St.Mungo's
Potion and Plant Poisoning Specialist
Holyhead Harpies Chaser
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21 years old
Slytherin Alumnus
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Ash
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Post by Ashley Avery on Aug 14, 2016 8:28:58 GMT
The hospital had been a madhouse the last couple of days. Even more so than usual. The healers were all running themselves ragged. Ashley was pretty sure her veins were flowing with caffeine instead of blood. She had been chugging coffee every spare minute she had. It had been at least twenty-four hours since she had slept, unless that nap on a spare gurney counted. But unless something else exploded, she should be off the clock in just a few hours. Thank goodness. She felt like she could sleep for days. Not that she had that long before her next shift, but she would definitely be getting in some quality time with her bed. Assuming she could convince little Kallie to leave her alone for that long.
She was headed for the pharmacy to get an update on the next batch of potions (they were literally running out of everything related to werewolves or bloody injuries) and turned down a side hallway as a means of avoiding the chaos on the rest of the first floor. Maybe by next shift they would let her go back to her own floor. She understood the need for extra hands, but this job was just plain draining when she wasn’t working with the potions cases she loved so much. As if to prove the point, a yawn rose up in the back of her throat. Ashley was using her hand to stifle it as she headed past a supply closet with the door just barely cracked open. Her eyes happened to drift toward the crack, and the sight beyond immediately killed her yawn. @lydia. Sitting on the floor. Merlin’s pants, was she crying?
Ashley froze in the hallway, not really sure what to do. Clearly Lydia wanted to be left alone. And even if she didn’t, Ashley wasn’t exactly known for her comforting skills. Besides, she and Lydia might bitch about work together, but they weren’t best friends or anything. Not by a mile. And yet. Lydia’s sister had been bitten. Word was the kid had escaped being turned into a werewolf, but she had still been injured. It must’ve been scary as hell. Actually, Ashley knew it was. Memories rose unbidden in her mind of being fifteen and staring down at the mangled body of the closest person she had to a real father lying deathly still on a hospital bed. And she hadn’t even seen the actual attack. Lydia must be a wreck.
Before Ashley even had time to process the action, she was pushing open the door and stepping into the rather large supply closet, carefully closing the door behind her. Then she turned to face Lydia. “Hey. You okay?” Her voice was oddly gentle compared to her usual sassy manner. And her eyes held a level of empathy most people in this hospital didn’t even know Ashley Avery was capable of. Because she knew. She knew what this was like, even if no one outside of her own family knew that she knew. They all thought Uncle Graham had just disappeared five years ago. But he hadn’t, and Ashley understood, and despite the superbly tight lid she usually kept on her emotions, she couldn’t just sit here and watch Lydia handle this alone. Had it been anything else, she probably could've walked away easily. But not from this. This no amount of Slytherin coldness could make her ignore.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 14, 2016 18:48:04 GMT
To say that Lydia was exhausted would be an understatement. She'd spent the past few days in the hospital, only going home to change once or twice. She wanted to be close in case her sister needed anything and Madison was to stay in her room at St. Mungos a couple more days until she'd healed properly. Lydia had barely slept, taking on as much extra work as she could. Which wasn't hard to find with all the patients piling up. She did whatever she could to keep her mind off the attack. During her time as a healer, she'd encountered many witches and wizards suffering from PTSD. Especially those who'd been tortured during the war. But up until recently she'd never experienced it herself. She'd never been in a situation much like the werewolf attack before and it was taking a toll on her. It was part of the reason she wasn't sleeping. The nightmares she had were enough to frighten her into staying awake as much as possible. As a professional, she knew she should speak to someone about her experience so she could get past it but she wasn't the type to ever ask for help. She was much to stubborn to really admit that she needed it. Halfway through her day, or it could have been night for all she knew, she was digging through the supply closet and letting her mind wander. Without really trying, she found herself remembering in detail the night of the attack. She dropped to the ground and let it all out. She was not a fan of crying and could probably count on one hand the times it had happened in the last decade. She also would never have thought she'd be crying at work for Merlin's sake but she couldn't hold it in anymore. She was just grateful it didn't happen in front of patients or, even more embarrassing, her coworkers. And just as she had that thought, she heard a familiar voice. Lydia's head shot up as she noticed Ashley standing before her, the door closed. She wiped away her tears quickly and sniffled, as if hoping she could pretend this wasn't happening. "I'm fine, I'm fine." She said, chuckling at the ridiculousness of the situation. "I must just be exhausted.." She forced a smile on her face. outfit |
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St.Mungo's
Potion and Plant Poisoning Specialist
Holyhead Harpies Chaser
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21 years old
Slytherin Alumnus
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Ash
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Post by Ashley Avery on Aug 15, 2016 6:33:05 GMT
Lydia was definitely crying. But she swiftly wiped her face, trying to laugh it off as exhaustion. It would be so easy for Ashley to pretend she believed that and get out of here before things got messy. She actually thought about it for a dangerously long second. But in the end, she just couldn’t do it. Instead, she stepped over to Lydia and carefully lowered herself to the ground so she was sitting with her back against a shelf of supplies. She drew her knees up to her chest and rested her crossed arms atop her knees. For a moment she was silent as she tried to figure out what to say.
