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9pm -- minor language

She had been working at the Ministry, hoping to get out of the building by eight thirty to join Francis and Monty for a brief drink before retiring to Biggleswade so she could help Francis select a decent enough present for Monty on Saturday but to enjoy the company she would have in Francis over the weekend. And then it came without warning. The wireless broadcasting programs for the evening were rudely interrupted with an incoming bulletin of panic, mayhem. Lowering her quill and raising the wand to turn the volume up, Gabrielle listened in, her facial expression moving from initial shock to sheer surprise. Surely...surely this was merely a joke, a jest at the very least.

"This is live, folks! The Leaky Cauldron is engulfed in flames, rising high into the night! Spectators celebrating Guy Fawkes of Muggle fame now shriek in horror, in revulsion at the sight! Pardon the rhyming, naturally, but this catastrophic event is surely--" The radio went silent for a moment, Gabrielle's eyes now watering, staring at the device in disbelief. "Get back on, you bastard!" she screamed at the wireless as it fizzled for a few moments before the sound of coughing resumed the broadcast. "...izard folk....I've.....I've never seen anything like this before! A m....stay in our minds.....Leaky Cauldron....." Silence.

Gabrielle didn't need to know any further the situation. Clearing her mind as best were possible, she gathered her tartan cloak[1] and secured it around her form, wand at her side. Focus, body, focus. In...... (an inhale of air, held for a few seconds) and out...... (the exhale of air), Gabrielle began with a self coaching moment until her body eased the distracting thoughts. Soon enough, her eyes closed and in a loud crack, the witch had apparated away to Sandy. The arrival left her footsteps perhaps a bit wobbly, her mind swimming as she focused on the task at hand.

Explain to Catherine they needed to get to Mungo's as soon as possible. Reassure Catherine that everything would be all right. Ensure that herself, Gabrielle...

The chest clenching feelings were rising once again like they had in September, in October at St. Mungo's[2], but Gabrielle pushed on through, talking herself down and gaining her common sense back. "Go get Catherine," came the urgent response speaking forth from her own mouth. Feet began moving once more until Gabrielle arrived to Catherine and Monty's home. Raising a fist to the wooden juncture, Gabrielle knocked on it twice before standing there and waiting quietly, patiently.

Hopefully their men would be just fine. That they escaped the Leaky Cauldron before the final boom.




Hopefully.

1.	the WONDERFUL gift from Ambrose from her birthday
2.	I Swear By Hippocrates

Scourgify didn't seem to entirely shift the dusty grime from Francis and his clothes as he waited patiently at St Mungo's. He slid his wand away again and recrossed his feet, glancing up and down the corridor and side by side to others in a similar state, all sorts of scrapes and bangs. There was a solidarity and understanding that they should wait and be patient given the sudden influx of casualties.

Francis was anxiously awaiting news of his brother. He had only had news that he had been found and was in the building, but didn't know much more on his health. Unfortunately, Francis had his own head wound to be dealt with and concussion to be checked for - as he wasn't quite seeing straight.

He suddenly heard a familiar pair of voices down the corridor and leaned over, before getting up gingerly to wave at Gabrielle and his sister in law. He had trusted Gabrielle would hear quite quickly, put two and two together and know where to go, and that she had also bought Catherine without being asked was quite fortunate.

"I'm here, I'm here." He uttered quietly as Gabrielle pulled him into a tight hug without hesitation, sounding somewhat emotional. Catherine was wide-eyed looking around her. As a Muggle, this was a very strange place to be, even if she was very familiar with the wizarding world, given her husband and three daughters were all with magic.

He reached his hand out away from Gabrielle's back to take Catherine's hand gingerly, his own grazed and scraped, knuckles raw.
"Where is he?" His sister in law asked quietly.
"I'm not sure, Cath, but he's here I'm told. We got split up, I haven't seen him since just before it happened. I'm so sorry." He released Gabrielle, taking her hand with his right, his lips betraying the fact they stung with the touch.

"I've got to stay here and wait to be seen, everything's a little out of focus at the moment," he admitted.

Her eyes were more than just wet at the sight of body and sheer bloody panic inside Mungo's. The fear of the inevitable, unknown was so much worse than knowing the pair were likely here on the third floor, breathing and living as though it never had occurred. Still yet, Gabrielle was gravelly concerned when paired with Catherine's well being, the pair of Pepper men and everything else in between. Paperwork would be piling up in no time, memos thrown her way to state what the IMC would be doing for their contributions, the Prophet wanting a word from all of the Ministry. Her mind was clearly going a million light years when Francis came into view. Indeed, her embrace was tight and her voice emotional, but to know Francis was in front of her eased some of the worries.

Fingers moved through brunette locks, glancing all over his features to see, to recognise any injury that no doubt would be taken care of in a few moments time. Her voice wanted to confirm that she knew Francis was all right, that this nightmare would soon ease its way into a better morning. However, the loss of his body against her own for a moment seemed to cause a sense of distress, but Gabrielle fought through it. Francis wasn't her husband and Gabrielle certainly was not a Pepper. She needed to give the pair a moment on their own. Looking at his hands and hearing about his vision caused Gabrielle to furrow her brow.

"Why haven't they come to check on you then? You're important too," came the tone that could only be best described as a mothering one. "Don't be sorry though. You two were only out for a pint."

"They have," Francis assured Gabrielle, "That's why I'm waiting. I've still got all my limbs and am able to string a sentence together. They know what they're doing." He squeezed her hands to assure her. "We were, and you were very nearly with us when it happened."

He looked back to Catherine, and drew her into his arms to hug her as she looked so very worried.
"It'll be fine, he'll be fine. This isn't like a Muggle hospital, they have more ways. He is in the best place. Gabrielle will make sure you see him as soon as you can."

Releasing them both he sat down a moment, mostly to steady himself as he felt a little dizzy.

"I have no idea why the Leaky Cauldron were to be on fire. We were just admiring the fireworks and then everything was alight. A bonfire in the pub or something."

"The reports haven't fully come in, but treason, deception is looking close enough for an answer," Gabrielle responded, her expression grim, concerned with what would come from this most grave, sinister plot. Watching Francis take a seat, Gabrielle couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with all of the various feelings running through her mind. Whether Francis and Monty would be well enough, if Catherine would be okay considering this wasn't something mere muggle medicine could fix, even if there was numerous owls dropping letters at home and at work about this situation. The witch let out an exhale slowly, steadily as she took one of the empty seats next to Francis, interweaving her fingers with his ow n.

"I hope the others from this are all right."

Her eyes looked to both of the Peppers.

"I'm here for you all especially."


End