Author's Note: Let's take a peek at the Hogwarts rumor mill, shall we? And see how curiosity is rewarded…

Admissions: HP chars belong to J. K. Rowling, Leiko to me, and Ravindra to my soul-sister Rave.

Section 24: Invisible Visitors

Harry stared in shock as Ron finished speaking, the forkful of eggs held halfway to his mouth. He couldn't believe it. Shaking his head, he put down the food-laden utensil and spoke.

"You mean to tell me that Professor Leiko went mad and killed Snape?"

"She ripped him to shreds, I swear! Then she attacked Professor McGonagall! I heard two Slytherins who were there telling their friends about it."

"And you trust the word of a Slytherin? That's a first."

"Come on, Hermione, they weren't boasting. I'd've ignored them except that one of the girls was in tears, and the other looked like she was going to be sick. And what's more, you don't see Leiko or Snape here, now do you? And why else would Dumbledore leave in a hurry before he'd even started his breakfast?"

Harry, Hermione, and the other Gryffindor students exchanged worried glances. If Ron was right and the Slytherin students had been telling the truth…

No one wanted to think about that. Before anyone could change the subject the Headmaster entered the Great Hall, Professor McGonagall following close behind. The Head of Gryffindor looked to be worried, but otherwise healthy. There was one mark against Ron's rumor. The students quieted down as Dumbledore took his place at the head table and turned to address them.

"Students, your attention please. Thank you. No doubt rumors are spreading concerning Professors Leiko and Snape. After speaking with Professor Leiko and her sister, we have learned that there was indeed an attack made against the lady by Lord Voldemort. The result of this mental assault was the unfortunate wounding of Professor Snape. I'm told the Potions Master will fully recover from his injuries, but all Potions classes have been suspended until further notice."

Dumbledore seated himself, picked up a fork, and continued with his interrupted breakfast. The students immediately started whispering amongst themselves. At least they knew that Snape wasn't dead and Leiko wasn't crazy. More than one student felt conflicting emotions about Snape. On the one hand, many had wished he'd drop dead for years, but on the other, did they really want a teacher torn to bits?

"At least we know the facts now."

"Not all the facts, Hermione. Look, Potions is canceled so why don't we see about finding Leiko and getting her to tell us what happened."

"Harry…the Headmaster said that she was attacked by You Know Who. Did your scar…?"

"No Ron, my scar didn't bother me at all last night."

"Which means that Voldemort has found a way to get to Leiko without going through you. This isn't good. Leiko will probably be in the Infirmary. We should try to speak with her, if only to find out how the Dark Lord got to her."

"Alright, alright. You guys win. I think it's a waste of a free morning but if you're both determined to talk to Professor Leiko then I'm going, too."

"Harry, they probably won't be letting in visitors. I think we'll need your dad's cloak for this."

"Right. Leiko isn't the sort to yell at us for sneaking in to see her, so it should be ok so long as Madam Pomfrey doesn't catch us."

The trio made their plans, finished their breakfast, and headed off to get Harry's invisibility cloak. Half an hour latter the three students were standing outside the Infirmary waiting for someone to open the door. They were hidden beneath the invisibility cloak and Hermione had convinced the boys that it would be safer to wait for the door to be opened than to try sneaking through it themselves. Even in a school of wizardry it was unusual for doors to open on their own.

The trio didn't have to wait long. Professor Sprout exited the Infirmary with a jar of some strange medicinal concoction in her hand, and the invisible sneaks made their move. Once inside, the students paused long enough to locate their target. Leiko was hard to miss, for the giant red mass of Ravindra was sitting beside her sister's bed. Across the room and slightly closer to the door lay Snape, unconscious and unmarred by any signs of attack.

"Go on, then. The big gryffin looks like she's asleep and Madam Pomfrey isn't anywhere in sight. She must be in her office."

Ron's whispered promptings were more than sufficient to get the trio moving. They crept cautiously past a sleeping Snape, tiptoed to the opposite side of Leiko's bed from Rave, and began trying to wake the woman without the red gryffin noticing. Hermione finally got tired of the boys' timid attempts and reached out to pull the blanket off their target. Leiko growled softly as she rolled over, reaching for a cover that was no longer there.

"Wha…"

"Shhhh."

A pair of green eyes snapped open, all traces of sleep vanishing in an instant.

"Either I'm hearing things or there's a very unusual mouse nearby."

Harry lifted the cloak just enough to show himself, Ron, and Hermione before settling it back into place. None of the students wanted to be seen. Harry quickly whispered to Leiko before the woman alerted any others to their presence.

"We want to talk to you."

"Yes, we want to know about the attack. How did Voldemort get to you without going through Harry?"

"I should have known you kids would find a way to get in here. Fine, then. Can't hurt to tell you what you're undoubtedly going to find out eventually. I shall assume all you've heard is Dumbledore's official announcement? That I was attacked and Snape was attacked by me as a result? Well, that's not exactly the whole truth."

Leiko told the children in whispered tones what Rave had told the adults. She revealed the existence of the Guardian and the extent of the injuries she'd inflicted on the Potions Master. Not being able to see the faces of her audience, Leiko wasn't sure how they took the information. After a while Harry finally spoke.

"So you've got some sort of multiple personality problem?"

"Not exactly. But I think that that's about as accurate a statement as any."

"Why did you go after Snape though? I mean, you told us you were thinking about him when the attack came, but why did this alter ego go hunt down and harm him?"

"I've got a theory on that."

Leiko turned in surprise as Ravindra lifted her head. The red gryffin looked at the spot where the students stood, giving all three an uneasy feeling.

