Disclaimer: I do not own The Caster Chronicles. Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl do. I'm not making any money off of this story. If I was I'm pretty sure Kami and Margaret would send Silas after me. So, I'm not interested in being on the receiving end of that confrontation.
Reviews welcomed. I hope you enjoy!
Chapter Forty-Three
Three Weeks later at the Gatlin High School gymnasium…
Lila clutched the notes she wrote for the hearing as she made her way to the gymnasium. Quotes and words she wrote down to appease those as to why she should stay and why this hearing was a fool's errand. Then again, this was Gatlin, South Carolina. People streamed in and sat down. Lila went up to the stage and sat at a large table with a pitcher of water. Marian and Mitchell sat down next to her on each side. On the other side of the podium sat Reverend Stevens, Martha Lincoln, Deborah Asher, and Minnie Kennings who was the head of the Gatlin County Library System.
Lila fidgeted her feet and her hands shook. On an ordinary day she would never be rattled. She had dealt with Dark Casters, Incubi, Succubae, losing her soul mate, marriage, childbirth, dealing with a small town mind-set, but she knew she might lose her job.
The Mayor of Gatlin, John Peterson, came up to the podium. Grey hair stuck up on top of his mostly bald head, and announced that the hearing for Lila Wate would start. John looked at Lila's side and gave her a nod, before he continued as to why they were there. People mumbled about, and the mayor turned it over to Mr. Cractor who began to speak before the back door of the gymnasium opened with a deafening screech.
A woman strode in a sharp black business suit and her stiletto heels clacked on the gymnasium floor. Lila looked to Marian, who said that was her friend, Erica Delange. Mr. Cractor asked who she was, since she interrupted a community hearing. She stopped and did not look ruffled for a moment. Her briefcase by her side she gave him a crooked smile.
"I'm sorry for my tardiness, Mr. Croctor I presume?" Erica Delange said.
Mr. Croctor blinked his eyes, and asked how she knew that. She took a folder out of her briefcase.
"My client, Lila J. Wate, is a member of the Southern Carolina Library Association. I'm her personal representative in these proceedings. She informed me of this hearing, and wanted some advice. It's all perfectly legal and as a member of our fine association is able to seek counsel. After all, this isn't a court case, but a community hearing."
The lawyer looked annoyed, but allowed her to carry on and she looked between the two tables and found an empty seat when Marian gave her seat to Erica.
Erica gave Lila a few pieces of paper and told her she would get her out of this. Lila asked her how, and she said it was simple.
The hearing commenced as people settled down, and Martha Lincoln was allowed to talk.
"As you all know, as a mother and a part of the PTA, DAR, and a member of our fine community I'm concerned that the book written by," she looked at a piece of paper, "Joanne Kathleen Rowling titled Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is not proper due to its themes of witchcraft, sorcery, and indulging these pagan practices. Quite simply, it's not proper Christian reading material."
Many people nodded their heads as Mrs. Lincoln listed off the numerous communities who banned the book already throughout the South and the Northeast. Erica Delange tapped her nails on the plastic table. When the mayor allowed Lila to have her own say in the matter, she deferred to Erica who got up to the podium. Lila might not have known the woman, but anyone who made such an entrance was bound to be useful just to ruffle the mob's feathers. It couldn't hurt by any chance.
"My name is Erica Delange, and I'm a senior member of the South Carolina Library Association. I could tell you what our purpose is, but we devout most of our time to education, furthering the library sciences, and of course making sure that all content has the widest access to the general public."
She looked at Martha Lincoln squarely for a moment, before set her sights on everyone in the auditorium.
"I'm concerned for my client, who chose to buy the book based on its rising popularity, is getting mistreated for something she believed would enhance the community."
Martha Lincoln grunted, but the Reverend Stevens spoke up on Mrs. Lincoln's behalf.
"Ms. Delange if I can say a word? Lila Wate is a fine member of this community, and she is under no circumstance getting 'mistreated.' We're concerned that the book she bought does not have themes that the children here should be reading about."
Ms. Delange nodded her head, as the mayor allowed her to speak.
