Marcus was becoming rather dizzy with Professor McGonagall's erratic dancing. His feet might never recover.

He also noticed that Anders and Nimue had taken to the dance floor. He hadn't expected they'd be quite so bold and he thought he'd better rescue the situation. When he spotted Marvo sitting with Kat and Company he knew he had a situation on his hands.

"Minerva, you have exhausted me." He managed to guide their steps in the direction of Professor Snape. He gently nudged into the scowling Professor who turned to glare at he and Professor McGonagall.

Marcus relinquished his hold on Professor McGonagall and guided her in the direction of Snape. "Why certainly you can cut in Severus.," he said quite loudly. He left them to it and headed in direction of Marvo.

A slight smile on his normally miserable face, Snape was suddenly rather surprised to realize that yes, he would quite like to cut in and dance with Minerva. He'd enjoyed the punch, too. He was feeling...most unlike himself. "Minerva?" he said, offering her one arm. "Can I tempt you?"

"Why, of course, Severus!" Professor McGonagall smiled happily, taking his arm. "It's so delightful to watch the students, isn't it?"

To add to Marvo's confusion Marcus joined them at the table giving a radiant smile in the direction of Sarah and Fiona who were nearby. "Mal..Marvo, how excellent to see you up here. Since you are here I was wondering if you'd permit me to ask Miss Black for a dance?"

Marvo still looking confused turns and smiles at Marcus. " Hello Mr. Falconer" He turns to Kat to see what she says to both questions. Marvo thinks to himself '... hang on....' " Then Who is dancing with Nimue?" He asks out loud, but more as a question to himself.

Marcus looks quite bemused at Marvo's question and looks around to where Nimue and Anders are dancing. "Oh. Yes, well that's Anders Grimalkin." He tries to catch Anders eye to signal they really should come over and be sociable.

Marvo stops smiling. " Grimalkin!" Marvo stands suddenly.

"Look, Marvo don't start getting overly involved. You are here with Miss Black remember? Nimue is perfectly all right. I am her escort for the evening and Anders is a friend.

As Anders and Nimue danced, they talked quietly, but could not be heard, at least, not until Anders grinned broadly and said in a normal level of voice, "Ah, but really, Miss Hawkwood. Maybe I ENJOY playing with fire."

Marvo pushes past Marcus and walks over to the dancing Couple. He takes hold of Anders arm and pulls him quite forcefully away. " Do NOT touch her Murderer!" He Turns to Nimue, " And I thought you had more sense than that Elizabeth!" His Left hand now holds his wand, and his fingers seem to be melded into it.

Nimue is horrified at what Marvo has done and said. On instinct, she slaps him hard across the face. "How dare you!"

Marvo puts his hand to his face. This was not the welcome he had expected. " Don't you know who, what, this is? What's a matter with you Nim?"

Niki stands, staring at Marvo and Anders. "What do you mean by that?" she says, storming over towards them. Her thoughts are in turmoil. She had thought that only some of the more annoying students... Katia and Arcadia for instance... would try to remind Anders of his past. Why was it any of Marvo's business?

Anders stumbled backwards from Nimue suddenly as the dance was rudely interrupted. He blinked once or twice - his landing on earth after walking on air had been a rather rocky one. There was something...in the stance, in the manner of the young man who had separated them...that reminded him...smacked of.... Auror...

The colour drained from his face, and the bile rose in his stomach as all the memories flooded back in through the mental gates he kept so carefully erected around his thoughts.

But he would not leave without retaining *some* semblance of dignity. Ignoring the intruder, he turned to Nimue. "Thank you for the dance and for the conversation, Miss Hawkwood. As I said, my time here at the ball must necessarily be cut short as...as I have work that I must catch up on after my time off yesterday."

Almost in defiance, he took her hand in his own trembling one and raised it to his lips, grazing her knuckles gently. "Your servant, my lady." He turned to the stranger and bowed deeply to him. "Sir." Anders Grimalkin left the Great Hall without so much as a backward glance.

Marvo glares at Anders as he leaves. " Moody warned me about him. " He turned to Nimue. " Did he do anything to you?"

