We head off to the food court and I buy vegetable ramen and lemongrass tea from the sushi place. Ginia orders her usual tray of high cholesterol: cupcakes, cookies and a giant buttered pretzel. With a large hot chocolate topped with a small hill of whipped cream and marshmallows. Ell settles for a club sandwich and fruit smoothie. I look around, no one is sitting close enough to hear our conversation.

"Alright now, girl. Stop being so mysterious. Spill. Spiiill!" Ginia orders. "Remember to keep it a secret." "We will, now tell us." Ell whispers. "That man you saw at the New Year's ceremony is my grandfather." Ell jumps in her seat and Ginia chokes on a marshmallow. I bend over the table to pat her back. She swallows it, thankfully.

"W-whaat?! But that isn't allowed!" Ell frets. "I-I don't get it. Aren't you wildeseed?" Ginia coughs. "Yes. I am. I have zero magickal heritage whatsoever. He's my adoptive grandfather. And he's nativeseed." Ginia leans back. "Oooh. I didn't know you were adopted." Ell questions me. "Is that who you call 'Papa'? But what about the rest of your family? Are they nativeseed too?" I shake my head. "It's a little complex. I've known him since I was little. He used to be my tutor. He taught me how to speak German. But he also happens to be a wizard. My other family is mundane." Ell twists her mouth. "Did he also teach you magic?"

I smirk. I knew that was coming. "No. I didn't get a head start, if that's what you're implying. Only the German language, some basic gen-ed, and piano." "But wait. I'm lost. You can be adopted and have a real family at the same time?" Ginia puts her hands on her cheeks and rests her elbows on the table. "My blood family and I don't share a home. I was… Disowned a few years ago. He adopted me. Yesterday actually." Ell and Ginia gasp. "No way! Yesterday?!" Ginia says, shocked. "Oh. I'm sorry, to hear that." Ell saddens.

"It's fine. Everything has been worked out. But he asked me to let him adopt me. And I said yes of course. So now we're legal family. I'm incredibly happy about it. But that's not all…" I lean in closer to girls, and they do the same. I lower my voice to a whisper. "I didn't know this. I didn't even know he was coming to visit the school. But apparently he's powerful in the magickal world. He came to check out the academy, possibly to give funding, or maybe put in a good word for the school. His opinion has great influence with the higher ups." "Why is that? Who is he?" Ginia whispers. I let out a breath. "He used to be a member of the Grand Council. But he retired ages ago."

"Whooooooah!" Ginia shouts. Ell and I push her back into her seat and cover her mouth. "Shssh!" "Shushushsh!" "My bad. But… Are you for real?! That's HUGE Lumie!" Ginia gushes. I smile awkwardly. "I… I didn't even know until recently. He never taught me anything about magick, or even talked about the magickal world much. He wanted to wait until I was old enough to go to school, but as you girls know. That was a problem of its own. Then he just shows up here, without telling me he was coming, and I find out he's this powerful, magickal noble. And that he wants to adopt me. If I hadn't known him for so many years, I wouldn't believe it myself. But… Now that I think about it. It does make sense. He's wealthy, and a fantastic wizard. And he lives his life very privately."

Ell blinks several times. "No wonder we haven't seen you. You've been through so much in such a short time. Are you overwhelmed?" I shrug. "I don't know. I think I am. I might be." Ginia slaps my arm. "I'm so psyched for you Lumie. Don't you know how cool that is? No one can mess with you now. You just became rich, famous and powerful in one day! Haha. And I'm your very best friend. Riiight?" I face palm myself. "I thought you girls should know. Since you are my closest friends. But… I don't want you two to treat me differently. I'm still me. No matter who my grandfather is." Ell grins widely, and Ginia snickers. "Of course you are Lumie." "You better not become a stuck-up bitch like Jacob!"

Ell and Ginia invite me to go shopping with them, but as I'm about to say yes, I see a familiar figure. I'll have other days to shop with the girls, but how often do I get to see this guy? I excuse myself and walk his way.

It's easy to spot Sir Big Steve. He's looming over a bench, staring down at it. "Hi." I greet. "Mmm." He acknowledges. "I take it you're not looking forward to a day of shopping?" He shakes his head. "Need more caffeine." "Would you like to go the food court with me? You could refuel there." "No!" He shouts. I'm distressed by his ourtburst. Then he winces and presses a hand to his forehead. He groans. "I have to buy a present for Michelle." "You'll have plenty of time for that. I'll even help you if you don't mind. Besides, you know you need coffee." He smiles. "Right." We make our way to the bakery I frequently patron.

"You go here too?" He asks me, a bit surprised. "All the time." I answer. He hums. "I thought I was the only one. That's good." The baker offers him a free sample of cake, which is supposedly a new recipe. He waves the cake away and buys coffee without a word. Back to shopping, then. "How old is your sister?" I probe. "Twelve next week." He grunts. A little sister, not even a teenager yet. He's a senior, so he's, what, about twenty? Nineteen if he started going to Iris at fifteen. That's a pretty big age gap. "What are her interests?" I ask another question, formulating what would make a nice gift. "Kung fu." Well, isn't that constructive? I've never trained in any of the martial arts. I know little about it. What should I suggest?

"Do you think she'd like a toy sword? Or maybe one of those big, red, bamboo fans?" I've seen a couple of movies where those fans held hidden blades. In a few animes the fan itself was a weapon, and it could be a good way for her to retain some finesse along with her skillfull aggression. "Mmm." Sir Big Steve ponders this. "Or even a bop bag? I think that's what it's called. Those inflatable things you can kick and punch and they flop right back up." "No." He answers plainly. "If you're not too set on those ideas, what would you suggest? There's a toy store over there if you need inspira-"No!" He shouts. I shut my mouth. "This is my job. You're… Distracting me." "You don't want to hang out together?" He saddens. "I didn't say that. But I told you I was busy." Oh. "I-I'm sorry if I was being a pest. I really didn't mean to get in your way, or barge in on your plans. I'll see you around sometime, I guess?" He looks away, and I leave him alone.

