Chapter Four
New Year, New Ilvermorny?
A Week Later..
"Come on, Ryna! We're going to be late for the portkeys." Nick called up to Saryna, who was still packing as he stood by the door with Lizzie, Laura, Nessa and the other members of the gang waiting. Nessa had designated herself as chaperone as they went back to school, still helping Laura keep control of herself. Laura had been much better the past week, but occasionally still showed a lapse in her willpower.
"I'm coming! Shit! I'm sorry I wanted to make sure we had some extra protection." She leveled a look at Nessa, who looked away sheepishly.
"Jeez, Ryna, really?" Nick rubbed his hand down his face in disbelief.
"Yes, really! We don't know if there's extra insurance regarding you to this harem clause, like freaking super sperm or something."
Nick laughed. "Oh, so it's not for you three? Just any other girl who winds up in the fold?"
Saryna nodded with a smile, although Nick could see the gears in her head turning. "Oy, whatever. Let's go before they shut the portkeys down again."
"That wasn't our fault. Looper's house elf blocked the portkey magic."
"Still, not taking the chance. Everyone knows the plan, right?"
Everyone nodded. "I separate from the group with Lizzie, look like we're best friends from the summer and sit with her and the other Children of Purity women that she usually sits with on the buses up to the school. While we're going up, Lizzie is supposed to convince and then take a photo shoot of all of us, most inappropriate as you deemed necessary to have some fun with him before the.. Main event."
"It's kinda sick, you referring to pretty much a rape situation as a main event." Colin commented.
"Fuck you, Colin! You're not a part of this, so stay out of it. So, otherwise Laura and Nick will be going towards the school as a couple, another new change to things from the summer."
"But why trick everybody? I thought you wanted everyone to know you and Nick were the power couple again?"
"Well, yes.. But, it isn't just a couple situation anymore. No, that fact should be kept secret for as long as possible, even if people start thinking we're part of some sex-obssessed cult."
"And in some ways, aren't we?" Asked Laura, who seemed very oddly lucid and in control.
"I mean.. Maybe? Either way, you two go in as dating and eventually I'll start showing up in the same manner, Lizzie as well after the Event."
"Stop making it sound like we're recording it for everyone to see. We aren't doing that, right?"
"Of course not! But, what exactly is the plan for this Event? Like, how do you guys expect to lure Looper somewhere for that?" Even after knowing of Saryna's twisted idea of a plan for payback, Tyler couldn't help but feel it might have been too much.
"Oh it's very simple. We already have the venue, right Laura, Lizzie?" Saryna cast a knowing gaze at the two, who both proceeded to look down a bit, pressing their index fingers together nervously. "We just get Looper with Lizzie up in the Tower Chambers, then Nick does the rest."
"That's still pretty vague.."
"If I told you every little detail, we'd have to make Unbreakable Vows." Saryna answered with a mischievous smile.
"You are seriously freaky these days. I don't know whether to find it hot or scary, to be honest." Nessa interjected.
"Thanks, sis. Love you, too. So, once Looper's been sufficiently humiliated, and Lizzie is officially one of the harem girls, then we can move on to the likes of Tsume and that Wampus bitch in.. Fifth year this year, I believe."
"Alright, alright. Come on, we're really gonna be late if we keep discussing this." Nick said as he opened the door, leading the others to Cordelia's minivan to bring their trunks and schoolbags to the portkey site.
Walters Middle School Historical Site, Thirty Minutes Later..
The group had arrived and split up at the entrance to the old abandoned school that served as their entry point to the grounds of Ilvermorny. Laura reveled in the fact she could at least act like Nick was all hers for a short while, taking advantage and kissing him once they had gotten close to the portkey. Nick smiled and whispered in her ear. "You're a lot more in control today. What's different?"
"Nessa made us all these," She showed Nick a simple bracelet like the kind you made in summer camp. "It's charmed to ensure we keep control as long as they're on. She put extras in your trunk for Lizzie and whoever else may end up in our situation."
"Ah. Good, last thing we need is another you running around the school unchecked." Laura nodded and put her head on his shoulder as they touched the portkey.
~IY4:PR~
"I love you so much, you know that?" She said suddenly as the dizziness of the portkey travel wore off.
Nick smiled. "I know, Laura, and never forget that I don't regret what we did last year. No matter how it came about, my feelings for you are real."
Laura beamed at him as they got onto one of the buses. "It feels weird being back here after all the stuff that happened over the summer."
"Like what? You two finally made it official, then?" Came a voice, revealed to be Camille Porter, the fifth year Wampus girl Saryna had mentioned earlier.
"Shit, Camille! How did you wind up on a bus without the rest of your posse?" Nick asked, startled and referring to the group of friends the older girl usually hung out with.
"The girls are.. Indisposed, I guess. Honestly, they all distanced themselves from me this summer. I just stopped caring after a while."
Nick frowned. "That's sad, Cam. Are your friends..?"
"Children of Purity? Yeah, whether forced by their parents or voluntarily, I can't be sure. So, you two official, then?"
"You could say that, however I would like to point out our relationship last year was a secret from everybody at school. How did you find out?" Please don't repeat Lizzie's story.. Nick chanted in his head, not wanting to know that not one but two schoolmates had been watching him and Laura the previous year.
"Oh, please. You two are pretty obvious, actually. Especially with how close you both always were once little Halliwell started hating on you guys."
"Yeah I guess that's true. But, it's a.. Alright a lot more complicated than that." Laura hadn't moved her sight from Camille, Nick worrying she was starting to feel a bit out of her control. "You alright, Laur?"
"Yeah, babypop, I'm okay. But I feel it.."
"Just keep calm. You're fine. I won't let you go and lose control, mama."
Laura smiled. "Thanks, Nicky. Oh, it kicked again!" For the last couple of days, Laura had sworn that the baby was starting to kick.
Camille looked at Laura, her hand on her stomach and gasped. "So that kind of complicated. Can't say I'm surprised, really. The reserved girls are usually better in bed." She winked at Laura, making the older girl gasp at the obvious innuendo.
"She's just riling you up a bit, Laura. This isn't the time." Nick warned her.
"Not the time? For what?" Camille asked, genuinely confused.
"Just.. Don't tease her like that, please. There's a much bigger situation you would be walking into, and just talking to me is enough for your ex-friends to harass you."
"Situation like what? You two are being more odd than usual, and that's something speaking of the only guy our age who isn't afraid of Auron Sayle and his Puritan goons. Did you guys hear they attacked Vertic Alley?"
Nick looked at her oddly. "Wait, you don't know? I'm the one who stopped them. How did you hear about the attack? You'd have known I was involved if you had seen it on the news."
