Tissues littered the first year Hufflepuff male’s dorm room. They covered the floor, the desks, and an ungodly amount was piled around a very icky looking boy tucked tightly in bed. It had been two days since the boy’s unfortunate accident in the dark lake, and in that time Paetyn had only gotten out of bed to go to the loo. He hadn’t even gone to eat, one of his dorm mates brought him food up from the great hall. His face was very pale, with dark circles under his eyes, with deep bags, representative of the lack of sleep he’d had. Feeling hadn’t completely returned to his fingers and toes, and where feeling had returned, he wished it hadn’t. The pain was severe.

With a resigned sigh, he pushed himself from the bed and staggered when he tried to make his way to his trunk. He managed to remove his heaviest cloak, a jacket, scarf, gloves, extra socks, and his heavy boots and bundled himself up as tightly as he could manage. As he walked to the common room a hacking cough overtook his body and he had to pause until the phlegmy coughs subsided.

The dark halls in the dungeons terrified Paetyn, absolutely certain that the giant squid was hiding in every shadow, or that a kappa was about to drag him into the depths of the dark and hold him forever. He quickened his pace, and made it outside before another racking cough shook him to his core. He spat mucous-y fluids on the ground and wiped his mouth with the back of his glove. Every breath of wind was terrifying, every laugh in the distance was evil cackling, trying to capture the young Hufflepuff forever.

He ran the last few feet to the Hospital Hut, and ran into the large waiting area, screaming at the top of his lungs. He was out of breath, though he couldn’t have been running for more than twenty feet or so, and his screams subsided rather quickly and turned into gasps for air. Paetyn was not doing well, not doing well at all. He probably should have come to see the healer right after he got out of the freezing waters, or maybe even the day after, but waiting for two days in stubborn hope that he’d get better on his own was obviously not the right choice.

The multi-earthen-colored woolen blanket trailed on the floor, pooling in mounds around the Healer’s feet.  The evening had been a quiet one and, thus far, found Tulojow tucked into an easy chair at the small study area at the top of the second floor landing.  The only light in the room came from a small fire crackling quietly in the fire place and a single gas hurricane lamp on a small table next to the Healer.  The nib of Tulojow’s quill scratched softly across the page of the soft-worn, leather bound journal that lay open in the woman’s lap. 

The Hospital Hut’s other usual residents were already tucked into their preferred spots for the night.  Pippy, the Hospital Hut’s resident house-elf and assistant had long since disappeared under the covers of the four post, conveniently elf-sized dog bed. [1]

Kalie, the large, haughty golden eagle that served as Tulojow’s ‘owl’, sat on a simple t-stand by the open window with one large, scaly claw clutched around the perch.  The other leg and the bird’s curved beak had both disappeared into the depths of down and feather as the bird slept.

There was a soft bang from the floor below followed by a sudden, loud scream.  Both eagle and elf jerked awake, suddenly, sending a trail of pink sheets and a single feather falling to the floor.  Tulojow set the journal down on the table and drew a dressing gown over her night gown, crossing the study to the topmost stair.  As she stood on it, the stair sunk swiftly to the ground floor.  The Healer took one look at the boy and crossed the room towards him, flicking her wand towards the fireplace and bringing the flames back to life.

“Come, take a seat, dear.”  Tulojow reached out to place a gentle hand on the boy’s shoulder, guiding towards the couches by the fire rather than the exam table.  Only a few steps behind Tulojow, Pippy peeked a head through the kitchen door and, after a nod from Tulojow, retreated back into the kitchen.  “You look like you’re feeling a bit crummy.”

1.	Pippy's bed

Body-wracking, bone-aching coughs overtook the boy’s body as the woman placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. He looked up at her with pleading, baggy eyes and allowed her to guide him to one of the comfy couches. The shadows created by the roaring fireplace caused Paetyn to flinch in fear, imagining roaring dragons and flying phoenixes attacking from the flames. He clinched his eyes tight shut and calmed his breathing, stopping the phlegmy coughs out of pure willpower.

When he opened his eyes again, the room seemed to return to normal, except that it was revolving slowly, as if it were on a turntable. The young Hufflepuff swayed slightly as he looked up at the resident healer. He started shivering, though the warmth from the fireplace had the boy feeling toasty warm. His skin felt clammy and he started to break out into a cold sweat.

“Uh… I feel fine; I just wanted to know if you could make all the creepy people go away? They’re following me everywhere and also, does swallowing lake water turn you into a merman? Because I don’t wanna be a merman. I like being a wizard,” Paetyn offered the woman a tentative smile, though it was obviously just for show and didn’t reach his eyes.

Mouth curled upward in a sympathetic half-grin, half-grimace, Tulojow rubbed the young man's back as she waited for the coughing fit to pass.  She noticed Paetyn's flinches and followed the line of his sight towards the fireplace.  Something was, obviously, making the young man jumpy but, what it was, wasn't entirely apparent.  Brows furrowed, slightly, the Healer glanced once more between the young man and the fireplace.  "What is it?" she asked, though the current bout of coughing would delay any response. 

The Healer turned back to the young man and waited, patiently, until the coughing passed and he seemed to relax, if just a little.  Once the hacking fit subsided, Tulojow pushed herself to her feet and crossed the room to pull a thick, fleece blanket from the cupboards.  She draped the blanket over Paetyn's shoulders before sitting back down. 

Tulojow doubted very much that Paetyn felt fine though, given the questions that followed the self-assessment, she kept that to herself for the moment.  "Creepy people?" Tulojow repeated.  "What creepy people do you want to have go away?"  Though the second question was further confirming the likelihood of a case of homesickness, Tulojow knew better than to immediately assume that outright discredited any of the young man's concerns.  Students at Hogwarts had run into creepier situations before and muggleborn bullying wasn't unheard of, either. 

"No."  Tulojow answered, gently but firmly.  "You can not turn into a merman.  Not by swallowing water or by any other means.  You can catch an unpleasant cold," she nodded, pointedly.  "But, you will remain a wizard.  Did someone tell you that?"