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[alt_frank]

Melania Ambak from Surrey is safe and sound, and on her way to Moddey Dhoo just as soon as she’s finished her nap and Poppy says it's okay.

we got into Waverly, even though it was a bit dodgy. don't think it would have happened, but a large group from St Mungo’s arrived right as we got to the gates so they didn’t look as closely at our paperwork as they would have, and they didn’t ask us for that bloody form.

we found the family, already home from hospital. took them a bit by surprise, but they seemed right eager to hand her over once we’d said our piece and shown them some pictures and letters. seems like everyone here was a bit jumpy, like they were waiting for something bad to happen – the Ambaks mentioned they’d been hurried out of hospital the day after Melania was born to “make room,” and they’d heard stories about the illness in other camps. I think that was why they were so anxious. kept asking me over and over again what sort of medical care we had available, what would happen if she ever got sick, that sort of thing. we told them about Stephen and Poppy, which seemed to help a bit.

lots of tears when we left. then again, there’s always tears at that part. but we’ve got her, she’s safe, and looks healthy. both her folks seemed pretty normal too – Mrs Ambak was still worn out from having the baby, but no cough or fever or anything like that. just to be sure, Poppy, I can keep her out here a little longer, or we can put her in the quarantine room with me when we get back for a day or two. I don’t mind to. she's nice enough company. she's even tinier than Tiny is.

Comments

[alt_alice]

Good job, my darling. I'm so glad this one didn't give you any trouble. We're getting everything ready now. The children are all quite thrilled, as am I.

What's the latest on Hertfordshire?

[alt_frank]

next batch of polyjuice won't be ready for another week at least, and Bill seems to think it'll take right around that long to get the forms sorted.

unless they ask us for another damn form, or it gets too hairy for us to go in safe, that is.

[alt_alice]

Victor is making all sorts of jokes about us putting you under house arrest, and feeding you a strict diet of bread and water. He's made a rather nice plate of stew up for you, though, and we've got some extra formula for Melania. I'm bringing it down to you right now and leaving it outside the door for you to pick up.

It feels so odd that you're right here, but I can't just go in and say hello.

[alt_frank]

well, we're coming out eventually.

it's like taking a mini-break. no chores except nappies and bottles. and I can handle that.

stew sounds good.

[alt_alice]

You are quite the expert nappy-changer. Who would have guessed that Frank Longbottom, Highly Trained Auror and Suspected Terrorist, Scourge of the Death Eaters, would have such a unique skill-set?

[alt_frank]

surround a man with babies for nearly ten years, he'll pick up on a few things.

[alt_alice]

I would imagine so!

I hope you know that I plan on snogging you thoroughly once you've been declared free of potential life-threatening diseases.

[alt_frank]

right.

[alt_frank]

well, you heard the lady, I'll be seeing you in nine days. Merlin willing.

[alt_alice]

Well, if that's what we need to do, we'll do it, my darling.

How are you holding up?

[alt_frank]

fine. mel's sweet, she sleeps a lot, and when she isn't sleeping, she's eating. not much to it.

she doesn't like it when I try to sing, though.

[alt_kingsley]

Nobody really does, my friend!

[alt_poppy]

I don't like the idea of your keeping an infant out sleeping rough. Take her back, but by all means, be certain that Stephen meets you and that there is no interaction on either of your parts with any of the others.

Alice, keep the children away from them.

And, Frank, it may be more than a day or two before it's safe for you to leave that room.

[alt_frank]

right. shall do.

and just so you know, Arthur was very careful. no shaking hands, and didn't hold the baby at all.

[alt_poppy]

Good.

I do know that you have good sense, Frank. I'm sorry if my worry-worting sometimes makes it seem otherwise.

[alt_frank]

I told the Ambaks that we have the best nurse that can be had for love or money on call, and it's the truth, so help me Merlin.

you keep us safe and healthy, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

[alt_poppy]

You're a good man, Frank Longbottom. Let me know that you've made it home safely.

[alt_alice]

He has, Poppy! Stephen had it all set up for them both, and they're settled in now for the night. We'll give you a report tomorrow as to how they're doing.

[alt_alice]

And he is, isn't he?

[alt_poppy]

Almost as good a person as his wife.

[alt_bill]

It's great to have some good news for once. I'll raise a glass in Melania's honour tonight, wishing her long life and good fortune under a free regime.

Let's hope we'll be able to say the same for Charles Vass in a couple of weeks or so.

[alt_frank]

hear hear

Frank, Alice.

[alt_poppy]

I'm afraid I have some rather sober information for you.

I have had a conversation with a colleague at St Mungo's who shared that their teams in the camps have determined that the most likely means of transmission for this disease is via flea bites. Apparently there is quite an appalling rodent population in the camps, and all indicators have pointed towards a rat-flea-human-flea- model for the spread of this contagion.

Have you suffered any bites? I hope not. Certainly, you were there a short enough time that it is reasonable to hope that neither you nor Arthur has been infected. Yet.

Melania, however, cannot be assumed to have been so lucky, and if she is indeed carrying the disease, she could become a source for infection for all of you. For that reason, I think you will need to continue in quarantine for some time. How long is, unfortunately, not easy to specify. Some infectious diseases have incubation periods as long as three weeks between exposure and the onset of noticeable symptoms. However, in infants that period is shorter as their systems have less ability to resist disease. I am assuming that Melania must be at least a week old (counting from the day Minerva alerted us, and she might have been born before that--do you know for certain?). We can, therefore, deduct some of her age from our calculations.

I believe, therefore, that you would be safe if you were to keep the child quarantined for ten days. (You've done one already!)

At that point, if there is any hint of illness, we will extend the period and watch you both very carefully. Do remember that communicable illnesses become infectious days, even a week, before their symptoms manifest; that's how they defeat our efforts to control them. And remember, too, that even if the usual means of transmission is rats and their fleas as St Mungo's believes, you might become infected in the course of caring for an infant, whose bodily fluids are often difficult to manage with complete safety. If we have any reason to suspect Melania's health, we will need to keep you quarantined for the maximum period in order to be safe.

I wish I had better news for you, Frank, but I know that you share my concern for safety there at the Sanctuary.

Re: Frank, Alice.

[alt_frank]

thanks for letting us know. she seems healthy enough so far, a little under weight, but she's a healthy eater, so that'll change soon enough.

we'll keep you informed for the next nine days, let you know if anything crops up.

Re: Frank, Alice.

[alt_molly]

There's a charm to try, Frank, that I found in my great-grandmother's household charm book: Aphaniptera Revelio. I gather it was more commonly known when fleas were generally more of a problem than they are today. Say the charm with a figure-8 wand motion over the area you want to check. The main point of the charm is to detect fleas themselves--if they're there, the charm will make a pinpoint burst of bright red light. BUT according to the charm book, there's a secondary application: it also detects any flea bites. The site of a bite will pulse with a pinpoint of red light for ten seconds.

I had Arthur try it, and he found nothing. So that's good news for us.

Re: Frank, Alice.

[alt_frank]

good one, Molly.

I tried it, and no lights. but I might have done it wrong. or the bites might've healed up first. so we'll wait it out a bit longer, see if anything crops up.