Lethifold AU - Healer Examination
Roger's hand gave a little jerk as he scanned the parchment. "Pucey," he murmured and suddenly was far away back on the Quidditch pitch, years and years ago.
Dragging his mind back to the present he hurriedly scanned the healing record. There were several cuts, bruises, breaks, a few bad jinks and hexes. Overall, excellent health.
He sighed and nodded to the Apprentice to bring Pucey in. Hopefully this would go quickly.
*
Adrian really had better things to do than this. It was an utter waste of time, this yearly check up. He was healthy, more fit than most other Aurors in the force, and he'd fucking know if something was off.
But he wouldn't be allowed to stay in active service, if he didn't do this.
With a bored and slightly annoyed expression, he looked up as his name was called out. That expression didn't change as he followed the apprentice into the healer's office.
The name 'Davies' rang a small bell in the back of his head, but it wasn't enough to warrant more than a cursory thought.
Standing straight in front of the desk and the seated healer, Adrian awaited further instructions. The less he said, the better. He didn't feel like his usual discussions about his diet and habitual self-healing.
*
Yes, there's the same stoic emotionless expression he used to have back at Hogwarts... right before he nearly knocked me off my broom trying to steal the quaffle... Ah, he wants to pretend he doesn't recognize me? Fine.
"Good morning Mr. Pucey. How are you feeling? Please lie down on your back over here on the table." Roger gestured with his hand.
"I'll run a scan over you from head to toe with my wand. It shouldn't take more than fifteen minutes."
*
As their eyes met, Adrian hesitated. There was something vaguely familiar about that face. He was sure he'd seen the man before. The name once more resurfaced in his mind and his eyes stayed on Davies.
"Should I remove my robes?" Each healer worked differently, so he'd rather make sure now, before he laid down.
*
"Only if there's something you want to show me, or if there's something not in your record. Um... I know Aurors tend to do a lot of self-healing..."
Roger had done a lot of self-healing in the last ten years. Oh yeah, he knew all about the injuries and pain that a man wanted to hide away from the world, that a man wanted to make not exist anymore... so that he could pretend they'd never happened.
Roger glanced over the record again. "You have a ward mark from childhood, that trips the scans?"
*
When Davies' eyes once more met Adrian, a flash of recognition went through him, his brain clicking into the right slot. His eyebrows quirked.
Roger Davies, Ravenclaw git extraordinaire! Of course he'd be a healer! Already back at school he'd followed Pomfrey around like a little dog.
But it didn't seem like Davies recognised him, although now Adrian clearly remembered several painful close encounters on the Pitch. And even more instances of verbal abuse off the Pitch. At least when he hadn't ignored the always obnoxiously neat and all-knowing Ravenclaw.
Well, well, well... Adrian smirked, oh so tempted suddenly, to make a suggestive comment about whether he wanted to 'show' Davies something or not. Just to ruffle the peacock a bit.
You're so fucking childish, Adrian. But it could be so much fun!
"Yes, it trips the scans. Left upper thigh. It's basically harmless, warding off smaller animals. My grandfather crafted and cast it." Adrian got up on the examination table and stretched out fully. He folded his hands over his stomach and waited.
Should he say something? Just to see the reaction?
*
Something flashed through Pucey's eyes and Roger was unsure what it was, what it might mean.
Roger took hold of his wand resting on his ear and stepped to Pucey's feet. He performed his battery of diagnostic spells and ran his wand above each leg. The life force, and magical energy field were optimal, though the ward on his thigh was still active. Roger grunted softly as he ran his wand over it.
He sent in deep healing spells to correct and optimize bloodflow and clear out toxins lodged deep in muscle tissue, which was completely normal in people but rarely taken care of.
Standing beside the bed Roger slipped into deep concentration as he moved his wand over Pucey's genitals and organs, up his torso to his heart and lung area, correcting and optimizing various tissues. He scanned the near arm, then circled the bed and scanned the other.
Roger heaved a small sigh before scanning Pucey's brain and sensory organs. He scourgified his ears and stepped away with a laugh.
"You have one of the cleanest brains I've ever seen."
*
Adrian's eyes rested on Davies as the man worked. He could see now why he hadn't recognised Davies instantly. He looked more interesting ... better.
Just your taste, ey? No bloody way!
The ever so slight tingle of magic running over and through his body was rather distracting, and he had to fight to keep himself from giggling as it passed highly ticklish areas. Gods, that would've been embarrassing.
