Yellow Badger [3]// Harry Potter // Draco Malfoy

Alice and Frank Longbottom

Chapter Twenty-Two: Frank and Alice Longbottom

St.Mungos was a little more festive this year than usual. 

On entering the Ward, the Christmas decorations appeared brighter and less dusty, the tree by the window sparkled a little bit more and the fire seemed warmer. It was almost what a family Christmas should look like if it wasn't for it being in a ward, or the parents not knowing they had children to have a family Christmas.

Mr Weasley's bed was opposite my parents, he had flowers on his bedside table and knitted blankets to keep the chill off from the draft. He sat with a pair of spectacles on his face, a pen in his hand and the morning paper turned to the crossword at the back.
"Hi, Mr Weasley." Neville and I greeted as we stopped in front of our parents' beds.
Looking up from his paper, he smiled," Merry Christmas Longbottoms'!"
"How are you feeling?" I asked, setting my guitar case down, and leaning it against the bed from my Dad's bed.
He nodded slowly," Last dose of Antivenom this evening, and Molly should be bringing the Kids around this afternoon."
"Sounds good." I smiled.
He smiled," They are asking a lot of questions, so thought it best I answer what I can, without saying too much."
He winked in my direction before turning back to his crossword.

As every year, I took a stool from the side of the room, set up my guitar by the fire, sliding the case under my Dad's bed.
Sitting next to his bed, he was completely catatonic today, just staring at a spot on the wall unmoving. This was one of his worst days.
Sitting here I wanted to leave. I loved my parents, but I can't keep sitting here waiting for them to recover as I did. Next to him, Neville was showing Mum his new Cactus plant.

"Celyn."
Looking up, my childhood doctor stood with a smile on his face with a new nurse next to him. Dr McFarland had salt and pepper hair with his ID badge around his neck and black scrubs under his white coat.
"Hi Doc," I sighed, standing up and following him to an empty bed on the ward, the bed that used to be mine.
"How are you feeling?" He asked as I sat cross-legged on the bed.
I nodded," Good, nightmares are still a problem, but that's not new news. No pain in my limbs anymore, it's gotten better since I joined the Quidditch team."
"Good, physical activity will stop your muscles seizing like they used to." He nodded, writing it down," I am concerned about your nightmares, as you know, brain damage is a huge thing we are concerned about with you."
I creased my eyebrows," Huh?"
"Didn't you Gran tell you?" He questioned as I shook my head.
"The potions we have you take when you are at Hogwarts are to help with brain development, your muscle function and mobility as well as pain. It's why you don't feel it anymore. The second you stop taking any of them, you will feel it all again."
"But, I wasn't under the curse as long as my parents."
"True, but you were two Celyn. Your brain wasn't developed, and we still don't know the lasting effect it will have or the effects your attack will have on you through puberty."
I nodded slowly.
"As for your brain, we will have to do the usual mobility tests as well as visual and hearing, as you do wear blue tinted glasses, it's just to make sure those are helping."
I licked my dry lips as I fiddled with a loose strand on my jumper," OK."
"I know this is personal, but you are sixteen have you started menstruating?"
I stopped breathing, shaking my head no.
He smiled softly at me," Nurse Quinn, will you take three blood tests of Miss Longbottom please."
The nurse nodded, leaving the ward to get the appropriate equipment.
"It's ok Celyn," He said as tears fell on my face," We will find out why, and then we can discuss what this means. It could be that your body isn't ready yet, but we do have to do some tests to be safe. Do I have your consent to inform your guardian?"
I nodded, my voice not working.
"I'll also put you in contact with a female doctor to make it more comfortable for you."
"Thank you."
He nodded slowly, closing the file in his hand and leaving me in my old hospital bed.