INDEX POST: Medical Magic
[Thank you to everyone who contributed ideas. This post will remain open for discussion about these ideas. Further contributions can be made at the Topic Post.]
Idea: Seventh floor ward at St. Mungo's: Albus P.W.B. Dumbledore Memorial Ward for Veterans’ Long-Term Care
Idea belongs to: circe_tigana
Idea found in: How to be Dead (Draco/Ron, Harry, NC-17)
Permission? Granted by author.
In the aftermath of the second Voldemort war, the necessity arose for a new ward at St. Mungo's -- one that catered specifically to the unique needs of the veterans, from both sides of the struggle.
He passes through the lobby into the elevators. Six floors to deal with every magical malady or injury wizarding kind can concoct. And then the new, seventh floor, where Ron works. Top floor, plenty of windows to let the sunshine in; another, more useful, legacy of generous donations and reparations.
The waiting room outside the Albus P.W.B. Dumbledore Memorial Ward for Veterans’ Long-Term Care is bright and airy. Bowls of candy in shiny paper sit on the coffee tables together with glossy copies of the newest Witch Weekly and Quidditch Now! A life-sized portrait of the old headmaster twinkles merrily beside the main entrance.
The ward is separated into two sections: the first is open to visitors, and houses those injured on the side of the Order of the Phoenix, while the closed portion of the ward is high-security, and home to incapacitated Death Eaters.
Idea: Magical maladies: Polka-Dot Plague
Idea belongs to: Marina Rusalka / Mariner / marinarusalka
Idea found in: Harry Potter and the Polka Dot Plague
Permission? Not sought
Suggested by: painless_j
Magical equivalent of measles (or other childhood contagious deceases). There's obligatory vaccination in the Wizarding word to prevent it. The outer features of the decease are polka dots on skin. The inner - it messes with magic, so that any magical cure that might be otherwise considered must be declined because the results are unpredictable. The older a wizard the harder he suffers. As a treatment, they use Muggle medicine.
Harry hasn't been vaccinated because his parents had died before they would have done it. Snape wasn't vaccinated either. So they suffer together in a closed ward in the Hogwarts Infirmary.
Idea: A separate ward for autistic wizards
Idea belongs to: hannahrorlove
Idea found in: London, Underground (Gen, G)
Permission? Granted by author, though credit would be nice
It is likely autistics in the wizarding world would still be looked on as aberrations or freaks, and placed apart from the rest of society. They would be kept in a private ward and given constant attention to keep them from using magic. It is stated in the books that wizards can accidentally let off a spell when they are emotional without realizing it - Harry blowing up his aunt is probably the best example - so the ones who would not be able to be trained and would only have random fits of magic at their disposal would not be seen as desirable members of the outside world.
Autistic wizards would almost definitely be forbidden from using magic at all, let alone remain a part of the normal populace.
Idea: (1) Healer's training; (2)Persona immunata
Idea belongs to: thrihyrne
Idea found in: Magic Immunity (Draco/Ron, NC-17)
Permission? Not granted/sought.
Suggested by circe_tigana
(1) Ron receives his healer's training during a three-year course of study at the prestigious Healer's Academy.
There is mention of a homecare mediwitch whose robes don't "bear the traditional St. Mungo’s insignia; since Malfoy is the patient, and pays Ron directly for his services, this indicates a two-tier medicare system in the wizarding world -- public, or private if you can afford it.
Though it is unclear whether or not Ron is officially associated with St. Mungo's (a place Malfoy avoids because of his desire for "privacy"), his stationary letterhead bears the title Obscure Hexes Division. Much is made of the fact that while the Dark Arts and obscure hexes are not part of the normal accepted Healer training, Ron has become an expert in these fields after the war.
(2)In the story, Draco is suffering from a dark curse named Persona Immunata. As Ron explains:
Persona immunata is a bloody wicked hex .... You need to know that you’ll have to spend a fair amount of time with the healer who tries to lift a curse that’s turned your own magic against you.
The hex causes a wizard's magic to "work against him", dampening and reversing his aura, and rendering him incapable of magic use (to the point where he can't even hold his wand).
To treat the hex, Ron must familiarize himself with Draco; he suggests "smelling" him because he's "going to have to know some essential and personal elements about you in order to establish the way your magic should be." Ron tells Draco that "undoing a persona immunata requires no small amount of binding in the process. And some trust."
The treatment is complex and time-consuming (reference is made to a month-long healing process).
