[Infirmary] The Healing

[Archibald Nish]

Archibald waddled on, glancing behind him every so often to check that the two students in his wake were still following him. Ashton's broken wrist was beginning to turn a nasty colour so Mr Nish marched on faster, striding as far as his short legs would allow. As he turned the corner and walked to the giant double doors of the Infirmary, he pushed them open and walked in.

Nish looked around at the empty room, checking for other patients. Seeing none, Archi walked towards the bed nearest the door on the left hand side. He put a hand on the bed and turned to the two students. "Take a seat over here, Mr McLane," Archi said in his low growling voice. "I'll be right back. Ms Mystri, take a seat here." Archi pulled a chair from against the wall and put it next to the bed. With that Archibald went into his office and closed the door behind him.

[Professor Ashton Laurent]

Ashton simply nodded as he took a seat. His wrist practically felt like it was on fire it hurt so bad! But of course he wasn't going to admit it. Sitting down, still clutching his wrist, he bit down on his lip to keep from crying from the pain. A metallic taste filled his mouth, and he reached up with his good hand, to discover that his lip was bleeing where he was biting it.

[mystri]

Eva made sure to stay in step with Ashton as they followed Mr. Nish back to the Hospital Wing. She made sure to hold the door open for Ash, then followed inside quickly after.

Tiri gave a nod to Mr. Nish and sat down. "Thank you." She looked back to Ashton and she noticed him wince in pain. "Here." Eva reached into the bag she was carrying and pulled out a hankerchief. She handed it to Ashton. "For your lip. You can squeeze my hand or something if it hurts a lot."

[Professor Ashton Laurent]

Ash smiled, "Thanks." he wiped away the blood and lay the handkerchief down. His wrist really hurt, but a part of him, the part that remembered what his father was like, was urging him not to cry or he'd get in trouble.

[Archibald Nish]

Archibald re-entered the room, leaving the door to his office open behind him. He was carrying two vials: on was small, no bigger then an average thumb and gold; the other was circular, the size of Archibald's fist, and a dull dark green colour. He marched to the bed Mr McLane was sitting on and set the two vials on the bed side table and turned to the two students. His eye was drawn to the cut on Ashton's lip and sighed before looking to the two vials.

Stretching out his hand, Archi took hold of the circular green vial and began to pull the cork out. "This is for the pain, Mr McLane," Archi said, his brow furrowed in concentration, "you should no longer feel any pain anywhere in your body. It is a particularly strong brew so one small sip should do." He held the vial out for the young man to take.

[Professor Ashton Laurent]

Ash nodded his thanks as he took the vial, he took a sip, wincing at the strong taste. The pain in his wrist instantly faded from an agonizing burn, to a dull throb.

[Archibald Nish]

Archibald watched the boy drink the potion. He was non-specific about the potion itself. This was because he felt it led to an expectation on the potion; saying nothing was better in his opinion. The sip went down and Archi quickly took the bottle from Mr McLane. He pushed the cork back into the bottle and set it down on the table next to the smaller bottle.

Turning back to the boy, Mr Nish took the few steps to close the distance between him and the boy. "I'm going to set the bone, now," he said, straight forward and to the point. It was always his way to be upfront about things. "You may feel a slight twinge but because of the potion it will be no more then a slight ache."

He took Mr McLane's wrist in his small hand and lifted it up. He felt along the wrist, feeling for the break. Archi had reset many bones and this was no different. Feeling where the break was most likely to be, Archibald pushed on his hand so that it was straight again. "Hold the wrist exactly like that, Ms Mystri," Archi said, holding the wrist with his fingers on his pulse. It was hurried and that was to be expected.

Quickly, reaching for the thumb sized bottle, Archi pulled out the cork and began to bang it against his hand. A light, creamy cream flopped limply into his hand. He handed to golden bottle to Mr McLane, then rubbed to cream with both his hands before rubbing it into the swollen flesh. "This will nit the bone together and take down the swelling so apply it every fifteen minutes for the next ... lets make it two hour." Archi looked at his hands, before snearing at them. "I prefer this method myself, it is both effective for the swelling and the bone-mending."

