In For Adventure?

Knockturn was not a typical place for Khaat anymore. Not since Rob had disappeared. But tonight she was a woman on a mission. A strong spring storm filled the wizarding neighborhood with blinding rains that were still cold at this time of night. She had wrapped herself in a long black cloak. It covered the pencil thin gray and black dress, but is surely did not cover her tall black stilettos--shoes that had become so trademark for her.

She wasn't willing to admit that the illness was getting to her. She had tried to stay home for a few days to avoid contaminating people, but with the emergency that was spreading, she had had to go back to work, illness or no. And now it appeared they were working against time. They needed all the help they could get.

And so she dared Knockturn alone. She found the Artificium and went in. It was getting a bit late for most shops, so she wasn't sure Ne'Os would even be here. When she opened the door, a rather odd little chime sounded. Not the typical cheerful Diagon Alley bell. She could see how it would have perhaps disturbed most other 'white lighters," but for her, understanding Ne'Os as she did, it did seem perhaps a bit fitting.

Ne'Os let off a loud and lengthy cough that sounded as if he was about to lose a lung as he watched the spring storm. He was by now truly miserable his skin was on fire it itched so badly. He almost couldn't speak because of his coughing. He still suffered from horrible nightmares from when Grindelwald had cursed him, and now to top it all off he was turning green. His skin was only a slight tinge off than it was normally but he was mortified, and he had now taken to wearing black robes that covered his body completely as well as gloves and a hood that covered the majority of his face.

He turned from the window as he heard the special chime his door made. It's purpose was that he could hear it anywhere in Diagon alley and Knockturn alley. Although he hadn't actually left the store in a few days his magic failed dramatically almost every time he tried a spell. If he went anywhere it was with floo powder although the flames upset his rash to a point where he needed too pause as he held back screams.

He walked into the store proper and smiled pitifully when he saw Khaat "If your here for anything remotely magical i regret to inform you that I can not do magic anymore" he said his voice sounding raspy and cracking slightly. "But I have a feeling that your not here for that" he finished starting up a new coughing fit making sure to turn away from her until he finished.

Even though he was covered all in black, she knew him. Somehow she recognized him. Well, that and the cough was a clear giveaway. She couldn't remember seeing him completely covered before. Although, that was starting to happen more and more in the wizarding world as more people became thoroughly humiliated by the mysterious illness. So far, she had not resorted to covering herself entirely, but it was becoming more temping. It hadn't affected her face so far, but she found herself checking that in the mirror more than usual. And then she felt guilty for feeling so vain about it.

"That's alright," she replied to him. "Neither can I. Or at least not well. It seems to be short circuited or something. I never quite know what might happen. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. So--I take it you have it too, then? I didn't come for a magical artifact, but I did come to talk with you. Is it safe to presume we are alone?" She took a shoulder bag out from under her cloak and opened it. She put two tall and slender potions bottles on the counter. "These will help. The clear potion helps with congestion and coughing. The lotion does give temporary relief from that infernal itching. I wish they were cures, but they do make this stuff more bearable. If you need more, just let me know. But that's not exactly what I came here for."

Ne'Os was relieved to know it wasn't just him that was having issue with magic. Though he couldn't help but think how this could be a simple trap to determine how much of a threat he could still be. He drew back his hood so she could see his face. He gave her a smile "Of course I do. Myself and half the wizardry world it would seem. And It couldn't have come at a worse time you try opening a magical shop where having magic is part of the owner requirement. I have made almost no money luckily I have other ways of getting money to live with" he said wincing slightly at the thought.

"We are alone or at least as alone you can be in these dark alley ways" he said looking around Khaat and out the window actually happy the storm would dissuade people from wandering nearby. "What can I do for you?" he asked happily almost sounding younger.

"I would desperately love to be past this green itchy crap, and so would you," she said. "Our traditional methods and potions have been ineffective. My father is looking at some very old magic. Old, ancient potions. He says they look very promising."

She paused for a moment before she actually made her request. "But..and here is where you come in. I need more people to help me look for some of these rare ingredients. Since this affects us all, is there any chance that I might get the Death Eaters to help? Some of these things cannot be found without a great deal of hunting and a great deal of risk. It would take people who are not afraid of adventure. But, so you know, we have had some people die from this stuff. There is potential for this to be lethal--clearly. It does not appear to be spreading into the muggle world. I do not want witches and wizards to be merely myths in muggle books. And I'm sure you don't either."

"Ne'Os," she said, on a much more personal note, "My children have this too. I do not want to lose my children with this, and right now, all I can do is to try to make them comfortable. I don't know how much farther this will go, but, well, you know how I feel about my kids."

Ne'Os didn't speak until she had completely finished speaking. He couldn't help feeling sadness over her children being infected. He shared her feelings Samantha and their children were sick as well. "Khaat" he said quickly turning again as another coughing fit erupted from him. "I will pledge my support to finding whatever you need but understand the death eaters are unreliable. Some of them have heart and will help but others are cowards. They are in my ranks because they think it means safety. With this sickness I fear some will not show up" he said pausing for a moment.

"Tell you what despite their issues I will ask for their support next meeting. If they choose to help or not is on them but...Sam is in your care.....and my children...I will help you no matter what." he said smiling slightly but that quickly changed to a look of extreme stress and pain. I...well this could mean my defeat at the hands of Jess or another enemy but....my magic...It is worse off than I made it sound earlier. I don't know about this man's body but it is wrong in some way. Perhaps it was some curse that effected him and it stunted his magic in some way but I have no magic...well sometimes I do but well one time I ended up in Germany. I think it was our time I never got enough time to find out as i returned a few seconds after but I could swear I could hear artillery in the distance." He ended his speech with a large sneeze which he caught in a tissue he had taken from his robes.

"Perhaps there is something I can do to see if I can correct any of the symptoms, even temporarily," she offered. "Most of my magic is wonky too--except my healing spells. I dn't get it, but that is the way it is right now." She dared to touch is forehead. She scowled at him. "You haven't been eating like you should," she said. "Or he didn't. I don't see a curse, but there is a metabolic imbalance, in addition to the illness. It usually comes from either not eating, or from eating foods that one is allergic to. I presume that you don't know if he was allergic to anything? I might be able to correct a bit of this, but not all of it. Maybe. But if you want, I can try.

"As for Jess, so long as you're helping me, I will not allow him to hurt you," she said firmly. She had no trouble whatsoever in placing herself directly in between Jess and Ne'Os if it came to it. She would not let Jess kill someone who was, so far, innoccent of any wrongdoing. "And I will do everything in my power to protect Sam and your children. You have my word."

Ne'Os snorted "Of course I haven't been eating well. When I used to eat before I only had one food source and If i ate anything else it was for pleasure. I really don't know how to eat for survival. I never needed to and when I did I was not old enough to feed myself" he said sounding somewhat amused. "Interesting thing allergy's are. I never had them myself well maybe I did but my vampire blood most likely healed any damage as it just started happening. As for this body I have no actual Idea I guess ill just have to pay attention with trial and hopefully not fatal error. Though at present I have some bigger things to worry about" he said turning and coughing for a while.

"I trust you will do all you can for the vampire I love" he said.