Chapter Seven: Plasma Puss and a Whisper

Things didn't go better the rest of the week. Untamed Magic class was even worse with the Ivybells. Henry's stomach still would roll at the memory of Lothario addressing Kimmi as "Henry Puffer's admiring fan" to everyone in the classroom. The fact that he then proceeded to wink at Henry afterwards really made Henry feel as if he wanted the ground to swallow him up. It put Henry in a wild frenzy to just avoid the man altogether. Even more difficult than dodging Don Lothario was avoiding Charlie Chantley. He was a nice enough kid but it was getting a bit unsettling how good the younger bloke was getting at memorizing Henry's schedule. It was like he was a trusty but annoying car that ran on gas in the form of Henry saying, "Hey, Charlie," in any voice no matter the annoyance level.

Magus was disgruntled due to the constant rain leaving him unable to fly, Jon's wand was doing odd sorts of things like flying right out of his hand on more difficult spells. At one point in Mischief Class, it flew so fast and far it hit Professor Flitwit right in the forehead. The nasty goose egg it created made the poor teacher's eyes brim with unfallen tears. She remained composed and assured Jon it's bound to happen with higher level spells.

"Maybe it's time for a wand trade in," she advised gently. "Not every caster keeps his wand for all of his life. There's no shame in it." Jon knew the professor meant well but sunk in his seat when Slymer loudly exclaimed.

"A Parsley can barely afford a gumball much less a new wand, Professor!"

"Unnecessary information, Miss Slymer," Professor Flitwit sighed and looked sympathetic at a recoiling Jon. "Ten credits from Ivybell."

Luckily, the weekend was here!

The three friends made plans to visit Hagish that Saturday and Henry was keen on keeping his cake cutter on him at all times. There wasn't one thing Hagish had made food based that wasn't completely decadent. Henry wondered what sort of cake he would whip up. In fact, Henry was really missing Hagish. It seemed like he was quite important during his first year and now, he seemed very busy and a bit flighty. Henry hoped it wasn't something more. Esmani had warned him when he mentioned it not to go looking for more needless adventure and intrigue. So Henry didn't bring it up again.

Saturday morning, Henry was violently shaken awake by Ryan Switch. He was the Captain of the Alpaggard Grilled Cheese Dueling team.

The time was way earlier than Henry would have liked.

"Whatisit...whasgoinon?" Henry slurred sleepily.

"Are you daft, man?" Ryan exclaimed. "Dueling practice! Let's go!"

The week really must have gotten to Henry because now that he realized how loudly the birds were chirping, he wondered how he was sleeping through it. Even still, the fine mist shrouding the purplish pinks of the skies told him it was barely dawn. Even though the older boy's face was right next to Henry's, he could feel his eyes begin to droop again.

"HENRY! Let's GO!"

With that, Henry's lanky body was grabbed and hoisted out of bed by the tall and brawny sixth year. When Henry noticed the wild, enthusiasm dancing in the older boy's eyes Henry realized there was no compromising to be done.

"It's part of the new training program so get your broom and get dressed," Ryan looked towards Henry. "Or don't! I don't care if you play in your pajamas as long as we get to the field quicker!" Henry looked quizzically through his bleary eyes.

"Who made this new training program?" Henry wanted to know.

"Well...I did!" Ryan chuckled. "No other teams have started training yet and I think the extra start will do us some good!" Henry couldn't help but yawn and a chill ran up his spine. Ryan took it as a personal offense. "Henry! Wake your lazy buns up! This is important!" Henry slowly pulled on his Grilled Cheese Duelling robes right in front of Switch. "There ya go, lad! Meet you on the field in twenty minutes!"

Ryan left Henry where he stood as his robes were fastened and at least Henry had enough wits about him to pull on a scarf for some warmth. He had no doubts that the morning was about to be a bit cooler. His eyes flitted towards the four poster bed that belonged to Charlie Chantley. The curtains were drawn but the black-and-white photo on his nightstand was moving with a photogenic Lothario pulling Henry into frame. Henry's smile looked completely unnatural and forced. There was no way he was going to sign that. Having Charlie Chantley was like having a very enthusiastic parrot for a pet.

Despite the tiredness he felt, Henry was through the portrait hole in a couple minutes of time but turned around when he noticed that the sound of it closing didn't immediately follow. His heart sank.

"Will you please sign my photo now, Henry?" Charlie scrambled out after him. Still in his pajamas. Henry bit his lower lip to keep from biting crankily at the first year. "Say...where are you even going this early?" Charlie forgot his first question.

"Grilled Cheese Duelling Practice," Henry was able to ground out.

"No way! Wait up then! I've never seen a Grilled Cheese Duel before!"

"Charlie it...it'll be really dull for you," Henry said really quickly. He was hoping beyond hope it would stave the nervous first year away. To no avail. It seemed to entice the boy even more. His face was beaming with excitement.

