Niki too glares at Katia. "How... how dare you!" she exclaims, and crosses the room in a few strides. Her hand swings around and connects with Katia's cheek, making a resounding SMACK! "You don't know anything about my mother, and if I ever, ever, hear you talking about her again, I will tell everyone exactly what I know about *your* mother." Her voice is deadly low, and her eyes are narrowed in anger.

"Oh, no, Niki," Katia drawls, standing so that her height difference- 4'9" to 5'6"- is much more apparent. "Any time, Niki. And Miss Avalon... You should be grateful that you aren't one of that number. Murder is a very serious offence, as I'm sure Niki knows. And... Niki?" She looks down her nose at the younger, shorter girl. "I don't care what you know about my mother." She leans closer, and whispers, so quietly that only Niki can hear, "I know a good deal more about yours."

Morticia reaches out and grabs Niki's arm. "It's not worth it, Niki!" she mutters. "SHE'S not worth it. What does she know? Come on, forget about it."

"Que voulez-vous dire? What do you think you're saying?" Niki demands. "What do you mean about my mother?" she demands in a hiss, shrugging Morticia's hand off her shoulder.

Madison, expecting the low blow about her own recent past, smirked. "If you knew ANYTHING about what happened, I mean besides what Arcadia there made up, then you would know that it wasn't me who killed that boy. I'm surprised you didn't know that already, with all the dirt you've been digging." She turned to Niki, and gave her a sympathetic smile. "Don't listen to her...maybe if she finds a life, she might leave us alone..."

"I know a good deal more about that than you think," Katia snaps. "I also know that a number of people *claim* to be acting under the Imperius Curse when it isn't true. It's a favored tactic. And," she taunts, "Niki seems to be much more intelligent than the rest of you... she wants to know what I can tell her..." She smirks.

************

Andy's eyes glowed a brilliant shade of red when he heard that this girl...this THING had just insulted Niki's mother. He began to breathe hard and under his breath he was mumbling. How could someone be this evil?

He stared at her and only at her. No one else was in the room. He had so much hatred for this girl. This girl who got here just a few days ago, and had the nerve to be such a... He started at her, and his eyes never met her presence. He couldn't stand her. Everything about her. Her smile, her hair, even her eyes were making him mad. His hands became fists and he began to sweat.

Just then a silver plate which had been on display was flying straight towards Katia. If the plate hit her head it would surely cause her to go unconscious. Andy's eyes opened wide and he couldn't believe what he was doing.

"No!" Andy yelled. When he screamed the plate was immediately flung off course. It smashed into the wall and hit the ground with a loud bang. The plate missed Katia by nearly two inches.

A billion thoughts ran through Madison's mind, and she clenched her fists.

*That wasn't me!!!* Madison turned away and closed her eyes, then opened them, looking for anything to take her mind off her conflicting thoughts...when a plate whizzed by her, nearly hitting Katia. She looked in the direction the plate came from, and spotted Andy. Part of her wanted to congratulate him on the close hit, but the other part was confused. She stood there, not knowing what to do. *What's wrong with me?*

Katia glances at Andy, batting her eyelashes in a parody of her normal flirting. "Thank you so much, Andy... I much preferred Asriel." she murmurs.

Looking back at Niki, she smiles. "You mean to tell me you don't *know*?" She laughs, revealing straight white teeth. "You don't know what happened to your own mother?" Seeing the obvious look of incomprehension on the younger girl's face, she smiles again, thought this time it was a smirk. "Your mother..." She lowers her voice to a low contralto whisper, "your mother, when she was in Azkaban, got a little present from a Dementor. They liked her so much... they gave her a little kiss."

Niki's hand moves back again, and her hand connects with an even louder noise with Katia's cheek. "How dare you," she hisses, furiously. "How dare you." Niki's eyes narrow to slits, and she spits in Katia's face. Slowly, bitterly, almost silently, she whispers, "how dare you, you..." Her voice trails off, trembling with rage. She turns, suddenly, racing back out the door.

Madison was confused. *Asriel? What's he got to do with it?* She turned to Andy, with a what-is-she-talking-about look. She turned in time to see Katia whisper something to Niki...something that must have been horrible by the way she said it. She clenched her fists again, the urge to wring Katia's neck almost overwhelming...She looked around again, trying to get her mind off it. Her gaze fell on Andy again, and she sent him a questioning look.

