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[alt_alice]

We’ve had an eventful few days here at Moddey Dhoo.

Ms Chadha is settled in to her new room, and Stephen spent a tireless evening working to reduce her fever. According to him, at this point, the best we can do is manage her symptoms and give her the strength she needs to “ride it out.” Her fever broke this morning, which is a good sign, and we’re hoping it stays away.

He set up some monitoring charms, so he can see how she’s doing from a distance. She’s been quite insistent that no-one enter her room, even with all the precautions in place. So he’s going to try to keep his distance, both for safety’s sake, and for her own peace of mind. So far, we’ve levitated food and potions into the room and she’s been able to take them and use them, but she’s awfully weak.

She had an awful lot of questions about this place – Kingsley told her a little, but she was hardly in the state to pay much attention at the time. Stephen says that she asked him whether it was true that we had been saving Muggleborn children, and when he told her that we had, about thirty all told, she was quite moved and burst into tears. She was also glad to hear that he’d come out of the same camp.

We’ve talked to everyone at the Sanctuary about how to be careful, and to not approach Stephen while he’s caring for Ms Chadha. Laura was the only adult that was against her coming here initially, and she’s still rather angry about the fact that her husband is putting himself so much at risk, but Stephen has put his foot down on the issue. I’m hoping they sort everything out between the two of them, as it’s already a bit tense around here to begin with!

In a related note, Felicia Saint’s parents are ill – one of the stones on her ring is nearly black, and the other is dark and cloudy. She’s beside herself with worry. I hope for all our sakes that they pull through. I know there isn’t much we can do, but if at all possible, could you check on the Saints, Arthur?

Other than that, we continue our day-to-day work and preparation for winter. Danny has been working hard to winterize the stables, and we’ve all been helping him stack hay. We’ve had quite a successful pumpkin crop, and the last of the potatoes and carrots are in the root cellar. We’re trimming the fruit trees, planting our garlic and cauliflower, and thinning out our turnips. The children continue to grow like weeds, and Colin and Alec have progressed quite well thus far. They’ve really taken to their Defence training sessions that Frank has them taking part in – he’s got quite an obstacle course set up, and the two boys love clambering over things and dodging hexes. They’ve been working hard on their Shielding charms and deflection. They’re also doing quite well at Charms, and, at Stephen’s urging, have been spending some time studying epidemics and how they progress. I want to show you some of their essays, Minerva, you’d be so proud of both of them. Alec in particular has come along in leaps and bounds since he first got here.

I’ll be certain to keep everyone informed as to Ms Chadra’s progress, and Stephen’s.

Comments

[alt_poppy]

Alice, thank you for the update. As Stephen must be aware, fevers sometimes come and go, and in some of the more virulent diseases, the first break of fever is a threshold leading to the onset of more severe symptoms.

What symptoms besides fever and weakness has she exhibited?


I'm sorry to be impatient. It's not my best trait.

[alt_alice]

Her left leg goes numb every now and again. It comes and goes, and shifting positions doesn't seem to help. She seems to be keeping down what little food she's eaten so far, but doesn't have much of an appetite.

[alt_arthur]

Of course I shall check on the Saints, Alice, so please tell Felicia so. It may take a few days. If it's one of the camps that has been closed, I'll have to wait for the weekly census reports.

[alt_poppy]

Arthur, have you been able to learn anything about whether any of the camp staff have been reported to be ill of this disease? Or anyone outside the camps--for instance, in the factories or at the farms where people who have fallen ill in the camps worked? Any hints of such cases?

Sirius is right. The answers to these questions could tell us a great deal.

[alt_arthur]

I haven't replied to your questions yet, Poppy, because I'm still gathering data, with the help of Norma Brownmiller, who is trying to trace some of the very same issues. She is going to be giving me a report later this week, and I'll be sure to pass on whatever I learn. Griderson at least seems to have awakened enough to the danger under his department's jurisdiction that at least he's stopped with the stupidity of trying to pretend that nothing's wrong.

I haven't heard of any of the camp administrators falling victim to whatever this thing is, not yet anyway. Certainly, some of them have had the flu that's been going through all the Ministry departments, but this thing in the camps seems different. At least Brownmiller tells me that the Healers believe they can distinguish the two. Something about the diseases' signatures when they cast certain revealing spells; Healers' charms are not my area of expertise at all, and I couldn't make much of Norma's jargon when she tried to explain.

Of course, it could be that some of the camp administrators are falling sick, and someone's burying that information. But I don't think so. Bill's been keeping a careful eye on the various rosters that flow through his department, and his analysts are pretty good at ferreting out information when the Ministry's attempting to hide something. (Except, of course, for anything having to do with the Department of Mysteries or the Unspeakables. Wish we could get some eyes in there, but no luck yet.)

[alt_poppy]

Thank you, Arthur.

As I told Alice, I'm afraid impatience is a failing of mine. I apologise for pestering you so unmercifully.

[alt_kingsley]

Thanks for the news about Ms Chadha. I'll pass it along with a Patronus to Davidson. He'll appreciate hearing it, I'm sure.

[alt_alice]

Thanks, Kingsley. Stephen also mentioned that he'd be keeping track of effective potions and sending them along, in case the Sherwood group gets sick.

[alt_frank]

Kingsley, mate, how's camping alone treating you?

you get bored,you can ask ben to send along the chess set to you, I'll play you a match or four if you want.

[alt_kingsley]

That's a good idea; I'll ask Benjy to send it along.

The camping's been fine, though of course it's a bit of a bore that I have to do both the cooking and the cleanup chores myself, since there's no one else to split them.

[alt_sirius]

Well, of course it was the only thing to do, wasn't it - and of course you all must do what you can to aid her.

But, here's me being practical-minded again. Having her there means your Stephen can observe first-hand what this affliction is and how it seems to operate. And that may tell us a great deal about how to halt its spread.

Good luck to you all.

[alt_alice]

He's been keeping a log-book of everything, and will send it along to Poppy once all is said and done. Although I hope she'll never have to use it at Hogwarts (Merlin forbid), she might have some suggestions to make to other nurses and mediwitches and wizards based on what we've found.

[alt_sirius]

That's my clever Allie.

[alt_alice]

Despite all the Quaffles we've got in the air, we still manage to run a smart ship. Or would it be a smart defence?

I've never been good with metaphors, I'm afraid.