"I've read up on it, you know!" Charlie was rambling as he flanked Henry along the corridor towards the grounds. "You are the youngest player in a Grilled Cheese Duel for a hundred years! Am I right, Henry? Am I right?" Henry wasn't given time to answer. "You must be the best of the best of the best!" Henry had to admit that softened him a bit. "I've never flown as you can imagine. Broomology starts next Monday," Charlie sighed. "Is it easy, Henry?" Charlie looked down at Henry's hand, abandoned his first question, and tried another, "is that your broom? Is that the best one there is too?"

"Well…"

"I don't really get Grilled Cheese Duelling," Charlie sighed. "Sounds kind of stupid if you don't get offended for me saying so. I ate grilled cheeses all the time before getting my letter and I never found them...magical." Henry smiled just a bit of that. He remembered thinking the same thing once upon a time. "Is it true there are three balls? Two of them are made of solid butter that gets heated up and burns you if it hits you?" Henry was at least able to nod at that. "Wow! Does it actually knock people off their brooms?" Henry nodded again but was not about to offer anymore. The rules were too complicated to regale in his state of grogginess.

"They're called Burn Balls, right?"

"Burro Balls," Henry corrected. "There are two players on the team that have enchanted cast iron pans called Sartin Rackets. They knock the Burro Balls away from their teammates and more importantly me, the Flipper."

"Wow that's so cool!" Charlie tripped over his long robe down the stairs he was so focused on Henry. Henry was annoyed, but getting a bit more enthused since he was talking about Duelling. Maybe it wasn't so bad to resign to explaining a bit more of the rules. "And the other ball? The Pan ball?"

"Pan-ay," Henry pronounced. That one scores the goals. Lex Gidion and Justin Krono are Stokers this year. There are three to a team Henry paused. Brian McRyan had graduated last year and had yet to meet the new Stoker. Maybe Henry even knew them from around the school last year. "They wear the oven mitts to be able to catch and throw the Pane ball into the hoops." Henry looked down at the open-mouth smile that Charlie was sporting. "The ball hits the billows and gives the flame to the stove down below."

"So the grilled cheese can be flipped," Charlie said.

"That's my job. The Flipper. You have to be very fast and it's more difficult than you'd think. But it's important because doing the final flip onto the golden plate obviously ends the game."

"I'm loving this, Henry!"

"Really the last bits are the Reviver knocks away the Burro balls but also can tag back in players that get hit by them. The Guard protects the Reviver...and the Defender protects the Pane ball from going into the goals."

"Like a soccer goalie."

Henry couldn't help but smile at that.

It was short lived because Charlie launched into more and more questions as they crossed the grass covered in morning dew. The sloping lawns towards the Grilled Cheese Duelling field were slick and freezing. It took Henry literally guiding Charlie away near the changing rooms for him to be left alone.

"I'll find the best seat to watch, Henry!"

Henry breathed a sigh of relief when he was met by the rest of the Alpaggard team. Switch looked bright eyed and bushy tailed. Matt looked like he was just waking up and a steaming travel cup of popkin spiced latte was filling Henry's nose. Lex looked awake but grumpy, Justin was nodding off on the bench where he sat, and Jordan was actually asleep against the lockers. A new and familiar face was among them Jess McNamara who was a second year just like him was set to replace Brian McRyan as Alpaggards third Stoker. She looked like she grew three inches and put on quite a bit of muscle. Perhaps she knew she was next up to be drafted and planned her summer accordingly. Sleepily, she wiggled her fingers politely at Henry. Switch probably already introduced her to everyone else.

"What kept you Henry, my Watcher!" Switch was curt but meant well. "Team! Listen up, I wanted to have a quick word with you all before we actually get out there on the field. I spent all summer scheming up a whole new training program that I think will make all the difference in the world!" Out of nowhere, he produced a large scroll of parchment and said some words so it would unfurl rigidly and hover at eye level. It was a hand drawn diagram of a Grilled Cheese Duelling filled with finite details and color coded. It must have taken hours to make. With a tap of his wand, Switch was able to make the different colored inked arrows and circles move and dance about the page to showcase different plays and strategies. Then, the boy began to launch into his speech. Matt's head slumped right into Lex's shoulder and she was just quick enough to catch his latte from spilling into her lap as he snored softly.

Twenty five minutes later Ryan had thoroughly explained his first board.

"So then the next idea…" Ryan tapped his wand and the arrows faded and reformed to showcase a different strategy. This happened three more times and Henry was sinking further and further into a begrugened state. Switch's excitable droning was not interesting to Henry in the slightest. Some time later Henry couldn't pinpoint as to how long, Switch looked back at his team, "So?" His face fell a bit when he noticed all of their expressions. Henry was too busy thinking about breakfast. "Any questions? Guys?"

"You could have told this all to us yesterday, Switch," Lex bluntly stated.

Switch was not happy with that.

"Now you listen to me and you listen to me good, guys," he gave them all a pointed look. "We should have won the cup last year. We're by far the best team but...we can't control...some circumstances...not last year, at least."

Henry shifted his weight in embarrassment. Last year, he was unconscious after being attacked by a ghostly and possessive Lord Mormobius in the dungeons of the castle. This meant the team had to play their last game a player short. The most important player. The defeat was the worst the school had seen in three hundred fifty years.