But then he did jerk, as the scourgify hit his ears.
"Hey!" he sat up on the bed and looked at Davies with slightly narrowed eyes.
"Of course my brain is clean. Why wouldn't it be?" Was that some sort of strange healer humour? Or was it just Davies humour?
*
Roger blinked his glamoured blue eyes. He'd just complimented the man, and Pucey acted insulted.
"I meant... it's neatly organized and not full of tiny pockets of ... inefficiencies... You probably rarely have headaches if at all... It's a good thing."
Now get out of my hospital ward, you snake in Auror's robes.
Just like at Hogwarts, the sod still got upset over nothing.
Roger gritted his teeth. "That's it. We're done. Unless you have any questions."
*
"Ah..." So it hadn't been humour. But it would help if he'd spoken in a way normal people could understand. A 'clean' brain...
"No, I don't have headaches, unless I've had more alcohol than I should. Which happens occasionally." Adrian slid off the bed to stand in front of Davies.
Still smaller...
He looked down at the healer, somehow almost able to feel the handle of a broom in his hand. Like all the times they'd faced off on the Pitch.
"You've gone far since school, Davies..." Further than Adrian, if you looked strictly at status. But he was intensely proud of his own accomplishments and place in the Auror force - even if being a trained Hit-wizard wasn't exactly something you flaunted. But somebody had to do the job, and he was damned good at it. When it was required. Which it fortunately hadn't been for a very long while.
*
Roger snorted and quirked a half-smile. "As have you, Pucey."
The man was still too tall and intimidating as hell.
He wished... In another universe he'd be asking the man to take out his ex-wfe. The woman should be put down like the mad dog she was.
He couldn't regret marrying her because he had two beautiful children as a result... well, every other weekend, he had two beautiful children... He could regret her violent split personalities, her lying and conniving, and the way wizarding court automatically assumed that children belonged with their mother. Hmmmm, maybe Pucey would be willing to 'hit' his barrister who'd lost him custody of his own children in the divorce.
Roger shook his head, trying to stop the unpleasant unproductive thoughts.
"How are things with the Ministry?"
*
"Bureaucratic and slow as usual." Slow was good, to be honest. But sometimes he wouldn't mind something more challenging than a simple murderer or some mad hatter on a hexing-rampage.
Nice smile. The stray thought put a small smirk on Adrian's lips.
You really need to get out more, Adrian.
"What about St. Mungo's? I haven't been lucky enough to be sent here for quite a while."
*
Roger snorted. "Oh the usual here as well. Children get hold of their parents' wands and give each other screaming boils and purple bat bhogeys. Idiots order venemous tentacula and then come here covered in poisoned scratches. It never ends."
And because he'd given up his advanced studies to get a paying job as a Healer to support his family, that's what Roger was stuck dealing with day after day.
He regarded Pucey a moment, feeling a perverse desire for self-torture, like ... inviting him to lunch...
"I really hated you at Hogwarts... on the pitch anyway... as I look back now though, I realize it was envy..."
He waited to see what the Slytherin would make of that.
*
One of Adrian's eyebrows quirked sharply in surprise.
"Why on earth would you envy me?" The hatred... well, he could understand that, although for Adrian it had been more annoyance, competitive antagonism ... and of course, a feeling of superiority towards Davies' bloodline.
* Roger took a breath and raised his eyebrows. "You were a better Quidditch player, better in DADA, better in a lot of things... you possess ... characteristics that I... sorely needed... and didn't have."
Like cunning, suspicion, ambition, manipulation... things his children needed him to develop if he was going to wrest their control from their psychotic mother.
He smiled, embarrassed. "I haven't really thought about Hogwarts in years, but seeing you...kind of brings it all back."
*
Adrian had a small 'huh' moment, at Roger's words. He hadn't realised Davies was so ... insecure. He'd always seemed so totally confident and sure of himself and his skills, taunting Adrian.
You taunted him too, and took every opportunity to rub his nose in something you were better at, didn't you? Especially if that 'nose-rubbing' involved a tumble from the broom or embarrassment in front of people.
"Neither have I." There had been plenty of other things occupying his mind after all.
"Those were eventful years. Are you still playing?" The smirk returned to his lips. He wasn't even referring to the second war against Voldemort.
