Hospital Wing

"Thank you, Miss Schultz." Eglantine took the offered paper with a trembling left hand and opened it slowly.

Mae watched as her professor unfurled the letter and busied herself with her tie.

((maybe I've forgotten, but what in heaven's name is in the note?))

((no idea ... was thinking something bad ... or something from Viper...))

((okay...I will make something up then...))

((Okay...decide soon, Valentine's sickness finally caught up with me.))

Professor DeLanquar finished opening the scroll and closed her eyes before reading. The blood rushed from her face and with a gasp, she promptly fainted.

"Professor!"
Mae jumped up quickly, and attempted the catch the stunned professor. She was close, Professor DeLanquar's head was inches from the ground when she caught her shoulder. Looking around, half-supporting her professor, Mae attempted to help her onto an empty bed.

Keeping one eyes on her professor, Mae looked around, "Headmistress?! Someone!" Her voice rose, "Professor DeLanquar fainted!"

Kiara jumped when the Eglantine collapsed.

"Eglantine!"

Relieved that Miss Schultz managed to catch her, Kiara quickly took out her wand and waved it at her friend. Levitating her into the air and on to a bed.

Mae breathed a sigh of relief, "Will she be okay Headmistress?" She looked at the letter nervously, picking it up and handing it to the Headmistress, "I think what ever it said made her faint."

The scroll began to smoke. Acrid fumes rose from the burning paper and began to consume the writing.

((fumes will not hurt you...))

Mae stared at the paper in shock, "Why is it doing that? Does it not want you to read it Headmistress?"

"Merlin" Kiara dropped the burning paper, coughed and waved the smoke away with her wand.

"Apparently it was meant for her eyes only"

"We will have wait until she wakes up to find out what it said. Whatever it was it can't be good" Kiara said as she placed a pillow under Eglantine legs and a cold cloth on her head.

"Okay," Mae sat besides her professor, "I hope she's all right."

Kiara looked at Eglantine who in very short time had somehow managed to become her friend.

"I hope so to Miss Schultz"

Mae looked curiously at her Headmistress and sighed, "Her and Diana both. The school seems different already."

Eglantine moaned softly and opened her eyes.

Mae rose, "Professor! Are you alright?"

"Eglantine.." Kiara said with relief.

"What happened? You gave us quite a scare"

Mae stretched, trying to ignore the tierdness she felt, she would go to bed after she heard the Professor's story.

((Actually I've signing off for tonight. Not feeling well. ))

Eglantine blinked several times. "Sorry." she said softly. "The letter.."

"What about it?" Mae looked curious, she knew she shouldn't be prying but she was greatly interested.

"It said something." she mumbled. A sudden burst of energy allowed her to sit up, albeit dizzily, and she continued.
"It said he was still alive." Eglantine was deadly pale and fear shone brightly in her eyes.

Viper entered the room dressed with her usual black robes with a note in her hand, only to find her rival Professor on the ground with Kiara and Mae beside her.

"What the hell happened here?" she asked, confused.

Eglantine collapsed again, but remained conscious.