20 Mar 2018
4:00pm, Tuesday
Sandy Misslethorpe's office

Sandy and Athena were chums for many years now, working well alongside each other. They asked after each others' families, attended the same parties, had an eye for the other's tailor, and were known to share a pint. It never alarmed Athena to be called in for some official thing for they were both administrators of a kind. Paperwork, billing, patients, families, the board - Athena, the top healer for Creature Injuries,[1] took it in stride and didn't come reporting to the boss's office with butterflies in her stomach: just the memo in her pocket[2] and an open cup of tea.

"Ay up," she greeted when she arrived, weary from the shift but looking forward to few hours off before returning to the hospital to put some trainees through their paces.

"How's the offspring?" Sandy had a daughter, grown and beautiful now, no doubt. Athena had never made children a priority. "Haven't seen her in my beds yet, so that's a good omen."

1.	Dressed by Nuri
2.	The Customer is not Always Bite

“A very good omen.” Agreed Sandy. “Meredith is getting back to her old self.” He had alluded to some sort of trouble in recent history that had worried him. When Athena had asked after his daughter he had looked concerned. Now he looked pleased once more. Like he had when Meredith had been announced Head Girl of Hogwarts six or so years ago. “Thank you for continuing to keep an eye out for her Athena.” He spoke with genuine gratitude.

Sandy shuffled one stack of patient notes away into the branded and instantly recognizable St Mungo’s folder they belonged to. Several other pieces of paper danced about his busy desk. It distracted the Deputy Head Healer for a moment. Little frown lines visible above his nose. Narrowing of his already narrow eyes.

“I will not keep you long at the end of a busy shift.” He assured her glancing up. “I would ask if it has been a quiet one but whenever is it?” With a growing magical population their patient numbers increased year on year for the run of the mill accidents and maladies. “Ah. There.” He fished out a auspiciously red tinged form which Healer Marrowbone would instantly recognize as an incident report. Sandy looked momentarily uncomfortable as he picked it up.

“In short Athena... a patient made a complaint.” This was not a highly unusual thing for a patient to do. Plenty were disgruntled with how long they had to stay or that the healers were over the top in how thorough they were. Heads of floors were notified if they needed to have a quiet word or investigate one of their subordinates.

“... About you specifically.” He swallowed. Not quite meeting her gaze. He held out the official account someone in the incredibly busy hospital administration had typed up on an enchanted typewriter. For legibility naturally. Healers like their Muggle counterparts often had terrible handwriting.

Athena's chipper mood dulled off quickly, not when she found out there was a complaint, but when she found out it was about her. She briskly took the page from Misslethorpe and skimmed it and re-read it. He seemed pained to have given it to her, but clearly not so dismissive that he hadn't thrown it away outright.

"This wildly misconstrues the situation," she said in a warning tone. "I think I'm quite beyond these kinds of accusation. You're taking this as seriously as a sneeze, I hope."

She laughed for good measure, knowing that of course Sandy would be on her side, that he'd not heed the irate rants of small people. Athena had been a healer for many years, and healers were, as a profession, strange and intense people who didn't always have the most polished manner. Athena, in particular, stuck out and did not shrink. She was vocal in defense of her staff, her expertise, and patients. It was bound to rub some people the wrong way and they could apply glow-aloe if the burn stung to bad.

“On an ordinary day I would do something like that. I agree.” Sandy knew that a sneeze could be serious in their line. “But this particular patient has chosen Madam Crowe of Crowe and Associates as their handkerchief.” It happened. But mercifully infrequently. Magical remedies were vastly more successful than the methods employed by their Muggle cousins. But patients could still complain. From the reading matter in the waiting room and the food to legitimate bungles when healers had bad days. It was a hard job and working with people could be merciless.

“So before the hospital forks out the galleons and the Head Healer tries to dock it from your next month’s pay... can we get your side?” There was a cringe on his face. It conveyed apology or regret. That he had to go through the motions. Dot the i’s and cross the t’s. Andy would expect him to have handled this before she had to lift a quill and spend money on defending Athena in a claim. “Here are the records as an aide-mémoire.”

