Water Logging in Moray Firth

[alt_poppy]

Since Healer Stint kindly indicated a desire to read what I'm learning at the seminars I'll be attending in these summer weeks, I'll steal a moment on this Sunday morning to tell you about my studies here on a research platform in the middle of Moray Firth.

This is a beautiful and fascinating outpost in our northern waters. Some of the teams here are studying weather; others, water; others still are studying the marine life in this bay; but I'm here with a group of Healers to learn what can be taught about treating water-related injuries. I only wish I'd had this course before our tournament last year when we asked our champions to brave the bitter waters and hostile creatures of our Hogwarts lake.

In the first week, we treated victims of savage creature attacks, saving a surprising number and easing the trauma of passing in the remaining cases. I refreshed skills that are easily transferable to treating other sorts of trauma than merely aquatic accidents. We've also, of course, been studying the effects of hypothermia and exposure to extreme conditions, collecting data that our instructors, Healer Soddenham and Master Healer Sturgeon, will use in a paper they are writing on the subject.

This week we will be turning our attention to the problem of identifying the line that separates treatable waterlogging from irremediable drowning.

In fact, we had a bit of an unplanned foretaste of that topic when one of the weather wizards washed off the platform in the midst of a hail storm Friday. (The weather has been one of the incidental challenges here--not unexpected, but not insignificant, by any means.) The poor man was beaten nearly to death against the structure before they could retrieve him, and he was severely waterlogged--so much so that we wondered if he could possibly be revived. He was fortunate to have two of the Protectorate's foremost experts at hand to treat him, and we, of course, were privileged to witness firsthand their skilled mediwizardry. I'm pleased to say the fellow is beyond danger now, though he's lost an eye and a forearm to the experience.


The weather report this morning was drear but not dire, so all is well.

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[alt_poppy]

First. Pomona, I'm sorry to have had to renege on my promise to join you at that wedding last night. I hope it wasn't too unbearable.

Then. I trust all is well with the rest of you. The horrors you'll read between the lines here probably need little elucidation.

Arthur, I'm not sure I want you to tell me whether the poor souls we're 'studying' have come from the camps or from the prison wards. We've been told that they are here because they stand convicted of capital crimes, and some of them have had the distinct look of incurable curse damage, so there's no telling: they may have been Dogstar or others pulled from MLE's dung heap.


I'm tempted to ask MH Sturgeon whether the curse damage might queer his data, but, of course, I shan't.

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[alt_pomona]

It was more or less entirely what you might expect - rather horrible around the edges, especially with all the expectations. The weight of the Sandoval family traditions, in particular. I feel almost sorry for her.

I spent most of the evening in the corner with either Bathsheba or Septima or a few of the herbologists the Sandovals have business connections with. And I left before the more enthusiastic partying took over, as you might expect. (From a few bits of gossip I've overheard this morning, that was a sensible move.)

Aurora was rather sorry not to see you, but she spent much of the evening managing her own social connections. From the looks, there's something up, but I've no idea what - she looked perfectly well pulled together and pleasant, but with that tightness round her lips she gets when she's focusing hard on something. And Rabastan was being extremely attentive, though this is the first time I've seen them in quite that setting.

As to the rest, how horrible. I do hope you're getting a little relief, soon. Anything I can send you to be a help?

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[alt_poppy]

I saw the Prophet's report: it was all the talk at breakfast. Some interesting conversation about the physiological effects of binding rituals--before we turned back to our baseline conversation about new remedies we might all try to combat nausea out here. That and traction charms are our hottest topics. Fortunately, water-repelling charms are straightforward things. For garments, at any rate. It's a shame there seems to be no magic that will prevent water overwhelming the human respiratory system.

Sorry this isn't a more cheery report.

It is beautiful here when the seas are calm. Unfortunately, those hours have been few and far between.

But back to the wedding: I had an owl from Irma with her impressions on the matter. For instance, she reports that the newly-minted Mrs Pennifold seemed increasingly uneasy as the evening wore on towards the moment of the couple's departure; that the younger former Ravenclaws, led as usual by Mr Sandoval, were entirely too rambunctious; and that the chief celebrant, whom she remembers clearly for his wasted potential as a researcher of arcane magics, grew quite tipsy at her table and confessed his dislike for binding ceremonies. She also reported that our Professor Sinistra was wearing a new bauble on her right hand and was making a slightly-too-concerted effort to keep it from drawing attention. She suggests that it is a ring not meant for wear on the right hand, at all.

You know Irma. She observes almost everything. And is more than a little skilled at reading gestures and looks at distance.

What do you think?

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[alt_pomona]

I'd scarcely dare question Irma's observational skills - she's her usual sharp self here (and spotted two things I'd not consciously noticed.)

The various recent students, well, quite. Though I gather that was not entirely unexpected (given young Mr Sandoval's reputation) and they were eventually coralled into one of the less obvious rooms. There were, at least, no screaming fights from young women of his acquaintance.

On the matter of binding ceremonies - well, quite. They promised everything up, down, sideways, and I'm only surprised they didn't go for the full versions with blood drawn in full view or something of fhe kind. I almost think that's more honest.

On Aurora - I'd noticed the ring, but when she was speaking with us, she was not quite so obvious distracting attention about her hands as I think Irma caught later in the evening. (And of course, she's left-handed, so the right is less obvious anyway.) Quite the lovely design - but not something that made one think a more formal commitment immediately, either. I didn't ask her about it, since she clearly didn't need one more person prying last night.