The next day they started a routine that went on for several weeks. Ron cast an Illuminous to better see Draco’s magical energy. It still permeated his body, but it was working against him.
[...]
Using a series of arcane rituals, Ron began modifying Draco’s magic. He used Draco’s wand, which had some of his blood on it. He could only manipulate the energy so much at a time, as the process was incredibly painful. Draco bore up as well as he could, and as the days went on, the discomfort he felt while Ron realigned his magical essence diminished.
Patients are able to make a full recovery.
Idea: Magical maladies: Augur's Flu
Idea belongs to: Ociwen / [Unknown LJ tag]
Idea found in: Completely Abnormal (HP/DM; PG-13)
Permission? Not sought.
Suggested by painless_j
The illness in question is contageous like normal flu but it's a magical decease that works on wizards in a peculiar way. Quote: The last few days before the Christmas holidays (which Harry was forced to take, even though he offered to work them because, really, he didn't have much family or a reason to stay home, by himself, and watch reruns of sitcoms and football matches) it seemed half the Auror Department came down with Augur's Flu, which was rather like normal Flu, only the symptoms during the first 24 hours were uncontrollable premonitions of the future, usually shrieking that the world would end or that Caesar would die.
"At least I didn't pass it on," Ron said, sniffling from the last vestiges of his own flu.
"DOOM!" Auror Clarke screamed from across the office. Harry stopped his work for a moment, but didn't look up. Behind him, he could hear Mavis on the Magic-com alerting the front desk that another one had come down with the flu. [...]
"My family tends to get it pretty badly," she [Tonks] said, hopping up on top of Harry's desk, swinging her legs over the edge happily. "Make sure to drink lots of fluids and stay away from Divinators, Harry," she warned him. "They're the worst for spreading the germs.""
Idea: Energy required for magic
Idea belongs to: shaenie, ipso_facto & blythely, on IM
Idea found in: extrapolated from canon material at the HPL
Permission? Granted by all.
Looking through the spells/potions etc associated with medicine that JKR has thus far mentioned in canon, it's become apparent that most healing magic is done by a substance of some form, rather than just a spell. We discussed the idea that healing magic might be incredibly taxing to the person doing the spell (hence potions, ointments etc), and that there might be some (perhaps uncomfortable) intimacy involved in healing by spell only.
Idea: Seventh floor ward at St. Mungo's: Albus P.W.B. Dumbledore Memorial Ward for Veterans’ Long-Term Care
Idea belongs to: circe_tigana
Idea found in: How to be Dead (Draco/Ron, Harry, NC-17)
Permission? Granted by author.
In the aftermath of the second Voldemort war, the necessity arose for a new ward at St. Mungo's -- one that catered specifically to the unique needs of the veterans, from both sides of the struggle.
He passes through the lobby into the elevators. Six floors to deal with every magical malady or injury wizarding kind can concoct. And then the new, seventh floor, where Ron works. Top floor, plenty of windows to let the sunshine in; another, more useful, legacy of generous donations and reparations.
The waiting room outside the Albus P.W.B. Dumbledore Memorial Ward for Veterans’ Long-Term Care is bright and airy. Bowls of candy in shiny paper sit on the coffee tables together with glossy copies of the newest Witch Weekly and Quidditch Now! A life-sized portrait of the old headmaster twinkles merrily beside the main entrance.
The ward is separated into two sections: the first is open to visitors, and houses those injured on the side of the Order of the Phoenix, while the closed portion of the ward is high-security, and home to incapacitated Death Eaters.
Idea: Magical maladies: Polka-Dot Plague
Idea belongs to: Marina Rusalka / Mariner / marinarusalka
Idea found in: Harry Potter and the Polka Dot Plague
Permission? Not sought
Suggested by: painless_j
Magical equivalent of measles (or other childhood contagious deceases). There's obligatory vaccination in the Wizarding word to prevent it. The outer features of the decease are polka dots on skin. The inner - it messes with magic, so that any magical cure that might be otherwise considered must be declined because the results are unpredictable. The older a wizard the harder he suffers. As a treatment, they use Muggle medicine.
Harry hasn't been vaccinated because his parents had died before they would have done it. Snape wasn't vaccinated either. So they suffer together in a closed ward in the Hogwarts Infirmary.