[Professor Ashton Laurent]

Ash nodded, and took the golden vial. "What made you decide to be a healer Mr. Nish?" he asked.

[Archibald Nish]

Archi lifted his cream covered hands to his nose and sniffed. The strong minty smell of the cream clung to his nose and he's face contorted in disgust. He didn't like mint. She walked to the desk on the other side of the doors to the Hospital Wing and the basin on it. He plunged his hands into the water that was now filling it and he washed his hands free of the cream. Not only did Archibald not like the smell of the cream nauseate him but a special cream that healed broken bones was not healthy for someone with nothing in need of healing.

Picking up the towel next to the basin, Nish began to dry his hands and turn back to the two students. The question that was posed was an odd one, in Archi's point of view. What would it matter why? he wondered. Nevertheless, Archi hung the towel over the back of Eva's chair and thought about it. "I'm not sure," he said slowly, running a hand thoughtfully over his beard. "It has just always been the one thing I've seen the most satisfaction in doing. I was always intrigued by the human body and how it worked. My Father was a doctor, so he was always telling me about cases he had and such and I was always most attentive. Your profession chooses you, if you ask me. Maybe not what you start out doing but once you get rolling it's clear where your heart lies."

[Professor Ashton Laurent]

Ash nodded, "Too bad my dad didn't do something with his life." he muttered darkly. "Oh wait, he does, he uses me for a punching bag! Whoop-de-do! What fun!" he said in an overly cheerful voice, laced heavily with sarcasm. Ash sighed, "I'm just glad I only have one more year left with him, although the fact that he's here at the school right now, doesn't exactly brighten things up. And I'm rambling aren't I? Sorry, I tend to do that alot."

[Archibald Nish]

Archi shook his head at Mr McLane. "Such bitterness rottens the soul, Mr McLane," Archibald said in his customary growl. He didn't have much else to say on the matter but knew that there was little to be said if, as he said, he often rambled on like he just had. He was certain that with all the smiling faces he had seen around the school he would have heard everything already.

Remembering the report he would eventually have to fill in, Archibald, looked from the one student to the other before asking, "and what houses are you two in?" It seemed a perfectly acceptable question as neither were in robes, it being a Saturday and all.

[Professor Ashton Laurent]

Ash shrugged, "True." he admitted. "I'm in Ravenclaw." he replied in response to Mr. Nish's question.

[mystri]

Eva did as Mr. Nish instructed. She held her fingers against Ash's wrist and looked back over to Mr. Nish, to make sure she was doing it right. She remained silent throughout most of their conversation, but that was her way. Eva didn't talk much, unless the situation commanded it.

She looked back to Ashton as he spoke of his father. His voice sounded too bitter, too hateful. Eva held back her wince. She hated conflicts like this. Maybe she was just oversensitive to emotions.

"Hufflepuff sir." Eva murmured in her usual soft voice. She shifted slightly in her seat and held her fingers lightly to her throat. It was starting to become a habit of hers.

[Archibald Nish]

Upon finally receiving his answer, Mr Nish made a mental note about their houses. He remembered having to give his own house name when questioned. It had been many years since he had owned to that but he still remembered those happy days well. He nodded in response to their speaking as a sign of understanding.

"When I attended here, I was also in Ravenclaw," Archibald said, nodding while making eye contact with Mr McLane. Then he looked at Miss Mystri with what might have been called a smile on his rough face. "Though my first kiss was with a Hufflepuff." It was of little consequence to the two children, he knew but it seemed to follow his thought pattern.

[Professor Ashton Laurent]

Ash grinned. "Ravenclaw's the best. Of course I am being a bit biased. But isn't everyone a little biased towards their House?" He frowned, "Sir, if you don't mind me asking. Did you ever get laughed at or picked on in school, because of your height?"