27 Sep 2021, 08:41
Is There a Doctor in the School?
Thursday, 23 September 2021
It had been a super-busy period for Nigel. Since Monday afternoon, he had been trying to reach the Ministry of Magic to discuss things regarding his status as a foreigner in the United Kingdom area. After he managed to contact them, he was instructed to visit the Ministry in person, so he went there on Wednesday after lunch. Everything was all right at the end, but the stress had got the better of him.
It also had been weeks since he last slept well. Personal and social conflicts, work, and other thoughts he had in mind had cut his usual, healthy eight-hour sleep to just five or six per night.
Today was Thursday, and earlier Nigel woke up feeling exhausted. He had class last night, and could only go to bed when it was about three. It was almost nine when the 25-year-old woke up and he had no intention to sleep again, which means he managed to get a six-hour eye-shut again.
Three in the afternoon, and Nigel was in the Hospital Wing, waiting for Nurse Kelsey Brumby for consultation. Normally, the dark-haired man disliked visiting doctors or infirmaries, but he guessed it could not be helped today. All because he had had a headache since lunchtime and nauseous the whole day, and tonight he would have two classes to teach. So hopefully, Nurse Brumby or one of his assistants had a potion to help with this.
Well, thank goodness for healers. If there was something Nigel was not good at, it was potions. That, and paying enough attention to his health.
It also had been weeks since he last slept well. Personal and social conflicts, work, and other thoughts he had in mind had cut his usual, healthy eight-hour sleep to just five or six per night.
Today was Thursday, and earlier Nigel woke up feeling exhausted. He had class last night, and could only go to bed when it was about three. It was almost nine when the 25-year-old woke up and he had no intention to sleep again, which means he managed to get a six-hour eye-shut again.
Three in the afternoon, and Nigel was in the Hospital Wing, waiting for Nurse Kelsey Brumby for consultation. Normally, the dark-haired man disliked visiting doctors or infirmaries, but he guessed it could not be helped today. All because he had had a headache since lunchtime and nauseous the whole day, and tonight he would have two classes to teach. So hopefully, Nurse Brumby or one of his assistants had a potion to help with this.
Well, thank goodness for healers. If there was something Nigel was not good at, it was potions. That, and paying enough attention to his health.
@Kelsey Brumby
Let There Be Light
29 Sep 2021, 19:24
Is There a Doctor in the School?
The start of the school year had really been in August, for Kels. Other professors were around to supervise, but he had been working. Tons of kids in all the summer events and competitions being beat to crap, one foreign kid who tried to steal his medicine, and, OH YEAH, a huge explosion that killed people. Immediately after school had started, he put up ads for help from the student population. He could see why so many nurses before him quit, the only reason he thought it was slow before was because he didn't know about half of the stuff going on around the castle. People kept secrets here, and he hated that. He knew he could trust the students, though.
Speaking of young people, Kelsey was in the middle of one of his eternal cycles of inventory checking when one of his assistants told him a professor was waiting for him at his desk. There had been three new professors at the start of the year, but it wasn't even one of them, it was the new Astronomy teacher that had come in to replace Leo. Kelsey had noted how young he was, most of the staff was around Kelsey's age or older, but a few of them were still in their 20s. Besides that, they hadn't really talked. He seemed like a normal bloke, like the kind of guys he'd see walking around Cambridge. He did know he was American though, though it was starting to feel like half the staff was American at this point. (Not even close.)
Putting a clipboard down on top of other stacks of stuff on his cluttered desk, Kelsey then achingly lowered himself onto his squeaky chair across from the pea green one his new patient sat upon. Once he took his time getting his comparatively old bones settled, he'd give the newcomer a big smile.
"Hey, bud. What's yer name again? Nigel somethin'?" Kels scratched at his nose, some spores from the fungi cabinet undoubtedly having messed with it. "Also, what's wrong? Y'want some tea?"
Kels liked meeting new people, even though he knew most people just came here to get a potion they needed. He'd still jump on the opportunity to get to know him better, maybe he was rad? How would he know unless he learned more about him?
