Absit Omen RPG

Athena laughed at Josie's jokes. "It's you who's doing the magic just by being your lovely self," she said. She shook from the bag into her gloved hand two oblong crystalline stones, cragged with facets and inner cracks, even a little foggy like ice or glass, but it was hard to tell in the darkness.

Dragonhide was a peculiar thing, impermeable to many of the most common types of magic which made them ideal for keeping hands protected in the practice of magic. And look here, they were useful for the other way, too, when you wanted to keep your hands to yourself.

"We're finding these pebbles here respond to the natural magic inside you - they'll glow or resonate in a vivacious wixfolk and accordingly sit quietly for a squib or muggle. Here we go..."

Athena placed the crystals in Josie's hands, one for each, then stepped back.

It was about then that the healer returned with a small wooden case and a pair of dragonhide gloves. Athena set the case on the side table then put on the gloves before lifted the latches, and flipped the lid. Nested inside was a black velvet bag.

"Lights, my love," Athena said to a nurse who dimmed all the lamps on the ward to a shady twilight.

"Aye you, shift yourself this way," she said then, gesturing for Josie to sit up on the edge of the bed facing her. "Hands on your knees, palms up. And all of you magically potent people, step a few back, thanks all. I'll place a crystal in each hand and you just keep breathing normal. No need to clench anything."

It was a bit awkward handling the velvet bag with the dragonhide gloves, but Athena didn't need the crystals getting confused passing between magical hands.

"Ready then, love?"

 

      "Could we get Ms Flint tested with those crystals?[1] It might clear some things up," the Auror asked in the course of his inquiry.

Athena nodded and rose from her seat to find a nurse to fetch some. She'd have to get some from up on Two[2]. They'd been using them to confirm Praecontatio Deliquus from time to time but knew of their connection to the Gamp kidnappings.

"Yes. Anything strange. Other than it was a date roulette match with a zany eccentric that ended with you waking up half-mind-whacked," Athena said, sliding back over on her stool.

Athena didn't feel it was a gamble to joke a bit with this particular patient, this Josie Flint who was taking all of this in unusually good humor. She'd already had or would eventually face the horror of it all, but if they could be comfortable in the moment, Athena was happy to help.

1.	Magical Potential
2.	Floor Two: Magical Bugs

Presently an Auror joined them and he introduced himself as Omari Warrington. The name rang a bell but Athena couldn't place it at the moment. She smiled as the two young witches flustered a bit, then she sat down on her roller stool.

"That's right, no vampires involved what I can tell," Athena said, then snuck in an introduction. "Athena Marrowbone. She's here on Creature Injuries because vampires was an initial suspicion, but it's looking like this was wix-work."

Or Gamp-work, more specifically.  That family had some cobby nooks and crannies, didn't they.

"We've still got a bit of the memory in there but not a great lot. Dizziness, nausea. All of it could be caused by memory spells or any number of potions. I'd refer to Spell Damage or Poisonings for more tests if that's what our Josie Flint wants. And as far as memory recovery, that's not really my department."

Poor Josie up and conked out! Athena was a bit surprised as well, never having done anything so concrete before with her mind-reading. Maybe a little thank you to Virgil Carstairs on that. A little helpful detective work never hurt when sussing out the root cause of some ailment. Athena may have found the box, but it was the two young witches who brought the entire matter to home, poking at a Witch Weekly like X-Marks-the-Spot.

Athena looked. The wizard of interest was thin, pale, with a piercing gaze and long dark hair. It was Orion Gamp. Apparently to assist with Josie Flint's vertigo, Athena got quickly to her feet and uncorked a vial of an earthy smelling salt under Josie's nose. Petra's Steadyfoot Salt, it was called and smelled like a face-full of soil. But as she did so, the tall Healer was signaling for a fellow healer.

"Just a bit of Legilmancy, love," Athena assured Josie. "You'll be right as rain soon enough. Good girl. Just a minute."

Athena stepped away just long enough to have a few words with the other Healer.

"Ey, Pace, Mortimer Gamp's son, Orion Gamp - find out if he's in the hospital. I think I saw him."

         "Don't you know?" Sara kept her voice lowered. "There's a whole snit going on. Right now. Upstairs. Aurors are here."

"Does no one tell me anything?" Athena scoffed and put her hands in her pockets. "Well, get us one of them. Aurors, I mean. Might have a someone who'd want to have a word."

