A/N: Lyra is a bit different than how she is in the books, but this is fifteen years after The Amber Spyglass, so I thought she'd change at least a little.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters except for Marianne Drake (Mari) and Klitus (Kli)
"Professor Silvertongue, if you don't mind me asking, how do you know that there are other worlds through the Aurora? You speak as if you've been to them!
"That is a good point Ms. Drake, but I can assure you there are worlds beyond our own." The Professor smiled up and the young student, while her daemon, Pantalaimon, curled around her neck. "I have traveled to the north plenty of times and studied the Aurora, and it still has mysteries that not even I can figure out."
The students chuckled as the bell suddenly rang and the Professor nodded for the students to leave.
"Ms. Drake, may I speak with you for a moment?"
Marianne quickly put her books away and made her way towards the front of the classroom, her Jackal daemon Klitus close behind her. "Yes Professor?"
Professor Silvertongue walked out from behind her desk with a briefcase in her hand and looked at the girl. "I know I am not much older than you, only by seven years, but we both know that you act much older than you are."
Marianne blushed as she tucked her frizzy brown hair behind her ear and Klitus looked anxiously around. "I don't try,"
The Professor chuckled, "Well Ms. Drake-"
"Please, call me Marianne or Mari."
"Mari, I have been on quite a few adventures myself. I have met people and creatures you could never even imagine." Her eyes clouded over as if reliving the past, and Pantalaimon licked her cheek to bring her back to reality. "I have lost dear friends and made new friends, and now I'm here helping to teach the youth of our world. It is not often that I meet a student with such enthusiasm about learning or such maturity as you. I have some old journals you may be interested in reading. Who knows? Maybe you are the one who is to find the way to others worlds."
"Lyra," Pantalaimon muttered.
"Oh, I'm fine Pan. We've moved on, haven't we?"
"Not exactly..."
Mari looked at her professor confused. "Is there something I can help with?" She asked quietly.
Professor Silvertongue shook her head. "Nothing. I'm fine, really. Just follow me and I'll get those journals and you can learn more. If you do have any ideas about possibly traveling through worlds let me know though. I would love to hear your ideas."
"Lyra," Pan warned.
"Oh Pan! Stop being such a worry-wart! If there's anyone in this world we can trust it's Mari!"
Mari glanced down at Klitus who nodded. "What are you talking about professor?"
"Just follow me and once you're through with those journals you'll understand. Just don't let anyone else read them. Under any circumstances."
Mari nodded and followed the professor out into the hall way and into her office. She pulled out a box and handed a few journals to Mari. "Take your time reading them. Take notes if you'd like, but like I said, if you have any ideas about traveling through worlds let me know. And if you have any questions just let me know,"
Mari glanced at the journals and nodded. "I shouldn't take too long with these. I've turned in all of the school work that is due for this month in my classes. I try to stay a month ahead of everyone else."
"And that's very good. Take your time though. You may get confused about a few things. Some of the notes I have taken over the years are a bit confusing. Especially-"
"Lyra!" Pan snapped once more.
"Oh fine Pan! I'll be quiet."
"Thanks professor! I'll start reading these as soon as possible!"
"Good luck!"
Mari smiled once more at her favorite professor and walked out into the hallway.
"Well that was interesting," Klitus commented.
"I know what you mean Kli. The professor was acting very strange. Especially when she was talking about other worlds. Do you think she traveled between worlds?"
Kli shrugged. "Maybe. Personally I think it would be fun to travel between worlds."
"Just traveling in general," Mari agreed. "Let's head back to our room and get to work."
"What about dinner?"
"I can't eat! I'm too excited!"
"You need to eat!"
Mari rolled her eyes. "Kli! I'm fine!"
"I promised your mum I'd take care of you. Now let's go and eat!"
She sighed and nodded. "Fine,"
Mari ate quickly and raced to her room to start reading. Her friends didn't really talk to her that day, because they knew all they would hear about was what they had discussed in professor Silvertongue's class. Mari was like that; if she had discussed something interesting in class, or even outside of class, she wouldn't stop talking about it for about a week. She immediately sat down on her bed and opened the first journal and scanned the first page with her brown eyes.
Day 1
'I travel north in search of Roger. I hope the Gobblers haven't caught him, he was the only true friend I've had. Human friend that is,'
Marianne stopped reading and looked over at Klitus who was cuddled up next to her as usual. "This sounds more like a personal journal, instead of a science journal."
"Flip through it," He yawned. "Maybe it gets more scientific in the middle of it."
She listened and flipped through. No luck.
"What's this?" She wondered aloud as she stopped on the final entry in the journal.
Day ??
'A strange boy, that Will Parry. He's from a different world, and they don't have daemons! Pan seems to think that's odd as well, but I guess since he's from a different world means that he's strange. I'm strange to him most likely, but I'm not going to just come out and say, "Hey Will! Do you think I'm strange?" I've noticed, though, that I am happy when he's around. I won't admit it to anyone but myself of course. Not even to Pan. Anyways we have to figure out what's going on here. I'm slowly learning how to read the Alethiometer. I've asked it if I do truly like him, and according to it (if I'm reading it right) I love him. I love-'
Mari slammed the journal shut, startling Klitus. "Sorry Kli, I just think the professor gave me the wrong journal. This is most definitely a personal journal."
"What about the others?"
She quickly looked through them and sighed. "Yes, they're all the same."
"Well ask her about it tomorrow before class."
Mari sighed and nodded. "It is odd though, you'd think she would've checked before she gave them to me. It says here though that this boy she met, this Will Parry, is from a different world. And that he doesn't have a daemon."
"What?!" Kli asked in shock.
Mari nodded. "I don't understand. I thought everyone had a daemon!"
"That's all I've heard as well," Klitus sighed as he looked around.
"A world without daemons," Mari said to herself. "I couldn"t live without you around Klitus,"
He chuckled and licked her cheek. "You're my best friend in the world Mari. I couldn't live without you either."
She smiled and scratched him behind his ear. "You're my best friend too Kli. I would be terrified if you weren't around. Let's get to bed so we can go and see the professor before classes start."