@Nigel Read
2 Oct 2021, 17:17
Is There a Doctor in the School?
"Read. Nigel Read," he answered the nurse's first question à la James Bond. He was not trying to be either funny or snobbish, but because of his deep love for theatre, reading, and storytelling, there were times when Nigel considered this was the way some people talked in their daily life. Besides, he was not putting on an act either; at this particular moment he felt comfortable saying out his reply this way and, seeing no harm in doing so, carried on with it. And then, assuming that the other man would need to note his name in a Patient Record Book or something, he spelled his surname for Nurse Brumby, "R-E-A-D."
Nigel was very good at remembering people's names as long as it was a name in a language he was familiar with. He was not, however, sure how to address the nurse. "Um... Nurse Brumby or Nurse Kelsey? Or...?" his voice trailed awkwardly just before asking with sincere slight concern, as he noticed the guy scratching at his nose, "Allergy?"
Nurse Brumby asked Nigel what brought him to the Hospital Wing that afternoon, and he offered tea as well. The professor was sure he meant well, but at the mention of tea, automatically he covered his mouth with a hand while his digestion spun like the Muggle washing-machine, his other hand pressing his tummy. Tea! The mere mention of any drink containing caffeine, like tea or coffee, made his head and stomach uncomfortable...
Controlling his breath, the dark-haired professor finally managed to reply, "Uh, I'm good, thank you. As what brings me here today..." He recalled the symptoms one by one. "Been having headache since lunchtime. And nausea since waking up. Threw up this morning, but just once, before breakfast. After breakfast I manage to keep everything down."
He hoped that there was a potion or anything that could heal him quick, or at least relieve the symptoms by tonight. He would hate to have to cancel classes.
Nigel was very good at remembering people's names as long as it was a name in a language he was familiar with. He was not, however, sure how to address the nurse. "Um... Nurse Brumby or Nurse Kelsey? Or...?" his voice trailed awkwardly just before asking with sincere slight concern, as he noticed the guy scratching at his nose, "Allergy?"
Nurse Brumby asked Nigel what brought him to the Hospital Wing that afternoon, and he offered tea as well. The professor was sure he meant well, but at the mention of tea, automatically he covered his mouth with a hand while his digestion spun like the Muggle washing-machine, his other hand pressing his tummy. Tea! The mere mention of any drink containing caffeine, like tea or coffee, made his head and stomach uncomfortable...
Controlling his breath, the dark-haired professor finally managed to reply, "Uh, I'm good, thank you. As what brings me here today..." He recalled the symptoms one by one. "Been having headache since lunchtime. And nausea since waking up. Threw up this morning, but just once, before breakfast. After breakfast I manage to keep everything down."
He hoped that there was a potion or anything that could heal him quick, or at least relieve the symptoms by tonight. He would hate to have to cancel classes.
@Kelsey Brumby
Let There Be Light
4 Oct 2021, 02:56
Is There a Doctor in the School?
As Nigel answered, Kels smiled and nodded, committing it to memory. His memory was usually pretty good, though it had not been the same since he started at Hogwarts. He didn't know what the cause was, his diet and sleep was fine despite the stress, and much of the last year he wasn't feeling very stressed at all. It was a problem for another time, he had too many patients occupying his brain to investigate something so vague. Though he wouldn't tease Nigel for his introduction, he did giggle a bit when he spelled it out. Useful, but it it reminded him of kindergarten for some reason.
He went on by struggling with how to address him, which led the giggles naturally into a hearty, good natured laugh. Long enough that he barely caught him asking after his nose. "Oh naw. Mushrooms. I was jes' checkin' on 'em." He explained, his small bout of laughter still alight in his voice. "Call me whatever y'want. Kels is good, even some of t'kids call me that."
