Quietly, she tiptoed to her office and peered in, only to see O'Reilly rummaging through her cupboard.
Surprised, Hastings asked, "May I help you?" She folded her arms and cocked her head, waiting for him to turn around.
"Ah, here it is," said O'Reilly, pulling out a book and placing it on the desk. It looked as if he hadn't even heard her. He opened the book, licked his thumb, and started to turn pages.
"Um…" said Hastings, dumbfounded. "May I help you?" she asked again.
O'Reilly looked up, exasperated, as though she'd been a student interrupting him.
"No thanks," he said, then looked at his book again.
"Maybe you misunderstood me, professor," she said, "You are in my office. After hours. Going through my things. Without permission."
"Yes, Miss Applespice," said O'Reilly, still refusing to look at her. "And it would seem that your acute powers of observation have not diminished over the years since you were in my Potions class." He turned a few more pages as Hastings stood there, sputtering in her confusion.
"Do you mind," she said, not bothering to hide her sarcasm, "if I asked you why you're here?"
"Ah, finally asked the right question," said O'Reilly, making Hastings want to slap the smug look off his face. "I am here to find out some information about certain types of dragon scales. The Defense Against the Dark Arts library is very extensive in this area. I have a feeling that it might be causing Professor McGonagall's illness."
"Why didn't you just ask me to get it for you?" asked Hastings.
"Because you were otherwise indisposed," said O'Reilly. "When I worked here, the teachers shared a trust with each other. I can assure you, that—"
"You are no longer a teacher, Mr. O'Reilly," said Hastings.
"You really needn't point out the obvious, Miss Applespice," said O'Reilly."It's Professor Applespice," said Hastings, "And if I catch you in my office again I will curse you till you're dizzy. Now, because you are ostensibly here to find something to help Minerva, I won't press the matter—"
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, Professor," said O'Reilly, hands on his hips. "So many big words don't suit you. No matter. I'm done here anyway." He didn't put the book back, but he pushed past her and walked out of the office, leaving Hastings fuming. Mechanically, she walked over to her desk to replace the book. She saw the page it was open to and picked the book up in surprise. Untraceable Curses was written across the top and below was a list of various curses and potions that could be used to harm others. Flipping to the cover she saw that the book was Magical Creatures and Magical Mayhem. Grabbing it she marched to the dungeons to show Sirius and Odessa.
"What do you think of this?" Hastings asked them, shoving the book into Odessa's face as soon as she walked in.
"I think it's a very dusty book," Odessa said with a smile. "Why do you ask?"
"Look at the title," Hastings said.
"Okay, it's a dusty book about magical creatures." Odessa looked confused.
"I found O'Reilly looking at it. In my office. Which he broke into," Hastings said.
"Oh," Odessa said. "That would have been good information to have up front."
Sirius grabbed the book and flipped it open, "Did he say what he wanted it for?"
Hastings shrugged, "Some rubbish about dragon scales and Minerva's illness. I think he's lying."
"Why?" Sirius asked.
"Because why would he suspect that someone was cursing Minerva?" Odessa broke in. "There's no reason too. She got the flu."
"Which rarely happens in our world," Sirius points out.
"That doesn't mean never," Odessa argued back. I think O'Reilly's up to something."
"I do too," Hastings agreed. "But I don't know what."
"Maybe he's the one cursing Minerva," Sirius said sarcastically.
"Laugh all you want Sirius Potter, but this is serious. He's been stalking me, my potions have gone missing, Minerva collapses when he's standing right next to her and then he breaks into Hastings' office?"
"Besides that," Hastings broke in, "he could have easily bought this. It's available in most stores. It doesn't even tell you how to do the spells, which makes his looking at it even weirder"
"I bet he didn't know that," Odessa interjected. "That's why he didn't try to take it with him."
"Didn't Professor Vector borrow dragon scales from you?" Sirius asked.
"I know what you're trying to do Sirius and it won't work. Yes, she has, but it's for something totally different."
"She could be lying."
Odessa rolled her eyes, "Isabella actually tell a credible lie, now that's laughable."
"I just think you're jumping to conclusions because you want it to be O'Reilly." Sirius said.
"No, I'm not," Odessa said. "There's been no jumping, just a following of facts."
"You're reading into things."
"Do you like O'Reilly?" Asked Odessa.
"Not particularly," Sirius said.