Sunday, after losing a game of baseball in Sports Club, I spend indoors. It's getting warm enough to not need our coats anymore, just a thick sweater and some boots would suffice. But I finish off the book The Theory and Practice of Spellcasting in the library. Afterwards, I have the dorm room to myself. I use this time to play with the shards Papa gave me. I glimmer them against the sunlight, and slide them under the bed to see how bright they glow in the dark. I even turn the room pitch black and swing them around like glow sticks. What shall I do with these things? I look up at my bunk. First, I need to come up with a new illusion. I pull books from my shelf, and my notebook. Looking for inspiration.

On Monday I assume it's back to routine. But it's unusual. Professor Grabiner writes a few pages for us to read in the textbooks on the chalkboard and warns us all not to bother him. He instructs us to focus on the spells we are having the most difficulty with and ask for help amongst each other if we need assistance.

Is it me or does he look pale? He spends the rest of the class in silence. Writing in a book and monitoring the class. I notice him cough multiple times. He even conjures up a cup of tea. I hope he isn't getting sick.

After classes the students are called for an assembly. There's a table on the stage containing a row of brightly-colored candles. Of which, only one at the far end is lit. The Headmistress speaks. "Today we are here to recognize outstanding Iris Academy seniors, the best and brightest of our young people, with induction into the Magical Honor Society. But what you should be most proud of is not the honor you receive today, but the choices and sacrifices you have made that led you to this point, and to points beyond. A life well-lived is its own reward." She pauses.

Then continues. "As seniors you should stand as shining examples to those who will follow you. Therefore, as I call your names, please come up to the stage and take one of these candles to pass on the light." She lists off a number of seniors: Sir William and Lady Isobel are among them. Each takes the candle that has been most recently lit, and touches it next to the candle in line, passing the flame. "And one more student who deserves special recognition for her hard work and creative thinking in proposing a new theory behind the Icarus Effect- Angela Kirsch!" Lady Angela walks up to the stage, all smiles, and I hear Ellen grinding her teeth beside me. I wonder what's on her mind.

"Each one of you has a calling in life. You set your own goals and strive to achieve them. Your goals are yours alone, and what is easy for you may not be easy for others. Whatever you do, never crush someone else's dream, for then you can be sure that you are not working towards your own." After that speech, we are dismissed, with the candles still burning.

"It's so stupid!" Ell shouts as I close the dorm door behind us. "What is?" I ask, puzzled by her sudden outburst. "Do you know what her paper was about?" "Who's? What paper?" "Angela!" Ell spits. This is about that honor society thing? "She came up with this idea that there's a magical field around the Earth. And it gets weaker as you move further away from the ground. So if you fly high enough, the magic fails and you fall." That sounds like a reasonable idea. But if any of these kids finished high school they would know that it's highly unlikely. But as a theory, it's reasonable. "But it's just an idea!" Ell puffs. "All she did was read about people flying and then make something up. She wrote an essay on how things might be, and didn't do anything at all to find out if it was true! They're calling her brilliant for nothing but a just-so story!"

"You have a point. But maybe the assignment didn't require that." She twitches. "I asked Headmistress Potsdam and she didn't even understand the question. When I brought it up to Professor Grabiner, I told him it was bad practice and he snapped at me. How can we learn magic from people who don't actually know how magic works? If nobody does any research, if nobody tries to figure out what makes things happen… Anything we do could lead to a disaster." She's right. But plenty of people have been researching magick, and still do to this day. It's an infinite and complex set of possibilities. "Well, why don't you do research? You seem passionate about the subject."

"What?" Ellen gasps. "See a need, fill a need. If it bothers you so much, why not fix it? You could be a leader in the world of magickal discoveries. A dignitary, a wildseed prodigy, an example for scholars everywhere. You seem to know more than you're letting on. So maybe you should do something. After all, this isn't just a problem that ticks you off, but could affect the entire magickal community." "Maybe…" She goes back to flipping through more books, but she looks less angry and more thoughtful.

When we arrive for blue class the only sign of Professor Grabiner is two words written on the chalkboard in large white letters: Free Period.

We wait a few minutes, just in case it's a prank. Or worse. A test. But he still doesn't turn up. Everyone takes this opportunity to cheer and laugh and celebrate, then bolt out of the room. I'm the only one left inside.

I guess this means class is cancelled for the day. I'll stay in the classroom, but I think I'll take it easy for today. I use this rare opportunity to take the shards out of my bag. The door is closed and I draw the blinds for the windows. I take a piece of chalk from the board and draw a magick circle on my desk. It's one of my own creations, not the intricate and dangerous circles in the spellbooks. I place a few shards on the desk, in the center of the circle, not wanting to ruin them all should anything go wrong.

I know just what I'm going to make with these.

I cup my hands over the shards, and their glow can be seen from in between my fingers. I focus on the moonstone within the silver and will it to separate. I infuse green and black magick into my will and press on the shards. I picture the silver in strands and the moonstone fusing into one round mass. They feel cool against my skin. The circle begins to glow brightly and underneath my hands gets very warm. Hot. After the glowing fades I lift my hands and… Yes! The sharp silver shards are shiny on their own, but the oval-shaped moonstone actually radiates its own light. There's plenty of silver, but the amount of gem is miniscule. I do this with the remaining shards. Now I have all the ore and gem I need. I fuse the moonstone into a pure, marble-sized, round stone. I move the stone out of the circle. I take a deep breath, let it out and close my eyes.

Now for the silver. I separate a few shards out of the circle. With the remaining silver, I clump them together into the center of the circle and cup my hands over them. I picture a long, thin chain, with intertwining links that dip and curve delicately. The hot sensation and glowing returns. The circle glows even brighter this time. I lift my hands, and the chain is just as I imagined. I pick it up, feeling for its weight. Not heavy at all. Almost airy.

I tug at it, testing it for frailty. Nope. Strong as steel at least. I twirl it around, and listen to it cut the air. I cast a quick Silence spell and slam it against the desk, but it doesn't chip or shatter. Perfect. I take the rest of the silver and picture a pendant piece. Sharp, curved edges, loops and dips and a shallow socket to hold something in the middle. A few seconds later and… Done. It's lovely if I do say so myself.

