My Office

A note floated up to Professor Viper it read.

"I am in the hospital wing Professor.."

Viper sighed. Whatever it was must have been important if the Headmistress was still lingering at the hospital zone.

(Viper is now in the Hospital Wing)

Mae paused, after looking around the hallway, and stopped the gargoyle. Sighing, she shook her head, realizing that she didn't know the password.

Walking back to her office Kiara saw a Ravenclaw student standing out side her office.

"Looking for me Miss Schultz?" she asked.

Mae turned, her face brightening, "Yes, Headmistress." She held out the letter, "I found this on the Quidditch Pitch, it was addressed to Professor DeLanquar but Diana and I stopped by her office, and she wasn't there, so I decided to bring it here instead."

Kiara took the note and smiled at the young Ravenclaw.

"Thank you I will be sure that she gets it. Was there anything else?"

"Ummm," Mae looked at her feet, "no, I don't think so Headmistress."

Kiara raised her eyebrow as the student looked at the floor.

"Chin up Miss Schultz, are you sure then?"

"Yes, Headmistress," Mae smiled at the Headmistress' caring nature, "except I'm awfully lonely in Ravenclaw." She shrugged, "But Diana's a good friend," trailing off, Mae looked to her feet again.

Kiara smiled again. Crouching down slightly so she was the same high as the teen she said

"And you were wondering if....."

Trying to get the girl to ask what she thought she wanted to.

"Well ... I'm not sure," Mae sighed, suddenly looking much sadder, "you see, I have a friend, Muggle you see, and she's my best friend. Could she possibly come to Hogwarts? If her parents agree to it?" She tried not to show her excitement, but it showed anyways, "Please Headmistress?"

Kiara's face fell.

"I am sorry dear I really am, I would like nothing more then to say yes but it is out of my hands. The Ministry won't let a muggle to attend hogwarts. I could permit you access to the Gryffindor common room if you want. You're friends with Miss Casillas right?"

"Yes, Headmistress, I understand." Mae's smile brightened slightly at the mention of Diana's last name and she nodded, "Yes, Diana and I are friends ..." she trailed off, "Thanks so much!"

And without warning, she hugged her Headmistress, a wide grin on her face.

Kiara was surprised by the sudden hug. This she was not used to.

After a second or two she smiled brightly and placed her hand on the girls back.

"I am glad I could help you Miss Schultz"

She dropped her arms and smiled, "Thank you so much Headmistress!" Mae beamed, "Should I ask Professor DeLanquar about getting the password to Gryffindor Tower so I can visit Diana?"

"Of course, both of them are in the hospital wing, I am afraid Miss Casillas was injured earlier today though. I can take you there if you want?"

"Thanks Headmistress!" Mae smiled, turning from the gargoyle.

Eglantine barely paused in her office to check in on her class. They were playing games and practicing basic transfiguration spells. Thankful that no one seemed to notice she had disappeared, she made her way out of the office and through the hallways in animagus form still. The handkerchief was still clutched tightly in her aching jaws.

The gargoyle moved aside for her and she dragged her weary body into the Headmistress's office. Leaping up on the desk, she dropped the handkerchief onto the other woman's lap.

Running through the castle and feeling intense Dajvu, Kiara couldn't find Eglantine anywhere.

"Why did she leave?" Kiara thought to herself as she didn't have the breath to speak.

Going to her office she could see on one there,

Coughing she collaped into her chair and tried to regain her breath.

Then a cat leaped onto her desk and dropped something onto her lap.

Still rather out off breath she blinked at the cat, Then the answer came to her.

"Eglantine?"

Eglantine did not have the energy to change forms. Therefore when the Headmistress said her name, she meowed softly and nudged the handkerchief she had dropped on her.

((oh yeah... my avatar is what Eglantine looks like in her Animagus form...))

Looking down at the handkerchief on her lap, she picked it up and gasped, however her gasp turned into more coughs.

Finally managing to get a breath, she gasped out.

"Where do you get this?"

Eglantine leapt from the desk and morphed back into her human form, falling into the chair as she did so. She was pale and trembling from head to toe. Somewhere along the journey, her carefully pinned bun had come partially loose and thick locks of pale hair streaked down her robes.

"Lord Voldemort gave it to me, as a token that Hogwarts would be left alone."

Kiara could only stare at Eglantine for the longest time.

"Voldemort? you went to see Voldemort? Why...? You are bloody lucky you are not dead.."

Fustration, anger, and utter exhaustion.left Kiara feeling helpless.

"What did you do to guarantee this "token"?" she asked as she glared at the marked handkerchief.

"Actually I went to see my brother." Eglantine closed her eyes and tried desperately to calm her racing heart. "He assured me that he would leave Hogwarts alone and then my nephew came into the room with Lord Voldemort. He said that the handkerchief was a token in exchange for." she stopped and shrugged her shoulders.

"For Hogwarts not to do anything against Him and said that Saturn was well." She left off the fact that Kiara had been mentioned by name and what she had promised in actual exchange.

"It is the best token you shall ever receive. However I would still be careful."