RP: Doing research

[tt_ginny]

Who: Ginny Weasley, Remus Lupin
When: March 24, 2002
Where: Remus' home
What: Taking notes on werewolf transformation
Rating: TBD
Open/Closed: Complete



After Remus' message, Ginny didn't bother to change out of her shorts, simply pulling on her hiking boots, grabbing her datapad and the two books on werewolves she had.

Leaving a note for Charlie on the counter, she apparated directly over to the path in front of Remus' place, bounding up the steps to the front door. She remembered that he said to come right in so she opened the door, calling out as she did. "It's me, Remus."

Comments

[tt_remus]

Remus was laying on his stomach, on the couch. "Hello, thanks for coming." He got up to be a gentleman, "Can I get you anything?" he offered. Remus honestly felt twice his age at present.

"Please feel free to make yourself at home."

[tt_ginny]

Gesturing for him to sit, Ginny set her things down on the table, drawing her notebook out of the small pile. "No, no, please, relax. I'm just surprised that you're feeling the effects so far ahead of the moon. Do you remember this being normal?" Ginny asked, taking a seat.

[tt_remus]

Remus sat back down on the couch, stretching his legs out in front of him. "Yes, it's kind of like general body aches before you get the flu. I feel it primarily it my joints; but I don't remember it being this bad" he frowned slightly, that made him sound like he was 70.

"Three days isn't that far out from the full moon, Ginny."

[tt_ginny]

"You did say that its been a long time since you underwent the change without Wolfsbane. That might be the reason why its bothering you so much," she replied, making notes in her journal as she spoke.

Ginny glanced up, tilting her head to the side slightly. "These books don't talk about anything happening prior to the moon, Remus. This is new for me. Can you describe where its aching? All your joints or just the lower ones supporting your body weight?"

[tt_remus]

"All joints. The transformation is a skeletal change. I know the Wolfsbane is to help keep one's mind, but there is something else in there that helps the pain. I can't really relate it." It frustrated Remus he couldn't quite get across what he was experiencing. Flu related aches was the closest he could think of.

"I hate sounding like I'm complaining."

[tt_ginny]

Gin made more notes, frowning. She would have to talk to Adrian to find out exactly what herbs in Wolfsbane could have a dual purpose leading to pain disruption. "The basic notes just state that Wolfsbane shelters the mind from the more destructive aspects of the change, keeping you saner," she explained, tapping her pen on the paper for a moment.

Glancing up, Ginny flashed a quick smile. "You aren't complaining, Remus. Can I get you something? Tea or perhaps something stronger?"

[tt_remus]

Remus shook his head, "No, I'm fine. Thank you though. Would you like anything? Tea? I often wonder where the authors of your books received their information. There is just so much that isn't printed," he finished with a sigh.

[tt_ginny]

"I'll make some tea in a minute. I was just thinking of something Trisha told me. She's the Muggle Doctor. It was about tension relief, without potions or spells," Ginny said, setting her notes aside and standing.

Crossing behind the sofa, she moved to stand behind him, reaching out to set her hands on his shoulders. "I suspect that's due to a few reasons, not the least of which is the prejudices wrongfully placed on those who are afflicted," she murmured, beginning to massage his shoulders firmly, working her thumbs in a radiating pattern up toward the base of his neck. "Please tell me if this hurts."

[tt_remus]

The poor man was not used to this. "Okay, this is going to sound weird, but bear with me. It hurts but not... painfully so? It's more of a relaxing hurt. I can't explain it." Remus made a face, did it hurt? He knew it was his muscles being stretched to some extent; to say he was tense was an understatement. But he had to admit, her hands felt amazing. "Muggles have interesting cures. I don't know how they get by without potions and spells."

[tt_ginny]

She paused for a moment, listening to what he said, before she began working the edge of his shoulder blades as Trisha had shown her. The tension was due to the transformation, or the muscle memory that preceded the change.

"Relaxing hurt is good, try to take deep breaths, the deeper the better," Ginny soothed, concentrating on working his muscles looser. "They do seem to have strange cures, but I think some of them are better than ours. Like broken bones. They wrap the limb to be immobile and the bone just heals itself over time. Given the pain of skel-o-grow, I think I'd take a cast."

[tt_remus]

Remus listened to her and started taking deeper breaths, "Will this help with research as well?" He more or less wondered this aloud. "You're right... the cast does sound friendlier. But something on your arm or leg seems so... hindering. Skel-o-grow hurts, but it's temporary." He couldn't imagine breaking his wrist and not being able to use it right away. Ginny had used the phrase 'over time'... just how long was 'over time'?

[tt_ginny]

Ginny chuckled, automatically shaking her head even though he was facing away from her. "No, this will help you," she replied. "If the pain gets too severe, I'll give you a potion to take the edge off. In the meantime, I want to see if this makes you feel better."

