Chapter 8: Family


"I've thought about it too when I saw that thing on his neck," Roxanne smiled. "I thought it was just a coincidence but now I have doubts."

"Me too, I mean, Seb has basically every one of Harry's symptoms in the movie," Mina said excitedly. "Next thing you knew he'll team up with Electro and say that he wants to kill Spider-Man-"

"Yeah, I-"

"Hey, you two, what is this mumbling about?" Raphael asked, amused.

"Yeah."

The others had caught up with Roxanne and Mina, and the two girls separated.

"Nothing," Mina said. "We were just talking about Seb."

"Yeah," Roxanne nodded.

"Yeah, right, and I'm studying at Hogwarts," Kenna answered, not believing her friends at all.

Roxanne interrogated Mina with her eyes, usure if they should tell their friends. Mina raided her small shoulders. After all, it was just a theory, right?

"Well," she started, "Rox' and I have watched both The Amazing Spider-Man movies a lot, and we noticed Seb and Harry Osborn have the same symptoms."

She was mostly talking to Raphael, because she knew that as a big Spider-Man fan, he knew the movies well and would get she meant. He looked at her and Roxanne, frowning, and seemed to be a bit amused.

"You mean that Seb got Retroviral Hypodysplasia?" he asked.

"That's a possibility, isn't it?" Roxanne said.

"Yeah, if you take away the fact that's it's from a movie," Nathan said.

"But it's weird!" Roxanne insisted, and Mina nodded.

"Roxanne, we're wizards studying in a Magic School," Nathan snapped. "Just the fact that we exist is weird. Get a grip."

"Chill out," Raphael told him coldly. "Maybe the girls are right and that disease is actually real. But honestly, I doubt it."

Alden crossed his arms and frowned.

"If what the books says its true, if the Great Barrier is open…Then there's a probability that this disease is reel."

Their first class of the afternoon was Magic. They found Mrs. Walcott as charming as ever, but it was obvious that, just like with Mrs. Stanton, something was wrong.

"Please open your books," she said, grabbing her own book. "Chapter Two."

Mina hesitated, and then slowly raised her hand.

"Yes, Emeraude?"

Mina dropped her hand and frowned. She really hated when someone called her by her full first name.

"It's Mina, actually, ma'am," trying to sound polite.

"Oh, yes, I'm so sorry," Mrs. Walcott apologized, and Mina knew her teacher meant it. "How can I help you, Mina?"

"I don't know if it's right to ask this question, but…Do you think the earthquake and the purple light was caused by magic?"

The dark-haired woman stared at her and then had a soft sigh.

"Yes, Mrs. Walcott told me you guys were curious. I totally understand, I assure you. But I'm afraid I can't say more than my colleague."

"But you must have an opinion on the whole thing," Roxanne said shyly.

"My role here is not to give you my own opinions, but to teach you something every Wizard and Witch ought to know. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like you all to open your books."

Mina and Sonia shared a look, both knowing it was useless to insist. They took notes on Mrs. Walcott's explanations about the spell used to make your adversary feel dizzy enough to fell on the ground. Several questions were asked by the students, and their teacher was more than happy to give each question a long, detailed answer, and by the time they were supposed to start practice, the bell rang. Before leaving the classroom, Mina took a look at the window, and saw that it was still raining like crazy outside. The sky was grey, and Mina thought a storm was coming. Raphael looked at their schedule and saw that they were expected in their Option Class next. To pick an option at the beginning of your second year among several classes like Sawing, Informatic, Math, Advanced Art – Cooking was only a choice for the students of the fifth, sixth, and seventh classes – was imperative. They walked to the C Building, where all the Options Classes took place. Sebastian, whose drawing skills were insane, had picked Advanced Arts, Raphael and Alden had chosen Informatic, and Nathan, whose choice had been Math, couldn't get why Mina, Kenna and Roxanne had chosen Sewing.

"Honestly, you like that?" he would ask several times.

