Chapter Two: Wild Mage?

Normally Wordy spent as much time as possible with his family on the weekends; he was so busy during the week or during ten-day shifts that he often felt like he was – intentionally or not – depriving his family, so his off-time was almost always family focused. This weekend, though, he had another focus: Sarge and the team's two nipotes.

"Morning, Shel," Wordy murmured, joining his wife in the kitchen, relieved that, after the hour long talk, he'd been able to persuade Sarge to sleep a few more hours; last he'd seen, a certain four-year-old was curled up next to his uncle, the pair of them fast asleep.

"Long night?" Shelley inquired, her eyes sympathetic. At Wordy's nod, she blew out a breath. "I can't even imagine it," she admitted. "To lose one of our girls and then get her back…"

"It's crazy," Wordy agreed. "And all of this really rattled Sarge, not that I blame him," he added hastily at the pointed look and raised brow from his wife. "Plus the evaluations coming up…"

Shelley nodded thoughtfully as she organized breakfast for everyone in the house. "Can someone else do them or does it have to be Greg?"

Wordy sighed, rinsing out his cup. "No one else is cleared magic-side," he explained bluntly. "I mean, Commander Holleran is, but he's not trained to do psych evals. I think, a couple months ago, Sarge tried to raise the idea of adding another SRU team to the magical SRU, but Madame Locksley turned him down."

"And now?"

"Now is too late, Shel; anyone else would have to be brought up to speed and we've had so many magic-side calls over the past few years that it would take a week or two to even read through everything, never mind figure out psych evals. As it is, we're actually going to have to do the evaluations over two days. One day at SRU Headquarters and the other at the Auror Division." Wordy poured a new cup of coffee, then changed the subject. "What's our plan for today?"

Shelley looked up at her husband, smiling a little at the less than graceful pivot. "Well, I was thinking, since you're going to be busy with Greg and his kids, I would take the girls out for a girls-only day." When Wordy tossed her a guilty look, she chuckled and laid a hand on his arm. "Kevin, I'm not mad," she chided gently. "Besides, I happen to think it's a good idea to give Greg some support until this is over; heaven knows he needs it."

Given the wizarding world's penchant for going underground, Greg had actually been quite surprised that the entrance to Toronto's St. Mungo's Hospital was right out in the open, for anyone to see. Well, perhaps not for anyone to see; the entrance appeared to be an old, out-of-business department store in a less-traveled area of Toronto. Still, considering how the magical world tended to hide all of their other high population areas, it did feel…exposed. A nurse had been kind enough to explain the rationale behind the building's location during a prior visit; though the magical world as a whole tended to hide in deserted areas or underground, putting the hospital underground had been unfeasible at the time the hospital had been originally built and the patients did much better above ground, so the hospital had remained above ground ever since being built.

Auror Giles Onasi was waiting for the quartet in the hospital's lobby, a grim look on his face and a newspaper in one hand. "Auror Onasi?" Greg inquired cautiously once he, Wordy, Alanna, and, of course, Lance joined the Auror.

Giles shook his head and turned, leading the way past the Welcome Witch and up the stairs. "Smith's family is throwing a tantrum, a very public tantrum, so we're keeping this visit quiet," he explained shortly. Glancing back, he sighed, looking rather tired, as if he'd had just as long a night as Greg and Wordy had had. "We found Lance's broken wand and confirmed his entire story, but her family is arguing that no 'Muggle' should have ever been given custody of two pureblood children. As if that justifies kidnapping and everything else she pulled."

Greg stiffened, alarm sparking in his eyes. "Do they have a case?"

"Legally, no, they don't," Onasi replied. "And using a De-Aging Potion and multiple Suppression Potions on a minor means that public sentiment won't be on 'their' side once we release that to the press, but the family is already pushing all sorts of utterly outrageous claims and demanding that Smith be let go without so much as a warning. Unfortunately, until we get our facts together and release a statement to the reporters, they're on the Smiths' side." The Auror pushed a hand through his hair and offered the newspaper in his hand to Wordy; Greg had his hands full with a growling, hissing four-year-old. In the background, Alanna was just as indignant, but also sad, as if she'd known quite well how the wizarding world would react.

Wordy surveyed the front page and whistled low and long. " 'Pureblood Heirs Raised By Muggles'? 'Outrage Erupts Over Muggle Guardian'? But the kids've been with Sarge for three years, so what's their problem?"

Curiosity sparked and the Auror glanced back to see Greg nod agreement. "Wow. Three years; I would not have guessed that," Giles remarked. "Well, then I'd say before now, no one really high up heard about it…" he trailed off at the trio of head-shakes.

