Weaving his way in and out of the crowd on the ground floor, Arcturus had gotten a sense of familiarity and the welcome of a second home (to him) as he made his way through. He could have gone straight to the third floor, but since this was his first day back in six months he just wanted to capture that feel of St Mungo's once more.

He smiled and nodded to all the staff as he finally reached the third floor, where he was met by stunned looks from the staff who were here six months ago and curious looks from the staff who weren't, mostly aimed at his strangely coloured hair.

There were a few new faces, he mused, but not enough that the hospital turnover rate would alarm him. People came and went all the time, but if there was a sudden departure and influx of staff, he'd have found something to ponder. He found his office, untouched, empty and dusted, possibly by the house-elves who had probably been told to keep his office clean no matter how long it took for him to return, and felt grateful towards the long-eared beings. They were efficient at their job.

Even the skull on his desk was still there. Arcturus moved around some old files to occupy the emptier areas of his desk - and then looked at it. It seemed...plain to him now. After the bright colours of Malaysia's flora and various cultures, he felt he was obliged to spruce this place up a bit. He hadn't brought some of the souvenirs he'd brought back - he didn't think it was particularly polite of him to do such a thing on his first day back - but at least he could first make it look like someone was actually in here now.

"You're looking a bit plain there, old chap," he said to the skull. "I'd give you some Day of the Dead decorations, but I think that would be a little insensitive considering it's not even that occasion right now. You'll have to do with a yellow carnation, I suppose."

A quick wave of a wand remedied that, the skull now gripping the flower stalk between its grinning teeth. Arcturus tucked the wand back into its holder hidden by his sleeve, with much satisfaction, and went to change into his robes.

As he returned, he noticed the note on his desk. He picked it up to read it properly.


That was very to the point. Arcturus mused over this, and then nodded. He knew this day would come. The real question was - did he have to make his way there? Or was she coming here?

“It’s not divination, Healer. It’s quite simple.” Miranda dismissed her first stupid question of the day when a potions healer accosted her on the stairs with a nervous question. He didn’t receive the answer he’d been looking for and it was too late to question further because Miranda Elliot was rushing up the remainder of the stairs to the third floor.

Most days the Head Healer made a point of visiting floors and wards, as many as her schedule would allow. This meant she was in constant contact with not only the Healers in Charge but the regular healers and mediwitches and wizards. Compared to most of her predecessors, Elliotwas extremely hands on. Not believing in hiding away in her office, filing paperwork and sacking staff; she wanted to know her staff, to find their strengths and areas for improvement. She was a hard boss but a dedicated one with a very clear vision for her hospital.

Knowing her staff meant meeting the returning ones she had never met. The meant finding out who this Healer Hollingbury was, what he was good at and what his weaknesses happened to be. Miranda was also very interested in what had made him leave in the first place.
Some called her management style hands on; some called it micromanaging.

Once on the floor, Miranda pushed her way through the doors, her bright green and gold Head Healer’s robes billowing behind her. The first healer she saw, she beckoned over.
“Healer Hollingbury? Where will he be hiding?”

It took a few more staff members to locate the returnee in the office off the main corridor where the Healers had their desks for work off the hustle and bustle of the wards.
It took a few more minutes to make her way to the office, tall stilettoes clicking on the tiles floor.
“Healer Hollingbury.” There was one wizard in the room and his appearance was somewhat striking. Mira’s gaze analytically took in his features and overall presentation before she offered a hand to shake. “Head Healer Elliot. I trust you are not finding a return to St Mungo’s too stressful?”

Well, think of the devil. Arcturus was a little startled to see the Head Healer herself - green and gold robes were enough to tell him who she was - in his office. It wasn't every day that he had his boss' boss come in and greet him herself, and maybe not even that in his career so far, barring one or two occasions. He gave her a quick nod to acknowledge his name when she spoke it, and took her hand graciously as he gazed at her. Just a little messy, but in a manner that suggested she was the kind of person to get her hands dirty without hesitating. There was certainly a firm atmosphere around her that indicated she was in full control here. He didn't doubt that for one moment.

"Good morning, Head Healer," he replied. "Nothing so far seems to have given me much of a surprise, but I can't say for sure until I find out what's changed and what's the same here. I'm not really updated on happenings here during my absence, although certainly I've heard about you." He stepped out from behind his desk, pulling out his chair. "Would you like a seat? Given the circumstances, I think it's only suitable that I get to sit in front of you. Unless you're not planning to stay here long, which I can understand."

He stood to one side respectively, awaiting her decision as he kept his hands clasped behind his back. First day back at work, and meeting his boss. Did he have some nervousness? Yes. But he didn't feel that it would be right to show that to her. She didn't seem like the kind of person who'd appreciate that.

