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Post by Augustus Pye on May 25, 2012 9:59:46 GMT
Gus suddenly thought of a muggle treatment called electroconvulsive therapy, but this was not available in St Mungo's. She would have to go to a muggle hospital where she would never be released from, they would be too happy about having a vampire and do all kinds of horrible tests.
"It's a good sign you can tell apart what's you and what's her. Of course it's frightening, but that's why you are here. You have to learn dealing with her. Work with the things you know already. If you need more blood, just call a nurse, then you won't get hungry and weak, and when you get tired go to sleep immediately, ask for a sleeping draught, even if you think you don't need it."
He smiled at her, hoping to encourage her mood a bit.
"Do they give you the potion in time? I know, some of my co-workers like to wait until the symptoms show again before they administer the next dose. That's stupid, there shouldn't be any gaps in medication the way I see it. - You know what, I have some muggle pills you could try if that happens. They make you indifferent to problems, and maybe they will make her indifferent to you?"
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Post by Ophelia Fuilteach on Jun 2, 2012 22:36:52 GMT
She hangs her head, looking ashamed. "At first I couldn't tell the difference. That's why she was able to make me do so many awful things." Folding her arms, she glances at him and says softly, "Do you think I can ever be forgiven for what I've done?"
She nods, listening to his words and recognising the wisdom in what he says. "Something to help me sleep, something to keep my mind my own... the wonders of modern healing..." she says, feeling bitter that she hadn't tried this sooner.
Ophelia shrugs. "Sometimes. Usually, it's every eight hours on the dot, even if they have to wake me to do so. I've told them that's a stupid idea, because a sleeping vampire will do whatever necessary to protect herself against perceived threats. I might attack a Healer without intending to." She wrinkles her nose, not liking the idea of Muggle pills. "I'd rather not just try to medicate this away. This problem appeared without any outside intervention, so I'd like to try get rid of it without resorting to Muggle techniques."
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Post by Augustus Pye on Jun 3, 2012 14:36:24 GMT
Gus wasn't ready to give in, he was convinced muggle stuff had its merits, and he waved her arguments away with a nonchalant hand gesture.
"So far you haven't attacked anyone, that means the potion works, and it's better to wake you than to stretch or skip an interval.
He wasn't quite so sure what to answer to her question about forgiving.
"Legally, I'd say forgiveness is part of the verdict you got. Being possessed, cursed, or the like is all too common in our magical world. They were just confused and afraid how much is vampire and how much is 'she'. If the family of the girls can forgive you, I don't know, but you shouldn't think about it now. It affects your healing.
He produced two blister strips from his pocket.
"I'll leave this here, and you can decide, if you take them or not. The blue ones are for sleep without dreams, and the white ones move your problems away, and very likely 'she' too. 'She' isn't used to muggle medicine, so it might work."
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Post by Ophelia Fuilteach on Jun 12, 2012 4:34:31 GMT
Ophelia gave him a curious look, and then smiled briefly.
"You're one of those optimistic types I've heard so much about," she remarked, and pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "We don't seem to have many optimists in vampire circles."
She nodded, not sure what else she could say. She knew she'd be tormented for the remainder of her undeath, no matter what she did, said or tried. Maybe it was something she had to learn to live with, like Dante had often said. The guilt should be like the nerves, dear sister. Both get easier every time you take a life, he had said.
She peered at the strange packets he took from his pocket, tilting her head like a kitten trying to figure out something new and strange. "I don't know if Muggle medicine works on vampires. Our digestive systems are designed to absorb blood, so I honestly don't know if these will have any effect. You're the healer here... so I'll take them if you tell me to. If not, I won't."
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Post by Augustus Pye on Jun 12, 2012 8:28:54 GMT
"Ah, no. At least not always", he said, and for a moment his face crumpled into a sad grimace.
"You don't know how it is for me when you can't save a patient. Mostly it happens when they bring them here too late. An accident, a curse gone wrong, and only inexperienced wizards are with the patient. Worse, wizards who think they are as good as trained healers."
