9. Hogwarts

                                    

                                          
Lucy hated lying to her best friend, but she had just remembered what day it was.  October 5 was the day she had set up her appointment.  She had to go get the results of her tests she'd had a few weeks ago, because she needed to know what was wrong with her.  Blacking out and waking up in strange places.  Luckily Jo hadn't noticed except for the one time she had come in on it.  Lucy had blacked out for a few minutes at the party where Jo had met Chad.  Luckily Adam was there to help her come to.  He was the first face she saw when she woke up and had offered her his services right then.  She had to get help right away.  The syringes full of tonic Adam had been administering to her were supposed to be helping her, but instead they were making her black outs more frequent and worse.  She had to be sure to tell Adam so he could make the necessary notes in her chart and hopefull find the problem and correct it.
                          
He walked into the room she was waiting in a few minutes later, a grim expression on his face.  "Morning, Lucy.  You're a little late.  I've had to move my schedule around."
                          
"I'm sorry," she apologized.  "I almost forgot about the appointment."
                          
Adam grinned.  "Is the tonic making you feel that good?"
                          
"I feel pretty good today, but no.  The tonic seems like it is making things worse."
                          
He frowned.  "It will seem that way at first, Lucy, but now that I know what's actually wrong with you, I'll be able to make one that will help you a little better."
                          
Lucy swallowed nervously.  "What's wrong with me, Adam?"
                          
Adam pulled up a chair in front of the examining table she was sitting on, the kind with the crackling paper.  He sighed wearily.  "You have Mortikill Syndrome, Lucy."
                          
She stared at him blankly.  She had never heard of that before and she told him as much.
                          
"Not many people have.  It's a disease confined to the Wizarding World.  Only a few cases have been reported."  He paused for a moment.  "But I have to tell you that it's terminal."
                          
Tears came to Lucy's eyes.  "What?  I-I'm dying?"
                          
Adam nodded.  "I'm afraid so.  Mortikill Syndrome is relentless.  Black outs and nose bleeds, weakness, and ultimately...death.  My guess is that you haven't more than six months, Lucy-if that long.  I'm so sorry."
                          
Lucy felt like she couldn't breathe.  She had thought that maybe there was something terribly wrong with her that might put her in the hospital for a while or take a while to cure, but it had never crossed her mind that she might be dying.
                          
"Thank you, Adam."
                          
He walked over to the cabinet and got out a box.  He opened it to show her.  Inside were a bunch of vials of the same reddish gold liquid.  "This is a special healing tonic.  I am hoping it will hinder your symptoms and make the time you have left a little more comfortable for you, Lucy.  Be sure you take them twice a week."
                          
With shaky hands, she took the box from him.  "Will I need to see you anymore?"
                          
"You won't have to come here.  I will come to you.  I will make sure Jo is at work."
                          
She smiled gratefully through the tears that were now pouring down her face.  "Thank you.  And Chad?  You won't tell him, will you?"
                          
"No," Adam promised.  "I will keep your file locked away in my office.  No one will ever know you were here unless you tell them."
                          
"Thank you."
                          
"Now I have to be going.  There is counseling available on the third floor-"
                          
"No shrinks," Lucy snapped firmly.  "I'll deal with this on my own."