Switch didn't let his gaze linger too long on Henry which Henry was grateful for.

"That's why this year, we're going to train harder than ever before. So...let's put my strategies to practice out there!" Switch shouted and grabbed his broomstick. Stiff and fuzzy, his sleepy team followed him all the same. Individual yawns echoed off the stadium corridor until the artificial grass of the field met Henry's shoes. The sun was up and the air was warmer but not by much. Cupping his hands towards his eyebrows he could see Jon and Esmani were in the stands along with Charlie.

"Way to make us wait, mate!" Jon said through cupped hands of his own to project his voice. Henry rolled his eyes and covertly gestured towards Ryan.

"Switch made us go over a ton of plans first," he shouted back.

Henry mounted his broom and kicked off the ground hard. His body rose up and soon he was soaring through the air. A shock of excitement prickled his spine. He hadn't lost as much as he would have thought from not practicing over the summer. Cool, morning air lapped at his face which woke him up better than Switch's speech or even a popkin spiced latte. In fact, it felt better to be back on a Grilled Cheese Duelling Field than even his own bed! Playfully, he raced Matt and Lex. Jess joined them soon after and they were all laughing and having a great go of it.

"Do you hear that?" Matt shouted. "What's that mysterious clicking noise?"

Henry used his keen tracking skills to look into the stands. Charlie was standing on the bench seat next to Esmani. His camera was raised, poised, and ready. Each click signified another picture being taken. The strange sound was echoed ten fold in the empty stadium.

"Look this way, Henry! That's it! Great one, Henry!" Charlie shouted.

"Who's that little squirt?" Lex wanted to know.

"I...I don't know," Henry didn't know why but he lied. Leaning forward, Henry made himself gain speed to fly as far away as possible from Charlie.

"What's that bloke doing over there?" Switch flew next to Henry and hovered. He was frowning and pointing towards Charlie. "That's a first year and he's...is he taking pictures, Puffer?" Henry was hoping his blush could be explained away by the chilly air. "I don't like it. He could be an Ivybell spy or something. Trying to steal my strategies!"

"He's an Alpaggard," Henry said quickly.

"Um...it doesn't look like the Ivybells need a spy, Switch," Justin mumbled.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Switch snapped.

"Oy! Look over there...they do be scuttling on our field in person, look!" Jess pointed her finger downwards where sure enough a bunch of Ivybells in green robes were down below ambling onto the field without a care.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Switch yelled in outrage. "I made sure that the field was booked today just for us! You just wait! I'm going to have some words about this!"

Like a rocket, Switch careened downwards toward the ground and landed very hard in his anger. The force of his dismount made him stagger slightly and Matt looked at Jordan who looked to Lex. Lex shrugged and rolled her eyes deciding wordlessly to the group to go down after him to back him up if he needed it. Henry also followed along with Justin and Jess.

"Pinn you rotten rat!" Switch bellowed. Chris Pinn was the Ivybell Flipper last year and must have been promoted to Captain this year. Gently, Henry dismounted in time to see the scene unfold. When the boys were nose to nose it was daunting how Chris was even larger than Switch. His easy smile was betrayed by the cutthroat way in which he spoke.

"I don't see your name on it, Switch," he spat on the ground dangerously close to Switch's shoe. "Plenty of room for the both of us I think." There were no girls on the Ivybell team and most of the boys were leering luidly at Lex and Jess. Lex moved in closer to Jess and narrowed her eyes.

"It might not have our names on it but I booked the field!" Switch was spitting with rage.

"Of course you did Switchy," Pinn chuckled. "But I've got here," he said as he unraveled a small strip of parchment, "a special signed decree from Professor Snabes. I shall read it to the class I think." Mockingly, Pinn pretended to adjust a pair of reading glasses. "I, Professor S. Snabes, bestow the Ivybell Grilled Cheese Dueling team to use the field for practice today in accordance towards early training for their new Flipper."

"So you've got a new Flipper?" Switch grumbled. "Where?"

From behind the six other burly boys came a seventh player that was probably the first girl that team has even seen. She was smirking and the morning sun made her pale face look like a skeleton straight from Henry's nightmares. It was Kimmi Slymer.

"You're Octavious Slymer's daughter?" Asked Jess with disdain in her voice. "He went to school with my father in 72.'

"Interesting of you to bring up our dearest benefactor, Mr. Slymer," Pinn said and the whole Ivybell team smiled their conniving smiles. "Shall we show them the generous gift your father bequeathed us Kimmsie?" Henry couldn't help but notice Kimmi cringe a bit at the stupid nickname. She nodded and kept her face in composure. Reaching out along with all of the other members of the team, they brandished their highly polished, brand-new handles. Henry's jaw dropped and Switch looked like he was about to fall to his knees. Each member had a brand new Zoomsweeper Crystal. It was the latest and greatest broom of the year.

