Fortaleza
The sun tinted the beach with the rose of the nightfall and the black of the night swallowed it gracefully. Brazil offered a hearty hospitality. The delegation of British healers sat amongst the people of Fortaleza enjoying a fabulous evening. Local crabs crowned the meal like every Sunday and the inevitable faded temporarily. The beautiful weather made every weekend special, an oasis of peace before returning into the white of the hospital. It was May 1996 and the delegation of British healers achieved a lot of research results within the last ten months. Moreover, they made new friends and supported fellow countrymen who fled from He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. All found a temporary new home in one of Fortaleza's high-rise apartments just some storeys above the most important magical hospital in South America.
Leonor watched Brian with a side glance; it was only a few more gulps of sweet wine until he would suggest bringing the dark-haired witch home. The company of the handsome wizard consoled the insecurity. She just smiled about the conversations, the jokes and the plans for evenings and free periods — Brian talked and organized the group of St. Mungo's staff easily. Leonor contributed very little apart from that smile; more wasn't necessary. There wasn't much difference between pleasure and isolation to her. Obviously, nobody noticed the feigned outside happiness, at least not Brian. The situation was rather convenient; no one asked why Leonor joined the team so late and in a budding relationship with Brian her grief and bitterness disguised itself masterly. All the work and stress did the rest. Why couldn't she find a loving man and forget what father, brothers, Daniel and Severus did to her? Was she really supposed to live alone? Taking in the long view — it was a bad mix of high hopes and repeated undamped fall.
The forty-year-old wizard was rightly the chairman of the British healers while they supported the Ministry of Magic in South America to fight the terrifying disease. The Russian delegation, who helped before the British arrived, found an elixir that slowed down the symptoms of the illness, but they couldn't find the origin nor heal the infected people completely. Patients still suffered and died in the last state by a muggle disease, like influenza. The abilities to react on magical or muggle medicine decreased until the person could no longer be healed. Soon after the British arrived, Brian proved that the origin of the symptoms could not be a virus or a bacterium. The assumption was that a toxin crippled the body's immune system. The newspapers reported about it and set a reward for useful information leading to solving the case. After that new patients with the illness became less and less. Somebody or something feared the increased publicity and it confirmed the conclusion about a poison as the source of the malady. Rumours about dark magic complemented the wish to just identify a single evil individual once and for all.
The culprit had not been found yet, but the team was close to a remedy after many forensic examinations. Leonor and a potions mistress of the 'Hospital a Magia' modified the initial elixir in endless working hours. Leonor went underground in the laboratory. The isolation of the restricted area in the hospital was welcome to the witch. It was gloomy, chilly and close to the morgue where the sad victims sacrificed their blood to help to cure the wizarding world. Brian pulled Leonor out of it after a couple of months to join one of those meals at the beach. He begged until Leonor was unnerved, and she followed the invitation. Brian was right; a change of scene saved her, or she would have died a workaholic's death.
Leonor stared into the distance. The sky was now black and only the dimmed light of the barbecue coal illuminated the beach. The waves whispered peacefully. Brian spoke animated to a busty woman. Leonor didn't know her name, but she was a nurse of the intensive care ward and often talked to Brian. Leonor decided to return into the small flat alone. It was later than usual, and it felt not right to pull Brian out of the conversation when she was sad as always. She draped herself in a large square scarf and moved quickly into the direction of the hospital. Leonor passed more groups of revellers, averted the eyes from snogging couples and was finally blinded by the strip lighting of the hospital's reception. She entered the elevator when a familiar voice called.
"Leonor, wait!" Brian sounded breathless. "I didn't notice you left. Why didn't you say that you wanted to go home?" He jumped into the elevator cabin decorated in golden ornaments of the Indios. Grim-looking faces watched visitors and staff when rushing tirelessly to the upper storeys.
Leonor just shrugged. "I didn't want to interrupt. She often works with you, doesn't she?"
"There's something we need to talk through," answered Brian a little apprehensive without answering Leonor's question.
"I'm tired. It's been a long day in the morgue. Two more died last night," said Leonor. "It can wait until tomorrow, can't it?"
Brian stepped from one foot to the other and conjured suddenly a long-stemmed red rose. The lift stopped at that moment and Brian shoved Leonor quickly to the floor when the golden ornaments began to mutter curiously.