"My friends told me.. A couple days before they just all started ignoring me."
"Hey, I like you much better without a connection to the Puritans, Cam. You're better off."
Camille smiled warmly, her cheeks burning from the compliment. "Thanks, Nick. You're.. Not so bad yourself." The bus had stopped, now in front of the school. "Guess it's that time."
"Yeah.. We'll see you around, Camille."
Laura smiled. "Stay safe, alright?"
"Don't worry about me. I know how to handle the haters. Maybe one of these days you'll tell me what's actually going on with you guys." Camille giggled as Nick and Laura adopted identically shocked expressions. "Oh, and congratulations. You two are pretty cute together as parents." She laughed again as she left the bus.
Nick looked at Laura. "How does everyone keep.. Nevermind. That's not as important as our return to the school. You ready?"
"I'm a semi-in-control ball of unbridled lust about to be around a lot of other women. I'm as ready as I can be." Nodding and taking her hand, the two walked off the bus and into the halls of Ilvermorny once more.
A while later saw the Dining Hall full of chattering wizards and witches in training, both returning students and new conversing with whomever they chose. Nick and Laura sat together at the Thunderbird table, both looking towards Saryna on the far end of the room, sitting next to Lizzie with an amused smirk on her face as they talked together. The relative calm was shattered however, as Jack Looper gasped so loud creatures in the forest outside the castle would have heard. No one could have expected (almost no one) he would then be jettisoned from his seat by a nosebleed with the force of a space shuttle launch.
Nick's jaw dropped at the scene before he laughed heartily. "That was amazing! So much funnier in real life than in anime."
Agilbert Fontaine called for silence. "Professor Gothi, take Mr. Looper to the Nurse's Wing, please. It looks like he's lost an absurd amount of blood." As the Transfiguration teacher brought the unconscious, smiling Looper out of the dining hall, Fontaine continued. "Welcome to all those students both returning and new. For those of you new amongst us, my name is Agilbert Fontaine and I am the headmaster here at Ilvermorny. There are not many addendums to this year that are different than last year, so instead of going over everything, I would like the Prefects of each House to educate the new students on the absolute do's and don'ts here at school. Now, as we all remember, last year we had an opening within our staff, but I would like to announce that Professor Celeste will be taking over the position of Astronomy professor while in her place as the new Potions professor is an old student and peer of our older students, Ms. Vanessa Halliwell." Nick and Saryna both choked on opposite ends of the dining hall as Nessa approached the staff table, sitting down and raising her glass towards both her little sister and Nick in turn.
"Wait, was this part of the plan?" Laura asked, just as surprised as Nick and Saryna had been.
Nick shook his head, coughing. "No idea. She never mentioned anything to me. Seems she's trying to keep a better eye on us."
Laura scoffed. "Well, better here than if she stayed at home." Nick nodded as the welcoming feast continued despite the sudden surprise.
Later, as the feast began to wind down, Fontaine approached Nick along with Nessa. "Evening, headmaster. How're things?"
With a smile, Fontaine nodded. "Much less stressful than your own summer, I believe. At least, according to Professor Halliwell here."
"What did you tell him, Nessie?" Nick asked, his eye twitching.
"Stop worrying, Nicky. I haven't told him any of that shit. Only how drowned you were in estrogen all summer." She giggled.
"Laugh it up, Ness. You just wait." Nessa quickly hushed herself as Fontaine chuckled.
"Oh, my boy. You should know better than to think I wouldn't know anything about the changes your family has gone through this summer." Nick gulped. "Don't worry. You aren't in trouble. It wouldn't be the first time a student here was involved in the Halliwell Contract Clause." That made Nick's eyes widen comically as he continued. "Don't expect me to stop you. I would be a horrible person for not allowing your.. Relationships to come to term after how I acted with Saryna. In fact, there are surprises in your dorm rooms for all of you involved, even Ms. Shultz."
"Uh, thank you professor but.. Why?"
"As I said, I can't have my most courageous student down because of his feelings. And I owe you for allowing the situation to begin in the first place. Just be careful, my boy."
"I- i will, professor. So, if you know about my new harem situation, then you know our new professor.."
"Yes, yes. Vanessa has told me she too entered the chaotic folds of the arrangement. You and the other girls involved will have full access to Vanessa's quarters. She has told me how supportive she has been with Laura here."
After a few more moments, Fontaine walked off with Nessa in tow, who turned back to Nick and blew him a kiss, which had Nick looking all over the dining hall in paranoia of anyone else seeing the inappropriate gesture between the new professor and one of her students. From across the room, Lizzie and Saryna scowled towards Nick. "What do you think Negron did this time?"
"Probably saved a truck full of puppies or something. Self-righteous prick." Saryna answered, trying her damn well hardest not to break character. This is harder than I thought it would be.. At least Lizzie's sticking by me with this. She thought.
Lizzie saw Saryna's face and frowned. "You good, Ryna?"
Saryna nodded, sighing. "Being the bully when I know I'm not is hard."
"Hmm. Well, not as hard as Nick is, huh?" She had whispered the words, but it still made Saeyna giggle and smile.
"You are way too into the pushing of specifically my sexual buttons, Lizzie."
"I can't help but have fun with you about it, hun. I am the only one who has been affecting you like others have been around Laura."
"Yeah, yeah. So, step one was successful."
Lizzie nodded. "I wasn't expecting it to send Looper into such a state. Now we just wait until he decides he wants to see us in action." Lizzie's face had gone devilish.
"Alright, no. Now you're scaring me. How are you so damn excited for it? Most women our age are terrified of that kind of situation. Yet, you've only been taking it in stride."
"Well, I never loved Jack, remember. I can say honestly that Nick's the only guy I've ever felt for more than a friend. So, yeah if it means putting Looper in his true place as the humiliated king of pricks by getting demolished by Nick, then so be it. Plus, you're just as involved as I am."
"True.. Hey, why is Camille Porter staring over at the 'couple'?" Saryna asked, pointing towards the Wampus table where the tall ebony-haired girl sat, one hand resting on her face as she stared at Nick and Laura, acting as much a couple as they would have had Nick not brought Saryna back from herself months ago.
"I don't know. Then again, the real question is why she's sitting all alone." Saryna nodded as they finished their food.
At the Wampus table, Camille knew something was off with herself. For one, the thought of herself in the same condition as Laura was now eating at her mind since she had left the couple outside the school earlier. Then, there was the way Laura had looked at her, and how Camille couldn't help herself but want more. More of what, she wasn't entirely sure. But, she had noticed Nessa's little gesture towards Nick and hummed in thought. I need to figure out what's going on with them. Too much isn't adding up and Nick was definitely hiding something back on the bus..