"These babies just dropped two months ago," Pinn explained without a care. "Newest model. Highly rare." With tenderness, he rubbed the end of his own. "If memory serves me right I do believe it outflies the earlier model by a rather significant margin. As for the Zoomsweeper Classic," Pinn faked a yawn, "it sweeps circles around them." Matt was holding a Zoomsweeper Classic and Jordan only had the next model up from that. They tried to hold their heads up high but the dig got to them.

No Alpaggard could speak and the silence made Kimmi smirk so engrediously her eyes were basically reduced to slits above her high cheekbones. Henry faintly heard footsteps but didn't look behind him until Pinn opened his mouth again.

"What do you know? We have a field violation."

Jon and Esmani were crossing the artificial grass to see what was up.

"Why aren't you playing? What's going on? Jon asked Henry.

Esmani was eyeing Kimmi's Ivybell Grilled Cheese Duelling robes putting two and two together wordlessly. Her eyes narrowed and basically matched Kimmi. The latter chose to explain.

"I'm the new Ivybell Flipper if you couldn't tell, Parsley," her voice dripped with a smug attitude. "We're all just here admiring the new brooms my father bought for everyone on the team." Jon was now caught up to speed and couldn't help but gape at the Zoomsweeper Crystals in front of him. Henry wished his friend could have fixed his face in time but Kimmi's harsh giggle told him it was too late.

"They're amazing, are they ?" Kimmi laughed. "Perhaps Alpaggard could arrange a fundraiser to get some new brooms. Say, Matthew?" She turned to the Parsley brother. "I'm sure a museum would take your broom for a handsome compensation."

The Ivybells nearly fell over from laughter. Some gave Kimmi high fives.

"I think you are clearly mistaking the integrity of your team. They don't respect you or your talent...if you have any. Clearly Kimmi you were bought into this. No one on the Alpaggard team had to buy their way in. Raw talent is all I see here." Esmani crossed her arms and Kimmi gave an interesting face. She looked down, squinted in thought, grimaced, and looked back up at Esmani in pure rage.

"Who in the bloody hell asked you? Your opinion means nothing to me, you dirty, festering Plasma Puss," she mimicked Pinn and spat on the ground dangerously close to Esmani's foot.

Henry had no idea of the brevity, but at once he knew that what Slymer had said was something really, really bad due to the way the caster children with pure caster plasma reacted. Pinn had to dive in front of Slymer to stop Matt and Jordan from jumping him. Lex was flipping everyone the bird and yelling even worse things that Henry could understand. Jon dug into the pockets to retrieve his wand.

"You'll eat those words, Slymer!" He was trying hard to point the tip under Pinn's arm at Kimmi's face. "You have gone TOO far!"

A sound as loud as a thunder clap echoed and bounced off the stadium walls as a sickening green light emitted from the wrong end of Jon's wand. It hit him square in the gut and sent him back five feet from where he stood. He then began to thrash around a bit.

"JON! Oh JON! Are you okay?" Esmani shrieked and was at his side in an instant.

Jon rose up and tried to open his mouth to speak but his visage was crumpling and turning a ghoulish green. It was all wrinkled and his lips were turning a deep black. Esmani began to cry.

Bw-HURP

Suddenly, Jon's whole face looked like a giant toad.

Kimmi looked horrified whereas Pinn was on his knees banging the ground.

"STUPID GIT GAVE HIMSELF A TOADIFICATION CURSE!"

"Let's take him to Hagish, it's closer," Henry said to Esmani who was composing herself. It probably took her the short few seconds of Jon's transformation for her to recall the curse, remember it's causes, and analyze its cures. She nodded with brevity and helped pull Jon by his arms.

"Whoa! Henry! HENRY! What happened down there? What happened to HIM? He's got a toad for a head! He can be cured, right? You can cure him" Charlie was down from his spot on the bleachers and running alongside Esmani and Henry. Jon opened his toad mouth but only garbled toad sounds came from it. "Wowee! Can you hold him still, Henry? I've got to document this!" With facincation, Charlie raised his camera.

"Get out of our way, Charlie," Henry snapped in anger. "Can't you see that this is serious?" Esmani shifted Jon's weight and the two left a forlorn Charlie behind them as they crossed the stadium towards the ground on the edge of the forest.

"We're almost there, Jon," Esmani gently cooed into what Henry supposed was Jon's ear. The Jack-of-all-trades hut was coming into view. "Hagish will know what to do. You'll be alright in one minute...almost there, buddy."

When they were within fifteen feet of Hagish's house, the front door flew open but it wasn't Hagish who emerged from the opening. Don Lothario was wearing regal robes of purple velvet modestly waved behind him as he strode off the porch and down the short, two steps to the ground.

"Get behind here," Henry hissed and helped Esmani drag Jon behind a nearby tuft of overgrown weed and grass. Esmani groaned at the weight of Jon's slumping body. The toad-like head opened its mouth again and the tongue slapped her on the collarbone. She was not impressed at all and tried hard not to gag.

