Just after 8 o'clock in the morning

Tim Pepper, fourth year Ravenclaw, was a regular in the Hogwarts library. He was the sort of student who got straight onto his work rather than putting it off, ordinarily. However occasionally his sugar-powered girlfriend, Akira, could derail it with her boundless energy for little adventures.

Fridays were busy for Tim, with Muggle Studies, History, Transfiguration before lunch and Runes and Herbology after. However, he started his day with a lift, receiving a letter at breakfast from Healer Misslethorpe. He had sent an owl earlier in the week following an encounter in Hogsmeade. Tim and his cousin Eta, in the same year but a Hufflepuff, had been part of the SAWS protest outside Zonko's when Eta had taken a tumble. By chance the wizard healer had been passing by and stopped to help, and he was also a family friend - even if not one they saw all that often.

Either way, the letter had put a spring in Tim's step, and instead of taking a leisurely stroll back up the tower to the common room after breakfast in his free lesson, he had come straight from breakfast to the library, recommended book list in hand.

Recommended Reads for T Pepper

• Common Magical Ailments and Afflictions
  
• Golapott's Laws
  
• Flaming Bat Bogeys by Miranda Elliot
  
• History's Blisters - A Poxtionary
  
• The Healer's Helpmate
  

If not the library, ask if Healer Prince subscribes to Wand or Weed: A Healer's Digest

He approached the desk, suddenly realising he might have beaten Madam Williams from breakfast. They had spoken before, of course. Her silvery hair stood out amongst the students. He stalled and feigned interest in the front cover of the latest edition of HOWL on a nearby rack until he glimpsed her.

"Madam Williams? Good morning. How are you?" Tim was light in his step to approach her. "I wondered if you could tell me which of these books are in the library?" He offered up his neatly penned book list on St Mungo's headed notepaper.

"Oh! Hello Mister Pepper! I am well, I hope you are as well. A bit early to be in the library, but knowledge waits for no one!" The Librarian replied and chuckled, as she took the list from him. "Now. Let's see what you have for me. Alright. Let's see..."

She pulled out a quill and began to make notes, mumbling as she did so. "Flaming Bat Bogeys we don't have. I'm afraid too many students, Ravenclaws included, tried to cure themselves instead of going to the nurse. Depending on your reasons for wanting it," she raises an eyebrow at the student before her, "I could likely write a letter to the bookstore on your behalf. The Healer's Helpmate we don't have for the same reasons. History's Blisters - A Poxtionary we definitely have" she waved her wand and a book came flying into her hand which she placed on the desk. "Common Magical Ailments and Afflictions we have" she waved her wand again.

"Now Golpalott's Third Law is covered in NEWT level potions, so I believe Advanced Potion-Making references it, though you may want to ask your Potions Professor which book is the best reference to this. I'm also not the most comfortable handing this book to a fourth year."

She looked a bit wary and put it to the side. "If you get me written permission for this book, I will lend it to you. For now, these two books should do," she smiled at him and handed him History's Blisters - A Poxtionary and Common Magical Ailments and Afflictions. She can tell he was disappointed, so she patted his hand gently. "You know I'm the last to limit knowledge, but I need to have permission. If you were to try to injure yourself accidentally with knowledge I provided, I could not forgive myself. Bring me a note with permission from the Nurse or the Potions Professor, and I will provide you the books you need."

Madam Williams was happy to help despite the early hour. Tim beamed politely at her as she examined the list, though the longer she scrutinised it, the smaller his grin became in worry.

“Flaming Bat Bogeys we don’t have,” she explained, and Tim’s face fell, issuing a quiet ‘oh’. “I’m afraid too many students, Ravenclaws included, tried to cure themselves …” Fair dos.

“Oh, right, yeah, I suppose…”

“I could likely write a letter to the bookstore on your behalf?”

“Er…”

“History's Blisters - Common Magical Ailments …” the books flew to the desk with momentary delay, flying through the air as if by wordless summoning charm. Two out of four wasn’t bad, he thought to himself, ducking as the second book shot to her hand, though he was not in any danger of being brained by the volume.

“Now Golpalott's Third Law is covered in NEWT level potions… you may want to ask your Potions Professor which book is the best reference to this. I'm also not the most comfortable handing this book to a fourth year.”

“Right.” Tim was making mental notes, wondering if Professor Malfoy would be happy to discuss the laws with him if they were for NEWT level, rather than OWLs.

“If you get me written permission for this book, I will lend it to you. For now, these two books should do,” she smiled and patted his hand as he reached for them. Tim looked startled, but not in a terrible way, just surprised.  He nodded several times at her instructions about the note.

“I.. I can, of course.” He agreed, but paused, fingers wrapping around the top of the front cover of Common Magical Ailments, “but that list has been sent by the Deputy Head Healer,” he paused, eyes flitting from the note to her face and back again, “of St Mungo’s Hospital.” He meant it in the nicest way, as Tim wouldn’t dare cross a librarian - he was a Ravenclaw!

“I want to be a healer, see,” he explained and reached into his uniform robes for the letter from Healer Misslethorpe. “So I wrote to St Mungo’s.”

Miss Williams didn't take the note. "I'm very impressed and proud that you reached out to someone so high up at Saint Mungos. The references provided are even more special for that reason. Trust that I believe you and I understand. Healing is a fantastic and underappreciated field. However, I request permission from professors who are more aware of your skills rather than just your aspirations" she said kindly. "It is nothing against you or the Deputy Head Healer of St Mungo’s Hospital, but they are unlikely to know fourth year students and their capabilities. Speak with Professor Malfoy, see if he will provide you a note. Explain your reasoning. If he refuses to even hear you out, come to me and I will speak to him on your behalf. You need to make the first attempt though."

She smiled and sent a nod to the Ravenclaw before her, sad to be blocking from certain books, but she had seen first hand knowledge of people studying and attempting things beyond their thoughts and capabilities.

Madam Williams stood firm to her spells.

“… I request permission from professors who are more aware of your skills rather than just your aspirations….” she explained. “Speak with Professor Malfoy, see if he will provide you a note. Explain your reasoning…”

Tim deflated a little at the prospect of speaking to the surly potions master. Malfoy wasn’t well liked by the students, and he had a particular reputation, of course. But Madam Williams had suggested she would also put in a good word after a first attempt, and Tim was never one to shy away from academic challenge.

“Alright,” he agreed, conceding, and taking half a step back, “thank you. I’ll speak to Professor Malfoy.” He gave her a polite nod. “But please can I take these for now?” He gestured to the volumes she had assembled for him.

Madam Williams smiled at the student before her.

"Of course, Mister Pepper. Bring me that note and I will have those books for you," she said with a wide smile. "Again, if you have problems, with the professor, let me know and I can talk to him myself. I understand he can be a bit... rough around the edges." She sent the boy a wink and marked the books as taken out from the library.

"Go on now! I look forward to your studies!" she waved him off and returned to her reading, peeking over her book at the students in the library to be sure they were behaving.