“Most people don’t know this,” she finally said, her voice quiet and her eyes locked very firmly on her own hands because there was no way in hell she would get this out if she was looking at Lydia, “but when I was your sister’s age, someone in my family was attacked by a werewolf. Actually, mauled might be a better word. He was a mess afterwards. Almost unrecognizable.” She unlaced her hands so her right one could toy idly with the fingers of her left. “I wasn’t there for the attack, but I remember standing in the hospital room looking down at him and being scared as hell that he wasn’t going to wake up. Or that he would, and he wouldn’t be him anymore. And the worst part was there wasn’t a damn thing I could do to help.” She turned her head to look over at Lydia. “But Madison’s going to be okay. She’s alive, and she’s strong, and she’s human. And she’ll pull through this. I promise.”
Ashley paused to let that sink in before adding, “And so will you. I know, I know. You’re fine. But just because you’re not lying in a hospital bed doesn’t mean you came out okay. Trust me. I know.” She leaned her head back against a shelf, a nonchalant expression on her face as if this was some kind of contest to see whose experiences were crappier. It was either that or reveal just how much the story she was about to offer up had truly messed with her. “I ended up in a duel a few years ago. With a Death Eater.” With her own brother, technically, but Ashley drew the line at laying out the family drama. Besides, Alec had made it pretty clear that day they weren’t family anymore. “I thought I was going to die. I probably should have, but I got lucky. And now he’s in Azkaban. But it took a long time for the nightmares to go away. They still come back every now and then.” She shrugged and tilted her head so she could look over at Lydia while still resting her head against the shelf. “I know right now it seems like the world’s just a giant mess. But it will get better. You’ll get through this. You’re too sassy not too.” She smiled, hoping to see Lydia lighten up a little in response. The two of them certainly weren’t best friends or anything. But hopefully Ashley's little olive branch would be enough. It was what she would've wanted to hear in Lydia's shoes. That she wasn't alone and it was perfectly okay if she didn't have all her crap together for a minute.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 15, 2016 20:01:54 GMT
Lydia watched as Ashley lowered herself to the floor, sitting across from herself. She began telling a story about her own family that made Lydia's heart ache. She looked at the floor, as she listened to the tale. She couldn't imagine what that had been like. In comparison, Madison's injuries weren't nearly as bad. Sure it was a gory mess but at least she wasn't being turned into one of those monsters that attacked her. She picked at some lint on her dress as she spoke, curious. "What happened to him? Is he ok now?" She asked, knowing that the answer probably wasn't a good one.
She listened to her second story and frowned, realizing there was much about her coworker that she didn't know. She shouldn't have been surprised. They weren't exactly friends, they were just friendly. There was plenty about herself that she hadn't shared. "I'm sorry you had to go through that." She said honestly, glancing up at her. She gave her a slight smile. "And thanks. I appreciate the support. I promise you won't find me breaking down in any more supply closets." She said with a chuckle. She wrapped her arms around her knees. "How have things been for you? You've been just as swamped as the rest of us, I imagine."