"I understand, but it's preposterous as to wanting to ban the book and getting rid of your head librarian."
People whispered as Erica continued. "If you were to go back into the founding charter of Gatlin, which I know is quite old, you will see that there is no reason for this hearing at all. When I met with Mrs. Wate, I asked her if there was anything that could be of use, and she told me she wasn't sure but to head to the Preservation Society of Gatlin."
Lila knew she did not show her the preservation society, and looked to Marian who mouthed she did.
Martha Lincoln sat up and spouted. "Yes, but what does this have to do with anything. The Preservation Society is for the history of Gatlin, and we are talking about a book that should be banned from the library."
Erica smiled at Mrs. Lincoln. "You see that's the problem. The Gatlin library branch is under the Gatlin founding charter, and for any employee that works directly for the Gatlin library to be dismissed it would have to be up to the City Council of Gatlin and," she paused for a moment, "a member of the founding family. They would have to be both in agreement for the termination, and for the banning of the book. The Gatlin County Library system was established after the fact."
Lila's eyes widened when Erica finished. She knew that Macon's family had founded Gatlin, but she didn't even know this slice of information. The mayor furrowed his eyebrows, but when Erica showed him the copy of the charter she made on the overhead. The charter was old and the script hard to read, but everyone saw the words.
Article 10 Subsection C
The Gatlin Library is hereby founded on the principles of open content. This includes access to periodicals, literature, and other written materials. Members of the community who have problems with the content the library possesses should ask for a hearing with the city council of Gatlin and a member of the Ravenwood family.
Martha Lincoln snapped. "I know about the charter, and of this specific article. However," she smiled, "it would only make sense of the family in question is of this community. The current resident of Ravenwood has never set foot outside the plantation."
Prudence Stantham, who Mitchell picked up earlier, cried out that she did see Macon Ravenwood from time to time. No one believed her because her sight was going, and thought she was making things up. Erica all the while waited for her opening. When people calmed down the mayor asked for silence. Erica asked if she could continue.
"I might not be at the liberty to know the ins and outs of this town, but it does not matter if the perceived party is a recluse or not. I visited him after Mrs. Wate gave me the address, seeing as I'm not from around here it would be easier to ask him what he would like."
People were whispering now about her seeing the elusive Ravenwoods, and she took the charter off the overhead.
"I had a nice long conversation with a Mr. Macon Ravenwood, and it seems to me that he had no idea about what was going on. Though, he was rather upset."
Lila knitted her eyebrows knowing not just anyone saw Macon Ravenwood, and the gears in her mind knew that Marian did not know Erica personally. Marian had called in her own version of Atticus Finch.
The Reverend Stevens coughed to hide his surprise. "Why was he upset?"
"He was rather upset, Reverend, because he did not understand why the town's fine librarian should lose her job over one book. Seeing as he forgot what the charter entailed, I reminded him all he needed to do was to write a letter of intent to have his voice heard. I have it right here."
Erica took out a piece of paper that looked like it was legal paper, and Lila's heart thundered in her stomach as Erica read out loud.
Dearest Gatlin Community,
Lila held back a snort, which she covered up as a cough when she held her hand over her mouth.
"Dearest" and "Gatlin" were not two words she thought she would hear from Macon, even if it was written.
It has come to my attention that the head librarian of Gatlin, a Mrs. Lila J. Wate, has come under prosecution. As a part of the founding charter of the town of Gatlin I, Macon M. Ravenwood, the last remaining heir to the Ravenwood plantation and family, want it to be known that the dismissal of Mrs. Lila J. Wate, and the removal of J.K Rowling's Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, is not in Gatlin's best interest.
From what I've heard Mrs. Wate has been doing a diligent job as the head librarian, and to lose such a valuable member of the community would surely be the wrong thing to do. The charter was founded on transparency of content within the library, and to ban such a book and the librarian for doing her job is without a doubt erroneous.
I'm very sorry to hear that many are disturbed by the themes of this particular book. I can tell you that the themes of friendship, love, and family are what the book focuses on and that any other "problematic elements" are used as an extended allegory in the same vein as C.S Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia. It might be a book about a magical school, but at its heart it is about the people and not their abilities.
