The Healer

Three Years Later

“Althea Jules!”

She snaps out of her gaze suddenly and stares at her grandma who sat across from her behind a desk with a stern look on her face.

“Yes Lola”

“What on earth are you doing?”

“I was just thinking, pasensya na.” I’m sorry. Hoping if she spoke tagalog her grandma wouldn’t be so harsh. 

“You weren’t thinking you were daydreaming you foolish girl. Haven’t I told you daydreaming is a waste of time!”

She flinches, “Yes Lola.” She couldn’t help but flinch anytime her grandma yelled at her, because usually it was followed by a slap or a smack with her grandma’s fan that she always carried with her. 

“Do you recall anything I have said in the past five minutes?”

“No I have not, I’m sorry.”

“Foolish girl, I said you’ve become the youngest, most top healer at St. Mungo’s in all of history.”

Her grandma reaches over and hands her an opened letter, and she grabs it gently. 

Althea Jules Bautista

We’re thrilled to say that you have been recognized as St. Mungo’s youngest and best healer in all of history.

We at the ministry and hospital are very proud of your hard work, determination, and dedication.

We would like to reward you with recognition at our awards ceremony on July 7th, 2001 at the Ministry of Magic.

Please let us know if you can make it so we can make further accommodations, and please let us know how many people you would like to accompany you by July 5th, 2001.

Sincerely,

The Head of The Ministry of Magic

Kingsley Shacklebolt

She looks up from the letter and makes eye contact with her grandma not knowing what to say or how to feel. She should be thrilled, isn’t this what her grandma has been wanting? But as she stares at her grandma and looks in her eyes all she can see is the same stern face she’s been wearing ever since she could remember.

“I must ask why it took you so long to achieve this title.”

Excuse me?

She breaks her thoughts and clears her throat. “I apologize Lola, I’m not sure what you mean.”

“You know exactly what I mean. Were you slacking on your studies? You should’ve received this title during your first year, but 3 years? My you’ve gotten lazy.”

This must be a joke. But as she looks at her grandma, she realizes that she was being completely serious.

“I-, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize-”

“Stop stuttering, foolish girl, have you forgotten how to speak? Nevermind that, I’m assuming you would like Kayla and Aidan to accompany you. I suggest you write to them and respond back to the Ministry by today since it is already the 5th.” 

“Yes Lola. Would you also like to come? Maybe I can write to dad as well.”

“I will not be attending, and I’m sure your father won't attend either.”

She feels her heart sink a little, but knows better than to argue.

“Yes Lola.”

“You are dismissed. Shut my door when you exit.”

And with that she stands up and walks out. Shutting the door she lets out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding.

“Meow”

“Hi brownie.”

She walks down the hall to her room quickly writing letters to Kayla, Aidan, and responding back to the Ministry. Wow, the youngest and best healer she should be rejoicing but all she can feel is her heavy heart weighing down her chest. Deep down she knew she didn’t really want this, but who was she to disappoint her family?

She looks at the letter again. 

July 7th.

That was her birthday.

“Are you kidding me? Of course we’ll attend, we’re your best friends duh!” 

She smiles. After she sent the letters, approximately 3 hours later her grandma came in holding the home phone in her hand with an annoyed look on her face.

“Tell your friends to send a letter next time.”

She hears Aidan scream “Mahal kita Lola!” I love you grandma! Over the speaker before her grandma hands her the phone.

And now she was laying on her bed with the phone on speaker next to her. Aidan was staying over at Kayla’s doing whatever it was they do during the summer, so they were both on the phone.

“Oh gosh do you really have to come? I think I would rather have a peaceful quiet ceremony to be quite honest with you.” 

She hears ruffling on the phone

“Oh shut up Thea you know you want us to come.” says Kayla, and she couldn’t help but let out a chuckle. Of course she wanted them to come, she missed them terribly. She’s been so busy at the hospital it’s been months since she's seen her two friends. Her heart yearns for some freedom.

“Maybe afterwards we can grab dinner to celebrate your birthday as well if you’d like” 

“I’m sure my Lola would be okay with that.”

“Oh my lord Thea, you’re turning twenty-one do you really need to ask her?” Aidan snorts. “Of course she does, do you want her to be disowned?” “Shut the fuck up Aidan I wasn’t asking you, you daft idiot.” 

She laughs, “Yes I do need to ask her, but I’m sure she’ll say yes. Maybe we can apparate to Italy and enjoy some Italian food if that’s okay with you guys?”

“Ugh yes! I’ve been craving some bucatini amatriciana from that one restaurant we used to always go to.” Aidan says. 

“Perfect, I'll make reservations later.”

“Nonsense Kayla and I will call to plan everything, don’t you worry about a single thing.”

She feels her heart surge. “Thank you guys.”

“Of course, oh and before I forget Kayla wanted to ask how that one thing with the other healer was going?”

