Study Break
a Harry Potter story
by midnight_angel_girl
Oliver Wood closed his text book and looked at Percy. "Are we done studying yet?" he whined.
Percy fixed a stern look on him. "No, Oliver." He responded patiently. "You told me to help you study since you didn't'
"But Percy, look outside. It's too nice of a day to be inside studying."
Percy looked out the window. "Study for two more hours. Then we can go for a walk, okay."
"Fine." Oliver grumbled, opening his book again and trying to ignore the glorious spring day outside. The next two hours passed by quickly for Percy but could not have gone any slower for Oliver. Finally, time was up, and Oliver slammed his book shut, startling Percy. "Now can we go outside?" he pleaded.
Percy checked his watch to verify that it had been two hours. "Fine, but we'll be back here in one hour to start studying again." Standing up, he pulled a tissue from Oliver's tissue box and softly blew his nose. Percy had a light allergy to dust and usually awoke with a stuffy nose, but today it hadn't cleared up.
"I didn't give you my cold, did I?" Oliver voiced Percy's concern.
"I certainly hope not. Anyway, I don't feel sick. It's probably just from the dust and studying on the floor." He definitely hoped he wasn't getting sick. Even after pepper-up, Oliver had been rather miserable. Pepper-up was Percy's only other known allergy, and he could just imagine how miserable he'd be. "We'll start with potions when we get back." he reminded Oliver as they headed outside.
They began walking along the edge of the Forbidden Forest, Percy making sure they stuck to the outskirts where student's were allowed. He sniffled; since going outside, his stuffy nose had gotten worse, and his eyes had begun to itch slightly.
"Isn't it great outside, Percy?" Oliver asked after they had been outside awhile. "We should study outside when we get back."
Percy opened his mouth to respond, but his head pitched forward with a sudden sneeze instead. " Heschoo. "
"You okay, Perce?"
"Fine, Ol. It's just a sneehh...a snehh...a sneeze... hetchoo, eschoo. I'b fide." He fished his handkerchief out of his pocket and cleared his nose. "I'm fine." He restated, continuing to walk down the path. A few minutes later, he stopped again. " Huh-eshoo. "
"Bless you."
"Thaks. Ahschoo. " "You sure you're alright there? It's not like you to sneeze this much in one day, let alone in fifteen minutes."
Percy blew his nose hard. "I'm fine, Oliver. It must just be from the sun or something. My nose isn't bothering me anymore. See." He took a deep sniff through his nose, fighting the instinct to rub it when it started itching again. He resumed walking, only to stop a few minutes later. "Oliver, hold on."
Oliver stopped and turned around. "Now what's wrong?"
"Hahh...have to snehh... eckshhoo ...sneeze again." he panted. " Hetschoo, ehshoo, hitshoo ." Oliver went over to him and guided him to a rock so he could sit down. " Atchoo, ah-choo, huh-uhchoo, ah-ahshoo, hatchoo, hitchoo, hihchoo-choo, haeshoo, heh-schhh, ah-choo, ah-chshhh, hah-chushh, het-mmshh, heh-kemshh, heh-hushoo, hehuhsheshh. " Percy blew his nose several times into his handkerchief, searching for a clean spot after each blow. "Excuse be." he sniffled, blushing furiously.
"Bless you." Oliver said, astonished that reserved Percy could sneeze like that. "I think we should take you to the infirmary."
" Heh-ehkshh ." Percy nodded quickly, sneezing again, making a face as he pressed his sodden handkerchief to his nose and giving it a wet blow.
Oliver reached into his pocket and pulled out his own handkerchief, handing it to Percy. "It's clean. I've been using tissues all morning."
"Thaks." Percy took the handkerchief and held it over his nose in an attempt to keep whatever was bothering his nose out, and Oliver led him to the hospital wing.
Madame Pomfrey was sitting at her desk when they came in, Oliver leading. "Hello, Mr. Wood. Are you still having problems with your cold?"
" Ihh-hetchh, ihh-chishhoo ." came two sneezes from behind Oliver as Percy entered the room.
"I'm better. It's Percy." he told her. "We started to take a walk outside, and he started sneezing. He's been sneezing ever since."
Madame Pomfrey took a look at Percy with his watery, swollen eyes and red, runny nose and led them into the infirmary. "Sit down, Mr. Weasley, and let me have a look at you." Percy sat down, bringing Oliver's handkerchief back to his nose. " Keh-cheshh, keh-chushhh, heh-ketchoo. "
"Bless you. It looks like it's just some hay fever here, but let me make sure." She did a quick charm with her wand and nodded. "I'll be right back." She returned a few minutes later and handed him a vial. "Drink this; it'll help."
"What is it?" Percy asked, thickly.
"Just an allergy treatment, dear."
"But I've dever hahh... ah-hahshoo ...had allergies before, dot like this, just dust ad pepper-up. Heh-ah-chuhh ."
"They can develop at any time, Mr. Weasley. If I remember correctly, your brothers were both seventh years when they developed spring allergies. I expect Fred will as well, since you four are the ones who already have some allergies. It'll take a bit for that potion to take effect, so lie down and take a nap, then I'll let you go. I'll give you something you can take daily before you go. Mr. Wood, you're welcome to stay until he falls asleep. I'll check back on you in a bit." She turned and left the room.
"This is all your fault." Percy sniffled. "Dow I'b goihh... ihchoo, hetchoo ...goig to get behid id studyg. Hah-ahchoo ."
"I'm sorry, Perce. I didn't know this would happen." He handed Percy a tissue from the box by the bed. "You might want to get your nose there."
Percy glared at him before carefully wiping his nose. " Heh-ihshhh. " He pinched his nose in the tissue and lay back down, wiping allergic tears from his eyes and closing them. As much as he wanted to fight it, the potion he had been given for his allergies was making him sleepy.
Oliver sat next to his bed. "The replenishment potion." He said. "Used to restore blood and strength lost in battle or accidents. One half liter dragon blood, five milligrams ginger root mixed in, brought to a boil. When boiling, add in three Jobberknoll feathers and one milligram powdered moonstone. Stir thoroughly, reduce heat until blue. Add six porcupine quills and remove from heat -" A loud, congested snore interrupted him, and he looked at Percy. He had no idea how much of the potion Percy had heard before falling asleep, but some review was better than none, as Percy was so fond of saying, he thought as he slipped out of the infirmary.
Not mine, just borrowing