I place the chain and the pendant piece together and fuse them. Almost done. I pick up the moonstone marble and place it in the circle, as I cup my hands over it, I think of emotions to pour into the stone. What do I want the charm to do? I want it to protect me, but its inherent properties already do that. Hm. I know. I want it to obey me and only me. That is. It should only glow in my presence. Can I even tell it when it should and shouldn't glow?

I snap my fingers. I've got it. I want my loved ones to be able to use it to track me. It'll glow brighter and brighter the nearer it is to me... Wait. But I can't have something that glows all the time. That could be inconvenient. Especially in dungeon exams... Okay how about this? It'll only glow in the presence of lethal danger. That's useful.

I also want it to help me internally. Can I add all of those things to one charm…?

I think I know what to do. Focusing on the charm, with one hand placed on my heart, and the other on the stone, I think: if I'm ever separated from you, light my loved ones' way to find me. It glows and heats up in the magick circle. When it seems to be finished, I place the charm on the next desk over and walk to the other side of the room. It begins to glow. As I walk closer to it, the glowing stops.

Sweeeeet! Oh. Relax yourself Lumie. It's time to be serious. I put it back in the circle. I repeat the same stance I did the first time. But I switch hands. For uh… Ritual significance. Symmetry and all that. Ahem. Whenever my life is in danger, give a warning with ominous light. It glows brighter and brighter and the heat intensifies. I think it worked. Of course, I hope it doesn't glow anytime soon.

One last incantation. I'd better make this count. I don't want to overwhelm the stone. And three is a magickal number. Three incantations should do it.

Ah. I know what I want.

I hold the stone to my heart. And pour the white magick into it. Do not obey anyone but me, and those who I not only care about, but who care about me in return. Deliver punishment to those who wish me harm! It shimmers brighter than it has the times before, and it keeps at it. I take the pendant and place the moonstone in its socket then cup my hands over it to shield myself from the light. It's insanely hot, but I don't feel any pain. Goodness, it's lighting up the whole room.

I will the stone to fuse with the pendant piece. After some time, the glowing and burning stops. I sit in my desk, panting. My heart beating wildly. I look down at my creation and… Wow. I made this? I pick up the necklace and hold it up in the air. It twinkles as the stone hits the rays of sun streaming through the blinds. It's the prettiest piece of jewelry I've ever made; that I've ever owned. And I made it with magick.

I rub out the magick circle from the desk. Well. That one's a keeper. Glad to know it worked. I carefully put on my new necklace. And I hug it to my chest, holding back my squeal. Thank you Papa!

I spend the rest of the class time poking around the classroom. I avoid the teacher's desk. It probably has a spell on it. And I don't want detention. I look through the drawers and the desks and I put the mannequins into funny poses. I skim through the books on the shelves and when I've had enough, I settle for crummily drawing on the chalkboard. I doodle terrible versions of Professor Grabiner yelling at students and looking grumpy. I draw a profile picture of him with an abnormally large, hooked nose. It mocks his already large nose, making him look like a bird of prey. I also draw him with sharp teeth, grinning evilly. I then draw him absurdly tall and skinny, his only real weight coming from his cartoonish head. It's so funny I laugh myself to tears. I erase my graffiti of course, but hey. If anyone casts Spirit Echoes they'll be in for a laugh.

I look at the clock and now is the time where class would usually be dismissed. That was fun! It's a shame I can't mess around in the classroom more often. Sometimes being a good student is a drag. I'm thinking this to myself, when I hear a voice.

"Oh, Lumie? Might I borrow you for a bit?" The Headmistress! Does she know what I've been doing? Well. If she wants to give me detention or demerits, I'm fighting for my rights. It's not like I wasn't studying magick at all, I read books and made myself this fancy necklace. Besides. The chalkboard said FREE PERIOD. The rest of the class left, there's no way I should be the only one getting in trouble. "What is it?" I ask her. She sighs. "I'm afraid dear Hieronymous is a tad under the weather." I knew he was getting sick. "And I'm sure you can imagine what a terrible patient he makes." I chuckle in understanding. "Could I trouble you carry some soup from the kitchens to his room? It has to be done by hand, or it might spill." To his room? But he doesn't want me to set foot near the place. "Of course I'll help. But, he specifically instructed me not to ever go to his room." I say with worry. Potsdam scoffs. "Well poo! I'm the Headmistress and I say I don't want to wait on Hieronymous anymore. Besides Lumie, it's not like he enjoys me being there either." That is true. I nod. "Good girl."

Before I know it, I'm loaded with instructions- how to reach the kitchens, which soup in which china he prefers, how to arrange the silverware properly on a tray, and perhaps the most nerve-wracking of all, how to enter Professor Grabiner's personal rooms.

Chicken noodle with carrots, celery and onion, the fine white china with autumn-forest prints, spoons arranged in size order, over the triangular-folded napkin, to the right of the bowl. Three doors down, at the very end of the hall, in the dark corner to the left.

Which is where I find myself now. I couldn't knock with my hands full, and I did announce my arrival. But with no answer, I simply balance the tray with one shaky hand and turn the knob. The door creaks, I return both hands to balance the tray and use my shoulder to push my way in. I enter his room.

It's posh. The walls are a light brown, darker than the creamy color of the school walls. Tiny, framed, landscape paintings hang here and there. The floors are wooden, but shiny and made of a different wood that the rest of the school's flooring. Over the wood is a pricy-looking carpet, with beautiful and complicated tiny prints. It looks foreign, maybe imported? There is a large, dark wooden desk riddled with books and papers. And many tall bookcases line the walls, leaving little bare space. Small potted plants top them, none of them flowers. To the far left of the room is an open, corner-shaped kitchenette, with brass pots and pans and spotless countertops. The only source of light in the room is streaming from high and wide lattice windows, which looking through I can see leads to a small balcony. The curtains over the windows are sheer and light, almost transparent, acting more of a tint than a complete form of cover. Smaller, shorter, and thicker curtains hang from the frame and drape down at the sides.

