Troubles will come, and they will pass ¦ Ophelia

[Duke Daniel Jones]

The last month or two had been a blur for Duke. People had always told him studying to be a healer would be hard work; but he had never truly believed it would be so bad. Of course there was nights out like any old uni student, but there had been so much work put in behind the scenes. Studying had never been terribly hard for him, but trying to fit in with everyone had been a little bit harder. He had grown up in the muggle world and had done his magical schooling privately later away from his peers after his Mum had wanted him to have a 'normal' childhood. He had found a few mates in classes, but nothing had set in stone yet; everything still felt awkward.

There was no easier time to throw himself into her obligated volunteering hours needed to pass his first year. The obvious choice had been the LIFE medical wing. As well as getting his hours signed off without having to go far; it would get him experience here and there that otherwise he might not get.

It was early enough on a Saturday morning, but he was fresher than he had been in weeks. Apparently they had been pretty desperate for the help, but as his mam and granny Annie had said; it would never hurt to make a good impression. Also he was nervous enough. His only experience with Healing was being on the other side of it when he had sat at the side of Winnie's bed when she had been unwell last year. As he entered the Medical Wing, tail between his legs, he repeated the name of the girl he was to ask for. He stood at the desk awkwardly and tried to catch the attention of the vapid receptionist.

"Uh...sorry love, I'm here to see Ophelia Teller please"
 
Ophelia Mae Teller

[Ophelia Mae Teller]

Ophelia had found a wonderful rhythm to her days in the Medical Wing. She woke up early to breakfast made by her paid (Ophelia made it VERY clear to anyone who asked that Pippi was NOT her idea, but did not want to turn her out) house elf most days, except on Saturdays which Ophelia insisted Pippi take off. On this Saturday, the old Hufflepuff Common Room had proffered visitors a wide variety of breakfast pastries, including almond croissants, which she had fallen in love with on a trip to Paris with some friends years earlier. She had eaten one right there and then, but they had been so delicious and she had taken one for her walk up to the Medical Wing. Looking to make sure nobody was watching, Ophelia licked the powdered sugar off her fingertips before washing her hands.

As she came out of the washroom, she heard someone asking the receptionist for her. Bustling over, she smiled widely at the younger student. “Welcome! Mr….Jones, right?” she said, her eyes flicking down to the list of volunteers that morning. Duke Jones, Third Year Healing. “You’re the first one here,” she added brightly, ushering him past the receptionist into the hallway. “Well, we have a few in-house patients today for very different reasons, so why don’t we start with my rounds? I’ll need to check on them, and anything they need doing I do,” she told him. She gestured for him to follow her, and she swept up the hallway, stopping before a wooden door. She knocked twice, then entered. “Good Morning Mr. Twiddle,” she called pleasantly, though the man in the bed did not respond. He couldn’t of course; he didn’t have a head. She turned to Duke and whispered‘Vanishing Sickness, he’s through the contagious bit though, that’s why he’s here with us.’ She smiled and tilted her head. “I think I can see a little bit of your nose Mr. Twiddle, you’ll be back with us in no time,” she told him encouragingly. Indeed, it looked as though there was a hint of a nose covered in a Disillusionment Charm. Ophelia would always be positive towards her patients, no matter the outcome. “Now,” she said, turning to Duke. “What would you do as someone who just wants to help?” she asked him. She wanted him to think like a person and not a Healer in this instance; anything medical that could be done would be by Esther.

Duke Daniel Jones

[Duke Daniel Jones]

As cool and collected as he was on the outside; on the inside Duke was a mess. No, this didn't count towards his grades but it was his first experience with real life patients and he was cacking himself about it. His lopsided grin at the receptionist seemed confident, but it would be soon wiped away when the woman, Ophelia apparently, approached him with a wide smile. She seemed to embody the healing vibe that was oozing out of the walls in the wing and is nerves were somewhat put at ease as she stepped towards him. He opened his mouth to respond, but what he was going to say died in his throat when she read his name off her sheet. Instead he nodded and licked his bottom lip, a nervous tick of his.

"Duke, just Duke is fine" Restlessly his eyes darted around and eventually settled back on Ophelia with another simple nod. His grades so far had been good, now it was time to put his bedside manner to the test her supposed. He followed her without saying much else. He'd always been someone of few words. Now he didn't really know where to look or what to do, he really was at a loss for words. He decided for now it would probably be just as well to stay quiet, take it all in as much as he could. His long strides matched Ophelia's easily and following her as she hurried along the hallway, he wondered for a moment just what 'rounds' entailed. Surely, he'd find out soon.

Silent as he stepped into the room behind Ophelia, he thought he'd try and blend in with the background as much as possible. Melting away into nothing, to be seen and not heard. He paused and looked down, wiping his sweaty palms on the legs of his trousers before looking up and making a gaffe. He had not been expecting the headless horseman in the bed on front of him, His mouth had dropped open and a noise of exclamation had started to subconsciously escape before Duke was able to wrangle it and turn it into something between a strangled cat, and an old man clearing his throat rather tremendously. Firmly he bit down on his bottom lip, trying to entirely shut himself up, and tried to hide his wide eyes. "Mornin' " he eventually managed to mumble, cheeks flaring. When Ophelia started explaining to him what the hell was going on, he wordlessly listened, nodding.

"I see.." it was flippant phrasing on his part, something he said in every day life to confirm or acknowledge he understood something. When he realised what he had said, the juxtaposition of that phrase paired with vanishing sickness, where you couldn't flipping see the person, well he wanted the ground to open up and swallow him. Again his cheeks flared a darker shade of crimson and it didn't help when Ophelia actually asked him what he could do to help the situation. Really? Well not make a fool of himself as he already had would probably be good. But that probably wasn't the answer she had in mind. Instead his mouth hung open again

"Well uh...humanise people I guess. When my auntie was a patient before I didn't like that people forgot she was a person. That aint nice...so just chat to them and that I guess.." he spoke in a mumble, not entirely confident in the answer he was giving. Nothing could be correct really, not after he messed up so bad. God he needed to get out of that room. Maybe there was some bed pans or something he could go and scrub instead.

Ophelia Mae Teller

[Ophelia Mae Teller]

Ophelia’s expression softened at Duke’s answer. “That’s very good,” she said softly, nodding her approval. “Remembering our patients are living, breathing human beings sounds simple enough of course, but it never is. There are many reasons for that, but it is essential to remember. Our friend here,” she gestured to the man on the bed. “Is unable to answer us, but I like to believe he can hear. Though I am sure he understands his condition is…surprising at first.” She gave him a sympathetic smile, then turned back to his chart.

“Our patient works at the Ministry for the Department for Regulation of Magical Creatures, Beast Division.” Ophelia looked over at Duke. “Now, let’s remember that Vanishing Sickness is caused by a magical bug, and is contagious from human to human. But, if our patient works primarily with the Beast Division, he’s mostly handling magical creatures at a close proximity.” She paused, waiting for the information to sink in a bit. “So, the question then becomes, how did he get infected?” Ophelia tapped at the top of the chart, which marked the date, time and location of Mr. Twiddle’s Vanishing head. “Three weeks ago, in the village of Aranshire, just south of the Hogsmeade Train Station. With that added information, how do you think he became infected?” They would of course be able to verify this information once Mr. Twiddles head reappeared and he could speak, but she liked challenging the younger interns to think critically.

Duke Daniel Jones