Mary MacDonald (marymac) wrote in afreshrpg, @ 2012-04-05 10:54:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, character: gwenog jones, retired: mary macdonald, retired: regulus black, time: 1998-04 |
WHO: Gwen, Mary and Regulus.
WHEN: Thursday night, late.
WHERE: Diagon/Knockturn Alley, Mary’s office.
WHAT: Gwen finds Regulus after Bellatrix attacks him, takes him to Mary to be Healed.
RATING: PG-13ish (probably for brief language/imagery).
STATUS: Complete.
OOC NOTE: Posting this by request to keep with the time frame as Sarah is unavailable and Amber's internet is out.
Regulus had managed to stumble out of the rather deserted, narrow alleyway that connected Diagon and Knockturn Alleys before he began flirting with the edge of unconsciousness. He had no idea just how badly Bellatrix had injured him, aside from the fact that it was bad - there was a lot of pain and he knew he was losing blood, the air that he gulped down seemed saturated with the coppery metallic scent of it at least.
He leaned up against one of the abandoned shops that was on the outskirts of Diagon Alley and slumped down to the ground, struggling to stay awake. As much as he’d been determined to, he was not going to make it to Mary’s. And really, that wasn’t such a bad realization at the moment - sleep seemed like a much better idea.
Parts of the fight swam in and out of his mind as he tried to fight his losing battle with unconsciousness. He had let his guard down and Bellatrix was on him out of nowhere - they had dueled spectacularly but his magic was a little rusty as he hadn’t used it to such an extent in quite some time and she finally got the opening she needed to take him down. Bellatrix had used the Cruciatus curse on him the moment she got the chance, rendering him completely incapable of fighting back. She drew it out, taking pleasure in causing him pain for his past betrayal of her Dark Lord. Then, when things seemed like they couldn’t possible get any worse, she let up for a couple of seconds, smiled sickeningly sweetly at him, and cast a non-verbal spell that he’d never encountered before. It was responsible for all the blood loss that was going on, from what he could tell.
He was cold and exhausted, maybe if he just took a little nap things would be better...
--
Gwen stopped by Diagon late that evening, after her game finally ended. She didn't want to celebrate the victory -- it always hit her hard to beat the Cannons, especially with friends on the team and the very fact that they weren't all that good. There was something more satisfying in beating a team that put up a fight. One thing to be said about games against the Cannons, though, and that would be that they didn't last all that long, usually. Still, and she wouldn't admit this to anyone, she kind of hoped that the Cannons would have been able to pull out a victory against them that night -- since they'd been on a streak.
She ducked down the alleyway, heading away from the Leaky, where she'd had one drink alone in celebration, then decided on a stroll before heading home. She might still be able to catch her teammates celebrating back in Holyhead, and while that sounded like a good idea, she also worried they'd insist on celebrating her birthday belatedly, and she didn't want that.
As she turned a corner, she nearly tripped over a man sprawled in the shadows against a brick wall. She sniffed immediately, assuming he was drunk, but then realized that the smell with a bit of blood and maybe some singed hair, and she took out her wand. Lumos, she thought, and a moment later the tip brightened enough to make out the man before her.
"Regulus!" Gwen gasped and bent down. She touched his shoulder. "Regulus, what happened?"
--
Regulus had just been about to fall completely unconscious when he vaguely felt someone’s hand on his shoulder and heard them speaking, calling him back to the waking world for a moment longer than he cared for. His body triggered one last surge of adrenaline through his system, he groaned and his hand shot up to close around the wrist of the stranger’s hand that was on his shoulder.
Or was it a stranger? The voice sounded awfully familiar, causing him to look up at the person. Her face was dimly lit by the Lumos spell she had cast and he struggled to bring his vision back into focus. Though she was still a bit fuzzy, he was finally able to tell that it was Gwen.
“Jo...Jones,” he mumbled, his mouth felt like it was full of cotton. “Bel- … attacked... sh-... duel... p-punish.”
He knew he probably wasn’t making any sort of sense, nor did he really care either. Regulus was freezing, for some reason that was lost on him at the moment, and he just really wanted her to let him take the nap that he desperately wanted to take. His body had tried and failed to kick in his survival instincts, for the moment at least.
Regulus did remember he was on his way to see Mary, for whatever reason (and it seemed like a bit of an important one), and he pointed down toward where the majority of the shops were. “M-m-mary.” His head slumped forward until his chin touched his chest - maybe he could get some sleep finally.
--
Gwen didn't understand a word of what he was trying to say except for her name and the word attacked, and she spun around, wand out, in case whoever had attacked him was still around. She saw no one suspicious in the general area, so she turned back to him. "Hey, hey -- Regulus, you've got to stay awake for me, okay?" She was no Healer. Never had even an inkling to be one, though she was quite handy with a few simple spells and charms. Had to be, really, to keep from having to go see the team's Healer every time she got bruised or beat up during a match.
She shoved her arms under his and hefted him to his feet. "You've got to put at least a little effort into it, yeah?" Her voice was sharper than she wanted it to be, and she sighed, relaxing. "Who's Mary? I -- look, I should get you to St. Mungo's. I'm handy with simple spells but for this sort of thing -- you look in pretty bad shape here."
