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Rabastan Lestrange is a complicated bunny (floomonkey) wrote in thequest,
@ 2019-04-20 20:09:00

Entry tags:

!: ic/ooc, c: florinda mcgonagall, npc: arlo mulciber

20 April: the Dark Mark at Mungos
Saturday 20th April, 2pm, St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries--

The usual early-afternoon bustle of St Mungo's came to a screaming (literally) halt when a roiling knot of shadow and deep green smoke appeared out of nowhere in the middle of the reception area. From the middle of it bloomed the chillingly recognisable skull and snake of the Dark Mark, no sooner formed than it surged across reception, scattering shrieking people and leaving thick shadow in its wake. The Mark boiled up the main staircase, trailing shadow and panic, to the very top floor of the hospital, where it swelled and loomed up into the dome over the visitors cafe, before finally dissipating into shadow and mist.

The entire incident took perhaps five minutes. The Mark left no physical traces of itself, and caused no direct damage. The panic of patients, visitors and staff, on the other hand, left rather a substantial amount of chaos, minor injuries, overturned furniture, trampled food and scattered belongings.

[ Reactions very welcome! Hit me up if you have questions. (Rabbit is not on the premises. Rabbit's shift at the Floo started at 2pm. We don't even understand why you're asking. Honestly, officer.) ]

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lionsheart
2019-04-20 03:44 pm UTC (link)

Florrie had finished dropping off a patient at A&E and was in the reception area chatting with one of her friends on the Welcome staff when the Dark Mark appeared. While she herself wasn't injured, she was shaken and frightened, and had to help the staff corral and deal with injured patients and waiting folk.

Everything seemed to be settled with injured people (all minor) after about an hour. Fortunately for Florrie, injuries were her biggest problem and since she was on premises, she was seconded to deal with them. This meant that by the time the injuries were settled, she had a decent idea of where the Mark had been seen and roughly the path it had taken to get to the visitors' cafe (up the main stairwell). Which was when she moved to report about it.

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questling
2019-04-20 04:02 pm UTC (link)

Having a lengthy tenure at St. Mungo’s Arlo didn’t often have to work weekends. That was unless one of the trainees screwed up or he was called in to assist on a more complicated case. Today he had been in the hospital because he had ever so gratefully volunteered to help one a research project with one of his colleagues on the Spell Damage ward.

“Now, Sam, I think we’re going about this —“

The words died in his throat as the skull and serpent barreled through the corridor. Even among the panic erupting around him, he could have sworn it was looking right at him. And al he felt was barely contained anger. Once was bad enough. Twice? Unacceptable.

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3.15 pm and following

lionsheart
2019-04-20 04:46 pm UTC (link)

After talking to her aunt, Florrie want up to the cafeteria to see which Aurors were investigating the Dark Mark appearance up there. Also, honestly, in hopes of getting a little tea if there was any, or getting a pot to take downstairs, because they all needed it. Especially the volunteers, who were in worse shape than the professionals.

She was also keeping an eye out for which hospital staff and visitors were around--expecting the latter to have been cleared out as they could not be from reception.

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questling
2019-04-20 04:56 pm UTC (link)

While Arlo would have very much liked to storm off, he was one of the few senior staff on site. As such there were certain expectations he had to fulfill. After ensuring the relative calm and safety of the Spell Damage ward, he was asked up to the cafeteria to give his own account and hopefully seek more information about exactly what happened.

Instead he was tasked with trying to coax a hysterical employee from where she had holed up in the pantry. "Catherine." He sighed, but remained calm. "I can assure you that there are no less than two law enforcement officials out here. There are no death eaters in waiting. The area is safe. And we're worried about your safety."

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lionsheart
2019-04-20 05:26 pm UTC (link)

This, at least, was something Florrie could deal with, even if her own accent was more pronounced than usual because of her distress. "Excuse me, Healer, let me get her squared away."

Taking both of the poor cafe girl's hands in her own, Florrie soothed her. "Come on, lass, I'm here to take you down to safety. There's nowt to be afraid of any more, whoever it was is long gone now. There are Aurors downstairs--" which was also true of out in the cafe but Florrie wasn't going to argue the point "--and all will be well. Come on." It took her a few minutes to get the terrified girl, who was no older than Florrie, out of the pantry and handed off to another mediwizard who was going to look her over for shock and probably, Florrie hoped, get hold of her emergency contact to send her home.

