Professor McGonagall plays with her magic wand while sitting in the library, she reflects on the scene that she witnessed earlier.

Entered in the library to search the Book of Transfiguration of the magician Regufius Mautir, a luminary in the field, she saw Ellemir, as every day, sitting at a table with a stack of books in front of her. The girl is so concentrated that does not notice the world around or that she is observed.

The headmistress, in fact, keeping a discreet distance, stays there for a while to see if it is true, as reported by house-elves sent every other day to control she, the young lady remains all day immersed in reading and studying, careless everything and everyone.

In fact it seems so. After a while, reassured, McGonagall gets up quietly and is about to turn around and leave, when an abnormal movement catch her eye. Looks at Ellemir, back turned and always bent over books. It all seems like before, but alarm bells starts ringing furiously in her head. The old witch has too much experience not to listen to it and approaches the table of Ellemir. The girl is in the same position, but seems oddly stiff.

Slowly she goes around the table, so she can look in the face ... and remains ice. Instantly pulls the magic wand, her eyes bulging.

On Ellemir's face is clearly seen the furious struggle that is being fought inside of her head. McGonagall sees that her eyes are sometimes gray as usual, sometimes blacks and empty; and, when this happens, the face seems to lose the characteristics that are proper and become a blank form. Hands open and close frantically, trying to make movements that are prevented by someone.

"Imperius Curse!" thinks horrified the headmistress. It is playing too fast to call someone. So she points the magic wand at Ellemir, ready for any eventuality, when the girl, in one of the last lucid moments, is able to move her left hand and fit it with a quick movement in the right sleeve, closing her eyes. A blinding flash of light, and she collapses on the table, her mind finally free.

The headmistress approaches her cautiously, then moves her long hair to look at the face on the left arm and try to understand how she is.

Ellemir's eyes are half closed, she is breathing heavily but is conscious. Slowly she gets up again and exchanged a long look with the headmistress. No word is exchanged between the two, it does not need: for some strange reason, they understand each other the fly.

McGonagall helps her up from the chair, "Now you go to rest and spend a good night's sleep." Says with sweet tone but which does not allow replies "Then tomorrow, when you'll feel better, we'll talk."

Ellemir makes a nod, too exhausted to even say a word. Then, accompanied by the librarian Mrs Buckett, is heading towards her room.

Just out, the headmistress sits suddenly on the chair occupied until recently by the girl. The certainty that the peace enjoyed in recent years is about to end has taken away her forces.