An Interesting Turn of Events

[Kaden Michaels]

It had been a long night and Kaden needed a pick me up. He had just finished filling out a stack of forms after a wrapping up a month long investigation. Of course, he hadn't done it alone. His partner had actually identified the wizard peddling cursed items to muggle consumers, but they worked together to capture him. And they shared the load of the paperwork that inevitably followed. But it didn't make the time appear to go by any faster.

It was nearly 8 in the morning and Kaden had been at his desk all night. His clothes were ruffled and his tie was loosened and off-center, but he still appeared relatively put together. He was visibly tired when he pushed open the door to the coffee shop and joined the queue forming in front of the register. He stifled a yawn as he ran his hand through his long hair. He prayed he would stay awake long enough to order his drink.

[Eleanor Walsh]

An auror. She had to meet an auror, That was really all Eleanor could think about anymore, and she couldn't really understand why. The thought of it kept her up at nights, kept her going out to places she wouldn't normally ever go, and it seemed to be her very reason for being these days. She had been rather nasty to Nora the other day when her friend had tried to talk to her again about getting a job. What was the point or getting a job, anyway? She just needed to find an auror, and nothing else mattered. It was almost as though some unknown force had taken over her mind, making her obsessed with aurors. But that kind of thing didn't happen, did it?

She had been out at the club literally all night, trying to meet an auror. All she had managed to do was get hit on by sleazy jerks who told her that "if she wanted him to be an auror, she could be a death eater." As if she'd even look twice at those losers, anyway.

She wasn't even sure what she had done with her night after the club closed... maybe she had slept somewhere, or maybe she hadn't. It was a little scary, actually, because she seemed to be missing time and blacking out or something. She hadn't even had a drink the night before!

At any rate, Eleanor was exhausted when she stumbled into the little coffee shop. Her knees and ankles were killing her, as though she had been walking around on her 5-inch heels all night long. It was actually a lucky thing she hadn't seen herself, because her normally glossy dark curls were tangled and matted and her dress was stained. She looked, in short, like a young woman very much in need of assistance. She didn't know it, but she had slept in the alleyway behind the club and was probably lucky that she hadn't fallen victim to the vampires that often frequented the alley.

She got into line, yawning heavily as she tried to keep steady on her feet. But as she stepped forward, her ankle gave out on her and she tumbled right into the person in front of her in line.

"Oh, I'm so sorry..." she stammered as she looked up into a pair of warm brown eyes. "Are you an auror?"

[Kaden Michaels]

Kaden gave a half turn toward the sound of the opening door, as he had done several times before while waiting. This time a woman entered, looking like she had a night from hell. He was just about to ask if she was okay, when she suddenly tripped over nothing and toppled right into him. Luckily the older witch who had been standing in front of him in the queue had just finished placing her order and moved to the side, or else she too would be in a pile halfway between the counter and the floor.

Kaden lifted the woman to her feet as she apologized. "No need to-" he started, before she hurriedly asked if he was an auror. "Yes, I am an auror. Are you in need of some help?" She certainly looked it.

"Please, take a seat," he said, guiding her to the nearest empty table and helping her to a chair. "Are you okay, miss?"

[Eleanor Walsh]

An auror! She had thought she would feel happy when she finally found an auror, but instead, a strange sort of emptiness swept through her, as a little voice seemed to whisper in her mind "Play the victim. Let him help you." A chill ran over her, and she looked up at him again. It felt almost like she was a puppet with someone else pulling the strings as she burst into tears, even though she didn't feel sad... just confused and a little scared.

"Oh, thank Merlin," she said, sniffling as she wiped a big fat tear from her cheek. "I don't know who else to turn to. I... I think I was attacked last night. I don't remember what happened to me or where I've been for the last few hours. One minute I was at the club, talking to a guy... and the next thing I remember was walking into this coffee shop. Please... you have to help me! I... I think he put a spell on me."

The words seemed to tumble out of her mouth before she even knew what she was saying. It almost felt like someone else was speaking through her and she had no control over her words.

Had she been attacked? She didn't think she had, although she did seem to remember meeting a strange man a few nights before. But she didn't trust her memories anymore, and she couldn't even seem to find the words to say that she wasn't really sure she'd been attacked at all. Maybe it had happened... she didn't remember anything, and she supposed anything could have happened. But surely, since he was an auror, he could help her figure out what--if anything--had happened.