Nimue didn't answer for a few moments, her anger somewhat dissipated by Anders dignified departure. She had noted that his hand had been trembling when he'd kissed hers. She turned back to Marvo: "Of course I know Professor Grimalkin! Are you mad? He's one of my teachers! How could you be so cruel and so rude!"

Professor McGonagall might have been the *slightest* bit tipsy, but she was still Professor McGonagall. She was beside Marvo and Nimue in an instant. "This is not acceptable behavior," she told them her voice quiet and cracking like a whip. "You are not to speak in that manner to a Hogwarts professor, Mr. Ward," she told Marvo, "and as for you, Miss Hawkwood... I am disappointed in you. I thought that you would know better than this. Your behavior will improve, and you will apologize to Professor Grimalkin, Mr. Ward." She turns to Niki. "Miss Pheidippides, I assure you that your intervention is not required."

Marvo looks at Professor McGonagall. " My Apologies Professor. I have just come from a long journey find.... HIM and my b.. and Nimue..." he lets his words trail off. He does not comment on the suggested apology.

"Professor, I apologize for slapping Ma..Mr. Ward but he totally misinterpreted an innocent dance and I am afraid I lost my temper at the way in which he addressed Professor Grimalkin."

After eating twice his weight in food and drink, Hagrid surprisingly showed up at the Valentines Day Feast. He was in a bad mood because of the tribbles and thought the gathering would get him in a better mood. He entered the room and saw many people. Marvo caught his eye.

"Good t' 'ave ya back, Marvo! Ya missed the tribble disaster althou' tha' might a been a good thing," said Hagrid as he approached Professor McGonagall. "Minerva," said Hagrid. "Ya said ya needed a word wit' me bou' somethin'."

"I don't blame you, Miss Hawkwood," Professor McGonagall said, tight-lipped with fury. "And don't apologize to me, Mr. Ward. I am not the one you have called a murderer. I would go and locate Professor Grimalkin." She turns to Hagrid. "Hello, Hagrid."

Katia turns to Unnamed, speaking in a voice audible to those within a few yards, but not to the teachers. "Well, I mean, he is a murderer, but it's not really right, is it, for a teacher to be dancing with a student like *that*?"

"Yeah..." the fifth-year replied, tearing his gaze from Katia's torso. "Yeah, it's not right."

"What's that Ward boy mean, coming in here just for the dance? Why hasn't be been here before?" She flashes a glance at the students gathered around Nimue and Marvo.

Yvette had been bored, and wandered over to the drink table. She downed her fifth glass of punch and hiccuped, wobbling away. She knocked over Unnamed, not noticing until he cried out. "Oopsies! *hiccup* Sorry 'bout that, really, I must watch my...*hiccup* self..." She trailed off and began muttering incoherent (is that even a word?) French under her breath.

Katia rolled her eyes, and Unnamed pulled her a bit to the side of the dance floor, talking to her in an undertone. Her face lit up with a very slight smile, and she threw her head back and laughed, replying in a low voice.

Yvette looked around, suddenly seeing double. She wanted to sit down, really she did...the sudden pounding in her ears was *most* unpleasant...

Madison headed over to the punchbowl and, after gulping down her second glass of punch, began to flirt with a very handsome fifth year Ravenclaw...whose date stalked off when he flirted back. Later, after another half a cup of punch each, the two began to dance...Madison was a better dancer than she had let on and the two seemed to be having a good time, even if they seemed a bit tipsy.

Niki, too, was enjoying herself. She had wondered what the Welsh word meant, but considering Dylan's reaction last time she'd asked him about Wales, she decided it was better to savor the moment and ask later, if she remembered. Niki couldn't remember feeling this happy for a long time. At least not since she had realized that the diary held Hadrian, that her brother wasn't gone... But even that was a bittersweet blessing, she reflected. What he had told her was enough to make her blood run cold.

Dylan looked down in time to see the troubled expression flitter across Niki's face. "What are y' thinkin' about?" he asked her quietly, his voice low and gentle. He was worried about her a little, about all the things she hid that hurt her so badly. But then again, he mused, one could say the same for him.

