The Cure
The Cure
by Kaos/Keks
Beta: Batsutousai
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: sap (I think)
Summary: Harry’s training as a Healer, he just started his internship at St. Mungo’s when he meets Neville who’s visiting his parents. Now his only concern is finding a cure to help his friend’s parents...
Disclaimer: Kaos doesn't own Harry Potter and related materials. They belong to the wonderful JK. No copyright infringement intended.
A/N: Well I was lying in bed and thought: well I’d really like to read a story about Neville’s parents getting better. Why not have Harry find the cure? I mean, I think that they are both great friends and Harry knows how difficult it is to live without parents. So this idea built up in my head...
It was his second week at St. Mungo’s and Harry Potter was lucky that he wasn’t fired yet. He was a great doctor, the patients loved him and everything, but his teacher – Healer Monroe – thought that he wasn’t doing his best at all. He always seemed to walk with his head in the clouds and lacked the concentration he needed to become a Healer.
It was in the middle of his seventh year that he realised that becoming an Auror wasn’t his favourite career choice anymore. He had fought so many dark wizard – had even killed the Dark Lord – by then that he thought he'd had enough of it for the rest of his life. His best friend, Ron, hadn’t been very understanding - he had always thought that they would always be together, and now he had to become an Auror by himself. Even Hermione, Ron’s girlfriend, has chosen another career – she was becoming an Unspeakable – and that pissed Ron off even more.
But Harry thought that helping people was perfect for him. He didn’t want to get into politics, as Minister Scrimgeour has asked him to. He didn’t want to fight any more. He just wanted to be himself while helping people to become better. So he chose to become a Healing student and he graduated from Healing school as the top of his class. St. Mungo’s was eager to give him a job – not because he was Harry Potter – but because he was the most promising Healer-trainee in years.
On his second day at St. Mungos he just came out of a room of an old woman who had eaten something bad – of course he was getting the light, unspectacular cases in the beginning – when he nearly crashed into his old school friend, Neville Longbottom. As far as Harry knew, Neville decided to become an Herbologist – a career choice which Harry greatly supported. Neville was great with plants and knew nearly everything about them.
But on that day, Neville seemed sad and depressed. It was no wonder, though, as his parents were still insane. Harry had seen them the day before, as Monroe had given him a tour, and he had immediately recognized that there had been no improvement over the years.
Seeing Neville gave him a new destination – he would have to find a cure for the Longbottoms even if it was the last thing he would do as a Healer.
And that’s why Harry’s concentration wasn’t the best. He was always thinking, reading, researching about the Longbottoms. He told nobody about his plan – they would consider him crazy – the best Healers in the world had tried this task and nobody had come even close.
“Potter.” Monroe sneered – he was loosing his patience with his intern. “Would you kindly explain to me why you aren’t listening?”
Harry winced and smiled apologetically. “I’m sorry, I’ve been thinking about something. What was your question again?”
“I think it is time you go home for today, Potter.” Healer Monroe shook his head. “Tomorrow we will go to the dean and talk about your future. You may have been a good student in school, but that doesn’t allow you to become less concentrated. In the last two weeks, you’ve mixed up patients, lost both your and MY notes on cases, and have been late and tired all the time. You even fell asleep during a Healer’s meeting. I can’t stand it any more. You are a brilliant young man and I know you could do better than this, but at the moment you’re not bearable for this institute. I’m sorry.”
Harry sighed. “Healer Monroe, I’m... I’m working on something big at the moment. I’m really sorry if I’m not giving my best here, but my thoughts are always running around that project. If I can find a solution, I can help a lot of people, especially a friend of mine. Please give me another chance and I promise I will give you more concentration and I will sleep more! I promise! Just don’t kick me out. Becoming a Healer is the only thing I can think about at the moment. Please, I promise.”
Monroe looked at Harry for a long time. He really liked the young man. He was brave, intelligent and had a natural ability to make other people comfortable around him. But his lack of concentration was something you cannot have if you want to become a Healer. He sighed. “Listen! I will give you two weeks to improve your work. Then I will decide! And now go home; you look like you might fall asleep any moment.”
Harry seemed relieved. “I promise.” He turned around and hurried home.
--- --- ---
Half a year has passed. Harry had held his promise and was the best intern St. Mungo’s had at the moment. But he was still working on his project and – with luck – had found a solution. The only problem he had now was that he needed a Potion Master. There was a potion required in his solution and he knew he wasn’t able to brew it himself. He could brew easy things like Healing mixtures, but that was it.
He sighed. It was his free day today. He had considered going to less known Potion Masters, like Blaise Zabini, but he knew Neville was worth the best. And the best was no one other than his teacher at Hogwarts: Severus Snape.
He apparated to the gates of Hogwarts, which had been his home for so many years, and always would be. Someday he'd like to return to the castle to become the new Healer of the school. Someday...
He entered the Hogwarts' grounds. Pupils were sitting here and there, watching him with awe as soon as they recognized him. He didn’t care. All he cared about was finding his old professor and getting him to help.
He unfolded his map. A tap of his wand, a whispered, “I solemnly swear I am up to no good,” and a bit of looking and then he found him – in a teacher’s conference with everyone else. He sighed. That would be considered bad luck.
A few minutes later, he knocked at the staff room door and found himself nose to nose with a slightly annoyed McGonagall. “Hi, Professor,” He mimicked his younger self. “I need to talk to Snape.”
