October 16th, 1890 — Random Hogwarts Classroom

"So say, hypothetically, that someone's leg broke in half. The bone, I mean," he tried to explain over the other voices around him. He and Alice, along with a number of other students in OWL level, had signed up for a group study session, but everyone had ended up breaking into groups of two and three after fifteen minutes. He didn't mind; he'd rather not be embarrassed in front of everyone. "What do you even do? I mean, I've seen quidditch players with bones sticking right out of their legs," he continued, trying to piece together a coherent question without giving his motives away. She was interested in this sort of thing, anyways.

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Alice Dawson

  

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The past Hogsmeade weekend was uncomfortably tense for Alice. With the amount of secrets growing between everyone (and her own mixed in as well) she didn't enjoy being in groups as much as she once had. Sloane and Sisse were fighting, Cameron had obviously sided with Sloane. Sisse was crushing on Edison, which meant her own crush and friendship had to be subdued. It was all a mess, really.

Alice had signed up for the group study session with the intention of studying with non-Gryffindors. However, when Cameron sat with her as though things were normal, Alice didn't want to stir the pot further by refusing. His questions, though, were odd and had her raising her mess of curls from her potions textbook to glance at him curiously. "Why you would go and get a trained healer, of course," Alice said as if it were the most obvious response. "Quidditch players shouldn't try and set broken bones on their own. It can heal crookedly and cause a great deal of other problems in life."

  

No, that wasn't what he was looking for. Of course, Alice had never been able to read him like Sloane had, and he and Alice didn't share such a close bond that Cameron could make such admissions without feeling like he was about to be laughed at. (Alice had never laughed at him before, but the idea of becoming a healer seemed so ridiculous from his perspective that he couldn't imagine a scenario where she didn't.)

"What if—hypothetically—it was a game of backyard quidditch, but there were no adults or healers around to help. What would you do then?" he tried again. Obviously the best way to go about this was to eliminate every other rational response.

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Her eyebrows raised in curiosity. What was he getting at here? Alice dropped her quill and quirked her head. "You would summon one, urgently." If there was no adult nearby an owl would even suffice. Broken bones, while critical injuries, typically weren't fatal. The injured victim would be in pain but would survive and live a life without complications. "What is this about, Cameron?"

  

Once again, she didn't seem to understand what angle he was coming from. Clearly anyone with half a wit would think to call a healer in that situation. The frustration was beginning to show on his face. "Okay, but what if—" he began once more, only to be stopped by Alice, who seemed to have her own question. He sighed in response and dropped his gaze back to his textbook. "It's nothing. Really." Did he know anyone else who aspired to become a healer?

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"What if what?" She pressed, too curious by the query to let the subject drop. "Are you asking me how to set a bone?" Having repaired his broken nose on more than one occasion, Alice understood the process of setting bones more than their other friends might, but she'd never set a broken leg herself. Deciding to indulge him as though that were his question, she continued. "It's really depends on the severity of the break, or if it splintered. A broken femur poking through the skin isn't something I would even look at without the patient being unconscious. Any sort of manoeuvring it would be extremely painful."

That was the muggle way, though. The magical way would have it fixed with a handful of potions. "The patient would have better care in the hospital. No matter what you did, you would want them to obtain professional medical help."

  

Cameron stayed silent, deciding it was better not to answer once she'd already decided to answer the question. Splintered bones were one of the most gruesome injuries that Cameron had personally encountered, so it did him no good to hear that there was no easy fix. He supposed next time he'd had to do exactly what Alice had suggested: summon a healer.

But one day, grades-willing, it might be him. He hoped she couldn't see the hope written across his face.

"I could knock them unconscious," he quipped. "But I understand what you mean. What sort of things have you learned, anyways? You always seem to have your life all scheduled out. Seems like you'd be ready for the job already," he explained, an almost shy smile tugging at his lips.

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She was watching him too closely to miss what she thought might be interest? Hope? Both seemed rather odd given the subject they were discussing. Had Cameron recently decided to focus on professionally injuring himself post school? Was he trying to figure out how severe was too severe in terms of injuries? Her brows furrowed in mild confusion. Alice would thump him upside his handsome and tall head if so.

Such foolishness.

His questions, however, distracted her once again. "I'm far from that, I assure you." Sure, Alice knew more healing charms than most of her classmates, but that was only due to her steadfast determination. "I don't have the luxury of being able to change course often. My family is too big to support us all through school." She frowned then, her gaze dropping from his to the book. Next year would be the biggest determining factor in her life, and she wasn't ready for it.

"There's all sorts of different aspects to healing, if that's what you're asking me." Oddly enough, Alice could see Cameron as a healer, even if it was a ludicrous suggestion for her to make. He was undoubtedly going to go into quidditch like Sloane. "Spells, bugs, creatures. You name it. I'm leaning towards plants and potions myself, I think, but there's still time to decide."

  

She was just being humble, he told himself. Even though she was years away from being employed at a hospital, Alice knew more than any student he knew when it came to the healing arts. She was the only one he trusted among the student body to tend to his injuries, and generally had a good idea of what to do even if she didn't have the tools to actually do it. He nudged her gently with his elbow.

"I think you worry too much," he said. Maybe it was privileged of him to suggest it, but he really thought she did. He got angsty about being supported by his step-father whenever the time for school rolled around each year, but that was only because he was such a poor student that he felt he didn't deserve it. Alice deserved whatever help she got. "You'll ace your OWLs and you won't have to worry about them supporting you anymore." She was like Ned: always worrying about something, her studies most of all. He could only imagine how they got each other worked up during their study sessions.