Niki answered without thinking, without even realizing she had spoken: "The last time I was this happy." She seemed utterly amazed that she had said that, her face burning. "It... it's nothing," she stammered, wondering what happened to make her let down those walls now of all times.

He shook his head. "It's hardly nothin' if'n it means sommat t' you. Which obviously it does." Dylan pulled his hand from her waist briefly to brush her cheek, the gesture amazing even himself. He quickly put his hand back, uncertain what he was doing.

Niki bit her lip, unsure of whether she could tell Dylan about the diary, unsure of whether he would believe her if she did, or whether he would even want to know her if he believed her. "My brother," she said, her voice so low as to be barely audible.

In an undertone, she explained about the diary, omitting the bits she'd written about Dylan, and then about how Hadrian was writing disconcerting things. A part of her brain, the part that wasn't affected by soft words, is screaming at her. 'Don't talk about this!' it shouts. 'Why are you saying this? There's something wrong!' but Niki silences it. For some reason, she feels like she could trust Dylan with anything.

To his credit, Dylan kept dancing, never loosing the beat as she spoke. For a long moment, he fell silent, mulling over all this in his mind. He'd seen some crazy things since he'd come to Hogwarts; was this any harder to believe. She was too earnest, too open to have this be a lie. Right now, he wagered, he'd believe just about anything from her lips.

"I dunno what t' tell you...I think it might be dangerous," he replied in an equally quiet tone. "If'n he's connected t' Dark magic, th' diary itself might be dangerous...I'm not goin' t' tell you t' stop writin' in it, if'n it makes you happy. But fer God's sake, be careful."

Niki nods, her head moving against Dylan's robes. "I would have gotten rid of it when I realized what it was... Hadrian and I were almost like twins, only ten months apart, and when Mother was taken away... I know I should get rid of it, but it'd be like killing him again, and the worst part is, he knows it, and he's manipulating me..." She sighed. "I'm going to try not to think about it now," she told Dylan, "and enjoy this."

"Do tha', then. You've earned it, I think." Dylan kept her close, his hand around her waist a little tighter now, protectively so. It seemed so much in Niki's life was out to hurt her. He frowned at that thought, unwilling to entertain it for long. He just kept dancing, surprised to find he had a knack for this, and even more surprised to find that he liked it very much, indeed.

******

Katia turned to where Nimue and Marvo were standing with Professor McGonagall. "Of course none of the Wards have any manners..." The fifth-year snickers, nodding appreciatively.

Andy looked at Katia and agreed. The Wards had no respect, no dignity. Marvo's probably on steroids. He shouldn't be with Kat. He shouldn't have any girl. He realized what he was doing. What was he thinking? Why was he so mad at Marvo? He realized that this wasn't him. This was definitely Asriel and Katia had definitely been the cause of it.

Katia smiled dazzlingly at Andy, obviously sensing his torn identities. It was always like this, with males following her around, with their eyes if not in person, because of her Veela blood. Murmuring something to Unnamed, she walked over to Andy.

"Get away from me," Andy whispered to her. "Why are you doing this? Please...ah..." No one noticed but deep inside Asriel was beginning to win.

"Doing what, dear boy?" Katia is clearly enjoying herself. Her voice is low, so that no one but Andy can hear. "You don't really want me to go away, do you?"

Andy gasped, dropping to his knees. "No," he whispered. A few people helped him up.

"I'm fine," he said looking into Katia's eyes. "Just a stomach ache...I'm all better now." Asriel has triumphed.

Katia recognized the change in his eyes. "I'm very glad to hear it," she said, smiling. She totally ignored the fifth-year, who was looking very impatient and irritated. She fluttered her eyelashes and whispered so low that Asriel would have to strain his ears to hear her, "Congratulations."

"Excuse us," said Asriel to the fifth year. "We have some talking to do." Staying in the body form of Andy, he took Katia away from the others and made sure no one could hear. "There's no time. I need a favor to ask of you," said Asriel.

"Yes?" Katia smiled inwardly at the look of utter loathing on Unnamed's face.