Andy fell to the floor dumfounded at what had just happened and at what Katia had just said. Asriel was out of his body. His soul, the pendant, was gone. So how could this have happened? He was going to stop by Professor McGonnagal's office and have a little chat.

But Andy didn't have the power of telekinesis. Asriel did. This wasn't right. He was confused. He looked at Madison. He could see the same dreadful thing was happening to her. With all the strength he had he stood up and ran to her.

"Don't think about it!" he screamed. "Don't think about anger. It gets to us. It makes our...demons come back. Don't think about Katia and what she says!"

He fell. He couldn't take it anymore. He looked back at Katia. She knew this would happen. She meant for this to happen. How could Asriel be seeping into him? Andy knew one thing. He would do anything to try and stop it.

"Silentio!" Morticia shouts, her wand out and pointed at Katia. Sparks emerge from the wand and the spell hits Katia full. She's suddenly no longer able to speak. Morticia glares at her with hatred, breathing heavily, her hands shaking.

Katia really couldn't care less, since her target, Niki, is gone. She shakes her head, glancing scornfully at the gathered girls (and boy) and slips past them and out of the library, smiling sweetly at some sixth years that are just coming in. She intends to go to Madam Pomfrey and get her voice back, and is thinking of all the rude things she would like to say to Morticia, Madison, and Andy.

*How did he know...?* Madison's confusion and anger were almost forgotten as she watched Andy fall. "Andy! Someone go get help!" She knelt down next to him. *Katia...she must have had something to do with this...she's not too far...get her back...*
"Shut up! Leave me alone!"
*You remember...the power...the thrill...*

The images flashed through her mind again. Violent images of what had happened in the Forest. Hadrian...

*You can get that power back...*

"I don't want it!" Madison yelled, not realising that she had replied out loud. Too tired, in both body and mind, to keep fighting, she collapsed next to Andy. "I don't want it..." she said quietly, before slipping into unconsciousness.

**************

Madame Pince may have been going partly deaf and ignored the first resounding slap when Arcadia struck Randal or been a little distracted by the charming voice and smile of young Professor Grimalkin, but she could no longer ignore the increasing noise the group of Third Years were making in *Her* Library. More slaps, raised voices, whizzing plates, screams and people rushing out was quite, quite enough.

She marched up to the gathered group of Third Years' just as Madison joined Andy on the floor she looked more annoyed than concerned. "Where do you think you ARE!" she raised her voice to the remaining students, "THIS IS A LIBRARY not your common room!" she noted two Gryffindor students were apparently passed out on the floor where some anxious students from Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Slytherin clustered around them.

"Stand away, stand away," she examined the children and ordered some other students to see them carried straight to the Hospital Wing. The Sixth Years who had recently come in and who were most annoyed at the goings on did so.

"Now there were others here a few minutes ago from both Slytherin and Gryffindor and I intend to inform both Head of Houses that this type of behaviour is UNACCEPTABLE! Miss Lagrand, Miss Hawkwood and Miss Black for shame - you are usually such well behaved young ladies I would not wish to restrict your access and will assume you were merely drawn in despite yourselves."

For the first time she noted the tribbles "WHAT...." she pointed fingers at Nimue, Kat, Morticia, Elia, Fiona and anyone else remaining, "REMOVE THESE NOW - animals are not allowed in the Library."

"I'm very sorry, Madam Pince," Elia says, looking as innocent as a truly innocent person can, (i.e., not very innocent) "but we need them to write our Care of Magical Creatures essays. If I could check out this book...?" She lifts, or tries to lift, the heavy volume from the table. It had to weigh a good thirty pounds at least.

In her flurry of activity she also spots Arcadia's wolf cub Pantalaimon.

"NO ANIMALS! This is a library not a PETTING ZOO. Miss Fudge, either remove that wolf now or yourself. Read the rules, pets should remain in dormitories during school hours unless needed for lessons. They are not fashion accessories and certainly are not allowed in here..."

