Experimental

A whole week went by, and there was no change in Albus' condition. Every day, the Healers tried new antidotes, but with little success. Sophia was very worried about him. She didn't dare to visit when she saw that others were there as well, which meant that her visits usually ended up being at night. She was caught once by Ginny Potter, but she pretended she hadn't seen anything as Sophia hastily hid under the bed and Disapparated. Albus said afterwards that his mother understood the situation and had nothing against Sophia, but Sophia wasn't quite ready to meet her yet. Meeting any of them would make this feel a lot more official.

Mary visited whenever she had a shift as well. She was able to be involved in the process of trying to find an antidote, but there was little progress. She even brought a sample back to the Order, but they were unable to separate it as well. That is, until Greg heard who it was for.

***

"Mr. Potter, you know we have tried to find an antidote for whatever you were struck with, but we have yet to be successful."

Albus didn't reply to this, he was painfully aware of that. The wound still looked like it had just been made every time they tried to remove the bandage. It also smelled like something rotten.

"How open are you to trying… alternative methods?" the assistant Healer seemed nervous to ask, but Albus understood that the question was a genuine one. It was probably also a reason he was asked this when neither of his parents were present. His mother had a meeting with the newspaper, and Albus had told her that she should go. He would be fine on his own for a few hours though he had considered asking if Sophia wanted to come while Ginny was gone.

"That depends. What sort of alternative method?"

"Well, a Potion that has yet to be identified and approved by the hospital. It was delivered to me personally by an elderly gentleman. I know and respect this man, but he is no longer employed by the hospital, and his new treatments aren't always… effective. Sometimes they are downright harmful. I have tested this Potion however, and it seems to at least be non-harmful, though I cannot guarantee any benefits from it."

Albus frowned. An elderly gentleman that this man respected, but made secret Potions that wasn't approved by the hospital? Why did that sound familiar?

"Do you think it will have an effect?"

"I do, Mr. Potter. This person has never let me down yet. Apart from the event that made him lose his position in the hospital, he has a number of effective cures for many things, most of them via Potions. He is the most brilliant Potioneer I know. But he likes best to experiment, not produce more of what he has already made."

Who else had he heard about recently that was a brilliant Potioneer? A former Healer?

"Are you talking about Gregory Bainham?" he asked. The Healer wilted in relief, making Albus think he was correct. He knew the man was a former Healer, but he had thought he was retired, not fired. But Sophia and most of the others seemed to trust him, and the Assistant Healer seemed to believe it could work, so he was willing to give it a try. Besides, he was desperate to get out of this hospital bed. It was very boring, and he wanted to get back into action trying to locate the Knocker. His father had occasionally kept him updated on the progress, which was very little. He had considered telling his father what he knew from when they originally traced the computer, before the raid, but wanted to wait until he was back at work. Or until he could talk to Sophia about it freely.

Now though, it seemed Greg had taken liberties to help him out. Again. He would never be able to repay what he owed to the Order by this point. Assuming this worked.

"I am more than willing to try anything that Mr. Bainham has concocted. I also trust his skills." Well, technically, Sophia and Mary did, but that was good enough for him. The Healer brought out two Potion flasks, one of which he was to drink, the other of which the Healer poured over his wounds. The results were not instant, but he felt better almost at once.

"He said it will take some time for it all to be removed from your system, since it's been there for a while," the Healer said. "But the wound is much cleaner now." Albus looked down at his stomach and saw that the Healer was right. Not only was the smell almost gone, but the area around the wound didn't look wrong at all.

"I'll come by in a few hours and see if we can close the wound," the Healer added before putting on new bandages. "If we can, you may be able to go home by tomorrow."

"Thank you." Albus said with a smile.

"No need to thank me, Mr. Potter. It's my job. Besides, this isn't my work."

"Yet you still took a risk, something that could have backfired horribly. Thank you for following your heart, not just your brain."

"I care about people, Mr. Potter. That is why I took this job. The rules are there for a reason, and I follow them most of the time, but there are also times when they are a hindrance."

"I agree. Though if you'd asked me a few months ago, I may not have. I recently learned that lesson myself, by a mutual acquaintance."

"I see. Well, if so, please tell him from me that his work is not in vain."

"Oh, I intend to."

The very next day, to the relief of many, Albus was able to leave the hospital, as good as new. Within the next few days, he was back at work.