Thank you, all my loyal readers!
HappeeGoLuckee- no he won't. Don't worry about that. You're welcome, I enjoy writing it.
SeulWolf- that realization doesn't happen for a while. Not until at least chapter 5. Thank you!
Isabelle Eir- hehe that's one of my favorite parts too. I'm personally hoping for UNE, but Hopkins is on my list.
daughterofpenthesiliea- you're making me blush. Thank you.
And thanks to anyone else who reviewed. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas. Enjoy!
*****Now reformatted to be better, thanks to Draeconin noticing that the site didn't like my columns.
Chapter Four: The Past Catches Up
Dr. Helena Pomkowski read over the sheet that had popped up after casting her spell. The 'Omnius Imperius Revelus' incantation was designed to conjure a parchment detailing the statistics of the person on whom it was cast.
'Legal Name: Evan Levey-Benson
Age: 7 years, 8 months, 3 days, 3 hours, 32 seconds
Height:
Weight:
Magic Level: 3
Score: 98
Recommended Entrance Time: 3 weeks ago'
She frowned. "The spell must have malfunctioned." she murmured to herself. She flicked her wand again. Her frown deepened when the results came out exactly the same, except for the age.
Evan stared at her from his chair. His parents stood on either side of him. His eyes bored into hers. His expression was blank, and his emerald eyes were disconcerting. "Its not what you expected, is it?"
The healer had to hide her flinch at the sudden statement from her patient. "Er...no, not exactly."
"Is it higher or lower than what you expected?" Taylor asked, almost visibly shifting from concerned parent to concerned doctor and parent.
"Much higher." she assured him.
Justin looked at Taylor. "What does that mean?"
Dr. Pomkowski summoned two chairs with flick, motioning for the couple to sit. "Has anyone explained the levels and scores to you?" At their nods, she continued. "Well, Evan is a level 3 wizard. Now, a score for this level usually occurs when children are 10. This has also been recorded in children as young as Evan. However, they don't reach a higher score until they are ten. Evan has a very high score. He is very nearly a level 4 wizard, which has not been recorded in a child as young as Evan for at least a century."
Evan sat on the chair, nervously swinging his legs as they dangled above the floor. His arms were crossed against his chest, chin tucked in.
Justin grinned. "So Evan's going to be powerful?"
The doctor returned his smile. "Your son already is powerful, Mr. Benson."
"Levey- Benson." he corrected with an absent smile. He and Taylor had gotten a civil union several months ago, and were still trying to get people to remember the hyphened part.
Taylor smiled at his partner before returning his attention to the matter at hand. "What happens now?"
She smiled, glad that for once she had parents who were actually going to listen to her suggestions. "Well, I recommend that he go to Salem Wizarding Academy. It's the closest magical school around here, and its one of the best in the country. My son goes there, and my daughter goes to their partner school, Salem Academy for Witchcraft." she shrugged at their tentative faces. "Or you can get a tutor, if you feel he isn't ready to go to school yet."
Evan piped up. "I don't want to go to school. The kids will make fun of me."
"Because you're young?" the doctor said, voice soft and cooing. "Its okay. The kids there are used to younger students. Its an advanced school." She had a saturated, permeating sweetness in her voice that was overbearing.
Evan blinked at her, frowning. An image had just flicked through his mind of a woman with a strict gray bun and funny looking glasses, beaming at him. He shook his head slightly, ignoring the strange picture. "That's not what they tease me for, Doctor."
Justin looked down sharply. "The kids at school still tease you?"
Evan nodded, finding the floor fascinating in all of its plain white glory.
"What about?"
He shrugged. "Stuff."
"Like?"
He mumbled something.
"What was that, sweetie?" Taylor crouched down next to him.
"They laugh because I don't have a mom. I tried to tell them that I did have a mom, but she gave me up and now I have two dads, which is way better than one, but they wouldn't listen." he rushed in one breath.
Dr. Pomkowski had to put in her word, even though it was clearly a family discussion. "Homosexuality is common in the magical world. There have been experiments done to try to allow such a couple to have a child of their own, rather than adopting or using a surrogate."
Evan looked at her, puzzled, as his parents looked at her blankly. "So other kids at school might have two dads too?"
She smiled. "Oh yes. Or two moms." She stood, glancing at the clock on the wall. "Here's the readout for your test levels. You might need to show that to a principle or tutor to convince them that Evan does need training at his age." The doctor also gave them a few pamphlets on the various schools in the New England area, to help them make the best decision they could, and she included a booklet entitled So Your Child Is a Witch Or Wizard: How to Cope, Adjust, and Acquaint Yourself.
