Chapter 49: HEALING
The next day after our arrival was a holiday as always. This was like a buffer given to the students in order for them to settle down before the new term began. The day is usually spent in unpacking and discussing all that they did over the holidays.
I had been minimal in my packing since the first year, so I was done with the unpacking before breakfast. My interest in unnecessary gossip was just as much as Ron's interest in potions under Snape.
After breakfast I made my way to the infirmary to greet madam Pomphrey. I and Hermione were going to continue our healing studies this year and I had hoped to pass the remaining day inside the infirmary having a nice discussion with madam Pomphrey.
As I reached the infirmary, I saw that madam Pomphrey was already busy with patients this early in the term. I could see two boys on the beds with another three by their bedside.
Upon seeing me, madam Pomphrey directed me to look over the other boy while she completed the examination on the first boy. I quickly took the medicine cart from one corner of the room and went towards the bedside.
I was not yet a qualified practitioner, so I could only do basic examination and light healing spells on the patient, everything else was to be taken care by the person in charge. I and Hermione had basically been madam Pomphrey's assistants while we gradually learned.
True to my duty, I arrived before the patient and his friends. I inquired about the cause and extent of injury for an adequate report. The friends reported that they were playing with simple flare spells trying to mimic a duel, when the spell went out of control and both of their friends suffered some burns on their hands and feet's.
After looking a little closer I observed that the burns were not that severe and the additional spells that we were tasked to study during the holidays could easily solve the issue. The problem was that even if I knew the theory behind the spell, I had never actually cast it and trying it for the first time directly on an unsupervised patient could be difficult. I had full confidence that if it was Hermione instead of me, she could cast the spell almost perfectly on the first try.
This reminded me of the time when Hagrid had spoken that there was not a spell in the world that Hermione could not perform.
I made my way towards madam Pomphrey and explained to her on my progress with the spells that she had given as homework and how the boy can be treated by me. Madam Pomphrey readily agreed, contrary to my expectations. She just asked me to wait a bit for her to finish her patient and then she will come observe while I performed the spell. She also reminded that this can also be considered a test on how far I had reached in my practice and what responsibilities she can hand over to me in the future.
I calmed my nerves while waiting for madam Pomphrey.
Once she arrived, I began my preparations. I did the wand movement without reciting the spell as a test run. Finally, I cast my spell. The faint glow coming from the area that was burnt indicated the success of the spell. This however was not the end of the treatment. I placed a medicament on the area before bandaging it up. I then advised the patient to stay in the infirmary till lunch time before returning.
Once I was done with the patient, we went back to madam Pomphrey's cabin. She seemed satisfied with my performance and told me that this year she will set the goal towards me and Hermione to complete the theoretical portion of the subject necessary to take the O.W.L.s.
Every subject that was additional and not a part of the core, is a three-year course, with the student sitting for their respective OWLs at the end of their third year. Most additional subjects therefore began during the third year so that the exams coincide with the OWLs for the core subjects.
Healing as a subject was not included in the list of additional electives that the students could take since Dumble's became headmaster. It did not mean that we as Hogwarts students cannot sit for the healing OWLs. It only meant that the student himself will have to go out of his/her way and show the will to pursue the subject.
Since Dumble's became headmaster there were very few students who had approached madam Pomphrey to study healing. Before last year madam Pomphrey had not had students for a good decade.
Due to these factors madam Pomphrey had made such a strict plan towards us. She explained that she had honestly expected Hermione and me to lose interest at some point in the previous year and so she did not get her hopes high. Seeing that we not only preserved but excelled she had decided that both of us will now be taking regular classes on the subject instead of coming down to learn only after school.
Madam Pomphrey explained that seeing our excellence in the field of healing both me and Hermione are given a chance to divide the time from one of the subjects in order for us to learn from her. This was one of the privileges that we will be receiving.
She also stressed the importance of these classes considering the fact the OWLs for healing were a lot different from other subjects. If we were hoping to shine during the OWLs then we will have to spend the entirety of next year practicing on live patients. This will leave very little time on our hands to study the theory and this was the reason that we have to finish the theoretical portion this year.
She asked me to report tomorrow morning with the choices of both me and Hermione regarding the subjects we had chosen to cut in half to accommodate our studies of healing.
I thanked her and went back to sit on the chair inside the infirmary that was set for the assistant that looked over the infirmary.
It was lunch by the time the students returned to take their friends. I did a final examination on the wound and removed the bandages after seeing satisfactory results and discharged both students.
I too took my leave after informing madam Pomphrey.
I did not meet Hermione during lunch, instead I had it alone and then returned back to the infirmary.
I spent the entire day doing a light reading on the book of healing spells that madam Pomphrey had given me for the classes. This was a good chance to question her regarding the doubts while I did not have any classes for the entire day.
It was only after dinner that I returned to the dormitory. I saw Hermione sitting by the fireplace waiting for me. I smiled and went on to sit beside her.
__________
I had begun writing my second novel. It is an original this time.
The title is '' The India that could be"
It is a story regarding a 21st century youth who had just completed his civil engineering, going back in time. The era he finds himself is one of war, prosperity, turmoil and invasions. How will a 21st century youth without any special powers, but just his knowledge not only survive but prosper in these chaotic times.
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