Both September and October seemed to fly by at an alarming rate. Evergreen, Link, and Diva had all made it into the play. Evergreen was cast as Brutus, a leading role, Link was Jupiter, and Diva was cast as one of the muses. The presence of the celestial beings was entirely Professor Park's artistic license. It was an ingenious, and indeed humorous, iteration of the otherwise tragic tale of Julius Caesar's assassination. It was told in three parts. The first was the story as seen through the eyes of Caesar, where he was a victim of a horrid plot. The second was the story told from Brutus' perspective, where he had the difficult task of sacrificing his friend for the greater good of Rome. The third was told through the eyes of Caesar and Calpurnia's maidservant, and it described how everyone had only been self-serving, and there had really been no 'hero' or 'villain' to the story. Everyone had done evil in the name of good.
During rehearsals, which were held for an hour before dinner four times a week, Evergreen kept thinking of the phrase "the road to hell is paved with good intentions." That was true; no matter what one's intensions were, the consequences of one's actions were out of their control. One could always choose their actions, but could never choose the consequences of them, which was why it was better to make certain decisions with one's head and not their heart. Emotions were wonderful to have but could often be misused. That didn't mean that one needed to make their decisions coldly and methodically, but it meant that they shouldn't let their logic get swayed by emotion. Rather, it was healthier to do it the other way around, to let one's logic sway their emotions. If not, people might end up stabbed four dozen times in the chest, while others start wars and reduce their own families to ruin.
The thing that got Evergreen though, about the story of Caesar, was how individuals who claimed to be friends could just suddenly turn on each other. He thought of the story of his mother and the Wicked Witch of the West, as told to him by Seta, and how they had grown up together but just suddenly turned on one another. Perhaps if they had been less emotional and more logical, they'd still be friends and still be alive. It was hard to tell though, considering how he couldn't recall ever having met either one of them.
Rehearsals were going well, as was flying. Evergreen was slowly getting more comfortable in his own body. It was helpful that, for a few minutes before every rehearsal, they did a 'warm up' that was a series of dances. Evergreen was no dancer, but dancing was instrumental in his learning to become a better flier. It taught him balance and awareness of self and of his surroundings. Classes went well, overall. Plus, Evergreen had been spending quite a bit of time in the library. He had begun to take some private instruction from Woods in addition to her defense class. Diva had spent a few private meetings with her as well, to help her process her feelings about the incident with Denyen Flax a few weeks prior. Evergreen hadn't really seen him since the start of the year. Good riddance indeed.
In creature care, they went over the proper care of most of the familiars that students in their class had, just for good measure. In alchemy, they started brewing potions. They made a calming draught, giggle water, and a keratin mixture that tripled as conditioner, lotion, and nail polish. Evergreen had to work twice as hard in those classes to maintain his good grades. Wand work was simple: he just had to say the words and do the movement, and if his intention was correct, the spell would happen. Potions were a different story entirely. He had to learn what each little ingredient was, how to prepare it, according to the recipe, and how to heat it and mix it in a specific way. The class was like botany and herbalism meet chemistry. In short, it was a bear. Also, history was difficult for him because there were so many names and dates that were new to Evergreen, and Miss Agatha's fangs were also quite distracting. In fact, part of Evergreen thought that, with her pale skin and long, straight black hair, she was quite lovely. He couldn't understand how someone so lovely and so nice would've had to live her 300+ year life without love. That wasn't fair. All because she was different.
The week of Halloween came and there were suddenly countless more ghosts on the grounds of the school. Monday, upon leaving the Nest, Evergreen and Link were greeted by about a dozen ghosts all chittering about and drifting as a group only a few feet or so in the air from where they were standing.
"Good morning." Evergreen began, "We need to get to breakfast, if you d-don't mind, please."
The swarm of specters turned to see the boys. One of them, an old woman wearing a large bonnet, drifted toward them.
"What's your name, boy?" she demanded.
"Evergreen Quandary." He replied with confidence.