Well, shining shit, Sandy was serious. Athena didn't hide her surprise and disdain that the patient's family had lawyered up, and Talisha Crowe of all people! Now, Talisha and Athena were social together, but that was going to end now, wasn't it! Athena knew Talisha was keen to grow her little practice, but this was beyond the pale. Athena would have words with her about it if she knew it wouldn't tank her case.

"I don't believe this," she said and shook her head. "The protocol was clear, the patient was a minor who refused to give up their name. We were obligated to treat them. Honestly, and I've said this before, this voluntary vampire bite nonsense will do - and has done - more harm than good. And now I'm being taken to court, not that stupid bar."

Athena hadn't answered Sandy, who was asking for her to explain. He was a good man and Athena always considered him fair. That didn't stop her resenting him immediately for bringing this to her.

"No divination needed to believe it Athena." Assured Sandy gravely. He spoke softly. "Your disagreement with how the injury came about aside. Would you start at the beginning and we will make sure that your i's are dotted and t's are crossed. You have nothing to worry about. Unless there is something you want... need to tell me?" In the heat of the moment. When a life needed to be saved. Sometimes the wrong call could be made. Then everyone lived with the consequences. It was the horrible fact of being a healer. Unfortunately Sandy Misslethorpe was being rather sober about this. Because Athena might have metaphorical balls but he had figurative ones. And he would like to protect them as much as Athena's back.

Athena couldn't avoid it any longer. There was no silver-tonguing her way out of this, no slipping anything by Sandy Misslethorpe.

She sat back in the chair and folded her hands over her lap. She almost looked sheepish. Almost. She'd broken a strict protocol and even though her reasons were honorable, she'd have to answer for it.

"I knew the patient was a Nullie. She was wearing the medallion." Nullie. That is, a member of the radical anti-magic community, tiny as it was, Nulla Magica. They were mostly North American wix who lived what they considered a pure life, that to use or accept any kind of magic on their person did harm to their spirit. St. Mungo's policy was, of course, to respect that belief system strictly. Because they were a magical hospital, Nullies nearly never presented themselves for treatment, so well, the issue rarely came up.

But the patient, a minor, had went for a bite, fell ill from it, and their friend had brought them in.

"But it was a matter of life and death. She was unconscious and couldn't consent. I did what I did to save her life, bizarre beliefs be damned. You know you'd have done the same, you can't deny it."

Sandy nodded. Listening carefully. There were patients allergic to ingredients. Patients who altogether refused treatment. Patients who were pains in the backside. Patients who were lunatics and then there were Nullies. Who would cut off their noses to spite their faces. The few times one had ended up in St Mungo's they had always become a giant headache. He was very sorry that this time it was Athena whose cranium was acutely aching.

"When did you notice the medallion?" Asked Sandy. Picking up a quill and a note book. "Did their friend mention it? Were they also one?" He spoke officially. Then caught himself. Sitting up and softening. "You can be honest. But we have to get your story straight." He poised his quill.

That bloody quill...!

It was hard for Athena to accept in this moment that this pesky, inane little matter was not going away. She tilted her head to massage her temple and sighed. When she straightened up again, however, she was in Healer Mode.

"The minor patient was presented unresponsive by her friend, also a minor, at around 11pm. She was ashy and covered in blood from an apparent vampire bite to the neck. As we opened up the patient's shirt to assess further injury, I saw the Nullie medallion on a long cord around her neck. I gave the order to continue life-saving treatment. Beasley and Cobblewick should be spared all administrative wrath, Sandy. This rubbish is all for me," Athena said, insisting.

Hamish Beasley had argued and had nearly been sent away. Pru Cobblewick had probably never even heard of Nulla Magica.

She shook her head. "I don't know if the friend was Nullie. It doesn't matter. They'd gone for the bite voluntarily. Clearly the patient's beliefs about magic weren't all that deep-seated."

"But her parents' are." Delivered Sandy. Regretful to have to point it out. Athena had saved the child's life. Were they not happy? Sandy made a note of her account so he could also speak to Beasley and Cobblewick. "And there goes any possibility of suggesting you were oblivious to her family's chosen beliefs." If they could have explained it away as not knowing until after treatment they might have easily been forgiven.