"I need you," he said," to get the pendant. I'm pretty sure McGonagall has it. This brat is stronger than we think." Asriel looked around to make sure no one was watching.

"Only when I have the pendant can I truly take over this body," he said. "You need to get at it. I can't. There are spells blocking me. My spirit has been roaming these walls, these halls. I've been watching you, Katia. I've been watching everyone's every move. I know how everyone works. Especially that Grimalkin."

Katia nodded immediately, not even stopping to think how she was going to get the pendant, which was undoubtedly heavily guarded. "I'll try," she told Asriel, her face grave. "You've got to stay in... in that body, though?" She glances at it in distaste.

"Once I have the pendant I can become my true self again," he replied. "Not in the view of others though. Just us. I can't risk it. You understand."

Katia is obviously pleased with this answer. "I understand," she repeats.

"You and I will finally be together," he said. He could feel Andy was starting to come back. "I must go. He's coming to." He made sure no one could see and kissed Katia on the lips.

Katia was enjoyed herself immensely for a few seconds, but she heard a noise from behind her. Spinning around, she saw a very nervous-looking first year dashing towards the bathroom, obviously having over-indulged in punch. She muttered something in German, then turned back to Asriel.

"I must leave you," he said to her. He kissed her once more. "Don't worry. Andy won't remember anything. He's not that powerful." He kissed her again this time longer. "Good bye."

Was there a tear glistening in the corner of Katia's eye? Surely not. This was, after all, the incredibly unpleasant girl... It was a tear, but it didn't fall. "Goodbye," she whispered.

Suddenly a confused face came upon Andy. What had happened? And why was he standing with Katia? He just looked at her and stared, waiting for her to say something.

"And don't you ever, ever speak to me like that again!" Katia said angrily, getting into her stride without even a pause once she realized that Asriel had gone. She narrowed her eyes with dislike, and stalked off.

*******

"Oops!" Madison giggled, accidentally bumping into Winifred, then turned back to her new dancing partner...a fourth year Slytherin. She was no longer acting like her usual sweet and innocent self, but was being very flirtatious and pissing off many of the other girls...

"Whoa! Hey Madison. Who's the cutie?" Winifred grinned.

Madison grinned back. "Hi Wini! Oh, this is...uh..." She turned to the boy and whispered the question to him. He whispered back. "This is Evan...he's from Slytherin..."

Winifred leaned in to Madison. "Well, good luck!" Winifred took off in the direction of the fourth year she had her eye on, and, in a rather bold move, pulled him out onto the dance floor. She acted a lot more giggly and flirtatious than she ever had in her life, but she was enjoying herself.

******

Nimue had resisted the temptation to say anything else in front of Professor McGonagall. She had little confidence that Marvo would let the matter go or that he will apologize to the Professor or even to her!

Her refuge was that Marvo was completely wrong to have done what he'd especially as she had been left with Anders by Marcus, who was suppose to be in charge of her protection.

Still she knew that no matter how formally she and Anders had danced together that given the undercurrents of feelings between them, they had taken a risk. However, given the degree of cheer that was flowing through the hall in the wake of people feeling very 'merry' on punch she concluded that until Marvo had been so dramatic about breaking them apart it probably would have been forgotten by everyone.

As the Professor moved off to rejoin Professor Snape, who seemed to be almost smiling in anticipation at her return, Nimue decided to find Marcus.

She couldn't resist getting in a parting shot, "You couldn't just come here and enjoy being with Kat could you? Wake up call, despite what our parents might be planning you have no right to dictate who I can be friends with!"

Marvo looks a little shocked. " But.." Is all he manages to say before Nimue heads over to Kat. He follows

Nimue went over to the table where Marcus is standing seeking to make some form of conversation with Kat and the other Ravenclaw girls. She really hoped she was not going to ruin another party for Kat and without preamble jumped right in to straighten things out with her.

"Kat, look I am really sorry about that. I didn't even know Marvo was coming let alone here. If I had I would have stopped dancing immediately. I know from his letter how much he distrusts Professor Grimalkin. So I guess he thought he was effecting another heroic rescue!"