Though tickled by Nigel's proper etiquette, he did indeed intend to treat him to the best of his ability. He'd furrow his brows at the reaction to the mention of tea, it was a favorite of many in the Eurasian continent, and rarely loathed. "You good mate?" It called to mind Leo's odd reaction to sugar, was this some kind of trend with Astronomy professors and delicate constitutions?
Regardless of if or how Nigel answered before, Kels would get tight-lipped when he started listing his symptoms. They were common ones, but a nasty combination that would rob anyone of their sleep and sanity. "Woah, that sucks, bro." Kels nodded sadly for a while, before lighting back up. "I'm guessin' you want me to... give you something for headaches and nausea, an' yer not jes'... tellin' me about yer day."
Kels flashed Nigel a wild look, like maybe he forgot what he was just talking about, before swiveling his chair around to open up the cabinet behind him. Headaches and nausea were common, so he needed to have the medicine as close and abundant as possible.
Once he had the cure, the ails would alleiviate magically, quick and painless, without the need to fundamentally change anything about his life to make things better. What Nigel did with his time wasn't Kels' business though, and he didn't like to presume things, when he could just ask. Not that his probing curiosity hadn't landed him in trouble in the past, but he didn't really care what people presumed of him either.
"This mornin' I woke up around 5AM and went out to forage. There are lots of great spots around the grounds for ingredients. I was trackin' some scents t'map out the territory stakes of the weasels in t'area, an' let me tell you... there are two real big stinkers out there. I've spent the rest of the day tryin' t'think of what t'name them." Kels mused on dreamily as he went through the motions of pulling out the potion and pouring out a precise measurement in a cup for Nigel to drink from. He had already noted Nigel's body type and age, so it was as appropriate a doseage as it could be. "Hows about you?"
@Nigel Read
4 Oct 2021, 15:30
Is There a Doctor in the School?
The nurse giggled at Nigel's introduction, but somehow the professor could feel that he was not laughing at him; rather, he was laughing with him. Besides, now he could also feel that his "suave" introduction contrasted with the awkward question of how he ought to address the nurse, and it was quite funny. Nigel managed to let out a small laugh at this, still mildly weak but it was genuine.
The blond man in front of him said that any name would be fine, and that some students actually called him Kels - clearly a short for his given name. "Kels," Nigel repeated, and smiled. "I like its sound."
After that was the tea-word incident, to which Kels expressed some concern over Nigel's reaction. The dark-haired man explained, "My body just doesn't generally response positively to caffeine, tea and coffee and the like. Not really the kind of sensitivity that causes racing heartbeat or headache, but typically I have trouble falling asleep in the evening after consuming caffeine, even if it's just a cup of tea at lunchtime. My grandma's the same." He did not think it would be necessary to talk about how the word itself was enough to make him feel sleepless and sick, so he stopped after the mention of his paternal grandmother.
Instead, the topic was shifted to Nigel's symptoms, and then about Kelsey's morning. The American noted how the Englishman had called him mate, bro, and bud even though this was just the first time they had a conversation. It was quite funny on one side - as far as the teacher could recall, no one had addressed him that way; it seemed that most people around him, even the ones he was closest to, preferred to call him by his name, or even more simple they "hey" him - but at the same time it was rather nice.
He also appreciated and enjoyed how Kels told him the story. Nigel loved stories, and he enjoyed telling them as much as he liked listening to and reading them.
But when he was asked how his morning was, Nigel did not have much to tell. "Oh, I didn't have a good sleep. Woke up at nine feeling sick, but very lucky to manage getting to the toilet bowl on time." It sounded terribly lame and pathetic compared to Kelsey's, and he felt quite ashamed about it.
Quickly, he changed the subject. "If - if some time in the future you're going to see the weasels again... can I join you? I'd love to see them myself." He said it a bit sheepishly, but with a genuine smile and real interest... he could already imagine how cute the two would be...
The blond man in front of him said that any name would be fine, and that some students actually called him Kels - clearly a short for his given name. "Kels," Nigel repeated, and smiled. "I like its sound."
