The night before Gale had gone to bed with such a headache that he felt for sure he would have died in his sleep. The pressure behind his eyes made him want to cut a hole in his skull just to be relieved of the ache. He felt his heartbeat behind his ears, and thought for certain that he'd been cursed. It had been years since he'd had such a headache, and the thought his childhood hex had long since left him. However, when Gale woke the next day nothing of it had changed.

He felt a heavy press on his chest, and somewhere through the night developed a runny nose. Pulling from the bed Gale forced himself in his shoes, but swayed in his steps.

"Oh." He whimpered holding onto his nightstand, and somehow stumbled into his slippers. In his desperation to move along he looked to the window, but realized it was an instant mistake. The light from outside made his nose twitch and a body shaking sneeze erupted from him that caused him to fall back on his bed. However, it wasn't the horrid way that he felt, nor the exhaustion that came along with it that caused him to roll over suddenly.

It was the deep royal blue color of his hair. He had been cursed! Oh those students...when he found out which.

"Ah-choo!" For someone with such a small nose sneezing hurt, but the gasp came when his hair turned green.

"Oh no!" Midterms were today for his 4th years, but he couldn't face them like this. What was he going to do?! Standing he quickly he slipped his slippers on, put his a scarf around his head, and scurried down the hall like a mouse to Minerva's door where he only hesitated a moment before knocking rather pathetically on the door. He looked like a refugee in his rags that he wore as bedclothes, a scarf around his hair, and his eyes large and swollen. He didn't take the time to cover his blind eye, but did well to shadow it with the scarf. It had been a second thought.

It took Minerva a quick moment to realize that someone was knocking upon her door; the sound was so dissonant and weak. The Headmistress had been sitting in her tartan wing-backed chair, morning edition of the Prophet in hand, tutting over the poor editorial columns. It seemed that the only decent thing about the paper nowadays was the crossword that was at least a bit of a challenge, though she had yet to find one that could stump her.

Professor McGonagall had had a rather long day the day before, spending the better part of the day in London, both on personal and professional business, and had chosen to take breakfast in her chambers in lieu of facing the crowds of the great hall. When Minerva finally comprehended that there was actually someone outside her door, she put aside the paper rather quickly and shuffled to the door, pulling her nightrobe around her tightly to save a bit of modesty.

“One moment,” She called, moving a bit slow in the chilly morning air. When she opened the door to see a purple-haired professor, Minerva almost let out a bark of laughter… until she realized that she probably looked a sight worse than he. Her hair was bound in loose curlers, she wore no make-up, and her fuzzy pink slippers poked jovially out from beneath her thin tartan dressing gown. “Pro… professor Kesali,” She stuttered, feeling rather self-conscious. “My dear boy, you look dreadful. Do come in,” She said, moving aside to allow him entry.

Gale wasn't half way in the door before he sneezed so violently he stopped in his tracks. The blush on his cheeks was nothing like the pink color of his hair that hadn't been such a flush before. Oh Maker he just wanted to go crawl in the bed, and actually being this close to hers maybe he wouldn't have to go far.


Wait....

"Forgive me." Oh how dark his skin went now with realizing he saw her in her night clothes, "But I have-" Again he sneezed, and sank into the closest seat to put his head in his hands. This time his hair was magenta, "I have midterms. The 4th years. I can't." He rocked forward a moment, "I can hardly feel my hands." He couldn't remember time he had been this sick.

"Please, forgive the early hour, Madame." In his illness his accent came to life in a whole new way. He tried to mask it, but with feeling the way he did he couldn't. His English sounded lyrical, pooling on the edge of his lips like poison as it wasn't his native tongue, and he tried to control it.

"Je me sens comme si la lune est tombée en panne.[1] He whispered against his fingers, and sat up.

"I hate to ask this, but...Madame, but I have to take the day off."

1.	I feel as though the moon broke down.

As the peculiar professor stepped into the doorway, Minerva took an involuntary step backward. She, certainly, couldn’t afford to catch whatever magical ailment Kesali had managed to pick up. As Gale slid into a chair, Minerva quietly shut the door and shuffled back to her recently vacated seat. With a quick wave and a jab of her wand, the slowly dwindling fire leapt to full force and a happily screaming kettle of tea found itself floating in the air between the two academic professionals.