*
"Playing? Quidditch? Oh hell no!" Roger laughed, caught off guard by the question. He couldn't remember the last time anyone even asked how he was doing, and waited around for an answer.
The messy divorce... the horrible things she'd said about him... the court's decision... labelled him a pariah amongst those who knew him... and had stolen his self-confidence.
"I've been here at St. Mungo's. Five years of training then did my residency up on the Isle of Lewis, trying to give a little back to my home community. I was going to..."
come back and study for three more years, but that's when she used a finite on my contraceptive charm and got herself pregnant...
"Then I married and got a good job here."
*
In spite of the laugh, there was something in Davies' eyes that told Adrian, things hadn't been entirely good. And that interupted sentence... What had Roger been planning after his residency? And he'd always thought Davies would go further than being just a healer. He'd been madly ambitious enough.
"Married, ey? Not that I'm surprised. Always the ladies man." Adrian waggled an eyebrow slightly, smiling.
It was definitely easier to talk to Davies now. Of course, old rivalries were pointless at this stage in life, and both of them were mature and adult enough to carry on a conversation.
At least you're good at pretending you're mature and adult.
*
Roger grunted and rolled his eyes. Yes, he'd been the ladies man way back when. Wrapped around ladies' fingers...
"Married, two kids, divorced," he shrugged. And done with the opposite sex. "Aaaaaand locked into a 30 year mortgage on a house I can't live in." Realizing he'd said way too much, especially during an office visit, Roger tucked his wand behind his ear and crossed to the door.
"Well, you're in extremely good health and I have three more Aurors to check before lunch. Glad you're doing well, Pucey."
*
Adrian's eyebrows quirked again. Davies had been busy ... but what the hell did you say to something like that? They'd never exchanged more than a couple of remotely polite words in their life, and now he'd been served a rough overview story of Davies' life in less than five minutes. It seemed Davies had the ability to render him speechless today.
That wouldn't do.
"Well, I can't say I've had neither wife, children nor house."
This isn't a bloody competition!
"But I do have a standing reservation at the Golden Broom, if you'd care for lunch."
You didn't just invite Roger Davies to lunch, did you? He had ... he really really needed to get out more after these last couple of months, where they'd been nothing other than work.
*
"Ah, no witch has got her claws in you? Good for you!" Roger smiled, then his eyes widened. He stuck a finger in his ear and juggled it around.
"I'm sorry. I'm hearing things. It sounded like Adrian Pucey just invited Roger Davies to lunch at the Golden Broom." He chuckled.
"Once I finish up, I'm free. Want to meet there at 1? And then you can tell me how it is you have a standing reservation."
*
No wizard either...
Adrian chuckled lightly at Davies' teasing disbelief.
"The worlds' come to an end, I know. I'll be there at 1." He would have time to finish those dreary reports then, sadly.
*
"Good. See you then."
Roger completed the Auror's physicals, dictated his notes with a quill, and informed the ward nurse that he was leaving for the weekend.
He changed out of his hideous lime green robes and put a jacket on over his blue silk waistcoat. Oddly nervous nad excited, he apparated over to the Goldren Broom and trotted up its front steps.
"Table for Pucey?" he asked the hostess.
*
Adrian nodded and left the office and the building. He'd never liked it at St. Mungo's. It gave him the creeps to be honest.
Not that the Ministry was much better, but at least it didn't smell bad. Only in the cafeteria, when the cook had a bad day. A cabbage day.
The office was empty, except for the ever busy, ever devotedly working Quirke, who was deeply buried in the numerous stacks of files on his desk. Quirke didn't even notice Adrian, and Adrian didn't disturb the younger man. He'd probably just start talking about what interesting facts he'd found in that and that case.
With a sigh he sat down in his cubicle and dug our parchment and quill. You had to give credit to the Muggle crime fighting. Computers and databanks was incredibly more useful than the labyrinth holding millions and millions of files down in Records.
Nifflers will fly before the Minister will channel money into this department for Muggle computers. And who's gonna operate them? Adrian snorted softly and started writing out the reports he'd been putting off.
Adrian was done a bit later than expected, but had just time enough to get to the Golden Broom in time. Leaving his black Auror robe behind, he left the Ministry with brisk steps and Apparated to the restaurant. The weather was warm enough for a shirt and trousers.
He gave Jane a dazzling smile when he entered "I'm expecting a Mr. Davies for lunch."
She smiled coyly and nodded "I'll show him to your table."