After that was the tea-word incident, to which Kels expressed some concern over Nigel's reaction. The dark-haired man explained, "My body just doesn't generally response positively to caffeine, tea and coffee and the like. Not really the kind of sensitivity that causes racing heartbeat or headache, but typically I have trouble falling asleep in the evening after consuming caffeine, even if it's just a cup of tea at lunchtime. My grandma's the same." He did not think it would be necessary to talk about how the word itself was enough to make him feel sleepless and sick, so he stopped after the mention of his paternal grandmother.
Instead, the topic was shifted to Nigel's symptoms, and then about Kelsey's morning. The American noted how the Englishman had called him mate, bro, and bud even though this was just the first time they had a conversation. It was quite funny on one side - as far as the teacher could recall, no one had addressed him that way; it seemed that most people around him, even the ones he was closest to, preferred to call him by his name, or even more simple they "hey" him - but at the same time it was rather nice.
He also appreciated and enjoyed how Kels told him the story. Nigel loved stories, and he enjoyed telling them as much as he liked listening to and reading them.
But when he was asked how his morning was, Nigel did not have much to tell. "Oh, I didn't have a good sleep. Woke up at nine feeling sick, but very lucky to manage getting to the toilet bowl on time." It sounded terribly lame and pathetic compared to Kelsey's, and he felt quite ashamed about it.
Quickly, he changed the subject. "If - if some time in the future you're going to see the weasels again... can I join you? I'd love to see them myself." He said it a bit sheepishly, but with a genuine smile and real interest... he could already imagine how cute the two would be...
@Kelsey Brumby
Let There Be Light
18 Oct 2021, 19:58
Is There a Doctor in the School?
Kels would smile to squinting at Nigel's response, lots of other adults were so formal that nicknames bristled them. It was nice that Nigel was at least a bit laid back, he was already sitting squarely in the 'cool guy' category in his brain. He hadn't heard anyone say they liked the sound of it though. To him, it was just the quickest way to say it. Less time spent on saying a name, more time spent on other stuff!
Gladly, Kels received the information about Nigel's sudden revulsion to the idea of drinking tea. It was indeed another strange sensitivity. "Ooohhh, caffeine, huh? Yow, that's in some pain pills too. Good thing yer not a Muggle." Even though he listed sleeplessness as a symptom, not too uncommon with caffeine, he looked extremely uncomfortable. Kels was not known for tact, but he didn't like to intentionally make people feel bad, if possible. Okay, maybe if it was really funny, but it was only funny if it made both people were laughing in the end.
Nigel had quietly listened as Kels rambled on, neither interrupting nor seeming put off or bored. After having come back to his immediate presence from grabbing the potion, Kels would feel subconsciously grateful. Not everyone took him seriously, most gave him a limited modicum of respect but only tolerated him otherwise. Nigel, if Kels was reading his body language right, actually seemed invested in his words. That was nice.
"Awww, poor guy." Kels lamented, heartbroken. He wanted to reach over and pat him on the back, but was a bit too far away.
He nearly started to move on to asking him about his lifestyle more, to see if he could get down to why he was so sick after having just woken up, but Nigel started to go on, referring back to what Kels had said about his own day. He could hardly believe what he said-- that he would want to see the weasels himself. Though at first Kels' expression held still as he processed the thought, he promptly bellowed another laugh, slapping his knee.
"You wanna see those two? Those smelly brats?" Kels' continued mirth would be genuine and enthusiastic, so much of his life needed to be solitary, by nature of it not being pleasant conversation. He was used to having things like that waved off, not taken at face value like he meant them. "When t'cutest, most non-stinky weasel of them all is right in front you?"
Kels would point two big thumbs back at his own chest with a cheeky grin, this being the first time he got to brag about his exciting summer adventure partaking in the animagus ritual. Of course, it probably would have been intelligent to mention he was indeed an animagus, instead of just calling himself a cute weasel and expecting Nigel to understand.
@Nigel Read
26 Oct 2021, 11:09
Is There a Doctor in the School?