Away from there I spot a thick, wooden door, with excellent carving, probably another section to the room. Perhaps the bathroom? A little farther from the door are two lanterns, attached to wall, dimly lit. Underneath them two bedside drawers, flanking the spectacle that I find myself facing. In the center of the room, adjacent to the wall is the pride of place. A grandiose canopy bed, queen-sized by the looks of it, with superb woodwork carvings and luscious, long curtains matching that of the windows that reach the floor. They are tied neatly by a braided, golden rope with tassels. By the head board are several plush and comfortable looking pillows, matching the bedspread which is a wet-sand color, covered in royal prints of brown, gold and red. Sitting beneath those sheets is the unhappy grandmaster of the chamber.

"You." Professor Grabiner croaks with vehemence. "What are you doing here?!" At any other time, he would have bellowed. And knowing me I probably would've jumped and spilled the soup, and things would've only gone worse from there. But as it is, I was expecting something like this, and it seems he doesn't actually have the energy to scream at me. "Headmistress Potsdam sent me up. With your soup." He groans. "Very well."

"Where would you like me to put the tray?" "That desk. Over there." He points with his eyes. "But you have papers on it. Should I move them?" He raises an eyebrow and says nothing. Fine, I suppose he knows what papers should and shouldn't have soup on them. But just to be sure I take in a deep breath, hold it. Focus my blue and red magick. And blow a mighty gust of wind at the papers from my mouth. "How dare you-?!" Grabiner's hoarse voice shouts. But he quickly shuts up when he realizes I'm casting a spell with my mouth. I blow the papers around in the air and guide them to the bedside drawer. Haha! That's a trick that took me three years to master. I can only blow a weak gust of wind, but it's still impressive- and I finally had an excuse to use it.

They land safely, and I place the tray down where he wanted it. He gingerly rises from the bed, and I can see he's in his pajamas. They're a simple red buttoned shirt and trousers, with darker red vertical stripes on the pants portion. And he's wearing brown socks. He crosses the room wearily and sinks into the desk chair. He reaches for his cape, which was hanging on the chair and wraps himself in it. The fringe of it swirls up and collapses like a sigh. This close, I can see his hair is clinging to his skin. He's obviously feverish, but looks like he feels cold. He's not just sick. This man is ill.

He reaches for his hat shakily and plops it atop his head. It leans to the side slightly. Lopsided. "I'm sorry you're not feeling well. Is there anything else I can do for you?" He turns his head to me in slow motion. "You can leave me in peace." I frown at him. How rude! I didn't have to bring him soup. "Hmph. Fine. I'm going." I spin on my heel and take a step. "…Wait." He strains to say. I turn my head to look at him. "I appreciate what you have done for me. However, I would prefer that it were not necessary. I am not accustomed to having students in my rooms. I prefer my privacy." "I figured as much sir." I guess I can understand that. That, and he's sick, so he's probably cranky. Plus he's always cranky so today he must be feeling extra cranky. "I hope you feel better soon." I say with honesty. He eyes my pendant before saying "I will be fine. Now go." I exit his room and cast a locking spell on it. Considering I don't have the key. I walk back to my dorm thinking: At least I survived my trip into the dragon's den.

I sleep in on Wednesday, and the faeries are already there to greet me when I bring them strawberries to eat. I move away to give them space, expecting them to leave me the sour tops of the berries, but instead they follow me. As I sit down they sit next to me on the ground under a tree, and we eat strawberries together. They chirp and trill and squeak. I don't know if they're speaking, because I don't know their language. But I can guess we had a good time together in peace and quiet. They do however, leave me with the sour tops, and I eat them. Picky little things.

Back in my room I've set up a new illusion of mermaids swimming and singing and splashing through the waves. This one so far is Ell's favorite. Ginia preferred the wild griffins. Two more days of class, so far, no sign of Professor Grabiner.

I open the door to enter the dorm, but Ell stops me from taking another step forward. "There's something on the floor there… Oh, it's a note for you Lumie. I didn't even notice, I'm sorry, I would've picked it up." "What's it say? What's it say?" Ginia chants. "It's not for me, so I'm not going to look." Ell laughs at Ginia. She hands me the note.

"Lumie- please accept my apawlogies for Big Steve's rudeness." I blink. "A-paw-logies"? "He is very busy studying for the difficult senior exams and does not want to be interrupted. If you really want to talk to him, try after the March exam. –Mr. Hoppity" …I just got a note from a stuffed rabbit.

Well, not really. At least, I don't think a claw-machine toy can come to life and start secretly organising someone's social calendar. Even for a magickal school, I'm sure that would be unorthodox. Anyway, this means Sir Big Steve isn't really mad at me for pushing my way into his shopping quest. I was probably just too chatty. Or maybe he doesn't enjoy shopping with friends, more of a solo guy. That's part of the problem though. I don't know for sure what he does enjoy, other than bounders. Coffee? Maybe we can have coffee together next month. If there's one thing I am certain of, is that he sure does like Mr. Hoppity.

Saturday. It's mail time. Russet and I enjoy a laid-back morning. "So, how is this 'union' treating you?" Russet asks with worry. "It's as if I was never wed at all. We live separate lives." "Good!" Russet agrees.

I know I'm supposed to be happy that I'm allowed my individuality, and secrecy. But… I feel awful about it. My marriage turns out to be like this? I always imagined that when I became a wife someday, it would be to someone who loves me. Who would want to see me often and we'd do things together. Who would look forward to me coming home every day, and I him. Someone who… Enjoyed my company. Who'd be my companion, not someone who shuns me away, talks to me like I'm a buzzing fly in his ear, and who refuses to address me by name. Avoiding me whenever he can.

"And how is Verwildert faring?" I shrug. "I haven't written him a letter yet." "Oh. You should do so soon. He's your family after all." I nod. I know you miss him Russet. I do too. "When we deliver the last bits of mail to my dorm, wait for me here, please." E does. And I sort through my bag for all of Papa's letters. I exit the room after giving the girls their mail and as we're returning the trolley I give Russet the letters. "Here. You can read these. They're all the letters I've received from him. But I want them back okay?" Russet thanks me and we bid each other adieu.