"Thank you, Jane." He leaned in and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
Jane giggled softly, trying to keep herself from blushing as she busied herself with folding napkins with her wand.
Adrian smiled and went over to his table. Not one of the best, but it was always there for him. The restaurant was fairly busy this Friday lunch and he saw several faces he knew, which he greeted with a small nod. No time for idle conversations today.
Jane looked up from her napkins as another entered the restaurant, and approached him.
"This way, Mr. Davies." He seemed slightly familiar, but even if he'd been at Hogwarts, he would've been several years ahead of her. She showed him to Adrian's table and left them.
"Hello again, Davies." Adrian looked up at Davies with a smile and gestured for him to sit.
*
"Pucey," Roger nodded as he sat down. "Ah lunch at the Broom," he said expansively, smiling. "I've been away too long."
He picked up the menu. "I used to eat a Three Hoops Platter all by myself in one go. So tell me, how do you rate a permanent reservation?"
*
"A Three Hoops is good." Adrian commented, then raised his glass of water to his lips.
He took a sip and looked over the edge of the glass, a smug expression on his face "It's a matter of cultivating the right connections." A light smirk was on his lips as he set the glass down again.
*
"And which connection was that?" Roger asked chugging his own water.
And is this what this lunch is? Cultivation of a connection? Roger wondered at his own suspiciousness.
"So... do you still play Quidditch?"
*
"The owner, of course." Adrian relaxed in his seat and shook his head at the next question.
"No, I hardly have time for fencing anymore. But my cousins make sure I make a fool out of myself with a Quaffle, whenever I visit them." he laughed and shrugged. Quidditch, like any other sport, required practice to stay the master.
"What about your children? How old are they?" Most of his old House mates - at least those who had survived and weren't in Azkaban - had families and children as well. And most of his fellow Aurors as well... but he hadn't really the wish to start any kind of family.
*
"Robert is 6 and Rosa Lynne is four." Roger's smile was filled with paternal pride. He couldn't help it. Should he show their pictures? Sure. Why not? He dug out his wallet and showed Pucey pictures of dark haired little children.
"I've got Robert his first toy broom this weekend. I go to get them today at 3. They are both at that primary in Hogsmeade."
He ordered an ale and a sandwich. He wouldn't be drinking for the rest of the weekend.
*
"Oh, cute kids." Adrian smiled as he looked at the children in the pictures. They really were cute.
They look like their father. What a disturbing thought.
Adrian ordered two sandwiches and ale. He was starving, since breakfast had been lost somewhere between sleeping late and running to work.
"What about their mother? Anybody I know?" he wasn't sure if it was a good idea to ask. But he was bloody curious.
*
"Her proper name is The Lethifold," Roger said between bites with a perfectly straight face. "A shapeless black shadow that smothers you and eats you alive.
He smirked and said, "Morgana Smith, Hufflepuff, three years before us. Who the bloody hell she's loyal to, I haven't got a clue." He ate another bite and said. "No work ethic either." He shrugged and went on enjoying his sandwich.
"So who are you dating now?"
*
Both Adrian's eyebrows shot up for a moment.
The Lethifold... well, that was certainly an affectionate nick name. A nasty divorce then, he figured.
"I can't say that name rings a bell." Hufflepuffs had never stricken his fancy. Especially not the girls.
"Nobody." Adrian took a bite of his sandwich and swallowed before he continued.
"My profession isn't exactly ... furthering on relationships." He flashed a quick smile at Roger and took a good swallow of his ale.
*
"Tell me about your profession," Roger said seriously. "I thought it was all romantic heroism. Saving the day. Locking up the bad wizards and such."
He had time. He ordered a second beer.
*
This time it was Adrian's turn to snort softly, a crooked smile on his lips. His medical journal had probably told Davies very exactly what he was. Of course, on a daily basis, he was simply an Auror with a gold-lined pay. But when required, he was more.
"Nothing romantic, nor heroic about it. Surveillance, research, interogations, night shifts, tracking..." killing "arresting and writing reports, that's basically my job. I suppose it saves the day for some." Adrian took another bite of his sandwich.
*
"Hmmm," Roger's face grew intent. He was thinking. "I hadn't thought about it much." One of many things he failed to consider.
"So you... investigate people, or cases, for the Ministry? I mean, for them alone? Or do you ever freelance also?"
Roger had finished his sandwich and nursed his beer.
