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prof_stargazer in fiery_inception

A Rude Awakening

Apr 19, 2008 11:13

Date: Saturday April 19, 2002
Time: just after 8:00 AM
Location: the Moore's house
Characters Involved: Stella and Caleb Moore
Rating: PG-13? for angst?

Stella did not notice anything different when she woke up on Saturday morning. On the contrary, she awoke to what was quickly becoming comfortingly normal- being curled up in Caleb's arms, feeling his ( Read more... )

character: caleb moore, status: complete, character: stella sinistra

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prof_stargazer April 19 2008, 23:18:02 UTC

Side-along apparition had never been Stella's favorite thing to do, but today it seemed to be worse than usual. Caleb, still (thankfully) with his wits about him, had gotten her checked in, though they had to wait nearly an hour before getting called back by one of the Healers.

After doing several complicated scans with her wand, the Healer just looked at Stella sorrowfully.

"I'm sorry," she said, shaking her head. "But I'll tell you the same thing we've been telling everyone- it seems to be a temporary condition. The people who first came down with it a few weeks ago seem to be recovering lately, so you'll just have to wait it out."

"Everyone?!?" Stella asked, now thoroughly confused and glancing at Caleb. "How long has this been happening? Why hasn't anyone said anything about it?"

The Healer looked at Stella and Caleb curiously. "It's been just in the last few weeks- two or three, I'd say. There have been several stories in the Prophet," she said slowly, as though she thought they were some kind of idiots for not knowing about it.

Stella glared at the woman, her temper obviously unaffected by her loss of magic.

"We have been out of the country on our honeymoon for the last two weeks," Stella replied, nearly spitting out the words. "So forgive us for being a bit out of the loop."

wolf_caleb April 19 2008, 23:27:47 UTC

Caleb had listened, his shock seeming to grow. How could so much go wrong in two weeks? Who else had been affected? And why wasn't he?

He didn't care if the things was bloody contagious or not, he wasn't going to leave Stella alone to deal with it.

When she began to snap at the Healer, he wrapped an arm around Stella's shoulders.

"So there's nothing we can do?" he asked, rubbing his hand up and down Stella's arm.

"Wait it out," the Healer repeated, shrugging. "Nothing else seems to be working."

After filling out some paperwork, Caleb was able to take Stella home. Once they were standing in their living room again, he ran a nervous hand through his hair. "We need to see who else is affected. Make sure Char, Seamus and the baby are okay, then see if Snape has anything that could help."

prof_stargazer April 19 2008, 23:37:45 UTC

While Stella was somewhat concerned about their friends, at the moment her main worry was still for herself.

"I won't be able to get myself to school," she said, the truth of the matter finally seeming to sink in. "I won't be able to open my own doors- they're all warded and locked. And how on earth am I going to teach?" She asked, more to herself than to Caleb as she started pacing around the room, her arms crossed protectively in front of her. "I put up all of my notes and diagrams with magic. It's going to take nearly a whole class to draw just one star chart on the board, let alone the 5 or 6 I use in just one lesson!" She was starting to panic again, her eyes darting aimlessly around the room as she continued muttering.

"Can't take away house points, I won't even be able to get in the teacher's room! And you can't be apparating me back and forth to come home at one in the morning..."

wolf_caleb April 19 2008, 23:54:15 UTC

Caleb moved to stand in front of Stella, trying to get her to focus on him. "Hey," he said, grasping her arms. "Look at me," he ordered as her eyes continued to dart wildly around the room. "Two weeks love, then things will go back to normal. We just have to get through two weeks."

He pulled her close, wrapping his arms securely around her. "We'll find star charts in books, and you can show me how to recreate them for classes. You can tell me how to get around your wards, you'll be able to get to your stuff. If this is happening to more people, I doubt you're the only Professor affected," he said, needing her to focus. "If it's been two weeks, I'm sure the staff at Hogwarts has already figured out how to deal with this."

Caleb couldn't imagine McGonagall being anything short of organized by now.

"Just two weeks love," he repeated, running his fingers through her hair. "I'll help you get through this, I promise."

prof_stargazer April 20 2008, 00:05:47 UTC

Stella's face crumbled a bit, though she tried to keep herself together as much as possible.

"But you'll have to work, love, and I won't be able to come home-" Stella could feel the tears beginning to well up again, and she bit her lip to try and stay them.

"Maybe Minerva will let you come and stay at the castle. I can't go a week without seeing you-"

wolf_caleb April 20 2008, 01:33:37 UTC

"Shhh," Caleb murmured. "You won't have to go a single day," he assured her. "I don't care what time of day or night it is, I'll come get you and bring you home. Do you think I'd give up the perks of being married for even a single night?" he teased, trying to get Stella to smile. "If I can stay at the castle with you, that'd be great, but if I can't, you'll still be coming home every night."

The shop was the last of his worries right now, and he doubted it was particularly high on Char's mind either. She'd be more concerned for her friends than the store. He'd work as much as he could, but Stella would always come first.

"Breathe love," he said, rubbing her back.

prof_stargazer April 20 2008, 01:43:31 UTC

"I just don't understand this," Stella cried, sobbing into Caleb's shoulder for what felt like the hundredth time that day. "How on earth could this happen? And what if you get it too?" Stella suddenly asked, pulling back and looking at Caleb with fear in her eyes.

Stella felt like her world had been turned completely upside down, and not in a good way. She had never felt so out-of-control of her own life, and she hated the feeling of helplessness that had set in since they'd been at the hospital.

wolf_caleb April 20 2008, 01:47:19 UTC

Caleb didn't want to think of that. If they were both left vulnerable, then he'd pack Stella up and leave town for a few weeks. He wasn't about to risk her safety, even if he had to drag her away kicking and screaming.

"I don't know love," Caleb said, shaking his head. He didn't understand it either and couldn't possibly begin to explain what had happened. "If I get it too, we'll deal with it. But as of right now, I'm fine."

He glanced around the house. "We stopped delivery of the Prophet while we were gone didn't we?" he said, sighing. He'd really like to check the papers to see if that had anymore information about what they were dealing with.

prof_stargazer April 20 2008, 01:56:23 UTC

They had stopped the Prophet being delivered when they were away, leaving them with nothing but the Healer's word over what had happened. After nearly an hour of doing nothing but going over it and worrying, Stella finally begged Caleb just to go to Diagon Alley and find out. That way he could check on Seamus and Charlotte as well, Stella reminded him, when he protested against leaving her alone.

"I will be fine, love," she assured him. "The wards on the house are still up, and it's not like I can go anywhere. I think I'm going to just lay down for a nap."

After a bit more convincing, Caleb finally did apparate away, leaving Stella to crawl into bed and cry herself to sleep.

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