia's heavily bandaged arm. 

"How are you, Mom?" she asked, voice cracking. She bent down and kissed her mother's cheek. Her mother put an arm around Jessica and hugged her lightly. "Feeling better?"

"Absolutely fine, dear," Euphemia said. "You should see Sterling, though," she chuckled. "He's still getting some sort of weird tattoo-like designs on his face once in a while..."

Fleamont grinned. "No wonder you haven't taken off your bandages, Ster," he patted Sterling on the next bed. "Where's your daughter?"

"Fifth floor," Euphemia replied for him. "How are you holding up, honey?"

"That's the question I need to ask you," Fleamont said. Jessica let him walk past her. He took Euphemia's hand and bent to kiss her forehead. "Sure you're not feeling a bit too peaky?"