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St.Mungo's
Potion and Plant Poisoning Specialist
Holyhead Harpies Chaser
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21 years old
Slytherin Alumnus
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Ash
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Post by Ashley Avery on Aug 16, 2016 6:25:11 GMT
Lydia listened quietly to Ashley’s story. It was the first time Ashley had ever told anyone what had happened to Uncle Graham. It had been too painful after the attack, and besides, the Prophet had gotten word out pretty fast. Besides, telling it now would require admitting he was still alive. And what state he was in. Lydia asked the question, and Ashley hesitated. This was getting into deeply personal territory. She tended to keep sky-high walls between other people and these parts of her life. But maybe it would help Lydia understood that things could always be worse. “He turned,” she admitted quietly. “It was... hard. Still is." She didn't see nearly as much of UNcle Graham as she would like. And when she did see him, it only took one look to know the years and his condition were slowly wearing him down. It was worrying, to say the least. Still, Ashley forced herself to put on a small smile as she looked up from her hands and over at Lydia. “But that’s not the point. The point is that your sister isn’t going to go through that. She’s going to be fine. And maybe that won’t help you sleep any better tonight or the next night, but eventually it will.”
Ashley shrugged when Lydia offered her condolences. “What doesn’t kill you, right?” Or so the saying went. Personally, Ashley was of the mindset that what didn’t kill you could still screw you up royally. But now was neither the time nor the place to argue that philosophy. She shrugged. “But if you do break down in a closet, it’s okay. I won’t tell. That was kind of my point. You didn’t think I told you my shitty back story just for kicks did you?” There was a teasing smile on her face now. This she could do. Sarcasm came far easier to Ashley than comforting.
She couldn’t really tell if Lydia was just being polite or if she genuinely wanted to talk about something other than herself. Either way, she was willing to play along. “Yeah, this place gets a little crazy sometimes. I’ll be making potions in my sleep tonight. Assuming I ever actually get to go home. I’m not totally sure how I’m still functioning. Pretty sure if I got cut. I’d bleed coffee.” She held up her wrist as if inspecting her veins. She shrugged as she reclasped her hands around her knees. “What about you? Getting any sleep?” She knew from experience it was hard enough to get sleep around the hours of this job, let alone if a friend or family member was lying injured in a hospital bed.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2016 3:45:22 GMT
Lydia frowned, trying to imagine the pain that caused not only her uncle but the rest of the family. She felt a little relief knowing that she would never have to endure that pain and Madison wouldn't turn. She'd always liked the look of a full moon but she knew she would never look at it the same again. "I'm sorry all the same. It's a terrible affliction. I've patched up a few men who have come in after a night of turning, I understand what it can do to a person." She commented, narrowing her eyes. It was hard to feel sympathy for their kind right now but she tried to remember that they weren't human in that state.
"Don't worry. I won't tell anyone about you getting all soft on me either." She said with a teasing wink. She knew Ashley wasn't exactly the type to share and that was sort of why she liked the blonde girl. But it was nice that she was the one to find her in this state. She couldn't help but chuckle in understanding. She'd basically been living off coffee the last couple of days as well. "Not quite. Thinking of picking up a sleeping drought on my way home. Maybe I'll get a full nights sleep for once." She said, feeling doubtful. She would probably just end up sleeping on a cot in Madison's room and no sleeping drought will make those comfortable enough to sleep on.
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St.Mungo's
Potion and Plant Poisoning Specialist
Holyhead Harpies Chaser
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21 years old
Slytherin Alumnus
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Ash
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Post by Ashley Avery on Aug 17, 2016 6:08:16 GMT
Lydia expressed her sympathy, but her eyes narrowed a bit all the same. It was understandable for her to take issue with werewolves after what happened. Even so, the issue was a pretty touchy one for Ashley. Uncle Graham didn’t like being what he was. It had pretty much destroyed what was left of their family. A family he was doing everything in his power to put back together. “I know you probably want to hate werewolves after what happened. And some of them definitely deserve it.” The one who had bitten Uncle Graham, for example. He had originally been sent to kill Kallie. The little girl had been three, for Merlin’s sake. Who willingly went to kill a three-year-old? “But not all of them are like that. Some of them are good people that something really shitty happened to. And now they’re just trying to keep going as best they can.” She shrugged as if in surrender. “Just… try not to hate all of them, okay?”
