Nimue hurried along after the Headmaster. She soon found that she had about caught up with Professor Dumbledore. Indeed, she had to slow down to avoid running into him.

"Miss Hawkwood!" said Dumbledore, pleasantly as he noted her presence. "What an unexpected surprise. Ah, of course. You'll be looking for your friend. Miss Black kindly assisted Madam Pomfrey in helping Professor Grimalkin to the Hospital Wing. I am sure she will be relieved to see you." He lowered his glasses. "You look a little worried. Is everything alright back in the Great Hall? No more emergencies of demons, I take it?"

"No sir..I mean yes sir.. I mean..." Nimue stopped and caught her breath and her thoughts. "Yes, sir everything is all right back at the Hall. In fact, I think the musicians have come out of hiding and are starting to play again now the danger has past. But no, I wasn't looking for Kat ... I was ..was worried about Professor Grimalkin, sir. I heard that something had happened to him."

*What had she just said!* - she sought frantically to find some explanation that wouldn't cause her to dig herself in even deeper.... except her mind was a complete blank!

"Hmm. Yes. Professor Grimalkin has been involved in...an incident, it would seem," he said, walking along slowly and talking to her at the same time. "I am on my way to speak with him about it now."

He did not give her any of the details of how Grimalkin had been found. Neither did he comment on her concern for the young Professor, simply assuming that it was her natural compassion worrying about the young man. He took off his glasses and looked at her a little strangely. "Tell me, Miss Hawkwood. You are in his DADA class. Has he been exhibiting signs of anything...unusual in the past day or so?"

"Yesterday, he complained of a headache." she struggled to remember whether he had said anything in class or whether it was only in their private conversation. "I spoke with him briefly about it afterwards as it seemed to be quite bad and I have some skill in such matters. He said the pain was both in his temples and the back of his neck. I suggested that a bath might help to ease the constriction." She paused hoping that the Headmaster might allow her to see Anders.

"Really?" Dumbledore seemed interested. "A headache, you say. Well, well. Young Grimalkin used to get regular headaches, and they usually preceded an event of some description. He had to lie down for at least a day before that duel he had with Snape..." He sounded like he was rambling in his usual way.

"Yes...a bath...that would certainly explain the wet hair and lack of clothing..." He was now talking to himself more than Nimue, and suddenly seemed apologetic. "Forgive me, Miss Hawkwood." His eyes twinkled at her. "Would you accompany me to the Hospital Wing? I am sure you will find Miss Black there."

Nimue was very interested in what Professor Dumbledore was saying but did not comment. She was very happy to be asked to accompany him. "Yes, Headmaster thank you I will." and walked along by his side.

Poppy Pomfrey was not generally one to gossip, but she was terribly, terribly curious about what had happened with the handsome young DADA Professor. Her careful line of questioning had got her no answers from Kathryn, and she had resigned herself to never knowing the truth.

Her concern for the young man was genuine, however. He was sleeping now, but periodically he would cry out in his sleep. She was not really surprised: she had seen people who had spent time in Azkaban before, she knew how the place haunted the spirit and the soul. But she was deeply concerned for him. Bereft of healing sleep, his condition would gradually worsen.

She reflected on this as she offered a cup of sweet tea to Kathryn, knowing that the girl had clearly been startled by events. The two sat, drinking their tea in silence, the silence only being punctuated by the occasional sob or cough from the young Professor. Madam Pomfrey's lips tightened. She would never understand Azkaban. Never.

Nimue arrived in the Hospital Wing with Professor Dumbledore.

As Madame Pomfrey greeted the Headmaster, Nimue went over and sat with Kat. The two girls spoke together quietly for a few minutes. Nimue was obviously concerned about Anders and kept glancing in his direction with some pain on her face. Kat pressed Nimue's hand in silent acknowledgement that she was sure he would be OK.

Then she excused herself as she was feeling much better and would like to rejoin Marvo. Professor Dumbledore wished her well and said he might wish to speak with her later or in the morning. Nimue was left there and decided just to stay quiet and see what happened.

The peace and quiet of the Hospital Wing was shattered by a sob from Anders, who was muttering unintelligible words and turning restlessly in the bed. His shivering body began to shake with coughs again, but he did not wake. The potion Madam Pomfrey had given him saw to that. But the dreams would not go away.

"I'm sorry, Da," he was whimpering now. "Don't be angry with me, see, it's my fault...I...." Then he would cough, then he would carry on. "Three days, Da, that's all I need, then I'm out of your hair..." Then he began to cry, softly, a pitiful, heart-wrenching sound.

There was no way in the universe that Nimue could ignore Anders' crying. He was obviously asleep but in great emotional pain. Therefore, as she stood by the bed she reached out with her hand and gently stroked his forehead, whispering quiet words of comfort that came to her.

He continued to mumble in his sleep, but the tears gradually subsided and stopped. Occasionally he would whimper slightly, but whatever Nimue was saying was clearly reaching him. One of the hands that was clenching and unclenching in a fist found hers and, still sleeping, he entwined his fingers around hers.

Madam Pomfrey looked as though she was going to say something, but Dumbledore stopped her with a quiet shake of the head. Slowly, slowly, Anders' breathing became even and regular and it may have been the half-light in the Hospital Wing, but a smile reached his lips.

Severus Snape stamped up the corridor towards the Hospital Wing, his black robes billowing out behind him. He was decidedly annoyed. His earlier light mood had been replaced by something altogether more sinister. He stormed into the Hospital Wing and saw Professor Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey in discussion.

"Headmaster!" he barked. "We must discuss this matter immediately. I told you that Grimalkin was a foolish choice! He is about as loose a cannon as you could possibly have found, and he should be removed from the school with immedi..." He trailed off as he saw Nimue and Anders holding hands - for the SECOND time since the young Professor had entered Hogwarts as a teacher. His eyes narrowed. "Just what is going on here, Miss Hawkwood?"

