Caleb had been told that if he wanted to come get his aging problem fixed, to come to observation ward 1. Welp, here he was. Ready to be made back into his normal, young, irresistible self!

"Hello Healers! Remember me?" he asked as he walked in with a grin. Yes, the boy who helped you get here? REMEMBER? That had to move him up in the line a bit, right? He was way more important because of that than the prefects and nonsense.

She looked up at the sound of her name and thanked Merlin that someone had actually sent for her Head of House. Another couple of tears escaped her eyes and she held the hand of her professor. "I just want to go home." She spoke loud enough for someone to hear. "I want to have my hip stop hurting and I want to go home." It was the most she had said in a while and it shook her entire body causing the broken hip to move a bit and another small squeak leave her lips. IF she was going to die, and it certainly felt like it, then she at least wanted to spend the last few moments with her parents.

Hope looked at the third man that had asked her questions about her injury and it made her want to scream. Not just in pain but in anger. Her temper was short when she was young looking and young minded, but now it was even shorter at times and seemed to be wired to her tears ducts and all anyone had done since she had fallen was ask where they pain was. No one had even attempted to fix it yet. "Yes. Yes. YES. It's my hip. All in my hip." She looked down and spoke softly trying to look sorry for snapping at the man. "Can someone please fix it?"

When Calista rushed into the ward shouting for where she could find Hope, Leo really second guessed his decision to send her the patronus in the first place. She usually wasn’t this well loud and suspicious. Was it the age that was talking? Maybe he should have gone to her office after Hope had been fixed to notify her of the girl’s condition and whereabouts. "Calista, please calm down! These people," Leo paused to gesture towards the two men and woman close by. "Are healers, they’re here to help Cecelia find a cure to this weird aging disease that is plaguing the whole school." So please calm down and let the medical experts do their jobs.

Leo wasn't going to inform either Seren or Josephina via patronus. Trial and error and had showed him that these type of news you had to give in person. Or people would act like Callie had just done.

Bradley smiled at Amethyst. "Nice to meet you Ms. Boyle. Unfortunate circumstances, but nice all the same." She was pretty. It was always nice to meet pretty ladies. Even if he was in a relationship. He wasn't doing anything wrong.

...and now onto the blonde woman (Cecelia). Hogwarts Healer. "Nice to meet you as well Ms. Tillstorm." Professionalism. Didn't want Anthony hearing bad things about him.



Bradley looked at Andrew. "Yeah. The other ministry healers and I were brought in a little while ago by the headmistress...to help out." That and try and figure out what was going on with these students. Poor kids.

Brad looked back down at Hope. At least she recognized his face. "My name's Brad." He always used his first name with kids. Kids didn't need professionalism. Besides, putting himself more on their level seemed to help him in the long run.

He didn't even get to assure her about Andrew because then there was a very angry woman (Calista). Ah. Head of House. No wonder she was so concerned. Bradley gave her a big reassuring smile. "As Mr. Wombley said, we're just here to help. My name's Bradley Donovan and I'm the Head Healer over at the ministry." Formalities were a must.

Okay so they were at the Hospital Wing and in the ward that they had been directed to. Adi resting on the bed he had been laid down upon and Ben beside and now the healer was leaving them for a bit. Hopefully not too long so they...at least Adi...could be checked and doublechecked and they could go. The Gryffindor wasn't that much a fan of hospitals and the like. And the wiggling from the toad in his robe pocket said Gus wasn't one either.

"Uh huh, I will," he assured the man before he walked away, the second year in turn looking at his friend. Benny wasn't going to leave his friend now, especially all alone with people both young and old, or rather old and old-looking bustling around. He offered a weak supportive smile to the Hufflepuff unsure of what to say as they waited. And they were still clueless.

Why was everyone all about...in one place...at one time? There was so much activity and yet the healer hadn't returned yet.

"Hello?" he called, "Is anything gonna be done?"

As in...had you forgotten about us?

A bit old? Really, Cutty Mordaunt?