"Simple, dear Hagish! Simple! You just have to know what you are doing, of course," Lothario was talking very loudly. This wasn't some sort of secret business or else Lothario was dumber than Henry had originally thought. "I'm always here to help your sort if you need it! You know where to find me when you do! I'll even let you have a copy of my book. Signed and at the ready! Honestly dear sir I'm surprised yet intrigued that you haven't owned one yet much less read one! That's it! It's settled! You've made up my mind! I'll sign one and send it to you right away by mid-afternoon. Good day to you!" Then he turned forwards and hiked up the small hill back towards the castle.

Once he was completely out of sight, Henry waited a few beats more before he helped Esmani pull Toad Jon from behind their hiding spot and up to Hagish's door. They knocked firmly but gently. At once, Hagish appeared looking mighty put off until he noticed who was there. Then his expression brightened. Even the sight of Jon's face didn't seem to affect the larger man.

"Oy you tampering tykes! I've been wondering when I'd get to see you...wowzers do we have a bit of a hiccup, don't we. Please don't be put out by my first reaction. I thought yins were Lothario back again to…" he didn't finish.

Esmani and Henry supported Jon and Hagish helped pull him over the threshold into his one room cabin. There was the bed-like nest made in the highest rafter, a fire blazing, and books and homely clutter all around. Hagish offered the company seats and the kids were relieved to have their shoulders unweighted once Jon was lowered into his.

"Hagish this…" Esmani looked disgruntled as she gestured towards Jon. "This doesn't bother you one bit?"

"Looks toad-ally normal to me, lads," Hagish slapped his knee and began to guffaw whereas Henry and Esmani looked at each other dismayed at the poorly timed joke. Hagish noticed and righted himself. "Sorry...couldn't resist," he looked a bit more focused and appraised Jon. Hagish's huge Great Dane, Chomper whined as Hagish reeled around to produce a bronze tin with a lid on it. "Eat up a bit there, Jon-boy. It helps, you know," Hagish said and opened the lid where fat horse flies fluttered and zig zagged out and around Jon's head. Like instinct, Jon's new, very long pink tongue whipped out and snared the flies by the dozen.

"So you can only feed him flies and wait for it to stop?" Esmani was anxious and perhaps Henry misjudged her knowledge on this particular curse. "The Toadification curse is very bad when it's done properly but…" she blushed. "It was done by Jon...a novice...with a hand me down wand no less." The Toad's head whipped to the side to appraise her. Jon probably could still understand her. Hagish was making some tea.

"Keeping him fed will lessen the time for him to change back," Hagish explained. "Plus I…" he couldn't help but chuckle, "needed a way to get rid of those blasted things. Been driving me wild mucking up my recipes. Speaking of! Henry! I have a cake here for you!"

"What did Lothario want with you, Hagish?" Henry wanted to know as we looked to Hagish getting the cake around and to Esmani who was rubbing a small circle into Jon's back.

"Giving me misplaced advice," Hagish grumbled. He moved random animals in various stages of skinning from his tiny counter and pulled a large box out of his ice chest from below his sink. "I know me stuff, and...he's fit to be making me out to be a fool. All the while acting as if he farts rainbows. If a word in his so-called books are true I'll eat a whole bag of Chomper's dog food, I will!"

Henry had never seen Hagish speak poorly of a teacher at Harnocks. It surprised him greatly. Esmani stopped rubbing Jon's back and looked at Hagish with a bit of misplaced defense towards the Untamed Magic professor.

"That's harsh, Hagish," she said as a matter of factly. "Simbledore obviously hired him for good reason. He was most suited for a position seemingly nobody wants."

"Except Snabes," Henry pointed out.

"Yes, except her," Esmani agreed and folded her arms. Henry noted how high her voice was getting when she talked about Lothario. Girls were weird.

"Naw Henry's right...he was basically the only person for the job," Hagish unboxed the cake and set it down. It looked delicious! The buzzing around Jon had stopped which meant he must have eaten them all. When Henry looked at his friend, he noticed that the green, scaly skin of the large toad's head that was on top of Jons shoulders was shifting and changing back into Jon's natural tone. His telltale freckles were faintly reappearing as well. It was a creepy sort of uncanny valley that was slightly unsettling. "Difficult to find professors in that field. I'm starting to think the job's hexed. No one's lasted over a year for a while now." Hagish looked towards Jon whose toad nose was shrinking slowly back into his head. His eyes were completely normal and his black hair was growing from the top of the toad's head. "Who was he trying to curse?"

"Slymer called Esmani something Hagish...it must have been very, very bad because everyone in ear shot went absolutely berserk," Henry explained just as Jon's toadish mouth reverted back to his normal mouth. Jon took his first, shaky breath. His lips were still black and he was sweating."

"Worse than bad," he croaked as his voice shifted and changed back to normal. His skin was still wrinkled but smoothing out with each second. "She called her a Plasma Puss, Hagish." Into the bronze tin, Jon let out a sickening lurch and threw up a few of the horse flies. Hagish gasped in horror.

"She. Did. NOT!" His wild eyes looked towards Esmani.

"He...did," she lowered her eyes and Henry watched in rapt fascination as the weird change in Hagish's face happened. It used to be a bit scary but knowing what he knew now of the Realm of Magic, it just made him more curious. What was Hagish?