"Lord Potter got the British Wizengamot to overrule Dad's Will," Alanna explained shyly. "Gringotts challenged his overturning of a goblin-executed will and Lord Potter never got custody of us. But he and Lord Malfoy both know about Uncle Greg, so it's not like our guardianship was ever a secret."

They climbed in silence as Onasi considered that. After a few steps, the Auror cleared his throat. "Then I'd say, before now, no one had enough to gain by exposing the 'secret' as you put it. But for the Smiths…they're a branch of the British pureblood Smith family that originally came here during the First War and they'd probably like nothing better than to have an excuse to raise two Scions of an Ancient and Noble House."

"Political points," Wordy snorted, his disgust clear when Giles inclined his head. "And never mind that the kids are happy with Sarge and the rest of us."

"Wordy, any outright slander in those articles?" Greg inquired, his gaze intent.

"Yes," Onasi confirmed before Wordy could look. "But it won't do us any good; there aren't any laws against libel or slander in the magical world."

"What?" both Wordy and Greg blurted, eyes wide at that particular tidbit.

But Alanna just looked sad. "He's right," she whispered. "After Voldemort's return at the end of Lord Potter's fourth year, he and Headmaster Dumbledore were slandered for the next year by the Daily Prophet and no one ever did anything to stop them. Dad said Minster Fudge refused to believe Voldemort was back until he actually saw that monster in the Ministry of Magic building itself."

As they reached the top of the stairs and the landing for the Second Floor, Giles shepherded them off to the side. "Look," he began, pinching the bridge of his nose, "This mess means that Madame Locksley isn't likely to call you lot in for awhile; the last thing she needs is for the reporters to get a hold of the fact that none of you lot are wizards in the middle of all the shrieking about this," he waved at the newspaper Wordy was holding. "And frankly? That's probably for the best until things get back to normal."

He stopped, blinking. Wordy and Greg couldn't help their snickers at the look on the Auror's face; Giles shook his head at them. "Well, as normal as things ever get around you techies," he remarked, earning new snickers from the two men while Alanna looked on with fond exasperation and Lance giggled from his perch, cheerfully mirroring his uncle.

A tall, slender woman with long chestnut hair caught up in a simple ponytail met them as the group entered the Magical Bugs and Diseases floor. Very light blue eyes regarded them, then lit up, ever so slightly, as Auror Onasi moved to the front. "Auror Onasi! What can I help you with?"

Giles smiled, just a bit, in return. "Healer Wesley, it's been a while." The smile vanished as the Auror drew himself up, serious and business-like. "I'd like you to make a full examination of our young friend here," he began, one hand indicating the four-year-old in Parker's arms. "I need a full medical workup and as detailed a medical history as possible – the last week in particular. I also need a certification of his magical nature."

The Healer frowned. "I'll need a written affidavit with a Division Head's signature before I can cast the magical background identification spells." Her gaze shifted to the little boy. "And what am I looking for, Auror Onasi?"

Onasi pulled out the parchmentwork for the magical nature authorization. "I'd rather not prejudice your results," he demurred, offering the sheaf of parchment to the Healer.

With a deeper frown, she inspected the parchment, reading it over carefully. "Very well," she finally said briskly. "Follow me, please." She led the group to an examination room, which looked similar to techie medical examination rooms. "Please place the child on the bed and step back," she requested, though it was more of an order and all of them knew it.

Lance whimpered when his uncle set him down and backed away. "Easy, sport," Parker soothed. "Let the Healer check you over, okay?"

Sapphire flicked between the smiling Healer and his uncle, then Lance nodded. "Okay."

Giles stood back, though he kept one hand near his wand. Given what he and Roy had found, he fully expected an explosion when Wesley found out what young Heir Calvin had been subjected to. The Healer began with the medical history, her wand flicking first at Lance and then at a quill lying atop a fresh sheaf of parchment. Lance tensed up at the wand coming close, but when it never cast a spell at him, he settled down again and watched the procedure with open curiosity.

The quill wrote by itself, dipping into a nearby ink well and rapidly filling the parchment; when the uppermost scroll was full, it automatically flipped off the table to expose the next scroll. Healer Wesley paused to summon the fallen scroll and cast an ink drying spell on it; then she rolled it up and set it aside for when she was done with her exam. A second scroll flitted to the ground before the exam was finished; it, too, was summoned, dried, and rolled up to be set aside. With the exam finished, Healer Wesley moved to the third scroll and removed it manually, drying it and placing it next to the filled scrolls.