"No duh, Merlin," she snapped, refraining herself from uttering words that were not lady-like. It wasn't his fault she was still an old hag, but asking the obvious annoyed her. It did manage to distract her from feeling so nervous.

And WHY did he keep staring at her bracelet? She doubted it was her hand he was looking at. Her expression softened the slightest when an attempt to sit on the bed was made by Cutty. Did he need help? She could tug his shirt collar and he could hop...or something. NEVER MIND. Mordaunt could take a hike, the healer was coming back for her.

Beverly nodded, her bottom lip sticking out. Back to being the poor little-old-woman-child. "I-It's still a bit sore," she managed to croak. "Is there a cure? Are we going to live?" she asked, gazing up at him with wide, fearful eyes. She NEEDED to know if SHE was going to live.

WAS SHE?

Cutty nodded his head once. "Yeh. Old as hell. The vanity potions and charms will wear off in a bit and you'll see what I'm talking about." He assured the one called Wombley with cheerful demeanour and a tone of promise as if he intended that the Healer might actually find it entertaining to watch him suddenly age. Cutty thought it was kind of neat sometimes and would use the potion and do the charms then sit before a mirror just to watch himself shrivel into a sharpei. Merlin, maybe his beard would come back too!

"I think they're collecting data. Then they're gonna test us and they'll probably need samples." That was how Cutty figured it. And samples of what? Well, he sort of hoped the Gryffindor boy would ask so he could somehow work bowel movements into the conversation. For science, yes, but mostly for entertainment value. So, so terribly immature was Cutty Mordaunt.

"Atreyu is that a toad in your pocket or ...Actually, nevermind. I need a nap." He said to the Gryffindor boy before placing his head down onto the soft surface of Bev's bed, dozing off for a few seconds then waking with a start.



Cutty's mood had improved since he'd taken that small nap, but now he was cold. He propped himself back up onto his elbows and continued to pay attention to the Healers shivering.

Merlin. Beverly had so much sass. So much sass and so much potential. He watched from his position as she gave these big, doey eyes to the Healer. That's exactly as he'd've done it if he were a female student with Beverly's looks. And actually, at that moment, he wished he was. Just for a few hours, ya know. Polyjuice buddy-up. He bet she was spoilt. Bet she could get anything she wanted. From anyone. She in fact had gotten something out of him he'd never had to give before. Granted it was something worthless to Cutty (a promise), but it was something nonetheless. Worthless. But only on it's own.

He could've gotten out of that. All he had to do was call for Somerlad. But he didn't. Why?

Amethyst felt so lucky for having such a terrific assistant. "We don't need to do a physical examination,so let's collect their mouth swab," she told the younger man before fully focusing on this loud girl.

So not everyone was infected... should she infer that there was no pattern? ...yes, because apparently people got this thing at different times. She nodded here and there to imply she was listening to her and -

...did she mean... Botros? She... wasn't accusing the OLD man, Amethyst hoped?

"Thank you, dear." She paused. She needed samples, it seemed, because she couldn't see any OBVIOUS reason...

"If you can open your mouth, I'll collect your mouth swab. It won't hurt, don't worry." She smiled, and turned to get a toothpick from the bags.

She cordially smiled. "I hope I'll see you at better circumstances, Mr. Donovan." But since there was much to do, the man was dismissed for now.

What a clever boy!

Amethyst overheard their conversation as she was moving to get a toothpick, and smiled at the Slytherin boy.

"Your friend's right, we're collecting data. In fact...

"Everyone! If you could be so kind as to let me or Healer Wombley take a bit of your mouth swab for us to run tests on them at St. Mungo's... it won't hurt at all. Thank you."

With that, she took out some more toothpicks and waited for whoever wanted to volunteer first.

A mouth swab? Caleb would have given her an entire limb if she thought that would help make him normal again. He jumped up and ran up to the healer with a big grin.

"I'll help," he said before opening his mouth. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Pulling out his wand Andrew gave Bradley a glance before he walked closer to Hope’s bed. Moving his wand over the broken hip he muttered the incantation under his breath to mend the hip. Finishing the spell he looked at Hope expectantly."How does your hip feel now? Is it pain free?" Hopefully he hadn’t stuffed the spell up.

