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Chapter 715: Response and Elixirs
Chapter 715: Response and Elixirs
Similar to St. Mungo's, the patients requiring long-term care here were housed on the top floor of the Hospital Wing. A large door separated the ward to prevent the patients from wandering off and encountering any danger.
After drawing her wand to open the ward's door, Molly led them inside. The walls on both sides of the corridor were a light beige color, as suggested by a few Healers who believed this hue could help stabilize the patients' mental state.
At the end of the corridor was the Longbottoms' room. Upon entering, Liam realized this room was quite different from the one at St. Mungo's. The latter was a purely clinical space with nothing but beds and bedside tables. In contrast, this room felt more like a hotel suite, complete with tables, chairs, and Christmas decorations, making it a much more livable environment.
"Now, this place is much larger than it used to be", Molly said. "So, we can provide a much better environment for our patients. In the past, at St. Mungo's, the lack of space made it impossible to expand, and patients had to be crammed together like sardines in a can."
It was just after lunch, and the Longbottoms, dressed in their pajamas, were quietly sitting on wooden chairs around a coffee table, enjoying their dessert: a small cake topped with canned fruit. A small incense burner on the floor was emitting wisps of smoke, filling the room with a faint, citrus-like aroma.
"The potions you sent have been working wonders. They are much better now. At least for the past week, they haven't had the sudden outbursts or screamed in the middle of the night and hidden under the bed", Molly explained. "In short, they are much calmer and in better health."
Hearing the voices, the Longbottoms looked up from their cakes, their eyes filled with curiosity as they gazed at Liam and Hermione standing behind Healer Melinda.
When they raised their heads, Hermione's grip on Liam's hand tightened. The two before them were gaunt, their eyes large and sunken, and their hair white and disheveled, like winter weeds.
"How did they come to this?" Hermione had seen old Order of the Phoenix photos at Sirius Black's place and found it impossible to reconcile the gaunt figures before her with the once-round, happy faces in those pictures.
"Soul damage often affects the body, especially when it comes to Dark Magic like the Cruciatus Curse", Liam explained. "The aftereffects of such Dark Magic have persisted for years, naturally leading to their poor physical condition."
"They are much better now", Molly reassured Ryan and the others. "In the past, they were constantly on edge and exhausted, but their mental state has improved. However, due to the years of suffering from Dark Magic, we can only use gentle restorative potions to address their physical weaknesses for safety reasons."
"Of course, with proper meals and rest, I believe it will take only a month or two for their bodies to fully recover", Molly concluded.
"That's wonderful news", Hermione said, a smile spreading across her face. "Now, let me give them a check-up."
"What—do—they—do—now?" Mrs. Longbottom, having finished her last bite of cake, tilted her head slightly and asked, her words slow and deliberate, like those of a child just learning to speak.
"Be good", Molly said gently, as if soothing a child. "These two are here to help you feel better. They are the ones who made the potions that cooled your heads and the spices that help you sleep well."
"Oh, I see." Mrs. Longbottom placed her hands on her knees like a child, sitting up straight. Mr. Neville, who was sitting beside her, quickly finished his cake, wiped his mouth with his sleeve, and sat properly in his chair as well.
"Alright, don't move." Hermione, who had now understood the situation, stepped forward and spoke in a soothing tone to the two patients, while slowly drawing her wand with exaggerated movements. "Don't worry, it won't hurt at all."
After calming the two patients, Hermione waved her wand and summoned a stool from under the cabinet, placing it in front of the Longbottoms. She then silently cast a spell, releasing a thin thread of blood-red smoke from the tip of her wand. She directed this thread to wrap around the bodies of the two patients in a series of circles.
As a specialist in Life Cycle Magic, Hermione had a significant advantage over Liam when it came to diagnosing and treating soul-related injuries. This was why she was conducting the examination instead of Liam, who was of a higher rank.
"How are they?" Liam turned to Hermione, who seemed a bit more relaxed now, and asked, "Is there a chance of recovery?"
"Yes, but—" Hermione hesitated, then lowered her voice. "The trauma has been ongoing for too long, so many of their memories have been permanently and completely lost. Even if we do our best to treat them, it will be difficult to fully restore them to their former selves."
"Can they recover some of their memories?" Liam's eyes widened in surprise. This was far better than he had expected. He had thought that if they could only recover enough to take care of themselves, it would be a significant achievement. Out of curiosity, he asked, "How much of their memories can be recovered?"
"Between 30% and 60%", Hermione said, closing her eyes to think. "And we won't be able to choose which specific memories are recovered, but regardless, it's better than forgetting everything completely."
"You're right", Liam nodded slightly. "Self-awareness is indeed very important. Alright, let's move on to the next step of the treatment. Which of the potions we prepared do you think would be the most suitable?"
"None of them are suitable", Hermione replied. "But if you combine the duration of the third elixir with the potency of the seventh elixir and make the effects as gentle as the second elixir, I think it would be just right."
"That doesn't sound too difficult", Liam said, turning to Molly. "By the way, Mrs. Molly, do you know where I can find a place to mix the elixirs? I need to prepare a batch that will be truly effective."
Molly quickly found them a suitable empty house. Within just half an hour, Liam successfully created the targeted potion by combining the elixirs he had on hand.
"Was this elixir very complex?" Hermione, who had watched the entire process and helped inject some soul energy, asked curiously. "I saw you summon the Rose Madonna and use very complex alchemy techniques."
"Well, not really", Liam said, holding a large bottle of a transparent, ice-blue elixir that emitted a calming aura. "Using the Rose Madonna just speeds up the process and makes it more convenient for me. Normally, when I make potions, I use various magical artifacts to ensure they can be produced on a large scale, so I have to develop a method that others can follow."
"But this elixir is specifically tailored for these individuals. Since there's no need to teach others how to make it, I just used the most convenient method", Liam concluded, then walked towards the door with the bottle. "Alright, give these to Mrs. Molly. Based on my assessment, if the Longbottoms take it continuously for a month, they should be able to escape their current state."
(End of Chapter)
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