Working in the Hospital Wing

[methleigh]

Severus has just rearranged his potions stores, moving some of the more commonly prepared potions for general healing to his quarters in the hospital wing. As Head of House he has encountered enough alarmed and pained children to have a very good idea of likely ailments. Already he has had house-elves remove the cheerful whitewash from the dark

Comments

[cardarchitect]

As mishaps go, it could have been worse.

Near reflects on that as he helps L hobble to the hospital wing. None of their purchases were damaged and neither of them were seriously injured, although L's ankle appeared to be causing him a great deal of pain.

He wondered what the other two misfortunes would be.

"Hospital Wing," he reads out the sign. "This would be it."

[ijk_mno]

Nothing good, he's betting.

He pushes the door open- most awkwardly- in some haste. Walking on the stupid thing has made it feel considerably worse. He's even more pale than usual, what with the ow pain.

"Hello?"

[methleigh]

"Good afternoon." Snape rises formally from his desk and sees the pair of... students. They look older than students, but everything has been different since he woke up. One is limping, he sees. Likely his first patient. The other was a... detective, he remembers from the day before. "What have you done to yourselves, then?"

A beat. He should make pleasant sounds, make them comfortable. "Welcome to the Hospital Wing. I am Professor Snape, the new Head here. We meet again, L. Has your... compatriot injured himself?"

[cardarchitect]

"It was a fall," Near tells him. He's not sure how talkative L's feeling. "He's hurt his ankle. Is there a chair he can use?"

[ijk_mno]

"Please. Putting weight on it is very painful."

His voice is tight, his expression is blank.

[methleigh]

"Perhaps a bed." Snape's office does not have an extra chair yet. It is, in fact, noticeably bare thus far. He emerges and holds the door for them, gesturing towrds the beds in the little cubicles. He opens a cupboard and removes a handful of small jars and bottles. Also a slab of chocolate. Amazing healing properties, Madame Pomfrey had always said. And, she had said with a wink, It keeps them cooperative. He had remembered his own frequent trips to the infirmary and his own frequent chocolate rations. Yes, it worked, even for the most bitter, the most recalcitrant. His hands are full. He will need a basket, he thinks.

[methleigh]

Flattery, Severus thinks. That is better than the childish I have a potion and I'm not telling. He cannot help but feel frustrated and resentful though. He pushes it back. Flattery means L wants something. Though, he thinks wryly, it is probably simply for Severus to be distracted from the potion bottle that had passed between them. he answers with the truth, as he always does, but a more complete truth than his Polyjuice answers, and he lets a trifle more warmth into his voice. Too much enthusiasm would confuse him. Severus knows his game well

[ijk_mno]

"Troublesome." He'd chew on his thumb, but, crutches. "I am not one for artistic embellishment. Potions making may not be my field, useful as the results may be."

[methleigh]

Troublesome? Severus is mystified. He had tried to be lyrical, elegant, to show a small part of what he saw in Potions. He can never understand why others do not see as he does. "Is there not a certain art to detective work?"

[ijk_mno]

"Ah, but that is an art I have been groomed for since I was six, and practising since I was eight. I can pick up anything mathematical, logical, etcetera, that requires precision and care in a matter of moments. Art is more difficult to learn."

He could probably do it if he set his mind to it.

[woocha]

Oh, now this was a room Wishbone hadn't seen before. Tail wagging, he commenced shuffling about under the beds, seeing if anything catches his eye. Or nose, I guess.

[methleigh]

It is Wishbone, from his first day in this new Hogwarts. Severus' face relaxes and his lips turn up. He unbends to the extent that he peers down around the beds and feels in his pockets for owl treats. Wishbone?

I am Head of the Hospital Wing now. If you are injured or hurt, or... anything happens, I will work to make you better. He hates to think of that. But you are always welcome. The voice from his head is warm.

[woocha]

I'll remember that! I didn't know this was the Hospital Wing, I was just sniffing around exploring.

[methleigh]

What do you like for treats? I will be sure to have some on hand. And if you wish to visit patients... Severus has a sudden idea that might please the little dog. You know... maybe if they are quite ill, you would like to read to them.