"Do you only investigate people who... have done something wrong? Or do you ever just watch people to perhaps see if they do something..."
He wouldn't dare hire someone to spy on the Lethifold. If she found out, she could take the children and leave and just keep sucking money from his Gringott's account until they both turned 18. She didn't have to tell him where at all.
But if a trained Hit Wizard could perhaps find something out that would then launch an official investigation... and have nothing to do with Roger...
*
Adrian chewed as he listened intently. What was Davies hinting towards? Freelance? A good sip of ale washed the sandwich down.
"Yes, there have been several cases for the Ministry, where suspicion has warranted surveillance. But no, I've never done any ... freelance work, per se."
He'd of course on several occasions used his skills and connection to gather information on people, on his own behalf.
"Why?" The question was delivered with a curious tone. Many Aurors did freelance work, especially at the moment, where there was no war to keep them constantly busy.
*
"Oh, I, um,..." Roger stammered. He'd been thinking aloud really. He'd learned the hard way about going to authorities with accusations and no proof
"I have some suspicions, that's all."
And he had a protocol to follow if those suspicions ever became hard fact. Unfortunately, engaging a freelance Hit Wizard wasn't on the list.
Trying to change the subject he said, "You never said how it is the owner keeps you a table here."
*
Only suspicions, hm? Roger's reaction in turn made Adrian suspicious.
But he wasn't going to spend his lunch trying to drag it out of the man. He wasn't working after all.
"I know him personally. He's a good friend." Adrian started on his second sandwich and ordered some more water. One ale was the limit, during work hours at least.
*
"Oh really... Doesn't he own a team? I think I heard that a while back. And he owns some dance clubs too. Yeah, Merlin! It's been years since I've been to Chasers." Roger nodded, remembering the good old days.
Roger looked around at the decor - Quidditch posters, team memorabilia, old famous brooms, the final scores from the World Cup matches. He smiled. He really liked this place.
*
"Yeah, he owns the Kestrels and last year also acquired a team in India, called the Hyderabad Hydras. The last is becoming the best team in India, actually. New management, new trainer, new players."
Adrian was almost done with his second sandwich, finally almost full. He was becoming increasingly good at forgetting the meals. Maybe Nanji would start poking him again, the next time he went to visit them.
"Both Beaters and Chasers have been renovated. You should go again some time."
Not that Adrian would consider going there with Davies. The man would probably steal away all the girls at Chasers. And Adrian really preferred going to Beaters, which most likely wasn't a place Davies would ever consider.
*
"Beaters... that's the gay club?" He let a curious eyebrow lift. Ohhhhhhh, so Pucey swung that way, did he?
"I don't have much time for clubbing," he shrugged his shoulders slightly. Besides the fact that the Lethifold wouldn't let the children visit him at all if he had another lady in his life. That's what had started the mess. Roger was friendly... back then, just openly charming anyone and everyone he met and she hadn't liked it... Then came all the baseless accusations of infidelity.
For Merlin's sake, he hadn't even felt like dating his right hand...
"The Hydras, yes. I've heard of them. The best up and coming World Cup hopeful."
*
"Yes, predominantly gay." The raised eyebrow had Adrian wonder what Davies' attitude towards homosexuality was.
"I should hope so. It's been a very long time since India has played a serious role in the World Cup, so it's about time." Adrian flashed a quick smile at Davies, then took another bite of his sandwich. Did Davies even know of Adrian's ancestry? He doubted it.
*
"I thought so... Maybe I should check it out..." Roger left that hanging in the air. He had no intention to go out. Every other weekend he spent with his children and the other, he was on call at St. Mungo's.
"About time, is it?" Roger said with a teasing smile. Something lurched in his lower abdomen at about the time Adrian smiled.
He looked down wondering what it was. He hadn't eaten anything strange. Perhaps a bit of the wind?
"Someone's rooting for the Hydras, I take it."
*
Adrian was genuinely surprised by that comment, but managed to hide it quite well. Roger Davies, check out Beaters? Surely not...
"Well, even if I'm originally from Bangalore, the Hydras are simply better than the Banshees. And I've spent a great deal of time in Hyderabad together with my cousins. What team do you support?" Quidditch was such a safe topic. Safer than the matter of family at least.
*
"Bangalore, India?" Roger asked, startled. "Oh. I didn't realize."
