(1938-12-03) Imbibed Imperius
Details for Imbibed Imperius
Summary: Phil seeks out aid from Keenan for her investigation into saccharine powder.
Date: 3 December 1938
Location: Spell Damage Ward, St Mungo's
Related: First: An Expert Opinion and then: Inspector Clues-o
Characters
PhilKeenan

It took some finagling and help from Sorcha, but seeing as Phil and she are friends now, and Phil does have a great respect for Keenan's professionalism she gets her appointment with the busy master healer. It comes a few weeks after she already got the results from Clover of the composition of the powder, which in a way does help. When they meet it isn't in the tea room but upstairs in Keenan's office. "Thanks for seeing me. I know you're busy." Having a master healer for a sister means she understands just how hard he works. "I was hoping you could help me with a story I am doing. It is on an unusual powdery substance known on the street as saccharine powder. The stuff isn't illegal, yet, but I suspect it will be if we can prove people have been coming in suffering from the dangerous side effects we expect there to be."

Sitting back in his chair, after offering one to Phil, Keenan rests his hands in his lap, lacing the last three together but leaving his thumbs open. "It's not a problem, Miss Rowle. What kind of effects has the powder been having? Has Healer MacNair seen it, yet?" His eyes are mildly curious, but along with his greeting, his demeanor shows no irritation at taking the time to discuss an issue with the reporter.

"Clover did an analysis of the properties of the powder and came up with a list of the possible side effects. They are rather alarming." Phil pulls her trusty reporter notebook out of her cloak pocket and flips open to the right page.

Once she has found it Phil reads off the possible health problems. "We know for certain it induces a vivid dream-like state which causes hallucinations. It can if taken in large enough quantities lead to unconsciousness and death. There is the possibility also of a weaker-willed person, or someone who has taken a high dosage to have their will bent. To do something which they would not otherwise." She looks up at Keenan, "Furthermore since it has known poisonous properties if it is not mixed carefully and with sufficient skill people could be coming in suffering from foxglove or wormwood poisoning."

Keenan's eyebrows raise at that. "If Healer MacNair has listed the side effects, then it's more than likely they can/will occur." He leans forward, placing his hands on the desk in front of him, but he doesn't pull them apart until a paper is offered to him. As she lists of the possible effects and side effects, his brows draw together. "Would it lead someone to come in convinced that they've been Imperius'ed?"

Phil has a copy of Clover's report which she gives to Keenan. "I'm working with Inspector Lovegood on this now, there is another sinister element which doesn't cause problems to the person taking the drug but is nevertheless seedy." She pauses, giving weight to the next words she says, "The potion contains fairy wings." His question gives her pause, "It might well do. That is what the inspector certainly fears."

Taking the report, Keenan's eyes skim swiftly over what she's already told him, slowing at times to read certain details. t the mention of fairy wings, his lips pull a little tighter together. "Fairies don't often willingly part with their wings," he mentions almost casually, although it's apparent by the harder gleam in his eyes that he's anything but casual about the idea. He's quite for another few moments. "Wormwood or foxglove poisoning would be more likely to end up with Healer MacNair, or the odd days that I'm in the Potions Wing. However, a patient that thinks they've been Imperius'ed would certainly be admitted to this wing."

"It was the inspector's worry that made me think checking with you would be a good idea." Phil doesn't go into any more detail of her investigation, but then she knows Keenan wouldn't expect her to. "Anything you discover will be dealt with in the utmost care. Names of patients need not be given to me, but I know the inspector would like them. It would help me if I could track down where they got the powder from, however."

Keenan nods. "I will certainly be on the lookout. This was Inspector Lovegood?" One eyebrow raises confirmation. "I'm not sure how successful I can be tracking down a source, but he may be able to find a pattern among patients if I have any to report to him."

"No," says Phil with a smile, "you misunderstood me, Master Healer O'Shea. I will be tracking down the source. What I'm hoping you can do is find a pattern amongst patients. Or patients at all." She nods. "Inspector Elijah Lovegood. If we can get enough evidence we can ask the ministry to make it illegal."

Keenan appears nonplussed at the assertion of Phil doing the investigating. His brows draw together for a moment as he looks across his desk. "I see," he says quietly. "This kind of investigation can turn dangerous very quickly, Miss Rowle. I hope ye will be very careful." He looks again at the notes handed over, and then stacks the pages together neatly. "If anything does seem to fit what ye've handed me, I'll do my best to make ye aware of it. It is certainly not something we want to have in the open market."

"It is what I do, but I will be careful. I always am." Phil broke the Glinch case after all. She gets to her feet and offers Keenan her hand. "I want to say thank you again for your help with the Glinch case. It's why I knew the first people to come to over this one were healers."

"No need to thank me," Keenan replies honestly as he stands and takes the offered hand for a moment. "I wish ye luck, Miss Rowle, and as I said, anything we can do to keep this powder off the street is definitely our duty." He grins a little, the hard green warming slightly once more. "Looks like I'll have to pester Healer MacNair again."

"I will let you know if I hear anything that will help." With that Phil makes her way out.

Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License