He remembered with a shudder the last time it had happened. Two Auror trainees had, after too much firewhisky in their sparetime, tried a Sectumsempra.
"I keep having nightmares, it's as if the dead haunt me and ask why I didn't help them. Why do you think I know about these muggle pills?"
Gus sighed and pointed to the blisters again.
"Your potion isn't made entirely of blood, and it works. Just wash them down with your dinner to test it out."
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Post by Ophelia Fuilteach on Jun 16, 2012 18:17:13 GMT
Ophelia patted his hand, taking care to move slowly so as not to startle him. "My father couldn't save my mother. She died giving birth to me, and he tried to give her the Dark Gift to save her... but he was too late. The healer couldn't save her with his magic, my father couldn't save her with vampire blood. Sometimes... no matter what you do, or how hard you try, Death will take his prize," she said. She grimaced, flinching away from some unknown irritation. "And Death is patient... He waits for his time, and he does not care how much you want to save his victim."
She shivered, and shook her head. She put her hands to her temples, her fingertips clawing at her hair. "You know nothing about nightmares, mortal," she said, her voice suddenly harder, crueller, as cold and unforgiving as ice. "Otherwise you would know one when you see one."
Sickness had emerged once more, and she stared at the Healer with a twisted smile on her face.
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Post by Augustus Pye on Jun 18, 2012 9:50:33 GMT
Gus was about to thank Ophelia for the friendly and compassionate words, when the atmosphere suddenly changed.
"What the -", he started, jumping from the chair and putting as much distance between the patient and himself as it was possible without appearing impolite.
Yes, she was not anymore the distraught girl who loved music and her family, she was at best a patient. At worst, a dangerous lunatic.
"Well," he said, trying to get by on a patronising medical platitude, "I can see you are tired, I'd better leave then."
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Post by Ophelia Fuilteach on Jun 27, 2012 21:00:02 GMT
"Oh hush now, dearie, there's nothing to fear," Sickness crooned, walking towards him. "Besides... it's a long time before sunrise. The night is young, and I am only getting started!"
She hissed, her face suddenly contorted and feral. "You think you can save her? They think they can protect her from me with their potions and pills and their precious right words, but they are so very wrong. I am the darkness that lurks in every mind, waiting for the opportunity to spring... and the brighter the light you shine to try extinguish me, the larger the shadow becomes."
She tilted her head left, then right, cracking her neck. "What was that you said to our poor Ophelia about blood, Healer Pye? She need only ask, and she shall receive? Surely you wouldn't let me starve! I have needs to, you know..."
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Post by Augustus Pye on Jun 29, 2012 9:55:54 GMT
Gus' hand gripped automatically his wand. Just the thought that the shell of this monster was still Ophelia kept him from throwing a more powerful spell than a shield charm.
"Be quiet!", he shouted, with a slight tremble in his voice. Patients were not allowed to carry wands, but this thing didn't need one to harm him.
Slowly 'Sickness' words sipped into his mind ...the brighter the light you shine...
He concentrated on the dark dreams about losing a patient. There was nothing bright and shiny in that, and for the first time in his life he wished for his personal Boggart, shaped as a decomposing inferius.
"I don't care about your needs, you are not my patient!"
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Post by Ophelia Fuilteach on Jul 16, 2012 19:38:11 GMT
"Poor, sweet boy. You've seen so much death and pain and horror in your time, most of it here. You've seen the true face of humanity, the hideous things your own kind do to one another, and occasionally you've slipped into the depths of despair as a result. I can give you oblivion. I can give you eternal darkness," she said, feigning sympathy and concern. Only her eyes revealed the truth. The madness was still there, despite everything.
"Madness is the emergency exit, Healer Pye, and Ophelia didn't so much take that exit as she was lured through in hopes of escape. I can give you the same escape. I'll set you free."
She smiled widely then, and there was something unsettling about such a human expression on her face. "We're both thinking it, Healer Pye. How much damage can you inflict on me without hurting Ophelia, and can you cast a spell fast enough to stop me before I reach you. Are you willing to risk it?"