I spend this Saturday in the library. I join Minnie's study group and we practice blue magick today. The session is over after a little over an hour and Minnie asks me to meet her in the next three hours. I also read another book. The Mysteries of Mana. It's not as long as the last book, so little is known about mana so it seems. I got more information out of Russet than this thing. I finish it without having to check it out.

I'm on my way to meet Minnie for a Student Council discussion, heading for the conference room, when I hear voices up ahead. "-then that proves you were right, doesn't it? If he really cared about you, he'd never think like that." I know that voice… "But he did care!" And I know THAT voice. "He'll get over it. There are plenty of girls." Jacob says to Minnie. He sees me coming and sweeps a little bow. "Like Lumie here." He says with a lower of his eyelids. "You wanted to see me?" I address to Minnie. "Yes- Jacob, you should go. We need to talk about the Maple Ceremony." "Sure. See you 'round." He winks at me and walks away.

"Is everything alright?" "Everything's fine." Minnie lies. With a horrendous blush, she takes a deep breath and fluffs out her hair. "Next week we'll be celebrating the maple sap harvest." "Are we going to tap the trees?" I ask. "No. We hold a pancake supper with a lot of syrup." "Yum." Minnie catches my smile and frowns. "There's just one problem. You can't attend." Aww. "Why not?" Minnie looks around the halls, then pulls me into an empty classroom. "Sorry. I had to be sure no one was listening. The dinner is a ritual. The students are split up into groups. The boys serve the girls and the girls serve the boys. It's symbolic. I think, long ago, that was the beginning of the traditional season of- courting, or something like that. Even though that's obviously not how romance works in modern times. But the thing is. You're not allowed to sit with the girls because you're married. It's ritually improper." "Oh." I hum. "And we can't tell anyone why you're not there either. So you'll have to come up with some excuse. I'm sorry." "Don't apologize. It's not your fault." It's not like I can't have pancakes some other time...

Sunday, the Sports Club plays a game of phrisbee. I get back to open spell review, and finally. Fresh air! I welcome the fresh new grass and budding flowers with flips and spins and gusts of wind, stirring up fallen petals and making them twirl around me. Better yet, I learn Cloak (alters the caster's visual projections, granting them camoflauge and near invisibility). But staying cloaked require copious amounts of mana.

So Grabby's finally back. The Professor is still weak, but his voice is strong enough to strike fear into the hearts of students again. I hope his encounter with Papa isn't what drove him downhill. Maybe the stress is what got him sick? I'd get sick too if someone patted me on the back and whispered into my ear that they would rip out my spine.

I'm sitting in the library, scribbling nonsense on an unfortunate piece of paper. Contemplating on what to read next. So, tonight is the Maple Ceremony. Everyone else is off enjoying pancakes and romance. I had to convince Ginia and Ell I wasn't feeling well long enough for them to leave the room. They think I'm coming down with something. But I'm not. To avoid outright lying, I just told them I wasn't feeling my best. And I'm not. Practicing the Cloak spell has gotten me drained. But that's not so bad. I don't really know what to do with myself. I can't go outside, too much of a risk of getting caught. And I didn't want to just sit there, in the dorm room. But I don't want to study either. Not while the rest of the world gets to have fun. I'm not exaggerating, the WHOLE rest of the world: today is Mardi Gras.

So for lack of a better idea, I start flipping through the latest teen magazines. Ugh. These articles are garbage, all about the hottest new looks and phones and celebrity bile. Who reads this junk? Naturally, they're filled with prom dresses too. We do have a sort of prom here, the May Day Ball. And it's not like standard schools, where freshman can only attend if they're dating seniors. It's a school-wide thing. Somehow, I don't think Professor Grabiner is going to be keen on escorting me to the ball.

There's no way I'm going by myself either. It'll be my high school prom all over again. I go alone, confident that I can have fun by myself, maybe a find a few friends to sit with. But then everyone will be so absorbed in their dates, and dancing and yearbook signing and picture taking, that I'll discover I don't belong there after all. I won't be invited to sit at a table and enjoy the food, no one will ask to me dance, or compliment me on my dress and how it fits me nicely, nothing. No one will sign my yearbook, or take a picture with me. I'll be all alone and pathetic, desperate for some attention. The only real fun I'll have is the five minutes on the dance floor when they play the electric slide. Then I'll leave early, not even bothering to go to the after party, because I don't have any friends. And I don't have a boyfriend. I don't have anybody that wants to see me, or hang out with me, or who will miss me after graduation.

I have friends this year. But I'm pretty sure Ell and Ginia will land themselves dates in the blink of an eye. With those looks. I'm sure of it. Then what? I can't even ask Donald or Luke or Sir Balthasar or even Sir Big Steve. Because it might be improperrrrr.

I'm not going to spend the entire day looking back on bad memories, or feeling sorry for myself. Forget the prom dresses, I'm filling out the quizzes! I manage to distract myself sufficiently with the magazines that at first I don't even notice when someone enters the library. It's the thumping sound of a large book being dropped in the return slot that draws my attention. "Ah, good evening sir." "Mmm." Is all Professor Grabiner says. I guess he can't go to the pancake supper either. Although I'm not sure if the staff are supposed to take part. "Did you check out a book from here?" I'm just making small talk, but I am a little curious. This library's collection seems unimpressive even to me, and I'm just a freshman.

"It is an interlibrary loan." So, a book that was delivered from another library. "Professor? I can imagine why we still use the standard methods for delivering mail, because not everyone here has magickal parents. But isn't there a teleporting system amongst magickal libraries? So you don't have to get them delivered?" He frowns. "Assuming that I wish to expend all of my energy on a long-distance teleport, and that I know the precise details of a safe, unchanged, unobserved transfer point in the vicinity of this other library. Such a point would be unlikely to lie within walking distance of my destination, requiring me to make use of mundane transport and its costs. And then there is the issue of memberships and identification documents required to be granted borrowing privileges. Unless your preferred method of acquiring library books is to steal them. Perhaps we should be keeping a closer eye on you." He smirks. I raise my hands up in surrender. "It was a stupid question." I avert my eyes.