The next day, Taylor made an appointment to talk with the principle of Salem Wizarding Academy. After looking through the pamphlets, it was clear that SWA was the best choice; it was the closest to home, and seemed to have the most diverse class range. A week later, at precisely 8:57 a.m. on Tuesday morning, Justin, Taylor, and Evan stood in front of a large brick school building. It was surrounded by trees on all sides, and the two muggles had to be given special ID badges to allow them to get past the wards.
Their appointment with the principle was at 9, but it took them a few tries to find the right room. The door, however, made two things very clear. One: the principle's name was Adam Fitzgerald, and he had a Ph. D. Two: this was a magical school. The letters spelling out the words were constantly shifting colors and fonts, from bold pink Times New Roman to neon green Webdings.
Taylor and Justin looked at each other. Once they knocked on that door, they would be immersed in the world of wizardry, with no way out. But Evan was worth it. The artist tapped his fist against the door. Almost immediately it opened, a man in rather casual clothes standing there. He was about 5'10", probably in his mid forties. His full head of brown hair made him look young, and he didn't seem like the principle of a prestigious school in his jeans, white dress shirt, and red zippered vest.
He grinned at the three people standing in his doorway. "You must be Taylor, Justin, and Evan. Come on in." He stepped back to allow them entry, and went to sit at his desk. His office looked relatively normal, if you ignored the coffee making itself, the random spinning objects on the desk, and the odd-looking dark colored bird in the corner.
Evan's eyes widened at the sigh. "Is that a Shadow Phoenix? Its beautiful! What's its name?" he babbled as his parents sat down.
"Yes. She is. Arizona." Taylor snorted.
Evan stared at the principle. "Really?"
"Yes really. I named her Arizona." Mr. Fitzgerald said.
"Can I take a picture of her? I want to paint her on my wall." the seven-year-old blurted.
"Evan, what do you say?" Justin reprimanded softly.
He heaved a sigh. "Can I please take a picture of her so I can paint her on my wall?"
"Of course." He grinned at the boy's politeness.
Once the impromptu photo shoot was done, which Arizona preened for, they were able to get down to business. "On the phone you said that you wished to enroll Evan as a first year student?" At their nods, he continued. "I'm guessing that since Evan is only seven, you had him tested."
"Yes, by a Dr. Pomkowski. We have a copy of the results right here." Taylor pulled out the envelope that they had kept it in.
The principle glanced over the sheet, eyes widening ever so slightly. "Well, its clear that Evan does need to start his magical schooling. He'll need to take a placement test before we can enroll him, and I think it would be better if he didn't start until next term. After all, we are well into the second semester, and it would be difficult to catch up and to fit in at this stage."
The men both nodded again. "We understand."
Justin continued. "What sort of placement test? I though that he would be starting at the beginning?"
Mr. Fitzgerald winced, and smacked his forehead. "Sorry. I forgot to tell you that we teach the essential muggle courses as well, in case the student doesn't want to live solely in the magical world. It seems stupid to us, that in many other schools around the world, especially in the UK, they just stop at the equivalent of fifth grade. Our placement test is only math, science, and English. We have a very different schooling system here in America than in other more traditional countries. We have advanced tracks for everything, so if Evan is completely bored and beyond the level of everyone else in, say, Basic Transfiguration, he can move up a level." A flick of his wrist sent a packet of paper to Taylor, and a second to Justin. "That's the information you'll need to decide with Evan what classes he wants to take, as well as all of our school policies," he paused. "Did you have any questions, or should I go get Evan set up for his placement test before we talk more?"
Justin grinned. "I think Evan's getting antsy. Maybe you should do the test first."
Evan, who had been obliviously playing with Silly Putty (the color changing type), looked up, eyes gleaming. "What sort of test?"
Once Evan was set up in an empty classroom and a teacher was watching him, the Levey-Bensons and Mr. Fitzgerald walked back to his office.
"How expensive is this place?" Taylor blurted nervously. "We want Evan to have a good education, but-"
"You have to be practical?" the principle cut in. "I understand. Tuition is actually fairly reasonable, because there's a contract involved. In the contract, it states that you have to commit to a minimum of two years here. And you supply a lot of the materials needed for classes." He paused, flicking his wrist again to bring a log book to him. "Our yearly tuition estimated for the next year is going to be $1000. Comparably, a tutor would be more than double that. The average first year student spent around $200 for their supplies this year. Of course, a lot of students are on different tracks, and some call for more items than others."