She noted also the presence of McTavish and Scully. "Miss Black...your cat... and whoever you are.." she pointed at Fiona, "that..should also remain outside. Heaven knows how such creatures might contaminate my books. I shall be speaking most severely to Prof..Professor..to Hagrid about controlling his lessons more closely."

She sent an urgent summons to the House Elves to assist in restoring order.

Arcadia watches Randal walk away from her open mouthed. She looks about heady to follow when The Librarian makes her comment about her 'pet' " HE is NOT a pet He's...."

She dose not finish the sentence, and in a fit of anger she stamps her foot and rushes out of the Library, a few Tribbles dropping from her robe as she dose.

<Voice from the shadows> "...Is it?.... It IS!... They are...Tribbilisis!.... Here... Must go tell the others.... we needs to be preparings!..."

*What was Rubeus Hagrid thinking having them bring these creatures into her library*

"Miss Concinni," replied Miss Pince to Elia, "bringing one familiar into the library under strict control and with permission may be acceptable but these are some sort of 'creature' and there are dozens of them. Does anyone know what they eat and their other .... habits?", the thought of what these animals might leave in their wake filled her with horror.

She looked particularly unpleasant, "However, shouting, slapping and throwing plates at the walls is definitely *not* permissible in the library at any time. Quiet conversation only. I know not all of you were involved but this sort of behaviour will not do!"

She turned again to Elia, "Miss Concinni, you may take check that book out but only after this infestation is cleared. As it is our only copy of that volume I expect you to share it with your classmates."

Kat couldn't believe it. How had she been implicated in the fighting and noise? She'd had nothing to do with it! She was merely trying to find out more about the tribbles. And where had Madam Pince got this idea about familiar rules. There were no rules about familiars. True most stayed out of the way during the day, but rules? She guess Madam Pince had just had enough of the noise and was in a bad mood.

She helped Sarah, Fiona and Nimue gather the Tribbles. "What are we going to do with them?" She asked the others.

Fiona chewed on her lip thoughtfully. She already had about fifteen of the bundles of fluff in her robes and McTavish was starting to get increasingly agitated. The little Scottish girls sighed heavily and, pushing her glasses up her nose, began to collect up as many tribbles as she could.

Her blonde head soon disappeared behind a mountain of tribbles. "I dinae know where ta tak' them," she said, her voice muffled by their fur. "Anyone got any ideas?"

"Back outside might be the best" suggested Nimue whose own tribble had multiplied a few fold. She was working out the rate of multiplication and wondering if Hogwarts was going to disappear under a pile of tribbles before nightfall.

"I wonder does the book say they have any natural enemies?" as she collected more and fretted over her library privileges.

"We'll take these outside" said Nimue as she Fiona headed out their arms loaded with tribbles. Sarah went to look for a box.

**************

Dylan had heard every word of the conversation, and it was only the fact that Katia was a girl that saved her from the onslaught of his fists. Almost as soon as Niki had bolted out the door, Dylan was on his feet after her. As fleet as a stag, he ran after her down the corridors, deftly navigating them as he tried to catch her. He assumed he was in better physical condition and he'd overtake her eventually. Dylan called her name, hoping she'd slow, hoping she'd at least pause, because for reasons he knew not himself, he didn't want her to be alone right now.

Niki slows, then stops, leaning against the statue of Bartholomew the Brutal. Her eyes are red and swollen. "Y...yes?" Her voice is a bit shaky and she seems to be holding back tears.

Dylan comes close enough to touch her, but no closer, his usual awkwardness gone. "I'm glad y' stopped. Didn't want t' run all over Hogwarts tryin' t' catch you." He tried to smile a little, but it vanished as he took in her state. "I didn't want you t' be alone. I saw how she was gettin' t' you....oh, Niki, I'm sorry. Go on, cry, if'n you want. There's no-one here t' see but me," Dylan told her soothingly, and gently, he touched her shoulder, trying his best to be reassuring.

"You... you heard what she said, didn't you?" she asks shakily. It's not an accusation, merely a question. "She's so... so hateful! I don't know if it's true, I don't want to know..." With that, Niki bursts into tears.

