"Why?" Simon asked, shocked.
The Mage just stood there, "why?" Simon repeated, shaking the Mage, "why is it impossible?"
The Mage gave Simon a look through his arms.
"Are you done shaking me?"
"Not nearly," Simon gritted his teeth but held back the urge to shake the man more, "why is it impossible?"
The Mage sighed, "Release me, Snow, or I shall be forced to make you."
Usually a threat like this from any of the professors would have Simon stumbling away, but this time his anger had built up to a boiling point and it had to overflow.
"I'm not going to let go of you Mage," Simon started, "And I'm not going to put up with you holding back on information that is meant for me anymore. I can't cope with you telling me that the Humdrum couldn't enter Watford when I am absolutely certain he did. Or dropping elusive little hints about the stuff that I'm doing that's against the school rules." Simon ranted on, "And I don't even know what being the Mage's heir means! Even though I've been it for eight years!"
"I think that's enough." The Mage said in a steady voice.
"What?"
Before Simon could form a coherent thought, the Mage was moving. Throwing Simon's arms away from his body he spun, jerking an elbow into Simon's throat.
"Now, it's about the issue you came to me for, something about the Humdrum?"
Simon stood, gasping for air, why was it that the Mage had managed to come out on top even when Simon had the upper hand?
"Yes," Simon replied, "I need to know about the Humdrum."
"Are you sure you want to know?" the Mage asked quietly, "after all, knowledge, while powerful, always has a cost. That price can be painful, as Penelope and Howard have both discovered."
"Of course I want to know," Simon snapped, "can't you see that it's because of the sacrifices my friends have already made that I need to know?"
"Oh how noble of you," the Mage said somewhat mockingly.
"Besides," Simon continued, ignoring the Mage, "if you had been honest with me from the beginning, telling me about the Humdrum, I wouldn't have been forced to look elsewhere for information, and Howie and Penny wouldn't be so unhappy."
"Maybe I should have been more forthcoming," the Mage said thoughtfully, "but I fully intended to keep you out of this business altogether, negating the need for you to know about the Humdrum. Now I see that was a doomed venture from the start."
"Oh," Simon said awkwardly, seeing things from the Mage's perspective, "thanks for that, but I think it's a bit late to be keeping me out of things, especially considering it's my problem."
"I fear that it is too late now to keep you and your friends out of this business, so I suppose I shall tell you what I know." The Mage sighed heavily, before turning toward his office.
"Really?" Simon hurried to keep up, "you'll tell me after trying so hard to keep it a secret?"
"I already said so, didn't I?" the Mage smiled.
"Yes." Simon said, glancing at the Mage suspiciously.
"I s'pose it was too much to ask, my dear boy, that your innocence remain intact?"
Simon stumbled, startled.
"How does that relate to anything?"
The Mage surveyed Simon with wise eyes. The silence stretched on as they continued on their way.
"Answer my question." Simon said bitterly.
"Now now Simon-"
"Enough," Simon interrupted, and abruptly stopped walking, forcing the Mage to stop as well.
"What?" the Mage smiled, infuriating Simon further.
"I want answers and you promised me them."
The Mage rolled his eyes and patiently crossed his arms, "where do you think we're headed Simon?"
"What?" Simon glanced around, once again stunned.
The Mage chuckled under his breath, "you can't even tell where we are in Watford, can you Simon?"
"No sir." Simon was shocked into silence.
"That's because we are not strictly within Watford." The Mage smirked, "you are not the only one with an ace up your sleeve, Mr Snow."
"Tell me where we are," Simon demanded, suddenly worried.
"Weren't you paying attention to where we were going Simon?" the Mage asked.
"No." Simon replied shortly.
"We are in a series of tunnels below the school." The Mage explained, "there tunnels were made before the school was, and are imbued with ancient protective magic put in place by the wizards who made them."
"But why are we here?" Simon asked, confused.
"Because of these protective enchantments, these tunnels are very safe, and good for secret matters. Also, these enchantments mean that no-one of ill-intent can get into the tunnels, and they are the only secretive way for anyone to get into Watford." The Mage stated.
"So what you're saying is that the Humdrum can't be in Watford because it couldn't go through these tunnels." Simon said flatly, "what if it came in another way?"
"I have told you that it would be quite impossible for the Humdrum to enter Watford, yet you question it still. Do you not trust me?" the Mage asked.
Simon paused, contemplating his answer.
"Quite frankly, Mage, I don't believe I do." Simon replied, realising that he actually meant it. He no longer trusted the man who had been his mentor over the past 7 years.
The Mage looked as though Simon had betrayed him.
"Anyway," Simon said quickly, determined to get that look off of the Mage's face, "where do these tunnels lead?"
"Out of Watford."
Simon rolled his eyes, "I meant where outside of Watford? Somewhere safe right? And is there a way to take off the enchantments?"
"Simon," the Mage smiled thinly, "I would love to answer all of your questions but it seems that we are running out of time and I would like to get to my office in time to have a bubble tea before returning to my duties."
Simon took one last longing look at the dark tunnels and then followed the Mage's retreating back, this time paying close attention to every twist and turn.
"- Simon?" the Mage's voice broke through his stupor.
"Hmm?" Simon said, realising he had no idea how long the Mage had been speaking.
The Mage opened his mouth as if to say something but at the last moment changed his mind, finally he said, "If you still have to insist on poking your nose into everything be careful."
"I-I will." Simon stammered.
The Mage surveyed him thoughtfully, "and you're not the only one with access to a library of Thoughts."
Simon began to get nervous, maybe the Mage was going to ban him from leaving his dorm in his free time or something.
"I believe congratulations are in order."
"What?" Simon was in shock.
"Your boyfriend won his football match."
"Wait, you knew that Baz was filling in for his team the whole time?" Simon asked gobsmacked, upset that his distracting had served no purpose.
"Of course I did, my dear boy, I am rather more observant than you give me credit for at times. Besides, he was the logical choice to go on instead of his friend." The Mage informed Simon.
"B-but why did you let him go on?" Simon asked.
"Because he deserved to go on, and besides, the other team had tried to give themselves an unfair advantage by 'taking out' Mr Moore, so I simply turned a blind eye to Mr Pitch levelling the playing field once again."
Simon was shocked, the Mage had thought it through, and his reasoning did make sense. "I'm sure Baz will be very grateful, Sir." Simon said, "He's been missing football all year."
"I know." The Mage said, turning off toward his office with a smile at Simon.