Chapter 2 The Academy

Penny and Draco were rushed to a room in the palace where a number of other ten year olds and their belongings were. The friends stayed with each other and shared looks with the others in the room. After several minutes, another door opened and an older wizard entered the room.

"Welcome to the Royal Academy. I am Thearas and I will be the one to help you through your years here."

Thearas began reading off the names of the ten year olds for attendance and stopped when he reached Penny's name.

"Penny Pendragon? Any relation to Howl Pendragon?"

"He's my father."

The group of the twenty ten year olds began to whisper amongst each other. They knew the tales of the wizard. Penny and Draco were used to the reactions their classmates had.

"Well, well. According to what Madam Solomon has told me, Howl was one of her best pupils. I hope you can measure up to him," Thearas said.

The wizard continued reading off the names and assigned the ten year olds to their rooms. They were led to the hall and common area where they would spend their free time when not studying, having meals, or having lessons. Draco and Penny had separate rooms across from each other and had one other person for a roommate. Penny walked into a room that had a nice view of the ocean and the city between the palace and the harbor. She saw that her roommate was already there and claimed the bed by the door and closet, with some of her clothes already in the closet.

"Sorry if you wanted the bed," the roommate said.

"It's okay. I like the window view any way. I'm Penny."

"Kasey. Never in a million years would I believe that I would be sharing a room with Howl's daughter."

"And that's gonna get me trouble. I just know it."

Penny began to unpack the bag she had brought with her and noticed that a week's worth of crimson dresses, matching pants, and boots where at her bed. A knock at the open door and one of Solomon's servants entered.

"Miss Pendragon, Madam Solomon wishes to see you."

Penny stopped her unpacking and followed the servant. The young witch looked at the decors in the hallway on the way to the green house. Once there, Penny was introduced to the older witch.

"I was wondering when I would meet you. Though I was not expecting to see some one so...scrawny," Solomon said as Penny sat down. "I hope you do not follow in your father's footsteps."

"If you're talking about him swallowing a fire demon, don't worry. No demon would ever gain my heart."

"Dear child. Do you honestly believe that there are just fire demons? The Witch of the Waste was with a greed demon."

Penny remember the Waste Witch. She has always called her Grandma Wendy. And the dog Heen was her dog that has watched over Penny when she was younger. Grandma Wendy always taught the young Penny things that Howl or the academy would not. Penny met the gaze of Solomon and had seconds to respond to the witch's attack with her own. Throw in Howl's protective charm, and a small percent actually hit Solomon.

"Quite a way to defend yourself; deflecting an attack with an attack," Solomon said when she recovered. "Was that of your choice or your father's?"

"Instinct, Madam Solomon."

Penny used the witch's title as a sign of respect after the attack.

"Very well. You may go.'

Penny nodded and left the green house. Solomon made a mental note to keep a close eye on the young Pendragon.

Once back in her room, Penny finished unpacking and watched the sunset over the roof tops. She would have a perfect view of it from the castle. Penny was not used to an all city life. Kasey saw that her new friend seemed distant.

"It's not all bad, city life," Kasey said. "You'll get used to it."

"After living in a moving castle, I don't think I will ever get use to it."

A bell ringing was heard; the signal for dinner. By this time, everyone was hungry. Penny and Draco met back up and introduced their roommates to each other. The friends talked about living in a magic castle as they filed into the meal line. In the actual cafeteria, an older student was showing off with his magic. Penny watched what he was doing in between getting her meal.

"Don't worry about him," another older student said from behind Penny. "Neal just has a big ego."

"Then perhaps you should demonstrate your skills with magic," Mary," Neal said.

Mary remained silent, not wanting to provoke her class mate. Neal looked to Penny, who to him looked like fair game.

"How about you, small fry?"

"Don't do it, Pen," Draco said.

"I'm not going to run away from this big ego bozo."

Penny sat her tray down and followed Neal to the central area of the room. There was an opening above the dais that allowed natural light in; and a magic shield would be placed there in bad weather; both students took a side of the circle. Neal attacked first, after a number of minutes. Penny took up her defense as she brought up her own attack. That attack went the second Penny's defenses went down. Neal was not expecting the sudden attack and was thrown back by the tidal wave. He picked himself up and summoned a ball of fire and launched it only to have it be put out. Penny summoned a number of plates of food to her side and threw them at her opponent.

From the door leading into the large room, Thearas watched the fight. Penny was not like her father. She stood and fought against Neal. The King's high wizard took note of each attack made by each fighter. Of their strengths and weaknesses.

Penny picked herself up and threw another attack at Neal. She was running out of attacks and would have to rely on some magic her father warned her not to use. She was about to summon dark magic to call the smallest attack when Thearas stopped it.

"That's enough. Neal, you should know better than to challenge a new apprentice. Penny, may I have a word with you?"

Penny followed the old wizard to a wall out of the way of the traffic.

"You were very close to using Dark Magic. It's worse than having a demon. You lose a part of your soul every time you use it." You would not be able to survive that attack," Thearas told her.

"I understand."

Thearas nodded and Penny returned to the meal line and received a well needed meal. She joined her friends who were congratulating her on the fight. Even some of the older students were giving her praise.

"Never before have I seen some one stand up to Neal and last as long as you did," Mary said.

The third year apprentice had joined the four first year apprentices at the table. Penny was actually smiling, knowing she had put a dent in Neal's ego; a well needed dent. It was a well deserved start to the academy.