"THAT'S THE WORST THING YOU CAN CALL SOMEONE HERE!"

"I...figured it was quite rude…" Esmani was mumbling.

"It's the most insulting thing anyone would say," Jon gasped as he came up from the bronze tin for air. "Plasma Puss is an awful name for someone who is Normie-born, like you. Where the mom and dad both aren't casters or witchy plasma. Some wizards, like Slymer's family, think they're better than everyone else because they're people are Ancient Plasma. Pure and mixed with no Normie kind." He burped grossly and a single fly fell from his lips and flew away. "I mean...look it doesn't make a difference what your plasma is. Look at Taryn Goodfellow! She's of Ancient Plasma and can barely hold a wand right!"

"And look at Esmani! There's not a spell in her books she can't do first!" Hagish's face was normal and he was beaming proudly. "Same with ole' Mattie Parsley's girl!"

"It's disgusting and shameful of our kind to resort to calling someone that," explained Jon wiping the sweat off of his brow with trembling fingers. It comes in all iterations. Filthy Plasma, Common Plasma, Stump Kin...I," he looked down into his lap, "I have family who use it from time to time. Once I used it when I was very, very little. Like...six. I heard it from somewhere and...wowee did my mom give me a wallop!"

"As she should have!" Hagish exclaimed.

"It's so completely stupid! Most casters these days are half-plasma'd. If not for marriages to Normies we'd've probably died out generations ago!" Wide eyed, Jon wretched again and puked out more flies into the bronze tin.

"Normally I wouldn't condone underage curse attempts, Jon," Hagish shook his head. "But I see why you were stirred to do so. You probably were saved though, boy," Hagish put a large hand on his shoulder. "Mr. Slymer would have been up at this school faster than you could have eaten a fly with your expulsion grievance ready to be signed over if you would have cursed his only daughter. At least you're not in that kind of trouble."

Henry was listening, but slicing into Hagish's cake with his birthday present was very cool. It took no effort and he felt as if Jon earned the first slice more than he did. There probably wasn't a worse curse than having your head turned into a toad's.

"Say, Henry?" Hagish asked suddenly when Henry put the first bite of cake into his mouth. An explosion a pumpkin, spices, and cinnamon danced on his tongue. It was exquisite. "Gotta say, I've heard you've been giving out autographed photos," Henry's eyes widened, "and you didn't think I'd want one, eh? I'm hurt!"

Livid, Henry swallowed the cake and began to protest.

"I have not been giving out autographed photos," he exclaimed. "Lothario better not be spreading around any…"

Hagish was cracking up.

"I'm messing about, lighten up," he said and ruffled Henry's hair in the way Henry liked. "I knew you hadn't really. In fact, I told Lothario you were more famous than him anyway. You don't need to sell pictures of yourself for that!"

"I...bet he didn't like hearing that," Henry couldn't fight back his smirk.

"No...no he didn't," Hagish responded with a twinkle in his eye. "He looked even more put out when I admitted I haven't read one of his blimey books." The overly large man stretched and leaned in, "between you and me, when he does send me a copy I'll make sure to use it for some good, hearty kindling in me' fireplace!" And with that he slapped his knee again and cracked up. Everyone in the hut did except for Jon who could only muster a weak smile.

"Eh, Jon-Boy? You alright?" Hagish noticed Jon had only taken three bites of his cake.

"I'm...taking it easy...in case," Jon stammered.

"This cake is delicious, Hagish," Esmani said as she forked her last bite.

"Thank you, dear, lemme' show you the secret," Hagish waited for the kids to finish up and lead them to the backyard and to his garden. The small patch had vegetables and herbs of every kind. What stood out, were the largest pumpkins Henry had ever seen. They were like beach balls. "Would you look at them!" Hagish clapped happily. "For the Spooky Day feast, of course. The bigger the better!"

"What...in the world have you been feeding them?" Henry wanted to know.

Hagish checked behind him and to the sides in secrecy.

"Well I've...been giving them a bit of...nudging you see."

Henry knew Julius Hagish was good at close up magic and trickery that Normies would be baffled by. He's also seen Hagish do actual magic that would puzzle a Normie such as making a hot dog fall out of his cousin's mouth last year. Except, Henry had never seen Hagish use a wand and for some reason, Hagish's school days at Harnocks had not lasted the full seven years. Henry did not know why and if you tried to bring up, Hagish was very keen on grumbling or changing the subject until you had to oblige him. Idly, Henry wondered if the gigantic pumpkins were because of something Hagish could do with magic.

"This is a very well done sizing charm, Hagish," Esmani poked the flesh of the largest pumpkin. "Doesn't affect their edibility or taste, right?" Hagish nodded in answer. "Well you've done well...say Hagish...why is it that you didn't finish your time at Harno…" Esmani wasn't as knowledgeable of Hagish's strange aversion to that question.