Idea: A separate ward for autistic wizards
Idea belongs to: hannahrorlove
Idea found in: London, Underground (Gen, G)
Permission? Granted by author, though credit would be nice
It is likely autistics in the wizarding world would still be looked on as aberrations or freaks, and placed apart from the rest of society. They would be kept in a private ward and given constant attention to keep them from using magic. It is stated in the books that wizards can accidentally let off a spell when they are emotional without realizing it - Harry blowing up his aunt is probably the best example - so the ones who would not be able to be trained and would only have random fits of magic at their disposal would not be seen as desirable members of the outside world.
Autistic wizards would almost definitely be forbidden from using magic at all, let alone remain a part of the normal populace.
Idea: (1) Healer's training; (2)Persona immunata
Idea belongs to: thrihyrne
Idea found in: Magic Immunity (Draco/Ron, NC-17)
Permission? Not granted/sought.
Suggested by circe_tigana
(1) Ron receives his healer's training during a three-year course of study at the prestigious Healer's Academy.
There is mention of a homecare mediwitch whose robes don't "bear the traditional St. Mungo’s insignia; since Malfoy is the patient, and pays Ron directly for his services, this indicates a two-tier medicare system in the wizarding world -- public, or private if you can afford it.
Though it is unclear whether or not Ron is officially associated with St. Mungo's (a place Malfoy avoids because of his desire for "privacy"), his stationary letterhead bears the title Obscure Hexes Division. Much is made of the fact that while the Dark Arts and obscure hexes are not part of the normal accepted Healer training, Ron has become an expert in these fields after the war.
(2)In the story, Draco is suffering from a dark curse named Persona Immunata. As Ron explains:
Persona immunata is a bloody wicked hex .... You need to know that you’ll have to spend a fair amount of time with the healer who tries to lift a curse that’s turned your own magic against you.
The hex causes a wizard's magic to "work against him", dampening and reversing his aura, and rendering him incapable of magic use (to the point where he can't even hold his wand).
To treat the hex, Ron must familiarize himself with Draco; he suggests "smelling" him because he's "going to have to know some essential and personal elements about you in order to establish the way your magic should be." Ron tells Draco that "undoing a persona immunata requires no small amount of binding in the process. And some trust."
The treatment is complex and time-consuming (reference is made to a month-long healing process).
The next day they started a routine that went on for several weeks. Ron cast an Illuminous to better see Draco’s magical energy. It still permeated his body, but it was working against him.
[...]
Using a series of arcane rituals, Ron began modifying Draco’s magic. He used Draco’s wand, which had some of his blood on it. He could only manipulate the energy so much at a time, as the process was incredibly painful. Draco bore up as well as he could, and as the days went on, the discomfort he felt while Ron realigned his magical essence diminished.
Patients are able to make a full recovery.
Idea: Magical maladies: Augur's Flu
Idea belongs to: Ociwen / [Unknown LJ tag]
Idea found in: Completely Abnormal (HP/DM; PG-13)
Permission? Not sought.
Suggested by painless_j
The illness in question is contageous like normal flu but it's a magical decease that works on wizards in a peculiar way. Quote: The last few days before the Christmas holidays (which Harry was forced to take, even though he offered to work them because, really, he didn't have much family or a reason to stay home, by himself, and watch reruns of sitcoms and football matches) it seemed half the Auror Department came down with Augur's Flu, which was rather like normal Flu, only the symptoms during the first 24 hours were uncontrollable premonitions of the future, usually shrieking that the world would end or that Caesar would die.
"At least I didn't pass it on," Ron said, sniffling from the last vestiges of his own flu.
"DOOM!" Auror Clarke screamed from across the office. Harry stopped his work for a moment, but didn't look up. Behind him, he could hear Mavis on the Magic-com alerting the front desk that another one had come down with the flu. [...]
"My family tends to get it pretty badly," she [Tonks] said, hopping up on top of Harry's desk, swinging her legs over the edge happily. "Make sure to drink lots of fluids and stay away from Divinators, Harry," she warned him. "They're the worst for spreading the germs.""
Idea: Energy required for magic
Idea belongs to: shaenie, ipso_facto & blythely, on IM
Idea found in: extrapolated from canon material at the HPL
Permission? Granted by all.
Looking through the spells/potions etc associated with medicine that JKR has thus far mentioned in canon, it's become apparent that most healing magic is done by a substance of some form, rather than just a spell. We discussed the idea that healing magic might be incredibly taxing to the person doing the spell (hence potions, ointments etc), and that there might be some (perhaps uncomfortable) intimacy involved in healing by spell only.