Later..
Camille frowned. "What am I even doing? Why is this so important to me?" She had been standing outside the Thunderbird Common Room for ten minutes, contemplating whether or not to go and find out just what was ging on around the school. It hadn't just been her that seemed to be mimicking thoughts along the lines of getting pregnant like Laura, or she had assumed as the women she had seen around the dining hall in particular had all been looking towards the couple in a very similar way to how she had been before she had shook herself out of it. It was already late, close to midnight in all actuality. But they always came back to Ilvermorny on Fridays, so a lot of students would stay up late on the first couple of nights back. Despite that, she found herself stuck just outside the entrance, unable to move or just decide what to do.
She pushed off of the wall, huffing a determined sigh. "Whatever. Something is about to start happening here at Ilvermorny, and I want to know exactly what that is. Especially when the student protector of the school is involved.." She rolled her eyes with a giggle. "Fine, I'm a prefect, I'm capable of just going and asking a schoolmate a few questions." She knocked on the door.
"I'll get it!" Came a muffled reply from inside as the door opened to reveal Laura, who frowned as she saw who it was. "Oh. It's just Camille."
"Hey, Laura. I was wondering if Nick was still up and available to talk for a bit. I know you guys are hiding a whole lot of shit and I want to know what it is before this school turns into more of a bed of chaos than it usually is during school."
"Let her in, Laura. I think she deserves to know, after how her friends treated her." Camille heard Nick's voice and breathed a sigh of relief she didn't know she had been holding in. Laura allowed her in, poking her head back out the door before closing the door again.
The sight that greeted Camille shocked her. There on the biggest couch in the common room sat Nick with none other than Saryna and Lizzie from Horned Serpent House, Saryna hanging onto one of Nick's arms like they had never broken up at the end of their second year, her own third. Laura settled onto the couch herself, cuddling into Nick's other side with a similar pose.
On the other couches and chairs sat Tyler, Colin, Nashrah and Jasmine, the latter two as far from the three on the big couch as possible. "Alright, seriously. Just what the fuck is going on in this school. Saryna just cursed you out when we were all leaving the dining hall and now she's all lovey with you again? The fuck, Nick?!"
Nick laughed sheepishly. "Yeah, about that. You know about Saryna and I being brought elsewhere in order to witness Auron Sayle's resurrection, right?"
Camille nodded, her mouth a thin line of disgust. "Yeah, that bastard coming back took my friends away from me." Her eyes were shining, but she wasn't about to let it show just how badly it had affected her. She wouldn't cry.
"Yes, I know. But, that night I broke a mind altering spell cast on Saryna. That's why she was always so hostile during school last year and for now, acting just as harshly."
"I'm sorry, baby." Saryna said, voice muffled as she spoke into Nick's shoulder.
"It's alright, Ryna. No harm done. But, Camille. This goes a lot deeper and this isn't your typical type of wizarding hijinks. You sure you want to know what's really going on?"
Camille nodded. "Of course I do! I caught myself looking at you two in the dining hall and wanting that, Nick! And I wasn't the only one."
Nick's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. "Shit. Fuck. Maybe keeping this controlled will be a lot harder than it seems. Alright, fine. Since you're being affected, you might as well know-" He was cut off by the door opening and closing again.
"Lover boy! I'm home!" Nessa said as she made her way to sit in Nick's lap, the other two girls shifting to accommodate the older woman. Then she noticed Camille. ".. Fuck."
"Nice of you to finally join us, Nessie. Camille here is finding out all about our wonderful situation."
"Oh no! You only tell women about it if they're involved. You promised your mother and I you would keep this under control."
"Maybe I can't. Camille just told me several of the other girls in school, herself included, were looking at me and Laura. In Cam's words, she herself wanted that, which I could only think meant to be in Laura's position.."
"No no no no. And Fontaine gave you his damn blessing about it! What is this world coming to?"
"Excuse me? Can someone just explain to me what the hell is going on?!" Shouted Camille, her face angrier than even Cordelia usually channeled.
Laura took the reins on the conversation. "Long story short, Nick got me pregnant last year, saved Saryna from herself, my pregnancy started a harem that currently includes me, Saryna and Nessa- obviously during school Professor Halliwell- and Lizzie is waiting to be brought in."
"Okay.. That sufficiently sums up this." She motioned to the big couch. "What about those two?" She pointed towards Jasmine and Nashrah.
"They're very actively fighting any signs of being involved. So far. If what you're saying is true, we may have doomed the women at this school." Saryna smirked. "Doomed to worship Nick's dick at least."
Camillecs eyes widened. No girl at Ilvermorny spoke that boldly and nonchalantly about sex. "Jesus, Saryna. What the hell?"
"The altering of her mind is.. Semi-permanent in a way. She channels it here and there accidentally but can do so at will as well. And, mixed in with her acceptance of this harem situation, she's become quite bold in her statements. Laura too, but thankfully it seems she may have started calming down from her summer-long high." Nick explained.
"So why is Lizzie so invested in this? She's dating Jack Looper!"
"Oh, not for much longer," Lizzie smirked as evil as Saryna had moments before. "We're going to lure him somewhere private and Nick is going to absolutely humiliate and break his spirit by fucking me ten ways to Sunday. That's how you described it, right Laura?"
Laura shook her head. "No, I explained it as something akin to the explosion of a Supernova, just endless pleasure instead of annihilation." Lizzie nodded with thumbs up as Camille just stood there, mortified.
"What the absolute hell?! So not only is Nick the center of a goddamn harem, but now girls all over school are about to start getting involved with this and the headmaster is allowing it?!"
Nick nodded. "Yes, and apparently one of these days that'll include you as well. Why the headmaster is allowing me that kind of power, I'm just as scared about the state of things. But, as I always say-"
"'Live life one day at a time, roll with the punches and get back up again to fight another day.' Jee, write a damn book why don't you? Make a TED talk about it or something. I don't know, anything but amassing a schoolwide harem!"
"Oh come now, Camille. Really think about it. Were any of your ex-friends ones you saw looking at us? What about confirmed Children of Purity like Looper?"
Camille scoffed but still thought about it. She had noticed her used to be best friend Janelle Winters and her older sister Mariah both gazing at the couple. As for the girls who outwardly spouted Puritan bullshit, she had only seen the seventh year Alcina Blythe, the Queen of the Children of Purity, biting her lip with glazed eyes. "Alright.. Maybe I see your point. Puritans bad, convert to our side, that kind of strategy. But, even you can't handle having the whole school in love with you or having your kids. We're all still in school."
"Except me, thankfully. I don't have to be weighed down by the restrictions you girls have." Nessa said.