Hearing how Amethyst asked for swab samples behind him, Andrew asked. "Hope, can I take a swab sample from your mouth? It won’t hurt one bit. It will help us find a cure."

Hearing a boy's voice coming from somewhere behind him Andrew turned and waved the boy to come over to him. "Hey there, yes we are doing something. Would you mind if i took a swab sample from your mouth? It won’t hurt one bit. It will help us find a cure quicker." The more samples they got the easier it would be to narrow down the cause and then in the extension create a cure.

Back to cough, throat aching girlie. Flashing the girl a smile as he pulled out his wand again Andrew moved it over Beverly’s throat gently as he muttered a spell under his breath. When he finished he looked up into the girl’s eyes. "How does your throat feel now? Pain gone I hope?"

"No, there isn't a cure yet." He couldn’t lie. "There is something you can do though that will make it easier for us to make a cure. Can you allow me to a swab sample from your mouth? I promise it won't hurt."

"Interesting." Andrew commented. "What potions and charms have you tested up to this point to fight the disease?" Any information they could get was vital. "Could i collect a mouth swab sample from you too?" The more samples they had the better.

Lex could appreciate this lady, she didn't ask question then ignore her like she wasn't actually expecting a response; something typical of a lot of older people. Why do you think she hardly spoke with them? But anyway back to the Healer Lady. "You're welcome Ms. Boyle. Anything to help."

No really, ANYTHING so at the request to take a mouth swab the Gryffindor's mouth flew open as quickly as the muscles in her jaw would allowed. No resistance here, take anything you need.

She glanced around the room giving others looks. Get in line and give a mouth swab already! Didn't they want a cure?

Lex was a Prefect but her badge could only make people do so much and her concern only extended so far. Her eyes fell on the lady again as she rummaged through her bag. Did she worry it would hurt? Not at all. After a term of broken bones she doubted highly that a cotton swab could cause much damage...or well...all that much damage.

The point was, she was ready to not be dying anymore.

SPOILER!!: Cutty, Mungo's healers and Lex

Quote:

Originally Posted by SlytherinSistah

Cutty nodded his head once. "Yeh. Old as hell. The vanity potions and charms will wear off in a bit and you'll see what I'm talking about." He assured the one called Wombley with cheerful demeanour and a tone of promise as if he intended that the Healer might actually find it entertaining to watch him suddenly age. Cutty thought it was kind of neat sometimes and would use the potion and do the charms then sit before a mirror just to watch himself shrivel into a sharpei. Merlin, maybe his beard would come back too!



"I think they're collecting data. Then they're gonna test us and they'll probably need samples." That was how Cutty figured it. And samples of what? Well, he sort of hoped the Gryffindor boy would ask so he could somehow work bowel movements into the conversation. For science, yes, but mostly for entertainment value. So, so terribly immature was Cutty Mordaunt.

"Atreyu is that a toad in your pocket or ...Actually, nevermind. I need a nap." He said to the Gryffindor boy before placing his head down onto the soft surface of Bev's bed, dozing off for a few seconds then waking with a start.



Cutty's mood had improved since he'd taken that small nap, but now he was cold. He propped himself back up onto his elbows and continued to pay attention to the Healers shivering.

Merlin. Beverly had so much sass. So much sass and so much potential. He watched from his position as she gave these big, doey eyes to the Healer. That's exactly as he'd've done it if he were a female student with Beverly's looks. And actually, at that moment, he wished he was. Just for a few hours, ya know. Polyjuice buddy-up. He bet she was spoilt. Bet she could get anything she wanted. From anyone. She in fact had gotten something out of him he'd never had to give before. Granted it was something worthless to Cutty (a promise), but it was something nonetheless. Worthless. But only on it's own.

He could've gotten out of that. All he had to do was call for Somerlad. But he didn't. Why?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amethyst Boyle

Amethyst felt so lucky for having such a terrific assistant. "We don't need to do a physical examination,so let's collect their mouth swab," she told the younger man before fully focusing on this loud girl.



