Chapter Nine

It didn't take long for the specialist to arrive through the Floo Network. I was beginning to get nervous. What if there was something seriously wrong with me? The specialist's name was Edgar Corner. He was an older man who looked around the same age as Headmaster Elwood. He was kind, but you could tell he was here for business. I had to retell my story once more to him, he seemed fascinated by it and developed all sorts of theories right away. Then he asked me questions about my life and any previous medical conditions. I told him about the potions incident when I was really young, and then about the car accident. Quickly he began taking all sorts of test, using spells on me that I have never even heard of. The Department of Mysteries definitely kept their knowledge very secret.

He then pulled out a muggle needle and my eyes widened in fear. I haven't seen one of those in years. "I just have to take a bit of blood," he assured me. I looked frantically over at Headmaster Elwood. "Do not worry a bit. I will use a spell that will cause you not to even feel it. It will help if you stare away from it." I nodded as he muttered the spell with his wand aimed at my left arm. I stared off at one of the portraits who was also looking away from the needle as well. "All done," he told me after a minute. I had felt nothing. There was a small vile of blood in his hands. "I will be getting back to you in a few days," he said to Headmaster Elwood and I with a curt nod.

"A few days?" I exclaimed with a gasp. "Sir..." I added in attempt to be polite. It was impossible to hide my shock.

"Yes these test usually take up to a few days," he explained. "For now I suggest staying away from the other students. With the rate your condition has been developing, it could possibly create a safety issue." I was a bit speechless. Now I had to miss my classes?

"Ah yes I have already contacted her father about the situation," Headmaster Elwood explained only adding to my shock. I didn't want to worry my father, but figured I would have to tell him anyway. "I'm sure he would be completely fine with her coming home for a few days." Leaving school so soon? What was everyone going to think?

After the specialist left, my dad arrived shortly after. I could tell he was severely concerned about what was happening to me. Since it was only going to be for a few days I left my things here at Salem considering I had other clothes at home. My dad hugged me the moment he saw me and began asking all sorts of paranoid questions. I told him I would explain when we got home. I thanked Headmaster Elwood for all of his help, even though I wish it went smoother than it did. He promised me he would tell Charlie and Idella the truth, but also promised to tell only them. He was assure anyone else that I was simply ill and needed to go home for a few days.

Right as we got home my father made us hot chocolate. He bombarded me with questions but eventually stopped asking them when he noticed how tired I was. "Well...I know it's under an unfortunate circumstance, but I'm really glad to see you," he admitted. I smiled. I know he gets lonely being here by himself. "Unfortunately I'm not able to get work off these next few days so you will be home alone during the day. But if anything happens, you can take the Floo Network immediately to my office at work."

"Alright," I said nodding. It was way after midnight by now and I was absolutely exhausted. Yawning I said, "I think I'll go to sleep now."

"Yes," my father agreed. "Good night, if I don't see you in the morning I will be home for dinner."

The first day passed unbelievably slow. I woke up after my father left for work. There was absolutely nothing to do except re-read old text books, but even that got boring after a few hours. My dad didn't get home until late at night. I have never been so eager to hear about his day at work. Then the second day passed and I was praying my results would come so I could get back to school. Giving up on reading on textbooks and knowing my father was at work for a few more hours, I let my curiosity get the best of me.

Normally when I was home my father left all of his papers at work, but maybe now that I was home he would be more careless with what he left out. Our house was small. I first searched the bottom floor: the dining room, kitchen, living room, and back porch. Nothing was found. I was hoping to come across something in one of those rooms, so I wouldn't have to go snooping. Highly doubting he would hide anything in the basement, since it we never went down there, I let my curiosity lead me to his room. Quietly pushing the door open, I felt bad in the process but really wanted to know what was going on. His desk was in the corner of the room and wasn't as neat as usual. When I approached the desk, I saw all sorts of papers scattered on the dark wood.

At first they looked like his typical business certificates that he read for work but after shuffling the papers around I spotted just what I was looking for, copies of the UK Daily Prophet. Those became very hard to come across in the past few years. Excited butterflies filled my stomach. All my guilt disappeared as I took a seat in his chair and picked one up. I always knew my father got copies of the Daily Prophets from all countries, considering he worked for the Department of International Cooperation, but he usually left those at work.

The first copy I picked up was one from early September. It discussed all the extreme precautions Hogwarts was taking to protect their students, but that was to be expected. Apparently Diagon Alley, similar to Old Salem Village, was like a ghost town. As I got more into it, the writers wrote more on the Death Eater attacks and close calls with the muggle world. How horrifying. It sounded like it was getting worse everyday over there. Putting that one back, I picked up the most recent one. It was the same one on Headmaster Elwood's desk from early October. Apparently a student at Hogwarts got cursed right outside of Hogwarts and that the package was originally meant for Dumbledore. I put everything back exactly the way it was after I read each Daily Prophet twice through.

