Work Text:
Beiming Huangyuan wretchedly surfaced, like a newborn baby grabbing his ever first breath of air.
“My Master!” Qian Shisanlin on the boat finally set his trembling heart free.
He had been staying on the boat as usual, preparing hot tea and dim-sum, but this dive of his Master left him waiting, from the time with the sun high up in the air till it set, brewing all the clouds. The elapsing time turned the boiling cup of herbal tea hot, warm, and even as cold as the Lake outside, whereas deepening its color. Petals of rose and figs softened and rotted, but Beiming Huangyuan did not return.
"My Master."
He gently pushed the thick bath towel handed by the Old Qian away. While adapting to the feeling of having a solid footing, he slowly walked into the cabin, wordlessly, leaving pairs of wet footprints on the shiny black cabin floor behind.
He was wet from hair to foot. Beiming Huangyuan couldn't tell whether the chilliness came from. He trembled under the sprinkling of rain, or maybe it was the shivery of the icy water he swallowed down in the Lake when the bubble-head charm lost its effect -- he couldn't tell. All he could feel is the coldness; he had never been this cold before.
"Excoquatur."
Nothing happened. -- As he expected disappointedly.
Beiming Huangyuan shivered his lips, "Qian."
He wrapped himself with the thick towel in the end. The herbal tea Old Qian served was cold already, but he himself was at his wit's end at this point, standing by the fireplace like some helpless muggle with his hands holding the porcelain cup inside which rotted the remains of the former rose petals and figs.
"Qian," he gathered the courage to command after seconds of confusion, "write to inform the Deans of the other Houses that the Transfiguration courses next week will be suspended, and I will find some time to make up for the lessons afterwards. I'm, I am going to get in touch with ..."
"My Master? Is there anything unwell ...?" Old Qian nodded with puzzle.
"I'm fine, Qian, I'm fine ..."
The herbal tea that had turned into some unknown solution was swallowed with a tilt of his head.
"We'll visit Diagon Alley tomorrow..." Beiming Huangyuan whispered calmly, though the near desperate exhalation was as frosty gasp, "Be early. I need to get a new wand as soon as possible.