April 19th, 1894 - Hogsmeade Hospital

Bram was starting to get a little frustrated by the slow progress with his injury. There was progress, but it was minimal and as a man whose whole job was solving puzzles, it was aggravating when they couldn't figure out why his leg wasn't healing completely. The wounds were closing, but should have been a scar by now. There had to have been something on the rope he'd gotten tangled up in trying to keep his colleague from getting crushed, some potion or jinx that made it worse than it should have been, but he hadn't been able to figure it yet, even with the pretty Potion and Plant Poisoning healer's help. She seemed just as determined as he was to come up with a solution, so at least he had to have faith in that. He'd been seen by two wards now, his main case being handled in Artifacts, but they hadn't been making much progress, so he'd been sent over to the next department for them to take their turn.

For now she had handed him a new potion to try on it and sent him on his merry way. Bram hobbled through the hospital, sore from being poked and prodded for the better part of an hour. The rope burns that wound around his leg were raw from her cleaning them out again, hoping to rid the wound from any leftover residue, so he was moving extra slow, even with his crutch. By the time he passed the tea room he needed to stop for a break. Maybe he'd head home for the day and send deSpell an owl checking out for the day. His boss had been flexible with his needs while he was healing; it was his idiot son's fault Bram had gotten injured in the first place, and it wasn't often Bram took advantage of the situation, but he was feeling it today.

Deciding to take a break for longer than a couple of moments, he found himself a seat at a small table by the windows and got himself some tea and a snack to give his leg a rest before ambling the rest of the way to the atrium to apparate home. His tea had arrived and he was about to take a bit of the scone he'd asked for when a familiar face entered the tea room. He waved at Howlett just to say hi, sure the healer was busy, but Bram truly forgot just how many people he did know here in Hogsmeade, despite being gone for the better part of the last decade or so.

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Salvatore Howlett

  

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Salvatore had had a busy morning. An incident with a goblin trying to put an Incendio in a bottle had led to he and two of his staff being rushed in to see Salvatore when his shift had barely even started. Fortunately the damage had been minor but the youngest of the three had proven to be quote troublesome to deal with. Then there was that Professor Prince from the duel, having paralysed his vocal cords he was looking for expedited healing in order that he could take his classes later in the week. He needed his break. The man walked in to the tearoom with a copy of the BMJ and a newspaper under his arm, hoping for a little respite.

As he walked in he saw a face he recognised. Bram Colson sat across the room taking tea and gave him a polite wave. Salvatore picked up his own teapot and mug and made his way over. He wasn't that hungry today, having the habit that many in the medical world had of grazing between patients. The healer walked across and gestured to take the seat opposite his friend. "Good afternoon, in for the leg again? Any improvements?" Bram had been under treatment for an irrationally long time for this injury caused by who knew what.

Unless Colson protested, Salvatore would take a seat opposite him and pour himself a black tea from the small pot.

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Bram Colson

  

"Yes and yes, but I was referred to Potion and Plant Poisoning to see if there was anything poisonous on the rope I got tangled in." It really was a ridiculous thing, to need extended medical treatment for getting tangled up in a rope, but Bram also knew it wasn't just any rope. He'd been keeping a colleague from falling, had gotten all tangled up in it himself and the lacerations were severe, tempered by whatever it was the rope had been coated in.

Bram had enough practical healing skills to at least understand what it was the healers were trying to do. It was hard not to have at least a little experience taking care of wounds and magical injuries in the field, so he could follow along easily enough. Bram took a sip of his own tea as Howlett sat down across from him. "It's healing, but slowly. They think there's something preventing the healing from happening correctly." He looked a little like a mummy with a bandage that essentially wrapped from hip join to ankle keeping the wound clean.

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   Salvatore Howlett

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The healer listened to the malady that was affecting his friend. "That is fascinating, I recall there are several species of fauna that have venom that encourages bleeding and prevents healing. It's not my field though. he thought back to his medical texts and some of the different poisoning cases that had been reported, even non-magical creatures could be quite clever with their tricks. He looked at the bandage that wound around the gentleman's leg, it made him think of his own accident in his youth.