"True, it is quicker with Skel-o-grow, and I probably wouldn't opt for a cast on my leg given how long it takes," Ginny agreed, edging her fingers upward toward the base of his neck.

[tt_remus]

"No, you're fine." The pain in his neck were no worse than what he usually went through after a transformation. "Stop when your hands hurt you or anything like that." Remus felt a little bit odd. "How can I make this up to you?"

Remus felt his shoulders easing up. "That does feel a whole lot better."

[tt_ginny]

His hair was soft under her fingers as she swept them up in circular motions along the back of his neck, her concentration focusing on the bones and muscles she felt under her fingertips, though she was very conscious of the feel of him as well. "I'll have to think of something," she teased softly.

"Good, good," Ginny was happy that the Muggle massage was relieving some of the tension. When she worked her way up to just below his ears, she eased off pressure, fading the movements until her fingertips rested on the pressure points for a moment and then she gently patted his shoulder. "I'll put the tea on, all right?"

[tt_remus]

Remus nodded, "I could have taken a nap with you doing that. My shoulders and neck definitely feel better. Muggles could make money off that technique," he said. Although Remus was sort of familiar with Muggles, he still lacked quite a bit of Muggle knowledge.

"That was still helpful for research... if there are any other werewolves suffering from tension."

[tt_ginny]

"A nap is high praise, indeed," Ginny teased smugly. She certainly wasn't in the mood for a nap now, but that was different. She shook her head, trying to segment back the attraction from her professionalism, effectively hiding behind her mantle as a Healer. "They do, if what Trisha told me was correct."

She headed to the kitchen and put on the kettle, summoning down tea and mugs instead of opening every cabinet. Research. Yes, this was all for research, she reminded herself. She got herself a glass of water, something cold to distract while she waited for the kettle to boil. "May I ask, how old were you when you were attacked?" Ginny asked.

[tt_remus]

Remus actually had to stop and think. "7," he replied. "My father had an altercation with Fenrir Greyback; and one night I was playing at the park near my house with a friend and we heard this noise near some trees. We thought nothing of it and next thing I know I see my friend run away and everything went black. I honestly don't think he intended me to survive." Remus got quiet again. "I suppose it made Greyback even happier knowing I survived."

He stared at the ceiling. "Life got interesting after that, I'll tell you."

[tt_ginny]

It was a good thing she wasn't holding anything when he answered her or she might have dropped it. Seven years old. Ginny saw red for a moment, even surpassing her fear and loathing of Greyback as she thought of a very young Remus. "I wouldn't credit that vile man with anything remotely close to having feelings," Ginny stated archly.

Her stomach turned as she remembered the night in the tall grass behind the Burrow, chasing out after Harry, finding him in the small clearing. The look on Greyback's face when he tried to hex her. "I'm very sorry. I wasn't trying to drag up painful memories. I asked because I suspect your aches could be the result of muscle memory," she explained softly.

[tt_remus]

"What's muscle memory? And it's not a painful memory... well... not like you'd think. I still have the scars, so it's an every day reminder. Besides, it's okay to talk about it. Sometimes it felt like it was the elephant in the room. James and Sirius asked me, of course... but there was little they wouldn't ask me. But most people don't." Remus said with a shrug she couldn't see. Remus wasn't lying, he didn't mind talking about it if she was curious. It was better than someone making assumptions.

"You're right. He probably doesn't have feelings."

[tt_ginny]

"Muscle memory is... well, when you breath, that's muscle memory. Your body might have grown so used to the transformation that it began anticipating it, causing your muscles to tense more and more as the change approached," Ginny explained her theory. "It's just a theory I was considering, given how tense your muscles were."

She nodded and then turned when the kettle began whistling. Taking it off the heat, Ginny poured the water and put the kettle off to the side. Carrying them both over to the sofa, she set them down on the table and sat beside him. "It helps that you're willing to talk about it."

[tt_remus]

Remus nodded, "You may have a excellent point there. I probably am subconsciously tensing, knowing what is coming." After she sat down he grabbed his mug, "feel free to ask any questions. About then or now, for that matter. It may help the research," he finished and took a sip. There was something so soothing about hot tea.

He would have asked her if she'd like to see the scars, but figured that would be kind of creepy.

[tt_ginny]

"It's just an idea, but I've made notes, and I'll track any changes with you. As much as you can describe to me when you feel it will help, but we'll be doing this every month until we have enough information to see patterns, both good and bad," she assured him warmly.

Ginny summoned her notebook, making a few more notes before setting it aside again. She didn't want to miss anything. "I don't mean to be forward, but it would help if I could map your current injuries. There may be some I can cure for you, that might give you more relief," she asked, biting her bottom lip.

[tt_remus]

Remus nodded. "Well, I don't have any open injuries presently, but I do have plenty of scars if that's your thing." He lifted the sleeve of his t-shirt where there were visible scars on the bicep. It was very clear that it had been bitten. "There is something about the human body and werewolf bites that I can't understand. It's like the bite itself has its own magic and the body doesn't want it because it never fades like normal scars."

