June 18, 1888 - Bartonburg, Hogsmeade

The fog surrounded everything. It had consumed the magical community, not just in the physical sense but it had consumed the media and the government as well. A sense of panic bubbled under the surface, both at work and at home. Percival hated the feeling of his magic damping to the point nonexistence as he returned to the town. In fact he was thinking of taking rooms in London until the fog dispated.

Like the town and ministry Percy's thoughts were consumed by the musty fog as he walked through it from the designated apperation point toward home. If he weren't worried about Lissy, Cat, and the children, he might actually have stayed in London. But his sisters then would have no protection. Cat and children had moved to their father's in North Bartonburg when the fog had reached Wellingtonshire at Percy's insistence. He had heard at the Ministry that it was expected to spread and it seemed the most logical plan of action. He would have done the same if it weren't for the easier access to an apperation location by his own home. Instead he had resolved to make his way down the pathways to his father's as frequently as he could.

He knew others walked through the fog, traveling as quietly as ghosts. He could hear feet and low murmurs as the brave ventured forward. He had developed a shuffle that included a sideways move that had him lead with his shoulder and a bent elbow if he were to accidentally walk into someone. From time to time he would call if he heard footsteps closer, but for the most part he stared blindly into the fog as he went.

Somewhere a dog barked and thinking of Lily, Percy's gaze turned from the path before him out of habit. At the same moment Percy wander right into someone. "Oh! I do apologize." It wasn't the first time that Percy had run into someone in the fog, indeed it seemed inevitable and as such manners adjusted to the situation.

Thaddeus Davies

  

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To say that the fog was an inconvenience was just a bit of an understatement. Thaddeus had been tracking the spread over the last few weeks just like the rest of the wizarding community, poring over The Daily Prophet and coming up empty handed. But now that the fog was in Hogsmeade proper, things had suddenly become much more complicated. The daily trek to the apparition point had gotten further and further as the fog rolled in, blanketing town, to the point where Thaddeus was forced to seriously consider the practicality of it. Who in the wizarding community was going to attend the Museum in the middle of mass hysteria

Nobody, that was who.

A person of routine, Thaddeus was more than a bit grumpy about the fact that it made more sense to work at home. It was just all over an inconvenience, and that was not taking into consideration the queer feeling his magic dampening every time he returned from London. It made him feel weak and disconnected from what seemed real, trapped in a dream turned nightmare all covered in fog.

He was so lost in his own brooding thoughts that Thaddeus didn't notice the person until they were bumping together. Thaddeus's hand shot out to steady himself for the briefest of moments on the person's arm before falling away as he squinted at the person through the haze. "Mr. Adlard? Goodness, you gave me a fright." Thaddeus's mouth quirked upward in a grin, eyes crinkling at the corners in genuine amusement. "I would demand that you watch where you were going, but the point seems to be moot."

  

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"Mr. Davies!" Percy squinted through the fog at his old schoolmate he couldn't remember the last time he had run into the fellow. "I apologize for the fright. This fog makes it awfully difficult to see one's surroundings. " Percy replied in good humor. "If you're going to be making demands don't you think it better you simply remain home?" He teased the way one only does with friends they have had for a long time. There was some element of truth to the question though as Percy had noticed fewer and fewer people venturing out into the fog the more in remained hovering over the streets of the town.

Gesturing to the fog around them Percy asked a bit more seriously, "Whatever brings you out in this?" If Percy hadn't had to work, it was quite a nightmare at the office currently, he might have remained holed up with his books and his dog and enjoyed the solitude. That was if his sisters didn't insist on him taking up residence at the Adlard House. So far he had been able to avoid that fate but if he weren't headed to work he doubted he would be able to any longer.

  

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The fog was hazy as it swirled around them, but Thaddeus could clearly see his old school friend. Percy hadn't changed much: with the same practical fashion sense and nondescript looks, he had always been overlooked for much more attractive, flashier individuals. But Thaddeus knew him to be a much more observant, kinder person than most people perceived, and it was this knowledge that let him feel more comfortable with Percy in an instant than he had in some months.

Thaddeus huffed a laugh, grinning. "You and I both know that there is simply too much fun to be had out and about." It wasn't necessarily a lie, more of a half-truth: Thaddeus had always felt more comfortable in the seclusion of his own room or house, but it was true that in times such as these one learned the most when one interacted with the outside world (even if interacting was not strictly fun).

He sobered slightly, lifting his shoulders in a vague shrug. "The lack of magic makes it nearly impossible to get in to London, unless I wanted to walk entirely around this damnable fog." Thaddeus inclined his head in the direction of the station, adding, "Not that you have that excuse, I suppose. This is probably not the easiest time to be working for the Ministry"

  

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Percy couldn't help a laugh at his friend's comment. It was so very different from the normal habits of either one that it could only be considered in a jesting fashion. An inside joke just for those of them to preferred their lives more on the solitary end of things: Mason, Percy, Thaddeus. "Especially in circumstances such as these." Percy added with a hint of amusement at the situation.

"You could say that. The Ministry's had us running from sun up to sun down." He shrugged at the schedule. "I heard rumor they will be limiting train passes inside and out of Hogsmeade, so travel may only get worse." In fact they had already started alerting a variety of Ministry employees about staying where they were if they weren't needed. Then there was the fact that they were suppose to caution about the forbidden forest where the outskirts of the fog ended and communities members were beginning to stray in an attempt to apperate to continue their normal schedules for as long as possible. "I've also heard of vampires roaming more freely by apperation points, so I'd almost caution you against walking around the fog." His tone was a mix of worry and an attempt to lighten the seriousness of the news he'd delivered -hearsay or not.