"Stop, Nessie. Remember, we're family. Family doesn't go at each other's throats."
Nessa looked down. "Yes, sir."
Camille was amazed at the professor's compliance. Scared, but amazed. "Jesus, Nick.. Do you realize just how much power you have over these girls?"
"Yes, I do. In fact, it's one of the reasons I'm waiting to bring Lizzie in. In her current technical position dating Looper, I'm making the move while he's present. I want him to see just how easily I outshine his little bitch ass. Same goes for any of those affected with Children-related boyfriends or even girlfriends for the bisexual and lesbian crowd, if any of that particular faction get affected at all."
Camille was about to bring up Mariah Winters but stopped herself. Maybe it couldn't get as bad if Nick didn't know exactly who seemed affected directly. "I don't like this, Nick, inevitabilities be damned. What about Sayle? We can't just ignore the fact he's out there and after both yours and Saryna's blood first and foremost."
"I know, but now we know why he's after me, specifically. I don't want you worrying about me, Cam, so I won't go into any more detail. If I do, the worry could cause whatever exactly is causing this attraction towards me to pull you in deeper. The one thing I don't want to do is be forcing women into this. Not at the level you're saying may be at play. Does anyone else think Fontaine might have something to do with this?"
"Don't say that, Nicky. Why would he allow you to do what you want and possibly weaken the Puritans if he secretly was one?" Camille wasn't one for conspiracies, but after what she had found out that night, she could believe anything with enough of a discussion. Maybe.
"Because that's exactly what Sayle might want: pure, uncontrolled chaos spurred on by my marriage contract. Especially here at school where he probably knows I have what he wants in the long game: my father's old bag."
"The Bag O' Tricks? Why?" That makes no sense..
"Because he created the contents of the locked section I've been trying to get into for the last three years now. Those.. Projects," He spit the last word out like it was poison. "Are possibly early plans to rid the world of No-majs, ones he may think are still viable. Not to mention he might have planned for this outcome, his daughter, He looked at Saryna. "In a marriage contract where the infamous Halliwell Contract Clause is in full effect. What better way to distract teenagers than with their own hormones?"
Nessa opened her mouth to answer, then stopped herself for a moment. "You think Sayle is the reason why the contract's been more.. Erratic? That darkness everyone feels?"
Nick nodded. "It makes the most sense. In that scenario, ideally I would be waist deep in pussy by the time he decided to make his yearly move and would be unable to break myself away to stop him. He knows I'm the biggest threat to him, especially now after the way I bested him at his return."
Camille's head hurt, and she knew Nick was right about her own involvement as his statement sent her mind racing. "I gotta go. This is.. No."
"Nessie, make sure she gets back to Wampus alright, please? Make sure she's alright."
Nessa nodded. "Of course. I am the professor, after all." She got up from Nick's lap with a kiss before leading Camille out of the room.
"That was a very illegal thing to technically say," Commented Jasmine. "That gets people into serious trouble. Then again, you apparently have the school as your own personal breeding factory so I guess the teachers would be fair game too, right? If they can still have at least one kid?"
Nick paled, not wanting to think about that possibility at all..
Meanwhile..
Nessa and Camille walked through the otherwise empty corridors of the castle. "You okay in there?" The older woman asked.
Camille sighed. "I have a huge headache and I honestly don't know which part of that it's from. How do you all keep yourselves sane during this?"
"Well, for us girls it's the sex, mostly. Otherwise, we all just take things day by day and figure it all out from there."
"This is insane.. Ilvermorny turned into a den of hormones overflowing.. I don't want this.. Harem to swallow the school but I can't help but.."
"I know. It's already starting. You have to be careful. If your thoughts start to stray into the sexual domain, you must not let it consume you. That's what happened to Laura and in a small way, me."
Camille looked at her. "So, you didn't want to be involved in this whole thing either?"
Nessa giggled. "Not at first, Merlin no. When Laura made out with me," She saw the look Camille gave her. "Oh, oh no. It wasn't fully her. See, her and Nick originally getting together last year made her the first one affected, but in a much worse fashion. I thought that she couldn't be around Saryna, being the one she should have been trying to be all over. So, Nick got worried when Laura didn't show up for a couple weeks at our house and-"
"You're house? You all live together?"
"Well, not Laura or Lizzie but me and Saryna do. It was the only way either myself or Nick's mother could think to keep us last two Halliwells safe from Sayle and the Puritans. But, back to my story. So I decided if Nick wouldn't just go check on Laura then I would. And that's how we found out the conditions in the contract itself were not as concrete as we thought when it was signed. Instead of Saryna, the intended betrothed being the next to get affected, her hostility towards Nick during that year made the contract revert to its original match."
"And that was you? Why were you intending to marry Nick before Saryna?"
"I wasn't. But, as the oldest sibling, my contract was the only one actually written up. Seeing the love those two had before Fontaine fucked it up.. I changed it for Saryna. Now, technically I'm the one to blame for the harem truly coming to fruition because of that visit to Laura. Saryna naturally hated the idea at first too but then the more.. Twisted side of her decided that it shouldn't be all bad. In her opinion, she was fine with sharing as long as Nick always made her number one, and he never hesitates to. She was his first love, after all."
Camille nodded, wishing she had someone like that, even at just a friend level these days. Nessa poked her shoulder. "Stop. I see where your thoughts are going. You're gonna have to try harder to resist that pull towards Nick and having a family with him and the rest of us loons."
Camille smiled sadly. "You know, there's plenty of reasons why I shouldn't even want to acknowledge this.. It's utterly insane, it could tear the school apart, Sayle could win. But.. Ugh."
"But what, Camille? Speak up or your feelings are never known."
"Thanks, mom. I just.. Look back at this summer, right? I lost my friends to the Puritan 'cause' and am now all but alone here in school. Now, I find out that not only is there something weird going on, but also sucking in women from all ages in the school, not just the closer in age like say me to Nick or any of his friends in fourth year. And even worse, I feel the pull, professor. I want it, but I don't."
"Well, do you want to join us all? Or not? As ridiculous as Laura described it, the sex is actually that good. And again, I didn't want it at first either.."
"What changed your mind?"
