Miss Quinn

190 ~ The Turn for the Worse

Beatrice didn't want Emma going to work after the events of the Weasley-Delacour wedding. According to her, now that the Death Eaters had taken the Ministry, nowhere was safe. Emma, of course, argued that St. Mungo's was a completely independent organization, and, if anything, the fact that the Death Eaters had more power now meant the hospital would be all-hands-on-deck to keep up with the influx of attacks that was sure to occur. Besides, both Beatrice and James were still planning to go to work — at the Ministry — and she didn't have a problem with that.

"Well, yes, but James and I are Purebloods, so the Death Eaters won't bother us at all," was Beatrice's response.

"You know they're not going after Half-Bloods, right, Mum?" Emma questioned. "I'm not a target for them, and even if I was, I have plenty of survival skills. I can fight them off."

"But I don't want you to have to," Beatrice countered.

"Mum, I'm a witch and a demigod. My entire life is a battle. I've fought in wars before, and come out on the other side all right. I'm not going to get killed going to work at a hospital."

Beatrice relented only after Emma swore up and down that she'd keep her weapons handy, eyes peeled, and path direct to home and work. So Emma continued to spend her time at St. Mungo's — sometimes on an evening shift, but normally during the day. The hospital did have an influx of visitors, as she'd suspected there would be, but she didn't let the work deter her. Healing was literally her gods-given power, and she'd be damned if she didn't do whatever she could for the people that needed her help.

The behavior of the Wizarding World soon turned sour, and cold. Diagon Alley held fewer and fewer customers, and those who did travel its old cobblestone streets kept to themselves, stayed quiet. Emma wasn't supposed to detour on her way home from work, but she often ventured into the barren alley, just to see how it was changing. There was an aspect to her power she hadn't encountered before, but was learning to use now. Not only could she deliver sickness, should she choose, she could sense it — in the air, in the minds of those around her. And not the kind she could heal with a simple touch.

People weren't trusting, anymore. They had less hope. Their suspicions radiated off them like the scent of rotting fish. Even the hospital was full of it. Yet the only place that wasn't — besides their home — was Fred and George's shop in Diagon Alley. Somehow, it had managed to keep its air of frivolity, despite the ever-changing world around it. The twins still cracked jokes as if it would kill them not to, Venus still smiled, customers still took shelter amidst the bright orange shelves, searching for anything to lighten the mood.

Emma only smiled nowadays when she was in that shop. Well, there, and when she got a letter from Cadmus, who was so separated from what was going on, that it was a reprieve to dive into his world for a little while. He'd heard about the attacks, of course. If not from Emma, then from his parents or sisters. Orion, too. But neither of those twins could dwell on it for very long, gallivanting around the Continent. They had much more enjoyable things on their minds.

Emma missed Cadmus desperately. And not just because of what they'd done, the last time they'd seen each other — though she was interested in doing it again. She missed his presence. His easy grin. The way he paid attention to her, even when she rambled. The way he always managed to make her day infinitely better, just by being a part of it. She missed holding his hand, and studying with him in the library. She missed resting her head on his shoulder, and rolling her eyes at his terrible jokes, and the nonchalance he carried with him.

She'd never be at Hogwarts with him again. He was graduated, he was free of its stone walls. She would return in a matter of weeks, and he would not go with her. And wasn't that just the worst thing? Nevermind the state of the world — she could be selfish for once. The worst possible thing in Emma's life was that she would go to school, and Cadmus would not. And they would have to maintain their relationship via post and perhaps the occasional Hogsmeade visit, if McGonagall let them. Emma had a newfound respect for Venus and George, who'd been doing this long-distance thing for over a year already, and were strong as ever. How did they manage not seeing each other every day? How did they trust that their partner would keep loving them, across all that distance?