At talk of vampires, both young witches bubbled over with nerves. It was a common reaction. If you either worked in the business or had the requisite half-a-wit required to avoid them, most people never had a dealing with a vampire, let alone a blood-draw or bite.

"Aye, a vampire will prefer the neck, but they've been known to use a needle now and then," Athena explained without further elaboration. She was peering down through the spectacles at the little punctures, switching lenses in and out. She was looking for traces of a certain muggle antiseptic the local covens were known to use but found nothing.

"But this doesn't look like their handiwork," she resolved then changed the lenses on the spectacles. "Let me try sometihing. Look here?"

Athena indicated that Josie should look at her straight on. As soon as they made eye contact, Athena reached out with her mind in that steady gentle way of Legilmancy she had, the kind that looked for the truth of the heart rather than the head. She'd been taking tutoring from the youthful Virgil Carstairs on shoring up the defensive side of things, and the practice  had just made her a little more bold. When something was lost, another set of eyes was what you needed, right?

Athena only needed a light touch to see that all of Josie Flint's disorientation and worry was genuine and without guile. But also here in the blurriness was a locked box marked, 'Last Night'. Athena reached a long arm and pointed at it.

"What's that?" she asked, voicing the question in the waking world, blinking away from the link.

Athena shook her head no; she didn't Praecantatio Deliquus was at all likely but it was easy enough to screen for. Luckily, Ms Flint's wand worked just fine and they could get down to business. She wanted to have a look at those arms. From a pocket, Athena produced a set of spectacles of a complicated design. There were lenses of different sizes and colors with levers to flip them up and down. She put them on, swapped out some lenses, and took Josie's hands in hers to steady the arm.

"I believe you," she assured Josie. The marks looked to be from intravenous needles sure enough and understandably cause for some defensiveness.  So, as casual as could be, Athena asked, "do you have any experiences with vampires, love?" 

It wasn't well known and rarer than a bit, but some vampires took blood the mundane way. Sometimes to build a stockpile but sometimes it was the preference of volunteers, a practice that wasn't exactly legal. But the law wasn't of much concern to Athena - she just wanted to get her patients on their way with any support they needed.

"Give to any blood banks?"

"Good to meet you, Theta," Athena greeted the helpful partner. "We'll get her right."

Athena assisted Theta in guiding Josie along out of the lift and into the first floor's primary ward. It was a long narrow room, curved slightly to the left, and was lined with beds. The lights were dimmed and many occupied beds had the curtains drawn. Quiet murmurs from patients and mediwix provided a gentle white noise to the night.

Athena sat Josie down on an open bed in the open ward and drew the curtain. The reported nausea was easy to see so Athena passed a pan over to Josie, just in case. The healer took a seat on her rolling stool, bringing her eyeline down a good few feet.

It was always a troubling thing to hear that a young woman had no memory of a blind date, but Athena didn't want to jump to conclusions. Dizziness, amnesia, nausea, the marks on the arms: could be a vampire, could be Confundus or Obliviation, could be recreational potions, could be Runespoor.

But first, the Magical Measles question.

"Let's give it a go. Can you cast a spell for me, love?"

Athena Marrowbone, dressed in the long green and white robes of her station, answered a memo from reception. She'd just cleaned up from an hours-long ritual to try and pull a Dorset lawyer out from under a hag curse. She wasn't meeting Vincent again until later, the pair of them allergic to sleep, so she'd rather scoop up something interesting from amongst the walk-ins than check the memos that had piled up at her desk.

Hands in pockets, she looked easily over the shoulder of a reception nurse at the case scroll.

        "She's dazed, some memory loss. Punctures at the insides of her arms," the nurse summarized.  Behind her a Valentine's decoration of an anatomical heart beat a jaunty rhythm. "Vampire, you think?"

Athena straightened up. "Strangely done, if that, but not impossible. I'll take her. We can always shuffle."

"Josie Flint, can you follow me?" Athena called the name on the scroll from the doorway. "I'm Healer Marrowbone. Can you walk alright? We'll take the lift to the first floor and find out what's going on."

Athena looked at Virgil with a furrowed brow, disappointed and worried. The youthful invincibility of it all. She wanted to smack him upside his head. He could have been killed at his own encounter. His only experience with vampires as far as Athena knew had been an attack and she remembered him clearly on her table: pale, shaken, drained, traumatized. He was fine now, but to go through that and then to introduce Waverly into it? Daft!