"DO YOU know who ELSE loves these pumpkins?" Hagish raised his voice to drown Esmani out. "Why, your sister, lad," Hagish pointed at Jon. "Just got to finally be acquainted with her yesterday. Very nice young lady." With a mischievous glint in his eyes, he appraised Henry. "She's got her...sights on many things here at school. Just wanted to look around the grounds but my guess is she knows of someone else that comes around here often." Henry could not miss Hagish's meaning and in case, Hagish added a sly wink. "You might want to reconsider your stance on the photography, lad. She may be a good customer!" Hagish chuckled and Henry flushed crimson.

"Shut up, Hagish!" Henry said in what he hoped was good nature but it came off a bit rough. Hagish let his laughter die while Jon and Esmani chuckled. "That's your sister, Jon!" Henry reminded him exasperated and Jon stopped laughing and dropped his jaw in shock.

"Ew! You're right!" Jon wrinkled his nose and then wretched awfully the last of the horse flies. Hagish yelped as some hit his pumpkins.

"Watch where you're spraying those, laddie!" He exclaimed.

It was nearly lunch and Henry was starving. He hadn't had any breakfast and the only thing rolling in his stomach was the last remnants of Hagish's birthday cake. Hagish boxed the leftovers up and told Henry he would send Magus with the leftover box to keep in the dorm to either share or eat later. They bid him farewell and trudged back up the small hill to the castle. Jon was nearly back to normal. His lips were pink, his skin was smooth, and the color was natural. The only remnants of the curse was the fact he occasionally would burp up fly wings. That and his breath was putrid.

"Puffer! Parsley!" Professor Garspatuon spotted them and strode over to appraise them. He was looking stern and Henry could have slapped himself. He totally forgot about detention. They were supposed to serve it the first day of school. Now it was Saturday...that was odd. Since when does Garspatuon forget a punishment? "The delay of my consequence towards you is none of your concern." Can he read minds? "You will both serve it this evening."

"Yes sir," Jon said, "but...may I ask what we will be doing?" Jon desperately was trying to hold in a burp. If Professor Garspatuon found out about his curse, they'd probably be in even worse trouble.

"You will be cleaning the school wide awards chamber with Mr. Feltch," answered Professor Garspatuon. "With confiscated wands, you will be polishing trophies, organizing placards, ironing award ribbons, and reframing parchemented accolades."

Jon swallowed hard but was still able to nod. Mr. Feltch was nasty and hated every student at the school. It was going to be a dreadful time. At least Henry was well versed in manual labored chores from his time with the Dooflys. That was until Professor Garspatuon stopped those thoughts in their tracks.

"Your punishment, Mr. Puffer," he said. Henry wondered why they were having different punishments, "will be to aid Professor Lothario in his office." Henry's jaw dropped.

"Doing what?" Instantly he regretted the question once Garspatuon arched that eyebrow.

"That is the business of Professor Lothario," he said hotly. "Perhaps...you will be aiding in answering his fan mail?" Was that a small smile pulling at the corners of Professor Garspatuon's mouth?

"Oh please! I hope not, sir!" Henry begged.

"Well what's done is done," Garspatuon waved him off. "Professor Lothario specifically requested your help for this evening." Of course he did. "Parsley? You are to meet Feltch in the awards chamber right after dinner. Puffer? You shall go to the Untamed Magic classroom after dinner to meet Professor Lothario in his office. Is that clear, gentleman?"

"Yes, sir," they said at the same time. Jon burped into his hand but was able to catch the last bit of wing before Garspatuon saw. As the professor turned away, he looked very disgusted by Jon.

"Control your manner, sir," he said and turned on his heel.

In the Great Hall, the two boys slumped in their bench seats feeling totally sorry for themselves. Esmani was next to them and could only look at them with one of her looks that said "you did this to yourselves. It's what you get for breaking the rules." The ham grand meal that was served that day just didn't sit as well as he would have liked. Henry thought Jon had a better punishment while Jon thought Henry had the easier punishment.

"Mine's worse, man!" Jon said. "With no magic, I'll be there all night! Feltch will just sit back and read his paper. I'll be sore tomorrow! I'm no good with Normie elbow grease!"

"I'd swap out with you in a heartbeat," Henry said defeatedly. "No chore that Mr. Feltch could top a Doofly chore list. I'd be immune. Now answering Lothario's fan mail...that's going to do me in. I hate writing and the cramp I'll have in my wrist come tomorrow will be like no other, just you wait!" He sat back and moaned in frustration.

Fifteen minutes after Henry swallowed his last bite of dinner he was at the door to Lothario's office. Even though he thought he had dragged his feet, it was only a bit after six. With clenched teeth, he raised his hand and used his first two knuckles to knock gently. Maybe if Lothario didn't hear him, he wouldn't have to do this.

No such luck.

The door flew open in a flourish and Lothario grinned down at the boy.

"Well there's my Mister Rule Breaker," Lothario beamed and Henry was a millisecond from rolling his eyes. "Do come in! Come in, Henry!"

