Open.

[supercilious]

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

Comments

standing guard

[sonvisage]

[Standing over the bed now. (she'd been sitting for a while, but she'd gotten up to pace) A few steps and she turns, her expression wavering between comfort and anger and things in between that she doesn't have the time nor the desire to try and identify.]

We're back to this again, are we?

[Reading to you isn't going to help this time, I don't think.]

[So she'll stand until she's no longer needed. Until Nymphadora (whatever, she doesn't like her own given name, either.) returns. Until---

---well, until that, too.

It's not as if she needs to sleep.]

not standing anything!

[lumenrelegandus]

[Finite incantatem.

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

[thenobledie]

[ alright, alright. enough with the mantra. it's distracting to actually making a decision about what to do. ...which she still hasn't done. shirley sees the merits of keeping him this way and not, and in the face of detached indecision (her focus is nymphadora and bellatrix, and little else, even someone she cares so much about), it's best to do nothing when others (merlin) will do something.

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. ]

[pratservant]

[He doesn't know if he made the right decision or just made things worse. It's a feeling that Merlin's been struggling a lot with lately, torn between the logical and the heartfelt. Where Bellatrix was concerned, Remus had spoken to his head, but Tonks was in motion. Merlin could've asked more questions, he could've tried to talk her out of it.

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!

[sonvisage]

[Oh. It's you. Do you still believe that the best intentions won't lead to broken hearts?]

He's safe.

[thenobledie]

[ DON'T MIND SHIRLEY. except she gives lupin a mild "is she serious" look. because you know, this isn't really about keeping him safe in her mind. it's about keeping him out the damn way. ]

[pratservant]

Who did this to him?

[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.]

[lumenrelegandus]

[Lupin's hand slams down and grabs the side of the mattress to keep himself from falling off of it. He hadn't been set there in the most balanced of positions

[thenobledie]

[ shirley withdrawals, then. she holds out a phial full of a shimmering orange potion for merlin to take - he's closer than lust. ]

Give him this.

[ and once merlin takes it, she is on her way to leave. ]

[pratservant]

[Merlin looks down at Lupin's hand then up to his eyes, his own wide and perpetually uncertain.]

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.]

[thenobledie]

It is called a Sun Rhapsody.

[ she doesn't even turn, as she replies - and away, she goes! later, guys. she's got people to stalk. B) ]

[sonvisage]

[Still watching. Linefacing, and very quiet; wary, in fact.]

What are you going to do now?

[This could be directed at Lupin or Merlin.]

[lumenrelegandus]

[Relieved to have perpetually uncertain/mistakenly-feeling-helpless Merlin back, rather than gold-eyed Merlin-even when the gold is for Lupin's benefit; the point is it should always be able to turn back-Lupin obediently raises the phial and manages to drink without spilling too much of it.

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.]

[pratservant]

[Merlin takes the phial and places it aside. He takes a step back, glancing at the woman as Lupin extends a hand to her, following it all closely.]

You don't have to force yourself.

[Quietly, covering a broad range with the few words.]

[sonvisage]

[Her fingers extend toward Remus's, and upon not quite reaching, she takes s step forward.]

Does it matter?

[And yet she's taken another small step - will offer her support if needed. Doesn't that say enough?]

[lumenrelegandus]

[touches her fingers. Recognises the step she's taken, and it doesn't feel small at all.]

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.]