"Let's go to your room," said Brian. Some other healers walked along the corridor. He didn't need observers. Leonor looked unsettled enough at the beautiful flower but said nothing and opened the door silently.
"It's for you!" Brian gave the rose to Leonor once the door was closed.
Leonor digested the fact that Brian wanted to change the non-committal relationship. It wasn't too hard to guess what Brian planned after the last weekends. He changed from a pompous lad to a real leader and all the fruitless affairs with girls were left behind in England. Brian was grown-up.
"I'd like to settle down — with you! Would you like to move with me into one of the bigger flats, one with the nicer view to the sea?"
"I'm not sure if that will work," said Leonor and inhaled the mellow, alluring smell of the rose.
"But you consider it?" asked Brian hopefully. "I'd like to announce our engagement. Once we live together, we might get married and have a family. At least we learn to know each other better," finished Brian with a confused look into Leonor's emotionless face.
"Maybe — I'm not sure if I'm ready. There is something I need to tell you before." Leonor looked down and painful memories flooded her mind. She had to tell him about the past, it felt wrong to keep it a secret when he craved for children.
"There's no need to tell me. I know of the werewolf attack and why you came here so late. You wanted to help Dumbledore! I'm proud!" Brian's fingers brushed over Leonor's cheeks and soon his lips found her for a mild kiss.
"How can you know?" Leonor said it with fear that Richard also spoke about the blow with Severus.
"It was in the Daily Prophet, a small article about Hogsmeade — just two sentences, but there's only one apothecary in the village. Richard wrote me the rest."
"I didn't read it," said Leonor thoughtfully and was still confused what else Richard told to Brian. "There's still something you should know," she started again.
"You are perfect to me! We are made for each other. Everybody says it! I knew it all along! Let's go together to that party of Luiz and celebrate that we are a couple and then you let me know when we move into a bigger flat."
Brian swirled Leonor around, pressed a cheerful kiss to her mouth and was gone. He didn't mind that she was again quiet.
XXX
The mirror in the one-room apartment was tiny. Leonor dressed the hair carefully. She chose a black maxi dress with straps, everything else was too much in the humid and hot climate. She vowed to herself to get happy. A mendacious Severus and prideful Hogwarts were history. Brian was the key to the future. Leonor hoped love and passion grew over the time, and she was used to waiting patiently. Brian and Leonor became friends and shared the same profession; a good start and more than some relationships called its own.
Leonor's bronze-coloured skin returned within the past weeks when she followed Brian to daily lunches at local food kiosks. Weak freckles surfaced like in early schooldays when the future sparkled dreamily ahead. The sun healed the sallow appearance and parts of the broken soul. Brian paid her compliments, and she waited for the next when she exited the door to meet the wizard dressed in a dark blue suit.
"I'm speechless!" came the prompt greeting.
"Thank you!" smiled Leonor genuinely. "Brian, can you do me a favour, please?" Leonor bit on the lower lip. "Can you skip the official announcement? I don't like that in public."
"I can, if you give me your answer now!" Brian put his tall hands to Leonor's waist and pressed a kiss to her forehead.
"Yes, we move to that apartment with the sea view." The compelling reply convinced both to move to a next stage.
"Wonderful! I promise you will enjoy the last weeks in this beautiful country. After you've isolated the poison, it's a mere bagatelle before the antidote is perfect. Let's go!"
"It's finished, only the project thesis needs polishing," said Leonor almost triumphantly and it elicited a wide grin from the wizard.
They both turned on the spot and their magic transported them a hundred miles to the rain forest. Luiz, the chief healer of the hospital in Fortaleza, lived on a remote farm, and he invited once a year staff and friends to a summer party.
XXX
Statues of mischievous looking spirit-beings framed a rotted gate. The way ahead led obviously nowhere; only feral rainforest was visible. Sporadic exotic noises filled the air.
Leonor drew her wand instinctively and whispered, "Caipora! Let's cross the gate quickly."
Brian grinned and grimaced, "Ugh! The fearsome creatures get your nerves! Hasn't Peeves taught you anything about being a real teaser?"
"Caipora don't tease! They bite and scratch until you are chased away. Caipora are guards, rock-solid watchmen and if we landed in the wrong place then we are going to regret it!"
Leonor walked vigilant across the borderline; Brian followed with an amused smile. They went deeper into the forest and suddenly fairy lights swallowed the green darkness. A forest clearing with a country house came into view; a gaudy garden lay behind and cheerful noises greeted them. The scruffy gate shone golden and was decorated with beautiful flowers.