She wordlessly poured the two of them a cup and took a quick sip of her own, drawing energy from the warm liquid. She watched as the tray levitated toward her colorful colleague and put a thoughtful finger to her lips. How could she allow him to have the day off? On a normal day, she could have Maiko or Landis or any other number of school staff step in, or she could arrange for a substitute to attend, but with midterms? There was no one in the school qualified to oversee midyear exams, save Storm and herself, and Storm had his own examinations to worry about.

“Nightingale,” She said, eyes pleading; knowing full well that there was little that could be done about the situation. “Perhaps Madame Nadge can fix you up and have you ready before classes?” Before the words even parted her lips, Minerva knew that wouldn’t be the case. Obviously something magical was amiss with the professor and it didn’t seem to be a normal, common ailment. Not only that, but sometimes the best medicine was a bit of rest, so with a heavy sigh Minerva looked quickly up to the ceiling before meeting Gale directly in the eye again.

“Go ahead, Gale, take the day off. I’ll oversee your exams personally,” It was an extreme inconvenience to be sure, but that was all part of the post. “Rest up, I expect you to be fully recovered by the ball, I’m quite looking forward to it and wouldn’t want you missing it.” Minerva smiled at the young man, a twinkle in her eye. To be quite honest, Kesali was one of her more favored staff members, despite the man’s youth. He had a distinctive way of teaching that Minerva didn’t quite understand, but he had a grand rapport with the student populace and was extremely skilled in his wandwork.

He tried his hardest to appreciate the tea, but couldn't even get the cup to his lips. So he simply held it, and enjoyed the warmth. He knew he had to see someone about this, but also knew that it was probably just a cold that had completely tore up his inner system of magic. Gale still covered from his scarf looked up at the woman with such appreciation that on his pale face, and paler lips there was a ghost of a smile. He wanted to thank her over and over again, but knew that he had to prepare the classroom.

"It's a simple test really. This class has been very....um...challenging." Again he sneezed into his sleeve and his hair turned a vibrant shade of royal purple. "A few of them had detention not too long ago where I instructed them to write about each other and themselves. We've been practicing the banishing spell. I want them to write a few things they don't like about themselves, and when finished wad up the paper and banish it." He sighed, "I know it sounds so childish, but there are a few of the students in there that need to learn they are perfect the way they are, and don't need to change a damn thing." He squeezed his nose to try and fight the headache.

"The papers left over from the detention I took and listed on one for each student. I'd like them to banish that too. If they want to read it then it's up to the them.. The answers were unmarked so they won't know who they are from, but regardless a few of them need a wake up call to realize they are in fact not perfect and could use some improvement." Gale started to stand back up, and on his wobbly feet finished,

"They have been working very hard on the banishment that I am very confident they will ace this. The quills are gifts, and I can't thank you enough. I'm going to go prep the room, and then leave the grounds. A trip to St. Mungo's, and a nights sleep outside the castle should have me better. I hope." Gale would have kissed her had he not been ill, but instead bowed graciously.

"Thank you. I'm sure they will be shocked." Even in his illness his cheeks flushed when he grinned, and the memory of when she was his Professor was all too clear, "Get a taste of what I was put through at this age." Go get em tiger.

---

Class

The elderly witch, clad in her dressing attire, didn’t even think to question the young professor. She trusted his judgment, and completely understood his requests. He had an entirely unique teaching style, one Minerva didn’t understand, being a strict disciplinarian where Kesali was softer. She would try, truly try, to do things his way, but she couldn’t see that banishing a simple piece of paper was a solid exam. It was a piece of paper! Fourth years should be at the point of banishing entire bookcases across the room, but Minerva didn’t question the man in the slightest.

As he rattled off his list of things that needed to be done, Minerva tried to make mental notes. Something about quills? She rushed him out the door, assuring him the entire time that she was sure she could manage, and agreeing wholeheartedly that the students would doubtless be like doxys doused with doxycide.

With a resigned sigh she shut the door firmly behind the man, then went about her morning preparations. Today was sure to be interesting.

[END]