She flicked her wand at the quill and, as it rose, began to dictate, "I, Healer Madison Wesley, in accordance with the Canadian Auror Division's written affidavit, do certify that this use of the magical background spell is legal. Here to witness my use of this restricted spell is Giles Onasi, an Auror in the Canadian Auror Division." Another wand gesture and the dictation ended, drawing two lines for the Healer and Auror to sign as well as a thick black line below Healer Wesley's statement; the quill ended in a hovering position, as if holding its breath for the spell. Wesley turned, angled her wand at Lance, and incanted, "Ostendio Veran Natura (1)." A bright blue light shot out and hit Lance, swarming over him for a few seconds, before flying to the quill and disappearing into the writing implement. The quill descended, writing furiously for several seconds, then rose up again and disintegrated into a fine ash.

Giles reached out and took the parchment, reading it over and frowning. When he finished reading, he sighed in resignation and closed his eyes. His wand dropped into his hand and he turned, casting Silencio Locus at the door. The wand flicked again, but nothing glowed and the Auror nodded in approval.

"Auror Onasi," Healer Wesley scolded. "You should know that we take our patients' privacy very seriously here. No listening spells are permitted in these rooms."

"It's not paranoia if they really are out to get you," Giles quipped, earning a puzzled frown at the techie reference. "I will need a Vow, Healer Wesley, before I can permit you to certify the results of your spell. It's in regards to an ongoing investigation."

Healer Wesley tapped her wand against her palm. "The only reason you would want a Vow is if you want to insure that I cannot reveal my patient's name." When Giles inclined his head, she scowled fiercely. "Did you or did you not just hear me? I will not violate Healer-patient confidentiality, on that, you have my word."

For a long moment, the two squared off, then Giles reluctantly surrendered the parchment. As soon as Wesley saw it, she gasped softly, one hand flying to her mouth. Wide blue eyes turned to the curious four-year-old on the examination bed. "A Wild Mage? A full Wild Mage?"

"Yes," Giles confirmed, his eyes going hard. "Now, the exam results, if you please, Healer Wesley." The Auror's jaw was clenched and anger glowed in the depths of deep brown eyes, though it wasn't aimed at anyone in the room.

Healer Wesley retrieved a fresh quill and signed off on the magical background spell, then turned to the three scrolls of parchment from the initial exam. She unrolled the first parchment, nodding to herself and murmuring as she read down the scroll.

Giles edged over to Parker, Wordsworth, and Alanna. "A full examination goes back to when he was born," the Auror explained in an undertone. "The De-Aging Potion can't mask his real age, so that's everything medical that happened to him from when he born to today."

"So three scrolls isn't unusual?" Parker inquired, outwardly calm, but the truth lurked in his eyes.

Onasi shrugged. "It's not the shortest I've ever seen," he admitted, "But not the longest, either."

"Why a full medical history?" Wordsworth questioned. "We know about everything except last week, right?"

"A full history can be used as evidence that Sergeant Parker hasn't mistreated his charges," Giles admitted bluntly. "I have no idea if the Smiths have enough clout to get that far, but I wouldn't put it past them, especially since other Canadian pureblood families are likely to pick this up and run with it. If I could get away with it, I'd have her do one on Miss Calvin, too."

"Not a good idea," Alanna broke in. "I doubt purebloods are going to understand about my aneurysm and everything that happened after I had it."

"Point," Wordsworth muttered at Giles' instant freeze; the Auror gulped, he hadn't thought of that.

They looked over as Healer Wesley set the first scroll aside and picked up the second scroll, inspecting the small writing closely and continuing to mutter to herself as she read. Parker cleared his throat, bringing Giles' attention back to himself. "What about the medical files they already have here?" the Sergeant asked, cocking his head to the side.

"I'll get the details on those before we leave, but doing a full medical history is rare outside of cases like, well, this. Now, I know when the children came here, it was a bit of a mess for you, but the Brits did transfer their medical files properly, because this hospital and St. Mungo's in London are under the same umbrella, if you will."

Parker nodded thoughtfully, but glanced between Onasi and the signed parchment on his nephew's magical nature. "Giles, why the fuss over Lance being a Wild Mage?"

Without looking up, Healer Wesley replied before Giles could. "Wild Mages are quite rare, sir; over the centuries, there have been perhaps a handful of full Wild Mages and maybe a dozen or so wizards with pockets of Wild Mage traits or talents. No one really knows much about Wild Magic, where it comes from, or why it's so different from traditional magic. Though I suspect the Unspeakables know a bit more than your average wizard: it was on their advice that many magical governments, including ours, decided to view Wild Mages as magical beings instead of fellow wizards." Lance whimpered at that, lifting wide, pleading eyes to his uncle; Parker was by his nephew's side before Giles could blink, hefting the four-year-old up and holding him close.