Nessa sighed with a smile. "Nick did. He got worried about me, the night Laura more or less turned me. I told him to stay away, the little hero came to my room anyway blah blah. He confessed that if it meant making us both happy, then he would gladly make me his and together with Saryna bring back the family Sayle killed off in the first place. It snapped something in me. Not like a psychotic break, mind you. More of a revelation that, as little of Nick as I had known personally, I was already his. I was a bonus to him getting to marry Saryna and looking back I regret nothing of my choices that night. Laura doesn't either, only how she acted throughout the summer and Saryna doesn't show it much but she secretly loves the sharing. I think it's partly the mind alterations, but you've heard the more sexually twisted remarks she'll make these days. I worry she's finding too much pleasure in growing the family out at this point. She was the one who thought out Lizzie's induction, if it really is that. That little blonde is so in love with the idea from spying on Laura and Nick last year," Camille gasped. "That she wanted to go through with what Saryna's thought up. It's best you don't know the full details. You seem at war with yourself enough already to send you down another rabbit hole."
"So, what do we do then? If I'm.. I don't know, destined to fall for Nick because of this whole harem thing, is there anything we can do to make the situation less chaotic and more controlled?"
Nessa shook her head. "I'd like to think so, but the fact women are being affected with us otherwise converted girls while we're all wearing these," She showed Camille the bracelet she wore that matched Laura's. "Shows that the bracelets are either only temporary or they only work for us already down in Wonderland."
"You guys keep making it seem like it was the best thing you've ever done, having Nick has his way with you three."
"Yeah.. It really was, whether or not I wanted it. I won't lie to you and say being a part of this new much extended family is perfect or even very tolerable at times. But we are family, and I would never trade Nick for anything. Not anymore." She clutched at the necklace around her neck, a birthday present from Nick in the early days of summer and somewhat of an apology to her for the way she had become his.
"I think I get it.." Camille knew what Nessa meant. Nick, while being self-proclaimed as ordinary, was truly anything but. Nick was a very special case, in all reality. Part of a prophecy along with Saryna, in possession of two wands, his original he kept for emergencies and the Ultima Wand which he had gained possession of from the half-alive at the time spirit of Auron Sayle that had tried to kidnap Saryna and others including Laura. He was by far the only child the big bad wolf that was Auron Sayle even feared in any regard, and that kind of raw magical potential spelled Nick's destiny as a boy who would go far and do great things. Camille wanted to believe the harem thing was just something Nick could stop, but it was seeming less likely with everything she had been told in the span of only an hour or so. Add in the no holds barred speech of Laura, Saryna and Lizzie that said a lot about Nick's apparent sexual prowess even at just fourteen. She just didn't know if letting it happen was the best course of action just yet.
Nessa smiled at the younger girl, lost in her own thoughts about only she really knew, although Nessa would have put money on Nick being the center of her thinking at the moment. "Don't overthink it, Camille. If you really decide you want in on this, then you do it on your own terms. My circumstances as well as Laura and Saryna's were different than say you and Lizzie. Or even Nashrah and Jasmine. They say nothing's going on with them, but I can see they're thinking things over as well."
Camille nodded as something came to her mind. "Nick's gonna be master of this school one day, isn't he? If things keep going like this."
Nessa giggled. "Maybe. We'll just have to wait and see what this year holds. For all of us. Now, here you are, returned to your dorm just past curfew. Let's try not making it a habit, alright? Although I won't blame you for it." Nessa winked before walking off leaving Camille outside the Wampus dorm. She sighed and tried to clear her head as she went into the dorm, ignoring the hated glares thrown her way as she went straight up to bed, not wanting to say anything to anyone, keeping the knowledge she had learned to herself. For better or worse, I don't think I should say anything about Nick and whatever's going on there. Sayle very well could be listening in on the Children here at school. If Nick does wind up snagging some of them, that would reduce the Puritan morale as a whole. It could even mean Nick taking some of the older women involved with the magical terrorists for his own as well. But, if anything was certain, it was that Sayle may have signed his own death warrant by screwing with Nick's marriage, if he even did screw with it.. She felt her body drift off to sleep as soon as she hit the mattress.
Elsewhere..
The dilapidated house sitting at the end of a old, grass-reclaimed driveway, the structure perfect to have as a base of operations. Auron Sayle looked at the Puritan who approached him, one of the few that had tried and failed to attack Vertic Alley in search of the dragonhide bag he had ultimately helped create. "What do you want, Moraire?"
Moraire shrunk from the commanding tone Sayle usually carried. "My Lord, do you really think this will be the year? Will you finally regain the plans you lost all those years ago?"
Sayle smirked. "I am more sure of it than anything. Thanks to that fool my daughter is so smitten with, soon all of Ilvermorny will be left vulnerable to our attack and seizing of that damn bag."
"But, sir, how do you figure the plan will work? That young man has found ways to beat you at all your attempts to find and take back that bag. This year should be no different, if history is anything to go by."
"Do you doubt me, Moraire? I who is reborn without the use of those disgusting wastes of magical power. Horcrux-crafting was what brought old Riddle down, but I only needed my daughter and that boy, the latest of the two bloodlines that ultimately killed me thirteen years ago."
"Yes, sir of course but what about this plan has you so sure the boy will take the bait?"
"That is the beauty of this plan, Moraire," Sayle smiled a sinister grin with an even darker chuckle behind it. "He already has."
Despite his confusion, Moraire nodded at the sound of maniacal laughter that left the Puritan leader's throat. The Puritan lackey only wished his daughter Alcina was safe at Ilvermorny..
Three Days Later..
"Having permission to come to your quarters is awesome, Nessie. You have such a comfortable bed." Nick said as he sighed, letting his body sink into the mattress for the tenth time.
Nessa, sitting at a vanity mirror and brushing her hair, smiled. "Oh, hush, love. It's my bed from home, of course it's comfortable."
Nick waved it off. "So we made it to day one of classes."
"Yes, we have indeed. I'd say it's a good start. We know there are others out in the school, but it's probably better we only know some of them."
"Yeah, Camille in particular. What did you tell her the other night, anyway? She's been around the gang quite a bit this weekend."
"I only told her to think about everything, dear. She seemed kind of on board as I was explaining things, but we'll see I guess."
"I think guessing is a bit of a moot point, isn't it? I mean, we already know this is probably spreading like a magical virus. Sitting and waiting can only help so much with this, Nessie." Nick looked towards the window, the view looking out over the vast forest. "Why have I never known your first name was really Vanessa?"
Nessa turned to look at him. "Why the curiosity all of a sudden?" Asked the twenty year old as she crossed the room to the bed, leaning down over Nick.
The younger teenager just smiled cheekily. "Because it shows just how beautiful you are." He said, caressing Nessa' face.
Nessa sighed happily. "Oh, you. If you hadn't been so focused on Saryna, you would be ruling this school already with the way you talk to us girls."
"What can I say? I know how to talk to women. Well, when I decide I want to."
Nessa giggled. "Mhm. Just like you've had to do so much more often this year." She pressed her lips to Nick's.
When they separated again, Nick chuckled. "You're the best kisser out of the three of you, mamita."