"Don't need your salt," she tsked.

    "It's not his fault," Waverly spoke up, raising her voice. "It's not my fault. It's that psycho vampire's fault. It's my parents' fault."

Athena took the poultice off and tossed it onto the table, regarding Waverly like the troublesome witch she was. Waverly wasn't wrong, but she also wasn't right. Dealings with vampires never had a savory outcome; bizarrely Virgil had decided to deal with his by involving Waverly in his fantasy, and Waverly had gone half-cocked straight in no thought for her own safety. All that and Bruce and Zora had done exactly what anyone would expect of them and defended their cub.

Athena could say any of that. She'd never break her vow as a healer. If Bruce and Zora found out about tonight, it wouldn't be from her. She'd heal anyone who needed it. But in her kitchen, she'd not spare them her tongue.

"No, you're right. It's not your fault," she said, walking back from the victim-blaming. "But I hope I don't have to tell you you're blooming idiots for getting as far as you did, and you'd be idiots to ever go back. You're flesh and blood and bone, the lot of ye, and you've only got so much. Would be nice to act like it."

Athena sat back and considered a moment. Waverly wasn't saying anything and Virgil's story wasn't making sense. If Waverly's parents know about this, there wasn't a reason Athena could think of that the two kids would be here, at her house at midnight, alone begging a back alley stitch-up.

With a measured breath, Athena reached out with her mind to Waverly. Athena was a Legilimancer of sorts, most concerned and skilled with getting to the root of what someone was feeling, emotions they could be hiding. What she saw made her sit up a little straighter. Waverly, wild, silently screaming and trying to fight her way out of a twisting red cloud.

"Right," Athena said. The young witch was struggling against everything inside her to stay contained.

Waverly, having no sense of Athena's search, finished the water and let the glass drop on the counter with a loud thunk.

The whole story would need to be out, but in the mean time they had to get on with it. Athena stood, and unpacked a bottle of Tell-Tale Tincture, a bottle of Wren R. Vita's Vitality Tonic and some gauze. She came around the island and pulled up the stool on Waverly's left side.

"It's going to be alright," Athena said with a little more of her famous bedside manner plied in the kitchen. "I'm not going to tell the parents, and it's your choice if you want to report. D'you get me?"

Waverly took a deep breath and nodded. At least there was that, Virgil's promise realized that his healer wouldn't summon the roof down on top of them.

"Good lass. We're going to do a couple things. I'll have you drink the Wren R. Vita's to get some color back in ye. I've got a banger warming charm, as well. And I do need to clean out the wound. Make sure the devil didn't leave anything behind. Won't hurt."

She very nearly solicited a confirmation from Virgil, but she stopped at looking up at him. His bite was his business.

Athena arrived in the kitchen to find Virgil and Waverly.  Virgil was standing and she could see now he was fully in his pajamas. Waverly, though, Athena could see even under the coat that she was still dressed. Athena had put on jeans and a long tank top. The tattoos of branches, flowers, insects, and bones went all the way to her shoulders. She carried a large healers' bag which was made up mostly of pockets.

"Keep going," she said first thing to Waverly. Athena hadn't actually seen her friends' daughters in a few years. She'd been gangly but making a good effort at those difficult young teenage years. Thought they'd met on some number of occasions, Athena and Waverly didn't know each other well. To be honest, Athena knew more about Waverly from her parents' stories than anything else. They were proud, she handled Iona's accident with unsettling stoicism and distance, and was now a wild child.

Athena sat on the stool across Waverly and tried to get a look at her face. "Show me the bite, love?"

Waverly hesitated then took off her coat, moved her hair, and turned her head like she'd done for Virgil. Athena clicked her tongue. It was big, angry, and red. Athena didn't reach to touch it, not yet.

"Oh, he's taken a piece of you, hasn't he. When did this happen?"

        Waverly turned back to her half-empty glass. "Tonight. Like a few hours ago."

Athena checked with Virgil even as he asked Waverly the question. "How'd it happen?"

Seemed like yesterday it was Virgil on her table having been rousted about by a vampire in the night, bit in the neck, traumatized. He seemed alright now, but he'd be next on her list

        "He was in my house when I got home," Waverly said flatly, eyes unfocused past the water. "He bit me and broke my hand."