"Thank you for your help, Healer," Florrie told Mulciber when it was over. Not that he had, actually, and had probably hurt because he was clearly agitated himself. By the time you got to his level, you lost most of your patient skills, as far as Florrie could tell. (If you'd ever had any in the first place.)

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questling
2019-04-20 08:46 pm UTC (link)

Arlo wasn't exactly happy, but he was willing to step away and let someone else help. It gave him a chance to remember to breathe. He turned away from the pantry, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Who in their right mind attacks a hospital? First children..."

This was not the message he intended to be cultivating. It was an honest expression of exasperation that suited both the public persona and his more private goals.

"Hmm?" He turned back to the young mediwitch. A tired smile falling across his face. "None of that now, I have just had a bit of misfortunate of being here on my day off and then being perceived as helpful. It seems like you've had much more luck than I."

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lionsheart
2019-04-21 03:48 am UTC (link)

"We're expected to deal with traumatised patients on the regular so they train us heavily for it," Florrie said politely, aware that she still sounded even more Scottish than usual. "It's part of our remit. And if you're not used to seeing the Dark Mark--and who is used to it?--it's quite frightening. There were a lot of terrified folk down in reception. She's not the worst off I've seen this afternoon. Have you been seen to, sir?"

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questling
2019-04-21 04:16 am UTC (link)

Mediwitch McGonagall. Right. Interesting that she should be here. And while it would be easy to say she was just doing her job, it would be foolish to not consider other motives.

"Rockwell in Spell Damage cleared me. I think I'm mostly just shaken. Typically when a trauma comes in, it's a patient, something that we can work on, fix." Arlo could remain in control in those settings. Here he felt out of control. "And now the war is over, but St. Mungo's it taking shots as it were." He shook his head.

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lionsheart
2019-04-21 04:27 am UTC (link)

Florrie nodded her agreement with the last bit, her expression sadly grim. "I'm sure someone in the Auror Office will find who did it. At least no one has died today, or even been seriously injured. Not even a bad fall on the stairs. I've been asked to stay on for continuity through to end of shift, to help brief the incoming staff about what's been happening so we can send the shift that was on home. Almost everyone is being released except a few of us so the rest can recover with their families." She did not suggest that Healer Mulciber do the same, though her experience was such that she reckoned he'd be out the door as soon as he could under the circumstances.

She did not think about his son and what the bastard had done to her friend Mary. She wouldn't let herself until after. The father might just be innocent but the son was up to his ears in trouble with all the wrong people.

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questling
2019-04-21 04:05 pm UTC (link)

No one might have died, yet. He couldn't be guaranteed how his temper would last as the night went on. Surely Charles would be eager to deliver a response. However, he couldn't allow himself to be distracted by those thoughts just yet. Right now he needed to focus on the hospital.

"I have been asked to stay until the chief can arrives and is up to date." The burdens of seniority. Although it was mostly perks. There were still patients to see to as well. "Will you be staying as well, Mediwitch McGonagall?"

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lionsheart
2019-04-22 08:16 pm UTC (link)

"Through to the end of shift to help the newcomers step in," she repeated, as if she hadn't said the same thing a moment before. Either the managerial lobotomy had stepped up or Mulciber was in shock, or both. "And then I've got family and friends to see so they all know I'm in one piece. But if you'd like to me to report to the chief, I'll make sure everyone is up to date before I clock out."

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	questling 2019-04-22 10:52 pm UTC (link)
	Arlo nodded. "Good. A familiar face until then at least." He knew his responsibilities. It also wouldn't hurt to stay occupied. He might even figure out more as to what happened. "I am going to head down to reception, make my rounds, and then be in my office." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

lionsheart
2019-04-23 12:26 am UTC (link)

"I'll be sure to let you know if anything important comes up, sir, and if you need me, I'm meant to be splitting my time between the staff room and here and Reception." Florrie nodded as brightly as she could manage under the circumstances and waited for Healer Mulciber to dismiss her. There was a pecking order at the hospital and Florrie knew her place in it: close to the bottom.

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	questling 2019-04-23 01:11 am UTC (link)
	"Very well. You know where to find me if you need anything." He gave her another nod before making his exit. (Reply to this) (Parent)