Nessa felt the shiver run down her spine, knowing Nick was trying to test her limits. "Uh uh, lover boy. I know what you're trying to do, and it's not going to work."
"Come on, please Nessie? I can miss breakfast."
Nessa rolled her eyes. "Sometimes it's hard to tell that Laura is the overly horny one. Now get up. Just because you don't mind missing breakfast doesn't mean I want to. As tempting as it is. Can't be late the first day." Nick nodded with a cheesy grin as they both got up and left the room, making sure it didn't look like they had left her room together.
On the way down to the dining hall, they stopped hearing a voice they hadn't expected to. Looking towards the voice, they saw Alcina Blythe, her cherry wood-colored hair whipping side to side as she talked into her cell phone. "No, I'm fine, dad.. No, nothing out of the ordinary. Well, other than that punk apparently got a girl pregnant. Yes, daddy, the one he's after. No, not that I know. As far as it looks, the princess isn't with him, despite what was said about the night he came back. Yes, dad." She sighed as she switched ears. "If anything happens I'll let you know but why? What do you mean you can't tell me?! I'm supposed to be joining all of you once this stupid year is over but how can I trust the others if things are being kept from me? Oh, so no one else even knows about whatever's going on.. That doesn't make sense. Why would there be a plan if no one other than the mastermind even knows?" Alcina looked towards where Nick and Nessa stood, the two ducking back behind the corner away from the young woman's golden honey-colored eyes. "Whatever dad. I love you too. Bye." She hung the phone up and turned to walk the other direction, where Nick and Nessa had to also follow to get down to breakfast.
Nick couldn't keep his eyes off of Alcina's back, her hips sashaying in a manner he could only call provocative. "I hate seeing her leave but damn do I love seeing her go." He yelped as Nessa slapped the back of his head.
"Don't get ahead of yourself, Nick. Now come on, breakfast." She urged him, a nod signalling their silence once again.
Upon approaching the usually-open double doors of the dining hall, Alcina seemed to just stop. She leaned against the wall and, as they passed by her, Nick of all people sent her a nod with a small smile that conveyed.. Worry? She quickly looked away as the student and teacher entered the dining hall.
"Maybe you should see if Alcina is alright? She seemed worried about whatever her father said to her." Nick said to Nessa, not looking over at her.
"Are you sure about that, Nick? If she is one of the affected girls Camille mentioned the other night, even I may not be the best choice to talk to her."
"True, but you are the teacher, even if just a couple years older than her. Honestly, the small age gap might help you get her to open up." Nick shrugged like his shoulders still ached.
Nessa sighed. "Nick, it's the first day of classes. Can we try not figuring out who is affected by our marriage contract so it doesn't possibly advance things?"
"Please, Vanessa?" Nessa had to fight the urge to both kiss and punch Nick. Punch him for the use of the name she honestly never liked and kiss him because Nick just made her full name sound so much sexier than she found it herself.
"Ugh. Fine. You owe me."
"I owe you a lot, boo. This is just a small favor. It's not like I'm asking you to convert her yourself."
Rolling her eyes, Nessa turned back around and walked towards the doors again as Nick sat down with the rest of his friends at the Thunderbird table. "What was that all about?" Laura asked, referring to Nick and Nessa's hushed conversation.
"Just asking professor Halliwell to check on something for me, love. So, how are you feeling? Still getting the random urges?"
Laura nodded to which Nick just squeezed her hand and began picking food for breakfast.
Outside the dining hall, Nessa found Alcina still rooted to the spot on the wall. "Ms. Blythe? Is everything alright?"
Alcina gasped when she realized someone had acknowledged her, frowning at Nessa. "Why should I tell you anything?"
Nessa tutted. "Because, Alcina, I'm a professor at this school and you are a student who seems a bit down on themselves. It's my job to ensure all of us here at Ilvermorny are at the very least happy with ourselves."
"Easy for you to say. You graduated in your sixth year. That's fucking unheard of! And now four years later, you're suddenly a teacher? No way. I already know something big is going on.." She trailed off.
Nessa sighed. "Alcina, listen to me for one moment, alright? See, I know you're one of the Children of Purity, but that doesn't mean I have to make your life here hell. In fact, I would love it if this school could just be more united again."
The seventeen year old snorted. "Yeah, fat chance of that. Now that Sayle's returned.. This school is no place to find peace." She placed a hand on the stone wall of the castle, her hand glowing warmly.
Nessa gasped, knowing what she was looking at while only having read about the ability of sorts. "You're.. You're a Descendant?"
"Yes, but my parents died shortly after I was born. I.. I was adopted by the Moraire's of the Puritans, but they let me keep my last name. All I've ever felt here at Ilvermorny is safe, until coming back this year. The castle has been warning me since we came back for the year, about what exactly, I can't be too sure but what I do know is the school is scared, Vanessa. Whatever's going on here this year, it could make or break this school."
Nessa was still shocked. A living descendant of the Ilvermorny Founders? It was practically unheard of. No heir to the school had been seen in almost a century. Yet here one was. "Alcina, what else are you so worried about? What happened on that phone conversation?"
"I shouldn't tell you.. I know I shouldn't because they're my parents even if not by blood.. But, you promise this isn't going to Fontaine's ears?"
"Sweetie, I don't think Fontaine is allowed to hear or feel what you do. You are special and I'll be damned if your parents want you to use that connection to Ilvermorny to break the Puritans in for whatever attack Sayle wants to throw at us this time. So please, tell me everything. I have to know what my fucked up stepfather apparently has going on."
"Dad, he.. He wouldn't say much. Said he couldn't, didn't know enough of the details. He did say that Sayle told him that whatever is going on, it's already in effect. What is happening to all of us?"
"What do you mean?" Nessa had an idea, but it helped her own case here if Alcina admitted what she was thinking of. "What's happening to anybody? Other than the polarization of students due to Sayle's return?" Alcina frowned as Nessa went on. "I haven't seen anything out of the ordinary, myself.. Have you?"
Alcina was hesitant, biting her lip for a moment before sighing. "Well, I've been noticing.. Little things. I mean, we've only been back three days now.. But it keeps.. I don't know exactly how to explain it.. Growing, maybe?" Nessa nodded at her to continue. "I noticed how off both Saryna and Lizzie are acting, both from last year and just that they're acting kind of.. Together.." That was news to Nessa, who admittedly hadn't been paying as much attention to her little sister as she should have been. "Which is weird since Lizzie is dating that shitbrick Looper."
"Wait, you have a grudge against Looper? He's one of you guys."