His had faded some, but it still was a noticeable white color, despite the fact it was 27 years old. "This is just one of them."

[tt_ginny]

"Some scars can be healed. Nothing cursed, of course, that's why that one," she replied, gesturing to the welted bite mark outline on his bicep. "won't heal properly. Cursed wounds. That's why George's ear couldn't be regrown."

Ginny picked up her notebook, making a rough sketch of the wound. She glanced up, frowning but nodding. "If it won't bother you, could I see more?"

[tt_remus]

"Figures," Remus said with a slight shrug, referring to cursed scars. He pulled down the collar above the prior bite. On his right collar bone were scratch marks that went over his shoulder. He lifted the hem of his shirt on his left side; on the last two ribs and about 4 inches down was another bitemark. There was a matching mark on his back. "He tried to take out a full chunk there...I have another scar going from here," he pointed to right under his heart over his shirt, "down," he moved his finger down his abdomen, an inch above his navel, "and over," his finger trailed to the right.

Since Remus wasn't about to take off his pants (Ginny would probably appreciate that), he pointed to his left thigh. "I've got claw marks here going down," The scar itself was from upper thigh to right above the knee on the backside of his leg. "On my back is marks almost forming a right angle. It takes up majority of my back. If you;d like to see any of the ones I pointed to, you're welcome to, I judt didn't think you'd want to." Remus didn't even know how he survived the attack.

"And then I have my own scars, mostly faded from before the Wolfsbane."

[tt_ginny]

She made quick notes as he described the marks, showing her some of them as well, nodding as she wrote, glancing up only occasionally to get a glimpse of skin and markings. "I can't do anything about the original ones - they are all cursed," Ginny explained regretfully. They might not pain him anymore but they were probably painful enough as reminders.

"If they don't hurt you, it's entirely up to you if you want me to attempt to heal any of the non-cursed variety," she said, looking thoughtful. Ginny had little to offer him for the cursed wounds, except a sympathy he likely didn't want. She sighed softly. Ginny hated being helpless. She'd become a Healer to help others, and she couldn't help this man she considered a friend. "Otherwise, I should probably input this data into the med center system."

[tt_remus]

"You can try. I mean, if it causes those to disappear, that is perfectly fine. Do you think it will work?" Remus questioned; he had more of the smaller scars on him than the large ones, if that was possible. To make them disappear would be more than fantastic.

[tt_ginny]

"All right," she agreed, setting her notebook to the side and standing. Ginny closed her eyes for a moment, gathering her thoughts, pulling forward the memory of the spells she wanted to layer. Swirling her wand counter clockwise, she mouthed the words without speaking, and a soft gold thread of light wound around his ankles, curling upward, just barely visible as it moved under his clothing.

Ginny halted the spell at his waist level. Blinking, she closed her eyes again. Scars were not the easiest to lessen to the surface of the skin, and it drained her. Taking a steadying breath, she cast the spell again, holding it tight as it began working its way up his chest and arms, ending itself just over the ridge of his eyebrows. She reached out to steady herself on the back of the sofa.

[tt_remus]

Remus, upon seeing her steadying herself, quickly moved to sit her down. "Now you rest," he said to her and got her tea mug from the coffee table. "Drink this," he said and handed it to her. He then went to the kitchen and came back with a bar of chocolate. He always had some on hand for when he felt miserable. It was medicinal, he knew that. "Eat this," Remus said, giving her the bar. The last thing he needed to do was have her get sick.

[tt_ginny]

"Thank you," she said, taking a deep breath. She took the mug he handed her but didn't drink right away. Ginny chuckled when he brought some chocolate back for her, but she shook her head. "I'll be fine in a few minutes, Remus. Its just a complicated spell, that's all. Very tiring. I should be going anyway, let you rest."

[tt_remus]

"You aren't leaving until I know you are fully recovered. It's not safe." Remus stated simply. Whether it took 10 minutes or 1 hour, he was adamant about it. "You should have told me it would do this to you."

[tt_ginny]

"I appreciate your concern, Remus, but I'm not a child," she replied with a hint of sharpness to her tone. She was a fully trained Healer, after all. Casting a small heating spell on the mug, Ginny took a drink of it, letting the soothing tea work at her sudden tenseness. "As I said, I'm fine. I cast more complicated spells on my final exam, it was just unexpected this time, that's all."

Feeling more herself, Ginny brought her teacup to the sink and rinsed it out before gathering up her books and datapad. "I will send over some jasmine scented candles. Keep one on your nightstand and put the rest around the common areas. I'm also putting a light pain reliever potion in your charts for refills. I also want you to do some stretching exercises - I'll send the video to your datapad - three times a day for your joints and stress. If you have any sudden changes that alarm you, please don't hesitate to message me or any of the Healers."