"Then why are you defending him?"
Before he could answer Hastings interrupted, "Um Odessa, the potion's boiling."
"Crud!" Odessa said, putting out the fire with her wand and moving the cauldron. She leaned over and smelled it. "Oh, thank goodness, it didn't ruin it. I've got to get this up to Minerva. We can finish this discussion later." Odessa poured the potion into a bottle and headed upstairs.
"I still think you're overreacting," Sirius said.
"I don't care what you think," Odessa sang out. "You've been wrong before."
"That's a low blow," Sirius said.
"But well placed," Hastings said with a smile. "Now will you two stop acting like children?"
"We don't act like children," Odessa said, looking insulted.
"Yes, you do," Hastings replied.
"Well, remember what happened with the last guy you wanted to be all adult with. Didn't work out, did it?" Odessa grinned wickedly.
"Wow, you're just asking for trouble tonight, aren't you?" Hastings asked. "First Sirius, now me? You know we'll get you for that."
Odessa just smiled, "If you want things to work out with a certain person you won't do anything."
"Now she's blackmailing us," Sirius said. "I think we'll have to gang up on her." Hastings smiled, "Yes we will."
"But not until I drop this potion off, please," Odessa said.
"Well, we don't want that to be in the way. Accio Potion." Before Odessa could grab it, the potion flew neatly into the air and into Hastings hands. Sirius swung Odessa up and over his shoulder.
"So what should we do to her?" He asked Hastings.
"Put me down you big oaf," Odessa said, trying to get either his wand or hers.
"Not going to happen," he said. He grabbed both wands and put them out of her reach. "Now, what's the punishment?"
Hastings grinned, "I think she should be taught the importance of silence."
"Like you know what that is," Odessa said.
"Manners Odessa," Hastings replied. "You are in no position to be rude. Silencio!"
Odessa mouthed angrily at her.
"What's that?" Sirius asked. "We can't hear you Odessa," She glared at him. Hastings and Sirius burst into laughter. "It's not often you don't have something to say." Sirius choked out.
"Do you think she's learned her lesson?" Hastings asked.
"No," Sirius said. "But given we're at the hospital wing we should give her her voice back." He waved his wand.
"I can't believe you did that!" Odessa said angrily as Sirius set her down.
"Now Odessa, you have to promise to be nice, and admit that it was funny, and I'll give you your wand back."
"No," Odessa said stubbornly.
"I could put a tickle spell on you," Sirius warned, waving his wand at her.
"Okay, okay" Odessa conceded sulkily. "It was kind of funny, and I probably deserved it. I'll be nice."
"Thank you," Sirius handed her wand back to her and putting her down.
"What are you guys doing?" Gabe asked from the doorway.
"Just walking with Odessa to bring the potion to Minerva," Hastings said, trying to look innocent. "How is she?"
"Ready to get out of the hospital wing." Gabe said with a grin. "Thanks for the potion."
"Want us to wait around for you?" Sirius asked. "Then we could all go have a drink in our common room. It's been one of those days."
"There's no need to wait," Gabe said.
"I'll tell you what. Hastings will stay here with you and Sirius and I will go get the drinks ready," Odessa broke in. "In fact, Hastings was just telling me how she's fascinated by medicine and was hoping that she'd get a chance to hang out with you. If you don't mind." Odessa smiled sweetly and ignored Hastings glare.
"Sure, that'd be great. I love to talk about medicine."
"We'll see you in a few then," Odessa said. As she passed Hastings she whispered in her ear, just loud enough for Gabe to hear, "You're right, he is cute."
"That was cruel," Sirius said as they walked out of the hospital.
"He didn't hear me," Odessa said.
"How do you know?"
"He's one of those people who really focuses on their work and he was busy measuring the right dosage of medicine for Minerva. I would be really surprised if what I said even registered in his brain."
Sirius laughed, "You do have him pegged. But you probably freaked Hastings out. She doesn't know that."
"Then she should learn not to silence me."
"What's my punishment?" Sirius asked with a grin.
"No kisses for a week,"
"Oh really?" Sirius grabbed her and gave her a giant, wet kiss. "I don't think that's going to work."
"It will if you keep kissing like that, that was disgusting," Odessa wiped her mouth. Sirius grinned and pushed open the door the men's common room.
"Come on sour puss, they'll be here in a few minutes and I need your help mixing up some drinks."