They continued talking about the financial aspect of Evan's schooling, and the principle acquainted the muggles with a few of the magical terms and items. A knock on the door interrupted the principle's explanation of the magical version of the SATs. "Come in." he called, mildly confused.
The teacher who had been watching Evan walked in, a frown firmly set on her face. Evan stood guiltily beside her. "He claims he's done, Adam!"
"Thank you Stacey." he dismissed her, taking the large packet from her hands. She left in a huff, clearly annoyed that the principle didn't question the matter further. Mr. Fitzgerald took the answer sheet, which was on top, and tapped it 3 times with his want, muttering 'revelus cunctus erratus." He frowned when 4 red dots appeared on the sheet. He pulled a plastic plate out of a drawer. It was recognizably one of the template sheets used to correct answer sheets quickly. He lined up the two sheets, and frowned again.
"Did I do really badly?" Evan asked quietly from the safety of Justin's lap.
"On the contrary, Evan. You did fantastic. Was this easy for you?"
He shrugged innocently. "Sorta. I mean, a lot of it was logic, especially the math. Some of the answers were obviously wrong, so I was able to narrow down a lot of questions." He said calmly. "When do I get to start learning magic?" A big grin was plastered on his face.
Laughing, Mr. Fitzgerald told him that he wouldn't be able to start school until September 2, nearly 6 months away. At this, he pouted. "Hey, its okay Evan. Usually kids don't start magic school until they're 11. You're lucky that you're starting so soon."
Later that evening, when the three were going over Evan's options for classes, Taylor and Justin felt they were stepping into a fantasy book. The classes were so divers and some were, well, just weird.
"Necromancy: the art of conversing with the dead." Taylor began.
Evan's eyes lit up. "What's that about?"
Taylor continued reading. "Necromancy, unlike other forms of magic, can only be performed by certain individuals. If you sign up for this class, you will be tested for any skill before the term begins. If you do have an affinity for death, you will be expected to participate in the class. Entry level Necromancy includes certain rituals to speak with the dead, and you will advance to the next level ONLY after passing key exams."
Taking the pen from his father, Evan put a mark next to the class. "It sounds cool!" he defended when his parents raised eyebrows at him simultaneously.
Justin shrugged in consent. How much trouble could he really get into, anyway? He pulled the course sheet out of Taylor's hand. "What's next on the list?" he frowned. "Ani- ani- mag-us? Anymaygus?" he shook his head. "The transformation of a witch or wizard into an animal by will. This course could span anywhere from a few months to the entirety of your schooling, depending on how easily you learn your form." Without having to ask, he made a mark next to the class.
Evan was grinning. He was thrilled by all of the courses he could choose from. In the end, he chose seven classes: necromancy, animagus transformations, arithmancy, wandless magic, defensive magic, transfiguration, and potions. He also wanted to take band and martial arts, and he would (he assumed) be taking the three basic 'muggle' courses- math, science, and English. Of course, with such a great number of desired courses, Justin and Taylor were unsure how their son was going to be able to handle them all, let alone fit them into his schedule. The course list hadn't come with a limit of courses that he could take, nor instructions to put them in any desired order.
The summer dragged on and on for the almost 8-year-old. He had taken three more tests since his meeting with Mr. Fitzgerald: one for English, one for math, and one for science. They were more specific than the one he had first taken, and would therefore be able to more accurately place him.
But that wasn't why the summer was dragging. The school would be mailing his schedule on a specific day, and Evan was anxious to find out what classes he had gotten into, even though he knew he would be in necromancy. Justin was still disturbed by the memory of that meeting.
FLASHBACK
Evan was sitting cross-legged on the smooth stone floor, facing a man clad entirely in bright neon green. The man had short, shiny (or maybe greasy) brown hair, and deathly pale skin. The two were staring intently at each other. Justin was standing in the corner, watching curiously.
Suddenly, the young boy's eyes rolled back into his head. His body went slack, but he remained sitting somewhat upright.
"Evan!" Justin called, moving to step inside the complex runes that created a chalk pentagon on the floor.
"No." He stopped, the voice commanding his attention. "He's fine. His soul is just separated from his body."
Justin's eyes bugged out. "WHAT? WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO MY SON?!" he fumed.
"Relax, will you? As long as the runes aren't disturbed, he'll be fine. Its temporary."