Salvatore looked thoughtful for a moment, considering his own field. "Have they ruled out a spell? Perhaps even one we haven't heard of, you cursebreakers get into all sorts." People were inventing and discovering new spells regularly, it did make him feel quite uncomfortable to think that someone may have developed a spell with the specific intention of prolonging injury though.

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Bram Colson

  

"Nothing's off the table really," Bram shook his head slowly, sighing, a ghost of a smile on his lips. Cursebreakers did get into all sorts of debacles and situations that no sane person would venture into. It was what he loved most about the work. "Artifacts is working on that angle, they have the rope I was injured got wrapped up in, trying to discern if it was cursed or something of the like." Between that and the potions department, Bram was confident that somebody was going to figure out. He just hoped it was sooner rather than later. He wasn't made for desk duty and he didn't want to get too out of shape.

Bram readjusted in his seat, the bandages beneath his trousers were restrictive, trying to keep his knee from bending too much, in addition to covering the wounds, and Bram often found it difficult to get comfortable. "How's things for you?" It had been a long time indeed since they'd seen one another last.

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Certainly Salvatore had faith in the doctors here but he worried for the other man to find a resolution to his predicament. "What ever happened to an old fashioned Incendio trap? Would have you right as rain and out the door much faster." he shrugged, wondering whether Bram Colson might agree whether it was better to be tied in rope or set on fire.

He was very happy to share his own news, life was going well at the moment. "Life is good, I've settled in to assistant head quite well now, and am planning to marry the most beautiful woman. I don't suppose you remember Cordie Middlemiss from school? She would have been a couple of years below me, so... three for you?" it all seemed a while ago no so the exact numbers were hazy, maybe one day he wouldn't calculate ages in school years, but that wouldn't be today.

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Having had extensive burn injuries in the past, Bram was disinclined to agree on that front. This injury felt mild, though it had posed its own set of problems. None of it was ideal, but he supposed this was at least less painful. He grimaced appropriately and shook his head. "This isn't nearly as bad." No injury would be preferable, but almost impossible in his line of work. Bram was good at his occupation, but even the best got caught up sometimes. This hadn't even been his fault.

As he listened to Howlett's much better news, Bram grinned. "Congratulations mate, that's wonderful news." He didn't remember Miss Middlemiss, but Bram's circle of friends at school hadn't been too broad and didn't really include anyone younger than himself. "Glad to hear life is going well." Just because Bram did not have the same aspirations didn't mean he couldn't be happy for the other man. "When is the wedding, then?" Settling down was something Bram had never quite decided upon whether or not it was in his future, but it sounded like Howlett was well on his way.

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   Salvatore Howlett

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Salvatore could not smile more when talking about Cordie. "It is the best news, she is beautiful and talented, she works in the school now too. The plan for the wedding is this winter provided we can finalise the arrangements." he finished his tea and tapped on today's paper with a picture of a grand house on it. "I don't suppose either of us shall find a home like this unless we find a lady with a few galleons in her dress. Any luck with women yourself? Last time I checked the dashing cursebreaker could take his pick of the ladies." he let out a laugh. And glanced at the various women listed as available by their fathers like something in a catalogue.

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Bram Colson

  

It sounded like Howlett had everything figured out. Bram had to wince a little bit about the galleons comment, but decided to brush past it with a shrug. "Too busy, not on the agenda at the moment." Bram was married to his work and he liked it that way. He travelled far too often for any woman to have to put up with that. Nobody deserved to be abandoned at home while he traipsed across the world, occasionally coming back like this.

Checking his pocket watch, Bram realized he was going to have to start heading home if he was going to get there by the time he was expected; he wasn't exactly as quick as he usually would at the moment. "I hate to cut the catch up short, but I'm due home in a short while and it takes a little longer to get places these days." He chuckled his way through the explanation, ending in a wry sort of smile. "I wish you and Miss Middlemiss the best." Bram added as he managed to awkwardly get himself out of the chair, leaning on his crutch once again. "It was good to see you Howlett."

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   Salvatore Howlett

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