She was confused, but quickly remembered the little date she went on with another healer named William. 

He was incredibly daft, and she wondered why she even agreed to go on that date in the first place. Her grandma would never approve of her dating anyways, but she wanted to see if she could possibly enjoy time with him, and let loose, forget her crazy busy world for the night. But sadly all she got was disappointment. He talked about himself the whole night, made her pay saying some excuse that he forgot his wallet, and even tried to get her to go to his flat for the night. 

The audacity. Were all men like this? So obnoxious and so loud. She already had enough on her plate. The constant yelling of her grandma, the constant stream of thoughts that ran through her brain that never seemed to stop even in her sleep, and her workplace. Oh don’t even get her started. Patient after patient. Wizard after wizard. Command after command. Code after code. It seemed like her whole life was loud, and she couldn’t remember the last time she felt at peace and heard silence. 

She herself had never been in love or been in a relationship, but could she even handle it? Did she even want it? She’s read many romance novels and in every one of them the girl always says she could hear the thumping of her heart, and the burst of fireworks every time they would kiss. The constant over thinking of when they were going to see each other next. It all seemed so loud, and Althea wondered if she ever wanted to add to the constant noise that was in her life.

“Althea?” 

“Oh! Sorry, um no I ended it after that one date, he was unbearable.” 

“Aw I’m sorry Thea. Don’t worry your knight in shining armor will come save you from the trenches.” She could hear the exaggeration and desperation in his voice.

“Ha ha yeah I’m sure he will.” If she lets him.

July 7th, 2001

She stood in the Ministry of Magic awaiting to be called by the lady who told her she would come fetch her as soon as they were ready. She was the third to arrive, and apparently there were eight other people getting different kinds of awards. All for recognition for whatever field of work they were in. Looking at the other people standing around her she couldn’t help but recognize some of them were from her classes at Hogwarts. 

She recognized Ginny Weasley, and my god was that Harry Potter? It in fact was Harry Potter. Her and Harry never were close, but he would smile at her sometimes when they passed each other in the halls, and she would always give him a smile back.

And it seemed like they would continue this pattern because he looked up, saw her, and gave her a small smile with a small wave, and of course she smiled back.

Her gaze was broken when she heard loud footsteps running in their direction, and she quickly turned around, surprisingly seeing Theo Nott looking disheveled as he ran towards their group.

He reaches them and bends over panting with his hands on his knees. 

“Am I late? Oh gods please don’t tell me I’m late, that would mean I just ran for no reason.”

She almost had the urge to laugh. She looked around seeing no one else was paying attention to him, and she decided to answer him.

“No you aren’t late, in fact you’re the fourth one to arrive.”

He looks up at her and his eyes widen “Althea?”

She looks at him with shock, he remembers her? She’s surprised he even knows who she was, she couldn’t recall ever talking to him during her time at school.

“Oh come on, you don’t remember? Without you I would’ve failed potions, you saved my arse from Professor Snape.” He laughs.

Oh right. Now that he mentioned it, she does recall having to tutor him because he was flunking. She was one of the top people in her class, and she distinctly remembers Theo coming up to her quite literally on his hands and knees begging her to tutor him. 

“Please Bautista help me, if I spend one more tutoring session with Malfoy I’m going to pitch myself off the astronomy tower.”

“Oh right! Hello Theo how have you been, staying away from potions I hope?”

He smiles. “Wonderful! I’m actually the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts. Since Snape retired early and is apparently traveling the world, relaxing and such. How about you?”

She chuckles, suddenly getting the image of her old professor tanning on the beach with sunglasses on. “I’m good, just a Healer at St. Mungo’s”

“Oh don’t make me laugh. Just a healer? I’ve seen your face in the paper at least 5 times, always finding cures and making super potions.” 

“They’re just regular potions.”

“Yeah yeah, but quite brilliant!”

She smiles “Thanks, congrats on landing the professor job I’m sure your friends and family are proud of you.”

“They better be, I worked my arse off-”

“More like you manipulated Dumbledore to give you the job, and manipulated Snape to refer you.” 

She looks past Theo looking at who decided to butt in their conversation, and her breath catches.

“Exactly Malfoy, I worked my arse off.” Theo says with a proud smile on his face.

Draco scoffs and rolls his eyes while leaning onto the wall next to them.. He was gorgeous. She looks at him quickly and turns back to look at Theo, the image of Draco in his black suit and rings burned into her mind. It seems his style from seventh year hasn’t changed. The only thing that changed was that his muscles filled out his suit better.

She had to admit the little crush she had on him during their school years, she just couldn’t help it. He was smart and handsome, but of course she didn’t ever tell him or even look in his direction. She never even told Kayla or Aidan because she was embarrassed. Embarrassed because her grandma would never allow it and embarrassed a boy gave her such feelings. She heard things about him such as being mean to Potter and causing trouble and just being straight up arrogant and prideful. But besides those traits she remembers her heart would race every time someone would mention him.

