As Josie went into her retelling of the evening, fished out a small notebook and self-refilling-quill from his pocket and started jotting down key words. Pepper shaker. Salt. Inappropriate conversation. Death & Co. Cocktails. As he looked down on what he had just written, he scratched out the salt and pepper notes, as he didn’t think that would get very far. But maybe if they managed to send someone down to look at the glasses to find any traces of potions it could lead somewhere. As long as they hadn’t been washed already.

“I don’t think yer name will be in the Prophet, miss Flint,” Omari said. “Hopefully we can keep yer suspected involuntary involvement under wraps fer now.”

With the last comment he gave all of the witches in a room a meaningful glance. He knew he could count on Athena to keep things quiet, with the whole healer-patient-confidentiality thing, but he hoped the other two would understand to be discreet.

Omari accepted the magazine from Theta, and held it out in front of him. A myriad of pictures mingled on the page, each black-and-white figure with a look of excitement on their faces. It took him a couple of seconds before he noticed Orion Gamp together with Morgenthau and Iravani. It looked innocent enough, but he couldn’t help but wonder if that’s where Mrs Gamp had gotten to Morgenthau. He also made a mental note of visiting the DoIMC to speak to Iravani. His eyes then stopped at a picture of Pratt and Theta, and he looked up with a barely noticeable smile at the witch in front of him.

“I see ye attended the mixer as well, Ms Pepper,” he said. “Did you notice anything out o’ the ordinary?”

“I don’t think yer name will be in the Prophet, Miss Flint. Hopefully we can keep yer suspected involuntary involvement under wraps fer now.”

Theta gave Josie a long look and bit her lip. She’d let Josie set him straight if she felt she needed to!

“I see ye attended the mixer as well, Ms Pepper,” The tone spoke more than the slight smile she missed on Omari’s face. He’d spotted the photo of her and the Head Auror. Her pale cheeks flushed with awkward embarrassment this time. She was about to become the butt of jokes on Level 2 wasn’t she? It had been awkward enough living with Fauna and Grace who were both trainee aurors.

“I, er…” Theta looked back to Josie, “… well Josie was like her usual self. She’s full of energy and always up for adventures.” She gestured to her friend. “Which is why how she is now is so unlike her.” Theta refolded her legs, not keen to be centre of attention, “We were trying to find our blind dates and joking about some kind of secret signal if we needed rescuing. I found mine, and Josie went to find hers and that was the last I saw of her all evening. Not because…” she waved her hand vaguely, worried Auror Warrington thought she was captivated entirely by his boss, or busy making out with him all evening, “I mean, it was just busy. There were lots of people there. I don’t think I even saw Josie’s date, or half the people in these photos.” She gestured to the magazine. “I’m sorry, I wish I could be more help.”

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?"

 

Josie giggled. Dishy Auror Warrington found out who Theta's blind date was. His boss! Peps was bluuushing. She needed all the details soon. For now she would look at Auror Warrington. He made her feel better.

Suddenly it went dark. Josie shuffled. Sitting up. Waited for the room to spin back. That was better. Healer Marrowbone was wearing big gloves. What was she going to do? Josie obeyed. Stared at the bag.

"You gonna do a magic trick for me?" Asked Josie. Like a Muggle magician. "Should I pick a card?" She giggled nervously. Nodded to the instructions. Crystals! "Ready!"

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.

Josie looked down at her hands. Expecting a disco in her palms. She was a witch. A scrappy one. But a witch. Only one in her family. Proud Muggle-born! Why did they check her magic? They said it was not magical measles? "There!" Exclaimed Josie. "They are glowing." A little. How much was normal? "Not as good as muggle glow sticks. But cool for a rave."

Theta’s blushes were soon forgotten as some crystals arrived to test Josie. She had studied crystals at Hogwarts during her Runes NEWT and knew a little more for them in terms of their use in clockwork. Seeing them in use through healing and diagnostics up close was fascinating, and she almost forgot the notes were for Josie’s future article. The eternal Ravenclaw took hold, noting the dragonhide gloves and the steps.

Josie’s humour broke a sudden gravity which had filled the room without Theta realising it had arrived. She had been keenly wondering on what the colour and brightness of the oblong crystalline wands would be in her own hands, and what possible outcome there was for Josie. There was bound to be some expert in them on Nine working alongside her.

“What do you both suspect?” Theta asked, looking between Auror Warrington and Healer Marrowbone, coincidentally voicing the question Josie was keeping to herself. “If it’s not Praecantatio Deliquus. Has she been near a dementor?” Theta had overheard a conversation between two other unspeakables and someone from spirit division about a dementor kept somewhere in the labyrinth.

"I dated a dementor?!!" Squeaked Josie. "Peps! Has it taken my soul? How do you know?" Josie was overcome. Needed to lie down. And that was just for looking at Auror Warrington. Phwoar.