Fists clenched and knuckles white, Justin tried not to let his artist's temper through. "Why is my son's soul separated from his body?"
The other man shrugged. "Because he has a skill with death. The ritual I'm using only works if the subject has an ability for the death magics."
END FLASHBACK
Evan's shriek brought Justin out of his thoughts. His son was waving a sheet of paper around- his schedule. Snagging it, the 'adult' read the list.
'1. Necromancy- Level 1
2. Arithmancy- Level 1
3. Wandless Magic- Level 1
4. Defensive Magic- Level 1
5. Transfiguration- Level 1
6. Potions- Level 1
7. Band ++
8. English- Level 3
9. Math- Level 2
10. Science- Level 2
Animagus Transformation *
Martial Arts **
* This will take the place of a free period when the time slot is available in the schedule.
**Class will take place after school, from 3:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. every Monday and Wednesday.
++ Instruments will be chosen after the first week of classes, after being given a description of each option.
School Day: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Periods:
8:00 - 9:00
9:05- 10:05
10:10- 11:10
11:15- 12:15
LUNCH
1:00- 2:00
2:05- 3:05
Monday
1
2
3
4
5
6
Tuesday
7
8
9
10
1
2
Wednesday
3
4
5
6
7
8
Thursday
9
10
1
2
3
4
Friday
5
6
7
8
9
10
General Supplies:
Notebooks, writing utensils (blue or black pens only, please.)
1 wand, wand sheath (arm or leg)
A bag of some sort is recommended.
Broomsticks are allowed to be used during free periods, but there are many available at the school. A class will be held on a weekend or after school later on in the year.
The supply list for individual classes will be mailed within the next week.'
"Wow. I guess they encourage a large course load." Taylor looked over Justin's shoulder, as amazed as his partner was.
"I guess so. A 10 class rotation seems a bit extreme though." Justin replied, leaning back to allow Taylor to wrap his arms around him.
Evan was still running in circles around the kitchen, cheering loudly. "I'm going to school! I'm going to school!"
Taylor intercepted the blur and swung the giggling boy onto his shoulders. "We have to buy your supplies first, buddy."
His son frowned down at him. "How? I don't think Walmart has wands, Daddy."
Justin held up the letter. "One of the teachers is going to show us around when we get the rest of the supply list. He's apparently the guy in charge of helping 'muggleborns' adjust to the magical world." His hands formed air quotes for the weird word.
Evan calmed down, frowning. "Is it really such a big adjustment? I mean, its magic! Its cool!"
Justin and Taylor laughed. "A lot of things are different. I think." the former said oh so decisively.
"We'll find out next Wednesday." Taylor finalized. Evan pouted. As intelligent as he was, he was also impatient.
Whew. That was long. It was going to be about 3 pages longer, but then I realized that if I didn't end it here, the chapter would be about 10 pages longer, since the next section details the shopping trip. And, I wouldn't have been able to finish it before the end of today. So, I decided that I'm just going to put that in the next chapter. Oh, and here's an explanation of the magic levels. Oh, and the average life span of a magical person is going to be about 150 years for the sake of this story.
1. In adults, a level 1 is considered a non-magical witch / wizard- a.k.a. squib. They can't perform any magic beyond a basic spell under extreme duress. In childhood development, usually occurs between birth and the age of 1.
2. In the average witch/ wizard, this can occur between the ages of 1 and 10. For adults, they are able to perform a few basic spells while not under duress.
3. Occurs after the age of 10. A relatively low score for an adult, but most basic spells can be performed.
4. Score of an average student in their first 3 years of study. In adults, this is a lower end mid-level witch/ wizard.
5. This level is usually of a student between the 3rd and 6th years of schooling. Adults: mid-level.
6. Student- finishing the normal schooling (age 17-19). Adult- higher end mid-level witch/ wizard.
7. Level only achieved by someone who has spent time beyond normal schooling. (Usually 20-30 years old.) Lower end high level witch/ wizard.
8. High level witch/ wizard- has mastered one subject. 30- 50 years old.
9. Extremely high level witch/ wizard- has a mastery of multiple fields. 50- 70 years old.
10. Extraordinarily powerful witch/ wizard. Has never been recorded in someone under 100 years.
11. A level this high has never been recorded, but one witch in the 18th century was very close to achieving it before she died at the age of 163.
Each level has a score ranging from 1 to 100. A level 3, score 55 is less powerful than a level 3, score 99.