“Professor Snape.”
“Professor Snape. Of course. Why do I always forget that part?”
McGonagall smiled and moved out of the way. Harry entered the room and smiled at all the other professors who were smiling or waving. Only Snape looked like he’d just bitten into a sour lemon. “What do you want, Potter?”
Harry sighed. Snape would always be the same. “I will tell you all something, but I want it to stay in this room; nobody’s to know about it, at least not now. Professor, I need you to brew me a potion. You know my abilities in that subject.”
“Why should I do that?”
“Because it is one of the most difficult and most complex potions you will ever see.”
“What do you need it for?”
“You all know what happened to the Longbottoms. This potion, combined with a spell, will heal them. Please, Professor. I know you don’t like Neville or me, but I really need your help. You are the best Potion Master in the world. Please, sir.”
Snape watched the boy – no, the young man – before him. Potter had changed. He was no longer a brat who thought he was the best in the world. Perhaps he really was different from his father. “Show me the recipe, Potter.”
Harry sighed in relief. “Thank you so much, Professor,” he said as he handed the recipe to the professor.
“I haven’t said that I will brew it.” He studied the recipe. Potter was right, this potion would be a challenge – even for him. “I will do it, but not for you or Longbottom, just because I like a good challenge now and then. I will contact you as soon as I finish the potion.” He got up and left the room.
“Thank you, Professor,” Harry whispered before he bid the other professors goodbye with the promise to visit them again soon.
Harry sighed relieved. “Thank you so much, Professor,” he said as he handed the recipt to the Professor.
--- --- ---
Two month after his visit to Hogwarts, he received a package from his old Professor.
‘Potter,
'Consider this the only favour I will ever do for you.
'These two bottles contain the elixir you asked me to brew.
'S.S.'
“Thank you so much, Professor Snape.” He took the two bottles. He was on nightshift today and Healer Monroe was at home - no one would know if he tried it.
He sneaked into the ward that the Longbottoms were in and sat down between them. He sighed and prayed that everything would turn out all right, then he took one of the bottles and forced it into Alice Longbottom's mouth. Just a few drops was enough. He repeated the action with Frank.
“By Merlin... let this thing work!” he murmured before he took out his wand and began to recite a long and complicated spell.
“Thank you so much, Professor Snape.” He took the two bottles. He was on nightshift today and Healer Monroe was at home... no one would know if he would try it.
--- --- ---
“And now... POTTER!” Healer Monroe called. Harry had fallen asleep beside the Longbottoms, who were both sitting on their beds and looking around.
Harry fell of his stool and blinked a few times. “Morning, sir,” he murmured as he stretched. “The night’s over so soon?”
“The night’s over so soon? Why were you sleeping? And why here?”
“I...” And then he remembered. He stood and looked from Alice to Frank. Both of them were watching him. “Mrs. Longbottom, Mr. Longbottom, how are you feeling today?”
Healer Monroe frowned. “You know as well as I do that they don’t speak. They’ve been tortured to insanity.”
“I know... but...” He looked at the Longbottoms. “Please tell me it worked.”
“I don’t know what you did,” Frank said, startling everyone, even Harry. “But I’m feeling fine. At least, I think so. This hospital outfit is a horror. How can people stand that?”
Alice laughed. “Oh, shut up, Frank.” She looked over to Harry. “Who are you? And how did you do it?”
Harry smiled. “I’m so glad you are okay again. My name is Harry Potter...”
“THE Harry Potter?” interrupted Frank. “The son of James und Lily? You are so old.”
“I’m not old; I’m 25 years old – just like your son.” He smiled. “Neville and I are friends and he always seemed so depressed when he leaves here, so I decided to try and heal his parents. So I did research, and read a lot. I found a potion which could start the beginning of your healing - I even asked my least favourite professor, Snape, if he could brew it for me - but that wasn’t enough. I needed a spell. I researched and tried everything until I found it.” He looked over at Monroe. “This is the project I told you about. I’m sorry I fell asleep, but the spell drained my magic. I just needed to recover.”
“What’s going on here?” asked a strict voice from the door. An old woman and a young man about Harry’s age were standing there.
“Everyone leave, except intern Potter, the Longbottoms, and myself," Monroe said. The others left the room, leaving the four Longbottoms, Harry and Healer Monroe behind. “I think Potter has something to tell you.”
Harry smiled at the two standing Longbottoms. “No, I don’t think so. I think we should leave, sir. They have a right to catch up alone.”
Neville scowled. “What are you talking about, Harry?”
Alice got up from her bed, slipped into her slippers and moved over to Neville. He seemed awkward a moment but then he smiled. Alice stopped right in front of him. She too smiled.
“Mum?”
“You are so big,” Alice whispered, shocking Neville and his grandmother. “Last time I really saw you, you were just a baby. My baby. Oh, Neville, I missed so much of your life. I’m so sorry!” She clung to her son.
“What...?” Neville looked over to Harry and Monroe than at his father.
Frank also got up and smiled. “You should thank your friend here, Neville.” He nodded at Harry. “He’s found a way to heal us. He did it for you.”
Neville, who was now hugging his mother and was being hugged by his father, looked over to Harry, tears running down his cheeks. “Thank you, Harry.”
Harry just shook his head. “You’ve nothing to thank me for.” He smiled. “That’s what friends are for.” He looked at the family and felt at ease.
The End
