One more visit to the infirmary was required before Madam Pomfrey would take Hermione from the sick list. Ron and Harry waited outside the infirmary to avoid the smell of the tonic being given to a Bantling who’d been poisoned by a Slytherin who’d had quite enough.

“I thought the bite was all healed,” Harry sighed. He slumped against the wall with his hands in his pockets. Ron mimicked the pose and shrugged.

“It took so many healing spells to close it that they’re afraid something was canceling the magic,” he said, speaking softly even though there was no one in the hall with them. “They’re afraid that might mean she was touched by the Morthahg.”

“What??” Harry stood sharply to stare at his friend. Ron shrugged again.

“Hermione’s ok, so I’m not worried about that,” he said. “She’s still the best student in class and she says she feels fine.”

“She never said anything about that,” Harry said. “How do you know all this?”

“I came with her on her last visit,” Ron explained. “You were looking for Snuffles, remember? I heard Madam Pomfrey talking to some of the other staff and they were worried about it.”

Harry stared even harder. He couldn’t believe he’d missed that much, or that Ron hadn’t told him about it before now.

“They weren’t upset,” Ron added, as if hoping to calm him. “It’s just weird. I was thinking it could be something like a Slider.”

“I guess it could….” Harry admitted. “I’m still thinking about that thing we saw on the Map. Snuffles said that Tanner thought that whatever it was really was Rosie, but then it attacked him.”

“But the Map didn’t say Rosie,” Ron added. “And the Map isn’t supposed to be wrong…”

“The Map showed something that looked like more than one name, right?” Harry leaned in and lowered his voice again. “But Hermione said that there was no one out there but Raye and the black wolf.”

“So…” Ron looked thoughtful. “It it wasn’t Rosie….”

“Maybe it wasn’t JUST Rosie,” Harry said. “Remember the Bind? Maybe is was Rosie and Brohm, the same way it was Ficus and Brohm for awhile…” Ron had heard that story in great detail and nodded enthusiastically. Harry kept thinking out loud.

“Brohm became part of Ficus when Ficus died… Maybe, maybe when he took Ficus’ body, he took some of his Slider-powers with him! That way, if Brohm was still the Bind, and the Bind was in Rosie, she might have some Slider-ness under the surface! So when she bit Hermione, the Slider part wouldn’t let the bite heal up right away.”

“Weird,” Ron said again, but he looked impressed. Harry was rather proud of that theory too. Then, the door slid open and Hermione stepped out into the hall. She looked so pale and angry that both boys froze.

“What?” Ron asked, concern shrill in his voice. “What happened? What did they say?”

“Raye is back,” Hermione snarled. Relief splashed over them like water and then trickled into confusion.

“What?” Harry took a step towards the infirmary door. “She’s in there RIGHT NOW??” Hermione held up a hand to stop him.

“I need some air,” she said. “Come walk with me.” She looked so likely to bite someone that they didn’t dare refuse. She took both their arms and towed them both resolutely outside. It was stingingly cold, so she changed her mind and steered them back into another lower hallway. Ron and Harry traded looks over her lowered head, but neither spoke until she had found a place warm and secluded enough to settle in.

“Ok,” Harry dislodged his arm and heaved himself up to sit in a windowsill. “What happened?” Hermione sighed and sat down on a bit of architecture. The walk had calmed her down. Ron leaned on a wall next to her.

“Apparently, she just came scampering up to the front door this morning,” Hermione said. “They were all fussing over her and she was lapping it up like it was cream and she was a cat and butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth.”

“Butter?” Ron asked.

“Muggle expression,” Harry said with a little grin. “It means she was cool and collected. Not flustered at all.”

“And she runs up to hug me!” Hermione continued, outraged. “Cooing like a pigeon! About how sorry she was that I was hurt, and how she simply couldn’t remember a thing…” She imitated Raye’s accent so well that both boys couldn’t help but grin.

“Don’t tell me anyone actually believed all that,” Harry begged. Hermione tossed her hair angrily and propped her chin up on her fists.

“They’re relieved that she’s back, of course, and acting normal again,” she told them. “I know Professor McGonagall is suspicious. I saw how she looked at her.”

“So, what did Raye say when she wasn’t acting like a cat and a pigeon?” Ron asked. Hermione fell back into the drawling accent and spoke in an irritating sing-song.

“That it was like a dream! Like being lost in the fog! That she woke up in this scary old house and heard voices and was so afraid that she ran!” Hermione dropped the accent and snorted softly to herself.

“What house?” asked Harry, wondering again where Sirius had gone to.

“She doesn’t remember,” Hermione sneered. Then her expression lightened a little. “Professor Snape isn’t buying it either. He told her he knows of a trance-inducing potion that might unlock her subconscious so she could tell them more. Raye didn’t care for that at all, I can tell you.”

“Hah! At least he has someone else to threaten with that kind of thing now,” Harry chuckled.

“What are they going to do?” Ron asked. She shrugged. “Well, are YOU ok? No more infirmary visits for you?”

“I’m fine,” she told him, managing a real smile. She tilted her head to show the bite. “See? The scar is barely visible now.”

“What should WE do?” Harry said, more to himself than them. Ron rubbed his own neck in sympathy for Hermione and she chuckled at them both.

“With both McGonagall and Snape on her case, Raye won’t get away with anything,” she said. “What did you have in mind?”

“I wish Snuffles was here,” Harry said. “Do you think Tanner would be able to tell us anything about Raye? If he could, I don’t know, sniff her or something?”

“I’m not sure ‘up to no good’ has a smell,” Hermione said. “But it couldn’t hurt… He might even like the company.”

“Let’s go see him then,” Harry hopped down from the windowsill, glad for any action at this point. The other two got up as well. There was time before the next class.