A/N I should mention that Darrin's school is not small, matter of fact it is QUITE large having upwards of 5000 students normally. (appr5th -12th grade) It just so happens (and this is of no significance to the plot whatsoever….) that Darrin's class and the one immediately before his were VERY small only a hundred or so pupils per year. Due to class size most house have two Quidditch teams sort of like varsity and junior varsity. Terth and Clarius are on the Junior varsity team. There are other members of their house in other rooms of the same two years
Chapter Eight: Rumination
She had seen the last great magic war. She had seen Grindewald rise and fall at the hands of a single foe. She had seen a fool nearly derail her own plans six decades ago. She saw a boy make a fool of an awe inspiring dark wizard time and time again. She had seen another boy foil one of her lackies- and now she had seen why.
A double cast; half wandless at that. Impressive: far too impressive for even Saowynn's chosen disciple. Of course she had seen this before, one of his kind had ended that last great war. One of his kind had destroyed the moon's sister. A mage was here, now. Finally the bridge had arrived. She had seen his mind a year before and tried to seize it then, but the power she once held over the seal had been fractured with the erasure of Ethis ward.
This now required tact, to strike now with the unknown in play would be careless. How strong was he? How well trained? But moreover, Saowynn was no fool. To take the boy now would alert her, too early for plans to be properly in motion. Saowynn probably suspected already but at least had no proof. Then there was that damn Ollivander, he still held enough sway to become a complication- and furthermore he had gone into hiding. Perhaps he had been smarter than she had first judged.
Such frustration! The muggles were oblivious to her, as was most of the wizarding world. Recent events in Europe had almost completely erased her from the minds of an entire continent. Still she must wait. She needed one more piece before she could move openly. How long had it been? The centuries had begun to run together long ago. A few more years could not harm her. Still she grew rest-less, perhaps a small test of their weariness and her readiness was in order.
Perhaps it would even be entertaining to watch.
Perhaps, she would have a cup of tea.
To calm the nerves that had been fraying these past few decades as she sensed the nearness of her quarry. The ritual had been set in motion so long ago; to imbalance it now would be disastrous. To allow the world its final hope of blocking the magic from reaching completion would quite simply be wasteful.
The world was distracted but her enemies were watchful, wizened, and well placed to stop her. She was powerful beyond imagining, but limited in one critical way. She needed Darrin.
Terth and Darrin stood open mouthed and terrified at the sight of the headmistress. Least of their worries was the fact that they shouldn't be in that room. She had seen and heard everything they had said and done and now knew precisely what was going on in Darrin's arm.
"I imagine you think your in trouble" Saowynn said with a sigh. I regret that I have to say you are, but not from me mind you."
"Here sit down and calm down" she said conjuring two chairs with a single flick of her wand.
Sitting but still remaining quite tense Darrin and Terth exchanged worried looks.
Saowynn sat down herself and proceeded to explain.
"Firstly you will receive detention for being here when you know your not supposed to be in this room- at least that's what you will tell everyone else, got it?"
Two nods told Saowynn her words were, slowly, sinking in.
"Second I already knew about your wand problem Darrin. So do Drake and Torries. They will help you cover for it, after all you have to admit, professor Drakes little line about 'taking a spell to another level' was quite convincing."
A look of Revelation was dawning on the two students facing her. Darrin sat wondering just HOW much she knew about his wand situation.
"Your 'detention' will take place in the old Ethis dorm building, I can't imagine a more ironic place, to prepare you for what's to come."
"Uh, headmistress?" ventured Darrin "what, er, are you talking about?"
She looked at them levelly and said "I'll tell you more in your detention, now you two delinquents back to your dorm on the double!" She giggled slightly as they skitted from the room. Turning to face the old and battered seal on the floor she said in a cool emotionless voice "What will you make of that old friend?"
Terth and Darrin returned to their dorm to talk over the strange events they had just been a part of. Upon entering they found that Clarius was sitting in the middle of the floor with his eyes closed and the shades pulled shut.
"Not you too!" moaned Terth. " If someone doesn't start making sense around here I'm gonna scream!
"Shhhh! Like I asked to be giving a special assignment by Thorpe in double divinations, says he was asked by the headmistress to give me more work! Insanity!" Clarius retorted. "By the way a package came for you, Terth." He said pointing to a parcel set on Terth's bed. "I got bored with this dumb assignment earlier so I tried to divine what was in it."
"Any mystic visions, oh wizened auger of parcellage?" Darrin goaded.
"Only that you should change your sheets more often- I sat on your bed while I was divining and after a few minutes the smell was overwhelming" Clarius grinned.
"Hey!" Darrin started but his train of thought was interrupted by Clanker.
"Uh Darrin, you might want to leave the room for a moment…"
"Not now Clank!" Thought Darrin as he watched Terth shake the package "this is probably his payback for the mailbox marauder I wouldn't miss this for anything…"
Terth was busily unwrapping while Darrin argued with himself and Clarius took a break from his divination to watch, apparently having come to the same conclusion as Darrin about the boxes contents.
The box opened and Terth pulled out an odd shape wrapped in more paper.
"Ugh, it stinks" said Terth
"So there its not my sheets lunkhead" Darrin pointed out.
"You REALLY need to leave!" Clank nearly shouted from the back of Darrin's mind.
Terth removed the paper "Its… a… toilet S-bend?" He said absolutely befuddled.
At that moment an almighty wailing racket filled the room.