» Tea Time Gone Awry, open

[Victor Dixon]

Spell damage was so lonely with both Felicity and James out traipsing through the wilderness on that damned expedition. The old man sat in his office with a frown on his face. He was old. He contemplated retirement, but something told him that he was needed in Spell Damage, which, thus far, had only a few people working for him that had not gone on the trail. James had never gotten back on who he would think made a good temporary replacement to do the work that had piled up on Victor Dixon's desk as the days went on. The man shifted in his chair and heard some joints pop rather loudly. A groan escaped Victor's lips and he stood rather slowly.

He need some tea and a lot of it. Other than his office, Victor had found himself in the tea room the most frequently of any place in the hospital. But it was not to say that he did not work with patients. Victor worked the ward quite thoroughly, but there was so much paperwork he had to turn it over to James and his other Healers and Interns so that he could read and keep up with it all. Shuffling into the tea room, he decided to make a large cup of tea to take back to his office and he would check on patients on his way back. Taking his large cup in his hand, Victor headed back to his office, checking on patients along the way. He felt himself run into someone heading out of a room and dropped his cup, shattering it. “Merlin's undergarments!” he exclaimed, taking out his wand. “I apologize.”

[Rosalind Pendergast]

Rosalind had a plan. It involved putting on one of her less nice and more serviceable dresses (something in green cotton) and heading to the Hogsmeade Hospital. She fully intended to get on, not as a mere summer intern, but as a full intern with her dazzling O.W.L. scores.

The problem with this plan was that O.W.L. scores didn't come back until the end of July. So for the moment, Rose was trying to make herself a familiar and helpful face so that perhaps she would prove she did not need to finish her schooling to be a good healer.

That plan continued right up until she had a cup of tea spilled on her as she headed into the Tea Room on her first day of trying to appear helpful and ever-present. "Oh, excuse me! I'm sure it was my fault, not yours," she said in response to his apology.

[Victor Dixon]

Victor shook his hands in a negative fashion to the young blonde. “Nay,” the Healer in Charge responded to her own apology. “I say that it was indeed my fault, Miss.” The Healer-in-Charge of Spell Damage had little to no reason to be so sorry, but for a man of only sixty-two, he was suffering from the effects of muggle aging which was not something that Victor was prepared for by any stretch of the imagination. He looked down at his shoes and took out his wand. He waved it gently, cleaning up the spilt tea and mending whatever broken tea china was to be found. “Would you be offended, Miss, if I were to help you clean the tea off your dress?”

He hoped that the young lady would not be offended for she seemed to be of high character. It was something much more than common manners being cast aside; it something that Victor felt he needed to do. The feeling of needing to repay his coworkers (most of whom outranked him in society due to Victor’s reckless money giveaways) for his lack of social standing and a bastardized sense of propriety that was neither progressive nor traditional, Victor felt obliged to at least ask the girl before he waved his wand and cleaned her green gown.

But, something that was unusual, to say the least, was that Victor had no recollection of the girl. He had no memory of her and he had no idea who she was. “What brings you to the tea room of the Spell Damage wing, Miss?”

[Rosalind Pendergast]

Pink tinged Rose's cheeks as she saw how much tea was on her gown, and she ducked her head slightly in embarrassment. "I would not mind at all, sir; in fact, I would appreciate it." Her mother would not be pleased if she came home in a tea-stained dress, and since Rosalind did not want to tell her mother what she had been up to (and she hoped that her chaperon would keep her mouth shut) she would rather not give Olivia née Lestrange reason to ask.

When he asked why she was there, Rose screwed her courage to the sticking place and smiled shyly at the older gentleman. "Really, sir, I'm very interested in healing and was hoping to find out more about the requirements to become a healer. I thought I would be less in the way here until someone had a spare moment."

[Victor Dixon]

Victor gave the girl a slight smile and waved his wand over her dress, muttering a soft incantation. The tea soon evaporated out of the dress and left no stain, no evidence to the fact that tea had been spilled on her gown. She wanted to be a healer! This warmed Victor’s heart and his face lit up. “Come, come!” he beckoned excitedly, walking towards the kettle, beaming. “Would you like tea that shall not be spilled all over your gown?”

Young interest of healing made Victor proud to be a healer, especially a healer-in-charge. “Oh, pardon my manners!” he exclaimed, turning away from the tea kettle. “My name is Dixon, Victor Dixon and I am Healer-in-Charge of Spell Damage,” he bowed slightly, feeling honored to be with someone who was interested in what she needed to do to become a healer. “Please, sit! What would you like to know, Miss? I would be honored to tell you what you would like to know about healing magics.”

[Rosalind Pendergast]

Rosalind smiled brightly, and for a moment wondered if perhaps her mother would actually let her do this, provided she continue to behave and agree to get married. Of course, Rosie didn't dare bring it up. Her mother might actually allow it, but use it as leverage (should she ever find out) to persuade Rosalind to marry some stuffy ministry worker instead of Leopold! Rose was quite certain of the life she wanted: married to Leo, working as a Healer.

Taking the offered seat. "It's lovely to meet you, Mr. Dixon. My name is Rosalind Pendergast. I actually already know something of healing -- I assist Madam Elladora Black in the Hogwarts Infirmary on occasion, as I have time -- and I was really wondering more about the requirements," she said, her pace picking up the longer she went on. "It occurs to me that most of what I do -- and I love it -- falls under Spell Damage, you know because most people are smart enough not to drink the potions they make in class. That and quidditch injuries."

Realizing that she was babbling, Rose blushed brightly and clamped her mouth shut. She took a moment to gather her wits, and then said, "That is, I have a bit of experience, but I want to learn more and know what I need to do to make sure I am in all the right classes."

[Victor Dixon]

Intrigued by Rosalind's own healing interests, he nodded. She wanted the requirements. "Well, when I was studying at Hogwarts you needed to have a minimum Exceeds Expectations in Potions, Transfiguration, Charms, Herbology, and Defense Against the Dark Arts," Victor replied, gruff voice excited. "I recommend an Alchemic knowledge if at all possible, as well as a little knowledge on magical creatures if you intend to be a Creature-Induced Injuries healer," Victor paused. "Nevertheless you said Spell Damage."

The Healer-in-Charge closed his mouth and thought a moment. What else to tell her? Then it hit him! She probably wanted to know what Spell Damage did. "Of course you mentioned interest in Spell Damage, so I suggest definitely focusing on Defense Against the Dark Arts and Potions. There are a lot of hexes, jinxes, and a myriad other things we deal with here. Dueling accidents and angry neighbors are prominent patients. Experience is always a good thing. I also recommend getting a summer internship and working with the Healer at Hogwarts," Victor nodded. "Anything else?"

[Rosalind Pendergast]

Rosalind listened carefully, keeping a mental list of the classes he suggested. She had taken twelve classes for her O.W.L.s, and although she wouldn't know her scores for a month and a half she was certain she had done well enough to take any of the classes that she wanted.

Only five required and one suggested ... well, she could handle that easily. She'd drop Dinvination, History of Magic, Astronomy, and Music; she could keep Potions, DADA, Charms, Herbology, Transfiguration, Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, and Alchemy. That would give her eight courses, with Arithmancy and Ancient Runes extra but probably useful.

"I think that answers all my questions, sir." It certainly answered the main one: she did need to stay in school to get her N.E.W.T.s. Eloping with Leo over the summer wasn't an option unless she wanted to give up on her dream of becoming a healer. "Thank you very much for your time."