Open.
Who: Various. (Arthur, Merlin, Remus, possibly Lust, Shirley, Tonks, whoever else wants a thread...)
Where: The Clinic.
When: Whenever it needs to be? For the Bellatrix plot?
What: Arthur gets a worrying glimpse of bespelled Lupin and, completely undermining the intention of his original message, drags Merlin off to act as deus ex machina and fix ( Read more... )
Where: The Clinic.
When: Whenever it needs to be? For the Bellatrix plot?
What: Arthur gets a worrying glimpse of bespelled Lupin and, completely undermining the intention of his original message, drags Merlin off to act as deus ex machina and fix ( Read more... )
Rennervate.
Finite.
Omnia damnat ad infernum
Wordless, wandless, and motionless countercursing wasn't going to cut it right now.
Wordless magic takes extremely focused concentration; wandless magic takes immense amount of energy; and he has neither.
It's so important to focus on nothing except getting free right now.
It's impossible not to think about why.
Even if he could ask Io for help, would she do it? No, because everyone was trying to protect each other. Sometimes the only way to save is to be willing to sacrifice… dammit just who does everyone think I think I am…? what I was trying to do… Was certainly not this.
Who could unjinx him right now? Tonks-
(explosion of pain behind the eyes)
…Le…
(practically blinded.) This is intolerable. Can't even think the way out and that's all he could do right now.
Merlin. Shirley. Hermione.
He thought those names over and over, like a mantra, to wipe out all other thought, try to regain focus through the emotional turmoil, until the right answer struck him; and on the off chance one of them might hear.]
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oh. well. there is her decision, then.
still, shirley is peering over him. hi. ]
I know not the proper magic, Remus.
[ shirley, shut up. or stop being awful. one of those. ]
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Instead he'd said yes.
Merlin was in the ruins when he first heard Lupin's voice inside his head. If there was hesitation, it was precious little. After Arthur's message, there was none. Fear and the race back to the clinic have stolen almost all of his breath. But Merlin's first glimpse of Lupin through the doorway robs him of what's left.]
What's happened to him!
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He's safe.
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[He doesn't really need to ask. Merlin averts his eyes from everyone as he walks over to Lupin's side. He knows why he's here, why he was called. Merlin swallows hard and stretches a hand out towards him.]
Abric benda.
[A flash of gold in his eyes, but no results. Merlin swallows, tries again.]
Ic acwoce the.
[That one.]
Ic acwoce the!
[Merlin's eyes go from blue to gold and stay that way.]
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It takes him a moment of reorientation before he's able to look up.
It would be delightful to be able to be able to enjoy and appreciate and thank having these people he cares so much about all around him, whether to help or hinder but either way protect.
It would be alternately be pretty good if he could spring up at once and ignore the lot of them to go find Tonks.
He's had a good long while to do nothing but stop and think, however. And there's more than one reason to stop and think a moment longer. One of which: being in a Body Bind for that long requires a bit of recuperation before standing is possible/advisable.
Another: the potato continues to be passed, as to whom in this group requires the most immediate attention.
The same hand-not actually the only part of Lupin that's now able to move, but even if it were, still an improvement-reaches over to touch Merlin's arm.]
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Give him this.
[ and once merlin takes it, she is on her way to leave. ]
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You're all right?
[A whisper of a question before he takes the potion from Shirley, glances back over his shoulder a little helplessly as she leaves.]
What is it?
[Just asked for curiosity's sake. He doesn't think she would give him anything questionable.]
Uhm. You should probably do as she says.
[Merlin uncorks it and presses it into Lupin's hand.]
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[ she doesn't even turn, as she replies - and away, she goes! later, guys. she's got people to stalk. B) ]
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What are you going to do now?
[This could be directed at Lupin or Merlin.]
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He hasn't the strenght/control quite to set it on the table. Best he can do is not drop the phial as his hand falls. Merlin's hand is still in the vicinity; Lupin tries to direct his own limb failure in that direction so Merlin can take the phial back.
He then regathers enough strength to extend his hand in Io's direction.
For how incapacitated the rest of him feels, his voice is surprisingly normal.]
Thank you. Both of you. So much.
I'll be able to walk again in a few minutes. [Already he can feel the potion-with the warmth of Shirley's light-unlocking the remaining paralysis.] Then… what do you think?
[from him to Io. From anyone else, sarcasm or a challenge; from him, an entirely real question.]
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You don't have to force yourself.
[Quietly, covering a broad range with the few words.]
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Does it matter?
[And yet she's taken another small step - will offer her support if needed. Doesn't that say enough?]
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Yes. It matters to me very much.
[glances between the two of them to include Merlin in this]
What you think of me matters to me. Because the way I hope you think of me is how I mean to be. Especially for something like this. It's important guidance. And I don't want to repay your help by seeming to throw it away.
If I go to find Tonks now… will you trust that it's not to do something entirely foolish? Only because I think it's the right thing to do?
[if she's close enough, he'll twine his fingers with Io's]
Sometimes all that's required is the offer of help.
[Like you're doing right now, Io. I hope you know I see it.]
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I will. You'd hardly want to catch her up in the net of your own foolishness, would you?
[She's looking back again. And then slipping away and past the both of them, though her fingertips, dark and lengthened, follow last.]
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