So not everyone was infected... should she infer that there was no pattern? ...yes, because apparently people got this thing at different times. She nodded here and there to imply she was listening to her and -

...did she mean... Botros? She... wasn't accusing the OLD man, Amethyst hoped?

"Thank you, dear." She paused. She needed samples, it seemed, because she couldn't see any OBVIOUS reason...

"If you can open your mouth, I'll collect your mouth swab. It won't hurt, don't worry." She smiled, and turned to get a toothpick from the bags.



She cordially smiled. "I hope I'll see you at better circumstances, Mr. Donovan." But since there was much to do, the man was dismissed for now.





What a clever boy!

Amethyst overheard their conversation as she was moving to get a toothpick, and smiled at the Slytherin boy.

"Your friend's right, we're collecting data. In fact...

"Everyone! If you could be so kind as to let me or Healer Wombley take a bit of your mouth swab for us to run tests on them at St. Mungo's... it won't hurt at all. Thank you."

With that, she took out some more toothpicks and waited for whoever wanted to volunteer first.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew Wombley

Pulling out his wand Andrew gave Bradley a glance before he walked closer to Hope’s bed. Moving his wand over the broken hip he muttered the incantation under his breath to mend the hip. Finishing the spell he looked at Hope expectantly."How does your hip feel now? Is it pain free?" Hopefully he hadn’t stuffed the spell up.

Hearing how Amethyst asked for swab samples behind him, Andrew asked. "Hope, can I take a swab sample from your mouth? It won’t hurt one bit. It will help us find a cure."



Hearing a boy's voice coming from somewhere behind him Andrew turned and waved the boy to come over to him. "Hey there, yes we are doing something. Would you mind if i took a swab sample from your mouth? It won’t hurt one bit. It will help us find a cure quicker." The more samples they got the easier it would be to narrow down the cause and then in the extension create a cure.



Back to cough, throat aching girlie. Flashing the girl a smile as he pulled out his wand again Andrew moved it over Beverly’s throat gently as he muttered a spell under his breath. When he finished he looked up into the girl’s eyes. "How does your throat feel now? Pain gone I hope?"

"No, there isn't a cure yet." He couldn’t lie. "There is something you can do though that will make it easier for us to make a cure. Can you allow me to a swab sample from your mouth? I promise it won't hurt."



"Interesting." Andrew commented. "What potions and charms have you tested up to this point to fight the disease?" Any information they could get was vital. "Could i collect a mouth swab sample from you too?" The more samples they had the better.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaniDiNardo

Lex could appreciate this lady, she didn't ask question then ignore her like she wasn't actually expecting a response; something typical of a lot of older people. Why do you think she hardly spoke with them? But anyway back to the Healer Lady. "You're welcome Ms. Boyle. Anything to help."

No really, ANYTHING so at the request to take a mouth swab the Gryffindor's mouth flew open as quickly as the muscles in her jaw would allowed. No resistance here, take anything you need.

She glanced around the room giving others looks. Get in line and give a mouth swab already! Didn't they want a cure?

Lex was a Prefect but her badge could only make people do so much and her concern only extended so far. Her eyes fell on the lady again as she rummaged through her bag. Did she worry it would hurt? Not at all. After a term of broken bones she doubted highly that a cotton swab could cause much damage...or well...all that much damage.

The point was, she was ready to not be dying anymore.

The first answer Ben got was not from a healer, or even from a professor. Nope, it was from a student. Cutty if he remembered correctly from another meeting with the Slytherin who shared his and Adi's year. Collecting samples...research? That made sense since they had to find out what they had before they could help. Kind of like when he had gone to a muggle doctor with his mum for a sore throat when he was younger.

The other boy's thoughts were soon confirmed as the female healer that he didn't know made an announcement about the very thing. FINALLY! Something other than the good-natured trial cures or more correctly cover-ups that various professors had tried to help them feel better with.