Not that I won't at some later point, mind you. But more privately than we managed last night. She did also mention she's had a few interesting conversations with both our Mr Diggory, and quite a few with Miss Perks, Miss Parkinson, and young Mr Marvolo, though she didn't go into details on those.

Private message to Poppy

[alt_sinistra]

So very good to hear from you, though of course I missed seeing you last night. (Quite the party, and as lavish as you'd expect, though I'm having the worst time getting moving this morning to go back out to Leicester.)

It does seem odd they're only running that course now, given both the second task, and the amount of time we're spending in the water here. (Though, of course, the Soar doesn't have nearly the number of risks that the ocean does, even with creatures included.) Do stay safe yourself: I do worry. (And that poor wizard.)

Re: Private message to Poppy

[alt_poppy]

I was sorry to miss the chance of seeing you, too. (Though I can't say I was exceedingly sorry to miss the event itself. I gather the ceremony tested its witnesses' fortitude, though I'm told the supper was excellent afterwards. And the music both places.)

Oh, this course! Honestly, it's only being run now because the leads have a paper in mind and wanted funding and subjects (and paying assistants who wouldn't expect an author-listing) so they could collect a large batch of data in a hurry. I expect they'll ask some of us to draft the thing for them.

Fortunately, I'm due in Seathwaite by Saturday, so I shan't be tempted to 'volunteer' my services. That one is a seminar on the diseases spawned by excessive damp.

I do believe Stint and Strangeweale hope I'll dissolve before the summer's over.

I trust you recovered your equilibrium in time to participate in whatever business Leicester held for you today. I trust that continues to go without incident?

Re: Private message to Poppy

[alt_sinistra]

Quite the long ceremony. So many different blessings and charms for all sorts of things, and formal statements: nothing at all like either Diane's or Storm's or various other ones I've been to. Makes one think about vastly different traditions families have, really. But the supper was excellent, as you'd expect, and the music.

The social pieces, well. I'm doing better with that sort of thing now I've begun to get a grasp of who's who, and gotten a bit better at ducking the more obnoxious personal questions (lately, 'My, you've kept his attention a long time" followed promptly by "But he still hasn't made any step in a more permanent direction now, has he?" There is nothing one can say to that that is at all useful.) But we were there until about two in the morning making the necessary pleasantries.

Leicester's going well enough, given Madame Umbridge sticking her nose into everything, and the instructors all having their own strong opinions about various matters. Our Miss Perks has had quite a few questions for me about that series of Muggle control exercises I think I mentioned to you, and I have been unable to be as reassuring as I wish I could be, but many some things are out of my hands there.

They had a rather exhausting challenge this morning (I missed most of that, as I just couldn't get moving fast enough after last night), a lengthy session this afternoon about preparedness (which did have quite a few useful pieces), and they actually have the evening off.

But pardon - you mention Strangeweale. Is that Marston, or his father? I've got a meeting with the oversight board tomorrow (Marston Strangeweale, Latimer Caldwell,, and Bagnold Whitacre. I'm not looking forward to it in the slightest, but we need to talk about Darius Warrington, and a few other matters.)

I do hope your next round is at least less potentially risky, even if it still sounds miserably damp. The rain's backed off a little both in New London and in Leicester, which after the camping trip is much appreciated by all.concerned.

Re: Private message to Poppy

[alt_poppy]

I find that few nuptials follow a standard pattern. I wonder if they ever did.

Mine were quite straightforward, really--agreement from our families and a license from the Ministry, followed by a trip to a local practitioner for the basic binding charm.

I confess I'm puzzled about Madam Umbridge's intrusions into your sphere. I should have thought she'd have poked about and grown bored by now. I'm so sorry to hear that she's making such a persistent nuisance of herself. As if you needed anyone else in that category!

As for the Strangeweales, it's Otto--the father--who has taken such an interest in me. One of these days, he's going to fall to dispepsia, but it hasn't happened yet.

Is yours a regular meeting or a special session with the oversight board? I trust there will be nothing to cause you distress this time. You've earned a smoother season.

I'd like to think I'd earned an escape from soaking rains and incessant damp, but it's not to be. I may have grown webbing between my fingers and toes before you see me again. I'm sure it would be an advantage in my current surroundings!

Re: Private message to Poppy

[alt_sinistra]

Diane's and Storm's were both quite simple as well. A little more involved than yours, especially Diane's - there's a number of family charms everyone insisted on including. But far more along the line of flowers and foods and colours and so on than formal ritual, at least for most of it. (At least what I remember, anyway: I wasn't involved in all the details, and it was better than a decade ago.)

As to Madame Umbridge - what I know is that she's got the ear of the oversight board, they've made it clear I should welcome her input, and I am not foolish enough to argue. Though I am, at this point, so very tired of her. And her advice.

On the meeting itself - well, Darius Warrington continues to struggle with any number of things, and there are some other matters where I've had safety and well-being concerns come up. (Nothing dire, but one does learn to see the places where there might be difficulty.) I hope they'll be reasonable, but of course I've no idea. That'll be some of the afternoon.

(And before you ask, yes, I had trouble getting to sleep. About to go try again. It really is much better when I've more time with Raz.)