Kels talked about how caffeine was also utilised in the making of certain Muggle medicine, and even though Nigel did not know this or what kind of medicine he was referring to, this time the professor decided not to ask further question about it. He did not truly know why, but it seemed that he was not really into drugs or anything related to healthcare. Furthermore, he still felt a little off, so it was not very easy for his brain to concentrate on heavier topics such as this, although normally he would appreciate almost any new knowledge people shared with him.
The two young men talked about their mornings, and Nigel thought that Kel's was much more fun and exciting than his. Upon hearing that Nigel threw up earlier that day, the school nurse showed some sympathy, calling him a "poor guy". The American gave the Englishman an appreciative smile, but at the same time he felt kind of awkward, as he was not used to being a centre of attention outside classroom. It was not unusual for Nigel to give people his attention, but not receiving the same in return.
He was honestly glad when they shifted the subject on weasels. Kels told him that he saw two big weasels that morning, and because Nigel liked animals, he asked the nurse if he could tag along when another excursion for weasel-watching was on the way. Upon hearing this, the blond seemed to be amused; he laughed and called the weasels stinky whereas himself a cute and non-smelly weasel.
Nigel let out a little laugh, and then asked, "But why did you call yourself a weasel?" And then, realising that he had not taken his potion, lifting the cup, and swallowed it just after he jokingly said to Kels, "Good health."
The two young men talked about their mornings, and Nigel thought that Kel's was much more fun and exciting than his. Upon hearing that Nigel threw up earlier that day, the school nurse showed some sympathy, calling him a "poor guy". The American gave the Englishman an appreciative smile, but at the same time he felt kind of awkward, as he was not used to being a centre of attention outside classroom. It was not unusual for Nigel to give people his attention, but not receiving the same in return.
He was honestly glad when they shifted the subject on weasels. Kels told him that he saw two big weasels that morning, and because Nigel liked animals, he asked the nurse if he could tag along when another excursion for weasel-watching was on the way. Upon hearing this, the blond seemed to be amused; he laughed and called the weasels stinky whereas himself a cute and non-smelly weasel.
Nigel let out a little laugh, and then asked, "But why did you call yourself a weasel?" And then, realising that he had not taken his potion, lifting the cup, and swallowed it just after he jokingly said to Kels, "Good health."
@Kelsey Brumby
Let There Be Light
1 Nov 2021, 15:29
Is There a Doctor in the School?
Kels was a friendly person, maybe even too friendly sometimes, but for as little tact as he had when speaking his mind, he was still able to pick up on some social cues. Nigel was a shy guy, maybe even super shy. After talking about his bad morning, he seemed to shrink into himself and go quiet. He'd seen behavior like that before, it was like a fear response in animals. Diminish, shrink, hide. Kels knew he was not inherently threatening, especially not physically, but something had set Nigel off. As a nurse, he'd assume it was vulnerability. He saw it a lot.
So, he let it go for now. There were medical emergencies all the time, but some health issues needed patience. He wasn't going to be able to help Nigel unless Nigel let him in. Kels' whole job was assessing urgency, and with a bit of the potion to take with him, this was not urgent. Having that thought as Nigel knocked the drink back, Kels smiled and gave him two thumbs up.
"Because I'm a weasel. Oh- Animagus. You heard a'those?" Kels would take the cup once he was done, pulling out his wand and casting the spell with casual ease, "Scourgify. That's why I had'ta scout, weasels are reeeeeally territorial, so that smell is a big 'no trespassers' sign. I'm stinkin' up Hogwarts, myself. I'm sure they'd be jealous if they had any concept of jealousy."
Kels would point to the flask he had poured the potion from. "Y'feel sick again next mornin', jes' come straight here. I'll be sure not to put any you-know-what on soz y'don't smell it." Nigel had looked sick at even the mention of the word 'tea' earlier, so he hoped it was clear what he meant.
@Nigel Read
4 Nov 2021, 13:51
Is There a Doctor in the School?