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Post by Augustus Pye on Sept 7, 2012 14:11:27 GMT
Gus couldn't help thinking about her words for a moment, but he had dealt with the hardships of his profession a long time ago already. He was tempted a second and dismissed the thought immediately. There was nothing the occasional Muggle pill or half a bottle of Ogden's couldn't rectify, and even the moments when he needed that were scarce.
"No!", he said firmly, " I don't need your mumbo-jumbo."
He stuffed his wand deep into his pocket, thinking there must be another, a better way to deal with the creature, when his hand touched another solid object. His clouded brain needed a moment to realize what it was. A silver mechanical pencil, a gift from a doctor in a Muggle hospital where he had temped for a while.
Tentatively he took it out, he knew there was something with silver that probably would help him, but his still confused mind wasn't able to think straight.
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Post by Ophelia Fuilteach on Oct 7, 2012 21:13:27 GMT
Sickness recoiled from the silver, her eyes wide and furious. Silver burned like the sun, and healed human slow. She feared nothing, but pain could still keep her at bay. Pain could drive her away, and give Ophelia a hard won edge. Sickness also had another weakness, albeit a shallow one - she had no need for a damaged host.
"I will get you, lost little lamb," she snarled. "One day you'll forget your silver, and I will take great pleasure in tearing out your throat. Perhaps I'll even bathe in your blood like the great Erszebet Bathory once did, and leave poor little Ophelia to deal with the guilt of yet another life on her conscience." With those choice words, she retreated into a corner of Ophelia's mind, leaving the poor girl reeling.
Her head swam like a laudanum addict's after a mouthful of their preferred poison. His eyes were starting to blacken, the dark colour bleeding into the surroundings, making the whole room dark and terrifying. "Help me..." Ophelia moaned, and curled into a ball on the floor, clutching at her scalp, her eyes screwed shut against the nightmare visions she could see, even though she knew they were not real.
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Post by Augustus Pye on Oct 16, 2012 11:23:03 GMT
Taken completely aback by the effect of simply clicking a pencil at the creature and her violent reaction, Gus lost his balance and found himself sitting at the floor next to Ophelia, panting for air.
When he had gathered his wits again, he inspected her mind to make sure She was really gone for the moment and made a short examination of Ophelia's body. Apparently She could or would not harm her, so all there was was the profound state of shock.
He didn't care at that moment if Ophelia believed in Muggle medicine or not and took a syringe out of his "special kit".
No use trying to make her swallow the pills, the state she was in she would probably choke on them.
"Here we go, girl", he said, and rammed the syringe with the calming fluid in her arm.
"It's only for your best."
As he didn't know how much of her Vampire reflexes, which certainly would object to being shot with an unknown substance, were still functioning, he got up and took shelter at the far end of the room behind the bed.
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Post by Ophelia Fuilteach on Oct 17, 2012 15:54:43 GMT
Ophelia whimpered as the needle pierced her skin, too overwhelmed with fear and pain to protest. The medicine worked fast, calming her mind and forcing her muscles to relax. The darkness faded away, and she looked up at the healer as he took refuge behind the bed.
"Thank you..." she whispered. She tried to sit up, and found herself too weakened by the medicine to do so.
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Post by Silvery Bletchley on Oct 17, 2012 20:02:54 GMT
Silvery stood by the entrance to the long term ward with arms crossed, the minutes dragging along like hours as she waited for the right healer to exit the door. Impatient as always, she unamusedly read the name tag of every so-called healer that passed her by. Augustus Pye, she had been told. He would be the one to ask about patient Fuilteach, the one who would know if she's ready to receive...friends.
Although she wouldn't exactly call this a "friendly" visit, she did consider Ophelia an old friend. She was saddened by what had become of her and would do what she could to help if she had the chance. But that wasn't the reason she was here. The Dark Lord wanted to make sure that Ophelia's mental state posed no threat to his plans. So, as dark healer to the DE, Silvery was sent in to evaluate the situation and report back what she had found. She only hoped the news would be good, having to "do away" with an unstable vampire is a task she would definitely not want to be assigned to.
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