The morning of the Healing Magic examination dawned clear and cold. The rain had finally stopped, leaving the grounds wet and glistening under a pale sun. Edmund walked to the Great Hall with a sense of calm he had not felt in days. Healing was his subject. The Prince family had been healers for generations. The ring on his finger pulsed with a quiet warmth, as if it knew what was coming.
He sat at his assigned desk, number 147, and waited. The lead examiner, a witch with kind eyes and hands that bore the calluses of a working healer, rose from her desk precisely at nine o'clock.
"Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests," she said. "Subject: Healing Magic. Theory paper. You have two hours. Begin."
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The parchment was warm as Edmund touched it. He read the first question, then the second, then the third. They were demanding, but he had prepared.
*Question 1: Describe the diagnostic process for identifying curse damage versus natural disease. Include the magical techniques used and the limitations of each.*
Edmund wrote about the differences between curse damage (magical signature, rapid onset, resistance to standard healing) and natural disease (organic cause, gradual onset, responsive to potions). He described diagnostic techniques: the *Veritas Revelio* (his own spell) for detecting magical signatures, the *Pulse Revelio* for assessing the flow of magic through the body, and the *Symptom Chart* method for comparing symptoms to known curse patterns. He discussed the limitations: some curses mimicked natural diseases, and some diseases had magical components.
*Question 2: Explain the proper procedure for treating a patient suffering from severe curse damage to the magical core. Include the steps for stabilization, treatment, and recovery.*
Edmund wrote about the three-phase treatment for core damage: stabilization (preventing further damage through containment charms), treatment (using a combination of potions and directed healing spells to repair the core), and recovery (monitoring the patient's magical output and adjusting treatment accordingly). He described the specific potions involved: the Essence of Dittany for tissue repair, the Wiggenweld Potion for energy restoration, and a custom elixir of powdered bezoar and moonstone for core regeneration. He noted that full recovery could take months or years.
*Question 3: A healer is called to treat a wizard who has been bitten by a Venomous Tentacula. Describe the immediate steps, the antidote, and the follow-up care.*
Edmund wrote about the immediate steps: isolate the venom with a containment charm, clean the wound with a sterilizing spell, and administer a basic antidote (bezoar dissolved in essence of dittany). He described the full antidote: a potion of crushed snake fangs, powdered silver, and moonstone, brewed for six hours. He described the follow-up care: monitoring for signs of magical corruption, applying a soothing salve to the wound, and rest for at least a week.
*Question 4: Discuss the ethical considerations of using experimental healing spells on a patient who cannot consent. Include legal frameworks and the healer's responsibilities.*
This was a difficult question. Edmund wrote about the principle of informed consent, the exceptions (emergencies where the patient is unconscious), and the legal requirement to use only approved spells unless the patient or their family has given permission. He discussed the healer's responsibilities: to document every step, to consult with colleagues, and to prioritize the patient's well-being over the desire to experiment. He cited the case of *St. Mungo's v. Healer Whitaker* (1889), where a healer had been struck off for using an unapproved spell on a non-consenting patient.
*Question 5: A witch has been cursed with a slow-acting venom that attacks the magical core. Using healing magic, describe the treatment plan, including the role of the healer's intent.*
This was the hardest question. Edmund wrote about the multi-stage treatment plan: stabilization (containment charms to isolate the venom), extraction (drawing the venom out through a series of directed spells), repair (using a combination of potions and healing charms to restore the core), and recovery (monitoring and rest). He emphasized the role of the healer's intent: healing required genuine compassion and focus; spells cast with distraction or doubt were less effective. He noted that the healer's own magical core could be affected by prolonged exposure to the venom, so the healer had to rotate with colleagues.
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The two hours passed. Edmund wrote until his hand cramped, filling every page, leaving nothing blank. When the proctor called "Time," he set down his quill and stretched his fingers.
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The practical examination for Healing Magic was held in a small infirmary on the third floor, its walls lined with beds and its tables covered with medical instruments and potion vials. A panel of three examiners sat at a table near the door—two witches and one wizard, all strangers, all wearing healer's robes.
"Mr. Prince," the lead examiner said, consulting her notes. "You will perform a series of healing demonstrations. You have one hour. Begin."
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**Challenge One: *Diagnostic Magic* – Identifying the Ailment**
The examiner gestured to a conjured patient lying on a bed—a dummy enchanted to simulate a wizard with a specific ailment. "Diagnose this patient using magical techniques. You may use any spells at your disposal."
Edmund approached the patient. He cast *Veritas Revelio*; the dummy glowed with a faint, sickly yellow light around the chest—lung damage. He cast *Pulse Revelio*; the magical pulse was weak and irregular. "The patient has curse damage to the lungs," he said. "Specifically, a variant of the *Suffocation Hex*. The curse was cast approximately three days ago. The patient is stable but deteriorating."
The examiner nodded. "Correct."
**Challenge Two: *Stabilization* – Preventing Further Damage**
The examiner gestured to another conjured patient, this one writhing on the bed. "Stabilize this patient. The curse is spreading."
Edmund raised his wand and cast a containment charm, isolating the curse to the patient's left arm. The writhing stopped. "The curse is contained," he said. "The patient will need treatment to remove the curse, but they are no longer in immediate danger."
