Takes place after this thread

"Just to be on the safe side," the Healer repeated, waggling her finger in Jacoba's direction.  Even though Jacoba had yet to so far as feel her nose itch, the Healers had been insistent she be treated along with the other muggles.  "Wouldn't want you to get caught off guard with a late honker that sends you flying in front of a Knight Bus." 

Being subjected to the same horrid, vial concoction that Andy, Pete and Danny were required to take seemed to give the boys confidence.  Or, at least, amusement.  So, even though the acrid mixture left her feeling slightly nauseated, Jacoba downed it anyway.  (While trying not to think too much about whether it might be doing something strange if Jacoba was actually a witch.) 

The Healer was confident enough that the major body-projecting blasts had passed that she had removed the body binds from the boys.  All three were lounging in their beds, swapping tales of their recent brushes with death that seemed to be getting taller by the moment.  Each seemed to be trying harder than the next to give the impression they were the coolest about where they were and what was going on.  But, each was taking turns sneaking curious glancing around the room. 

Before leaving the room, the Healer caught Jacoba's eye and waited for her to down the dark grey mix.  The near-sludge churned in Jacoba's gut and she grimaced while Andy whooped and Pete jeered. 

Glancing through the window on the door, Jacoba spotted Roth making his way down the corridor.  Jacoba pushed her way out into the corridor, shutting the door behind her and blocking the man's path. 

"Solche quatsch![1]"  Jacoba glowered at the fellow, shaking her head.  "So, now you just waltz in and, after a little brainwashing, dump them on some street corner to go on their way?  What, exactly, is your tactic of choice?  Do you prefer to make them forget the last few hours ever existed or do you create your own little personalized fiction?" 

1.	Such BS, Such nonsense!

Sam walked down the hall whistling to himself. He was right to think earlier that it would be a long day. In his head he was already making plans on how to make it a long night as well. He thought about maybe hitting up a muggle bar to get the night started off right with some of the stuff you couldn't get at the Cauldron, followed up by maybe hitting the Cauldron itself, and then ending the night in some dive down in Knockturn. If it went as well in practice as it did in his head then he might even get into duel with someone. He needed to blow off some steam, he hated big incidents like the one that had taken place that day. Sam was much more the fan of handling the little error of judgement jobs, things that didn't take him having to rearrange entire hours of people's lives.

He was thrown rather abruptly from his thoughts be the reappearance of a one Jacoba Schlagenweit. A muggle that seemed to have a growing distaste for the Obliviator. Not that he blamed her, if he was given the go ahead he'd Obliviate her in an instant just to save himself the headache of dealing with the inevitable further breaches of the Statute of Secrecy to come. If he remembered his files correct though her brother was a student at the old Alma Mater. In his mind though, just because someone is allowed to know that the magical world was real, didn't mean they got a free pass to ingrain themselves in it.

Sam eyed over Jacoba's shoulder into the room where the three muggle boys were. He didn't feel bad for what he was about to do at all. He did concede, in his mind at least, that he was looking at it from a different point of view. To Jacoba it might of seemed cruel, to Sam it was a job, his job, and a necessary job at that.

"It's not nonsense, and my German ain't any good any more so lets keep it to English if you're gunna be throwin harsh words my way. You know it's not brainwashin, it's brain fixin. At least as a muggle in a wizard's world I'd think you'd know. We got laws and stuff, people gotta follow em. Be thankful I'm the one doing it, you get some rookie in here the kids will walk out with amnesia. I'll just tidy things up, make em think they were all in an arcade or somethin. Hell if you got a preference I can have em thinkin that. Now please, step aside. This ain't nearly as dramatic as you're making it."

Sam took a step back and gave her an expectant look.

The look of casual ease on the man's face did little to settle Jacoba's ire.  Here he was, approaching what he was about to do with a nonchalant air of someone watering the roses.  Like this was a daily occurrence.  Perhaps because that wasn't far from the truth. 

"If you want to know what harsh words-" Jacoba muttered under her breath, shaking her head.  She knew none of this would change things.  She could rant and rave and fling profanities at the man all she wanted and, in the end, the end would be the same.  There was little she could do to help them; all she could do was make sure she got out of here with  her own brain in its original, slightly irregular condition. 