  

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It was nice to hear laughter again, and Thaddeus cracked a grin, feeling as carefree as one could in the midst of a magic-sapping fog. Why hadn't he sought out Percy sooner? Perhaps he had been slightly remiss in hiding away at the Museum constantly. He truly had forgotten what it felt like to not be worrying about work, an empty house, or the caretaking of Josephine's grave. It felt liberating, perhaps even a little exhilarating...

And then Thaddeus came crashing back down to reality. His brow furrowed in concern as he looked his friend over critically. Percy did look a little more worse for the wear than usual... Thaddeus frowned, shaking his head. "Yes, I hardly think now is the time for exhibit planning. Far larger things are afoot, I'm afraid, though I hardly know what they are."  He peered off into the fog, ruminating on this new information about vampires, gathering his thoughts to himself before returning to the conversation at hand.

"I wonder if there is some sort of connection between vampires and the fog itself; does it not seem odd to you that the fog has centered on Hogsmeade and Irvingly, but not appeared in London at all? One would think that it was an attack on the places with the highest concentration of magic--of course assuming that the fog is a construction and not a naturally occurring magical phenomenon."  

  

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"I believe that would be the million sickle question." Percy replied humorously despite the fact that his friend appeared to be looking out at space. Really Percy felt as if he had neglected Thaddeus in the months that had passed since his wife had passed. Thaddeus had been the lucky one of the group to actually marry, whereas Percy, Mason, and Quin had found themselves all loveless by this point. Something that Percy's sisters were desperately trying to fix. Percy could have been a better friend than he had been to Thaddeus, could have stopped by. But he'd always figured that if he were in that situation he'd really much rather everyone stayed away. True or not.

Percy nodded as he thought on what Thaddeus had said. The ministry had been grappling with those questions since the fog had first appeared. "It may only be a matter of time until the fog spreads south to London." So far the density of the fog had yet to seemingly stop and there was no sign if it wouldn't. Vampires were a true concern in Percy's office, however, and one that couldn't be dismissed. "You think there might be a connection beyond the vampires taking advantage of a situation?"

  

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"I shudder to think of what would happen if it were to reach London," Thaddeus mused, shaking his head slightly. London had fog, of course, but magic-killing fog that gave supernatural creatures passes to roam was something entirely different. It would be a catastrophe for the Ministry to attempt to contain, too.

Thaddeus lifted both shoulders in a shrug. "Hard to say -- I just find it slightly suspicious that they seem to be the ones benefitting the most from it." The dark would allow for freer movement, and that certainly was not good for most of the magical and non-magical population. Not to say that all vampires were untrustworthy, but the thirst for blood was universal--mistakes might be made, or perhaps it would just be cold-blooded murder. "Wouldn't it stand to reason that magical beings might hold a grudge against the wizarding community and want some kind of revenge?"

  

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Honestly Percy shuddered at the thought of the fog in London too. It was bad enough just up here in their owns. The disaster that it would be.... Percy could only hope that wouldnt happen. And yet with working in the ministry it was an outcome he had to be prepared for, and the headache it would be if it came to that. "Let's hope it stops soon then."

"Remind me again, Thaddeus, why you didn't come work in my department?" Percy joked, for the mans worried were the very thing that Percy and his department were focusing on. "They have an entirely sound defense for being angry with the events of this past year, so the motive is certainly there." Percy agreed.

  

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Thaddeus had to grin at that, eyes crinkling at the corners in genuine amusement. "Beasts are not my forte; there was a reason I never took Care of Magical Creatures in school." He was, frankly, awful at dealing with creatures; breeding and handling just simply eluded him, and he had never been extremely outdoorsy either. "You do a perfectly good job without me, I assure you."

Thaddeus sobered. "I agree." A moment, as he mulled something over, then Thaddeus cleared his throat. He was not good at emotions, but if Josephine's loss had taught him anything, it was that the future was a precarious thing and could not be predicted, no matter what they taught in Divination. "Please, Percy..." The words stuck in his throat, and he forced them out awkwardly, "Be cautious -- I don't know what Mason and I would do without you, you know?"

Face burning, Thaddeus clapped Percy on the shoulder. "I'm sorry, I am late for a... meeting. We'll catch up later, maybe for drinks?" It was probably the most pathetic excuse ever, but Thaddeus was brimming with anxiety and needing to escape to a safer, more secluded place to get himself back together. "Maybe we'll be able to celebrate this damned fog lifting soon," Thaddeus said, forcing what he hoped was a cheery smile as he checked his silver pocket watch. "I must go. Tell your family hello for me, please."

With that Thaddeus beat a hasty retreat, headed back to the safety of his study, where he could spend countless hours overthinking everything and fiddling around with his notes for a new exhibit.

  

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Over the course of their friendship Percy had of course learned that Thaddeus was not suited for work with creatures, that his own path was quite good for him, but Percy couldn’t help the thought that a thinker like Thaddeus would go far. “Well if you ever feel we don’t, feel free to apply. I’ll recommend you highly.” Percy said with a chuckle, knowing full well that the situation wouldn’t and it was all in jest.

What did surprise Percy was Thaddeus’s concern. It simply was not a sentiment the men shared among each other, concern for Thaddeus boiled up in Percy. He should have check in on Thaddeus more after his wife had died. Solemnly he responded, “I will.”

And then just like that Thaddeus was on his way making his apologies and dashing off. “Drinks, then. I’ll pass it along. Be careful in the fog Thaddeus!” Percy called after him as his friend disappeared back into the fog. He’d certainly need to see Thaddeus again soon, check in on him and all that.

  

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