"His family is amateur at best when it comes to the Puritan ranks. He just talks tough. Nick's one step-up on him from sending him off the edge, I would guess. But, anyway.. So there's that with your sis and Lizzie but also the weird timing of Laura's pregnancy. I mean, not that I'm not happy for them or anything, those two do look cute together. Not that Saryna and Nick weren't a chillingly powerful couple themselves but it seems she's still not in the right mind, so to speak."
"You know Alcina, for someone so high up in the ranks for the Children of Purity, you speak of all of those who would be considered your enemies as if you care."
"Of course I care! I didn't ask to be part of all this civil war bullshit! I'm doing it because I don't want those I care about to get hurt.." Alcina sighed heavily. "Some people think the Puritans becoming active all these years later isn't entirely voluntary, and my parents are such exceptions. My dad sounded scared for me, like something about this whole debacle involves me and I have no idea why. It's fucking frustrating. How would you feel if it was your sister? Would you just willingly play into whatever twisted schemes she was involved in if she was in danger?"
"Saryna is always in danger! Auron Sayle, the stain of this fucking Earth and the reason the Halliwell family bloodline only lives through Saryna and I, is her fucking father and he's still out to kill her! My entire life thus far has been in an attempt to ensure that girl had a future where the truth of her parentage wouldn't fucking matter! Merlin bless Nick for even still finding it in his heart to protect her from Sayle the night the Puritans used both of those fourth years as accessories in Sayle's resurrection after the way she treated him last year."
Alcina flinched. "Okay. I get it. Sorry. Its weird seeing Laura with him this year.."
"Is that a tinge of jealousy I hear?" Nessa teased as the pale seventeen year old darkened from a blush. "You don't want to know what's going on, Cina. If you care about not getting dragged into what is scaring the school, then your best chance at that is to stay ignorant to it."
"How do you know I'll get dragged into it? If it's a power of will kind of thing, then you don't have to worry. I'm very strong-willed."
"I have no doubt about that, but this isn't just some normal scheme to stir up trouble. No, if Sayle really did help cause this, then the less people involved overall the better."
Alcina crossed her arms and scoffed. "Yeah, well I know it has something to do with Nick. That punk is always somehow at the center of things. But then, why do you know what's going on?"
Oh, you have no idea how centered this is on Nick, honey.. "Why do you think I know anything that's going on?"
"It's written all over your face. It also explains why you're warning me against knowing. So why do you get to know when your sister isn't even with Nick anymore? What's in it for you?"
"I don't need to get anything out of it. Protecting the rest of you is more important."
"I'm not buying it, Vanessa. There's something you don't want everyone to know, and I know it has to do with both the school's warnings and Nick judging by your avoidance of bringing up the righteous punk. So you either tell me what's going on in however much detail you can possible or get out of my fucking face."
Nessa was known to be a mediator, usually always calm when put in situations such as the heated discussion with Alcina. Keyword being usually. But, despite her best efforts to keep totally calm, Alcina's calling Nick a punk- twice- somehow punched right through that wall as she grabbed the seventh year by the collar of her school robes. "You little bitch! You don't even deserve to speak about Nicky like that!" Alcina's golden eyes widened at the older woman's slip as she continued. "That boy is under so much pressure this year due to this fucking growing problem and he still fucking cares about the ones like you. Just because you don't trust the Puritans means jack shit and you know why? Because I don't know if I can trust your word about it. And if I can't trust you then I'm damn not letting you any further into this shit." She let Alcina down, panting in her sudden anger, clutching at her necklace as she calmed herself down.
"Jeez, professor, where did that come from? If I didn't know any better, I would say you were the one seeing Nick, not your sister or Laura."
There was a flash of shock in the way Nessa looked at her as she finished collecting herself. Shock that Alcina realized meant she was onto something. "What? Why would you say that all of a sudden?"
"No, I can see it in your eyes. That definitely gave you away. Your eyes were always your tell." Alcina smirked, hands on her hips. "Now spill before I let it be known a professor's fucking one of their students. Just tell me one thing before that because that anger has me curious. Have you been having those bouts of anger a lot lately? Maybe like a certain sixth year?"
"Are you.. Fuck, keep it low at least! Fucking blackmail. Smart, but fucked up. And no, there's no way he.. No! Laura is the only one of us, that much I'm positively sure." She was mumbling to herself now, ignoring Alcina. "You really want to know what's going on? Despite what you say, this is not the same as resisting something like eating too much junk food. The pull behind this was or is proving to be too much for every girl this is affecting. Yes, if it'll make you happy I am with Nick, as is Laura and.. A couple others. So far. And there are still ones resisting it, but whatever Sayle may have done is cranking the dial higher and higher the longer they do. The school is right to be afraid, but I'll be damned if I let Nick be an idiot and allow it to get that bad."
"You make it sound like Nick Negron is.. What, exactly? The center of a har-" Nessa covered Alcina's mouth, motioning her to stop her statement as she nodded. "But.. What? How?"
"Again, if I tell you anything else, you may as well be in it, whether you want it at first or not. Just leave it be, Alcina." Nessa took the chance to walk away, back into the dining hall to eat.
Alcina stood there, unable to think clearly. Nick Negron? Master of his own harem? That can't be right.. What is Nessa playing at? I'm not giving up on this. But, what if that is what dad was trying to warn me to be careful of? Would I let myself join just to get away from the Puritan side of this stupid war? She thought as she went into the dining hall herself, avoiding both Nessa and Nick's gazes towards her as she sat to eat.
Later, Alcina had been unable to stop thinking about what Nessa had (or hadn't, really) revealed to her that morning. It was currently time for lunch, and she wasn't surprised when after ten minutes she hadn't seen Nick enter the dining hall. She cursed to herself, knowing if there was anyone who would tell her exactly what everything going on meant, it might as well be the guy the issue was apparently stemming from. Taking out her wand, she made a small flick with her wrist. "Ad inuestigandum." Casting the tracking spell, she thought of Nick and out from the tip of Alcina' wand came a thin strand of light, the light that would lead her to the younger boy wherever on the Ilvermorny grounds he was.
Alcina wondered what Nick could be doing out by the Quidditch pitch, especially as he had turned down the Thunderbird team before and there wasn't any teams even fully built out yet this year. As she approached the stadium-like playing field, she could hear talking far off, but with the otherwise odd silence on the Ilvermorny campus it was heard more clearly than it would on any other day.
"Yes, I'm sure. You told me to go think about everything and damn it I can't stop! Please, Nessa doesn't have to know." Who is that? Alcina asked herself, too far to clearly tell who was speaking.
Then she heard Nick's voice. "I can't do that. I'm not going behind Nessa's back on this.."
"Oh, come on! Why does Nessa have to know? This whole harem situation and the condition of the school are up to you in the end, Nick."