I only had an hour left until my father returned. The burning sensation came back, but no sign of flames. When my dad got home that day he bought me some treats from the desserts shop near the Ministry but my impatience was growing. I wanted my results. On the third day I couldn't take it any longer. I missed going to my classes and being with my friends. My father got home a little earlier that night. He was holding a letter. "Good news," he said to me. "They have your results."

"What wrong with me then?" I asked smiling relieved.

"Well...I don't know," he replied unsure. "They will be coming by in an hour to say. It can't be too bad though, they would have taken action immediately." He sighed with relief, taking a seat in the nearest chair. One hour. I suppose I could wait.

When the Floo network lit up I was more than excited to see the specialist this time. In his hands were a bunch of papers and luckily he got right to the point. "So Miss Willis your condition is a result of the poisoning from the toxic potion," Edgar stated. I watched my father's face darken. He hated his brother after the accident I had in Hayward's potion lab. At the time, my father thought it was going to kill me. I remember that incident clearly.

Taking trips to my uncle's potion lab was something I looked forward too. Whenever my mom and dad were at work, Uncle Hayward would offer to bring me to work with him on days he wasn't too busy. My younger brother Miles wasn't born yet and I was the only child on my father's side. The lab was a marvelous place and even at the young age of six I learned so much from just being there. I remember Hayward had a great sense of humor and always tried to make me laugh. He would go on making potions explode and change colors just for my entertainment. He never seemed too focused or serious on his work. It was because he told me he always had fun doing it, it didn't feel like a job to him. I wished I could be that happy at work on day.

"And this is a very special, secret, potion I've been working on," Uncle Hayward told me in an excited tone leaning down to show me what was in the cauldron. I watched as he rapidly threw more ingredients into the bubbling brew while holding onto the cauldron with one hand. It was currently a fiery red color, it looked like lava. Then suddenly a loud explosion came from the other room. He stopped what he was doing and placed the cauldron down on the counter. "Stay right there. I will be back so please don't move," he said calmly stepping away from the potion. 

Curiosity always got the best of me. I heard a bubbling noise and then a sizzling noise. Interested I put my hands on the edge of the counter and pulled myself up, but I couldn't see into the cauldron. Standing up on the tips of my toes, I tried to grab on tighter to the table but my hand slipped and hit the cauldron. Suddenly it rocked to one side and I stepped away from the table...taking the cauldron with me. Liquid poured all over me.

I barely remember what it felt like...but thinking of it now I remember it burning. My father was pissed because his brother left a six year old alone in a lab. Even though I defended Uncle Hayward, after I got out of the hospital, my father still held a grudge. Whatever was in the potion had poisoned me then and made it hard for me to breathe for over a week. When I got out I didn't see Hayward for a couple of years until a family Christmas party. 

"I remember it poisoned me when I was little, but they healed me. How is it showing now?" I asked the specialist curiously.

"After some research we dated back to the potion your uncle was working on and apparently it was an inflammable potion," he explained.

"Isn't there already a fire-proof potion? Ice potion it's called, right?" I asked curiously. Why would my uncle be working on a potion already created?

"Similar," Edgar agreed nodding. "Yet stronger. The Ice Potion only lasts for a few seconds and allows you to pass through flames with very minimal consequences. Your uncle was working on a potion that would make the user completely inflammable, for hours or so. After a few blood test we found traces of the potion. Apparently it absorbed into your bloodstream." His story was easy to follow but I couldn't believe it.

"It's not d-dangerous is it?" my father asked panicked.

"Not from what we gathered," Edgar assured shaking his head. "Yet the side effects are...unpredictable. There isn't a single case like it. We are unsure of why the signs developed now, but they don't seem to be going away." What did this mean? Would I always live in fear of lighting on fire at any second? "Due to having the potion in your blood stream, the effects of the potion will stay with you forever. From what we gathered...fire will have no effect on you."

"But what about the flames appearing and the burning?" I asked him. Although it was slightly cool that fire had no effect on me...it wasn't as if I planned on frolicking through bonfires for fun anytime soon.

"Ah," Edgar said placing his bag down on the table and pulling out a vile. He handed it to me, it was labeled Bradley Willis. "We have developed a potion that will keep down the side effects. Considering your uncle's potion wasn't finished, meaning it wasn't perfect, unpredictable side effects are to be expected. If you take this potion once a week it should keep the side effects from appearing." I nodded thankfully.

"So I can go back to school then?" I asked and he nodded.

"Yes. I have shared the information with Headmaster Elwood and he will have the Floo Network open for you tomorrow morning at eight," he told me. "I would advise you not to share this information with too many people." I never planned on going around the school and sharing that I could walk through fire...but why the warning? "At times like these, it isn't safe to be different. Even slightly different." He gave me a knowing look before stepping into the Floo network.

Quickly, I understood what he meant. Any difference, any at all, made you valuable. Just as my uncle Hayward was. Although he disappeared, we all knew deep down that he was kidnapped for having an incredible potions knowledge. His knowledge made him different...made him valuable to the Death Eaters. My father's look of concern appeared, but I smiled over at him. "Don't worry. No one will know," I assured him. "Good night, I'll see you in the morning before I go. Thank you again."

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