With the capture of Verandi Farley and several high-ranking Trossach members, the British wizarding world has finally caught a break. The rate of rogue werewolf attacks have started dropping at a steady rate and, hopefully, things will stay that way. The Ministry is starting to loosen some restrictions, like not arresting werewolves standing on the street for loitering, however there’s still an obvious power imbalance between wizardfolk and werewolves.
The Cotswolds pack are continuing to advocate for the rights of werewolves and petitioning to change the legislation that has been set in motion by the current Minister for Magic, whilst the remaining Trossachs members are trying to stay out of the spotlight and keep a low profile… for now.
Whilst the British wizarding world seems to have calmed down, the same cannot be said for over in Northern Europe where a rebellion of magical creatures has risen. The state of things has gotten so bad that the European Ministry has enacted protocols to protect those under eighteen whilst their adult witches and wizards fight to keep control of their countries.
Students from Durmstrang have been sent to Hogwarts to keep them safe and those not old enough to attend school have been sent to live with relatives or designated British Ministry officials outside of Europe for the time being.
Will the low rates of werewolf attacks in Britain continue? How long will Durmstrang students stay at Hogwarts? Will the creatures usurp the wizardfolk in Northern Europe? Only time will tell.
SEPTEMBER 2019 It's been a very long, eventful summer in the wizarding world. A baby was stolen, several high ranking Trossach members were imprisoned, and werewolf attacks have drastically dropped as a result. What will happen now school has returned?
MAY 2019 An attempt to capture the beta of the Trossachs has been launched. Were the Aurors successful in their mission? Go read more here!
Maximus’ head was pounding underneath his black curls and he was feeling very disoriented. There was noise all around him so he had definitely been pulled out of the rubble of the house.
He had not seen it coming, the perfectly aimed spell which detonated half the roof of the building he had chased the werewolf into. The hasty impedimenta charm had not been enough to keep him out of harm's way, but had most certainly saved his life, that much was certain.
Still, he groaned feebly when he tried moving his head and felt a piercing pain in his neck, the back of his head throbbing as if it were about to explode. Clenching his teeth he took stock of himself. He could wiggle his toes and he could move his fingers. Nothing important had been harmed. Carefully he opened his eyes to blinding white light and he blinked. “Turn that blasted light off,” he croaked, his throat dry from the dust and rubble that had collapsed on top of him. He tried to raise his hand to cover his eyes but found it entirely too heavy. He moaned. He was a wreck.
These days aurors rolled in faster than hot coffee sold in the early morning. Every day the conflict seemed to grow more and it worried Evelyn for the future of her younger siblings. There was however no time to feel sorry for the unconscious man in the patient bed. It was busy and she had many other patients to attend to later. Changing bandages, applying balm. None of them were in immediate danger so they would have to wait a little longer until she finished on this man. "Can someone inform the Ministry. See if he has any family and owl them, thank you," she called after another healer that was on his way to the messaging center.
Evelyn started working on stabilizing her newest patient. The man had taken quite a hit, she noticed several bruised and broken bones. Nothing life threatening but this would have to hurt quite a bit. A concussion was almost certain in this case. While she was mending the most damaged bones, the man suddenly started to move and talk. “Woah!” The brunette blinked as it started her. She hadn’t expected him awake yet, this was was tougher than she thought. “Now how am I supposed to work without a light, sir?” Eve asked the man as she continued working. Now she had a moment to look, she recognized him from that day in Hogsmaede. “You can close your eyes, Mr. Desford. It’ll be over quickly. Do you want a potion so you can sleep?”
Maximus growled in pain and protest at the reply he received to his request. He did, however, close his eyes as the woman suggested. “Nah, no potion,” he mumbled, but his tongue felt just as heavy as the rest of his body.
All of a sudden he felt his stomach turn in on itself. He vomited and tried to turn to the side, coughing, but could only barely turn his head. He gasped when the stabbing pain in his neck made him flinch. He sputtered, trying to draw breath while throwing up. He struggled for breath when it seemed that there was nothing left in his stomach. The auror could not believe how exhausted he felt, exhausted and hurting all over. Carefully he opened his eyes again.
