Looking Into Something

Carth, as part of his training, had been sent to St. Mungo's to look into a injury that the Ministry had suspected had been inflicted by dark magic, if not by a Death Eater. Obviously, nothing had been confirmed yet but he was supposed to ask around and see if he could figure something out. He had been in training for four months now and had been told he was near to the end. If anything, Carth was worried about messing up the months of training and years at Hogwarts and University that he had put in.

Walking through the halls of St. Mungo's, Carth tugged on one of the cuffs of his shirt sleeves. He was very persistent about dressing well while he was on the job. He turned a corner and saw the information desk before him. Carth was about to walk up and ask which room belonged to the subject in question when he heard the crack he knew went along with apparition.

Loud gasps went up all around him as people's heads turned. Spinning around, Carth's eyebrows flew up. Two younger girls had just arrived - one looking like she might literally die any moment. People were rushing around not seconds later, and Carth decided he had best talk to someone about this. What had happened? Deciding to add this new happening to his list of things to investigate today, he walked up to the second girl - blonde, shorter than him.

"Hello," He greeted her, extending a cautious hand. "I'm part of the Ministry's Magical Law Enforcement Department. Once your friend is being taken care of, would you have a moment to explain what happened?" To be honest, Carth hated the way he had been taught was the "proper" way to address people he dealt with on the job. He would much rather have spent time consoling the girl, but he did need some sort of information if he could get it. He wanted desperately to be of some assistance, as usual.

Hallie felt like that her entire body was being forced down a giant plug hole, her limbs twisted together, her brain crushed tightly against her skull as she had dematerialized from the shack in Hogsmede. The fact that she was travelling such a distance and making sure not to release Maura didn't help matters.

CRACK! Opening her eyelids the blue eyes beneath visioned the white waiting area, the many comfy seats the information desk that had the welcome witch sat behind. As usual the hospital was busy with crying children and weary adults with stomach cramps or problems with flu.

A huge sigh of relief escaped Hallie's lungs. They'd made it. Somehow they had escaped from the torture chamber that was the Shrieking Shack. 'Keep breathing.' The words continued to roll from her tongue, clutching her pale vampire friend punctured with wooden stakes, blood oozing from the wounds. Maura's lips were blue and her skin paler than usual.

It all seemed to happen so fast, people rushed out of the way and healers rushed over towards Hallie, whose hair was stained red and her hands dripping with blood. The healers grasped Maura from her arms, laying her on the ground and doing physical checks there and then in the welcome room.

A man not too much older than her, handsome - although in the state that she was Hallie hadn't notice. She had no idea who he was or why he was asking what had happened, the Gryffindor didn't even think what the scene must have looked like: a seventeen year old girl drenched in blood apparating in the middle of the hospital with a girl stabbed with wooden stakes and torture instruments.

'I- is- we- I..' Her sentences were disconnected, if you could call them sentences? They were more words that hadn't fully formed. 'Is she going to be okay?' Hallie asked the gentleman that had approached asking about the traumatic event, her eyes were glassy, highlighting the fear and love that shone within them.

"Yes, of course." Carth nodded to reassure the girl. She was clearly panicking about her friend. It wasn't often he found someone look so truly concerned about someone, or that he found somone care as much as this girl obviously did. "The Healers here are fantastic, I can promise you that."

What he couldn't promise, however, was that the friend would be okay. Carth slowly realized that it wouldn't take complete strict language and being proprietary to get through to someone who was so upset. He would have to change tactics - just be himself.

"My name is Carth Brownlowe, I'm with the Aurors. I was sent in to look into another case today, but I'd really like to know if there's anything I can do to help your friend." He said, face solemn as his blue eyes searched hers. It had been said on occasion that his eyes could see straight through someone. It felt like he was trying to do that right now - to get information out of her even before she started talking.

Ex-Gryffindor that he was, Carth wasn't always as interested in learning as he had become in his final years of Hogwarts. Once he knew what career path he wanted he wasn't going to let anything slow him down. Now, he was all about getting the job done - even if it wasn't one he had planned on doing. "I'd like to know who did this so I can try and have them brought to justice." Ah. That word was so very Carth. He seemed to live and breathe for that.

The mention of catching the culprits sparked her attention. Here was an auror, wanting to catch the culprit, to have them potentially thrown into Azkaban. Looking Carth in the eyes Hallie replied: 'He's in the shrieking shack near Hogwarts, there are more students in trouble!'

The commotion besides her distracted the Gryffindor again as Hallie noticed that the healers had conjured a stretcher and was lifting Maura onto it, performing complex healing spells on her wounds as they did so. It was a miracle Hallie had managed to apparate such as distance with Maura without either of them splinching.

'W-where are you taking her?' Hallie cried anxiously as the healers began to carry the stretcher swiftly from the reception area.

Just to a trauma room, you can wait here. The healer, who was short and balding, replied before turning away. No. Hallie wasn't having this, she wasn't going to wait in some dumb reception area when her best friend may die. 'I'm coming too!' Hallie cried, tears still trickling down her face from the trauma of it all.

However as Hallie went to follow one of the healers pushed her away, blocking the path to the trauma room where the healers were going to help Maura. 'Let me through!' Hallie demanded, fighting with all the strength in her, rubbing her bloody hands on the mans face in an attempt to get past him.

NO! The healer replied bluntly, pushing her to the ground. You can wait her for someone to come and heal your wounds, they're only minor And with that the healer had swept away through the double doors to the emergency treatment suite, leaving Hallie in a heap on the floor not too far from Carth and a circle of onlookers who were rather excited about the drama.

