Present Day: 3 Days After Coronation

It was with a steady smirk that Mal walked into Remedial Goodness class, on the first school day after Ben's coronation. (It was a Monday. Blegh.) Despite how much she hated this predjudiced, banal, idiotic class, Mal was determined to keep her cool. Her reputation with Fairy Godmother depended on it.

Mal had hated Remedial Goodness from the very first day of class. Did this senile old woman (Mal refused to call her faery - she'd rejected her heritage on the altar of fitting in) did she seriously think that evil meant sacrificing babies and kicking puppies, and stealing valuables? It was laughably easy to pass her silly little exams, and the stupid old woman actually thought she was making progress with them.

To Mal, evil meant cutting off a faery's wings - maiming your beloved for the sake of greed, as Stefan had once done to Maleficent. Evil was raising a a child like your own (Briar Rose was a Fae name - did they think she was named by Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather? Did they think King Stefan named her that?), only to have her betray you as soon as her little husband thought it prudent.

No, Mal had always been raised that evil was all about intention. Even Aladdin knew that stealing food for the starving wasn't evil - it was just a minor crime. Killing someone in self defense wasn't evil, even though it was the taking of a life. Evil was locking up children on a prison island to die, and then having the nerve to be scared of them when you finally tried to fix your mistake.

"First, let me start this class but saying how proud I am!" Fairy Godmother gushed, clapping her hands in happiness. "You all chose good, just like I knew you would."

Carlos shot Mal a glance over Jay's shoulder, and she knew what he meant as clearly as if he'd spoken it.

Seriously?

"So today, I thought we'd do class a little differently!" Fairy Godmother continued, and Mal was thankful for the change of pace, right up until she finished that sentence. "Today, we'll talk about why magic is illegal in Auradon."

And the world dropped out from under them.

"P-pardon?" Evie squeaked out, tilting her head. "All magic is illegal?"

"It can't be." Mal whispered. "We rode the magic bridge to Auradon, from the Isle. What about the transforming statue of King Adam in front of the school?"

"Well, the state is allowed to use magic," Fairy Godmother explained then, looking a little bashful. "But normal people like you and I, are expressly forbidden."

Mal wanted to scream - this made her job all that much harder. She knew she'd have to hide her rituals and darker magicks, but even that bibbidi bobbidi bullshit was illegal? That meant no extra money from selling hair extensions, no magical makeovers to tempt Jane, and they might even take her spellbook away - the last thing her mother had left from her days in their homeland - she'd cry if she had to give that up.

Seeing the distress on Mal's face, FG smiled comfortingly and waved her hands in a gesture that must have been an Auradon thing, because Mal was hyperventilating and couldn't recognize it.

"Oh, don't worry dear. You're not in trouble for anything that happened at Coronation, or for the little... indescretions before that."

Mal almost had a heart attack right then, because how could she know about Mal's putting a love spell on the crown prince, and just... Let it slide?

"While your hair treatments were unauthorized, they weren't causing much harm, so I decided to leave it alone until after coronation. Frankly, it was just because I was busy, and didn't have the time for an extended chat like we're having now." Fairy Godmother explained, and Mal felt herself relax. She didn't know about the love spell. At least it seemed like magic without directlyvisible effects was still available for them.

The Headmistress sighed a little, and sat down in the chair behind her desk, rolling it out into the open, so she could meet their eyes. "To be perfectly honest, it was my fault, for not telling you. We just assumed that because you grew up on the Isle, you wouldn't know how to use magic."

"So why is it illegal?" Carlos asked, neutral and level headed. For all anyone here knew, he was human, and he didn't have any sacred artifacts to be taken away, like Evie and Mal did.

"Because magic is dangerous, just like any other weapon. It's untamed, and has the capability to cause serious harm, even when used for good." The woman explained, turning to Mal with a heavily sweet smile that felt cloying. "You learned that first hand, didn't you, Mal?"

And Mal knew she was supposed to say something about how getting Jane's hopes up was wrong, and how she shouldn't have used magic on her, but Mal was sick and tired of having to explain herself to this woman. This so-called Fairy who only ever did magic when Adam, the human, told her to. What the hell did she know about magic?