Ashley did her best to look mortified as Lydia winked at her. “Oh Merlin. I can’t have everyone thinking I actually have a heart. How would I keep the peasants in line if they weren’t terrified of me?” She definitely had a few of the younger healers in training terrified. And quite possibly Illyass, although that one was purely by accident. Everybody else wasn’t exactly scared of her, per say. They just knew better than to piss her off. Ashley Avery on the warpath was quite a sight to behold. Although she was pretty sure Lydia could hold her own in that department as well. As Ashley suspected, the other healer hadn’t been getting much sleep either. “Good luck with that. Personally, I have a very cute eight-year-old waiting for me at home who will definitely want me to play with her. I love that kid, but sometimes I seriously consider stunning her so I can get a little more sleep.” Okay, not really. She loved her cousin far too much for that. And she was wrapped right around Kallie’s little finger. But there were definitely days, especially during insane crises like the ones they’d been having lately, when she wished Kallie didn’t enjoy her company quite so much.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 22, 2016 5:27:06 GMT
Lydia frowned as she listened to Ashley. She knew she was right, or at least the logical side of her brain did. Not all werewolves were monsters. She knew that. There were enough men and women who'd been bitten that night and now cursed to turn every full moon and she knew from her time with them that they weren't monsters. They were victims just like Madison had been. Just like Ashley's uncle. But it was the ones who'd gone after them, that started that attack that made her bitter. How someone could be so nasty and hateful was beyond her. But anyone could, she supposed. Just because they happened to be werewolves didn't mean anything. They were probably monsters even without the curse they were given.
"I'll try. Honestly, I think once things settle a bit I'll look at them differently. But...I was there and I saw them first hand. Even the nicest person in the world wouldn't have the control to resist killing. They may not be monsters as humans but the wolves themselves are another story." She said, frowning at her folded hands.
"Truce then, you don't tell anyone I cried at work and I won't tell anyone you had enough of a heart to comfort me." She agreed with a smirk. They weren't so different and it was nice to have someone understand her and what she was going through. She couldn't imagine if someone else had found her. It would have been infinitely more awkward. She grinned at the mention of her cousin. "Oh, I know the feeling. My sister has given me the same hell. She's got too much energy that one. 'Course she's a teenager now so she's less of a gabbering nuisance. But when she was younger there were days I considered turning her into a toad just so she'd shut up." She teased, remembering the big bright doe eyes looking up at her. Madison had always looked up to her, something Lydia loved most days. But it could be exhausting being someone's role model.
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St.Mungo's
Potion and Plant Poisoning Specialist
Holyhead Harpies Chaser
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21 years old
Slytherin Alumnus
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PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY Ash
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Post by Ashley Avery on Aug 31, 2016 23:57:57 GMT
Ashley had to admit that Lydia had a point. The humans might not all be monsters, but the wolves are terrifying. “They’re like people. Some of them are evil, but it’s not because of what they are. It’s who they are.” Her tone was hard from experience. The wolf that had bitten Uncle Graham had been there to kill his daughter, a mission undertaken while in human form. He deserved to be put down like the dog he was. The werewolves that attacked Godric’s Hollow were the same if the rumors about some of them being on wolfsbane potion was true. But not all of them were like that. Uncle Graham wasn’t like that.
Lydia’s suggestion of a truce made her grin. “Sounds fair to me.” They hadn’t been friends during their school days. Mostly because Ashley had been too busy pretending to fit the pure Death Eater mold of her family. And after the war, Slytherin house had been something like pariahs. But now Ashley couldn’t help wondering if maybe they would have been friends if they had just been able to look past their prejudices. They certainly had matching attitudes. And matching problems with younger relatives, apparently. “Tell me about it. I love that Kallie looks up to me, but it can get pretty exhausting trying to set a good example all the time.” She sighed as if in exhausted surrender. “The things we do for the people we love. Am I right?”
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