The girls tried to explain to him that sewing was useful in daily life, but, eventually tired, stopped even answering him. They separated to go to their respective classes, and the class started. Mrs. Goodwin, a tall and very beautiful black woman in her early forties with kind eyes and black frizzy hair, taught Sewing, and she was one of the loveliest women the three girls had ever met. Sewing class wasn't only a class, it was the occasion to have some kind of free time and talk about anything and everything, as students were free to talk, and some debates even were organized from time to time. Since by now all students of the group were good – or at least average – at sewing, their teacher would only go around giving advice to the few who needed it and would most of time just sit and talk with the students who wanted – needed – to talk. Some students, who were stressing a lot, would rather stay silent, as they considered sewing as therapy, and Mina totally understood them. Sewing relaxed her a lot, and her and Roxanne found it actually quite satisfying. That day, Mrs. Goodwin let them either continue their work from last year or start a new one – though she always encouraged them to always finish what they started. Mina and Roxanne followed that advice and went to the cupboard to take their embroidery hoops. Once they got the basics, Mrs. Goodwin let them sew or embroider what they wanted – any clothes for those who sew and any design for those embroidering. Last year, Mina dared Roxanne as a joke to embroider Spider-Man, and her friend said yes, seeing it as both a challenge and a funny thing to do. As for Mina, she was content with red flowers. After a moment, their teacher went to see them and congratulated them on their respective works. She then sat with them, and asked them about their summer.

"So, did you girls have a good vacation?" she asked, smiling at them while working on her own embroidery.

The girls talked about the time spent at Sebastian's family house, but their teacher always tried to know her students, knew better.

"By the way, Mina dear, how is your sister? I remember Camille very fondly."

"Oh, she's good, she's still studying dance in London," Mina answered, lifting her eyes from her work.

"How lovely. Give her my love, will you? And…if you don't mind me asking, did things get any better with your parents?"

Mina's eyes fell back on her work, and she quickly saw Roxanne's arms stop moving.

"Hum, no, not really. But it's fine, though, I…don't expect it to change."

Both Roxanne and Mrs. Goodwin remained silent, but the latter put her hand on Mina's.

"I'm so sorry, sweetheart."

"Oh, it's fine," Mina tried a little laugh, shaking her head. "You know what they say, the family isn't only your blood, it's the people you love. I've got my siblings and my friends. That's enough for me."

"I feel the same," Roxanne said softly. "There was a time when I really wanted to know who my parents where and where I came from, but now I'm starting to feel like that my friends are the family I need."

Mrs. Goodwin smiled at them.

"I'm glad you lovelies found each other."

After their Option Class, they had a free hour where they were expected to do their homework and study. Since they didn't have any homework yet, they agreed to go visit Sebastian at the Nurse's office. Mina was afraid the Nurse would them that Sebastian was sleeping, or worse, that he was still ill, but they found him sitting on his bed watching TV.

"Oh, thank God, finally!" he said when they entered the room.

"How do you feel, bro?" Raphael asked, sitting next to him.

"Much better. Mrs. Albinson says the fever is gone. I still have that green thing in my neck though, and my hands are still shaking by moments," he added, raising his hand to show them. "I'm glad to see guys, I've been bored since I woke up. What'd I miss?"

"Nothing. Mrs. Walcott just refusing to give us answers, like Mrs. Stanton did." Mina answered.

Sitting on his right, Mina put her head on his shoulder, and Sebastian quickly kissed her hair.

"Yeah, I think we should just give up with that," he said, not surprised at all.

The conversation went back to Sebastian's apparent illness, and Mina asked him something she had been wanting to ask him since Sewing class.

"Say, kitten, do you mind if I…"

She raised her hand, slowly approached it to his neck. She touched the green thing, and expected Sebastian to express pain, but he didn't move or groan. His skin was basically as smooth as it was before, and only felt a bit weird.

"It doesn't hurt anymore. But I'd like to know where the hell it's from."

Roxanne and Mina shared an amused look and smiled.

"Remember Harry from The Amazing Spider-Man 2?"


Heyyy guys I hope you're all good and safe! Thank you so much for 1K, it means the world to me! Thank you for reading, take care! ^^