She did notice that he was rather handsome, so it wasn't an unpleasant prospect to let him help her, after all.

[Kaden Michaels]

Unfortunately her story was not uncommon. Beautiful girl out for a night on the town, starts talking with a charming stranger, and is taken advantage of. Potions are easy to slip into unsuspecting victim's drinks at bars and clubs, and some do have a side effect of temporary memory loss. It was difficult to tell which was worse, the victim remembering the assault, or the victim not knowing what exactly happened. He liked to think ignorance was bliss in these matters, but this poor woman in front of him now was proof that bliss did not occur in these situations.

Kaden wanted to make her feel more calm, and as comfortable as possible. It would be a difficult task, given the situation. "It's okay, miss. You're safe now," he remarked gently. "We'll figure out what happened. Can I get you something to calm your nerves? Tea?"

[Eleanor Walsh]

"Thank you," she said softly, leaning back against the back of the chair.

Eleanor's head felt like it was spinning, and she closed her eyes a moment, putting a hand to her head. She couldn't quite focus and she really wanted to just lie down and sleep. But she wasn't really sure where she was, and all she knew was that she had succeeded in meeting an auror, so she couldn't let him go now. She still didn't know why she had wanted to meet an auror so badly, or what to do now that she had, but it didn't seem to matter. At least she had managed to find a handsome, and very kind auror. He made her feel at ease in a very confusing situation.

"Er... yes, I think some tea would be good. Thank you. I feel so woozy..."

[Kaden Michaels]

"Alright," Kaden replied. "Sit tight, I'll get you a cuppa." He patted her hand gently before heading back to the counter. When he turned around he realized that the rest of the shop's patrons were staring at them.

"Nothing to see here, carry on." He gave a hard look at an older witch who had only half picked up her tea and sat motionless staring open mouthed at the poor woman who had fallen on him. She quickly averted her gaze and he looked around the rest of the shop to see the rest of the crowd follow suit. He asked the girl behind the counter for a cup of ceylon tea, and she quickly returned with steaming cup.

"Here you are." Kaden passed the cup and saucer to the woman in front of him. "Kaden Michaels," he said by way of introduction. "And you are?"

[Eleanor Walsh]

Eleanor was blissfully oblivious to the apparent stir she had caused among the cafe patrons. Her whole being seemed focused on her knight in shining armor, her auror. Even as she thought of him in that way, she found herself wondering why she thought he somehow belonged to her, this stranger she had only just met. But the question barely even popped into her mind before she forgot it again. Goodness, her head did hurt. Maybe she should have been looking for a healer instead of an auror.

She watched as he walked up to get her a cup of tea. He seemed like a good man, and she was lucky to have run into him. But for puzzling reasons she couldn't quite understand, she almost wanted to run away. She didn't mostly because she was pretty sure she'd pass out on the floor if she even tried. So she stayed, quietly rubbing her head. At one point, she reached up and pulled a bit of shredded paper from her hair, and realized suddenly that she must have looked terrible! What kind of impression could she possibly make on the handsome auror if she looked like so much garbage left out in the alleyway? What must he have thought of her?

He came back and handed her the tea, which she accepted gratefully. She grabbed a couple of sugar packets from a nearby table and began opening them to put into her tea, but paused and looked up at him when he introduced himself. She smiled shyly. "Th-thank you, Kaden. It's nice to meet you... Although I wish we'd met in another situation..." She even managed a light, but nervous laugh. "I'm Eleanor Walsh. But... my friends call me Ellie."

[Kaden Michaels]

He watched her as she began opening sugar packets. She was a sight, with bits of rubbish in her hair and dirt on her dress. But Kaden also noticed how attractive the woman was, despite her current appearance. "Okay, Miss Walsh. Why don't you tell me what happened?"