"How is giving Jane a make-over with magic any different than using cosmetics?" Mal spoke instead. Her eyes flashed green, but she didn't want to lose her cool.

"I'm sorry dear, but use of cosmetics is vain, and wearing it is like flaunting, like bragging about what you have." Fairy Godmother explained, giving a pointed look to Evie that made Mal want to punch her in the throat.

"Audrey wears makeup, and no one ever says this to her, I bet!" Jay added.

"No one ever took over a kingdom with makeup." The Headmistress said now, more firm and stern now, the motherly appearance nearly melted away for steely eyes and a set mouth. Evie begged to differ - her mother taught her that appearances were their own kind of weapon - she was tricking desperate men without magic since the age of ten.

"So if I was to give Jane a make-over with cosmetics instead of magic, it would be okay?" Evie asked innocently, doe eyes wide as Fairy Godmother seethed even more.

"No. I don't personally raise Audrey, but if I did, I would ban makeup for her, too. It makes girls look... improper, and the best look is always an honest one." FG replied, and Mal smirked.

"So you don't use glamours or concealment magic of any kind?" The purple haired girl offered.

"Of course not." The woman sniffed.

"Then where are your wings?" Mal asked, raising an eyebrow in challenge.

"Pardon?"

"Where are your wings?" Mal asked again, more insistent. "I don't have them, because I was born on the Isle, but you've been a full-blood seelie Fae for decades now."

Just another of the things they stole from her, like her rights, her dignity, and childhood, and Fairy Godmother dared to look down on her?

"It's none of your business, young lady!" Fairy Godmother huffed. "But if you must know, I keep them bound under my dress to keep from frightening others!"

Mal didn't believe that bull for a second. She could either accept her heritage or not, and there was a slim chance of anyone but paranoid bigots (like Adam) to be frightened by the pretty, shimmering wings of the seelie tribe, the one of which Fairy Godmother was a part. As for the other half of Fae kind, the sort with dark-feathered raven wings and membrane-covered bat or dragon wings... Well, a little fear was a lot more likely.

"So it isn't dishonest if it's for the greater good?" Carlos offered, just the hint of a smirk on his otherwise stoic face.

Fairy Godmother was silent for a moment, taking in each expression as she narrowed her eyes. Mal felt the barest tendrils of magic tickling around the corners of her aura, feeling out her intentions. Earnest curiosity would seem like she was faking it, so Mal resolved to show her emotions as anger, just a tinge, and fear. Let the old woman think she was afraid of something - people did rash things when they were afraid

Predictably, Fairy Godmother relaxed, and smiled again, slipping back into her kindly old woman persona, and pointedly avoiding Carlos' question.

"What are you afraid of, Mal?" The Headmistress asked, and the purple haired fairy made a show of being surprised. As if she couldn't sense the other fairy's intrusion.

"I'm afraid... I'm afraid of being sent back to the Isle. It was terrible there." Mal explained, swallowing. "But I don't want to give up my magic either. I don't really have a choice though, do I?"

She gave a bitter laugh, and Evie took over where she left off. "We either swear off magic in Auradon, or be forced to life without it on the Isle..."

The best of lies has a kernel of truth.

"Oh Mal, Evie..." Fairy Godmother smiled warmly. "Part of being good is about denying temptation."

Mal officially wanted to hurl. Carlos shot a look at Jay while FG was focused on the girls and mouthed: like she does? It was easy for Fairy Godmother to talk the talk, because she got to charm the statues and she got to cast the barrier, and she got to hold her wand on special occasions every few years when the king allowed her to. If the Isle children gave up any inch of their power, they'd never get it back.

They walked out of Remedial Goodness with their trying-oh-so-hard to be good smiles, but as soon as Mal got to her locker, she scowled, and slammed it open.

"I can't believe that bitch has the nerve to tell me off when she thinks I can't sense her scanning me." The self-proclaimed leader of the VKs muttered, and Jay raised his eyebrows.

"Wait, what?" He asked, and tilted his head to the side. Being almost human, he had less of a magical sixth-sense than the others did, and had only felt Fairy Godmother's invading tendrils of magic as slightly stronger than her usual aura.