The examiner examined the patient. "Acceptable."
**Challenge Three: *Antidote Preparation* – Custom Brew**
The examiner handed him a sample of a poison. "Identify the poison and brew the antidote."
Edmund examined the sample. It was pale green, smelled of almonds, and had a slightly oily consistency. "Vegetable-based poison derived from the berries of the Spotted Hemlock," he said. He gathered the ingredients—bezoar, powdered silver, essence of dittany, and a specific mushroom extract—and began to brew. The antidote took fifteen minutes. He tested a drop on the sample; the mixture turned clear.
The examiner nodded. "Correct."
**Challenge Four: *Curse Removal* – Directed Healing**
The examiner pointed to a dummy with a curse mark on its chest. "Remove this curse. It is a standard *Blight Hex*."
Edmund raised his wand. He cast a directed healing charm, focusing on the curse mark. The mark flickered, darkened, then faded. He cast *Veritas Revelio* to confirm; no curse remained.
"Sufficient."
**Challenge Five: *Magical Core Repair* – Potion and Spell Combination**
The examiner handed him a vial of cloudy liquid. "This patient has a damaged magical core. Treat it using a combination of potion and spell."
Edmund examined the vial. The liquid represented the patient's magical essence. He brewed a small quantity of core-repair elixir (powdered bezoar, moonstone, and essence of dittany) and cast a directed healing charm while administering the potion. The liquid cleared, representing a healed core.
The examiner examined the result. "Acceptable."
**Challenge Six: *Emergency Healing* – Critical Condition**
The final challenge.
... The lead examiner gestured to a dummy that was convulsing violently, its limbs thrashing, its magical signature flickering. "This patient is dying. The curse is spreading rapidly. You have three minutes to save them."
Edmund acted quickly. He cast a containment charm to isolate the curse, but the curse was too strong—it broke through. He tried again, reinforcing the charm with a second layer. The curse slowed but did not stop.
He needed to remove the curse directly. He raised his wand and cast a series of directed healing charms, targeting the curse's source. The convulsions intensified. Edmund did not stop. He poured his magic into the spell, feeling the drain on his own core. The ring on his finger pulsed with warmth, guiding him.
The curse broke. The convulsions stopped. The patient lay still, breathing steadily.
Edmund stepped back, his hands trembling. "The patient is stable," he said. "They will need follow-up treatment, but they will live."
The examiners exchanged glances. The lead examiner nodded slowly. "Impressive, Mr. Prince. However, the final challenge remains."
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**Challenge Seven: *Original Spell Creation* – The Healer's Signature**
The lead examiner set down her notes and looked directly at Edmund. "For the final challenge, you must demonstrate a healing spell of your own creation—something not found in any textbook, something that represents your unique approach to magic. You may use any target you wish."
Edmund's heart beat faster. He had developed several spells over the years—the *Veritas Revelio* for detection, the *Animus Custos* for mental defence—but those were not healing spells. He needed something that mended, that restored, that embodied the Prince family legacy.
He thought about the ring on his finger, about the healing magic he had practiced since fourth year, about the patients he had treated—the kneazle, the rabbit, the conjured victims in the Room of Requirement. He thought about the trial, about the poison, about the way he had healed himself by using his own blood as a catalyst.
He raised his wand.
*Anima Sanatio* – Soul Healing.
He had never used this spell before. He had only theorized it, sketched it in the margins of his journal, dreamed about it in the quiet hours of the night. It was a spell that healed not the body, but the magical core—the source of a wizard's power. It worked by drawing on the healer's own life force, transferring it to the patient to repair damage that no potion could reach.
He focused on a conjured dummy that had a damaged magical core—a condition that normally took months of treatment. He cast the spell.
Silver light flowed from his wand, wrapping around the dummy like a second skin. The light pulsed, rhythmically, as if it had a heartbeat. The dummy's magical signature flickered, then steadied, then grew stronger. The damage was healing—not slowly, but in seconds.
The light faded. The dummy was whole.
The examiners were silent. The lead examiner rose from her chair and approached the dummy, casting her own diagnostic spells. She examined the results, her eyes widening.
"The magical core has been fully restored," she said. "This would normally take weeks of treatment. What did you do?"
Edmund lowered his wand. "The spell is called *Anima Sanatio* – Soul Healing. It transfers a portion of the healer's own life force to the patient, accelerating the body's natural healing of the magical core. It requires the healer to be in perfect health, and it cannot be used repeatedly, as it drains the healer's own core. But in an emergency, it could save a life that would otherwise be lost."
The lead examiner looked at him for a long moment. "You invented this?"
"Yes."
"At seventeen years old?"
Edmund nodded.
She turned to her colleagues. They whispered among themselves. Then she turned back to Edmund.
"This is the most remarkable piece of spell creation I have witnessed in twenty years of examining N.E.W.T. students. You have not only mastered the curriculum—you have advanced it. Outstanding, Mr. Prince. Truly outstanding."
Edmund bowed. "Thank you."
"You may go."
He walked out of the room, the door closing behind him. He leaned against the wall, his heart pounding, his hands steady. The ring on his finger was warm, almost hot, as if it were proud.
He had done everything they had asked—and more. Tomorrow was Wardcraft. He would need his strength.
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