Disclaimer: None of the original characters of Charlie Bone belong to me. They all belong to Jenny Nimmo. Only the made-up characters are mine.
Please read all THREE Charlie Bone books before reading my story.
The warm summer air was blowing down Filbert Street causing Charlie to forget his packing. Charlie didn't want to go back to school after spending a week at the Sparkling Castle. Benjamin was still in Hong Kong and the week at the Castle was a lot more fun then sitting at home would have been. Charlie really was not looking forward to another semester at Bloor's.
"Charlie are you done packing?" Grandma Bone called from downstairs.
Charlie groaned. He really didn't want to think about school again. He was afraid what kind of things would be in store for him this term. For some reason, Charlie hadn't led a normal life ever since he started Bloor's.
After packing all his belongings into his bag, Charlie decided to go to bed. He walked into his mother's bedroom and told her good night. When Charlie got in his own bed he fell right into a deep, dreamless sleep.
Charlie awoke, the next morning, from a loud smash. He jumped out of bed and ran down to the kitchen. A pile of glass lay on the floor and another argument was in session at number nine. Charlie thought the glass had come from his Uncle Paton, but seeing the light bulb still in its socket caused Charlie to think Grandma Bone could have gone to the extreme of throwing things.
Charlie never did get to find out what all the yelling was about because seeing the time he flew back upstairs and dressed himself, accidentally-on-purpose forgetting to put on his blue cloak and putting it under his arm. He snatched up his bag of things and raced out the door, waving a hurried goodbye to everyone in the kitchen.
Outside, the blue bus was already making its way to Charlie's stop. Running as fast as he could, Charlie tossed the cloak messily over his shoulders. The bus screeched to a halt and Charlie climbed aboard. Charlie made his way down the aisle and took his seat next to his beaming friend, Fidelio.
"Good break?" Fidelio asked.
"Of course," said Charlie remembering the hot days at Sparkling Castle.
Fidelio laughed. "I got a new violin," he added happily holding up his shiny, new case. Charlie nodded. Fidelio knew Charlie didn't really know anything about music and just went to Bloor's because of his endowment.
As the bus approached Bloor's, Charlie had a knot in the pit of his stomach. Nothing at Bloor's had made Charlie happy to be there. His memories there were not exactly welcoming.
Once out of the bus, Fidelio and Charlie made their way up to the entrance of the school. Olivia Vertigo came rushing up to them wearing large lime green boots and neon orange colored hair.
"Oh, I like the hair, Olivia," Fidelio called. She blew the orange hair out of her eyes and grinned.
"Thanks, Fido. I want you to meet someone," Olivia told them once she had caught up. She turned around and addressed the dazzlingly pretty girl that had been following her silently. "This is Vanessa."
Vanessa had long, mid-back length brown hair that sparkled gold in the sunlight. She was wearing all blue except for her purple cloak, which obviously meant she was in the drama department. She wasn't as pretty as Belle was, but Belle was not really who they thought she was and wasn't really a young girl at all. Charlie was also happy Vanessa's eyes stayed hazel and weren't changing. Vanessa looked older than Charlie and his friends, about sixteen.
The girl flashed a huge smile at the boys and said, "I take it this is Charlie and Fidelio."
"You're right," Olivia told her and pointed out which boy was which. The girl continued to smile as Olivia talked.
"Why are you bringing an instrument if you're in the drama department?" Fidelio suddenly burst out.
"Yes, I'm in the drama department, but I'm actually not very good at acting. I can play the flute, though, sort of well."
"Why aren't you in the music department then?" asked Fidelio.
"It doesn't really matter what department I'm in." She looked at Charlie with a more serious expression on her face and said, "I'm endowed."
Charlie coughed. "What?"
"Yes. Olivia told me you were endowed too," Vanessa said to Charlie. Charlie glared at Olivia. Vanessa noticed and said, "I was a bit touchy about my gift but now it's fine. I'm a hypnotist."
"Scary," Olivia said quietly.
"Oh, don't worry. I'm not going to hypnotize you."
"Yes, but the head boy, Manfred Bloor, is a hypnotist. He's a bit scary," Charlie told her. He decided to leave out the part about Yolanda.
"Bloor?" Vanessa asked. "I'm not a descendant of the Bloors, or those Yewbeams either."