"She used her magic to sense our emotions." Carlos explained, with a faint twitch in his mouth. "I bet it was worse for Mal, since they have compatible magic."

"Damn right it was." Mal sneered, then carefully schooled her face into a more appropriate neutral as she sensed Jane approaching. She'd sensed the girl first because they both had Fae magic,

"Hi everyone." The young fairy greeted them with a pretty smile, if a little forced. A little grieved.

"Hi Jane." Evie smiled kindly. "How have you been?"

Since you stole your mother's wand? Since you almost caused the end of the world as we know it? Since you grabbed an artifact you couldn't control because you thought you weren't good enough? The words hung over Jane like a cloud, and even though Evie hadn't actually said them, to the anxiety ridden young teenager, it sure felt like she had.

"Fine!" She lied (unconvincingly) her voice squeaking way higher than usual. Even the most naive of Auradon chumps wouldn't have believed her.

Mal raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, I'm not fine!" Jane sighed, looking down. "How did you know!? Can you read minds?"

"Not minds. Body language." Mal rolled her eyes. "You're literally an open book right now."

That drew something of a strangled cry from Jane, and a glare from Evie.

"What? It's the truth!" Mal retorted.

"What my Mal means to say, Jane, is that you're looking exactly like a kicked puppy right now. Take a deep breath, and count to ten." Evie coached, guiding Jane through the breathing techninque. "Now relax, and put a smile on your face. It's hard right now, because you're stressed, but think of your happiest memory."

For Evie, that memory was one she'd cherished since back on the Isle - she'd used this technique often, because frowning caused wrinkles, and a princess always smiled, and never lost her composure. Even when she was being insulted or screamed at. Evie's happiest memory was walking into Mal's workroom, and seeing the magical sigils and runes on the walls and floor, mingled and mixed with Mal's beautiful artwork.

"It's yours now too," Mal had said. "Everything that's mine is yours, because you're under my protection now."

And Evie had felt her heart flutter because it was like a gift on an island with no gifts. She'd had other memories later, but that one was the happiest that immediately came to mind for her.

"Wow. That really helped a lot, Evie!" Jane smiled graciously now, and you couldn't tell that just a second ago she'd been about to cry. "Thank you."

"Any time, Jane." Evie smiled right back, as if she didn't have an ulterior motive. As if she had been born for Auradon. "In fact, Mal and I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Aaand, that's our cue to leave for practice." Jay laughed, wrapping an arm around Carlos' shoulders to drag him off to tourney practice, which Carlos didn't actually enjoy, but which gave him a better reputation among the boys of his class, so he'd decided to stick with it for as long as it served him.

"See you guys later." Carlos waved, letting himself get dragged, more or less. It was secretive casual affection, the kind which they'd excercised on the Isle. Here, in Auradon, they hadn't seen a single same-sex couple so far, and they'd seen plenty of heterosexual pairs. So the two had decided to keep their relationship a secret for now, which wasn't ideal, but it wasn't a big problem either. They were good at secrets. They'd been raised for it.

A low profile was necessary.

"So anyway, Jane," Mal smirked. "We wanted to apologize for making you think you needed magic to be popular."

"Oh, I understand." Jane demurred, looking down repentently. "I know that it's better to be myself."

"Plain Jane..." She whispered, almost inaudibly. Almost.

"Actually, no." Mal sighed. "You don't need make-up or magic..."

"But you do need confidence, Jane." Evie smiled as graciously as ever, and Jane shrunk even deeper within herself.

"But I'm not that kind of girl." She nearly whimpered. "I don't have the kind of flair that you girls do."

"Silly girl." Mal grinned. "Luckily for you, confidence can be taught."

Suddenly something clicked within her, and Jane's face lit up in a way that showed something she hadn't felt in a long time: hope. Mal could almost laugh at how easy it was, compared to the Isle and the constant struggle, the desperation and the claustrophobic pressure of the barrier. Seducing the young fairy's mind with the promise of power was child's play. The plan was building, the magic was growing, the coven was strengthening, and Jane Fairweather would shine, like a priceless diamond in a sea of rhinestones.