"I did not imply that you were stupid, merely ignorant. It is far better for you to ask and learn than attempt such things on your own." True, true. "What book was it that you had? Anything interesting?" I might read it. I have the time. "Arhitektura Slovenskega Kozolca." Obviously another language, which I do not know. Sounds Slavic. "What is it about?" "A particular form of handcrafted architecture, of which you know nothing." "Of course I don't, that's why I asked. *SIGH*" I look down at the table. "Study and you will learn. No one expects you to know everything at your age, or even at mine. Good night to you." "G-good night." I say almost fumbling over myself.

I watch him leave. How strange. I can't really tell if he was trying to be friendly or trying to make fun of me. Hmm. Probably both. Maybe that is his friendly.

I feel stronger every day. I feel more confident in my magick as time goes by. I get up to deliver the mail, but I do not find Russet. I know what that means. I enter the conference room and begin sorting the mail. In the midst of it, I find something unexpected. It's a large padded envelope, addressed to Mrs. Grabiner?!

M-me? But no one is supposed to know! It could be for his mother. But then why would it come here? It must mean me, right? This could be bad. I have to find out. I set the letter aside and finish sorting the rest of the mail. I've done this so many times I finish in a flash. Even when I double and triple check to make sure there aren't any mix ups. I sit down and shakily peel open the envelope. Inside is a tiny wooden box, fastened shut, and a letter written on thick, expensive-looking parchment. It smells nice. And it's smooth to the touch. But what does it say?

"To the newest member of the Grabiner family:

Congratulations on managing to drag Hieronymous to the altar at last, and my pre-emptive condolences as well. I know my son is no peach to live with. He gets it from me, I'm sure. I'd ask my ex-wife, if I could find her!" It's… His father! "It's a waste to spend your whole life mourning for the past, and I hope he's learning that now. But I'm afraid too many hard words have come between us. I expect he still burns my letters unread? But you, dear lady, must have found the key to his heart. A clever and persistent woman, I'm sure. He would have nothing less." He thinks the Professor has fallen in love with me? He must not know what really happened. "If you have need of anything, feel free to call on me. If you haven't made your own arrangements, I can provide reliable retainers for the children. Yes, even in the colonies! It was his wish that I keep my distance, but I still have my contacts." Retainers? CHILDREN? Oh this poor man really must have no clue as to who I am. "As a wedding present, I've enclosed the seals and portal signatures for the Revane Cottage. It's recently refreshed and warded. Use it for the honeymoon and discard it, or change it to your whims and keep it, or sell it if you wish. I have been keeping it for Hieronymous, ever since he admired it as a child. Now it is his. I would do more if the boy would let me, but we are each as stubborn as the other. I'll not press him so soon.

Warmest regards,

Aloysius Grabiner

16th Viscount Montague

Shade of Shetlock".

I… I don't even know where to start. What seems clear to me though, is that this little box contains some sort of present. It's about the size of a deck of cards, and made up of tiny pieces of wood in different colors all patterned together like a quilt. It's also held tightly shut with a complicated-looking set of metal hooks and latches. I really want to see what this is, what this does…

This is all a big mistake. I'm not the professor's real wife. And we're certainly not going to have a honeymoon. I tuck the box and letter back into the envelope. They're not meant for me.

As I load the last of the mail onto the trolley, Professor Grabiner enters the room. That explains Russet's behavior. I pick up the envelope from the table, push the trolley and glumly head for the door. "Good morning Professor. This came in the mail. I think you'll want to take a look at it." I say robotically. I hand him the envelope, and he frowns at the open end. I take a step forward, but he steps aside to block me.

I roll my eyes and groan. "It was addressed to me, so I looked at it, but… I really think it's meant for you. It's from your father, he sent a wedding present. I didn't bother opening that though." He frowns even harder. "I see." He skims through the letter, then looks at me, eyebrows raised, like he's expecting me to say something but I don't. "I should go." I finally say. "Yes. That would be for the best. It would seem that you have learned some sense. Or at least, some restraint. I believe five merits would not be out of the question." Uhhhh. "Thanks?" He closes his eyes. "Good day." We leave the room together, and head off in opposite directions. I'm not completely sure what happened, but I think he's bribing me with merits to keep my mouth shut. Which would be cooler if I wasn't already maxed out on merits.

I finish my mail route with angry thoughts about my "marriage". About how I can't even be happy about a congratulatory letter or my only wedding present. Which I'll probably never find out what it is. I'm getting more and more aggravated about this. What aggravates me the most is that I have this stupid crush on my husband, adding insult to injury.

I spend another weekend in the library. Determined to read and study with Minnie. Not only to distract my mind, but to enrich it. I hate feeling like an idiot. Which I convince myself I'm more of every day. I begin reading The Music That is Red Magic. Which is my least favorite and weakest subject. Not that I don't like it, or that I find it boring, but that it pales in comparison to the other subjects in my opinion. Minnie's group and I study blue magick again. On Sunday, we play a game of Marco Pollo. Which is just as much fun out of the water as it is in the water.

It's raining outside, so as I'm staring out the library window, I notice another pixie. Its body looks like it's composed of nothing but water, and it gives me that signature, toothy fae grin. I smile and wave back, with a flash of lightning the pixie disappears. Cree-py.

Red class is uneventful. But in white class something amazing happens. My pendant glows tremendously, and I have to cover it with both of my hands, and cast a Darkness spell just to prevent others from seeing it. The class did notice a bright flash of light, but were too blinded to see it coming from me. I also snuffed it out in a second. After class Potsdam asks me if I'm alright. I'm embarrassed and confused, but I tell her that I'm fine. I learned the spell Ward (other sentient creatures will not be allowed to enter the space, according to the caster's whim).

I… I don't believe it. This is the highest spell in the provided texts. I've mastered white magick in my first year! That night, I wake up to the door creaking open and I watch Ginia slip inside. "Ginia?" I whisper. "Yeek!" Yikes. I've never heard her squeal before. "Oh. You're awake. There's something going on out there." "Mmmmmuh?" Ell slurs as she rises from bed. "I had to get up and pee, but when I was coming back there was all these weird noises." Ginia states. "What did they sound like?" I question.