The Untamed Magic office had seen a lot of changes with each professor coming and going every year. Jack and Matt were able to recount in grave detail all of the different professors' unique styles. For Lothario, his office looked like a mini museum for...himself. Hundreds of framed pictures adorned the walls and every shelf of Lothario. Many of them were signed and they were all moving, laughing, or winking. A stack of headshots lay at the corner of his desk.

"I'm so glad to have you here to help me! I didn't want this to be a punishment but when I brought up to Professor Garspatuon that I longed for you to be here with me to help, he sent you today to serve a detention? How strange." Henry narrowed his eyes. Not strange at all. Professor Garspatuon knew exactly what he was doing and that made Henry really angry. That's why he was serving today and not right away! "Well! We will have fun nonetheless. Henry! Henry, look! You can address the envelopes while I sign and stuff! We'll be a well oiled machine, son!" Lothario made it seem like a prize. Henry thought it was anything but.

"Ah yes," Lothario would make comments on each letter making the affair take twice as long. "This once is from Patricia Paddington! Watcher bless her heart. She's one of my biggest fans…"

The minutes went by at a snail's pace. Henry got a bit better with each passing half hour tuning out Lothario's ramblings and would occasionally add a, "MmHmm" along with a "Gotcha" perhaps a "Right" every now and again or variations of "Yeah" or "Yep" or "I bet." Sometimes, a nugget of Lothario's way of thinking would break through Henry's fog and he'd hear Lothario quip such phrases like.

"Ah yes, the fleeting flame of fame, my boy."

"To celebrate a celebrity is a serious servitude, son."

Minutes melted into hours just as the candle wax melted lower and lower. The light danced around the moving faces of the photographed Lotharios. Henry was not wrong about his wrist cramp and had to stop between every letter instead of every other one to rotate and stretch it out. Lothario didn't seem to notice or mind. It had to be nearly time to go. It just had to be…

Henry's whole body tensed. Lothario's ramblings faded with a ringing in Henry's ears.

It was a voice, a voice seemingly inside Henry's head that made his whole body temperature drop and his bones ache. It sounded like icy, inky, black poison.

"¥øu şħøułđ ňøŧ ħδṽ€ ćøm€ ħ€ř€...¥øu ćδňňøŧ şŧøp m€…"

"AHH!" Henry yelled and spilled the ink well all over some of the envelopes.

"Henry! The envelopes! I too know how crazy it is to be a best-seller ten weeks in a row but my...no need to be that dramatic," Lothario gasped and began to fan himself with one hand and rearrange the soiled envelopes with the other.

"No sir! What WAS that?" Henry was breathing heavily and sweating.

"What? Let me see," Lothario craned his neck and began to laugh, "Ah yes...Lyvea Luis does send some...intriguing sorts of things to me from time to time but…"

"NO!" Henry did not want to know what Lothario was talking about. "The voice...what was that voice…?"

"Come again?" Lothario was genuinely confused. "What voice?"

"You mean…" Henry gulped. "You didn't hear that voice…?"

Lothario was gazing at Henry in rapt attention whereas the child was trying hard not to hyperventilate. No. No. NO! This couldn't be! There has to be a year at Harnocks that didn't go around like this! The first year was a fluke. Just a bit scary and a bit heavy with adventure but this...the voice...no!

"Henry, son! You must be getting knackered! Wowzers look at the time! It's been nearly two hours since we've been at this. Time flies when you're having fun, eh?" Henry wasn't listening. His inner ears were nearly aching with the effort Henry was using to strain them to listen for the voice again. Lothario was babbling on about how this "type of treat" wouldn't be available in every detention and he hoped that Henry had had fun. Fat chance!

Once he was back in the Alpaggard common room it was nearly ten o'clock. Second years and first years had a mandatory lights out bedtime at ten.. No one was among the comfy red couches and chairs and the last remaining embers in the grand fireplace crackled and glowed. Henry sighed and trudged up to the dormitories. With shock, Henry realized Jon wasn't back yet. Dumbfounded, he got dressed into his pajamas, got into his bed, and waited for his friend. Exactly twenty minutes later, Jon nearly careened into the room. He staggered and swayed tending to his right arm that smelled of polish and dust.

"I can't move any muscle in my right arm," he moaned. "They're all seized up. Feltch made me buff the same Grilled Cheese Duelling awards twenty times over before he relented with a nasty grin. What's worse?" Jon slumped down on his own bed still fully clothed. "I had a final horse fly spit up incident right on the Special Services placards. Feltch looked like he was going to be sick and made me shine them an extra ten times over!" Henry let him breathe it out until he sat up and appraised his friend. "How was Lothario?"

With a low voice to not awaken Paddy, Jeremy, and the others, Henry told Jon what he had heard while he was addressing envelopes. Even when he tried to recount it, he could not in any way match such a voice. It was gut wrenchingly creepy.

"And you swear Lothario didn't hear it?" Confirmed Jon and Henry nodded with a deep frown. Jon matched the same expression and threw himself backward onto his bed murmuring swear words. "He...he could be lying. Maybe something invisible? A prank perhaps?"

"I don't know Jon…" Henry matched Jon's exact movements on his own bed. "I don't know what's going on either."