Searching For An Answer - Caroline

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Calliope had been struggling with keeping her emotions grounded after the kidnappings and attacks. She knew it would be up to her and the other professors to somehow boost the morale in the school, but at the moment she was lost. She had tried her usual methods; yoga, meditation and even singing show tunes, but right now nothing was working. It would be odd for the students to see Callie as anything but her bright bubbly self, so she knew she had to find an antidote quick to fix her. She knew there was someone who could help her – her best friend, Caroline. Caroline was the one who had come to her final performance of Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty’s Theater and told her that the Muggle Studies position at Hogwarts was hers, if she still wanted it. She had left her theater life behind without a second thought as the desire to teach students overruled her performances. What a year it had been too – first Andrew that had died at the beginning of the year and now Ethan. For her, just knowing that someone out there truly hated Muggleborns made her sick.

She meandered her way down from her quarters to the Hospital Wing, where she knew Caroline would be. She was dressed in yoga pants and a loose fitting sweatshirt, her long red hair tied in a braid. She gently knocked on her best friends office. “Caroline? You here?” she asked through the door.

@caroline

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The last few days had taken a toll on Caroline. There was nothing Caroline loved more than her job and the students she cared for but seeing so many hurt and injured kids had seriously broken her heart. She finally had some down time to just sit in her office at her desk for some alone time, leisure time. But instead of relaxing, like she knew she needed to, Caroline just slumped deep into her armchair behind her desk and stared blankly at her teal wall for what felt like hours. Her mind was reeling, her feet were aching, and her heart was hurting. It was time for a break but the Head Nurse just could not get herself to relax.

A knock on her office door brought her out of her monotonous gaze and Caroline jumped out of her chair. All of the students in the wing were laying down to rest and being tended to by the other nurses so she wondered who it could be. Then, the voice sounded behind it and relief shot through Caroline like a wave of fresh air. She swung the door open and without a word, enveloped her red headed best friend in a bear hug. "You have no idea how happy I am to hear your voice," she said, hugging Calliope tightly. The past few days had been a whirlwind for everyone, and Caroline had not left the Hospital Wing once. House elves were bringing her her meals and she was very behind on sleep. Such was the life of a Head Nurse, but she wouldn't change it for anything.

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Callie hugged her friend back enthusiastically, glad to see that she was indeed in her office. She pulled back and held her at arms’ length. Caroline looked exhausted and a bit peaky, and with good reason. With all the injuries during the kidnapping she was sure every bed was full of patients with ailments from concussions to broken bones to worse. “You look exhausted Caroline; where’s that assistant nurse of yours? Isn’t he able to take some relief so you can sleep?” she asked her. She pulled out a thermos of dark hot cocoa and conjured two mugs for the two of them. It was one of her favorite things to drink in the world, and always made her feel a little bit better. She poured out the hot liquid and passed one to Caroline.
“If your assistant isn’t pulling his weight, maybe you should write to St. Mungos to see if they can spare a healer or two. With the attack on Hogwarts I don’t feel they would refuse you,” she suggested. She of course, wouldn’t be too sure if that was true, but she imagined they couldn’t say no to Caroline at this point.

@caroline

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Caroline nodded slowly and smiled lightly at the mention of her assistant. Hogwarts only had three nurses on staff and it had not proven enough for the around the clock care that the injured students currently needed. So, Caroline had indeed written in to St. Mungo's and they were able to send three more nurses to aid at Hogwarts for a temporary period of time until the hospital emptied up but Caroline just couldn't bear to even think about relaxing when there were injured students at hand. Caroline happily accepted the mug of hot chocolate and then returned to sit behind her desk and gestured for Calliope to sit across from her at one of the other comfy office chairs she had.

"We do have the extra hands," Caro sighed, then taking a little sip of the cocoa. "But I just wouldn't feel right leaving those students to even sleep a full night. She shook her head a bit. "It's not that I don't trust Cassius and the others, of course, I think they are perfectly able... it's just, I feel they are my responsibility here. I don't want parents worrying more than they already are." She set the mug down on the desk but kept her hand around the handle. It wasn't hitting her until just now exactly how tired she was... but Merlin was it a burden.

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SORRY THIS IS SO LATE

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Callie nodded as her friend described the situation at hand in the Hospital Wing. “I feel like when one crisis has subsided, another one pops up in its' place,” she said with a light shudder. “I'm hoping that with the summer we'll be able to relax at least a little bit in preparation for next year. I don't think whoever committed the kidnappings will be stopping anytime soon, unfortunately,” she said, frowning. It was true the students would cease to be their responsibility over the summertime; their parents and guardians would overtake their duties for then.

She took a sip of her cocoa and set it down on the desk. “So, what are your plans for the summertime? You're going to come see me in Les Miserables right?” she said, joking about the last bit. She had already gotten Caroline two tickets for opening night; what she loved about her job was that she could still perform limited engagements during the summer. The part of Fantine had been a personal favorite of hers; she jumped at the opportunity when it was presented to her.

@caroline

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Caroline looked down at her desk and shook her head solemnly. "You are too right," she said quietly. It did seem like the universe just kept throwing one bad thing at them after another. First the young girl, then the boy, and then Ethan Johnson. Caroline's heart had never felt so sad for anyone before more than she felt for this school. It had always been her home and to see it attacked like it had been broke her heart. She let out a sigh and lifted her mug up to her mouth to take a sip. "I swear, after this year I'll practically be living at the Hog's Head," she shook her head a little more quickly, speaking with a bit more of a lighthearted tone.