“Malfoy, you remember Althea right?” Theo asks.

She looks at him again and he tilts his head finally looking at her. Silver blue eyes burning into her brown ones. She can almost imagine his brain trying to work and reel in a memory from the past where they interacted. She almost felt intimidated. Almost.

“Hello Althea, how’s Brownie?” he asks.

She feels her mind stop, surprised by the question, but she tilts her head mirroring his expression and replies. “She’s good, still meows a tad too much and still plays with the bottom of my robes.”

He smirks, and she smiles.

“Good to hear.”

“Mhm”

She swears she feels her body get warmer, and her mind starts running again. Did someone light a fire nearby my god it’s a thousand degrees here. 

“Alright people! Line up, single file we’re ready to bring you on stage. Remember when your name gets called, walk up to the podium so the Minister can pin your pin on your clothing.”

“Did you see Zabini Thea? My he’s gorgeous, even more gorgeous than when he was in 7th year.” 

She looks at Kayla through the rim of her wine glass and sets her glass down.

It was after the ceremony and the three of them had apparated to Italy making it just in time for their reservation. 

The ceremony was a bore and she found herself looking at the crowd trying to diagnose any symptoms she saw from the large crowd, eyes stopping when they landed on her two best friends. Next to Aidan she saw the infamous Blaise Zabini and Pansy Parkinson. 

She figured they were here for Theo and Draco, and  remembers the last day of Hogwarts when she saw Pansy and Draco sitting next to each other with his arm around her shoulders. I wonder if they’re still together.

She scolds herself for that thought. Of course they’re still together, she’s here is she not?

She ignores the disappointment she feels. Of course she couldn’t be surprised, Parkinson was gorgeous with a fortune behind her, and she was 99% sure she wasn’t working, giving her all the time in the world to be a great girlfriend.

She looks at Zabini and sees him give her a little smirk before she turns toward the podium again, feeling her face get a little warm.

Zabini on the other hand— she saw a couple times on the newsletters. He was an aspiring fashion designer. With the influences and riches from his mother he had wonderful taste and an eye for fashion. She herself owned a couple of his pieces and they were indeed brilliant and top quality. 

Afterwards Zabini approached her with a charming smile “Althea Jules, it’s been a while how are you?” 

“I’m good Zabini, and yourself?”

“Can’t complain, living a comfortable life. Say would you like to join me, Pansy, Malfoy, and Theo for dinner? You can bring your friends as well if you‘d like.” 

She’s shocked by the invitation wondering what he could possibly want to invite them to dinner. It’s not like they were close at all even at Hogwarts, but she declines politely.

“As much as we would enjoy that, it’s actually my birthday today and my friends and I were going to grab dinner. Maybe next time?”

His smile only widens “Well happy birthday Althea, I’m sure we’ll cross paths again in the future. Please enjoy your time, and send me a letter if you ever need anything.”

She smiles “I appreciate it Zabini, I’ll see you around”

And with that he turns and heads towards his friends where she made eye contact with all of them. Theo waved and Pansy gave her a smile, which she returned and her eyes landed on Draco who just stared at her with a look on his face she couldn’t describe. She turns around and looks for her friends.

“I did see him, we exchanged a few words, he’s still charming as always.” 

“I would love to get a load of him if you know what I mean” 

She looks at Aidan with disgust who was raising his eyebrows in a suggestive way.

“Gross, could you be more vile Aidan.” 

“I could always be more for you.”

“Ugh shut up.” but she smiles.

“Aidan honestly I don’t know how Thea and I tolerate you, you’re insufferable.” Kayla says while she throws pieces of her bread at him.

“Hey!”

“Shush anyways, Thea besides Zabini did you see Malfoy? He was staring at you almost the whole time, it was kind of weird.”

She chokes on her wine and coughs, grabbing a napkin to cover her mouth “What do you mean staring? I’m sure you’re mistaken he was most likely staring at the Minister who was basically right in front of me.” 

“Nope, he was staring at you, ask Aidan.”

“He was actually, like he couldn’t keep his eyes off you the whole ceremony even afterwards.” Aidan chimes in. 

Her face warms but blames it on the amount of wine she’s had. “You guys are insane.”

“Are you blushing Thea?” Kayla teases.

“Shut up. I’m not.”

“It’s okay to have a little crush, he’s a looker, that's for sure I don’t blame you.” 

“I do not have a crush on Malfoy. Besides, my grandma would kill me, and I have no time for men.”

“What your grandma doesn’t know won’t hurt her.” Aidan sings.

She glares at him and casts a silencing charm on him.

Kayla laughs “Is this a good time to say Parkinson looked ravishing in her pantsuit? If she gave me a chance I would take it.” 

And for the last time that night Althea chokes on her wine again.