As Nigel took all of his potion, Kels gave him an approving smile and two thumbs up, and Nigel smiled back as the professor found it amusingly funny. He kind of felt like he was a little boy once again, as if time had rewound twenty or more years; even though he was able to imagine adults gave each other approving gestures in such case (finishing one's potion or medicine), he still considered it more often performed to younger children. However, it was not that he did not appreciate what Kels did to him; to be honest, he kind of enjoyed everything.
After that, the school nurse answered Nigel's question on why he called himself a weasel. Kels replied that it was because he was an Animagus - an Animagus who took shape of a weasel. The teacher nodded. "I know about Animagus," he answered. Kels talked more about the weasel's nature, and Nigel laughed as he listened to the explanation regarding the animal's territorial behaviour.
"You like weasels very much, huh?" the American commented after the Englishman finished his story on weasels. And then, after a quick thought and decision that it would not hurt to share a little about his history, "I like animals, but I'm afraid I don't know much about weasels. When I was little, I visited my grandparents often, and they liked to take me out for a stroll in the nature. We watched animals, trees, rivers, and... well, many more. Everything."
Kels mentioned about the healing potion again, advising Nigel to return the following morning if he felt sick again by that time. The dark-haired young man frowned slightly. "Uh, I beg your pardon, Kels?" he said confusedly. "I thought this is a very good potion that can immediately cure simple illness, no?"
After that, the school nurse answered Nigel's question on why he called himself a weasel. Kels replied that it was because he was an Animagus - an Animagus who took shape of a weasel. The teacher nodded. "I know about Animagus," he answered. Kels talked more about the weasel's nature, and Nigel laughed as he listened to the explanation regarding the animal's territorial behaviour.
"You like weasels very much, huh?" the American commented after the Englishman finished his story on weasels. And then, after a quick thought and decision that it would not hurt to share a little about his history, "I like animals, but I'm afraid I don't know much about weasels. When I was little, I visited my grandparents often, and they liked to take me out for a stroll in the nature. We watched animals, trees, rivers, and... well, many more. Everything."
Kels mentioned about the healing potion again, advising Nigel to return the following morning if he felt sick again by that time. The dark-haired young man frowned slightly. "Uh, I beg your pardon, Kels?" he said confusedly. "I thought this is a very good potion that can immediately cure simple illness, no?"
@Kelsey Brumby
Let There Be Light
6 Nov 2021, 17:59
Is There a Doctor in the School?
Even though it should have been an obvious observation, Nigel's question actually gave Kels pause to think. Did he like weasels very much? He had only just done the ritual over summer while he was back at home in the Wicken Fen. He didn't know what he was going to turn into, given that the process if choosing was removed from the equation. Why he was a weasel, he did not know, but it wasn't the kind of thing that was completely random. It was supposed to be the animal that was most 'you'. He had been kept so busy since then, he hadn't had many opportunities to reflect on it yet. How could he, when there were kids losing eyeballs and getting chunks bitten out of them?
"T'be honest, I thought I were gonna be a frog. Or a beetle. Those were my guesses." Kels said, rubbing his chin with his whole hand while considering the ceiling thoughtfully. "I love it though. I get to run around like mad like I used to when I were little. Also, I can get into lil' holes an' stuff. Hard to say what it is exactly, but it feels right."
From there, Nigel actually started sharing some of his own life, even if it was just a small bit. Kels could totally see a little baby Nigel going on walks with his grandparents, the way he was so quiet and well mannered reminded him of those kinds of kids older people always loved. "Yeah, y'don't see weasels in the wild much, they are everywhere, America too, but they stay away from people." Kels suddenly squished his brows together, realizing how big 'America' was, the wildlife varied greatly depending on location. "What region of America did y'live in?"
When questioned about the potion, Kels threw up his hands. "That there treats headache an' nausea, not illness." From there, he'd cross his arms, ready to have this conversation if Nigel was going to be ready himself. "If y'want a cure, y'gotta tell me what's actually wrong. I can give you stuff that heals the leaves, but t'get at the root, I need t'dig."
@Nigel Read