𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼𝗰𝗸, harry potter

˗ˋ 117

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED
AND SEVENTEEN
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-: fifth year :-

── IN WHICH AVIANA 
IS SUSPICIOUS

. . .

Unable to leave, the group followed the Healer down the corridor, watching helplessly as the Healer pointed her wand at the door of the Janus Thickey ward and muttered alohomora, and the door swung open and she led the way inside, keeping a firm grasp on Gilderoy's arm until she had settled him into an armchair beside his bed.

"This is our long-term resident ward," she informed Aviana, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny in a low voice. "For permanent spell damage, you know. Of course, with intensive remedial potions and charms and a bit of luck we can produce some improvement... Gilderoy does seem to be getting back some sense of himself, and we've seen a real improvement in Mr Bode, he seems to be regaining the power of speech very well, though he isn't speaking any language we recognise yet... Well, I must finish giving out the Christmas presents, I'll leave you all to chat..."

And the woman bustled away, leaving the group to look helplessly around the ward.

 It bore unmistakeable signs of being a permanent home, with many more personal effects around each of their respective beds. The wall around Gilderoy's headboard, for instance, was papered with pictures of himself, all beaming toothily and waving at the new arrivals. He had autographed many of them to himself in disjointed, childish writing.

As soon as Gilderoy had been placed in his chair again, he had pulled a fresh stack of photographs towards him, seized a quill and started signing them all with feverish intent, yet making his way through them particularly slowly, with an intent concentration.

Aviana was frowning as she watched the Healer make her way around. Harry raised his eyebrows as he caught her eye. "She's the worst person I have ever met." She replied.

"Haven't you met her before?" He asked.

"Yes... she didn't seem as..." And Aviana's head snapped towards the woman like a hound to the hunt before she could even finish her sentence, and Harry stared at her. "Didn't seem as..." Aviana repeated, although it seemed primarily to herself and Harry looked more than confused, following her gaze for a moment more before turning back to Lockhart.

"You can put them in envelopes." Lockhart was saying to Ginny, throwing the signed pictures into her lap one by one as he finished them. "I am not forgotten, you know, no, I still receive a very great deal of of fan mail... Gladys Gudgeon writes weekly... I just wish I knew why..." He paused, looking faintly puzzled before he beamed again and returned to his signing with renewed vigour. "I suspect it is simply my good looks."

Harry's attention drifted again; he didn't think he could take anymore of Lockhart's vanity, even after having so much time away from it. After a year of dealing with it, just a small amount seemed too much.

Aviana was still staring at the Healer. Ron was fiddling in his chair, Ginny frozen as Gilderoy threw signed pictures into his lap, and Hermione looked simultaneously sympathetic and breathless A sallow-skinned, mournful looking wizard in the bed opposite them, staring up at the ceiling as he mumbled to himself, entirely unaware of his surroundings. Two beds along was a woman whose head was covered entirely in fur. At the far end of the war, flowery curtains had been drawn around two beds to give their occupants and their visitors some privacy.

"Here you are, Agnes." The Healer said brightly to the furry-faced woman, handing her a small pile of Christmas presents. "See, not forgotten, are you? And your son's sent an owl to say he's visiting tonight, so that's nice, isn't it?" Agnes gave several loud barks in response, and the Healer turned to the mumbling man. "And look, Broderick, you've been sent a potted plant and a lovely calendar with a different fancy hippogriff for each month, they'll brighten things up, won't they?" The Healer bustled along to the mumbling man, setting an ugly plant with long, swaying tentacles on the bedside cabinet and fixing the calendar to the wall.

Aviana sat up, back straight in the chair. "Broderick Bode?" She repeated to herself, and Harry couldn't help but stare at her. The name flickered with recognition in his mind. "Excuse me -" She turned from the group and the Healer looked towards her brightly. "What plant is that?" She asked.

"Oh, just some Flitterbloom. Lovely, isn't it?" The Healer replied, before turning back to the ward.

"I... need the toilet." Aviana said, quite stilted, turning towards the door. "I'll meet you in the tearooms? She added, quite innocently and Harry nodded blindly, confused.

But just as she was leaving, the Healer turned to the two beds once shrouded in flowery curtains. "Oh, Mrs Longbottom, are you leaving already?" The Healer asked, and Aviana stopped in her tracks.

And each on of the group surrounding Lockhart turned slowly to the end of the ward.

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