“As you wish, sir,” she nodded and continued checking for damage on the guy. As she worked the man suddenly turned and vomited all over. “Oh dear,” she mumbled, not flinching from the vomit but because the man was unwell. Immediately she started stabilizing him, making sure he laid in a position where he couldn’t choke in his own puke may he pass out. After firmly placing the pillow in his back, she waved with her wand to clear the mess that had spilled over them both alone with the equipment. Yes it was gross but Eve has dealt with wounds that were rotting, this wasn’t the worst. “Sir, I do suggest taking a potion to help with your balance. It should help against the naussia too.”
She took a vial from the cabin and a cup, pouring it before holding it in front of the auror’s lips so he could down it. “I’ll start mending your broken bones after you’ve taken it. My name is Evelyn by the way. If there is anything concerning you, please inform me,” she tried to be as professional as always.
Maximus was feeling more and more sorry for himself. He was weak and completely spent and exhausted. And he did not want to consider all the broken bones in his body, which would be healed in an instant, but would continue to ache for a while, he knew from experience. He was definitely convinced now to take the potion and just grunted in consent. He did his best not to strain his neck further when he carefully drank the potion. Again he coughed, this time from the disgusting potion! "Ah," he gasped when that yet again shot in his neck. If only that woman with her giant head of curls could fix him up and quickly!
"Now down it goes. I'm sorry it doesn't taste very good. I can bring you a glass of pumpkin juice after I am done," she told the man in her usual friendly tone. Now if he just kept still, she could finish the mending and check ups.
Closing the curtains around them it came to this part of the check up. To give him some privacy. This was always quite awkward. Especially if the patient was remotely attractive. But she was going be professional and focus only on the job. “Sir, I’m going to undo your clothes now. You’ll keep your underwear,” she said but didn’t give the man time to protest because with a simple wave of the wand, the man was in his underwear. Now this was much easier to check upon damage. The nasty bruises where the most obvious. Followed by a lot of scrape wounds. She started repairing the damaged body using a variety of charms and balms. “You’re lucky, sir. I spot no bite marks.” Even in human form werewolves could bite and leave some small side effects. She was glad too because those wounds took longer to heal.
“I’m almost done. How are you feeling, sir? You’ll get a supply of different potions for home. Use them daily and you’ll be able to work again after a week. Until then, rest. Perform no activities with a lot of movement and obviously no alcohol.”
Maximus yelped when the healer only gave him a moment's warning before unceremoniously vanishing his clothes. A cold draft followed her spell and he felt himself sudder at the sudden change in temperature. "Circe! Give a man a chance, will you?" he cursed. He stayed still, but it was not as if he had much of a choice, battered as he was. It came as a relief to feel the cuts and bruises healed, even though the spells left an almost irresistable itch behind which he could do nothing against.
The healer finally reached his shoulders, which had gotten the worst of it, and Maximus could practically feel his body slowly lose some of the tension. His head was still throbbing painfully and his neck protested with every turn, but they were getting somewhere.
He laughed a dry laugh when the woman commented on him not having any bite marks. "Well, maybe because I was attacked by a house, not a wolf," he growled. Everything these days was about these blasted wolves. And it was one who got him into this situation, too. If only this pest could stop spreading. It would make all their lives easier.
"Not bloody likely," he thought at the mentioning of not drinking alcohol for a week. He might try, but was sure that he would fail. There was no point however in telling the healer about that. "Neck's still killing me," he directed her instead. It would not do for him to go home with his neck sending shots through his nerves with every wrong movement.
Evelyn send a simple emotionless glance down the man, not having time for this when he was covered in wounds. They could talk later when she was finished. “Sorry, love. Blame the protocols,” she quickly send him an apologetic smile for the sudden stripping. It was the safest way. She didn’t have to actually move his body and risk doing more damage this way.
