Characters: Andromeda and Open Bellatrix Location: St. Mungo's Second Floor waiting room Time: Sunday night Summary: A much-needed breather Rating:Lowish? Language likely Status: Ongoing
Life on the contagion wards of the Magical Bugs and Diseases floor was quite different than some of the other areas. While the occasional tragedy befell the patients in the contagious areas, the true losses, as far as Andromeda was concerned, were felt in the wards catering to chronic illnesses.
Many patients, too sickly to be cared for at home, had been on the floor for years, and still others had spent their lives coming and going from the hospital as incurable conditions continued to flare.
Yes, Andromeda loved her job, she went home every day with a sense of fulfillment and pride, but there were some moments that were harder than others.
Today held one of those. A boy, no more than thirteen, who had been unable to return to school this year due to a condition he'd been born with, had passed on in the first hours of the night watch. Andromeda had been outside his room at the time, and couldn't have done anything even if she had made it in time.
As his parents had rushed into the ward and been taken to the lead Healer, Andromeda had slipped out to the empty sitting room and sank into one of the hard wooden chairs. Her hands were shaking as she put them over her face and sucked in deep breaths.