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Outside, the light Harry wondered whether or not he should go into the shop and see what the two lunatics were doing, when one of the people who had been eying him with distaste and suspicion stepped forward with two friends that were almost as big as he was. "Look at this, mates. A little Merlin wanna-be. Even has a staff," the man said, laughing as he tugged on the shoulder of the white robe. "Mighty fancy material this is too!"

"What's wrong, little boy, got lost on the way to a costume party?" the man next to the first one asked, as he and the other surrounded the light wizard, grinning menacingly. "We could show you the way, for a… little token of your appreciation, of course."

"Quite friendly of you, but I don't need such guidance," Harry said calmly, glancing at the man that had stepped behind him.

"Oh, no, I'm afraid we must insist," the first man said, grinning even wider. "It's out duty as good citizens after all. So why don't you just be a good buy and empty your pockets and we shall see how much of help we can offer, hmm?"

The healer gave him a rather unimpressed look and then smiled. "You know, those boils around your crotch aren't going to go away on their own, and if you leave them be you're going to lose more than just dignity," he said, before turning to the man at his left. "And I'm afraid it's not just heartburn, my good man, but do keep up with your habit. I promise the heartburn won't matter in the least soon," he added and finally glanced behind himself. "And you really should be taking closer look at what you eat. If this keeps up, whoever's poisoning you will succeed in about half a month."

"What did you say?" the lead man roared.

"Also, try and eat more vegetables," the healer agreed. "And some fruits too, if you can manage. You might keep you remaining teeth that way."

"Hey, what did ya say about me being poisoned?" the man behind the healer demanded. "What makes ya think that?"

"The discoloration of the whites of your eyes, and the darkening around your lips, also just bad hand care doesn't cover for six lost finger nails," Harry said solemnly, glancing the man over. "It's not normal to have blue eyeballs, my good man. Someone is feeding you Taxoal in small quantities - its magical herb found in southern America, perfectly good to eat if you blanch it twice in a row, but it dismantles your immune system when eaten without such preparations. In the end you will be weakened to the point where common cold will prove lethal."

"What, wait, I'm gonna die? I don't wanna die!"

"Now, now, you're not going to die if you stop eating the herb immediately and start taking certain potion that will boost your immune system and counter the effects of the Taxoal," Harry assured kindly. "Of course it is very unlike that you will find that certain potion because it is only known in two magical villages in Columbia and European potions makers rarely bother to try to learn such things. Why I doubt it's in any books around here either."

"Hey, hey, what about my heartburn? What is it?" the man at Harry's left side asked, horrified.

"Your stomach walls are disintegrating, and I suspect that your digestive system is for the lack of better word, rotting. Very soon, the walls of your stomach will completely give in and you will suffer a most painful death of, well. Having your guts split open on the inside you," the healer said calmly. "That is the effect of prolonged use of the illegal Bliss Brew mixed with alcohol."

"Oh, Merlin," the man said, clutching onto his stomach in horror.

"What about me, what about the… bumps?" the lead man asked, now looking worried.

"It's a sexually transmitted disease called Hag's Hearth," the light Harry said. "It's treatable, but left alone it will cover your pelvic area completely and the boils will continue to grow exponentially until, well, there will be little room for anything else. When the boils break, and they will break eventually, there will be severe inflammation and you will lose…" Harry glanced downwards with complete sympathy. "I'm sure you get the idea."

"How'd ya know all this?" the man asked clasping his hands protectively over his crotch.

"I'm a trained healer, of course, it is my job to notice these sort of things," the healer answered, and glanced between the three more or less docile wizards, who looked very uneasy with their fates now. "Well, gentlemen, I frankly don't know what to say. It so happens that I know the correct treatments to counter all your ailments," he said. "But I'm in a bit of a tight spot financially and I doubt I could afford the ingredients…"

"How much do you need?" the poisoned man asked eagerly. "I have money, and I can always get more if it's not enough! I don't wanna die!"

"In that case, I think we can come into an arrangement," the healer said, smiling.

Summoned, Chapter 2