My decision is final in these matters and the head librarian of Gatlin, Mrs. Lila J. Evers-Wate is to keep her job and for J.K Rowling's book to be kept in circulation.
Sincerely,
Macon. M. Ravenwood
Erica finished reading the letter, but then the outcry came from Mrs. Lincoln, Mrs. Asher, and a few others. The mayor came up to the stand, and Mr. Cartor sat in his seat fuming.
"It is not for me to dismiss the letter Mrs. Delange read. Gatlin's founding Charter is an old piece of the town's history and rarely visited. However, the library is a part of it and the county system was set up afterwards as Mrs. Delage reiterated. All county expectations are void, and therefore we should have looked into this matter further before we came to a hearing."
Martha gave him the stink eye, but Lila felt herself float above air as the mayor continued. "It is true that the Ravenwood family is a founding family of Gatlin, and since there is still a living Ravenwood, despite his reclusive nature, he is still a part of this community. The letter Mrs. Delange read is valid, and the city council has to yield to it. Because we are not at an agreement, Mrs. Lila Wate is to keep her job and J.K's book is to not be banned. This matter is decided."
Though Mayor John would have to deal with the entire hullabaloo, Mitchell, Marian, and Lila all thanked Erica for her help. Ethan Wate watched the whole thing with Amma, and shook Erica's hands with fervor. She laughed, but Martha Lincoln came over with Link who only wanted to talk to Ethan. She stood there before all of them, and she wasn't happy. She pointed a finger at Erica Delange.
"You had no right intervening in the affairs of this town."
Lila stepped in front of Erica and lied.
"I called her because it was my right as a member to ask for her counsel in an event that censorship, and my job was on the line."
Mrs. Lincoln wanted to add her two cents, but Mayor John went over to Mrs. Lincoln and told her to stand down. He told Lila how sorry he was for the whole mess, and how they should've investigated before it came to a hearing. Lila was just happy to keep her job, and when Link came up to ask if he could borrow Harry Potter his mother threw a fit. She told Link she would put it on reserve for him, and he grinned.
Ethan said he would be with Link outside, and Amma said she watch the two of them. Marian said she had to go, and Lila thanked her for her help. Mitchell wanted to celebrate and go out to Summerville for dinner. Lila said that would be great, and Mitchell said he would talk to Amma about forgoing their original dinner plans. That left Erica Delange and Lila alone in the gymnasium.
"I don't know what to say, and what do I owe you."
Lila had her purse with her and got out her checkbook. Erica told her not to worry.
Lila raised an eyebrow. "You lied to them about me calling you."
Erica nodded her head. "I caught wind when Macon called me. He had gotten a note from one Doctor Marian Ashcroft."
Lila did not question it as Erica continued how she came to find the charter, and told her it was Macon that pointed it out.
"I'm sure he did."
Erica frowned and put her hand on Lila's shoulder. There was a faint half moon birth mark on her hand and Erica's concerned green eyes. A caster, she should have known.
"He told me to tell you that he's sorry he could not come, but you would understand his reasoning."
It would make things complicated, Lila thought knowing if Macon came in person. He would be a sight for Gatlin that was for sure.
Lila nodded her head as Erica took her leave. She was the only person left in the gymnasium and as she walked out she couldn't help but feel like Mrs. Lincoln's escapades were the least of her worries.
A/N:
I apologize for the delayed update. I was on a trip for two weeks, and I did not have access to my manuscript. For this arc in the story, I got the idea when Ethan mentioned Mrs. Lincoln wanted to ban Harry Potter (am I imagining this? I don't think I am). I thought it would be fun considering the next couple of chapters will be...well what they'll be. Though, I'm sure I came up with a deux ex machina ending for this particular escapade.
Also to note, Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl mention that Macon is the Atticus Finch of badassery (their words not mine). I'm not sure if the literary reference is needed, but if we're thinking about characters that stand for injustices than I can understand the sentiment.
Please let me know what you thought.
Thank you for reading.
Much Obliged,
Dark Horse Writer
