The Hospital Wing

"It depends," the matron replied in an equally even voice. "I haven't got the proper equipment to assess the cause of the seizure, but I believe it would be very wise to send her for brain scans."

"Yes, if they so wish. It may be that she is only there for a day or so, depending on what the scan shows."

"It's impossible to say at this stage," Madam Bilberry said with a frown. "Many things can cause seizures."

"Perhaps a few months, although she appears to be healthy enough to me."

"It is not unknown," she responded. "Although I do not believe Miss Russe is malnourished, certainly not to that extent. I think we might be looking at a brain defect or maybe even liver or kidney failure. Like I said, I cannot be certain without the correct equipment."

She glanced down at Tessa, who was sound asleep. "I think it would be best to leave her alone for now. I will make the arrangements for the transfer to St Mungos as soon as possible. Perhaps one of you could send an owl to her parents informing them of the situation."

She nodded, wiping her hands on her apron. "Thank you."

The matron shrugged, a little apologetically. "I'll leave you for a while," she offered, bobbing her head before bustling back into her office.

Bianca's voice floated through from a cot at the very end of the long row of them, blabbering in fast Italian. She was laid down in the midst of many soft, fluffy pillows that were moved around as she spoke with her hands flying all over the place. A figure on her bed listened in silence, throwing in a word every now and then. A curious curl popped upwards from his hair, matching the one in Jane's and Bianca's.