Midsummer Meetings
Disclaimer: I own nothing, all rights to this wonderful series go to Philip Pullman
"Does it really have to be midday?"
Will Parry was standing in the office of a Dr. Robert Wesley, the headmaster of a prestigious school. He had filled out an application earlier that spring, but he hadn't thought that the final interview would be on June 21st, at twelve noon. Now, most people wouldn't find this to be such a problem besides that it landed in the middle of the summer holiday. But then, most people hadn't traveled to other worlds, either, and Will had.
You see, Will had an obligation. It was almost a year since he and Lyra had went separate ways, to rebuild the Republic of Heaven in their own worlds. On the day they separated, they had vowed to meet in St. Magdalen's Botanic Garden on Midsummer Day, at midday, once a year.
"Perhaps we could make an exception if you were able to tell us why you cannot make our set appointment time. As it is though, the board delegates have decided that the time is final, William. If you are unable to make the appointment, and cannot tell us why, I am afraid we cannot consider you for fall term."
The headmaster could see that the boy was agitated, but he had to make a meeting soon, and Will did not seem likely to share his concerns anytime soon.
"Well, William, I must be off, but I will be in my office at noon on Saturday. I do hope you'll be there."
As Will nodded and turned to leave, the headmaster Wesley added,
"Oh, and do bring a guardian, William. I would like to speak to your… mother?"
"No, sir. Not my mother."
But Will did not stay to explain.
Mary Malone was slowly getting used to normal human life again. She had applied for a grant to earn funding to restore The Cave and the other equipment she had destroyed at the Shadows' command. She had thought for sure she would be arrested the moment she walked into her office building, but apparently her colleague Oliver Payne had vouched for her, saying she had been away on family business when the crime was committed, and there wasn't any actual evidence linking her to the destruction of The Cave. So the police simply took her as a poor, fundless scientist whose already failing project had been destroyed by vandals- possibly another university hoping to beat Mary's team to a big discovery.
She had also become Will's legal guardian, as his mother had grown steadily more ill while they were gone. He now had his own room in her flat, and she was quite glad to have him there, as he was her only proof that the mulefa and the other worlds were real. Well, he and her dæmon, whom she had named Aki-Petteri, a good Finnish name for the Lapland witch who had revealed him to her. He was a small red-footed chough, and was a wonderful companion. However, no one besides Will and herself could see him, and the same went for Will's own dæmon, Kirjava.
Though Mary knew Will was a strong boy, she often worried about him. It seemed the loss of Lyra so abruptly had left him deeply bruised somewhere in that sheltered heart of his. He went to see his mother in the care facility every day, telling her stories of his and Lyra's adventures as she sat and counted the ceiling tiles, not hearing a word. Despite the little progress, he stuck to one mantra, which he could be heard whispering to Kirjava in his room: "Tell them stories".