It was the Tuesday that they would leave for the Thanksgiving holiday. Alice stood with Clark in the assembly of students as Potsdam gave the blessing, warnings of not to tell their friends or families about magic still ringing in their ears.

As soon as Potsdam was done, Clark leaned over and whispered "I wonder if the twins have blown up the house yet."

Alice smiled. "I'm guessing not. We would have heard about it." That did remind her of one thing to check before she left. She caught up with Potsdam as most of the other students were filing out of the gym.

"Professor, quick question," Alice said.

Potsdam turned around and smiled at her. "You can still stay over the holiday, seedling, if you want. I'm sure that you and Hieronymous could have a nice little celebration."

Somehow, she had known Potsdam would say that. "It's not that, what about my siblings who know about magic, can I talk to them about it? I'm sure they'll have questions for us both when we get home."

Potsdam nodded. "If they have made their Choice, they are already considered to be behind the Velvet curtain. You can talk to them about magic as long as anyone normal is not around."

"And what about Nancy?" Alice asked. "As often as those wards need repair, I'm guessing she has been told something if only not to go wandering through any portals that might appear. I know she's only four still, but what if she's figured out that it's magic that she's been doing?"

Potsdam nodded. "Your sister is in an unusual situation. It is quite rare for children of her age to start using magic at all. The priority, in her case, is to protect her. You may talk to her about magic, if your parents aren't where they can hear. Since it is White magic she has a special affinity for, feel free to ask her about anything strange that has been going on. She doesn't tell the 'repair lady' much, but she does tell your other sister some. Nancy may be more open with you, since she trusts you more than she does Emma or Ethan. And tell me about it when you get back, or if it seems urgent, call the 'repair lady.'"

So, Potsdam was keeping up with the local authorities with news of her sister. As she was likely the area's foremost expert on White magic, they were probably consulting her. Alice nodded and thanked her, went to say goodbye to her husband, and then met Clark by the gate in 'normal' clothes to meet their father.

...

It was great seeing her parents after so long, but it seemed strange as there was so much that had happened that she could not tell them. Nancy had run up to meet her as soon as the car had stopped, throwing herself into her arms for a big hug. Ethan and Emma were even reasonably well behaved around their parents, but still looked ready to burst with questions as soon as their parents were elsewhere.

Which was why she was not surprised when the twins, pulling Clark along, invaded her in her old room as soon as they were satisfied that Nancy was asleep and their parents in bed.

"Well?" Emma got out before Alice held up a hand to stop her.

Alice quickly wove Blue and Red magic into a shield that encased the room that would muffle and distort anything said there. "Ok, now we can talk without being heard," she said when she was done. Clark was examining the spell, fascinated. She wondered where he was thinking he should use it.

"Well, are you staying married? What has been going on? You don't tell us much in your letters besides that your classes are going well, or that there was a nice dance, or a nice play, or that Clark has been making friends and doing well," Emma wanted to know.

"Because Mom and Dad would see it," Alice started. "And yes, I'm staying married."

"And Clark gets to be both the magical and the normal lord," Ethan grumbled. "Why don't the younger sons get cool stuff?"

Clark rolled his eyes. "Translation, why do the older sons have to work all the time while the younger ones get to mess around?"

"Well, if you want to switch…" Ethan started.

"Absolutely not," Alice cut in. "Ethan, your brother will have to deal with politicians all the time, from both the normal and magical worlds. That will be a lot of work, and I don't think you are cut out for that."

"Off the topic of politics, there's still the family business to run," Clark said. "I don't think I'll be able to do everything myself, especially at first."

"What Clark is saying," Alice translated, "is that you might be able to run the biggest bank in Otherworld. Even with just that, you'd be richer than the queen of England, unless Emma turns out better with business."

The twins eyed each other.

"Or," Clark suggested, "I guess I could pay someone else to run it. It's not like we have to decide soon or anything."

"You go to business school," Ethan told his twin. "I want to explore this 'Otherworld' place."

"Not until you graduate and know how to defend yourself," Alice said firmly. "Kids that go there without knowing how to ward themselves properly die. That's what happened to Hieronymous' girlfriend when they were about my age."

Her siblings were silent for a moment. "I didn't know about that," Clark finally said.

"Is that why the repair witch keeps reminding Nancy not to go through any portals she might find?" Emma wanted to know.

Alice nodded. "Hopefully she's not strong enough to open one yet, but kids that don't know how to control magic yet sometimes do stuff with it that they didn't mean to."

"I am also keeping an eye out for that, mistress," a voice said out of thin air.

"Asim?" Alice guessed, and the manus appeared.

The creature grinned at her, looking over the faces of her stunned siblings. "Your grandfather worries about the smallest one of his bloodline. I am required to check on her from time to time, and to protect her should she be in danger. Just do not be alarmed if you sense my presence," e replied.

"That's good to know," Alice told the manus. Now that he had said something, she could feel the spirit's presence. She could feel a thin line drifting from the creature towards her, as if she held the string to a puppet. She wondered if the manus would still obey her after she married out of her family. Probably not, but then she would be able to order around the one that had tried to eat her.

She thought she preferred Asim.

The manus faded away, and she could feel the presence moving away toward Nancy's room.

"I've never seen him here before," Emma said softly, staring at the place the manus had shown emself.

"You don't refer to a manus as a 'him' or a 'her," Alice corrected absently. "Use 'em' instead."

Clark just shrugged, and nodded towards his younger sister who had not appeared to have heard her. "They'll teach her the proper pronouns when she gets to school."