Hollingbury had heard about her. That was wise considering Miranda was his new boss. She watched and listened as he dithered over whether to offer her his seat on the correct side of the desk, the important side. She wondered briefly if that meant he wanted to make her feel more in charge? He was nervous, or very smart and formal. His stance told her that, hands behind his back as if standing to attention.

The witch couldn’t help it, her lips twisted into a mildly amused smile.

“Seating arrangements are of no importance.” Miranda’s tone wasn’t harsh like some healers found her, it wasn’t warm either. Her tone held a hint of being patronising as she pulled another chair around to the front of her desk and lowered herself into it. “Problem solved. We can both sit on this side.”

Sitting forwards in the chair, Elliot didn’t attempt to hide the fact she was keenly studying the wizard before her. Dark eyes travelled from the statement hair down to his face, taking in the features, his expression.

“Why did you leave?” There was little like jumping right in and Miranda was rather a fan of that.

Miranda's question was like the jab of a tiny icicle that was nevertheless hardly blunted by the preciseness and timing. Arcturus chose his seat and sat down, considering his options. Give the right number of detail, but not too much that he felt that he couldn't trust her? Or spill it? There was a limit even to his personal life.

There was also something about her that made him wary, though. Something...that seemed to be watching him. He knew exactly one other person in his life with that sort of atmosphere, someone with an atmosphere that seemed to be gently testing the waters around whoever they spoke to. That would be his father.

What little Arcturus knew of Legilimency and Occlumency was not enough for him to practise it, but he was educated enough to know the difference - and be intimidated by whoever had such abilities. And he couldn't help but suspect that this woman in front of him was skilled in that. How much, he wasn't sure if he wanted to know or not.

Well then, honesty seemed to be the best policy right about now.

"I didn't originally want to leave," he said, "but my mother informed me that the Society[1] was looking for a temporary potioneer from overseas, and she'd just so happened to know one. That is, me. I decided to take the opportunity because I think..." He had to pause to think back about how he'd felt at the time. "...I thought that it was a chance for me to broaden my mind and not stick to just what I know. Among other things."

It didn't feel right to withhold what "other things" meant, though. He added, "Some of which were mostly my personality, which was being a shut-in most of the time. I suppose in a sense my foray into Malaysia might make me a little...bolder. A better person? Well, I've yet to see that. But as some say...curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back." He shrugged.

Arcturus paused, and then because he was compelled to apologise by his own nature, he continued with, "In retrospect, perhaps my...departure at short notice wasn't entirely convenient for the hospital, but in honesty I wasn't thinking of the hospital at the time. Or a lot of people." The healer bowed his head. "I would like to make up for that."

With the air of someone who'd realised he'd spoken a bit more than he expected, he inclined his head towards her to indicate he was done talking. He had no idea what she'd respond to whatever he'd said, but if a reprimand was coming his way he wasn't in the slightest going to be surprised about it. He probably had it coming.

1.	Magical Plant Protection and Research Society (MAPPERS) of Malaysia

Healer Hollingbury was a talker. He explained his reasoning, his personality and selfishness. Meanwhile Elliot preferred jumping to the point and being done with it. She was usually quick to grow bored of listening to another person. If it wasn’t so frowned upon and very nearly illegal; she’d gather information by jumping into their minds. It would be much quicker and she wouldn’t have to feign caring.

Yet despite the amount of words that spilled from the Healer’s mouth, his boss didn’t look bored. She continued to study him through her dark gaze, hands clasped together on her lap as she listened.

“I would like that too.” Elliot’s small smile didn’t reach her eyes. “I mean, of course you will make up for it. This is your last chance.”

The Head Healer let those words sit in the air for a moment before she crossed her legs comfortably and sat back.

“I value research, Healer Hollingbury.” If he remembered her from before her departure from St Mungo’s he would know that. Miranda had always been keen to develop her techniques, to educate her staff and to improve magical medicine.
“I have no interest in your personal journey,” she waved that off with her hand, “I want to know what you learned about healing and potions during your absence. Have you come back to St Mungo’s as an improved and more holistic healer or are you still the same as every other healer on this floor?”

He hadn't been expecting her to be that direct, much less tell him that it was his last chance when he couldn't even remember if he'd caused any infractions to warrant strikes on his record. Generally his patients and their kin had left with good impressions of him, as far as he was concerned, but then again...