"I don't know. Like someone decided to play floor hockey in the middle of the night? Or a whole domino chain of folding chairs falling over?" "What's going on?" Ell says, finally awake. "I have no idea. I couldn't tell where it was coming from, and I didn't want to wander around alone at night trying to figure it out. This school is haunted ya'know." "H-h-haunted?" Ell shivers. Iiii knew it. "Yeah. There are wards to prevent nasty spirits from entering the school, but they loosen them up at night after curfew, so the residing spirits can roam freely." That explains why I haven't seen a thing, not counting the New Year's Ceremony. "Maybe it was a ghost." I say. "Maybe." Ginia agrees. Ell freaks out, making a series of whimpers and squeaks. "We should try to go back to sleep." I tell the girls. "Probably." Ginia agrees. Ell protests. "There's no way I'll be able to sleep now!" I have trouble going back to bed too. It's not easy while I'm wondering and worrying about what might be happening outside. Then again, it could be the brownies messing around.

We're getting up and ready for the day when someone knocks on our door. "Just a minute!" Ell calls. I open the door. "There's no rush. It's only me." Lady Isobel tells me. "Listen, there was a problem last night and the staff are busy dealing with it. Because of that, all classes today are cancelled. We are passing on the news." "What happened?" Ell asks from behind me. Lady Isobel looks worried. "I am not sure. I heard that someone tried to blow up the school." "WHAT?!" The three of us shout at the same time. "Or maybe it was a fire. I'm not sure." Lady Isobel adds.

"Are we in danger?" I say with urgency. My pendant has not been glowing. "No, no, there is nothing to worry about. The professors will take care of it. You could relax for the day, or you could study for your exam on Friday." "Crap! There's an exam on Friday?" Ginia hollers from her bed. "Um… Did I forget to tell you that?" Ell admits. "Uhhh, yeah!" Ginia says, unhappy. "Sorry." "Excuse me, I have more doors to knock on. I will see you later?" "Thanks for letting us know." I thank her. Ell and I go back into the room.

"I guess we have the day off?" Ell asks the room. "This is creepy." Ginia says, looking afraid. "You didn't see anyone or anything last night, did you?" I ask her. "No, I didn't go very far. I was only down the hall." "But w-who would want to blow up the school?" Ell shudders. "That's just a rumor. That might not be what happened." I try to calm the girls. "Something big happened if they cancelled every class." Ginia points out. "Y-yeah." Ell agrees.

So much for classes today. What should I do? I choose this time to study. I can't go to the library, or pick up a book from the classrooms, and Minnie isn't here. I try to review all the spells I've learned in my head, but without room to cast them, I achieve nothing. Instead I sit and think at my desk. I try to replicate that magick circle I used a while back, but the scribbles become harder and blacker, until I tear the paper.

This is my curse.

If I don't distract myself with anything I end up thinking about Professor Grabiner. I try not to think about him, but I can't stop myself. I like him. A whole lot. I think about that time in the dungeon, when he gave me a massage. About the conference room, when he held my hands, about the Dark Dance. I still haven't said anything about the Dark Dance. I had just stopped bothering about it. But now I'm regretting letting that dance go. It HAD TO have been him!

No. Calm down. Remember that you're a free-caster. If you get too worked up you could cause another scene. I pull out my star wand. This could distract me. I did say I was going to try using the catalysts again. Ginia and Ell are here. If anything happens they can get help. I must use this with caution, it has a hairline crack down the center of the star.

Why don't I try casting Breeze? That's a lot less dangerous than Spark. Muttering the incantation under my breath, I swish and flick the wand and think about a gentle breeze, blowing through my hair. Nothing. I try again, and the wand feels a little cold. I try one more time, and… "SNAP!" I feel a stinging sensation in my hand. The star of the wand crumbles on my desk. Then the handle breaks in two, like a twig. I look at my hand and it's shaking. I watch it and two seconds later, red lines appear on my fingers. Blood begins to trickle. I grind my teeth in sheer disbelief and annoyance.

Argh! This is so frustrating! I've been here for months and I still haven't got it right?

*Siiiiiigh* I cast Heal and I swipe the pieces into my desk drawer. I look back at the girls, who haven't noticed. I get up to leave the room. I can't take it anymore!

I run out into the hall… Onto the quad, and… "RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!" Howl my frustration into the sky. Many heads appear at the windows, some opening them to see what the ruckus is about. I'm met with expressions of repulsion and horror.

Ahhh. I feel kind of better now.

Later on that afternoon, runners are sent around to summon us to the auditorium. "Hello." The Headmistress greets plainly. "I'm sure you all have many questions, and so do we. I will do my best to tell you what I can. Last night, there was a fire in Falcon Hall, targeted on a student bedroom while the occupants slept. We believe this fire was started deliberately. However, it was quickly detected and no one was injured. Unfortunately, we don't yet know who was responsible. We are questioning individuals at the moment, but if you have any information about these events, please speak to a teacher immediately. At the moment, we do not know if it was a prank that went wrong or a deliberate attempt to harm one or more students- or worse. While we are investigating this. Please, stay safe." A fire in your sleep… You could die of smoke inhalation without ever waking up. All that magickal power is useless if you're not awake to use it! This is awful.

As the student population empties into the hallway, Ginia grabs our arms. "Did you hear? They think Donald did it." She says with panic. Ell gasps, her eyes immediately start to water. "W-what? W-why?" She whimpers. "I don't know, because he's always causing trouble? Because they can't figure out what happened? And he's sneaky enough to fool them? We've got magic. It's usually easy to prove who's responsible for things. If they're still investigating, then something weird's going on. I-if they pin this on Donald, after everything he's done, he's going to get expelled. They'll wipe his brain for sure." "But Logan's his roommate's twin brother. It wouldn't make any sense!" Ell points out. "It was Logan's room that got set on fire? Who rooms with him?" I ask urgently. "Jacob." Ginia says glumly. "It was their bedroom door, not the whole room." Ell corrects. That doesn't make it any better. If they hadn't caught the fire in time, the results would've been the same. "There's nothing we can do about it though…" Ginia says, defeated. "We'll just… Have to wait for more information." Ell sighs. Ginia holds her hands to her temples and shakes her head. "I hope he's okay. Donald's a horrible brat, but he's still my brother." The instructors wouldn't throw him out without the proof, would they?