"In your professional opinion would you have been able to administer a non-magical intervention? And had you would the patient's outcomes been the same, worse or ..." he fixed Athena with a narrow-eyed stare. Something Sandy did by default with his face as it was. But this one was particularly narrow-eyed to the point one might question he had eyes. "Might we be able to conclude she could have died?"

"And there goes ..."

Athena sniffed, as if she'd have tried to wriggle by on that kind of flimsy cover. Not likely. Athena may have harbored hopes that her infraction would be overlooked, but she wouldn't go so far as to lie about what she'd done and why she'd done it. The truth, though, would make things harder for them now.

"Well," she said, a little acid still in her tone. "I could have sewed up the gaping holes in her neck with needle and thread. I could have tapped into her veins and dripped in blood from the vampire blood bank. Could have fed her potent chemicals of Merlin knows what Muggle's imagination in the hopes it could dispel curses. But I'm not a butcher, Sandy. I'm a Healer and magic was the best thing for her."

She shook her head. She had thought about it, that was plain enough. She'd thought about it in that emergency bay in the cold sweat seconds of staring at that medallion. Back and forth she'd gone on it since then.

"But aye, wand to my head: I think she would've died without the magic. Either way, I slept very well that night."

And that is not something that could ever be known for sure, or so Athena believed.

"Good." Replied Misslethorpe. Taking notes. "Because Crowe will find some healer who will claim otherwise." Even if he and the Head Healer both signed off to say they agreed with Athena the wizengamot would still hear the opposite view for balance. Would they believe them? Not if they were sensible. But with the increasingly radical culture out there who could guarantee? Sandy and Genevieve had seen their own fair share of claims against them at the magazine. Normally those cases came down to who had the better legal representation and clout. Some could just be paid off quietly. The hospital ones attracted unwanted press attention. Not that he would not try to use his own media standing to encourage his competitors to go easy on Marrowbone.

"The hospital will support you. So i hope you will have many more sleep-filled nights. But next time you or anyone on your floor sees one of those damned medallions raise myself or Storm. Then we can all agree on the treatment or get the patient to sign their consent. Makes you wonder how many of these go to Muggle hospitals and end up statute breaches." grumbled Sandy.

"That's too right," she agreed with a sympathetic groan.

Sometimes it seemed everyone got a free pass, but the over-educated, over-worked life-saving Healers who worked their bones to the nubbin day in and out could not wiggle a twig without some kind of complaint or inquiry. Madam Sawbones was, at least, satisfied to find that Sandy didn't see any need or desire to argue with her over the particulars of the treatment; Athena had to remember he was one of them, even if he had to wear a suit and tie.

She'd of course do as he asked and make sure her department were refreshed and locked down regarding the troublesome Nullies.

"I should've come to you sooner," Athena decided to admit. "When she walked out, I really really thought that was that. I can only guess her parents saw the bite and went ballistic. Litigious, aren't they. Guess they don't have any of their own lawyers, they had to go to Crowe."

"I guess magical law is magic." Agreed Sandy. He did not know the ins and outs of their belief system. "Either that or she has marketed herself well to convince them they have a case." He believed the latter more than the former. Crowe was the sort who might resort to those no-win-no-fee cases. Thankfully he had not had to deal with her personally too often. Witch Weekly had their own legal advisors who were worth their galleons and the hospital too. But Andy Storm liked to keep the fees to a minimum there. Even if they agreed it was a necessary evil to have legal representation when dealing with peoples' lives.

"There is a lot you should or could have done Athena." Said Sandy. "But in the heat of the moment we do what our oath requires. Believe me if the hospital were siding with the patient this would be an entirely different conversation." He gestured between them both. Wincing at the thought. He liked Sawbones. That was one of the worst parts of management. Difficult conversations with good friends.

"Any questions for now?"

He couldn't leave it. Athena narrowed her eyes and drummed her fingernails on the arm of the chair, her mouth falling open slightly. She closed her mouth and looked away for a moment. Her pride was sharply stung, her position in the hierarchy firmly reinforced. Personal beliefs and consent of course, but she'd humped to save a life and she would be punished for it. The hospital was on her side, but not in the way she'd have wanted.

"You know, I think it's better if we just leave it there. I'll watch for the owl."

The tall witch stood up and paused, looking like she might say more but she didn't.

FIn