"It doesn't matter, Cam! Nessa needs to know who and or when they decide to join this shit because she's the one working on keeping some semblance of control!"
Cam? He doesn't mean.. Alcina came around the side of the stands, seeing Nick and this mystery girl standing in the dark underneath the seats. She got a few steps closer and cleared her throat. "Nick? We need to talk."
The girl, now revealed as Camille Porter, gasped at Alcina's sudden appearance. "Oh, so you decided to let Alcina Blythe into it already?" The sudden anger coming from the fifth year was surprising, but not as surprising as Nick's next statement.
"No, I haven't. In fact, this is the first time I've even heard Alcina say my name in the past two years." Nick sighed and turned to Alcina. "Say whatever you can that isn't secret information to this one. Today's already gotten quite tiring."
Alcina frowned. "I just want someone to tell me just what the fuck in this school my dad is trying to warn me of. What the school itself is warning me of. And why all of a sudden do you have women from all the upper years quite literally begging you for it."
"What are you talking about? What do you mean the school is warning you?"
"You know damn well what I mean, mister I'm-fucking-my-teacher! Vanessa didn't tell me much but I at least know what the basic gist is. I want to know why you?"
Nick froze. So she knows something. But.. "All I can clearly tell you is that we think Sayle fucked with my marriage contract to Saryna and now the entire school is in danger of joining. At least, the upper year women, maybe a teacher or two I don't know exactly how it works really. All I know is once you start feeling drawn to me, it's only a matter of time." Nick looked at Camille, who pouted.
".. I found out about it on Friday when we came back to school.."
Alcina put a hand to her head. This was all causing a migraine. Camille said Friday, and it was only the Monday after that. "Three days? It took you three days to just accept it? Camille.. Why?" Camille poked her index fingers together and mumbled something incoherently to the other girl and Nick. "What was that?"
"I want to have Nick's baby, okay?!" Camille shouted, most likely too loud. "I.. I started thinking about it Friday at the welcoming feast. Nick and Laura just.. They looked so good together that my thoughts started shifting towards everything sexual and over the last three days it's become an insatiable urge to just be in this exact fucking position but with Nick balls deep inside me."
Even Nick's eyes widened. "Okay, the language bit of this whole thing? It could totally be dialed down a notch or five." He turned to Alcina. "So? Now you know something. Whether or not that means you're now included in this only time will tell."
"I won't turn into some shameless slut just because I start thinking about shit like that. I don't even want kids!" Even as she said it, Alcina could sense her mind shifting directions like in a pipe maze game on the computer. It was true, she didn't want kids in case they turned out having to go along with the Puritan cause like she had had to after being adopted by the Moraire's. But, the opposite could now be said as well as she realized in the back of her mind that if Nick was the father, there would be no claim to the Puritans. All Alcina would have to do is let go of the resistance and-
No! No, I can't. The school is counting on me to somehow stop this from spinning out of control and here I am starting to fall to it! "Fucking Merlin's balls! I have to get out of here. You.. Fuck." She said before running off in the direction she had come.
"Think she'll be okay?" Camille asked, now suddenly back to her normal self.
Nick shook his head. "I don't know. But I can't help but think there's something important she isn't telling us." But what?
Soon enough, it was time to get back to classes. Nick had a free period for the day so he decided to drop in on Nessa and see if she could shed some light on Alcina's unexplained words. "Nessie? Are you in here?" Nick asked, opening the door to her quarters.
Nessa was sitting on the bed, hands bunched into the sheets as Nick walked in. "Hey, lover boy." She smiled at him, a hint of sadness hiding in her eyes. "What brings you here so early? I'm not giving you an early session."
"Not that it isn't really hot that making love to you now is also what most teenage boys dream about, but that isn't why I'm here." Nick said, crossing the room to sit beside her. "Not that you'd give me too much of a fight."
"Come on, Nicky. I know you hate keeping your hands off of us but you need to show some better control yourself."
"I know, and I have been. I had to stop Camille from just taking it under the quidditch pitch stands."
"Nick! Don't tell me Camille went full Laura?"
"Not full Laura, no. Especially since the moment was ruined by a certain golden-eyed seventh year."
Nessa growled. "Alcina? What did she want?"
"She wanted to know why no one would give her a straight answer as to what's been going on. And yes, even knowing what might happen I did explain things to her a bit. What really got me was something she said." Nessa looked at him. "She said the school was warning her about all this. What could she have meant?"
Nessa was pissed at Nick for telling Alcina anything. "You can't expect her to be so trustworthy, Nicky! She may be adopted but she's still one of the Children of Purity."
"No she's not. She's actually a bit like you, expressively. Her eyes say everything, Nessie, and she's scared."
Nessa frowned. She knew the younger girl was scared, but didn't know how to help her. "I know she is. She.. Nick, Alcina is the only Ilvermorny Descendant around. She can.. Sense how the school is doing. She's scared because Ilvermorny knows what's going on and the school itself is afraid of the possible repercussions."
"But half the problem is whatever Sayle did to the contract, isn't it? Maybe if we can somehow fix that, then the school won't need to be afraid because at that point we can contain it. Can't we?"
Nessa hadn't heard Nick talk like that since the night she had consoled him about Saryna's change the year before. Like he was losing hope. "Hey, baby, don't talk like that." She took Nick's hand and squeezed it. "We will figure this out. But, that means we seriously cannot go around telling these girls what they want to know. It's beginning to be a trend. First Lizzie, now Camille and if we're lucky then Alcina will find a way to keep herself distanced. Please, Nicky, don't lose hope. We need you to help get us all through this. I'd wager you're the only one who can."
Nick scoffed. "Yeah, if I don't wind up king of the school. I guess we just keep an eye on things like we have been. But, Nessie, I'm serious about this. Please, go and let Cornelius take a look at the contract. If anyone can figure out whether or not Sayle cursed it to go out of control, it'll be him. Maybe he can break whatever dark magic is holding that contract and hopefully stop this before it really gets out of hand."
Nessa looked at the boy she loved, smiling softly. "Of course, Nick. Whatever I can do to help, you know that."
Nick smiled back at her and kissed her. "Thanks, love. I'm gonna go get ready for Magical Creatures."
Nessa nodded. "Okay, lover boy. I'll check in on you later, yeah?"
"Of course, professor." Nick smirked as he winked before leaving the room.
Once she was sure he was far enough, Nessa held her wand over her stomach where it glowed a bright pink. And now there's this.. She sighed as she contemplated how to tell Nick and Saryna, the latter of which would not be entirely happy to find out the news.
Next Time: Looper gets what's coming to him and Nessa struggles to control herself.