Wesley drew back at the angry look Parker shot her, before continuing her explanation. "Regardless," she remarked, turning and unfurling the last scroll, reading it even as she spoke, "A few things have been confirmed over the years. For one, all Wild Mages appear to possess a small, almost infinitesimal amount of dryad blood; for two, Wild Mages are dependent on their magic for survival – anything which blocks their magic can be just as lethal to a Wild Mage as the Killing Curse – and lastly, Wild Mages have a natural gift for wandless magic; ironically, this makes it rather difficult for a Wild Mage to find a wand that can be properly matched to them."

The Healer bestowed a brief smile on Giles, who shifted nervously; he'd known Madison Wesley in school and she'd had more than a bit of a crush on him before he'd met his wife, Morgana. From what he'd heard, Madison was a very good Healer, though she had a tendency to rush to judgment. Frankly, Giles was surprised she hadn't ordered Parker away from her patient…never mind – from the look in her eyes, it was coming.

"Sir, put the child down, now," Healer Wesley hissed, reaching for her wand.

Giles moved first, getting between Wesley and Parker without a lick of hesitation. "Lance stays with his uncle," Giles announced firmly. "What did you find?"

"But…" Wesley began, only to stop at Giles' narrow-eyed glare. With a huff, she laid out the third scroll. "Suppression Potions," she announced, tossing Parker a glare of her own over the Auror's shoulder. "A De-Aging Potion, numerous memory alteration charms that this boy has managed to burn through; that would be his Wild Magic, I expect; and a number of injuries that look like he was beaten."

Wordsworth cleared his throat and spoke up. "Injuries to his face, chest, arms, and maybe his legs?" he offered up.

Suspicion flashed at the brunet constable. "Yes, that's correct," Healer Wesley confirmed when Giles gave her an expectant look.

"That's not a beating," Parker remarked dryly. "That would be the car accident."

Giles turned, one brow going up. "What do you mean?"

Parker sighed, looking down at his nephew. "I need to put you down, sport."

"Mk," Lance acknowledged shyly, slipping down to the floor.

Parker stepped around Giles so both wizards could see him as he held up both hands. "From the accident reconstruction and the witness statements, Lance stopped his car and even laid on the horn, but the other driver smashed right into him, head-on." Giles cringed as Parker used his hands to demonstrate how the cars had collided.

"Now, a head-on impact like that," Parker stopped, swallowing hard and glancing down at his nephew. "Even with a seat belt on, he probably has whiplash from the impact and the car might have been struck hard enough that his face hit the steering wheel."

Another swallow and Parker visibly straightened his back. "When they inspected my car, they found that the steering wheel column was shoved far enough back into the car's interior that Lance was also probably hit in the chest; he might have some bruises from the seat belt locking – they lock as soon as you jerk them with any kind of force to prevent worse injuries – and the steering wheel might have gotten pushed far enough back that he was pinned between his seat and the wheel."

It was Giles' turn to swallow; forget the fire, how had Lance survived the crash? Parker tilted his head, frowning thoughtfully. Turning to Wesley, he inquired, "Were his legs injured?"

Healer Wesley scowled angrily. "No," she replied in a clipped tone, still bristling. "Why was he not treated?" she demanded.

Parker wasn't taking any of her guff; he scowled right back. "That, ma'am, is part of an ongoing investigation," he retorted, crossing his arms. "I assume you can treat him here and now, though?"

Giles stepped in again before Healer Wesley could voice her opinions of both Parker and Wordsworth. "Yes," he agreed, "Please heal young Heir Calvin and I'll take the examination report and add it to the case file." Parker swung his nephew up on the examination bed and Giles smiled as charmingly as he could at Wesley before asking, "Incidentally, do you know how much longer the De-Aging Potion will last?"

A shake of the head came from Healer Wesley. "I would have to examine the potion itself and even then I couldn't give you an exact estimate. He's a Wild Mage, Auror Onasi; for all I know, his magic is burning through the De-Aging Potion, just like it burned through those memory charms." Before the Healer moved to the child's side, she dragged Giles away from the two techies and the two kids. "If this boy ends up here again, I'll not hesitate to drag you down with that man," she hissed fiercely.

Giles gave her the glare he used on suspects, smirking as she backed up. The Auror straightened his back and spoke loudly enough for the other occupants of the room to hear. "Healer Wesley, you have my word that the witch who harmed Heir Calvin will never get near him again." He swiveled to walk back to his colleagues, then glanced back. "And Healer Wesley?" She looked up at him, eyes wide. "Lance being a Wild Mage does not leave this room, are we clear?"

The Healer opened her mouth to argue, then stopped at the deadly look in Giles' eyes. "Crystal clear, Auror Onasi," she replied meekly. Then she went to heal the young Wild Mage without another peep against either of the two techies.

[1] Latin for 'Reveal your true nature'