--
Gwen pulling him to his feet brought him a jarring moment of clarity that he could have really done without. He groaned loudly - everything hurt, from the top of his head all the way down to the tips of his toes. He gasped for air at the shock of it all, the cool crisp night air helped to clear his head a little despite the excruciating pain.
Regulus shook his head slowly from side to side, even though it felt like it weighed a ton, and he groaned out, “No S’mungo’s. No hospital.” Fuck it hurt. He fought to keep his mind focused, he knew he’d been on the edge of somewhere he probably did not want to go. He didn’t mean to, but he put more of his weight on Gwen as he struggled to stay upright.
“MacDonald. Healer - her office....s’up ahead.” It didn’t dawn on him that it was late at night any more, she might not even be there. Hopefully she had all that paperwork on her desk that was keeping her busy. A part of him felt like he had no right to be bringing this down on Mary, not after how he’d reacted during the dark magic attack on her at school, but he hated hospitals and Mary would help him regardless.
“Please...no hospital.”
--
"Regulus." Gwen said it sternly. "St. Mungo's will know how to handle this. I have no idea who Mary MacDonald is, and I'm sure you trust her healing abilities but this is something the staff at St. Mungo's should handle. My mum's there. She might even be working tonight, if you're lucky." She wrapped an arm more tightly around his middle and shifted him so he was half against her and half against the brick wall.
She frowned. "Hold on, let me take a look at your face." Reaching up, she pushed his hair out of his eyes and winced at the bruises and a gash there. It looked pretty bad. But it seemed like he was going to argue on this point. "Look, can you walk or is it okay if I levitate you to wherever your healer girlfriend's office is?" It really would be much easier to try and get him there that way, though she didn't mention that Wingardium Leviosa wasn't one of her better spells.
--
Regulus let out a sound somewhere between a cough and a chuckle, shaking his head at Gwen, “She’s....friend. Mary first, then...” He really wanted to avoid the hospital if he could. Not only did he hate hospitals, but then everyone would hear about it. He’d started to go blissfully numb, so he really had no idea how bad it was anymore.
He raised a severely shaking arm and pointed down the street again. “Just a few shops... Can make it,” he breathed out heavily.
He did his best to put more of his weight up against the wall than on Gwen and took a couple of wobbly steps forward. He squinted as he tried to keep his eyesight in focus, getting his bearings around him once again. Regulus had made it a lot further than he thought, her office really was only a handful of shops away. They would have to move faster than he wanted, but he was sure he could make it before he needed to collapse again at least.
“There,” he said, with a nod in the direction of the office. “One with the light.” At least he thought the light was still on or maybe he’d started to hallucinate - he had no idea one way or the other and desperately wanted to be falling asleep again.
--
Gwen kept her arms around him, steadying him, as they walked at a snail's pace along the alleyway toward the dimly lit officespace. She didn't know this Mary woman, did she? She wasn't sure. She was also more than slightly aware of how it felt to have Regulus against her again, even if he was struggling and nearly incapacitated and this wasn't anything like their past together. She hated herself for even thinking it, and she helped him into the entryway of the office then knocked on the door.
"Hello?" she called out, her voice sharp. "Hello, Ms. MacDonald?"
--
Like most nights, Mary had been working late, plowing through the paperwork that seemed to constantly multiply on her desk during the day when she saw patients. Medical stats, order forms, release forms - so many bloody forms to deal with. And whereas it wasn't her favorite part of the job, she still loved it. And it was easier to deal with at night. Mary wasn't a sleeper and going home to an empty flat wasn't appealing either.
Of course, working late also meant she had late night visitors every now and then. Usually drunks. Or someone looking for a handout. She usually shooed the former away and gave some pocket change to the latter. So when she heard the knock, she thought nothing of it. That was, until she heard the slightly abrupt voice following up the knock.
Pushing back from her desk, she headed out to the main area and slowly unlocked the door, cracking it first to peek out as she was, after all, a woman alone in the building and it was late. The woman standing there didn't look too threatening and so the door slid open more fully, illuminating her form thanks to the glow of the lamp behind her. "Yes, can I help..."
Her voice faded when she saw the second figure with the woman, her eyes widening upon recognition. "Regulus! What in Merlin's name happened?" She quickly ushered them inside.
--
The short trek to Mary’s office took what little reserves of strength Regulus had left and he leaned up against Gwen even more than he had been. When Mary answered the door, his lips twisted up into a smile like it was just some regular visit to her office, much like when he’d stopped by last week. “Mare...hiii,” he groaned, clutching onto Gwen as he struggled to stay upright.
When she ushered them in, he mustered up the last few ounces of strength he had left in him and helped them both get him to her exam room the best he could. He started muttering along the way about the duel, the ‘bitch’ - his new nickname for Bellatrix, and remarked about all the blood.
He let them help him onto the exam table, before promptly passing out as he could no longer hold off the inevitable.