No interest in your personal journey. Mulling it over, he had to concede. While it contributed a fair bit to his professionalism, it was not the feature that defined how he was going to do his job. It was a good point, and he'd been a little foolish to think that she would want to hear about it. Maybe not. He remembered, though vaguely, some of his interactions with her in the past, and being put on the spot and questioned with a ferocity that equalled that of dragons' stood out strong in his mind.

"I want to know what you learned about healing and potions during your absence. Have you come back to St Mungo’s as an improved and more holistic healer--"

Oh, that was some pride to invest into. He remembered all those times when he was responsible for being the medic on the field. Malaysia's forests had been hosting a whole ecosystem of deadly life that he'd been basically doubling as both healer and researcher for six months compared to what Hogwarts had taught him. He could talk about that. There was a lot to talk about. He could smile about that.

"--or are you still the same as every other healer on this floor?"

The words hit hard. For a moment he sat in stunned silence, hardly even expecting that kind of response aimed at him. Every healer on the floor - and indeed his career - had noted his somewhat curious techniques in getting good results combined with multiple techniques, including a positive relationship with a patient. Holistic? Well, apart from a possibly lame pun in connection with his family name, he genuinely believed in holistic treatment.

But the overwhelming thought in his head, the one that overpowered them all, was that even if unintentionally, she had challenged his integrity.[1] The hairs on the back of his neck pricked up, almost the same as a dog raising its hackles at a threat, although it also could be because there was a light frost rapidly forming on the doors of the cabinets in the room.

"The same?" he said icily. "I'm not going to comment on your perspective of my colleagues, but I've been working here long enough that constantly seeking improvement and caring for people are what I choose to do in every aspect of my life. If you think it's easy for you to write me off the first day back to work, then I will go beyond to prove you wrong. I did not face death and danger for six months to have you imply that I came back no different from when I left. But if that's still not enough for you, I'll see to it that I'll put my last chance to good use by dedicating what I have learned in my life to give the treatment and quality of life that people have the right to receive."

The silence that followed was literally frosty thanks to a very light film of ice that had formed on the edge of the desk and on the surface of the floor around his seat. Arcturus took a moment to realise this, looked around at it, and then turned back to face the Head Healer with emotions mostly comprising of a blend of anger and dread at what he'd just said to her and how he'd delivered it. But he wasn't backing down. This was the point of no return.

I'm gonna get fired right about now. That self-aware part of him needed to shut up right about now, too. He was going to cringe whatever her response was. He just knew it.

1.	A passing thought added, If she'd done that intentionally, well played. She's got the reaction she wanted out of you. But it cowered and fled in the face of the frost that was already forming in his mind.

Her question landed and there was a silence between the Head Healer and her recently returned subordinate. Was that irritation she saw flash behind those eyes?

"The same?" It came. The response so cold it would make a lesser witch rather uncomfortable. Miranda’s question had angered the wizard sat next to her. His onslaught was either brave or stupid. It certainly had drama in it when he explained facing death. The witch had most certainly struck a chord in this wizard and he was not going to lie back and take it from his new boss.

So was Elliot shocked by this? Was she irritated or angered? Nothing registered on her expression. It remained neutral as she sat back in the chair studying the wizard. Had she intended to rile him and see the sparks fly? Did she want a reason to be rid of the newest re-addition to her hospital?

As Miranda thought over his words ‘you imply that I came back no different from when I left’, it hit her. Her memory of a quiet, easily forgettable healer-in-training on her floor well over a decade ago. Easily forgettable save the hair.

Head Healer Elliot was slowly finding herself to be more interested in this returning healer.
“I trust you have some tea in here? One sugar, not too much milk.”

Miranda's response left him completely beached like a whale caught in a receding tide in the shallows. How could you respond to that? It was as if while he was charging at a door with a battering ram, the door had opened and now he was running through unable to stop.

Arc's reaction left a pregnant pause. Then the healer silently got to his feet, retrieved a box of tea leaves, a jar of sugar and a bottle of fresh milk from his bag[1] and went to make tea using a combination of the usual utensils and his wand.

He came back with a mug of steaming tea and wordlessly offered it to her. Once she'd taken it, he sat back down. The frost that had crept with unnatural speed with the force of Arcturus' rage was now gone, evaporated to the air. Not even any of it was left as condensation or water. The icy cold that had lit his passion into a burning white-hot rage was now absent from his being.

He rested his hands in his lap, back straight against his chair as he allowed the Head Healer to take a sip and at least enjoy the tea after that outburst. He had no idea what to make all of this. It just highlighted his inexperience in this sort of social situation, he supposed. He really needed to stop avoiding a lot of things.

"So," he said, at last, "have I been fired?"