Nimue looked up at Snape's rather stormy countenance and true to her nature did not flinch though her voice was somewhat subdued: "Professor Grimalkin is ill, sir. I am trying to help him." She didn't know if that made any sense to Professor Snape. She wasn't going to feel any guilt about what she was doing.

"Severus, leave Miss Hawkwood be" said Dumbledore most firmly; " Her presence is having a superlative effect on Professor Grimalkin. As I am sure you can see for yourself, he is in no condition for me to speak with him just yet, neither will he be until at least the morning, if what Madam Pomfrey tells me is true. As soon as I am able to speak with me, rest assured that I will."

He positively glowered at Snape. "Dismissed, Severus. I would like to speak to you and Minerva once I have spoken with Professor Grimalkin tomorrow. Make arrangements to have your classes covered." Then noting that Professor Snape was still glowering in Anders' direction he said, "Still here, Severus?"

Professor Snape made a 'Hurruf' sound and turned and left the Infirmary.

Then Dumbledore turned to Nimue, lowering his voice so that only she could hear him. "Miss Hawkwood. I am aware that you are in possession of many talents beyond the understanding of us mere mortals. Whatever this connection is that you have with Professor Grimalkin may appear improper on the surface, but if you can ease his pain, then I cannot, as a compassionate man, take that away from him. The heavens above know what he has already suffered."

He raised his voice again. "Madam Pomfrey...if Miss Hawkwood wishes it, please allow her to visit with Professor Grimalkin whenever she desires. Her presence is obviously calming, and that is greatly desirable as far as I am concerned."

The Headmaster's eyes twinkled at Nimue. The old boy missed nothing. "He may be here for a week or so, Miss Hawkwood - and no skipping classes or being up here after lights out."

Nimue's eyes met those of Dumbledore's and conveyed to him without words her deep gratitude to the Headmaster for his understanding and compassion. She returned her attention to Anders hoping that the Professor was right that she could somehow help him.

Somewhere, at the very back of the crowded mass of thoughts and memories that made up his mind, there was a tiny, tiny spot of light, and Anders clung onto it desperately. It was an escape from the eternal torment his mind put him under when he tried to sleep, and, as once before, when Nimue had first helped him when he was poorly, he knew he was safe, and that nothing could hurt him.

"I never...hurt...not me..." he mumbled once, almost inaudibly, then fell, finally, into a deep and restful sleep, his fingers still locked with hers.

Madame Pomfrey could see that Dumbledore was right. The girl was having a remarkable effect on the young professor. She did note that it might be more appropriate for her to be sitting in a chair rather than rather awkwardly perched on the side of the bed.

Thus, she brought a comfortable chair for Nimue to sit in and a cup of tea for her as well. Nimue looked like she was settled in for the evening thought Madame Pomfrey did say that she could only stay for a while but could come back tomorrow after her classes were finished.

********

"Minerva!" Snape positively jogged down the corridor to catch up with her. "I must speak with you. Would you step into my office for a moment?" They were just outside, and he walked in, naturally without holding the door open for her.

"Certainly, Severus," she replied, with a faint sigh. "How is Professor Grimalkin? I see that you came from the direction of the Hospital Wing." She noted how Snape’s face darkened as she said his name.

"He looks like something that cat couldn’t bring itself to drag in, but I think he will be alright, more’s the pity. Dumbledore is point-blank refusing to remove him from his position."

Minerva clucked her tongue. "Now, now, Severus." She sighed and sat down. "If I remember rightly," she said thoughtfully, "his pendant gives him three chances."

"Ridiculous idea," scoffed Snape. "Totally preposterous. If a wizard is capable of using the Dark Arts once, then he can certainly do it again. The whole ‘three lives’ theory is foolish and pointless. Coupled with the fact of what happened here tonight, Anders Grimalkin should be removed from this school. He is a liability of the first order."

"We don’t KNOW what happened tonight, Severus," she admonished. "We can only go on what we see, what we presume. We have to hear his side of events."

"And you know what they will be, don’t you?" He opened his desk drawer and pulled out a folder stuffed with newspaper clippings, each one containing a magical photograph of an increasingly haggard-looking young Anders Grimalkin. "After his arrest, Grimalkin said, ‘I don’t know what happened. I don’t remember anything.’" Snape turned to another piece of paper.

"After his trial, he said, ‘If only I could make people believe that my memories of the event are totally blank.’" He threw down the clippings in disgust. "The man is a liar, a coward, and a cheat!"

"Keeping newspaper articles on the one student who bested you at dueling, Severus?" She bent down to pick up the clippings. "Isn’t that just a touch on the obsessive side?"

There was something so haunted in the boy’s face. She remembered the day he’d received the news about his mother’s death. Something terrible had happened to him then, and she wondered if he’d started to go bad at that point in his past. She remembered having to tell him the news herself, it being universally agreed, even, surprisingly, by Snape, that it was a matter that needed treating with the greatest care.

She recalled that day now as she flipped through the newspaper cuttings. Breaking the boy’s heart had been so very difficult when he had been fifteen, and it had been equally difficult tonight with him eight years older, but still so very vulnerable.

"Anyway," said Snape, snatching the folder back from her, his cheeks a little pink, and stuffing it back into his drawer. "The Headmaster wants us to meet with him tomorrow morning after he has spoken to Grimalkin. I just wanted to pass on his message."

"Thank you, Severus," she said, getting to her feet. "I guess I will be seeing you then, then."

But the Potions Master was lost in his own thoughts. He really DID dislike young Grimalkin, thought Minerva as she quietly slipped out of his dungeon office. ~I just hope he does nothing to make that even worse.~