The Gryffindor didn't move right away, figuring he could wait his turn along with his friend who couldn't exactly move himself. But then the other healer from Mungos turned him, waving him over and Benny obediently responded to the action. "Alright," he said with a nod before opening his mouth so the man could get his sample. He wasn't exactly going to fight something that was hopefully going to make them get better.

And it got him away from a pressuring look from Alexa. He'd be a good little Gryffindor.

As Healer Wombley cast magic on her throat, Beverly couldn't help when her attention briefly wandered over to Cutty and the Gryffindor boy with the toad. Her nose wrinkled at the Slytherin.

Turning back to the older man, Beverly touched her fingers to her neck gingerly and nodded with a shy grin. "It's much better, thank you Healer."

It was disappointing that there was no cure, it showed in her hunched shoulders, but at least there was hope. Maybe. With that in mind she nodded at Healer Wombley and opened her mouth. Her breath was minty, so problem there. Swap away.

One moment there was pain, the next moment there was nothing. Hope sighed and she turned over onto her back closing her eyes. "Much better." She was speaking softly and her breathing was starting to pace out nice and slow. She was about to fall asleep when the man who fixed her hip asked to take a sample. "Okay. Just make it quick. I'm rather tired." After all she had spent a good bit of time with a broken hip. It felt like it had aged her another twenty years. She opened her mouth and hoped he'd be quick. They'd be quick. A cure would be nice as would being able to go home if they couldn't cure her.

Going over to the medical supplies bag Andrew pulled out a handful of toothpicks. Placing them on a table he took one of the toothpicks which he tapped with his wand as he muttered an incantation to himself before it floated up to the boy and into the boy’s mouth where it took a swab from inside the boy’s cheek. Mission accomplished the toothpick floated out of the boy’s mouth and back to Andrew.

Taking up a small container for samples Andrew placed the toothpick in there with a smile towards the boy. "Thank you for your help."
Andrew wished he had better news or promises to give the girl but as the situation was he felt it better to say as little as possible. There was no use possibly supplying the students and staff with false hope when everything still was so uncertain. "You’re welcome dear." He beamed. At least the girl’s throat was better.

Taking another toothpick, Andrew tapped it with his wand as he muttered an incantation to himself before it floated up to Beverly and into the girl's mouth where it took a swab from inside Beverly's cheek. Mission accomplished the toothpick floated out of the girl's mouth and back to Andrew.

Opening the container for samples a second time Andrew placed the toothpick in there with a smile towards Beverly. "Thank you for your help."

"Good, good." Andrew said quietly. "Let healer Tillstorm or Professor Elwood know if the pain in your hip comes back or if you need anything else." It was evident that Hope needed some much needed sleep. The painful hip had taken its toll on her body.

Taking yet another toothpick Andrew tapped it with his wand as he muttered an incantation to himself, before it floated up to Hope and into the girl's mouth where it took a swab from inside Hope’s cheek. Mission accomplished the toothpick floated out of the girl’s mouth and back to Andrew.

Opening the container for samples a third time Andrew placed the toothpick in there with a smile towards Hope. "Thank you for your help. Have a good rest now!"

Oichi had felt herself get worse in her aging condition as the weeks went on. It got to s point that she felt tired and achy all the time and could not concentrate in classes much less do homework or study for NEWTs. In face she barely had the energy to care about anything anymore. But when she heard that St Mungos healers were coming to help she did her best to make it to the observation ward room 1. It took a little while since she had some vision problems and got a bit lost along the way. But she finally found her way and found a free bed in ward room 1 and slumped into it. She really had no more energy to make her presence known, she just hoped she would be noticed.

Oh look, the first volunteer! Amethyst happily charmed the toothpick (as happy as she could be, given the circumstances) and it collected a bit of his swab before carefully placing itself in the bag.

"Thank you. We will remember your help." Escorting them to here and all. What a sweet boy!



This girl too! Such a helpful student. No wonder she was a prefect.

She charmed another toothpick and it softly entered the girl's mouth to collect the swab. After a few seconds, it was safely in the bag they had brought.

"Thank you. You have been the most helpful."

Now, she only had to hear what Mrs. Healer would say, what she had tried so far and whether anything had worked. She had already asked the woman these questions, though, so she didn't repeat but waited for her to give the answers.