1.	Was supposed to stock his cabinet with these, but was interrupted by the (un)timely arrival of a certain healer.

Apparently Miranda’s response hadn’t been the expected one. For a moment Hollingbury sat there in his chair too dumbfounded to move and oblige her request. Finally he did stand and began to brew one cup of tea.
Nothing for himself. She noted that odd. Most people would join someone in a cup of tea. It was rarely an individual affair.

While the tea making was fairly silent, Elliot didn’t hear the shaking of a teaspoon against china in nervousness. She wondered what was going through his mind but knew not to delve. It was several steps too far. For now she could just enjoy the game and give a nod of thanks as she accepted the tea. She gave it a steady glance and a sniff. One sugar. Not too much milk.

At least he could brew tea.

"So," The healer stared across at her from his seat "have I been fired?"

Elliot didn’t reply immediately. Instead, she lifted the tea to her lips and blew on it gently. Still too hot. She removed her wand from behind her ear and cast a quick cooling charm on it.
“Tea is always so hot. Most people feel the need to drink it immediately for that quick satisfaction. They don’t allow it to cool. Dive right in and you’ll be burned.” Her wand was placed back behind her ear, brushing scraped back greying hair away from her face. She took a long and steady sip, eyes closed to enjoy the taste, the heat and aroma.

It was only when the cup was rested on her thigh that Miranda’s gaze fell once more on the healer whose temper had apparently faded.
“Do you want to be fired? I rather presumed the idea of making a return to work was to work.”

With the recent events that had unfolded back at the flat just a day ago and now this, Arcturus was quite ready to call it quits for the day. Well, he would, but work did beckon and he was really looking forward to meeting long-term patients and helping out again. He listened to what the Head Healer had to say, but his mind remained silent. He really had no more comment to make, and his hands ached to get into his potion cabinet and helping patients.

Maybe what she had to say had everything to do with his sudden outburst instead of thinking beforehand, but previous experience had told him that for every single un-thinking outburst he'd ever made, there were fifty more missed opportunities. Such as the evening in the flat with Johann. Quite frankly, he'd been looking forward to work so he could take his mind off of that. Miranda Elliot could say whatever she wanted to say about him. He was quite done.

He took her question as the cue to get up from his seat without any change in his face. Elixa had oft commented that his skills with his face was befitting of a professional gambler's. This time, he was settled into that. He could deal with the stress later. For now, work.

Silence, however, did not excuse manners. Arcturus politely, if curtly, bowed to her. "Then I'll get to work, if you'll excuse me." No breaks. He'd have one later, where he'd go dunk his face in cold water and wonder if someone had painted a large bullseye on his back and then proceeded to miss by an inch after waving the dart in his face. The tension in his shoulders would later feel that they'd built up like a mountain, but for now he didn't even notice it.

He went to pick up his dark green, ink-generating quill and tied his hair up so that his fringe would not tickle his face or obscure his sight. After he'd tucked the quill behind his ear, he walked back to the desk and checked through the files on it. Some of them were outdated, as he'd expected, so with a flick of his wand he sent them into a cabinet. He'd sort that out later. For now, rounds. Long-term patients. A-ha. Found their files.

He picked them up and tucked them under an arm, and then inclined his head slightly towards the Head Healer. "I'll do my rounds now. Have a good day, madam." He paused, and then added, "Thank you."

Hollingbury stood and decided to excuse himself, pottering about the office to get ready. The statement hair was scraped back in a similar manner to her and he placed a quill where she kept her wand. He collected some files and excused himself a second time. The whole time Miranda watched him carefully.

Did he believe he could finish a conversation with her and get off unscathed? Arcturus Hollingbury had been lucky Miranda had taken his outburst so well. He’d towed the line of disrespecting her and she’d let it slide, taking it for nerves and being oddly impressed by the gall he’d shown. She wanted healers brave enough to stand by their gut to do their job. She didn’t want meek minded individuals.

But she also didn’t want healers who were too big for their boots.

The head healer’s expression darkened and her previously calm gaze was replaced with a stern stare, one that usually had Ignan obeying. Hollingbury thought he could end their meeting and Miranda very much disagreed.

“Sit down, Healer.” Her voice held none of the previous niceness. It was cold and stern. There was a reason her staff had called her the Ice Queen or her former pupils had labelled her a Heartless Hag. She could be very heartless.

Oh. So it wasn't over. Arcturus internally cursed, but it wasn't aimed at the Head Healer - more at himself. There was a whole line of related thoughts as to why he deserved this, but he shoved them at the back of his head. This wasn't the time, and frankly it would be unprofessional of him.