[Eleanor Walsh]

She finished stirring her tea and took a sip, breathing in the steam from the warm liquid. It almost immediately settled her nerves, and she was able to relax just a little bit. It was going well, she found herself thinking. He was kind and helpful and he seemed to like her. It was a start, anyway,

"Eleanor," she corrected firmly, a faint smile on her lips. "Honestly, I really can't remember very much. I was at Enchanted last night... I was supposed to meet my friend Nora there. We usually go together, so we don't get into any trouble. But I don't think she ever made it. At least, I don't remember seeing her there. I was waiting for a while, and I guess I had too much to drink. I danced with a lot of guys... they can get rather pushy, you know? But it wasn't anything I couldn't handle... I don't even remember leaving or anything... But I guess I must have left when they closed. And then the next thing I knew, I was walking into this coffee shop. I don't even remember where I was when I woke up. Or if I slept at all."

[Kaden Michaels]

Kaden listened as Eleanor explained what she could remember of her night. It wasn't much. She must have had quite a lot to drink, to have such large gaps in her memory. But nevertheless he would find some way to give the woman some peace of mind about what happened. "Well, Eleanor, I'll head over to Enchanted and have a chat with the staff, see if anyone saw anything that might be of some help. Do you have somewhere safe to go, in the meantime?"

[Eleanor Walsh]

"Oh, I do remember one thing," Eleanor said suddenly, as though it had just occurred to her. "There was this creepy guy there... I think his name was Philip. I've seen him at the club before, he's always hanging around... he's sort of creepy, you know? Always trying to get girls to come home with him... sometimes he's not all that nice about it, either. I think I remember talking to him..."

Eleanor had no idea what she was even saying at this point. Everyone knew Phil... he was always at one club or the other, nearly every night. He was a creep, but basically harmless. Why was she trying to incriminate Phil? Where were these words even coming from? And why couldn't she seem to stop them or take them back?

"I mean, I don't know if he would have done anything... but I've turned him down a lot before, and I don't think he likes it much."

She stopped and took another sip from her tea. "I live in Hogsmeade, in the Black Cat apartments with my friend Nora. I don't know if I can apparate right now... but I could take the Knight Bus..." she trailed off, hoping that he would agree to escort her instead. She hated the Knight Bus, and would surely be ill if she had to ride it now.

[Kaden Michaels]

"Phillip..." Kaden repeated the name, so as to remember it. "I'll look into it, miss." He could see how being turned down by this beautiful woman, when she was more together than she appeared now, would be upsetting. But how some wizards could take rejection and turn it into assault was beyond him. Of course, Phillip was not a suspect at this time, not until some more evidence appeared beyond the blurry and jagged memories of a dismissal for a dance. He would certainly be asking after him, though.

She didn't live nearby, and in her state she shouldn't be travelling alone. There really was no other choice for Kaden. "No need, miss. I can accompany you, make sure you get home safely."

[Eleanor Walsh]

Eleanor felt the urge to break into a huge smile at this, but somehow, she managed to temper it into a relieved-looking smile. She had been looking for him for what seemed like forever, and so she certainly couldn’t let him get away just yet. Of course, now that he was going to be investigating her “case,” she was sure she would see a lot more of him, but she needed a little more time to make an impression on him.

“Thank you,” she said, taking another sip of her tea. She had almost finished the cup, and it had, at least, made her feel a little more steady if not any less confused. “I really appreciate your help.”

Such strange thoughts were going through her head, and it almost felt as if she were at war with herself. She had no idea what she was thinking from minute to minute, and she found that even she was surprised by everything she said and did.

“I really feel so foolish about all of this,” she said apologetically. “I’m usually much more careful than this. You have to be careful, you know, when you’re a single girl these days. I do hope Nora is all right. It’s so strange that she never showed up last night.”

[Kaden Michaels]

It was true, single women did need to be more aware of their surroundings. Especially the pretty ones. "Perhaps next time you and your friend should plan to meet before going to the club," Kaden offered in way of support. There was no excuse for assaulting a woman in any way, but had she been with an entourage and perhaps worn something a little more covering, this might not have happened.

"She probably just got held up with something else. I'm sure there's nothing to worry about. But let's get you home."


((OOC: Don't hate me. It's the '70s and victim shaming was the norm!))

[Eleanor Walsh]

It was true; single women had to be careful what they did and where they went and how much they drank and what they wore. If Eleanor had been her rightful self, she might have even complained about it. It was unfair and cruel how hard it was to be a woman, and she never understood why women had to be careful to avoid being attacked rather than men being taught not to attack women. But then, there always would be predators and people with malevolent intentions. It just would have been nice if women could be free to do what they wanted to do and have fun without fear of consequences.

