"C'mon, the headmaster's making his welcoming speech!" Maddie shouted as she grabbed Billi's hand and pulled her out of the dorm. They sped down the hall and a few staircases until they reached the dining hall.
Maddie and Billi looked around, everyone was wearing formal clothes.
"See aren't you glad I made you wear that skirt?" Maddie nagged. Billi tried to pull it down more.
"It's too short!" Billi hissed.
"Is not! I mean c'mon, Bill, you look hot!" Maddie teased as she started attacking Billi's hair. "Oh no! you're hair's coming out!" Billi quickly batted Maddie's hands away and entered the dining hall after another group of girls.
"Maddie! Billi! Over here," Dylan shouted from the other end of the hall. Maddie and Billi were too stunned by the hall's newfound beauty to even notice Dylan.
The walls were draped in five different colors. White, yellow, red, blue, and green. Lanterns were floating in thin air,and tables seemed to be hanging by invisible threads. Suddenly, the lights dimmed, and the two girls hurried over to the table with Dylan. They all watched as the teachers walked in, followed by the headmaster and mistress. Each one took a seat. The headmaster and mistress had the two biggest seats under a white drape. To the right of the headmistress sat a scrawny-looking man, and a slightly pudgy woman. Both were wearing pointed hats, those seen at halloween on witches costumes. To the right of them were three men and a woman. All were medium sized, clothed in modern-day clothing. Two of the men had dark black hair while the woman was blonde and the last man was a red head. To the left of the headmaster were three women who seemed to be triplets. All had brunette hair, and a piercing stare with cold blue eyes. To the left of those women were two men; one seemed gigantic with black hair and hands the size of Billi's face. To the left of that man was a young teacher, it was Lancelot.
"Is that Lance up there?" Dylan asked as she squinted and tried to see if it was. Billi gave a nod of confusion. She immediately turned to Fallon, but she just shrugged.
The headmaster stepped up to the new podium, it was solid mahogany. He gave a small cough, cleared his throat and then took a sip of water that appeared in a floating glass.
"Good evening!" his voice boomed.
There was an echo throughout the hall of, "good evening" and "hello".
"It is my honor to present to the new students the academy for the gifted, Tigerz Eye Academy." There was a long stretch of clapping. "I am also oblidged to welcome back previous students," more clapping. "We've had many good years in the past," a few guys shouted and whistled. The headmaster stood patiently, waiting for the students to calm back down.
"However, this year will be the best. Its is my priveldge to tell you that our school will play host to a very well known wizard. Does anyone know who?" he asked. There were murmurs throughout the hall.
"Houdini!" cried out a first year. The headmaster let out a small chuckle.
"No my boy, Houdini was a magician, not wizard. No, no, no, this wizard is much older, wiser, and never died from his own magic." He paused, waiting to see if anyone could figure it out. "No one? Why, I'm surprised, he is only the most well-known wizard, well, ever!"
"It's Merlin!" Saber finally shouted out.
"My boy, it's not nice to intrude on other's thoughts," the headmaster chuckled. "But it is indeed Merlin who is coming to teach this year." There was a wave of gasps and whispers.
"Saber, did you really read the headmasters mind! That's so rude and disrespectful!" Dylan hissed.
"No, smart one, I figured it out and was just waiting for another person to answer. Too bad everyone is so dumb!" he hissed back.
"Yes, that is right, the great Merlin will be here in a matter of minutes, and look now, here he comes!" The headmaster said as he hurried out of the hall. All the students turned to look.
Suddenly an old man emerged. He was nothing like what Saber had imagined, he wasn't the Dumbledore-esque type. In fact he was the complete opposite. His hair was short and bright red, he barely had any sign of a beard, and looked no older than 20. The shock spread faster than paper catching fire. Kids started whispering.
Merlin stopped in his tracks and reached out his hand. Saber watched as he grasped the air in front of him, Saber heard all the whispering end.
Is it just me or is there something weird about this guy? Saber thought, trying to send the message to Dylan. She turned to him.
"What are you talking about?"
"Merlin, look at him, he looks like he's a year older than me!" Saber hissed.
"Huh, Saber, the guy's ancient. Look at him, he's got a beard down to the floor!" Dylan responded. Everyone shook their heads.
"Are you ok? I think there's something wrong with your vision," Amanda said with concern.
Saber turned back and looked at Merlin as he finished walking down the aisle to a third chair that had suddenly materialized. Saber watched as Merlin took his seat and then stared directly at him. Saber felt something enter his mind, he had never felt this way before. It was a thought being sent directly into his brain! Saber knew he could do this to others, but had never had it done to himself.
What do you see? Saber heard in his head.
Who's asking? Saber tried send back. He looked back at Merlin who was clearly staring at him.
Me.
I see a young man, he has red hair, and looks no older than twenty. Saber replied. He saw Merlin's face go pale suddenly. He tried to tap into his thoughts, but found that Merlin was blocking him.
Oh no! The spell, why didn't it work on him? He knows now! Can Lancelot see me like this also then? Who hasn't it worked on? Merlin thought to himself.
He looked to his right, to try and talk to the headmaster about his dilemma, but realized that he had gone back to the podium and was starting his welcoming speech again. Merlin then looked to Lancelot. He didn't seem to notice anything.
Good, I need him, he can't know.
"Good, I need him, he can't know. " was all Saber was able to hear after finally breaking Merlin's mind block.
Who's him? Know what? Saber pondered as the headmaster lectured on about the productive new year. It wasn't until Saber heard the words "Lancelot" and "Merlin" in the same sentence, did he begin to listen to the headmaster.
What goes on inside that boy's head? Amanda thought to herself.
Not a whole heck of a lot, or that's what I'm told. Amanda hears in her head. She can't help but chuckle, and she can see from her profile view of Saber that he's smirking. It was then that Amanda realized what Saber was. He was just a guy, not a blood thirsty tiger, just a guy.
Maddie listened intently to the headmaster's words, and focused especially on the part about Lancelot helping Merlin.
"Merlin has chosen our very own Lancelot to assist him in his studies and teaching. Obviously Lancelot has a great inner-power that Merlin has sensed, so please if you would all be so kind as to congratulate him on his greatness. Also, class sign-ups will begin tomorrow, because we are such a small school, you will all receive the chance to have a class taught by the great Merlin." The headmaster paused to catch his breath.
Maddie stole a glance at Merlin, he seemed worried and very apart from everything. Then she realized he was staring at someone, at Saber. Then Maddie remembered when Mr. Josomer had pulled Saber out of the hospital room to talk to him.
Was that what they were talking about? About Merlin? I saw Mr. Josomer hand something to Saber, what was it? Maddie thought as she studied the old man's face. He had a very long beard, it came gown to his mid-chest, his hair was a great silvery-whitish color, and was a little longer than his beard. His eyes were old and weary, but were well hidden under his very large glasses that looked to be three-inches thick. Maddie also noticed Merlin's pointed hat, the stereotypical one, it was royal blue with half-moons and stars. His robes were log and flowing, they too, were covered in the same pattern as the hat.
So that's Merlin.
Suddenly Maddie's body tensed up, and she closed her eyes in shock, an image was appearing in her mind's eye. A premonition.