Well, he didn't really know anything about Adrian Pucey, now, or ten years ago! He looked closely at Adrian... and wondered if he too glamoured his eyes to achieve that shade of green...
"My heart belongs to Scotland," he said dramatically looking above and placing his hand over his heart.
*
Adrian laughed "I'm not surprised. They have good teams."
So, Davies hadn't known. Heck, there were very few that really knew, other than those House mates that had been close to him, and the team members of the Quidditch Team.
"My father is English, and my mother Indian. I grew up in India."
*
"Yes, especially the Magpies, but I have a soft spot for the Pride of Portree. I just wish they'd get a team together." He shook his head. They'd played dismally the last 6 years, since losing their Captain.
Roger's heart skipped a beat and his mouth dropped open a little bit when Adrian laughed, and he realized what caused that twinge in his gut.
He's cute... and I haven't thought anyone was cute in... so long, I'd forgotten what it feels like...
"And you chose to stay here!" Roger asked in mock shock. Of course anyone would choose to stay in England.
*
"Of course I did. England is my home. I love India, but I wouldn't want to live or work there. The social structure is extremely rigid and insular." Adrian shrugged and finished off his ale.
"The Prides need what the Hydras got. Renewal. And money, of course. But what team that's not in the in the top league doesn't?" Adrian was enjoying this casual conversation in a strange way. Davies had been one of his biggest rivals at school, and here they were, chatting amicably with each other.
"Do you have contact with anybody from school still?"
*
Ah, the wizarding caste system...and though he's pureblood, he's half Indian then...
"The Prides need something! Personally, I think their Captain needs a swift one in the arse, or thrown off a bridge or something." He giggled. Nothing got him going like Quidditch.
He screwed up his brows trying to think who he knew from their time at school. "Really just the ones that went into Healing, or ended up with jobs at St. Mungo's. I work like a dog and don't get out much." He smiled. It was his choice after all.
"How about you?"
*
Adrian chuckled, nodding and agreeing.
"I can't say I have contact with many. Many of my house mates unfortunately made the foolish decision to join the wrong side of the war. Most of them are dead, the rest are in Azkaban." He was quite open about that. No sense in trying to hide the obvious.
"I meet a few of the really good Quiddich players occasionally here. Like Oliver Wood, Angelina Johnson and Magnus Summerby. They're all playing professionally. If you remember Orla Quirke? Six years after us? He completed Auror training last year."
*
Roger's brows drew down in concern. "Oh dear. Did you have to... help put them there? In Azkaban?" How horrible to have to face your school chums in that way.
"Yeah, I used to see Wood and Johnson here too."
Back when I could answer questions like, 'How are you?' and 'How's your wife?'
"Yes, I do remember Quirke. My younger sisters and brother kept me abreast of Hogwarts happenings long after I left. But I didnt' know he'd gone in for Auroring."
Roger toyed with his empty glass. "I don't mean anything but, do we need as many Aurors now? I mean, I'd like to think that things were better now, you know? Same as Healers. The ideal would be that we were all put out of work."
*
"Yes, I did. I was a trainee during that period, but as Aurors were felled, the trainees were called into more active service than usual. Actually, there aren't that many Aurors left. I am the only one from my class, who is still Auror. Six have been killed, two chose other careers." It was a tough trade, and you had to be ready to pay the price.
"A new trainee class is initiated every year, but the number of actual trainees that complete training is dropping. Crime and madness will always be a part of society, even if there's not an actual war. Somebody needs to take care of that. We take care of the criminals, you take care of the victims."
*
Roger's eyes clouded with sympathy. He'd lost friends in his Healing class but that was due to things like too much partying, or finding out they didn't have the stomach for it. They'd gone on to things like bartending and Care of Magical Creatures.
"We didn't have many in this year's Healing class. Businesses are booming. It seems everyone is going into retail." He quirked an eyebrow.
*
"Yeah, but that's probably also good. The Wizarding World needs that as well. It's taken long enough to recover the second war. I'm sure there'll be the Aurors and Healers that are needed." Adrian smiled at Davies.
"Actually, my cousin Ashok is considering moving to England when he's done with his residency. He's a healer apprentice in Jaipur. So, if we can't make them ourselves, we can just import them." He chuckled and took a glass of water. This was good. Nice and relaxing. He wouldn't mind repeating it.
He wouldn't mind at all.