"The house is secured with an optical illusion. Magic produces the impenetrable forest. I'm sure Caipora are still around," said Leonor matter-of-factly before concealing the magic wand in her dress.
"You see, we are here and the furry little Caipora didn't eat you up!"
"I've warned you," said Leonor without a sense of humour and Brian rolled his eyes to Luiz who approached them with arms spread wide. Two children run behind curiously.
"Bem-vindo a Casa Martina!" called Luiz. "The Caipora watch and bring you back tonight in case you get lost in the tropical thicket. They are instructed to behave, no reason to worry!"
"I'm sure they are not that fearsome like Leonor describes them!" said Brian.
"Eles são assustadores!" piped one of the girls.
It was Leonor's turn to grin. She bent down and showed her left little finger to the girl.
"Yes, Caipora are creepy. Look! They bit me once," said Leonor quietly. Her Portuguese was again good enough to understand and reply easily.
"Me too!" The girl showed a finger with a similar small scar and put her little hand into Leonor's bigger one. A warm, privy feeling filled the hopeless helplessness of Leonor's heart.
Luiz stroked the girl's strawberry-blond hair. "Mía is my youngest daughter and had an unfriendly encounter with the guardians of Castelobruxo when my wife visited my oldest daughter Isabella at school." The older girl came shyly around and shook hands with the foreign wizards. "How come that an English witch has been bitten by a South American spirit and speaks the native language?" frowned Luiz obviously surprised.
"I travelled a lot," answered Leonor with an innocent smile before Mía dragged her to some flamboyant jugglers. Nobody expected that the English spoke Portuguese and Leonor used the language only with some patients.
Soap bubbles, colourful balloons and daredevil stunts with fire captivated the attention of children as much as of adults. The two men watched the girls and Leonor leaving.
"Brian, can I raise my glass in a toast to the bridal pair tonight? Did you speak to Leonor?"
"I did, she doesn't want the publicity. But she agreed to move to that apartment for the remaining time." Brian sighed and took a key out of his suit. "Thanks for getting me these keys already! I'll surprise her tonight. I'm sure it's easier to become closer if we live together. Leonor is often so distant."
"You'll be a brilliant pair of healers. If you like to settle down in Brazil and far away from the dull British weather, then you are welcome. Your jobs are guaranteed." Luiz padded on the other man's shoulder when Brian didn't look convinced at once.
"Ah! Leonor preys your mind. Believe me, there's nothing more interesting than a mysterious woman. I'm unsure if I know my wife entirely. Martina and I have four children. Another baby is due in a couple of weeks and my wife is still able to surprise me. If you ask me, then Leonor wants you to fight. She tries your patience. You'll be rewarded with something special; I was after almost a year of fawning," exulted Luiz.
"I hope you are right," sighed Brian again.
"Let me know if you find out why she's been bitten by a Caipora! They live only in South America. By the way, Leonor is extremely familiar with plants of the rain forest. You need to ask her where she travelled," winked Luiz. "Mía is very possessive, call me for help if you want your fiancée back before midnight." Luiz burst out laughing at Brian's flustered face.
XXX
Mía cuddled up to Leonor's shoulder. The girl was tired; there was too much to hear and see. Isabella found some schoolmates earlier while her younger sister didn't leave Leonor's side. The ten-year-old girl showed Leonor everything; they ate finger food and Mía introduced Leonor to the more private friends of Luiz's family. Luiz asked a couple of times if Leonor was alright with Mía, and she answered that 'it's a pleasure'. Mía reminded sweetly of the girls of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and Leonor's thoughts travelled from the school she knew to those where she never set a foot into it.
Brian turned up twice in the evening and tried to persuade Leonor to bring the child to the parents. He wanted to talk again, and Leonor refused. The girl had something special; an intensity she was unable to disappoint. Brian reacted understandably like sour milk. He danced now in one of the pavilions with the full-bosomed nurse. It should make Leonor jealous, but she didn't mind.
Leonor watched the funny fuss from a chair in the little theatre. The jugglers still played their tricks. The round face and the hair-colour of Mía reminded Leonor of something in her childhood, but she couldn't explain what it was exactly. She was thankful, but the girl provided a homelike feeling, like a long-lost memory resurfaced in a kind demanding manner. Memories mixed with wishes of the future, and Miá obviously hit just the right note with the witch.