"Your hand? Show me."

Waverly complied and slid her arm across the island. "Virgil fixed it," Waverly said.

Athena took Waverly's hand gently in her own and felt for the bones inside and gently flexed Waverly's fingers.

It was very well done. "You mended it?" she asked Virgil. "What did you use?"

Virgil's voice slid into Athena's mind and her stomach knotted. She looked at Waverly for a long moment. Her skin was ashy, she was drained, and her eyes were red, but she was on her own two feet and conscious enough to be as shocked and pissed off as Athena was.

There was no question as to what must be done. With a gesture, Athena gathered the kids into the house.

"Wait for me in the kitchen. It's at the end of the hallway. Wav, drink you a full glass of water before I return."

The Healer's tone was moody and chiding, nothing like the bright, boisterous and indefatigable aire she maintained most of the time. Seeing Virgil again in this context in the shadow of a vampire attack rankled her. Taking him in had been a favor to Morgenthau she'd been happy to oblige, but she hadn't imagined it would happen again. Vampire attacks belonged at St. Mungo's and they needed to be investigated what with the Christmas Eve killing.

Once Virgil and Waverly were in, Athena went upstairs. Vincent was waiting for her on the edge of the bed. He could tell from her face their evening had been cut short.

    "You're kicking me out," he said.

"Aye, get on your way," Athena said and began changing into some more suitable clothes. "No crying, now."

Vince likewise began to dress. "A healing emergency, then? Must be a good one."

Athena nodded and pulled on a tank. "A real stunner. And confidential. Let yourself out the front? Ta."

She gave him a kiss on the cheek before heading back downstairs.

The night of 12 February 2012
Midnight
Home of Athena Marrowbone, London

"Bugger me. Don't move."

Athena Marrowbone got out of bed leaving her guest Vincent Fournier behind. She pulled on a pair of sleeping trousers and a silky robe covered in an oversize skull motif and took up her wand. Someone was knocking on her door in the middle of the night on a Sunday. If it wasn't so late, she'd not have bothered to answer but the hour indicated the possibility of something significant. Normally a Healing emergency came to her via owl or Patronus. The last time someone had banged on her door at this hour it was a drunk ex demanding a weepy audience. Either way, it wasn't a problem that was going to go away on its own.

Athena's house was big and well-decorated like its owner. She made her way through the hallways and down the big staircase, and small lamps on the wall lit themselves along the way. She ran her fingers through her hair as she went, pushing her short blonde curls into place and touching her fingers to the corners of her mouth to tidy up any wayward lipstick. It was a true shame to leave Vincent behind.

When she opened the door she didn't hide a look of irritation but it her expression was quickly washed with surprise.

"Virgil. Waverly?"

Yavin's elfin protege was there on her stoop a head shorter than daughter of Iona and Zora. Athena hadn't seen her in ages, and she was a foot taller and looking a wreck.

Waverly was as surprised as Virgil, and she turned on him.

"What the hell, Virgil," she hissed.

"What are you doing here?" Athena demanded. "It's the middle of the night."

Were they drunk? She'd given Virgil her address at some point as a possible meeting place for an Occlumency lesson, but a midnight visit hadn't been a likely result.

Hollingbury know what he was doing and Athena wasn't territorial - she was content enough to see the patient rolled upstairs for the diligent ministrations of the the Plant and Potions contingent. If he stayed here, all they could offer the patient was a lolly and grim pamphlets about vampires and werewolves and lethifolds as light reading.

Athena waited patiently on her swivel stool while Hollingbury scryed the blood. Bonsey, not so much. He didn't much care for all the uncertainty passing so casually between his two healers. Unfortunately, Athena's next suggestion wasn't going to make him feel any better.

She answered by way of waving down a passing nurse. "Bring round a mess of blothies."

Hugh looked between the two healers, his questions plain on his face.

"I'd like to take care that nothing's snuck in there in the meantime, and best way to keep things clean are slugs. Well, not slugs so much as leeches, a magical variety. We call 'em blothes."

    "Wha - ? Leeches! I - are you sure? Can't was pass on - "

"I'd rather you not. Don't worry, they'll not hurt you. They'll clamp on and munch on anything foul that slides by. Feels a bit funny, sure, but be thankful its not your face," Athena said smiling a bit manically through the entire explanation.