Small smile. "Yeah. But also - Quirrel was being possessed, too. We think the spirit was jumping bodies because Quirrel's was giving out. We scan new hires for possession, and Quirrel passed at the time... But we absolutely should be checking our staff more often than that." Deep breath. "We'll do better, going forward."

Nod.

It's kind of weird, to hear Professor Reynolds be talking like it's her fault. Ellie was half expecting a scolding.

"Nothing that happened was your fault," she says, softly.

"Doesn't feel like it," she mutters.

Squeeze. "It's easy to blame yourself. To see everywhere you could've done better, been smarter..."

"Easy doesn't mean wrong."

She pauses, clearly thinking deeply.

And: "Blame is a strange thing, here... It's my duty, as your professor, to protect my students. It's all our duties. And if I am to be your guardian... That means guarding you, as my ward, as someone I care for. But I didn't set out to harm you - I simply failed you. That spirit did set out to harm you, weaving a lie so complex I might've fallen for it, even if I was at its center."

"But... Being vulnerable is terrifying. Even if it's not your fault, even if no blame can be handed out - the thought that you couldn't have ever done better is scary." Squeeze. "There are things you can do to reduce vulnerability in the future. Things we all can do."

"Yeah..."

"...I was terrified when the house elves alerted me. I never want you hurt." Deep breath.

Squeeze.

"Thanks."

She nods, rubbing at her eyes briefly and then laughs, a bit dryly. "I've... Gotten a bit off topic from some of the things I was planning on telling you."

"What did you want to say?"

She pauses to gather her thoughts, and - "As best as we can tell working non-invasively, your mind seems free from foreign influence. However, the circlet on you - we think it had mind control properties of its own. The house elf who took it away was supposed to put it in a special storage for dangerous artifacts, until they can be safely reviewed - but, as best we can tell, it mind controlled her, forcing her to teleport outside of Hogwarts. We found her body, eventually, but... Not the circlet, and it's resisting divination."

"There's... Concern, still, that it might be affecting you more subtly than we can tell with basic scans." Breath. "I... Don't know how to evaluate the risk, there."

"-It gave me a headache to wear it too long. And I got the same sort of headache being around Professor Quirrell."

Softly: "I'm - not sure if that's indicative, one way or another."

"It's possible to - rule out mental influence, as best as anyone can, but - the process is invasive, mentally, and would involve having your mind very thoroughly read."

"By who?"

"You'd have a bit of a choice - St. Mungo's has trained medi-wizards, for cases like this, or we could ask an international expert to come by, if you want to be very sure they're - a stranger, and very sure they're skilled enough. Also - wizarding Britain's patient privacy laws aren't the best, but some other countries have rather rigorous ones."

"I have the required certification as well, and... If there's things in your mind you want to stay private, I'm willing to be Obliviated of anything I saw after I make my report."

"...I think I'd prefer it was you."

She nods. "It's not something I can set up immediately - I need an Auror here to take my statement, if nothing else, and it might be convenient to check both you and Anathema in the same session, if Anathema also wants to be checked by me."

"Something to look forward to, then."

Squeeze. "I'll try to arrange it as soon as possible. Today, or tomorrow morning."

Nod.

"I can get that started, so I'll be right back. Is there anything you'd like me to get for you?"

"A book would be nice."

"Alright. I'll try for one you haven't read before."