Roth explained the circumstance in much the same way a dentist might explain that it'd be easier to just remove an offending tooth. 

"Just follow the law," Jacoba repeated, crossing her arms over her chest again as she turned to peer through the window at the boys.  She shook her head.  "How'm I supposed to decide what lies to plant in their heads?" she countered.  "I barely know them.  But ... how do you even know ..." 

"You don't get it, do you?" Jacoba blurted, turning towards the man again.  "To you, it's just a job.  Just one more thing on your checklist before you go home.  Do you even care what impact it might have?  Have you even considered how it might effect them?  For all you know, Andy there watched some poor girl get capped in an arcade during a fight and planting that memory will make him relive memories he was trying to forget!  You don't know him and, yet, someone gave you authority to rewrite his memories however you see fit?  It's ..." 

Even in Men In Black, the agents recognized the gravity whenever they zapped someone's mind.  This seemed to have become so common place for this Roth fellow that he couldn't see anything wrong with it. 

"What do you want my life story? You want to see my credentials or something? I've been doing this crap since before you were born, probably since before your parents were born. There's a reason that it's just a job to me. It's because I'm the best at what I do, even if what I do isn't very nice. I got safeguards. No one's gunna wake up with any bad memories, no one is gunna have any new trauma or any of that stuff. Think of it like surgery, this is a delicate operation. Me? I'm the best damn surgeon in my field. I can have them thinking they just met their favorite footballer."

Sam was rubbing his temples vigorously at this point. He just needed to take care of the kids in the room, then fill out some paperwork, and then he was good for the day. It all might of seemed cruel, but that's just how it was. It kept the Statute of Secrecy defended, and was a lot kinder to the muggles. If a muggle saw magic and then couldn't prove it, they'd think he was nuts. He'd be locked up probably. Sam was doing them all favors.

"Look kid this ain't going to hurt them. This is going to help them, just trust me. If you don't get why go down to the Ministry of Magic, then go down to level three and ask for a pamphlet on why. I got stuff to do today and I'm losing my patience."

The old wizard ran a hand through his wild grey hair and gritted his teeth. Sam desperately wished he could just take a hard slug of whiskey.

"You need to let me get in there and get this done."

A good crisis made Edwin's Saturday, even if he'd missed the results of the second task at Hogwarts by now. Someone would tell him - spoil the result. Despite being the Department Head, he liked to get his hands dirty, not with obliviation (enough of that over the years, and far too much paperwork) but generally being nosey about the happenings in each area.

As it happened he pushed open the door and discovered Sam and Jacoba looking like they were at odds with each other, though he hadn't caught their conversation, the body language suggested such. Edwin recalled them sniping a little at each other before he'd left the street, and now both were here in the hospital.

"Sam, you dealing with this room for me?" He asked almost rhetorically of the senior obliviator, "Miss Schlagenweit explained her background satisfactorily to you, has she?"

Jacoba leaned her head back, sighing deeply in frustration. 

This wasn't about Roth.  Nor his skills.  Nor whether or not he was the best at doing what he was doing.  It was about stealing experiences from three kids and planting randomly chosen lies in there head and treating the whole thing like it was some flippant, casual check box on a daily to-do list. 

"You mean, state-mandated, involuntary surgery," Jacoba muttered, shaking her head and turning to look through the window into the room. 

"Kid?"  Jacoba turned back towards the fellow and opened her mouth to offer some colorful recommendations about what Roth could do with the Level Three pamphlets when Edwin strode up towards them. 

"Sam, you dealing with this room for me?  Miss Schlagenweit explained her background satisfactorily to you, has she?"

Jacoba shook her head and crossed to the far side of the corridor, dropping into a bench along the wall.  She, of course, knew it was inevitable. And, the threat of that same fate lingered, perpetually, in the back of her mind should the Ministry every decide she was more trouble than she was worth.  There were more than a few folks, she knew, who'd be more than happy to see her extricated.  So, inevitable or not, she didn't want to watch.