"Quandary? That's not a pureblood surname. You must be a halfblood or a mudblood."
"Excuse me ma'am." Link jumped in. "We don't use the word mudblood anymore. It's trashy and offensive. He is a halfblood if you must know and is better than half our class!"
The wrinkled ghost furrowed her brow and sputtered out nonsense until she ushered the others with her off to the other side of the landing.
"I can't believe that there used to be such a focus on blood. Magic is magic, no matter who is casting it." Link grumbled.
"It's okay Link." Evergreen countered. "I'm not upset. Just like Miss Agatha s-said, there is still a lot of inequality to deal with within m-magical humans and other intelligent creatures."
Link smiled and put his arm around his friend. Being a head taller made this easy. They then continued to the commons where a variety of delicious things were to appear, including a delicious breakfast casserole that they both had almost too much of. They were growing boys; they needed the protein!
Transfiguration was once again a riveting hour and a half. They were learning color-changing spells which were referred to as "glamor spells". Evergreen mastered the wand motion quickly, producing some very whimsical patterns on the leather boots they were casting on.
"Quandary!" Professor Graves began, his usual stoic expression broken as the solid leather boot in front of Evergreen began turning neon green with orange polka-dots of different sizes. "How in Merlin's name did you manage that? Have you been reading ahead?"
"N-no sir." Evergreen answered, "At least n-not in this class."
"Let's get creative, then." Professor Graves said, a mad look appearing in his face, as his skeletal figure towered over Evergreen's workspace.
"I'm not sure what you mean sir."
"Make your designs move on their own."
Evergreen stopped, putting his wand down on his desk. He had been lucky so far in this class, how could he do something like that? He knew enough about magic at this point that he knew that making a static image move was advanced magic. He was challenged by Professor Graves though. The man didn't get entertained or affected by anything, except for the weirdness that seemed to follow Evergreen's magic. He picked his wand back up and strategically placed his fingers on three of the runes he remembered he used when he conjured that toy car with Dad. One looked kind of like a capital "R", and according to his study, it was called Raidho. One looked kind of like a backwards seven, called Laguz, and the other resembled a capital "B", called Berkanan. They all symbolized change.
"Mutare colorum!" he said, "Locomotor-colorum!"
Almost on cue, the boot instantly changed to a tie-dye design. With Evergreen's second incantation, the colored splotches started to move as if they were great clouds of gas. Evergreen couldn't help but smile and the mad look in Grave's eyes was further ignited.
"Quandary. If you would stay after class for a moment." Professor Graves stated, marching away, his blue cloak shimmering in the sunlight that was peering through the classroom's window.
They had the most wonderful of feasts on that Halloween night, the following day. They had some of the normal things like roast beef and baked potatoes, but they also had a variety of wonderful pastries including some cream pies and pumpkin pie, Evergreen's favorite. They also had spiced apple cider that was both sour and slightly spicy. It was a major hit, as Evergreen could tell that green apples were used, which he preferred over any other color.
Link and Glade were excitedly talking together about the conversation that Evergreen had had with Professor Graves the previous day. Apparently, due to Evergreen's almost uncanny comfort and ease in transfiguration, Professor Graves had personally recommended Evergreen to the school board to enter the school's transfiguration tournament the next school year. He had had to request special permission because of Evergreen's age. The transfiguration tournament was a competition held on the school's Grounds of Transfiguration, located just below the Eastern ramparts of the castle. Every year, any upperclassman who desired could enter the contest and use their transfiguration skills to win. The transfiguration used was often very different from anything that was taught as part of the curriculum and was therefore one of the most exciting events of the year. It was held every spring for over four weeks.
"Evergreen, if you get transformed into a newt, do you think you could change back?" Glade asked, balancing a small potato on her fork.
"I'd have to, I guess." He responded, hesitantly.
It was at that moment that Evergreen heard the worst screeching sound imaginable. He was so startled by it that he dropped his fork in his lap, effectively splattering his robes with gravy. Eat it or wear it, right?