"Hush, now, easy...just take it easy," Dylan told her quietly, rubbing her shoulder with a light and gentle hand. "Don't believe two words tha' come out o' tha' viper's mouth. She's not worth wastin' your time o'er." Absently, he wondered just how he ended up here, comforting a Slytherin girl in the middle of a corridor, but it really didn't matter.

Dylan felt so sorry for her, felt a compassion he thought buried. It was puzzling, but he didn't give that much thought, intent instead on comforting Niki. It took him some effort to continue speaking English, for the only times he'd been called upon to comfort someone were times at home with his family, and certainly the language of the moment was not English. But Dylan was determined. "You're a...a better person than tha' piece o' trash. You don't need t' let her bother you."

Niki tries to smile through her tears. "It… it's just that…" She stops speaking, and takes a deep breath, trying to decide what she wants to say, laying it out in her mind so that she doesn't make mistakes with her English. "It might be true. I don't know…"

Her voice trails off plaintively. "I… I'm all right, really I am, you don't need to stay here, Dylan. Go on to lunch." Her voice doesn't carry much conviction, and she doesn't meet Dylan's eyes, nor does she try to move away from him. "I hate her!" she bursts out, followed by several epithets in French and Arabic.

When Niki gets herself under control again, she apologises. "I'm sorry, Dylan, I know you don't speak French… I just don't know how to curse in English." She tries to smile again, but fails. "Thank you," she whispers, wiping her eyes.

Dylan nodded, and pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket. Handing it to her, he told her quietly, "It'll be all right, Niki. It'll be all right. You'll see." He looked at her, his own eyes soft, surprisingly gentle and their colour shifted to a soft blue as he gave her a rare, genuine smile.

Niki wipes her eyes, and smiles back up at Dylan. "Thank you," she repeats, very softly.

Dylan felt slightly odd as she smiled at him, and he broke the gaze, pushing his glossy raven hair out of his eyes. "D' you want t' go t' lunch? If'n you want t' avoid bein' 'round e'eryone, I understand." He realised he was still touching her shoulder, and pulled his hand away uncertainly. Why was she smiling at him like that? Dylan didn't know. He glanced back up at her, his expression more curious than anything else.

Niki feels slightly disappointed when he removes his hand, and mentally wonders why. "I'm not really hungry, and I don't want to go down there," she says shrugging a little. "If you want to go down, go ahead. I promise not to kill myself or something while you're gone..." Her attempt at humour falling flat, Niki sighs. "Dylan..." her voice trails off, as if she's unsure of what to say.

He quirked a dark brow, looking at her now, his eyes inquisitive, but they lack their usual hardness. All one ever needed to know about Dylan, they could find in his eyes, and he knew it well. He walked with his head bowed for a reason. But those usual precautions were, for the moment, forgotten as he looked at Niki.

"No," he said finally. "I'll stay wi' you." He didn't know from where this protective streak was coming. But he wasn't about to fight it, nor was he going to leave her alone, not now, not with how upset Katia had made her.

"Thank you." This time, when Niki smiles, it's a real smile, and her face, still blotchy from her tears, lights up. She shifts position slightly- the arm of one of the bodies Bartholomew the Brutal is standing on is pressing into her shoulder- and sighs deeply. "*Did* you hear what she said?" she asks again, looking intently at him. "I'm so confused. I don't know if it's true or not..."

"She was talkin' about your Mum an' Professor Grimalkin, callin' them Azkaban rats or sommat like tha'." Dylan shook his head and went to reach for her hand, then curbed this instinct. "Don't worry about it, don't think about it. 'Twill only trouble you, an' Katia's not worth th' effort." What was wrong with him? Why did he want to take her hand? Where was this comforting instinct coming from? Dylan didn't know. He didn't want to think about it, but his behaviour was honestly disturbing him. However, Niki didn't seem to notice. Dylan pushed his hair away from his face, a little frown playing at his features for only a moment, then it was gone.

Niki shakes her head, reluctantly. "She did say that," Niki admits, adding a muttered word Dylan can't quite catch. Taking a deep breath, she explains. "My mother was in Azkaban. She died there, but Katia... Katia said that before she died she got the Dementor's Kiss."

Angrily, Niki rubs her eyes, angry with herself for breaking down again. "I'm sorry," she murmurs, trying to hold back her tears again, slightly embarrassed.