It was apparent how much Alice took into account when planning her future. She was definitely the perfect resource for all things healer and hospital-related. He nodded as she spoke. Potion and Plant Poisoning seemed like a very Alice-esque department; he, on the other hand, had only considered Artifact Incidents and Creature-Induced Injuries. He took classes that were relevant to both, and he generally did well in both when it came to practical matters.

"I think it's crazy how many NEWTs they expect you to have," he commented, wondering if pursuing an internship in either of the two departments he was considered required an extra NEWT in Care of Magical Creatures or Ancient Runes. If so, he was positively doomed. "I couldn't do it even if I tried." Pass his OWLs, maybe, but NEWTs? He still had to cross that bridge—assuming he ever reached it.

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Acing her OWLs wasn't the only concern for her to have, though, was it? As more of her siblings became old enough to attend school, that then meant there were less hands to help on the farm. Even the young ones had a role to play during harvest season. Alice highly doubted her parents would be able to afford eight children's education and hired farmhands, even with Gram's help.

"We'll see," Alice shrugged. Cameron would never understand her predicament and she didn't wish to make him feel guilty for his privilege in life. The only one of their friends to understand was Edison, but he'd achieved the dream of becoming prefect. As long as he made no grievous errors (which he wouldn't, considering he was Edison) the rest of his education was fully paid for. Alice could think of no one else to deserve it more than he.

She looked over at him curiously. "Do you want to try?" Alice asked earnestly, suppressing her surprise as best she could. "Cameron, do you want to be a healer, too?"

  

Cameron knew she would do it. She would have to. There had been too many cracks to their friend group lately; losing a friend, especially one so supportive and smart as Alice, was likely to cause a fracture that was not easily repaired. Besides Sloane, she was the friend he considered himself closest to. Her question took him by surprise, because in no scenario had he imagined her asking him if he wanted to be a healer. He didn't fit the look, did he? He wasn't super gentle, analytical, hardworking, and especially sympathetic; he was a quidditch player through and through. He was rough, a bit flighty, and didn't have the grades to make the dream make sense. Still, he found himself unable to outright lie to her while she stared at him with such anticipation in her eyes.

"I know it's not ideal, not for me..." he started, slow and tentative in his speaking, "... and I'd need to turn my grades around immediately..." Like right now. He had six and half months to figure out how not to flunk his Potions and Herbology exams. "... but, you know, it's maybe... crossed my mind. Once or twice."

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Oh!

Alice knew how awful his grades were, had spent countless hours throughout the past four years tutoring him to the best of her abilities. But, if he were truly determined they could devise a plan. Some late nights studying, some Hogsmeade weekends skipped towards the end of the year so they could work in peace. If he were truly dedicated, Alice had faith he would pass with flying colors.

"You could do it," Alice replied faithfully. "I'll help however I can, if you would like." Spending more time with Cameron was bound to make things a bit awkward with Sisse, but.Sisse would understand once Alice explained why. "You don't need as many NEWTs to heal as an auror or anything of that caliber. It's doable, Cameron."

  

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Amazing set by Bee!

She didn't laugh at him. It was funny, because Sloane hadn't either, despite both girls knowing what a terrible student he was (and worse, how he usually lacked all seriousness while studying). It struck him in that moment that maybe his friends had more faith in him than he had for himself; it made him feel all warm and fuzzy inside, but also a little disappointed in them for being so idealistic.

"You really think so?" he asked, glancing down at his textbook. There was no way he was going to master all of the Potions inside, and he knew it. How could six months of even the most intensive studying help him unlearn all his bad habits and also retrain him in everything he'd missed over the past five years? It seemed impossible. "I don't expect you to help me. I got myself into this problem. I should probably be the one to work myself out of it." He really did want her help, but it felt wrong to monopolize her time when she had her own future to worry about.

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Alice smiled now. Camerom wished to be a healer just like her! Even if they went into different departments there was hope that their friendship would survive into adulthood. "Of course I do," she confirmed. "You're going to have to focus, but if you really want it we can make it happen." Having a study buddy focused on all the same subjects as her would be thrilling.

This time it was her turn to nudge him. Alice so rarely joked in such a manner, but with Cameron it felt natural. "Don't be ridiculous. I'm going to be studying anyway, why wouldn't I want to help you too? We're friends, Cameron."

  

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Amazing set by Bee!

He was going to have to focus. That was really the root of his problem, wasn't it? He'd never been good at paying attention in class, whether that meant whispering with nearby students or doodling in his notebooks. He was going to have to start paying attention; he'd put half the professors in the hospital wing with heart attacks, for sure.

"I think I can get by in most of the required classes," he explained. He'd done some reading—shocker—in the past few days, and knew that healers generally required five NEWTs. He could do well in Defence Against the Dark Arts and Charms, manage at least an E in Transfiguration with some help from Sloane and the others, add a specialized class to get him out of doing Herbology... but then there was Potions. That was the real beast he had to wrangle. "I just don't know how I'm going to do well in all of them at the same time, you know?" By mid-May he'd be an emotional disaster, he was sure.

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Alice dug through her books in search of a worn, small, leather diary. In it contained her detailed study plans, hours in which she was preoccupied by tutoring, the clubs she attended and their times. Some lines were bolded or underlines, every deadline meticulously noted. She slid it over for Cameron's inspection without further ado, a great act of trust on her part as very few even knew it existed.

"Organization is key," Alice explained. "Focus and the desire to succeed as well, but you need to be organized above all. That's how you may manage to succeed at all your classes." She watched as he flipped through the pages. "Obviously, yours doesn't have to be as ... structured. You just need to find the system that works for you, is all."

  

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Amazing set by Bee!