...and in the process, she completely missed the new girl. Oh well.

Oichi was still partially awake as she noticed a woman in white pass her by and knew this was her chance to get some help, learn if they had a cure hopefully, she needed this. With all the energy she could muster she held out her hand and grabbed the woman's lab coat and said weakly but still loudly, "Can you help me please?".

Leah stayed in the corner of the ward quietly as more and more people filled in, including Professor Elwood, healers and old... students. She made sure that she was in Hope's sight of view but not too noticeable. After all, she was not a patient here.

A healer cast a spell at Hope's hip and she relaxed. Leah heaved a sigh of relief. She walked over to her bed and sat at a chair next to it. "Take a rest now, Hope. You're fine now, and that's great! I was REALLY worried." She grinned. "I'll be right next to you, if you need anything, just say it."

Caleb watched as the healer took his sample and then turned to the other kids. Wait a minute - was that it? He had come up here expecting to be cured! Well, he was not going to leave until he got SOMETHING. He was not going anywhere. Nope.

"Ok, what's next?" he asked the healers with a huge grin. A de-aging potion to make him beautiful again? Yes?

With the samples secured Andrew turned to his boss to ask if they had everything they needed when saw how an aged girl latched on to Amethysts healer coat. Crossing the floor to get to the girl Andrew leaned down to come level with the girl. "I'm sorry dear, but as of right now we have no cure against the aging disease." He meant it too. Andrew really sympathized with what the students and staff were going through."Do you need urgent medical assistance?" Like pain or broken bones?

Glancing over at the hopeful boy Andrew inwardly sighed as he addressed the boy knowing full well that he’d be disappointing yet another student who had come to the hospital wing hoping to be cured by them. "What happens next is that myself, and Healer Boyle will need to go back to St Mungos to analyze all the samples you've all been most helpful in supplying us with and brew up a cure."

And if Andrew knew his boss as well as he did then she'd want to consult her superiors too.

Thankfully, Andrew attended to the newcomer, and also answered the helpful boy. She nodded at both of them to show she thought the same, then zipped the bags and grabbed one of them. Andrew would be kind enough to carry the other, she was sure.

"We have to go now," she told her assistant, "we shouldn't waste more time." Especially if the Healer was too busy to answer them. The tests would show how this thing worked anyway. "If you could be kind to wait for Healer Tillstorm..." she addressed to the new girl. These two had to leave, and she was sure Healer Tillstorm was very talented healer as well.

Turning towards the door, she started walking out.

Wait, there was no actual CURE here?

Bogus. Caleb had been ripped off! He had come up here expecting to be cured, and they were telling him now that he had to wait MORE? That they still didn't have any answers? They just took a piece of his cheek and left?

UGH. This was so unfair. How long did it take people to figure out a cure to this thing anyways?

"Well thanks," he said with a sigh, remembering that he had to at least be polite and thank them even though they did NOTHING. He should probably get back to the common room now.

Andrew could just see how disappointed the boy got by the announcement. Unfortunately he couldn’t do anything to make up for there being no cure. There was no use promising something he wasn’t even sure they could manage. With an apologetic look towards the boy Andrew said. "You're welcome son."

Amethyst saved Andy from giving any promises he potentially couldn’t keep. With a look towards his boos he nodded. Moving over to pick up the second bag and making sure the samples were secure in a zipped pocket in his healer coat Andrew said. "Yes, there is no time to waste. We need to find a cure."

Giving the student's in the ward a last glance Andrew turned around and followed his boss out of the ward.

Cutty had gone and impressed himself again when the lady Healer had called him clever. He assured himself that this was the right profession for him and even went so far as to even think his bedside manner was of the utmost sympathetic. We could suppose this meant that no one, not even he himself was immune to his lies.

Did this also mean that samples of another sort were to be taken as well?
l
He figured not, though as the Healers each took their leave after taking their samples. Time to go. He turned and headed out of the Hospital Wing. Maybe Wayne and Newell were going to the common room themselves?