--
Gwen helped Mary get Regulus over to the table and then took a step back, frowning. She gave her wand a wave and then stuck it back inside her robes before turning to look at the other woman. "I found him in the alleyway just down the block," she said by way of explanation, and without introducing herself. "He insisted on being brought here but I guarantee that he needs St. Mungo's. I can't imagine you have all the resources that they have here in this tiny office." She crossed her arms over her chest and leveled her gaze at the other woman.
--
Mary arched a slender eyebrow at Gwen before turning back to Regulus. First thing she needed to do was stop the bleeding. Using her wand, she sliced his shirt away carefully, wincing a bit when she saw the wounds. Definitely the work of dark magic.
She glanced up at Gwen again, ignoring her attitude. "If it makes you feel better, I was a healer at St. Mungo's before opening up my clinic." she murmured. "And whereas I do not have the resources that he may need, from the looks of these injuries added to the considerable blood loss, he would not have made it to the hospital - I can at least get him secure enough to travel there."
With a dismissive nod, she bent over Regulus' still figure, wand in hand as she murmured a soft incantation under her breath, one that sounded almost like a lullaby - as if she were singing to him. The wounds slowly started to close up, leaving faint scars amongst the stains of blood. "He will need a transfusion but the hospital can give him that - I just need to stop the bleeding."
--
Gwen nodded and watched her work, thinking that there was really no reason for her to still be there. She delivered Regulus to a Healer in one piece and she had no other connections to him so she should leave. "It doesn't matter to me," she said a moment later. "I just know I'm no healer and he wouldn't let me take him to St. Mungo's." Which, she wanted to add, she was fairly certain she could have gotten him there in enough time just fine.
"I should go now that you've got things under control," Gwen continued, taking a step back toward the door. "Thanks. I'm sure he'll be just fine in your capable hands."
--
Mary was frowning down at Regulus, having noticed the telltale signs of certain curses she was all too familiar with. Curses that she herself had experienced personally. She couldn't help but wonder who had done this to him. She knew he had his enemies but to stoop to dark magic...
Hearing Gwen's voice reminded her that the other woman was still in the room. She turned away from Regulus to face her, feeling slightly better that he wasn't slowly bleeding out on her table. "He's never been fond of hospitals," she commented softly. "And considering I'm noting traces of dark magic used on him, he probably doesn't want to answer the questions that would follow. Although sadly he will have to - I don't have blood here to replenish him."
She paused, taking in the woman. "Thank you. For finding him and helping him." she finally replied, smiling slightly. "I appreciate it." The woman seemed to want to leave. Mary wasn't sure how she was going to get him to the hospital by herself but she wasn't about to force anyone to stay.
--
Gwen forced a smile. "Sure, I mean, I wasn't just about to leave him there or anything, you know?" She gave a shrug then glanced over at Regulus, at how pale and hurt he looked, and her frown deepened. She hated the way they left things, even if they had had that moment in Diagon before he went off to Europe and dragged her sister (at that, she was much more upset with Hesita about) with him. She let her gaze linger at him a moment too long before she turned back to Mary. "Thanks again. Uh -- let me know if anything happens, would you?" A moment later and she realized she hadn't introduced herself. "Gwenog Jones, by the way." She almost stuck out her hand but didn't, thinking the Healer's attention ought to be more focused on her patient. "I'll get out of your hair."
---
Mary's eyebrows rose slightly in surprise when Gwen introduced herself. So this was the famous Gwenog Jones. She had heard a lot about her, read articles on her in regards to Quidditch but had never seen her in person before.
"Mary MacDonald but I think you already knew that since Regulus asked you to bring him here." she replied, her face softening slightly, giving off a more friendly appearance. "And I will - don't worry, he's in good hands. We're old friends." She paused, surprised at herself for even referring to him in that regard. "Went to school together."
She looked back at Regulus. She needed to get him a pain potion and check him over again before getting him to the hospital. But he was okay for now. Her gaze shifted back to Gwen. "You'll be one of the first to know once I get more information." she promised. "And thank you again."
--
Gwen found herself nodding a few times then smiling, but just barely. "Of course," she murmured slightly. Regulus was very good at making friends, she had come to learn. "And really, no problem. I bet most people would have done the same." It probably wasn't true but it felt like the right thing to say. She gave Mary another nod then turned on her heel and walked out swiftly, feeling more uncomfortable than she would have cared to admit.
---
Mary bid a quiet farewell to Gwen before turning back to Regulus, a worried expression taking over her face. She hurried over to a cabinet and pulled out some vials, bringing them over to the table. After cleaning him up a bit and getting one of the vials down his throat, she knew it was time to take him to the hospital despite his wishes. He needed proper care and whereas she could provide most of it, she couldn't provide all of it.
Moving back over to the cabinet, she pulled out two pieces of parchment. On one, she wrote out a quick message to St. Mungo's to alert them of her arrival. On the second, she jotted out a quick note to Sirius to let him know that she had Regulus and where they were headed. Once both notes were sent off, she moved back over to the table, preparing to move him with the help of charms.
She had a feeling she wouldn't be leaving his side until she knew he was going to be okay.