"We hadn't quite gotten there.  I'm a family member of a wizard."  Her only, official, stake of claim in the wizarding world.  But, that was all Roth needed to know.  Yes?

It seemed to Sam that it was all going to come to a head. He was ready and willing at that point to go get a healer to come and watch over Miss Schlagenweit while he did his business. Or hell, at that point he was willing to just bind her and leave her waiting in the hallway while he worked on her friends' heads. State mandated involuntary surgery, the words struck home in a way that really pissed Sam off.The way she was going off she might as well have had just called him a Nazi. If there was one thing in the entire world Sam would not stand for, it was being called a Nazi. The appearance of Edwin Glass at that exact moment was a minor miracle.

"Trying to boss man," Sam said, shrugging his shoulders as he turned towards him. 

Sam watched as Jacoba moved to the bench on the other side of the hall. He did his best to keep a look of victory off his face. The woman had really gotten his goat. The door was unblocked however, and Sam felt it was prudent to take advantage of that while it lasted. He shuffled to the door and drew his wand.

"A family member of a wizard? Well didn't ya luck out on that," he said as he pushed into the room.

The door closed firmly behind Sam. A few moments later flashing lights appeared on the window to the room.

"Trying to boss man," Sam replied, giving a shrug. Edwin's eyes narrowed a touch at the way he said it. Sometime wasn't quite to his colleague's liking here.

"We hadn't quite gotten there.  I'm a family member of a wizard." Jacoba informed the obliviator, though didn't seem too thrilled about things at all.

She walked away from them to sit down, and Sam and Edwin's gaze followed her a moment, before Edwin switched his to his colleague with a raise of the eyebrows, and a silent look of 'well, don't let me stop you'.

The Senior Obliviator stepped to the door, drawing his wand.

"A family member of a wizard? Well didn't ya luck out on that,"

The door bumped closed behind him and Edwin slid his hands into his pockets, listening to the situation within for a moment, before turning away as the first flash of light spat under the door.

"Everything alright?" Edwin asked brightly, "They'll be fine, Senior Obliviator Roth is the best in the Department, known him a very long time." He crossed towards Jacoba, sat on the bench, but he did not take a seat beside her, keen to press on with things.

"Once he's done, he'll let you know all you need to know about talking to them. Tricky business when you've had memories modified or wiped. Sometimes you get the feeling you've dreamt the events if there's enough of a trigger. But I doubt sneezing and ending up here is something that wouldn't be easily dreamt."

Edwin looked from his shiny shoes (one slightly duller than the other given the rabbit-like being in the street) to Jacoba with a reassuring smile.

"A family member of a wizard? Well didn't ya luck out on that."

Jacoba pursed her lips and slowly licked them, very carefully keeping her thoughts to herself.  The Obliviator stepped through the door into the room and Jacoba closed her eyes. The young woman breathed deeply, partly past the lingering queasiness from that awful potion and partly from the inevitability inside the room. 

When Edwin spoke, again, it was apparent he'd moved over towards her but Jacoba continued to keep her eyes closed. 

"Everything alright?  They'll be fine, Senior Obliviator Roth is the best in the Department, known him a very long time."

"I'm sure they'll be fine."  That wasn't the point.  With a shaky sigh, Jacoba shook her head but she refrained from elaborating.  He wasn't asking whether she was alright, after all, he was asking about the situation.  The circumstances.  Edwin was, likely, asking as a formality - looking for confirmation he could move on with the rest of the checklist of duties. 

"Nothing a few drinks won't fix," Jacoba concluded, finally opening her eyes.  They clearly didn't understand and, likely, there were few who did.  The only ones who could understand what living with the constant fear of having your history stolen from your thoughts were muggles and most were blissfully oblivious to the threat. 

"Tricky business when you've had memories modified or wiped."

"So, you've had it done against your will?" Jacoba asked, looking up at Edwin.  "Speaking from personal experience?"  Or was he offering the Ministry pamphlet explanation.  The young woman took a deep breath and shook her head.  "I'm sorry.  It really shouldn't be a problem.  I hardly know them."