“Oh,” she replied when the man told her the thing that attacked him wasn’t a wolf but a house. She could’ve sworn the record said he was hunting down a werewolf. How else did he end up on her floor? “Well.. The bunch of bricks messed your shoulder up real good. You’ll have to lay down a bit, I’m afraid.” “I’m afraid I’m not trained to do massages. But-” She stood behind the man’s head and placed one hand on his chin and the other on his neck. Feeling just how stiff it was. “You’ll feel this one for a sec.” Her father taught her how to manipulate joints. With that final waring, she’d give it a good jank. The man’s joints popped. To check, she turned his head around to check how it moved now. “How does that feel?”
Maximus was momentarily stunned by the cold look he received from the healer for his curse. He had not expected her to be this strict. She had seemed like one of these overly friendly people, smiling 24/7. "And here I thought I had a mean look," he mumbled, but was at the same time gratified by the apologetic smile she gave him. Maybe he hadn't judged her wrongly after all.
The auror was not about to protest when he was told that he would have to stay put a little longer due to his shoulder. He took it for the fact that it was. At least the charms had made it less painful already.
He listened up attentively when the healer admitted to not being trained before she moved out of his field of vision and behind his head. Surprisingly soft hands touched his face but his body tensed up more than it had been when he had arrived at the hospital. "Miss?" he asked nervously and was about to protest more firmly when, with a finaly warning, she cracked his neck with surprising strength. Maximus couldn't stop himself from crying out loudly with the sudden shock and pain. "Merlin's balls!" he exclaimed at the question of how he felt. "Honestly, you're nothing if not spontaneous, are you?" he asked, but more relieved than pained.
Moving his jaw around experimentally, he sat up, trying to gauge the feeling in the rest of his body. He still felt rather dizzy and had to hold on to the sides of the bed, but other than that he felt no accute pain anymore. Everything was just blending into a permanent ache, which was almost bearable. Taking stock of himself, he messed up his curls with his hand, then felt his shoulder with one hand, moving his fingers over a spot where there had been a bruise until just now, then further down over his hip. "So," he addressed the healer after he had finished his examination of himself. "You were offering me a drink just now. Is that still on? What's your name anyway?"
Evelyn arched an eyebrow. Did he just- Oh no he didn’t. She gasped and started pulling her curls straight. “It’s just my face in a relaxed state,” she defended herself and felt a bit ashamed. Of course she didn’t mean to look grumpy infront of her patients.
“Sorry! Sorry!” She immediately apologized when the man started swearing. “Please mind your language. We’re in a hospital, sir. There are children further down this room,” she requested him despite being the reason he screamed. As she checked the mobility, she felt better about this. Her cheeks coloured pink as she gasped in search of a reply. Spontaneous what did he mean by that? “I-if you say so, sir.”
Evelyn took a step back so the man could have some space to try his movement. “How does that feel, sir?” She said, looking away as he examined his own skin. Clearing her throat she was absolutely taken off guard when he seemed to remember her offer just now. “Um-” Merlin he was more intelligent than she gave him credit for. “Um yes. W-would you like some coffee. I could have them bring it to you. Or- um. W-well you’re almost good to go. But that’d be absolutely silly,” she chuckled when the nerves took her over. Very smooth Evelyn…
“Oh, yes I’m healer Evelyn. Sorry I tend to forget to introduce myself when I see people hurt.”
The auror chuckled, but ended up coughing slightly at the healer's apology. His senses for the nature of the people he met had not mislead him. She was too nice for her own good.
He threw the woman a sourly look when she reprimanded him for swearing. He was not going to watch his tongue when he was in accute pain and he was shouting the first thing that came to his mind. At least he had made her feel uncomfortable with his comment and he enjoyed seeing the colour spread across the olive skin of her cheeks, satisfied that he had caused it.
Maximus was surprised to say the least when the healer seemed to have interpreted his reminder of her offer as more of a social invitation than quenching thirst. He was not sure if he had meant it that way, but with the potions making him feel slightly light headed he decided that he did not mind the turn the conversation had taken. Most of all, he would hold her to her statement that he was 'good to go'. "Let's see about that then," he voiced his thoughts on the matter and sat up further before swinging his legs over the edge of the bed and waiting a moment for his body to adjust to the shift. His vision was spinning just a bit - not too bad. "So, Evelyn, are you gonna take me like this or do I have to get dressed first?" he asked, no doubt making her uncomfortable again, maybe not all unintended. But in all honesty, if he had to sit there much longer without any clothes, he would end up getting cold. It was not as if he was uncomfortable about his body. His job required him to be fit and that he was.
