BELLATRIX BLACK: 2 October, 1966

[sholmes87]

Dear Uncle Arcturus,

Andromeda is being forced into being my secretary writing this for me as I am hopefully dying quite ill in the hospital wing. I was wondering if you could possibly send me some of your Invigorating Philtre, as whatever I have it’s the plague isn’t responding to Madame Pomfrey’s questionable ministrations. I wouldn’t ask (I

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[brave_phoenix]

*looking at his feet, holding something behind his back*
*mumbles*
I heard you were sick...
*blushes, mumbles more*
...so I brought you some flowers.
*pulls some chrysanthemums from behind his back and shoves them at her*

[sholmes87]

AWWWWW!

*sits up slowly*

How very nice. Thank you Edgar. I'll ask Madam Pomfrey for a vase to put them in.

[brave_phoenix]

*g*

*mumbles, still looking at his feet, still bright red*
You're welcome...

*finally looks up*
So, um, what've you got?

[sholmes87]

*sets the flowers on the bed-side table*

I don't know. Nothing Madam Pomfrey's given me has helped yet.

But I'm sure I'm not contagious.

[brave_phoenix]

*worriedly*
Nothing's helped yet?
*looks stricken*
You're...
*gulps, speaks in hushed tones*
You're not dying are you, Bella?

[sholmes87]

*plucks at the blanket*

Not so far. That's why I wrote to Uncle Arcturus.

Of course not!

*looks worried*

I hope not.

[brave_phoenix]

*eyes widen*
*mumbles in a rush*
Ihopenottoo.
*looks to his feet, looks back up*
*clears his throat*
So, um, is your Uncle a Healer? My dad's a Healer...

[sholmes87]

*faint smile as she realises what he said*

No, Uncle Arcturus does potions. I'm hoping one of his concoctions can cure me.

Maybe I should have you write to your father. Maybe he'd have some idea of what's wrong with me.

[brave_phoenix]

*eyes widen*
Oh.
*nods, bites his lip*
A potion could help...

*nods a bit more*
I could write to him...
*frowns slightly*
I'd need to know your symptoms, though...
Do you have a fever?
*reaches for her forehead*

[sholmes87]

*nods*

His Invigorating Philtre is supposed to be a sort of cure-all. But it's very complicated to make.

*lets him feel her forehead*

Fever, chills, I cough a bit, my fingers and toes are tingly and there are spots behind my ears.

[brave_phoenix]

*nods*
Oh...

*tsks*
*frowns slightly*
You are warm...

*eyes widen*
Spots behind your ears?! Really?
*a little too interested*
Are they any particular color or anything? Like purple?

[sholmes87]

So I don't know if he has any on hand. I hope he does.

Does it feel very bad? It's hard to tell from this end. I just feel terrible.

That's what Madam Pomfrey said.

*startled*

Are they?! *pulls her hair off her ears* She didn't say anything about what color they were.

[brave_phoenix]

*nods, biting his lip*

*half-shrugs*
Well, you're pretty warm... Do you want me to see if there's a cool compress or anything around? That's what my dad sometimes does for me, when I have a fever...

*looks behind her ear*
*eyes widen*
Wow! They're orange! Really bright orange!

[sholmes87]

Oh that'd be lovely Edgar; thank you.

*looks dismayed and starts to cough*

They're what?!

*coughs some more*

[brave_phoenix]

*looks around the room*
*walks to a dry sink in the corner*
*pours some water from the pitcher onto a towel hanging there*

*walks back to Bella's bedside*
Here you go...
*places the damp towel on her forehead*

*wide-eyed*
Orange! Brilliantly orange!

*frowns at her coughing*
Want me to pat your back? Sometimes my dad does that when I have a cough...

[sholmes87]

*gives a sigh of relief at the cold compress*

*still coughing, tries to speak*

*tries to sit up*

*takes a ragged breath*

O-O-Orange?!