"So, you've had it done against your will? Speaking from personal experience? I'm sorry.  It really shouldn't be a problem.  I hardly know them."

Edwin sank down on the bench beside her, removing his hands from his pockets and cautiously (albeit slyly, Jacoba was a pretty girl after all) put an arm behind her and rested his hand gently on her shoulder.

"Somewhat personal experience. Not at Roth's hand, admittedly, but during the last war, there were a few rather uncomfortable things for us all. Its painless, your friends will be looked after impeccably. In my Department, Muggles are not second rate citizens." He gave Jacoba a reassuring smile, and patted her shoulder. His hand lingered there for a moment, and then he dropped it, spying healers rushing past. Edwin looked towards the door for signs of Sam reappearing.

"You'll be surprised what we can turn up about your companions then." Edwin added, "Muggles have fascinating lives, my mother's one, so I have a fair idea, but today I've learned half a dozen new things about the culture, just from the inhabitants of a single street." The wizard gestured with both hands in amazement.
"I would imagine you have the reverse, coming here?"

Jacoba looked up when she felt the bench settle and Edwin's hand on her shoulder and offered as genuine a smile as she could, under the circumstances. 

"I know," Jacoba admitted, rubbing her face with both hands as she tried to gather her thoughts.  She didn't have any doubts Roth would approach the task carefully.  It wasn't that at all.  It was the Obliviator's casual, just-an-everyday-task demeanor.  It was the complete lack of choice on the kids' part. 

It was also a bit of her own uncertainty creeping in.  "I'm projecting on them.  I know it."  Jacoba took another long, deep breath and nodded her head.  "I know the kids aren't really loosing much.  But, spend long enough waiting for them to get sent after you; it's hard to watch.  I know we're not second class in your department."  Jacoba offered another slight grin before tilting her head in the direction of the door.  "But, to him and others, I'm still only a tourist.  When my brother comes of age in February, what's to prevent that from being me?" 

"You'll be surprised what we can turn up about your companions then.  Muggles have fascinating lives, my mother's one, so I have a fair idea, but today I've learned half a dozen new things about the culture, just from the inhabitants of a single street.  I would imagine you have the reverse, coming here?"

Jacoba's grinned turned more genuine and she shook her head.  "Half a dozen things - from today?  Such as?    I definitely am still figuring things out but it has gotten more familiar.  More like home.  It still keeps every day interesting, though." 

The boys looked pretty confused when Sam rambled into the room. He was old, bleary eyed, and probably the last person they would of expected. A doctor in a white coat wouldn’t have seemed strange to the lads, strange dude in a donkey coat holding a wand was a different story. First things first the Obliviator went through the room casting the memory charm on each of the boys. Light from the spell traveled up the length of the red spiral shafted wand and flickered on the walls and door of the room. The boys grew more and more apprehensive as he obliviated each one, but Sam carried out his task without pausing at the startled looks on the faces of the youths. Once they were all dazed and erased of the afternoon’s memory Sam went from guy to guy and asked a short series of questions, producing a MI5 badge when asked who he was. The little interrogations served the purpose of allowing Sam to make eye contact and do a little covert digging with each of the fellows. The whole process took roughly five minutes. The minds of the obliviated didn’t put up any resistance to the inquiring searches of a legilimens. Sam found everything to be in order in their minds, even through the cloud of daze Sam could expertly navigate, and he found no traces of the memory of the afternoon.

“Gentlemen,” Sam said in his best fake cop voice as he got to his feet, “you were all out with your chaperone and were on your way back to the teen shelter when there was a minor gas leak on the street. The effects of the gas caused some lightheadedness in the area. You and everyone else in the area were brought to this hospital to make sure that there were no lasting repercussions due to your inhalation of the gas. You’ve all seemed to check out fine and should get some rest, you’ll be home sooner than you think.”

Sam gave a nod of his head to the boys who seemed to eat up everything he said just fine. As he was walking to the door one of the boys called out something to him, something about his hand. Sam looked down and realized he still was holding his wand. He looked back towards the kid without missing a beat and told him that he’d just gotten a rather fancy kebab. The two stared at each other for a moment, and then the kid sat back in his bed looking satisfied. Sam stowed away his wand and pulled open the door that led back into the hall.