Everyone was looking around for the source of the sound, and some people even took out their wands, just in case. Evergreen performed a quick scourgify spell on his robes and stood up from the bench.
All was quiet and still for a moment. Throughout the commons, the only thing that could be heard was the sound of hot honey hams sizzling on their platters and the sound of fizzy apple cider letting out bursts of carbon dioxide. Evergreen looked around; his freshly cleaned robes slightly swaying.
Suddenly, one of the glass windows at the far side of the commons exploded with a mighty shattering sound. Professors turned toward the source of the noise and quickly transfigured the sharp, cascading glass into sand which harmlessly gathered on the floor and in the hair of a few nearby students. What came out of the hole caused by the shatter though, was truly startling.
It was a colossal chimpanzee, with massive hands and sharp fangs. It was flying about with a pair of dark wings that were protruding from its green tunic, and a small beret that matched the tunic. It was screaming and tossing various things around that it must have picked up outside. It looked exactly like the beasts that Evergreen had seen in his nightmares. Was it real? What was it doing here?
A few professors threw some spells at it, but it kept dodging them, only getting grazed by the occasional offensive curse, but coming up mostly unharmed. Evergreen froze when it came flying at him, screaming in the way chimps do. He had no idea what to do. It was obviously a magical beast, but even if it wasn't, a chimpanzee could dismember a fully grown man in seconds.
"EVERGREEN! WATCH OUT!" cried Link and Diva together.
At the last moment, Evergreen's wand came up, almost by instinct. With a soft, yet firm 'protego', the chimp's momentum suddenly ceased, as it was tossed back on the Pukwudgie table, knocking over a gravy boat, and shoving a bottle of apple cider into a bowl of steamed vegetables. It immediately jumped back on its feet and came rushing at Evergreen, catching him by surprise and effectively knocking his wand from his hand. The chimp got a hold of both of Evergreen's arms and looked like it was preparing to take off. Seta leapt on the back of the chimp with a mighty yell and started slashing its back with his short sword. He was quickly knocked off with a great flap of a wing.
"STUPEFY!" came the spell from both Diva and Professor Woods, together.
The mighty flash of red light hit the chimp on both the head and the chest together, knocking it unconscious. Professor Woods came running from behind Diva and cast a full body bind on the chimp. She looked toward Diva with a smile.
"That was excellent form Miss Rash. That will be 5 points to Thunderbird for you."
Diva blushed deeply but was obviously very pleased with herself. Evergreen got to his feet, quickly retrieving his wand. Well, that was embarrassing. The whole school was able to see him get absolutely flattened by an aerial primate.
"I guess we're even." Diva said, helping Evergreen to his feet.
"That thing w-was gonna eat m-my face. We're not even yet." he replied, seriously.
Evergreen then whispered to himself. "Getting saved by a girl?"
"Yeah. You were saved by a girl, and a woman." Diva pointed to Professor Woods as she rushed toward them. "Don't be weird about it. You can't be the hero every time."
She was right, even if Evergreen didn't like it much. At least Diva had had her moment, so his humiliation hadn't been for nothing. Evergreen looked up to the staff table to see Swab with an indiscernible look on his face, and Professor Habitatio near him, appearing concerned.
"Mr. Quandary, are you alright?" Professor Woods asked him directly.
"Yeah. I'm f-fine. Thanks Diva. Professor. W-what was that all about?"
"I'm not sure." She said, the headmaster and Professor Habitatio coming up from behind her. "I've never seen a beast such as this before."
"I believe I have," Professor Habitatio said, coming in front of the smaller witch, "with your leave, headmaster, I would like to study this beast to find its secrets."
"I would allow that." Washington-Frost replied, "Providing Paxton Fangholder does so with you, as magical beasts are indeed his specialty."
"Naturally." she said, coolly.
Evergreen looked up toward Swab again. This was him, he was certain of it, and he felt like he was gaining almost enough evidence against the man. Only time would tell if he could prove his involvement, so that he could bring all the evidence before the headmaster.