Miss: You dream of flying your broom. Bertha Beeblossom questions you.

⚀⚂ - 1 = 3, Miss.

You dream of flying. Astride your Nightingale, you cut great loops and arcs through the sky, chasing birds and sporting through great puffy towers of cloud. This is what you live for, this, pulling hard turns up into the blue, and pressing vertiginous dives until you loop high up again with a whoop.

Except it's a dream, and you're still bedbound, even more than earthbound. If you're to make a good start in Broom Polo, you'll have to bounce right back.

One thing has changed since you fell asleep. Your flying broom is resting in the corner of the little Infirmary cell. You smile at your trusty Nightingale. Must have been Anastasia. At least you can trust your sister to look out for her "little Wyner."

There's soup to bring back your strength, and restorative potions, administered by Bertha Beeblossom herself, who has taken Miss Wormwood's place for a time. House Beavertail has little drama, you suppose, and perhaps it will run itself without her constant presence.

In the evening, Housemistress Beeblossom sits you up. "You're strong enough to help me with something, I hope, Master Aberdean," she says. "The Headmistress' fit is quite suspicious. She did not describe it in great detail, but perhaps you can shed some light upon it, as a close witness."

She raises her wand.

"Let clarity and truth shine upon this hour," she says, flourishing her wand and intoning "Veridio."

There's a change. The room feels sharp and expectant. Your muzzy head clears.

"What were the circumstances of Headmistress Porcinilla's fit?" the Housemistress asks.

The words tumble from your lips. "Headmistress was giving me a second lesson in Concupiscence after Miss Wormwood said I was strong and fit, she said Coital Introitus. Miss Wormwood bound the root of my member with the Headmistress' green ribbon so I could not finish early. Headmistress had me put my member in her, just the head. From the front, then from behind as she bent forward. Then Miss Wormwood went to get more salve for the jar was empty, to anoint my member and the Headmistress' Venusian gate. So Headmistress directed me to lie atop her and enter her fully. Miss Wormwood was to release the ribbon when I had fully entered the Headmistress, but Headmistress had a fit that frightened me, and I called for Miss Wormwood, but she did not come, and Headmistress had such a grip on my member I could not dismount."

Bertha Beeblossom nods. Her expression shades a bit darker. "The Headmistress did not share the intimate details of the situation," she says. "She said you had revived her before you and she went to the aid of Miss Wormwood. How did you do so?"

Again the words flow forth. "I could not move or reach my wand, so I pulled the ribbon myself and spent. I don't know, but it must have been soon, I could dismount. But the Headmistress was not breathing, so I cast Pneuma again and again until she did. Then she woke."

"It would seem you are the man of the hour, Master Aberdean," Housemistress Beeblossom says. "One more thing, lest I tire you." She moves to the side and takes a bed tray holding a shallow black bowl. "Touch your fingertips to this bowl. This hand. Now with your other hand, touch this jar."

The cool porcelain jar looks like the one Miss Wormwood had used to anoint you and the Headmistress.

"Do you see anything in the bowl, Master Aberdean?" she asks.

There's a swirl of shadow and sparks.

"Shapes, movement, all swirling," you tell Mistress Beeblossom.

Her eyes search the bowl, tracking something moving within it. "Ah," she says. She makes a pass with her wand and speaks a word of dismissal. The tense, expectant feeling in the room dissipates.

You're suddenly tired and muzzy-headed again, but you seize on the thing that matters most.

"When can I leave? I need to start training on my broom," you say. "I could miss a term of Broom Polo. Even a whole year."

"Your sister was quite firm in her advocacy for your talents," Mistress Beeblossom says. "And I am equally firm in insisting you not leave us until you are better." She shifts the tray back to a side table and helps you lie back down. "Rest, Master Aberdean." She bends over your face.

When her lips meet yours, your senses melt away into dream.

You have Ambition +2, Bravery +0, Cunning +1, Diligence -1.
You have 2 XP.

Your sister Anastasia is your FRIEND and owes you a FAVOR.
Bertha Beeblossom, Mistress of House Beavertail and acting Nurse, is your FRIEND.
Headmistress Pernilla Porcinilla is your HANGER-ON and owes you a FAVOR.

You have a CONSEQUENCE: Drained. -1 on all Move rolls.

Roll +BRAVERY(-1) (+0 Bravery, -1 CONSEQUENCE: Drained) to GET OUT OF THE INFIRMARY.