“A-are you alright, sir?” Evelyn grew worried when the man started coughing, she quickly handed him a glass of water. Had she done something wrong? “Here, sit upright and breathe normally,” she said as she gently touched his back to push a pillow behind it.
“Now don’t give me that look,” she warned him when sour eyes glared daggers at her. She couldn’t help it that there were also children being taken care of at this ward.
Just what was she doing. Evelyn wasn’t the type to hook up or flirt with her patients. Better said she wasn’t the type who flirted or hooked up in general. How had she got herself stuck in this situation?
He is kind of attractive.
Merlin, Eve! She wanted to hit herself in the face right now. The healer turned when the man started getting up. Gasping at his words, she quickly scrambled his clothes from the floor and threw them towards him. “Oh course not! I-I’ll have a quick check on my other patients. S-suit yourself,” with a quick nod, she was gone with every word she turned a little more pink. @maximus,
Maximus pushed away the glass of water he was offered in ways of declining the offer. "No need for that, darlin' ," he said, using the term of endearment more in a manner of addressing the woman than actually expressing a sentiment. He often did so when he found the respective woman worthy of a second glance.
The auror's lips curled upwards in a smirk when his words about his lack of clothes and her invitation turned her tanned cheeks various shades of scarlet. Only when she actually fled his presence did his small chuckle turn into a bark-like laugh. "Does that mean I'm healed?" he called after her before pulling the shirt she had thrown towards him over his head. He chuckled again as he smoothed down the fabric over his torso. He could not remember the last time he had laughed like this. And to think that he did not intimidate the healer with his scowl or with his temper was a surprising change and rather adorable, too. Still the dark haired man was smiling to himself while he finished getting dressed.
Hands in the pockets of his robes he waited for the healer to return as there was usually quite some paperwork connected to a visit to Mungo's, due to his occupation as an auror. The administration of the auror office cared quite a bit about the health of its employees. Amused Maximus almost expected another healer to get back to him to go through the paperwork as the woman, Evelyn, was probably too mortified to show her face again with those eyes the colour of a morning coffee.
Evelyn paused for a moment when the glass was pushed away. It wasn’t the refusal of the drink that put her off. But the name calling. Darling? “Excuse me, sir. But I’m not your wife. I’m the woman who sewed your sorry ass back together. Show some respect,” she huffed, deciding to drink the glass of water herself so it wouldn’t go to waste. Usually she wouldn’t have stood for this more fiercely. But she went easy on this man. The poor bugger probably got a hit on the head. And besides, men often didn’t know what was and what wasn’t appropriate. Old men and women often referred to younger females as ‘darling’ or ‘doll’. She wasn’t that mad but she stood here as a healer not as a damsel.
The healer left the man to get himself properly dress. Meanwhile she went to various patients and did a last check up on them before she could go. “You’re healed but still need to regain strength. Give it one week rest and you’re back as new,” she replied to the voice behind the curtains. It was good she regained herself because Merlin this guy did things. Ignoring the ‘darling’ bit, he was quite charming in his own roughed way. Weren’t all the big scary men just sad little boys inside? Usually nothing that kindness couldn’t fix.
Finishing the sign to release the auror from the hospital bed, she returned. “Are you finished, sir? Then I’ll vanish the curtains and you’re free to go.”
Maximus was quite astonished when he was proven wrong and the healer did return to him. Or almost. Not close enough to see her flushed cheeks though. A week's rest was less than he had expected. He still felt a little shakey on his legs and it seemed like quite the beating he had taken, so he was happy with the short resting period. This and the fact that his stay at Mungo's had actually been relatively fun, considering it was a hospital visit, made him wonder when he would have to return... But no, he was not that disturbed.
"I'm done, don't worry. You can come back here," he replied, a small laugh in his voice.
"So, when's your shift over? I'm still rather thirsty," he reminded her, indirectly asking for some more time with her later on.