“I did the hard part Eddy. We’re just gunna need a healer to go in there and deliver the sleepin potions and then we can drop them off on a bus going their way. Easy peasy.”

He looked between Jacoba and Glass, they both seemed pretty comfortable on their bench. He almost said something else but rubbed at his scarred and tired face instead. He’d give him crap later over a beer he decided.

"Half a dozen things - from today?  Such as? I definitely am still figuring things out but it has gotten more familiar.  More like home.  It still keeps every day interesting, though." Jacoba asked, and Edwin's gaze slid to the skirting board along the side of the corridor as he considered which things were most interesting to mention, unfortunately the one that first sprang to mind wasn't all that...

"Oooh, uhm." He was keeping his tone light and calm, "A lot more about hayfever medicines that they use. All useful for Aisling Knight and the rest of the Muggle-Worthy Excuse Committee if we have to go down that route. That and reality television, which we really should invest more into as Muggles, sorry, the people we have retrieved today seem rather open to interpreting their experience as that."

The door opened and Sam reappeared.

“I did the hard part Eddy. We’re just gunna need a healer to go in there and deliver the sleepin potions and then we can drop them off on a bus going their way. Easy peasy.”

"Splendid," Edwin replied, and got to his feet, patting Jacoba's arm for good measure as he did. "The Healers are making their way along so shouldn't be long before they're seen to for it. I'll leave you to enlighten Jacoba about her part to play in this." He looked back to Jacoba, "I'll see you again I'm sure today, but on days like this, you never know, so I will see you when I see you next."

Clapping a hand to Sam's shoulder a moment he muttered quietly so as not to let Jacoba hear,
"Good man, think she's coming round to our view. I'll be next room along." With that, he set off, drawing a long stiff piece of parchment from within his jacket and ticking a few items off with a quill as he walked away.

Jacoba's gaze lingered on Edwin as the man moved off down the hall before turning her attention back towards Roth.  When her gaze finally settled on the man, it was blank.  Exhausted. 

"So.  My part.  Seems easy enough and straightforward.  Keep up the lies, yeah?"  The whole process from here on out seemed fairly simple.  "What should I tell them at the desk when I drop the kids off?  I was supposed to have them back two hours ago.  Do I just make it up?  Or do you clean up that bit as well?" 

Jacoba pushed herself to her feet, closing her eyes briefly against the wave of nausea moving brought about.  That potion the Healers had given her was still not sitting well; flopping into a horizontal position was sounding very enticing.  Jacoba could very much use a bed right about now, herself.  Except, as always, that pesky stone wall behind the Leaky Cauldron stood between her and her own bed. A challenge which got progressively harder to overcome for the magic-deficient as it got later.  "And, you wouldn't happen to be heading in the direction of Diagon, would you?"

“It’s either tell them the lie or let ‘em know that there’s an entire world full of magic wielding weirdoes who could tear apart the very fabric of their reality if it rang their dang fancy. Which seems preferable to you? Think about it, what did your lot do to wizards and witches last time they got it in their head that magic was evil? I don’t feel like being crushed by stones kid. Do the right thing,” Sam said as he collapsed down onto the far side of the bench Jacoba occupied.

He reached into one of his many pockets and pulled out a black plastic comb. He seemed lost in his own thoughts as he dragged the comb through his granite hair, only half listening to Jacoba at best. He watched as she got to her feet. He ran the little teeth through his thinning locks a few more times, enough to get his hair all combed back again. Then he spoke.

“Tell the good folks at the desk that there was a gas leak when you were bringin ‘em back. Say the EMTs had to give them a look over at the hospital. The department will take care of the rest of it. Big brother watches out for his own. That sorta crap.”

The old wizard got to his feet and dropped his comb into one of his big dump pockets on the front of his jacket. He eyed Jacoba wearily and wondered why she inquired if he would be headed past Diagon. He had a hunch but it seemed unlikely with the terms that they were on.

“I could be headed that way. What’s it to ya doll?”