Her tone of voice made him set the files down and take his place again. If she did bother to rummage through his head at this moment, she probably wouldn't have been pleased by how much his self-esteem was taking a battering from himself, but as it was, he felt like a scolded child that knew disobeying would cause further trouble. Maybe it showed. Maybe it didn't. His poker face tended to be taken at face, ha, value.

This time, however, he averted his gaze. As much as he'd exploded earlier, that had been a moment of passion more than bravery or courage or whatever the Gryffindors called it. He was no lion, even if the Head Healer wanted her employees to be, and he wasn't going to force himself.

He was going to take a long smoke break outside their flat after work.

“Let me leave you in no doubt that you’re walking on thin ice, Healer.” Now the witch hadn’t wasted time in speaking to Hollingbury once he’d obeyed and sat back down. But she did pause to take a sip of the tea he’d brewed her a minute ago. With half of the cup emptied, Miranda leaned towards the desk and placed it down. She then sat up straight in her chair, watching him carefully.

“You were very fortunate that I took your insolent outburst as a passion for completing your job competently.” He was no longer so fortunate. “You are also fortunate that I was willing to welcome you back considering the lack of notice you gave my predecessor when you abandoned your post here.” Miranda could hardly talk considering she’d left the hospital with no notice two years ago. But she wasn’t going to share that with the healer she was currently putting in his place.

Despite her intention to leave, Miranda remained in her seat, remaining at the same height as Hollingbury as her eyes bore into him.
“Be in no doubt of who is in charge in this hospital, Hollingbury. Be in no doubt of who you need to impress.”

Having decided she has said enough now, Miranda rose from her seat to her full height in the heels. She smoothed the robes and walked to the door.

“Good day, Healer.”

Excited. Enthusiastic. Eager.

All words used to describe how Flynn felt about Arcturus Hollingbury's return. He had always liked the lad, and appreciated his mind for potions, his bedside manner, and the way he treated patients. He, like the majority of the healers (despite Elliot's beliefs) were fantastic, hard-working members of the staff. Arc had spent some time in... Malaysia, was it? And he had to have learned there. And perhaps, some of those things were applicable to his job now.

And even if it wasn't, Flynn doubted that Arc had lost his touch. In fact, it was Arc's skill that Flynn was seeking, primarily. There was a case on his floor-- that was both spell damage and plant related. A chart was tucked under his arm.

With a cheesey 'welcome back!' card in the pocket of his robes, Flynn made his way to Arcturus Hollingbury's office, stopping at the door only to hear-- something about a lack of notice? Impressing? Either way, it was the voice of evil-- the bringer of workplace hostility all over St Mungos-- Miranda Elliot. Now, Flynn appreciated that she pushed him to his limits, that she was good with the patients that she had. But he did not appreciate that she seemed to try to run this place with fear. She wasn't going away anytime soon. So Flynn worked as hard as he would have either way. In fact, with his extra side projects, he was making sure to work even harder at St. Mungos.

And it was wearing on him in the slow way that stress and months of poor sleep did. Those who worked with him and saw him frequently may not notice the pallor of his skin, the heaviness of his limbs, and the way he sank into himself when he had a moment to rest. But those who had been gone while this slow transformation had been occurring would notice. Flynn's mother noticed, and sent him potions meant to perk him up and energize him (which did help, admittedly).  The healer was spreading himself thin. He was a workaholic by nature, an innovator, a professional-- with a childlike heart that was endearing to some, obnoxious to many.

He knocked on the door and opened it, raising his eyebrows at Mira.

Flynn remembered very well that she had once left without warning. While many had stayed. Several who had stayed were in the running for the very position that she held, and yet she had gotten the job. Yes, giving notice was important-- but her judgement (or what he heard, and assumed) was hypocritical. But her grumpy grumpy stern face didn't matter. He gave her a polite smile, though he remembered fondly the look on her face when she had been auctioned off.

And then he remembered not-so-fondly how much difficult his job had gotten after that. But it was a challenge he had risen to. Alas, that was not important compared to the healer with the glorious tan!

Arcturus was back!

"Arc!!!" He exclaimed, "We've missed you around here. But especially me." Flynn took the card out of his pocket and handed it to the healer. "But, more pressing matters await! Healer Jenkins has a patient that he would like a consult on." Westley Jenkins had been working there as long as Flynn could remember, and the consult was not a pressing one-- the spell damage portion was currently being taken care of, and it could take a bit of time.  But,  there was a possibility that there was more going on than the patient let on.

Flynn and Wes suspected experimental potions had gone awry, though the patient was quite tight lipped about it. At least his wand had revealed the last spell used, and that damage was reversible. "Here is the chart." He gave Arc a smile, "And welcome back."