"And yes, I've been awake the whole time. I can also see you, my invisible mice. Not clearly, mind. More like a distortion in reality than seeing your forms clearly. Now, about my theory…"

Before Rave could say any more Madam Pomfrey emerged from her office with a tray of medicines. She cast a curious glance at Rave before proceeding to set her tray on a table beside Snape's bed. Taking out her wand, she muttered something unintelligible and the Potions Master groaned.

"Wake up now, Professor. You've lost a lot of blood and will be rather groggy for a while, but these potions should soon set you right. Now drink up."

Before Snape could do more than sit up the woman had thrust a cup of some awful smelling concoction into his hands. She forced him to drink every last drop before giving him a spoonful from each of the bottles on her tray. Once the medicines were inside her patient, Madam Pomfrey checked Snape's vitals, picked up her tray, and disappeared back into the office.

"I'm glad I'm not you. What was all that stuff?"

The icy glare Snape directed at Ravindra was more than enough make the three Gryffindors shudder. Rave just chuckled. It was a strange sound, emanating from deep within her throat and coming out as something between a human chuckle and a bird's twitter. The gryffin looked down her golden beak at Snape and grinned.

"Fine then. If you're going to be sulky then back to sleep you go."

Rave's eyes sparkled as Snape suddenly collapsed back onto his pillow. The man was asleep within seconds. Ron, Harry, and Hermione were especially impressed.

"How did you do that?"

"Really…Ron, isn't it? Do you think wizards are the only ones who control magic? I've got my tricks, boy, and don't forget it. Small stuff compared to a lot of what you folks do, but valuable all the same. Now, on with that theory I was talking about before the witch interrupted."

The students got the impression that Rave wasn't referring to Madam Pomfrey's magical ability when she used the word 'witch'. Could it be that the red gryffin didn't like doctors? Harry noticed Leiko rolling her eyes as Rave continued with her explanation.

"Leiko admits to thinking of Sleeping Sulky – don't give me that look – just prior the attack. I think that maybe Lord Voldemort was concentrating on finding the spy in his midst even as he sought to control Leiko's mind. If the Guardian picked up on that, then it's possible that it sought out the one man who was both spy and lover. The power within isn't known for rational thought. I think that it decided killing Snape was the only way to avoid future attacks."

All eyes turned to Leiko, who had gone pale and seemed to be looking at nothing in particular. Rave nudged her with a wingtip and the woman snapped out of her thoughts. Harry dared to lift the cloak just enough that his face was visible, and Ron and Hermione did the same. After taking a deep breath Leiko looked at the children.

"Rave's right. She was vocal enough about telling those adults I'd never try to kill Severus, but we both know that I'd kill even family if I had to. It's a good thing Madam Pomfrey was aware of my penchant for biting or I'd still be under those binding spells, unable to move. You three can't spread this around, but I was aware enough when the Guardian took over to know what its intentions were. I was out for blood, kids, remember that. I tell you this now because Rave could never bring herself to harm me. She's too good for that. If I come at you with eyes glowing red, cast whatever curse you can before I have the chance to get close. Voldemort might find a way to get the Guardian to react the way he wants next time. All he has to do is think about you, Harry, and I'll go off on another rampage."

"Remember that, kids. Leiko has given you permission to kill her if need be, so don't hesitate if the situation arises. Though I think she's giving me too much credit. There have been many times when I'd have gladly slashed the superior smile off her beak."

"Sure, Rave. You're the better half of this partnership, remember? I doubt you could swat a fly."

By this time to students realized that Leiko and Ravindra had lost all their previous seriousness and were teasing each other. Harry couldn't believe how quickly the sisters went from deathly serious to downright silly. It had to be a gryffin thing. Pulling the cloak back over their heads, the trio began heading for the door.

"Wait a second, kids. I know this came as a shock to you, but if the Dark Lord does realize he can influence my actions there's something you should never forget. I will not die from a wizard's curse. I am a gryffin whose soul has been reborn many times, and if you have to kill me I won't stay dead for long. Death won't touch me with its icy grip, so don't feel too bad when I'm gone."

Despite Leiko's words the trio was not comforted. They snuck out of the Infirmary and got back to the Gryffindor common room without being noticed. They sat on a sofa by the fireplace, too shocked to say more than a few words to each other. Finally Hermione broke the silence.

"At least we know what to look for. That is, if Leiko goes homicidal and tracks us down, we won't be caught unawares."

"The woman told us to kill her, Hermione! How can you be looking for the up side of that?!"

"At least I'm trying to be rational about it! All you've done is sit there with a sick look on your face!"

"Guys, calm down! Leiko said it might happen, not that it would. Chances are Voldemort doesn't realize that his attack caused Leiko to go crazy. Besides, he doesn't know that Snape's a spy. He'll probably just think it had something to do with her liking Snape, like Dumbledore and the others do."

"You're right, Harry. Sorry I lost my temper."

"Yeah. Sorry for yelling at you Hermione. But you've got to admit what those gryffins told us was a shock."

"That's a given, Ron, but we can't start acting like Leiko's already dead. Rave has magic. Maybe she can do something to keep Voldemort out of her sister's head."

Taking some comfort in the fact that nothing might come of Leiko's warning, the students picked up their books and head to class. They had already missed Care for Magical Creatures, which was being taught by Hagrid again as he'd returned late the night before, and they were late for Defense Against the Dark Arts. Not that the teacher was any better than in years past, but it didn't look good to miss too many classes in one day without an excuse.