*
"Indian imports! I love it! And this Ashok, do you know if he'll continue to specialize or start Healing? Tell him to come up for a visit. I'd be glad to show him around St. Mungo's."
Did you just volunteer to show Pucey's cousin round so that you could guarantee seeing him again?
Roger felt relaxed and good, as he hadn't in a while. He spent too much time at the hospital. His mother was right. He really needed to get out and just... live a little.
*
Adrian was surprised - and more than a little pleased, for reasons he didn't really want to contemplate right now - and smiled "I will then. I'm sure he'll be very interested. The last time we spoke, he mentioned specialising in Potions and Poisons, so perhaps he will decide to do that here in England. That takes three years, right?" He's spoken often with Ashok about Healing, but he wasn't entirely sure how the system worked.
*
"Yes, yes I believe that specialty does. He's ambitious then." Roger nodded approvingly. "And not entangled either." He lifted an eyebrow.
"I love potions and poisons," he admitted with a chuckle. "One is so very close to the other oftentimes. And we do have the very best Department for it here at St. Mungo's... and gardens for growing ingredients."
He smiled. He could talk all day like this.
*
Adrian would've pegged Davies as more than ambitious enough for specialising in a certain area of Healing, instead of general medicine. But he also remembered what the man had said earlier. About marrying after ending his residency.
"Well, we got a good foundation in Potions at Hogwarts after all. Ashok's always been envious of that." Adrian grinned crookedly.
"He even asked to borrow my notes, to compare them with what they've learned at his school."
*
Roger chuckled. "The very best," he agreed. "Snape spoiled the Healer/Teachers at St. Mungo's. The new apprentices don't have near the background that we did."
And didn't that sound middle-aged?
Roger had to admit that he liked watching aDrian's lips as he spoke. They were so ... full and rounded. They looked... and he should really stop contemplating what Pucey's lips looked like.
*
Adrian didn't want to check his clock, to see if his lunch break was over soon. He'd rather allow his eyes to rest on Davies.
You're attracted, you twit... time to stop! But he couldn't really see a reason to stop. Heck, he hadn't even started.
You are NOT going to start anything at all! Well, considering their schedules and whatnot, starting anything was plain impossible.
And ridiculous. Just because the man looked good and they managed a cordial conversation after not seeing each other since school, didn't mean there was anything else worth going for. This was Davies, for gods sake!
Adrian glanced at his clock. He should've left ten minutes ago. He was going to be late.
"Bugger..." he pulled out his wallet and put enough money to pay for them both on the table.
"I need to get back and finish up for the day. Reports to write ... the joy." He hated it.
*
"That's some tip," Roger observed, reaching for his wallet. Pucey had laid down enough to pay for both their meals.
Unless... did he mean to pay for me?
Roger was thunderstruck. He couldn't remember the last time... He couldn't remember anyone ever picking up his tab!
"Have fun!" he said cheekily. "I get to go give my boy his very first broom!"
*
"The tip is quite normal. Lunch is on me. I invited after all." Adrian got up and smirked lightly at Davies' words.
"Enjoy your weekend, Davies. I'll contact Ashok and see if he's interested in taking you up on your offer." So, that was it then.
"You know where to reach me." He reached out to shake hands with Davies.
*
"Thank you." Roger smiled sweetly, unaccountably delighted that Pucey picked up his lunch. Little things like that caught his attention... caught him off guard... meant a great deal to Roger Davies.
"Excellent. I hope I get to meet your cousin. And it was good meeting you again after all this time."
You're not half bad, not like the snotty Slytherin I remember...
"I do." Roger gave Pucey's hand a firm shake. "And you know where to reach me." And since they were both in London everyday, it wasn't that far of a stretch to imagine doing this more often... meeting for lunch and a pleasant chat.
*
That smile ... shouldn't be as captivating as it was.
"Yes, it was good to meet you as well." Adrian realised he'd not let go of Davies' hand yet. It was warm and smooth, and rather strong.
He let go, reluctantly "Perhaps we could do this another time, ey? Well, I'll have to run unless I want to work this weekend after all." Adrian flashed a quick grin at Davies, then turned to leave.
*
Roger smiled even more to realize how long Adrian held his hand. He watched the man leave and headed for the restroom. He'd be over to the school a bit early and could help out. Mrs. Quick always had a chore for him.
Roger whistled as he left the Golden Broom. He was still whistling when he apparated to Hogsmeade. What a nice day it was.