"Morgana, wake up!" Richard is yelling into my ear.
"What?" I mumble. I remember I had a dream, it was something important, but I can't remember any details.
"YOU'RE LATE!" Richard yells again. "Kotaro has already left!"
Suddenly I remember that today's first lesson is conducted by Prof Mazzle, who doesn't take kindly to latecomers. Instantly I am out of my bunk bed, running towards the bathroom. Luckily, it is empty.
I desperately splash cold water on my face, trying to freshen up. My curly blond hair dangles over my eyes, making it hard to see myself in the mirror. I don't need a mirror to know how I look like though: pasty skin, unremarkable features, chapped lips. Nothing too striking, with the exception of my cerulean blue orbs.
I am out of the bathroom in seconds, rushing to the wardrobe beside my bed. I note with some relief that the lock has not been tampered with. Meanwhile, Richard is flapping his arms behind me like a startled bird.
"Better muzzle Mazzle, she's gonna tear us to shreds!" He yells. Ignoring him, I grab my uniform and dart into the bathroom again. A few seconds later, I am done. The uniform of Clumiara, School of Withcraft, is a dark grey, flowing robe - perfect for graceful waltzing like the Lady of Lothlorien, Galadriel? Did you think Middle Earth was a sham? No, no, muggle, us witches and wizards know better. They exist, or at least they existed, but that's a story for another day.
When we reach the classroom, the class is already underway. Nervously, I knock on the closed wooden door. Professor Mazzle stops talking, and the door swings open.
"Look at what the cat dragged in," She sneers. Behind her, I can hear Madison snickering along with her posse.
"Hey Morgana, mucking about with your boyfriend again?" Her grating voice comes from somewhere inside the classroom. Behind me, I can hear Richard shuffling his feet.
"I'm sorry," I apologise meekly.
"I suppose your favourite period is detention," Mazzle gives us one last look of distaste as she steps away from the door. My face burns as I walk to my seat.
"You gotta wake up earlier," Kotaro whispers once I sit down.
"Yeah, yeah, I heard you the first time" I growl under my breath. Kotaro is smart, but gosh darn is he annoying at times, especially when he nags at me when his glasses have slipped off his nose. He looks like my grandma, and sounds like her too.
Mazzle's voice soon becomes a blurred drone, and I feel my Wanda Wonka pen slipping on the transfiguration textbook.
"PROFESSOR MAZZLE! MORGANA IS SLEEPING!" Madison yells.
I instantly snap awake, but it's too late. Professor Mazzle is already storming towards me.
"Late for class and still sleeping? You have some nerve, girl," She hisses. I shoot Madison a glare.
"I think my results speak for themselves," I'm so pissed off the words come out before I can stop myself. Mazzle's eyes look as if they are going to pop out of her head, and her face goes red. I mean, I'm right. I got Os for transfiguration for my O. despite not paying attention to any of her useless classes.
"Another hour of detention for you, young lady."
I suppress a groan. Today is going to be a long day
I somehow managed to power through my other lessons without falling asleep, and even Yotaro is impressed at my resilience. Most of the teachers like me, of course, because my results are stellar and I usually keep quiet in class. At lunchtime, I seat myself in my usual area with Yotaro and Richards.
"You shouldn't have talked back to Mazzle," Yotaro advises as he bites into an apple.
"Come on, not again?" Richards takes the words right out of my mouth.
"All you get is detention," He continues.
"-and the sweet, sweet taste of victory" I mutter under my breath.
'Anyways, the King will be here soon to select his guard. You need good recommendations from your teachers," Yotaro looks at me pointedly. I know he knows I care about being the King's guard, but maybe I shouldn't. I'm not good enough in my wandwork, my theory has been pulling my grades up the whole time. And apparently the King Guards need to have good wandwork. Nevertheless, my grades qualify me for the selection test.
"Actually he's right," Richards cuts in. I groan. Come on, not him too? "You need recommendations."
"And look who's here!" Madison's screeching voice interrupts our conversation. She sashays forward. Her clique of half a dozen sheep is of course following her, giggling - sorry, bleating - all the way. I try to ignore her, but she glides to a stop before me, preening.
"Ready for detention later?" She sneers. No wands allowed. No wands allowed. I chant in my mind.
"Back off," Richard growls.
"Oooooh, Mr Mud is saying something! Do you hear that, girls?" Madison imitates Mazzle's voice, tossing her mane from side to side in perverse satisfaction. Richard is shaking now. He has always hated his nickname, which was established when the quidditch coach decided to proclaim that he blended in with that poor excuse of a quidditch field. Especially when he fell from his broomstick.
"Right! Back off!" Yotaro joins in. The clique laughs again.
"Can't defend yourself, hon?"
There is a flash, and then she is on the ground. I am clutching my wand, the tip smoking and pointed at her. The noisy cafeteria slowly goes silent.
"SHE JINXED ME! SHE JINXED ME!" Madison is on the ground howling. No, I didn't. It was a hex.
A crowd is gathering around us now. Yotaro is just sitting there with a shocked expression on his face, while Richards is half out of his chair, his mouth agape. Me? I just feel deep satisfaction. I'm in trouble, but by Dumbledore was it worth it.
"What's going on here?" I hear a voice that I recognise as Professor Mazzle's. The crowd parts as she storms towards us.
"Help me! She's crazy and she just attacked me!" Madison chokes out between sobs. All I can feel is disgust as I look at her sniveling figure.
The next few minutes are a blur. I think I was dragged to Mazzle's office, either that or I followed her. Regardless, I'm there, seated on a rickety chair, and she's yapping at me again. I don't even bother defending myself this time.
"-I could snap your wand right now," She's saying. She won't though, and both of us knows it. I'm one of the top students, and she needs me to show the King they totally aren't wasting everyone's time and resources here. She then pauses, and looks at me expectantly.
"I'm sorry, Professor. It won't happen again," I try to sound as sincere as I can, which is really difficult.
"Another hour of detention," Mazzle finally drops the sentence. I sigh inwardly. My entire evening is gone, again.