Marvo stands behind Nimue. " Nimmy, Look, sorry if I got the wrong idea, It was just a shock seeing you with him, especially after the warning I set you. Moody says he knows people like him, death eaters who pretended to be all good and nice after V..You know who was gone. Of course I know there was nothing 'going on' I was just worried is all. Worried he might use some sort of, of charm on you, magic or otherwise.." He pause to think for a second

" But of course, I know your cleverer than to allow just good looks and a handsome manner sway you. I'm sure your safe from him. But I will keep my eye on him for you. I... I apologies for my rash actions"

He smiles and looks at Kat: " You get my flowers?" He asks in a desperate attempt to change the subject. But something was niggling him. Something in the back of his mind. Something Nimue had said in her Owl. But he couldn't quite remember what it was.

Kat had watched the scene in amazement. Why did Marvo always muck things up like this? Nimue was happy and so was Anders what was his problem. Maybe that one important word that nearly slipped out was the problem still. Kat looked at Nimue, Marvo and Marcus, and answered each of them in turn.

"Nimue, you cannot predict how Marvo will react, and I cannot blame you for his outburst, or for dancing with such a good looking teacher. "Yes, I did get you flowers Marvo, but I think changing the subject won't help. Why don't you talk to you beloved betrothed about Dylan and Anders and work out what is going on before you shout at anyone else. I am going to dance with this charming, well mannered gentleman!"

"Marcus, I would be honoured to dance with you." And with that she takes Marcus' hand and heads for the dance floor before anyone can reply.

*******

Arcadia has been keeping a low profile during this, Pantalaimon almost hiding in her robes. " That Grimalkin deserves everything he gets!" She says to Nathan, then pauses, seeing that they are close to the Teachers' table

" And you know, he tried to... to... well... He 'touched me' in class! When I was made to stay behind! He said they he wanted us to be 'friends' be I KNEW what he meant! He's a BAD Man!"

She waits for Nathan's reply, and Pantalaimon glances over to the teacher's table where he sees that Professor McGonagall is looking their way. Arcadia smiles.

McGonagall, sobered up by the events between Marvo and Professor Grimalkin was greatly disturbed by what she heard Arcadia say. The young Professor HAD been dancing rather closely with Elizabeth Hawkwood, true enough, but that was excusable - they WERE just dancing.

But if what Arcadia said held any truth, then the matter could become more serious.

Minerva McGonagall had taught Anders Grimalkin as a student, and he had been quiet to the point of antisocial most of the time, had not had any school 'sweethearts' that she had been aware of, always seeming to be a little bit too immature for the girls of his own age. Even now, she marked his immaturity. He was very young for his age. But she couldn't possibly put him down as capable of what Arcadia Fudge was accusing him of.

She sat back in her seat, lost in thought. She would have to speak to Professor Grimalkin, but she would wait a half-hour or so. Just until the giddiness left her. It was one thing after another. And, she suddenly realized with embarrassed horror, she had danced with Severus Snape.

Nathan glances at her with a slight impression of disbelief on his face. "Did he? He tried to touch you? Why do you tell me, then? You should have gone to Snape or Dumbledore AND written to your father about that right away! Don't get me wrong, I think Mr. Azkaban 2001 is in the wrong place here... but telling things like that can backfire, haven't you learned ANYthing in that Skeeter-Affair?" He sighs. "Children!"

" Of course I remember the Skeeter thing!" replied Arcadia, "THAT'S why I didn't 'officially' say anything. I mean, who'd believe me! I think that's why he picked on me"

A violet glow suddenly illuminates the night outside the castle. At first nobody notices it due to the quarrel concerning Marvo, Anders and Nimue, but one by one students look around confused and head towards the windows. As they look outside in the direction of the Forest, they see words made out of violet, blue and purple light hovering in the air, dropping silver sparkles onto the ground. A faint sound can be heard like a thousand tiny silver bells. The words read:

Pour le garçon le plus doux en Angleterre, Je souhaite que tu pourriez être ici avec moi, mon amour. Je me sens perdu sans toi. Tu seras pour toujours dans mon coeur. B.R.