At the mention of summer plans, Caroline smiled brightly, happy for a subject change. "I wouldn't miss it for the world, dear," she said, grinning at her red headed friend. "When's the last time I missed a play of yours?" She let out a chuckle. Caroline had always loved the muggle world, much like Calliope, which was probably why they got along so well at first. Caroline always enjoyed spending her summers off out in the muggle world trying out different things. She had been raised by a muggle, after all. The world wasn't too different to her but after being stuck at Hogwarts from September to June, it always seemed different when she went back.

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Callie chuckled at Caroline's comment.  "Believe me, I've already visited it a few more times than I normally do.  It's just a way to escape I suppose.  Plus the bartender there is quite easy on the eyes, which may or may not have affected my decision to keep going back," she said with a wink.  It was true that she had turned to having a glass of wine or three in the evenings, but she didn't feel as though she depended on it.  Not yet at least; then she would know she would be in trouble.  Besides, when she returned to Muggle London for her show, she'd be performing six out of seven days a week - there'd be no time for that!  Well, perhaps Sunday evenings...

"Did I tell you the prank they pulled on me when I came to a blocking rehearsal?" she asked her, then continued.  "The director pulled me aside and said that they had misplaced the wig that gets sheared for Fantine, so they would be shearing my head opening night and finding me a wig for the rest of the performances," she told her, then shuddered at the thought.  Callie had had her long red hair for what felt like forever; parting it was not something she ever wanted to do.  "Luckily, it was just a prank but my goodness I thought I was going to faint from shock and anger," she laughed.  "And I don't think you've ever missed a play I've been in, because you're the best best friend ever," she declared, giving Caroline's hand a squeeze.



@caroline

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Caroline raised an eyebrow when Calliope mentioned a bartender that was "easy on the eyes." Caroline tried to think back to all the bartenders that worked there. She knew each of them at least by recognizing them, but she didn't know some by name. Besides, she wasn't really one to notice men first. "Oh, really?" A smirk made its way onto her face. "Which one?"

The dark haired nurse's jaw visibly dropped as she listened to Callie's story. She could not imagine Calliope without her beautiful, red hair. Caroline had always thought, that if she had to have any other color of hair it would be the shade of Calliope's. But as it were, she was happy with her dark brown hair. "Well, thank goodness it was just a prank or I would have marched down there myself and given them a new wig!" She said, laughing at the very idea of it all. When Calliope gave her hand a squeeze, Caro simply smiled up at her friend. ""Oh, you flatter me," she said. "But as are you, dear." She returned the squeeze just as equally.

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"The one with the dark hair, William. He's there usually in the evenings rather than during the day," Callie informed her, a small smile creeping onto her face.  "You'll have to accompany me sometime to see for yourself," she said with a laugh.  Even though Caro had no interest in men, she still played a very good wing-woman to Calliope when needed, and Callie would do the same for her.  "I can't believe I'm playing Fantine again - I remember playing Cosette the first time I ever performed in Les Mis right out of Hogwarts; I'm getting old if I can play her mother now!" she said with a laugh.

Callie looked around her best friends' office, content with forgetting about the troubles that plagued the school for a little while longer.  "Have you decided if you're going to have one of the nurses stay up here at Hogwarts over the summer?  In case any of the professors staying have any issues or something of the sort," she asked.  Caroline was glad to spend the summers in Muggle London she knew, but perhaps after this year she'd instruct someone to stay just as a precaution.

@caroline

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Something like a smirk appeared on Caroline's face when Calliope described the bartender. Caroline could recall seeing this particular one in there before. If she were at all interested in men, she would probably find him to be quite attractive as well. "Oooh, you know I'd love to!" She responded, always excited at the idea of going out for a drink. "I'll need to see this charm in action," she teased lightly. Muggle plays always fascinated Caro and Les Mis had always been one of Caroline's favorites, so she was excited Calliope was going to be playing such a vital role in this production. "Oh, pish posh!" She waved a hand at Calliope's joke at her own age. "They probably just realize how much talent you can bring to the part. Guarantee there won't be a dry eye in the house!"

Caroline let out a small sigh as she sit back in her chair to relax a bit more, slumping slightly. She had given that particular subject a lot of thought. After a moment of slight deliberation, she spoke: "I think I'll probably just stay myself. I would hate to ask Cassius or Sasha to forfeit their summer, but I've not trouble doing that for my friends," she ended up smiling at the end of her sentence. "Plus, I'm sure I'll have more than enough free time to slip away to see you as Fantine." She winked at the red head.

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Calliope laughed. "Yes, including mine - you know I always cry when I sing 'I Dreamed a Dream' - such a beautifully sad song," she said, almost tearing up from the thought of it. "Speaking of charm, have you got any friends of your own that you see something starting with?" she asked her best friend slyly.  Caroline was always more than willing to play the part of wingwoman for her, and Callie was happy to return the favor.  They could always give honest opinions about their choice in mate, no matter how brutal that honesty was, and Callie had always appreciated that.  She knew Caro had been single for awhile though; she wanted her best friend to find someone to share the joyfulness she brought to everyone else.

The giant clock bell of Hogwarts rang the hour and Callie jumped with a start.  "Oh goodness, I have to get to my next class.  Thankfully my classroom is down the hall from here, but they're NEWT students and I'm sure they will be the most distracted class I ever taught," she said, popping up and giving her friend a kiss on the cheek.  "I'll check back in before dinner and we can go down together," she added brightly as she left.  She was fortunate enough to have someone like Caroline as a best friend, someone who could always bring her spirit up the few times it was ever down.

@caroline

End Callie...because this is from last school year, we can start up another one for this one XD