But Eleanor was not herself, so she just nodded. "Perhaps she just thought we were supposed to meet at Spellbound, in Hogsmeade instead. We usually go there, since it's closer to where we live... I just wanted a change of scenery. I'll make sure we go together in the future..."

She finished her tea, and set the cup down on the table. Slowly she stood up, testing the strength of her legs. Luckily, she seemed a bit more steady than before. "I guess we should get going. I think I should probably lie down and try to sleep this off."

[Kaden Michaels]

Kaden helped her to her home, catching her when she stumbled and laughing it off as she apologized or thanked him, sometimes both. By the time they approached her front door, Kaden thought she was looking much better. She had some color in her cheeks and she seemed to be able to walk without swaying side to side. She still seemed to be in a slight daze. Kaden assumed it was the shock of her situation that caused this.

"Home, sweet home," Kaden mused as they stood in the hallway outside her flat. "Miss Wal- Eleanor, I will follow up with you on any updates. I suspect you will hear from me within a week, but please feel free to contact me before then if you remember anything else." He checked his pants pockets, then his robe pockets, and finally his breast pocket until he found a business card. He passed the card to Eleanor, expecting this to end their conversation.

[Eleanor Walsh]

Eleanor did very much enjoy his company, especially when he held her steady with his strong arms. She wasn't sure how she would have managed to get back without him, because she was feeling rather dizzy and still very confused. There were moments when she felt like herself, and others when she felt like she was watching herself from the outside as someone else was controlling her body and her words. She really hoped she would feel better after getting some sleep.

By the time they finally reached her apartment door, Eleanor was about ready to pass out. Her legs felt as if someone had cast a Jelly-Legs curse on her, and her head felt as if someone had used a bubble-head charm on her. Her one anchor, the only thing that kept her from falling apart, was Kaden.

But now he was leaving her, too. He handed her his card, and was preparing to leave, and she just knew that she couldn't let him leave without knowing that she would see him again. The case was not reason enough.

"Thank you so much for helping me," she said gratefully. "Honestly, I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't run into you. You're my hero." She smiled prettily, and leaned up on her tiptoes to press a kiss on his cheek. "I'd like to do something to return the favor. Would you like to come over for dinner sometime? To... talk about the case, of course. I might remember more after I get a good night sleep."

[Kaden Michaels]

He was flattered by her gratitude, and his cheeks twinged pink for a moment when she kissed him.

"I'd like to do something to return the favor."

"Oh, no need, miss..." Kaden was attempting to politely let her off the hook for any repayment for his assistance. He was only doing his job. But as Eleanor continued on about having him over for dinner, she hesitated slightly. Kaden recognized the pause and her swift recovery claiming she only wanted to discuss the case further. He had a strong suspicion that the case was a secondary motivation for the invitation.

Strictly speaking, fraternizing with the victim of a case, of his case as it turned out to be, was looked down upon. And although Kaden never flat out broke the laws, he had been known to bend them from time to time. And if he could gather evidence and close the case quickly, well then...His mind came up with many excuses why he should accept her invitation. He smiled and said "that sounds lovely. Contact me when you're feeling better and we'll schedule something."

[Eleanor Walsh]

Eleanor smiled when he blushed. He really was quite handsome, and she was very satisfied that he was the auror she had been looking for. He was the type of guy who would slay dragons for a damsel in distress, and she was going to be that damsel.

Of course, if she had been herself, she would have been appalled at such an archaic and sexist idea. She had always been the girl who believed that women could take care of themselves and didn’t need men to save them. But even the little part of her that remained couldn’t help but think that it wasn’t such a bad thing to be rescued by a man so handsome and gentlemanly.

“Thank you. I will. I really am so very glad I ran into you, and it was very nice meeting you. I hope next time we meet, it will be under better circumstances.”

She smiled once more, hesitating a little. “Well, I guess I should get some sleep. Have a good day, Kaden.”

Reluctantly, she closed the door and made her way to the sofa, where she flopped down and fell asleep instantly.

[end scene]