Chapter 11- In the face of death

The following day lessons started into the last term of the year, Ginny was panicking frantically about the O.W.L.S. which took place at the end of the year. Kathy had been excused these exams but as Dumbledore had told her she'd be expected to take the N.E.W.T.S. at the same time as her class mates, she was also studying as well.

Kathy was sat in the library with Hermione and Ginny frantically trying to finish her transfiguration essay. Hermione looked at her and tutted, "You leave it 'till an hour before the lesson, and she's your mother as well", Ginny giggled as Kathy looked at Hermione frustrated.

"I've been busy, OK!" she snapped.

"What with?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Harry!" Ginny said simply "What else could keep her out ALL night." Ginny grinned.

Hermione looked shocked and Kathy went red, she shot them an angry look which shut them both up at once.

"Hello! Hello!: said Ginny quietly "look who's just found out about student's after hours activities" Kathy looked over and saw Snape starring open-mouthed at her.

"Well I think the whole library heard about MY after hours activities" Kathy said in an agitated tone. She started to suck on the end of the muggle pen that she was using and noticed that Snape was still staring. With that cheeky glint in her eye she looked at Ginny and Hermione, who both smiled. She started to pull the pen in and out of her mouth, rather seductively while fixing her eyes on Snape's. He blinked hard and dropped his hand to his crotch, then realizing what he had done looked around, no on else was paying any attention so he swirled around in a flurry of black material and was gone. The three girls fell about laughing and were sent out of the library for being disruptive.

As soon as they had recovered (and Kathy had finished her homework) they went to their next lessons.

Kathy and Ginny were sat at the back of the transfiguration class listen to McGonagall go on about human to animal transfigurations. Kathy let out a loud yawn and then before realizing it heard her mum shouting across the classroom.

"Miss Atkinson, would you be as courteous as to inform me why you believe that this is not important to you, you may have been exempt from the owls but you still have 4 years worth of work to catch up"

Kathy felt slightly embarrassed "Err sorry professor" she muttered before returning to the notes she had been making. The rest of the class was smiling. The news about McGonagall being Kathy's mum had spread like wildfire, and now the students were pleased to see that she wasn't going to get any special treatment. Of course they'd been making rumors up about her but they all died away pretty quickly, mainly because they had to remind themselves that this was still professor McGonagall and these outrageous rumors were really just that. Something that Kathy was pleased about. One that kept cropping up and really the only one that Kathy was in the slightest bit interested in was who her father was. She's never asked her mum and wanted to wait until the time was right. But the rumors had included everyone from Hagrid to Dumbledore, both of which had made Kathy and Ginny fall about laughing. But Hermione quickly pointed out that her father must have brown hair similar to Kathy's otherwise her hair would be black. But to tell the truth at the moment Kathy wasn't really bothered about who her father was it didn't really matter to her anyway.

Kathy must have been daydreaming again because professor McGonagall shouted over the class to her again "Kathryn please pay attention" she just looked at her smiled then collapsed onto the floor.

In the confusion that followed it must have been a miracle that Kathy wasn't stood on Ginny jumped to the floor to grab her friend. While the whole class leapt from their seats to see what had happened. Professor McGonagall cried out and ran to the back of the room to see what had happened. Finding that her daughter had totally collapsed and was no longer breathing she sent Colin Creevy to go and fetch the nearest teacher he could find. It just happened to be Dumbledore. He entered the room and soon calmed the fuss as well as the now panicking professor he, along with the help of Ginny, escorted the trembling transfiguration teacher and her unconscious daughter up to the hospital wing.

Kathy awoke later that day to find herself laying in a bed staring at the ceiling.

"Well hello" came the cheery voice of Professor Dumbledore. "I was wondering when you'd awake, erm your mother has returned to her rooms to get some very needed rest and Mr. Potter and co retired to the gryffindor tower almost 3 hours ago. If you do excuse me i believe that Madam Pomfry has some import tests to carry out. I will remain here until someone else returns to be with you."

Kathy sighed as Dumbledore got up to let madam Pomfry know about her recovery and Kathy stared at the clock on the wall no wonder no one was here it was half twelve at night.

Madam Pomfry came over and conduct the necessary tests chatting away while she did so about something or other Kathy wasn't really listening. After a few moments away she heard a gasp come from Madam Pomfry's office. She came over to Kathy's bed where both she and Dumbledore sat.

"I'm afraid that the test results say that you have a very serious wizarding disorder known as hiplithila." Dumbledore looked somber but Kathy just stared blankly back. "Basically" Madam Pomfry continued, "It means that you have approximately two months to live unless a parental transfusion can take place. You see, you have a faulty gene that causes blood clots in your neck causing a lack of concentration and consciousness. We will need to test your mother to find out if her blood is suitable for the transfusion and if it is we'll go right ahead before your too weak." Madam Pomfry looked serious and so did Dumbledore. At that moment her mother came bursting in and had the whole tale and diagnosis related back to her.

After only a couple of frantic minutes her mother was laying in the bed beside her while madam Pomfry tested her blood. Professor McGonagall reached over and squeezed the hand of her daughter, and gave a weak smile. Madam Pomfry was again in her office analyzing the tests while Kathy, her mum and Dumbledore sat around looking anxious.

Almost fifteen minutes passed before Madam Pomfry came out looking extremely grave.

"I'm sorry Minerva" she said "I double checked but...., I'm really sorry."

Professor McGonagall's eyes filled with tears.

"You know i have to ask this" Madam Pomfry paused momentarily "Who's her father?"