Healing is not a science, but the intuitive art of wooing nature.

[wavesofjade]

WHO: Dolores Maryam & anyone
TONE: Varied~
RATING: PG-13
WHEN: Weekend of May 10th -  May12th
WHERE: Hospital Wing
WHAT: It's a stressful time for the students, so the nurse is on hand to offer calming draughts and sleeping potions to overtaxed and panicking students (and staff).
STATUS: Ongoing

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[[ooc: no particular opening -- Dolores will be in the hospital wing through the day for anyone who wants to drop in for medical or personal reasons!]]

Comments

[wavesofjade]

Credit where credit's due, but what he described was very common amongst the students at this time of year. She nodded and beckoned for him to follow her, moving to a desk at the far end of the room. A potion was produced, which she offered to him, though she held it just out of his reach as she spoke.

"This will not make you sleep, but it should calm your nerves enough that you can. Do not overuse it, and if you begin to feel at all strange, come straight back to me." She held it out, then. "The directions are on the bottle, but if I may make a suggestion.. try to take an hour to relax before you go to bed."

[starspangledavenger]

He follows her, looking around as they walk. Steve listens to her carefully, nodding his understanding before taking the potion, giving the bottle a long look before giving her a smile.

"I will, ma'am. Thank you," he chuckles as he scratches his cheek self-consciously. "It'll be nice to spend less time in the common room. I've been hanging out there when I can't sleep, so I don't keep my roommates up."

[wavesofjade]

"That may well be doing more harm than good," she chided gently, shaking her head. "You will not associate being in the common room with sleeping."

Though she couldn't say she didn't understand, especially at this time of year.

[starspangledavenger]

He flushes a little in embarrassment and nods, "Yes, ma'am, I'll be better about that."

There's a moment of hesitation, he really doesn't want to go back to studying just yet, he's enjoying being away from it, so he doesn't really want to leave just yet. Only thing he has to go back to is studying.

"Um, do," he looks unsure for a second. "Do you need any, uh, help around here?"

[wavesofjade]

She'd expected him to leave at that, though in hindsight perhaps she ought to have known better. At his question, she looked up, paused, then smiled. There were already a couple of students coming in now and then to help her out, but only because she'd offered it to them, rather than the other way around.

"I was in the middle of changing the beds, if you wish so much to keep yourself away from your studies." Her nose crinkled as she smiled. She preferred changing the beds by hand - it was a soothing task and felt so much more rewarding than magic.

[starspangledavenger]

It doesn't even occur to Steve 90% of the time that you can change sheets with magic. He's lived so much of his life as a muggle, that it's hard to remember what all he can apply his magic to.

He looks bashful when she knows why he's asking. "Yeah, staying busy when taking breaks makes me feel less guilty about it." He looks for what bed needs changing next and goes to do that, setting his medication on the side table.

[wavesofjade]

Being muggleborn is precisely the reason Dolores prefer to do things without magic, if she can, though she won't say it doesn't have its uses. She watched him and nodded in faint approval as he moved to the next bed, and she kept herself in comfortable silence for a few minutes before she spoke up again.

"Do you have plans for summer, Steve?" They must be close to the forefront of most student's minds, now that the final term was drawing to a close.

[starspangledavenger]

Though Steve isn't muggleborn himself, his father was a muggle and his mother saw the merits of living life as one for the start of his life, teach him to be physically proactive and not rely solely on magic. Also to respect Muggles and muggleborns as equals. So he prefers to do most chores by hand if he has the time to, though he is guilty of using it to clean his area if he's too stressed for time.

"Not really, Ma'am. Probably work again, the Kneazels should be having a litter soon, I usually get them used to people so they can be adopted out. Maybe hope to go visit America, but I'm not holding my breath on that one," he works steadily as he talks.

[wavesofjade]

"Kneazels?" She looked over her shoulder at him, her interest piqued in knowing that a license was required to breed the creatures, as well as the kinds of pets they made. "I always wanted one of those as a child, but I thought it best not to bring too much magic home with me during the holidays."

So she'd kept bats instead, because that was a completely normal thing for a teenager to have as a pet.

"I do hope that you make it to America. I shall be quite envious of that."

[starspangledavenger]

"Yeah, my godmother raises them and half Kneazels, they took to me when I first moved in and it's been my job ever since to take care of them... Well whenever I'm there that is. I'd love to have one of my own someday," he moves on to another bed. "Did you live in a non-magic household?" He realizes he doesn't know what bloodline she's from, not that it matters a lick to him, but now he's curious.

Her comment makes him chuckle a little, "I'd invite you to come with, but that might seem inappropriate."

[wavesofjade]

"I did, my parents were both Muggles." She shot a smile over at him, for phrasing his question so politely. Though she rarely had any trouble with her blood status these days (people she interacted with professionally were either unaware, or more concerned with her being a vampire than a Muggleborn).

"I am sure I will find my own way there some day. Until then I must simply enjoy it vicariously through people who already have the means."

[starspangledavenger]

"My dad's a Muggle, he always thought my mum was really amazing when she did magic," he smiles at the memory. His dad was a rough man, sometimes a little frightening in anger, but he treated his mother like she was everything to him.

"I grew up in Brooklyn... uh New York," never sure if people know the difference, "so it'd be nice to get back home and explore what's changed. I like Ireland and all, but the States will always be home, so I hope you get to go see them sometime," he gives her a grin as he fluffs a pillow.

[wavesofjade]

"My parents were always fascinated, but there was only so much that I could show them while I was at home. They came with me to Diagon Alley once, but I think it was a little too much for them."

She smiled fondly at the memory, moving over to the next bed and drawing the sheets off it. "I cannot imagine growing up in such a big place as New York."

[starspangledavenger]

He chuckles at the idea of his dad in Diagon Alley. "I think I dad would've had an aneurysm if he went there, I don't think he would quite believe that there's an unseen world. People hiding their magic yeah, but nothing like there really is."

He takes a moment to smooth out the sheets before tucking the blanket into the mattress. "I didn't get to explore it much, so I guess it never felt as big as it was."

[wavesofjade]

"I hardly believed it myself when I first saw it." And she'd explored every inch of the place over the years, even Knockturn Alley, though she'd never recommend the place to a student. Some of them were well-acquainted with it regardless.

"I can say it is worth the exploration, should you ever find yourself inclined towards it." She nodded, giving a satisfied little sigh. "Though perhaps in times when it is less crowded."

[starspangledavenger]

He gives the pillow a fluff then goes on to the next bed. "I'll be sure to do that one day. I've always wanted to, but I don't find myself over that way very often. When would you say it's likely to be less crowded?"

[wavesofjade]

"Hmm..."

With the bed she was working on finished, she leaned against the end and tapped her fingers gently against it, looking up at the ceiling in thought.

"During the summer, perhaps. Before most of the students are shopping for new supplies. It should be far less busy then."