"Feeling any better?" Odessa asked Hastings later that night.

"A little. It was more of a shock than anything. And then all I could think of was him and Gabe becoming friends." Hastings paused, "Have you told Sirius about the letter?"

"Not yet. The timing hasn't been right."

"You really need to tell him Ode," Hastings said. "He has a right to know that his best mate is a bastard."

"The truth'll come out in the end, it always does." Odessa said. "But back to Falcon coming here. It won't be that bad you know. He'll only be in several times a month. And you can avoid him then."

Hastings snorted, "With my luck I'll fall off the tower again and get to be attended by the young doctor."

Odessa smiled, "I'll make sure it's Gabe who attends to you."

"Hey! No more match making. You promised."

"No, I didn't." Odessa said. "I'm just going to be more discreet. So discreet in fact, you won't even notice."

"You don't know the meaning of discreet," Hastings said.

"I do too!" Odessa replied. "I'm so discreet that you can't even figure out what I'm thinking most of the time."

"Uh huh," Hastings said, unconvinced. "I bet you just stopped thinking."

Odessa laughed, "Well, that too. So what do you think of Minerva's illness?"

Hastings shrugged, "I don't know. I'm completely mystified. O'Reilly thinks she's being cursed."

"Or cursing her," Odessa chimed in.

"Or cursing her," Hastings agreed. "Which is more probable if her illness isn't natural. He's been hanging around here all year. Why didn't he do it when he was a professor?"

"Don't know. Didn't want to draw attention to himself?" Odessa said.

"Seems like he's drawing more attention to himself now," Hastings said.

"Only to us. The other professors seem to think everything's normal."

"I suppose we'll have to see who gets sick next. But what could he be planning?"

"I have no idea Haste. But it's past midnight and I have my first years tomorrow. They're fun, but I think they'll follow in your footsteps when it comes to potions."

Hastings laughed, "At least they're not hiding in the wardrobe in my class."

"Touché. Night Haste."

"Night." Odessa waved and went to her room. As she lit her first lamp she noticed a figure sitting on her bed.

"Pro-professor O'Reilly!" She stammered, surprised.

Professor O'Reilly stood up quickly and smoothed his suit and robes. "Good evening, Miss Grace," he said, simpering at her.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"Language, Miss Grace," said O'Reilly. "I came to inform you that I visited Minerva today, and she seems to be taking a turn for the worse."

"You… you could have told me that in the teachers' lounge. Or sent an owl. What are you doing here?" Odessa's wand was trained on O'Reilly, and she was deciding which unforgivable curse she'd rather do on him if he gave her a reason.

"Miss Grace, I suppose you ought to know at some point…" He came toward her slowly.

"Stay where you are," said Odessa, her wand raising a little. "Talk to me, but stand still. I don't trust you."

"Isn't that ironic?" asked O'Reilly. "You don't trust me, and the very thing I am here to do is tell you that you are the only one here at Hogwarts whom I do trust."

"What do you mean?"

"There is someone here who is trying to murder Professor McGonagall," said O'Reilly simply.

Odessa snorted, "Yeah, like you."

"So, you still think that Slytherins are all bad, do you?" asked O'Reilly.

"All evil wizards were in Slytherin," said Odessa, "It's a known fact."

O'Reilly became angry. "And so I suppose you believe it follows that all Slytherins are Evil wizards!"

"If the shoe fits."

"Miss Grace, there is someone here who is out to destroy Professor McGonagall. You may not believe it, but it is not me. It is one of the teachers, I am convinced of it."

"And I'm the only one you trust?" asked Odessa. "So you suspect, who, Sirius? Hastings? Gabe?"

"No," said O'Reilly. "I suspect none of the younger teachers. First of all, whomever is cursing Professor McGonagall has an extremely advanced ability, and frankly, none of your little friends has close to the same caliber of—"

"Don't you dare insult my friends," said Odessa.

"Beyond that," said O'Reilly, "I can tell you exactly who I suspect."

"Oh yeah?" asked Odessa, "And who's that?"

"Professor Jade Greene."

Odessa laughed out loud. "You have got to be kidding me!"

"You asked, I answered," said Professor O'Reilly. "I just wanted to tell you." He began to walk toward the door.

"Once again," said Odessa, "You could've told me in another way. You showing up in my private chamber is not appropriate."

O'Reilly walked up to her, paused a moment, and breathed in deeply. "So fearful," he said, "So mistrusting." His hand went to her cheek, and she jerked her head away. "Like a hunted animal," he said softly, nauseatingly. He grasped a lock of her hair, brought it to his nose, and breathed it in with closed eyes. Odessa was paralyzed with fear. He let her hair drop, and continued toward the door. "Keep me in your confidence, Miss Grace," he said, "For you would not like me as an enemy."