Dylan shook his head, reaching out and touching her arm again, rubbing it lightly. "Shh, it's all right," he murmured soothingly to her. He honestly had no idea what that meant, a Dementor's Kiss. He was quite lucky he understood what Azkaban was, honestly, but he knew better than to bring any of that up at this particular juncture. He didn't know what to say to her to calm her down, but he kept trying, rubbing her arm with a gentle hand.

Niki eventually stops crying, but not for a long while. When the last hiccuping sobs die down, she rubs her eyes angrily and stands up. "Thank you," she says, her voice brisk and filled with false cheer. *Oh, no,* she thinks. *That sounds so... wrong.* She was really very grateful to Dylan, and had no idea what she would have done if he hadn't stopped her, but she was acutely aware of the fact that lunch was over, and she was expected in Astronomy. *I sound so mean... Oh, why did this have to happen today? Why today, when I was happy, when I'd forgotten my nightmares.* Silently, Niki prays that Dylan won't take offence at the way she had pulled her arm away from him, which seems brusque and rude now that she thinks about it.

Dylan sighed a little, more than slightly confused himself now by all of this. "C'mon," he said quietly, "I'll walk you where e'er you're goin'." The desire to be protective seemed to be there, something almost ever present, and Dylan wasn't certain how he felt about that. But he decided to act on it; it really seemed as if he had no choice now. Niki was obviously upset. He'd seen these looks in his mother's eyes when word had come back about the accident in the mines. Dylan pushed that thought away violently. "Where are y' goin'?"

***************

Anders had gone off and sneezed for several minutes and had ended up somewhat flustered and warm. Horrible nasty fuzzy tribble type things.

An urge was creeping over him that he had denied since his arrival at Hogwarts. Outside, in what served as the castle's 'garage', under a dustsheet, was his motorbike, the one he'd arranged to be brought in from the Muggle world. If Anders Grimalkin had one true failing, it was an inordinate need to feel the air on his face as he raced along, either on a broomstick - now impossible seeing as he'd been banned from flying - or on his motorbike, which he loved with a typically male-obsessive passion.

He checked his workload and realised he had a couple of hours free until his next class, and made an instant decision that he would damn the whole thing to hell, go change into his bike leathers, and go for a blast on the bike. It, like he, needed to clear some carbon out of its gullet and clear its thoughts.

So it was that fifteen minutes later, he had divested himself of his robes, dressed in his leathers and was heading outside, his crash helmet in his hand, lost in a world of his own. He walked past Nimue and Fiona and their collection of tribbles seemingly without even noticing them. He disappeared into the shed where his bike was, and the unmistakable throaty whine of the engine soon followed.

Anders gunned the engine gently. It had been a while since he'd ridden the bike, but it still responded to his every touch beautifully. He grinned contentedly and pulled the helmet on over his head, flipping the visor down. He took a deep breath and he was away.

Fiona stared as the tall young man dressed completely in black leather walked past. She leaned in towards Nimue. "Och, isnae that Anders Grimalkin? The Quidditch player?" She'd missed the DADA class, of course, so hadn't had the honour of meeting the Professor.

"Eh...excuse me," she said as she watched him leave on the bike. She removed her glasses and cleaned them on the sleeve of her robe. For some reason, they appeared to have fogged up.

"Ummm no Fiona, I mean yes ..." replied Nimue glad that Fiona was having problems with her glasses and therefore couldn't see how effected she had been at the sight of the young Professor dressed 'like that'! She was having enough trouble trying to banish him from her thoughts as it was - this wasn't going to make it any easier.

"That was Anders Grimalkin but he's a teacher here at Hogwarts now. So he's Professor Grimalkin to us as he..he's our Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher." Nimue was dropping tribbles everywhere there seemed to be more of them already.

"Gosh I'm going to need a shower after this... I mean they are shedding everywhere."

Putting her glasses back on, Fiona blinked at Nimue. "I guess I have a bit of a...I used to collect pictures of him..." She blushed. "He was a good Seeker. I thought he was in Azkaban?"

Living in the wilds of Europe and then the Highlands of Scotland hadn't done a whole lot for Fiona's current affairs knowledge.