Carth frowned darkly. The Shrieking Shack? What were the students doing there in the first place? Regardless, Carth created a patronus message - hoping his words came through the ruckus clearly enough - and sent it away to his superiors, listing the place of the man in question.

He turned to see the girl trying to fight her way into the room her friend was being moved to. She ended up falling on the floor in front of him. He walked over and kneeled next to her, offering her a hand. "I sent word about her attacker. The Aurors should be there right away. If it doesn't work, we'll be coming to you and your friend for help finding them."

After helping her stand, he gestured to a nearby row of seats before sitting down himself. Lifting his wand to show it to her, he added, "I can heal those if you want? It's always better for someone to cast them for you if you're not feeling up to it."

Realizing he didn't even have a contact if the Aurors couldn't capture the alleged attacker he added. "What are your names? Yours and your friend's?"

Hallie gazed up into Carth's eyes, they were somewhat warming and, despite his professional tone, she felt comforted. Even a smile escaped her sad cheeks where a bruise was forming from where she'd banged her face against the staircase banister whilst being placed under the cruciatus curse by Alexis D'eath.

Nodding, Hallie found herself raising from the ground and walking to a nearby seat, slightly shocked by what had happened but somehow comforted. They were safe, the healers could heal Maura and, this auror - Carth - had requested help be sent to her friends in the shack. She wondered how they were.

'There were two of them. Alexis D'eath and James - James.. I can't remember his name but he has butchered Maura before.' The distaste in Hallie's voice punctured the air, her eyes glowing with a fiery passion. Now, more than ever, was she going to become an auror and bring justice.

'I'm Hallie. Hallie Cooper.' She replied. 'I-I'm sorry I'm not usually this short with people.' The girl added, running a bloody hand through her what was blonde locks. 'I'm just, I. Can I see Maura please? I don't have any wounds, it's not my blood.' Her blue eyes gazed down at the dried blood of Tara, Maura and Carly on her fingers. It was true, the only real wounds she had was the bruise on her face and emotional, psychological pain from the cruciatus curse and the trauma of everything.

Sophia who was in her office was told that they had a major trauma that just came in and they needed her help. Sighing Sophia looked at the pile of patient files she had on her desk and graabed her healer robes before pocketing her wand and headed towards the trauma room. As she busted into the room she frowned when she seen tthat it was Maura again but more injured then she was the last time. "She was tortured and attack according to the girl outside, she was tortured by..." but before the nurse could finish Sophia nodded. "I know who it was, that evil twisted bastard."said Sophia angrily.

"Lead me to the girl who sent her here."said Sophia calmly as the nurse nodded and lead her towards Hallie. Walking up towards Hallie she gave her a soft warm smile. "Thankyou for brining her here Hallie I'm Sophia, Sophia Granger, Maura is in really bad shape but it's nothing that I can't fix."said Sophia softly. "Why don't you come with me and tell me what happened."said Sophia before she seen a handsome man before her and nodded. "Of course if you want to have your friend come with you he can."said Sophia softly.

As the nurse was about to object, Sophia gave them a stern look as the nurse sighed and nodded. "Get Andrew to fix her up, and put her on a bed next to Maura and if Ryo comes which I sense he will let him in to but no one else."said Sophia as they nodded.

Carth nodded as she told him the names of the men who had attacked them. He knew those names - the D'eaths seemed to be rather popular from what he could tell. But for the wrong reasons. Death Eaters in general set him on edge, but ones known for attacking without being caught? Those definitely were his least favorite kind. Not that he had a favorite at all.

"I know it's bad timing, but it's nice to meet you, Hallie." He attempted to lighten the mood, though he was fairly sure it wouldn't work. He gave her a small smile in return for hers.

She seemed to notice that he was watching the hand that slid through her hair. It had blood - dried it seemed - on it, which of course worried him. Telling him it wasn't hers certainly eased that feeling a bit.

One of the Healers, Sophia, came over and spoke to Hallie. Putting his wand away, Carth regarded them as they talked. He had intended to help rid Hallie of her bruise, but he figured the Healers would perhaps do a better job than he could. Carth was rather glad to have someone of some power in the hospital around, now. It made him feel, if not comfortable, then more sure that Hallie and her friend Maura would be taken care of. Sophia seemed to know the girl, Maura, though Carth couldn't be sure. Sophia seemed to notice him and offer Hallie the choice to have Carth go into the room with them. Doubting Hallie would want that, he glanced at her, making no move to stand and walk with them.

It felt like Hallie was simply being bombarded with questions and facts right this minute. Sophia was asking questions that seemed to go in one ear and out of the other and Carth had just been asking her about the incident. However, one thing that didn't leave Hallie was Sophia saying to a nearby healer that she would be on a bed by Maura.

Standing up to walk with Sophia she paused, turning back and walking to Carth, she didn't know why she had done so Hallie barely knew him but there was something comforting about his presence. 'Would you come too please?' Her eyes were always one to give away her feelings and right now they were showing she wanted this man to be with her, to help her go through what happened... She didn't want to do that alone and she didn't want to have her Mum come down in a worried state.

Carth had to admit he was surprised at her question, but nodded, expression serious. He realized he was now probably one of the few people Hallie knew here. Though it was hardly any kind of friendship or bond, Carth knew the strength of someone sitting beside you while you're worried.

"Of course." He nodded again, standing to follow them. While it wasn't his place, it felt like it was part of his job. Carth had made a promise, to himself and his fellow Aurors, to be there when he was needed. Just because he wasn't friends with someone or close to anyone involved didn't mean he wouldn't care.

The only thing he did know for sure was that after Maura was healed, Carth still had the other case to deal with. Walking into the room behind Sophia and Hallie, Carth wasn't sure what to expect. He had seen some pretty bad stuff in his life.