There it is again, that feeling. I must act quickly. "Where is he? Where's Donald?" I ask Ginia. "They've got him locked in the detention room under magick-suppression fields. It's really serious." I clench my fists. No magick. I'll have to do this the old-fashioned way. "I've got to talk to him. I'll see you girls later." I run to the detention room. I just hope I'm not too late.

After butting heads with Grabiner, I find where they're keeping Donald and manage to argue my way into getting to talk to him for a few minutes. There was nothing he could retort to "If my friend gets expelled and I don't get to say any lasts words to him, I'll never forgive myself." Even moreso when I said "And I won't forgive the instructors either, if he's expelled without proof." And it's true. I'd never look at them the same way for ruining someone else's life based on their reputation alone.

He looks shocked to see me. "Lumie! What are you doing here?" He does rush up to hug me however. "I came to see you. Are you alright? What's happening?" He looks away. "Mentally or physically?" He takes a deep breath and runs a hand over his hair. "I'm okay. They're not whipping my feet or anything." I tell him the truth. "We need to get you out of here. Or they'll brainwash you." Donald cringes. "W-what are you gonna do?" "I'll vouch for you. I know you didn't do it! You wouldn't!" He sighs. "They don't believe that." I take his shoulders. "Show them your memories! Let them cast Empathy on you and show them the truth." Donald smiles weakly.

"You've never hurt anybody even when you were pulling pranks. You don't have a violent streak. And you haven't been doing that at all have you? I remember Ell mentioning once or twice that you were working so hard. It would be stupid and ridiculous for them to execute punishment just because of what you did in the past." "It's sort of a reverse-crying-wolf huh?" He laughs shakily. "I know you wouldn't risk your whole future for some trivial prank." He saddens. "Yeah. I hope the Drama Club's not pissed at me for being locked up like this." "What were you doing in the Drama Club?" He shrugs. "I auditioned for the play. I didn't get a major part, but I was supposed to be singing in the chorus. It was hard to get in, because of my rep. I've had to give up pranking for three weeks now, just to avoid detention and keep up with rehearsal. I wanted to do it… For Ellen." For Ell?

"If they are, then I'll yell at them too!" I spout. "You're cute when you're righteous." He says off-handedly. "Don't distract me! I'm trying to help you." "Hehe. Sorry. Look. We're running out of time. Do me a favor? In case this doesn't end well…" I nod, my entire person composed with utter seriousness. "Tell Ellen… That I'm sorry. And that I'll miss her. And tell her… Tell her that I believe in her, to not give up." With an impatient tap on the doorframe, Grabiner gives me my cue to leave.

"You'll get through this, I know you will." He waves, looking very uncertain. "Thanks." I exit, and Grabiner raises his eyebrows at me while I head off to leave. He actually looks a little pissed off. I want to ask him what's wrong. But that would just make him angrier. I give him a "You'd better not" look.

When I return to the dorm, I pull Ell aside and relay to her the message. She tears up a little bit and rushes off. I spend the rest of the day in the dorm, doing absolutely nothing. None of us do. Ginia is worried about her brother. Ell returns a bit more composed but still very hurt. Those two may have had something going on between them, or they were just really close and never got to push it far enough before this happened. And I'm worried about my troubled friend. Surely the instructors will do the right thing in the end. All we can do is wait, I have no power to do anything else.

The next morning someone knocks on our door. "Guess who, ladies!" Donald! Ell and Ginia beat me to the door. "Donald!" "Oh Donald!" Ell throws herself at him. Donald responds with a slight blush, but doesn't push her off. Instead he hugs her back. "Hey. They let you out?" Ginia says, trying to hide the relief in her voice. "Yeah. It's all good." "Would you please tell us what happened?" I ask him. Ell finally breaks from Donald to listen. "Weird story, actually. Apparently Barbara roams around the halls at night practicing her ninja skills." "She's a ninja now?" Ginia groans. "Who's a ninja?" Ell asks. "Barbara is a girl from Snake Hall. She likes to practice throwing knives when no one's in the halls to get in her way. So she does it in the middle of the night." "That still doesn't sound safe!" Ell says to Donald. "What's that got to do with the fire?" Ginia says, puzzled. He continues. "So she's doing her ninja routine. She ducks, and rolls, strikes a pose, and she fires a little spark at the door she's using for a target. Except here's the weird part." The rest isn't weird? "The door bursts into flames. Goes up like a torch." "Our doors are that flammable?" Ell fidgets. "They shouldn't be. That's what's weird." Donald admits. "This story sounds fishy." Ginia says with a raise of her eyebrow. I couldn't agree more.

Donald shrugs. "Hey, ask the professors if you don't believe me. She gave the memories and everything. Barbara acts so tough all the time. But one little surprise and she ran like a rabbit. Actually, I guess she did good. She was startled, but she thought ahead enough to make a bang and make the Falcons wake up before anyone got hurt. Otherwise…" He coughs. "And when she heard the rumor I might be expelled, she came forward. So I guess that's kinda brave after all." "What is her punishment?" I ask him. "Nah. They're not going to expel her. It was an accident! She had no idea it was going to happen. There was something wrong with the door, and that wasn't her fault. Oh. But she most definitely has detention. For the next three Saturdays. And Grabby gave her a shitload of demerits!" "But what was wrong with the door?" Ell ponders. "Nobody knows, it must've been a random magical fluctuation or whatever. Something leftover from a spell or prank in the recent past. It collided with Barbara's little spark, and turned it into a BIG spark." Ginia sighs. "Yeah, well, I'm only going to say this once, so you'd better appreciate it: I'm glad you're okay." "Awww." Donald gushes. "Come on, we need to get ready for class." I tell the group. "Yeah, I should go." Donald waves us goodbye and walks out of the hall. So, Donald's off the hook. I don't trust the entire story.