Wow, my second chapter. I haven't read the Bartimaeus trilogy in a while so if you notice any mistakes PLEASE tell me. I'm trying to keep this accurate to the books. I'm grateful for all creative criticism, so if you think I could improve something please let me know and likewise if there's something you really like.

Chapter 2

If you asked anyone at the 'London Magician Academy' what they thought of the girl Kiera they'd probably tell you that she was a loner, and that she spent most of her spare time in her room or the library. Most people thought she read books to make up for the friends she hadn't got. Actually, they'd probably be right, except that Kiera thought she read books because she wanted to. She wasn't too bothered about not having friends. She felt lonely sometimes, at night. But now she had someone to talk to, even if they weren't human.

Kiera was dressed in her school uniform. The school uniform that she detested. A short black skirt, smart black shoes, a crisp white blouse and a black jacket. Over the years pinstripes had faded from the catwalks and the new fashion was modern, metallic and sharp. This meant magicians were walking around in black suits, black boots, and silver-rimmed, thin, black sunglasses. Now, this would have been fine except that some of the older magicians insisted on keeping with the times. Unluckily, they insisted on keeping their beards too.

As she got ready, Kiera thought about the night before. She had sneaked out several times when she was meant to be in bed, to read or summon demons. At thirteen she had already summoned many djinni, although in the teachers view she had only summoned her first major foliot a short while back. She was ambitious, although not desperate to prove herself. She didn't see the need and she'd rather keep to herself.

She sorted out her books for the day and went down to main hall for breakfast. The 'London Magician Academy' was a big place. The walls were made of stone and the corridors were wide with vaulted ceilings. Kiera frowned upon the fake antiques and the tacky vase at the end of the corridor that she so hated. White and glossy with pink twirling vines. It didn't help that the magicians had tried to merge old with new. The silver, metallic theme did not mix with the old wooden doors and tables. At least in the main hall they had decided on one style. Kiera collected her breakfast and settled into a seat at the end of the clear glass table. The metal seats were cold but comfortable. The rest of the young magicians sat in groups around the room, talking. Kiera sat by herself, deep in thought, staring at her toast.

"Found something interesting?" Asked Jenny, a girl in Kiera's year.

Kiera looked up. As she expected Jenny was with her usual gang. She wouldn't have taunted Kiera if she were alone; nearly everyone at the school kept their distance from Kiera Blacklight. It wasn't because she had a violent reputation, although no one would put it past her to throw a punch in her defence, it was just that she wasn't normal. For some reason people just didn't dare. Maybe that was one of the reasons she didn't have friends. That and her stand-off personality. Jenny was one of the few that would tease her. She was competitive, especially in class, and wouldn't pause to gloat when she beat Kiera.

Kiera decided not to answer.

"Is it really that interesting," taunted Jenny.

Kiera ignored her, letting her laugh as she walked away with her friends. She finished her toast, picked up her bag, and went off to class. Kiera didn't mind being a magician; in fact she quite enjoyed it. But being a student of the academy she had plenty of rules to abide by, not that she listened to them all. Neither did Jenny, she probably had more in common with Kiera than she was prepared to admit. It was History first, a lesson that always bored Kiera. She had loved to hear stories from her grandmother but Mr Mann was a magician, and the magician's point was very different. They would never admit any sort of weakness in the past magician government and often twisted or changed the truth. Because of this Kiera spent most of time contradicting the teacher. She was definitely not Mr Mann's favourite pupil.

"Good morning sir," Kiera greeted Mr Mann cheerily.

"Miss Blacklight," answers Mr Mann glumly with a small nod.

Kiera entered the classroom, taking her usual seat at the front of the class. It was Jenny and her girls who had the back seats. Mr Mann wrote the date of the whiteboard, the pen squeaking as per usual, and sat down gloomily at his desk. The classroom wasn't big, the classes were small and it was only a history room. The desks had tops that could flip up, a computer screen on the inside lid and the keyboard in the desk. The room though had brick walls and a stone floor. There were carvings of historic figures in the stone shelf near the top of the wall. Kiera didn't really think it worked with the black blinds and the projector hanging from the ceiling. While Mr Mann called out the register Kiera got out her book and turned to the back which was filled with doodles. Pentacles, spell words, and pictures of demons in their various forms. She started a new one. Bartimaeus in his human boy form, Ptolemy. She was quite the artist really, sketching in the pentacle, the room and the lighting. She even added in the candles. It wasn't perfect but it didn't take her too long. By the time she'd finished Mr Mann had finally got the class under control.

"Quiet please," shouts Mr Mann, "today, now we have finished our work on the resistance, we are going to be working on the golem and how it was tracked down and destroyed by the government. New page in your books please and the title 'the golem of London'." Once everyone had done so he carried on speaking.

"Now a golem is a being of earth and is quite the opposite of the everyday demon. The London golem was created by a scroll from Prague used by Henry Duvall, the chief of police at the time. The golem created havoc around London and its antics were long thought to have been down to the Resistance."

Mr Mann stopped briefly to look back at Kiera. He was glad to be starting on a new subject. He had hated working on the Resistance and was glad they'd got to the end of it. If he had to deal with one more interruption from that arrogant Miss Blacklight, well, he didn't know if the teaching career was worth it.

"Mr Duvall had long been under the Prime Minister's suspicion-."

"Are you sure Mr Mann?" Kiera cut in, "I thought he was quite trusted at the time. Wasn't it John Mandrake that was under the blame, for not stopping the Resistance?"

"Yes Miss Blacklight, but although the government had not linked Mr Duvall with the golem, the Prime Minister had deemed him untrustworthy. Of course this was kept confidential," Mr Mann slouched deeper into his chair, letting the laughter subside.

"As I was saying. The Prime Minister did not trust him but his connection with the golem had not been thought of. Many people blamed the Resistance and their violent actions. The golem however was not without it's advantages. The golem destroyed the demon Honorius before being destroyed by the magician John Mandrake."

"What! The golem was destroyed by Kitty Jones, even though they claimed she died."

"Miss Blacklight, please still your tongue. Kitty Jones was not a magician."

"Yes, but she destroyed the golem."

"I do not want to hear another of your stories."

"And maybe I don't want to hear another one of your lies."

"Miss Blacklight-."

"John Mandrake was unconscious while the golem was destroyed. Kitty risked her own life to stop the golem and she removed the manuscript."

"Miss Blacklight! Do you really want to detention."

"No, but I don't particularly want to listen to you either."

"That's it, I'm not putting up with this," groaned Mr Mann, wiping at his brow with his handkerchief. He got out a detention slip from his desk.

Kiera started putting her things into her bag. Once she had cleared her desk she stood up and started to walk to the door.

"Don't you dare leave this classroom."

"Or what, you'll write my name down on a bit of paper," retorted Kiera.

The class had a good old laugh, Mr Mann was in despair. Kiera left the classroom, but she wasn't smiling. She slammed the door shut behind her. She was fed up of magicians twisting the truth, changing the past. She made her way through the school, avoiding the magicians and darted out the front. Now she was free to go about London.