She dusted down her robes. "Och, yes, I see what you mean about those tribbles. There's tribble fur everywhere."

Sarah approached the other girls carrying a huge box almost bigger than she was.

"Hey Fee, Nimmy" she called, "scenery's getting a bit more interesting round here don't ya think" with a nod in the direction the bike had taken. "You'll have to tell me Nimmy how'd you swing it to get personal time alone with ole Snapey - I can then apply your winning formula to DADA." she was grinning from ear to ear with the thought.

She began helping the girls with the tribbles and putting them into the box. "They are multiplying all over. Hagrid's having quite a time." Sarah noted a couple of house elves whispering under a bush. "Hey wanna give us a hand here?" but they scampered away.

Nimue was somewhat relived with both Sarah's teasing and Fiona's obvious appreciation of Anders Grimalkin. However, while she might have shared some of her real thoughts and feelings about him with Kat, she couldn't let her guard down too much with these other girls and opted for the good advise she really ought to take herself.

"Well, he was released from that place. He was found not guilty of that other players death and he's here now." she replied to Fiona and taking in Sarah, "and no matter how much we all appreciate having a young teacher instead of the usual.... fossils around here we really should show him proper respect."

"Fossils?" remarked Sarah, "that's the spirit Nimmy! Gawd, I always figured there was a bit of spirit in you somewhere." she playfully punched Nimue on the arm.

"Of course apart from a promising crop of young wizards in the Sixth and Seventh Years, the only other major talent on the grounds is that Marcus of yours. You ever going to spill the beans on how you swung that one? I know your mean ole parents have only hooked you up with the most fancied chap in our year ..." she turned to Fiona, "yea guy named Marvo ... everyone even the dead was after him .... 'cept me that is." she turned her attention back to Nimue "but still they leave you with the best-looking 'protector' any girl could want. So what gives and exactly how do I get to know him better? I mean come on... share the wealth a little."

Fiona's mouth dropped open. She was a sweet natured girl from a very sheltered background, and Sarah's open attitude quite surprised her. She blushed to her hair roots and began gathering tribbles, dumping them in the box. McTavish successfully managed to get himself mixed in amongst them several times.

She listened to Sarah's description of Nimue's 'protector' and peered at the other girl curiously. "Why d'ye have a 'protector'?" she asked. "What is there to be protected from around here?"

"Oh" blushed Nimue, "he was sent to me last year because my Father is with the Ministry and with all the concerns there were about the strange goings on at the castle he didn't want me to be in any danger. Marcus was here ..emm. in disguise but when he was injured in the forest everyone saw him so no point anymore of the disguise. He's staying around he's helping out Professor McGonagall with Transfiguration classes and generally acting as liaison with ..." she dropped the thought.

Fiona gathered up a couple more tribbles. Glancing at Sarah, she noticed the Ravenclaw emblem on her robes. "I'm in Ravenclaw too," she said, shyly. "Do ye mind if I tag along with ye a little? McTavish an' me don't really know anyone here..." Her pink cheeks went pinker still.

"Yeah sure you can" said Sarah to Fiona, "Ravenclaw is ace. Not like Gryffindor and Slytherin. No offence ... Nimmy. Just that you've got to admit you're a weird group over there. Madison and Andy somewhat lost it back there."

She shrugged and continued . "Yeah, that Marcus is an animagus and sly little Nimmy over here, well she was pretending all autumn that he was her pet. That was his disguise." Sarah winked at Nimue, "Pet!"

Sarah then proceeded to go a passable impersonation of Minerva McGonagall, "I am shocked Miss Hawkwood all those mornings you came in to breakfast looking so...so..windblown... all the time you were alone with that young man... and him just wearing just 'feathers'. .. just feathers.." Sarah was beside herself with giggles and was pretty certain by the way Nimue was stifling laughter while trying to stuff tribbles in the box that she hadn't offended the other girl too much this time by taking the rip.

**********

In the Hospital Wing Katia has just regained her voice and explained to Madam Pomfrey that it was a mis-directed spell in practice when Madison and Andy are carried in. She smirks at them and whispers, "Feeling better now?" as she passes.