"So we're not related," Charlie muttered.
"I take it you're a Yewbeam," said Vanessa.
"Unfortunately."
"Quiet now. We can't talk in the halls," Fidelio informed Vanessa as they approached the doors. "Just follow Olivia."
Charlie and Fidelio waved goodbye to Olivia and her new friend. Charlie was suspicious of Vanessa. He didn't think Vanessa would turn out to be like Belle, but he was worried about her hypnotism gift. Olivia had already made friends with Vanessa and Charlie trusted Olivia's friends, so she couldn't be all that bad. Besides, as far as Charlie knew, Vanessa wasn't living with his aunts or anyone else that might be untrustworthy. He would have to ask her where she lived.
When assembly had finished, Charlie walked off to his tiring music lesson with Mr. Paltry-Winds. Charlie tried his best to play a bit on his trumpet, but as usual Charlie could barely play it.
"Out, Bone. Now." Mr. Paltry pointed a shaking finger at the door and Charlie happily left. Once in the garden for break, Fidelio and Charlie met up with Emma, Olivia, and Vanessa. Emma seemed to have already met Vanessa.
"I suppose I'll ask you two boys since I think you'll know best," Vanessa said to Charlie and Fidelio. "I have a music lesson with Mr. Paltry after break. Could you show me where it is?" Fidelio nodded and started a conversation with Vanessa about music. Charlie took this time to talk to Olivia and Emma.
"Too bad Vanessa has to stay in the senior girls dormitories," Olivia said. "She's really nice." Emma agreed by nodding. Charlie told them how he thought Vanessa seemed a lot like Belle. Olivia and Emma didn't agree. They said she didn't act like Belle one bit. Charlie knew this should have calmed him down because he trusted his friends' word, but he couldn't help but be suspicious. Charlie remembered that he was going to ask where Vanessa moved into and it seemed almost perfect timing that Fidelio and Vanessa finished their talk on music.
Charlie asked, "Where do you live, Vanessa?"
"I just moved in a week ago to a house up in the Heights. I live next to a girl named Zelda Dobinski who I heard goes to Bloor's too."
"Yeah, she does," said a voice from behind them. The little group turned to see Gabriel Silk, one of their friends.
"Hi, Gabriel," Olivia said enthusiastically. "This is Vanessa." Gabriel waved to her and she smiled. The hunting horn sounded to signal the end of break.
"Look for me after your flute lesson and I'll show you to the King's room," Charlie called after Vanessa. She nodded and trotted after Fidelio to the music room.
Once Charlie finished his history lesson, he walked down to the music room and waited for Vanessa. She didn't come out after 5 minutes and Charlie couldn't wait for her any longer. Manfred would get him if he were late.
When Charlie pulled open the door to the King's room, he knew his punishment was waiting. Charlie entered the King's room at least 10 minutes late. Surprisingly no one was sitting down. Charlie couldn't understand why Manfred had not forced everyone to sit, but then he noticed Manfred deep in conversation with Vanessa. Charlie walked up to her, she stopped talking to Manfred, and Charlie told her he had been waiting by the music room.
"Oh I'm so sorry, Charlie. I completely forgot. Manfred offered to bring me up and I came with him," Vanessa told him. After Charlie drew Vanessa's attention away from Manfred, he finally made then all sit.
Manfred stood up. "We have a new student," Manfred muttered quietly. "Vanessa Koyal."
At the mention of Vanessa's name Manfred turned pink and sat down quickly. Vanessa stood, gave everyone one of her beautiful smiles, and then sat next to Manfred. Zelda sat next to her looking very jealous.
Charlie was confused. Manfred seemed to like Vanessa, which meant that she wasn't some sort of hundred-year-old shape-shifter because if she was, Manfred would know about it and he wouldn't like an old lady. Vanessa might not be whom they thought she was if she got along perfectly fine with Charlie's enemy. Charlie was pondering this and looking up at the portrait of the Red King.
"Bone, your work?" said Manfred rudely but still more kind than usual.
"Yes. Sorry, Manfred," Charlie said and returned to his homework before Manfred had a reason to give him a detention. Saturday would be the perfect time to ask Uncle Paton a question and he couldn't ruin it by getting a detention.