#asphodelroot

Things had been mostly quiet in the infirmary during Ted’s shift. With most of the patients gone and the ones left moving between sleep and awake, the biggest hurdle was making sure Rosier didn’t drop dead from exhaustion and that Snape took a break. So far, both things seemed to be going successfully as Rosier hadn’t really left Selwyn’s side much except to generally check on Lily every now and again - and Severus, at the current moment, was no where to be found at all.

The next time Lily woke up, Ted moved quickly to her bedside before Rosier could. Ted thought that Evan might actually be sleeping with his head on Theodosia’s cot - or, at least, he was hoping. Ted stood by Lily’s bedside, looking down at her, and half-closed the curtains around them so Evan didn’t suddenly pop up and race over here.

“Edgar, I need you to help Xeno and Lily back to headquarters. Then report to Evan or Hestia, see if they need help and then feel free to come back here if they send you back.”

Edgar nodded and immediately crouched down next to Lily. Oh Merlin. She... She did not look good. Edgar swallowed hard and tried to focus. He looked up and saw Xeno doing similar. Although Edgar wasn’t a healer, his eyes flicked to the side they seemed to be favoring. That wasn’t good either. They might have been standing, but Xeno clearly needed the healers just as badly as Lily. Edgar felt a pang of regret. If they’d had the med kit instead of them, would they be okay right now? 

“I’m going to apparate all three of us,” he told Xeno. There were risks with side-along for two people at once, but Edgar apparated a fair amount. He could handle this just fine. And with Xeno clearly being in a worse state than he was, it made sense to Edgar to do this. Wila was counting on him. 

june 12th, 1984. the flaming dragon.

Severus didn’t initially plan on coming here at all — it’s a party, and the only way to get Severus to go to one was through the promise of information, opportunity, or a thoroughly studied campaign of coercion by the Malfoys. But he was here now, tucked into his usual table with a tall glass of butterbeer, eyes tracking the movements in the crowd with some interest. It was rare that a large number of the Order was in one place at once, and watching them move and blend together was it's own well of information.

Anticipation filled every fiber of Wila as she stood beside the bench. She had pulled her hair back into a sleek ponytail, and she was wearing a pair of jeans and one of Nicky’s t-shirts, and it felt weird, but she did feel like she fit in some. It was mid-morning, but the street seemed quiet. She figured that the muggles were all at work and going about their regular days, which made their job a little easier. She did sort of wish that it was dark out, it would be easier to hide. But it would also be harder to spot the Death Eaters, so she supposed that it was better that it was early. Less muggles home meant less casualties and security breaches, if something should happen. 

Her mind kept going to Sarai, to how she desperately wished that she could avenge her. A part of her, deep inside, did worry about what would happen when Wila did avenge her. When she had no goal left would she finally crumble? Her anxiety prickled uncomfortably at the thought, and she glanced over at where Lily was and made her way over to her, needing the walk and figuring that a change of scenery would banish all thoughts of Sarai for the moment. 

“I swear we just finished a batch of doxycide. Why do we need more already?”

Gwen sighed as she leaned against the counter in the store’s backroom, watching Lily count out her stirring. With almost anyone else, Gwen would have insisted on doing the stirring herself, just to prove she could. But it was Lily, and that mattered. Gwen still wasn’t sure how the muggleborn has managed to settle herself so easily into Gwen’s life, but she was more than thankful for it.

She pushed herself off the counter to go grab the other ingredients they’d need. “Is it ready to heat?” she asked over her shoulder as she picked up a vial of hemlock essence. The dragon liver was already chopped and waiting to go in once the potion was ready. She gathered the other vials and returned to Lily, muttering under her breath, “I wouldn’t need to distill more cowbane essence already if people just handled their doxy infestations when they were fresh instead of waiting until they got unbearable.”

VI Quote of the Week:

“The worst influence,” she confirmed. “You know, everyone says different things? Couldn’t even get people to agree on whether drinking when I was pregnant was okay—” Muggle literature on it was all over the place, and the Mediwitches presented an intimidating front when she asked stupid questions that clearly any sensible well educated witch wouldn’t have to ask. “Latest I’ve read is that I should wait until this one is weaned off breastfeeding.” Lily gave a heavy sigh. Was it a bad sign that she missed the occasional pint, or just another marker of being so soul-wearyingly old at such a young age?           -- asphodelroot, Blonde, Red and a Little Mop of Hair

Admin Picks of the Week:

“An unbiased manner,” Narcissa mused aloud, repeating Severus’ statement.  She ran a finger along the edge of her teacup slowly, considering what he had said. She pursed her lips in thought before taking a breath. “I find it may be hard for certain people to embrace the idea of being ‘unbiased.’  There are certain things that either refuse to be grasped, or that people can’t be made to see - they have to see it for themselves.  Experience is a cruel mistress, but also the best teacher.”          -- forever-toujourspur, Only Human

Lucius clenched his jaw to keep from immediately saying anything. The only hint toward how he was feeling about the topic would come from the slight shake of his shoulders each time he inhaled, thoughts swirling around what he could possibly have done to get his father to stoop as low as he had.          -- slipperyfriend, Loyalty

Wila had been waiting for this moment since joining the Order and it had finally happened. Of course it took Frank Longbottom taking a tumble for them to finally recognize her brilliance, but after tomorrow nobody would doubt it again. She had sent owls to Lily, Edgar, and Nicky and told them to be at the estate promptly at eight, but she had arrived early to wrap her head around it all and to get herself situated. She had spread out the maps of London across the table, and she had marked off where Wilma Pierce and her family lived. Getting thrown in at the last moment after a few days of upheaval with their team, she knew that she had her work cut out. Their location was going to be the most challenging in terms of making sure none of the Muggles saw anything that they shouldn’t, but all of the people would make it easier for them to hide out of sight.