The faint light emanating from the crystals sent a small shiver down Omari’s spine. This was not good, and he cursed gargoyles under his breath for confirming his suspicions. This whole thing of people losing their magical abilities had put a lot of Level Two into overdrive, and it seemed random whoever got targeted. Praecantatio Deliquus was one thing, but this was something worse.

Omari gave Athena a meaning look and scribbled something in his notepad, whilst Theta and Josie started talking about dementors. He looked up from his notepad, and gave Josie, what he hoped was, a reassuring smile.

“No, ya haven’t dated a dementor,” he said. “If that was the case, I suspect more people would’ve noticed, don’t ya? And ter answer yer question, Ms Pepper, I don’t think it’s the magic measles either. It doesn’t usually make yer lose whole days of memory.”

He took a deep breath.

“Nah, I think this has been done deliberately to ya, Josie,” he said, the smile now replaced with stoic seriousness. “Do ya have any enemies? Anyone who ya think might want to hurt ya?”

"Enemies?" echoed Josie. She blew her cheeks out. "I have written scandal. But I do not get hate mail often. I more wind up editors. Trying to get my story bought. I know Queen G is talented but what would she gain from this?" Josie shrugged. "Whoever it is just gave me a story of my own. What if it was my date? You just said his mum tried to break his dad out of here?!" Josie was giddy with possibility. "Peps get this down! What if they were doing experiments on me!"

"They are glowing." A little. How much was normal? "Not as good as muggle glow sticks. But cool for a rave," Josie said in response to the dim glow.

Athena didn't want to alarm her, but it wasn't great. She gave her a firm look. "Ye're still as much witch as you were before," she said, taking the crystals back.

"I can refer you to Spell Damage for the Obliviation," she added when the conversation came back around again. She pulled off the dragonhide gloves. "And might do anyway for the the rest. You're not bit by anyone, so I'm afraid you've got no need of me."

It was hard for Athena to tell what Josie Flint was feeling - she was erupting in a sort of harried mania that could be self-actualizing or a panicky despair. Athena looked between her and 'Peps'.

"I can say that a bit more rest and a mite of chocolate won't hurt anyone."

“… Has it taken my soul? How do you know?” Josie jumped to conclusions. Theta felt her own heart lift into her mouth at the possibility. It seemed unlikely, but this was all proving rather strange.

“No, ya haven’t dated a dementor… I don’t think it’s the magic measles either. It doesn’t usually make yer lose whole days of memory.” Auror Warrington put them both straight, and Theta couldn’t help but feel slightly lumped in with Josie’s sudden exclamations and blushed again, turning her attention back to the notes.

It seemed they were off to Spell Damage to check about Josie’s apparent obliviation. Marrowbone was an expert in bites from what she explained, though she had been practical and kind, Theta appreciated.

“.. I think this has been done deliberately to ya… do ya have any enemies? Anyone who ya think might want to hurt ya?”

Josie could be mighty annoying if she turned her mind to it, Theta thought inwardly, but she had never known her friend do anything that could drive someone to harm her physically. But despite Josie’s out of sorts state, she was quick on the uptake. Theta scribbled down her words suspects - Queen G (nothing to gain?)

“… What if it was my date? You just said his mum tried to break his dad out of here?! Peps get this down! What if they were doing experiments on me!” If being soulless wasn’t enough of a chilling thought, Theta was suddenly reminded by what had happened last year. Her cousin Ambrose had been caught up in it all. He’d not been snatched, but his then girlfriend, Juni, had been, and several other people she knew.

“I can say that a bit more rest and a mite of chocolate won’t hurt anyone.” Marrowbone had another practical, sensible suggestion.

“Yes, agreed,” Theta quickly interjected, hoping to bring Josie back down to earth before she went into a full-blown panic again. “Let’s get you sorted, perhaps they can lift the obliviation and find something in your memories on the Spell Damage ward.” It seemed super likely she would need to send an owl to Uncle Francis about the afternoon’s work. Perhaps she could work extra on a weekend or he’d let her turn a timeturner back tomorrow morning just because.

“Thank you,” she spoke directly to Marrowbone, smiling patiently, “both of you. We better head up to Spell Damage. Josie, you up for walking?”

"Walking? Walking!" Josie snapped to. She came back from deep in theories about what had happened to her. They were to go to the spell damage ward. "Yes Peps. Yes."

Josie grinned at Healer Marrowbone. "Thank you for everything Healer Marrowbone." Josie shoved her hand out to shake. Her other hand dug into her pocket for one of her cards. She never left home without them. "I will be back to buy you coffee for an interview. Lunch if it is a good one." She shook hands fervently.

Josie turned to Auror Warrington. "Tell me you are personally assigned to my case." She giggled. "I might take a turn for the worse otherwise." Josie hoped he would come with to the other department. She laced arms with Theta to stay steady. "Lead on. My magic depends on it!"

END(?)