Chapter Two: Clanker's Helpful Switching Spells
Clarius, Darrin and Terth all arrived back at their dormitory panting from the run from the outdoor study benches.
"It arrived earlier today?" ventured Terth breathlessly.
Clarius nodded as he crossed the room to retrieve a package from under his bed
Darrin was grinning broadly, as he had been waiting with Terth and Clarius ever since they had pooled their money and sent away for it.
"It took forever to get here, they said one week!" Darrin vented
"Ah, but it was worth it, look at this, the whole order is here, didn't miss a thing!"
Spread before them was an array of mischief and mirth just waiting to be unleashed.
"Lemme see it!" Said Darrin referring to one item in particular.
"Here!" Terth tossed him a small, squashed looking sphere, which was a very menacing shade of purple.
The label read "Keenleys all purpose Class-Dissmisser: Just throw and go!"
"Don't set it off in here!" Terth jumped.
"It won't do anything now, were not in class! Besides I'm saving this for Divination." Said Darrin, with a look on his face that would have gotten him questioned by any teacher. He glanced up at Clarius who was holding a rather inconspicuous envelope.
"Is that the Mail Box Marauder" asked Darrin excitedly.
"Yeah it is" said Clarius," I can't wait to try one! They're even supposed to make new unpaid bills appear in your victim's mailbox!"
"Ouch, that's verging on outright mean!" winced Darrin "Gimme a couple!"
"Hmm, I'll take one too..." Mused Terth to several surprised looks from Darrin and Clarius.
"Who could you possibly have a grudge against?" Darrin looked rather taken aback.
Terth jumped slightly at the implication "Uh, well, no one really, just want to check what spells they cast on the envelope to make it do that..." he trailed off nervously.
"Right, sure.... here you go." Said Clarius, sounding none too convinced as he handed him an envelope.
The next day classes went as usual, Potions, Charms, Divination, well that would be until exactly half way through Divination when Darrin decided to try out one of Keenley's masterworks.
He glanced down at the violently purple sphere in his hand, debating whether to chuck it now or wait until his teacher seemed a bit more distracted. His teacher turned to write something important on the chalkboard. "No time like the present..." Terth whispered to him from the seat behind.
He agreed and wound back to lob it toward the far side of the classroom. Quite to his horror he saw his classmate Chadwick staring at him right as he was about to release the Dismisser from his fingertips. Knowing Chadwick, the grin on his face had nothing to do with the mischief that would ensue, merely the fact that it seemed a wonderful chance to get Darrin into a heap of trouble. He tried frantically to abort his pitch, but to no avail, the Dissmisser went sailing.
Darrin however was not unrewarded for his efforts. He was now so off balance that he toppled over off his chair and onto the floor.
As instructor Bosley turned to see what the noise had been, a large jet of smoke was already issuing from the Dissmisser, now lying three rows in front of Chadwick. Not normal smoke either, colored sparks seemed to jump every which way in the rapidly growing cloud. Beyond that the sparks were screaming, piercingly.
Instructor Bosley's face was switching now from shock to anger as he bellowed "Everybody Out! ...and nobody run off! I'll get to the bottom of this!"
Darrin's stomach sank as he hastily climbed back up to leave. Terth was gone already, and Darrin wondered whether he had run off as he was throwing the Dissmisser as he himself bounded for the door. Outside the classroom the noise from the Dissmisser still proved to be too much and the class was ushered some twenty yards away before instructor Bosley's growling was distinguishable from it all.
"All right who did it? Or a week of detention for everybody!" Bosley managed to make himself heard.
"Instructor, I saw Darrin do it!" Came a voice too high and nasal to have come from its owner.
Darrin was beginning to come to grips with a week of detention when his memory of his last detention with Bosley prompted drastic action.
"Clanker, Help!" He thought wildly.
Bosley and Chadwick now advancing on his position, Darrin tried desperately to remain calm.
"Hmmm, need me to bail you out again eh?" Came Clanker's irritatingly calm reply.
"Make him turn out his pockets!" Chimed Chadwick.
"Good idea, Chadwick." Agreed Bosley "Well Darrin?"
Darrin twitched nervously, (remembering the stash he had brought along to try and sell afterwards) his robes swished slightly. He turned out his pockets, and to his surprise, they were empty. He looked up at Bosley and a stunned Chadwick trying not to grin.
"You might want to try making a similar suggestion..." Came Clanker's voice in Darrin's head.
Not waiting to think precisely what Clanker meant he said rather loudly, "Why don't you do the same Chadwick?"
"Oh right Darrin like I would do such..." He was cut off mid sentence.
Bosley had rounded on him, now suspecting some sort of rouse he said "Alright, Chadwick you too, and everyone for that matter..."
But there was no need. Chadwick made a snorting noise and flung his pockets inside out, scattering several Dissmissers across the ground, as well as Chadwick's sanity.
Bosley said nothing. He grabbed Chadwick by the ear and proceeded to drag the baffled brown noser off toward his office several doors away.
Darrin thought he caught "...and twenty points from Tantoor ward..." drifting back through the hallway.
"How did you manage that!?" uttered Terth obviously impressed, "We haven't learned any spell that could do that yet..."
Darrin didn't quite know himself until Clanker volunteered an explanation.
"Well, since he seemed to know you Darrin I figured you would want to share your stash with your friends, so I, well, switched your pocket for his!"
Being able to think of no particular excuse for himself he merely turned to Terth and smiled guiltily.
Terth taking his lead from his friend held up and envelope.
"I guess I'm off to contribute my part to a world less strained by logic and rules!" He dashed off towards the eagelry.
The concept of free time dawning on students, the chattering crowd outside of Bosley's classroom was now dissipating.
"Nice work Clanker!" Thought Darrin: in as a congratulatory tone as he could think of.
"Heh heh, thank you, thank you, you're too kind, but then again I AM a master of switching spells!"
Darrin had heard this speech a million times but was extremely pleased at Clanker for having saved his butt, and framed his nemesis, so he let him run through it again. As Clanker extolled his greatness, Darrin strolled down towards the lunch hall smiling. Terth jogged up after some time.
"Mission accomplished!" He said with a mock salute and a click of his heels. "I sent the Eagle anonymously, of course..." However he would say no more about it.