Soon they were all headed to the airport to catch their planes; Riley would teleport from the Airport to the school with Jerome. Katy and Deen jumped up and down they could not wait to see their friends again. Of course, they would have heard about the events of the last term, hopefully they did not know the full truth. They all knew once they were on the plane they would know how much the school knew.
“Now, even though I have cleared you to do spells; it does not mean you two should go and try large spells not being taught in class.” Sandra said as Jane and she made sure that Katy and Deen had everything they required.
“Of course, no major spellage, got it. Ooo… did I remember to pack my new deluxe cauldron? I know Katy has hers,” Deen asked.
“Yes, it is packed. And Sandra means it, no big spells.” Jane said as she handed Deen his bag.
“Yes, we know, no big spells, no doing pranks on professors, no sneaking off, and no doing anything taxing on ourselves.” Katy said eager to get on the plane and back to school.
“What is the large hurry?” Sandra asked as she bent down to hug them both.
“Nothing, just really want to see our friends.” Deen said as he gave Sandra a hug and his mom a kiss, then he grabbed Katy’s hand and pulled her toward the line. Katy continued to wave bye as they got into line behind Randall.
“Brilliant, I thought they would never let us go, I thought for a moment they would try to make us take a term off and be home schooled.” Deen said as he reached in for his bag for one of the potions they made to prank the other kids in their class, but he dropped it back in his bag as Randall turned around to ask them something.
“Deen! Katy! Just the people I wanted to see! What happened to Oscar, do you know?”
Katy looked at Deen they knew this question was going to come up. And they knew what happened to him. They found out right after Katy woke up, he gone off to live with a long last aunt in London. She was disowned as well, as she too was a Fire in the Air line.
The headmaster would have given him a second chance, but Oscar chose to go to school in London. He now attended The Elizabeth Magical Institute.
Katy and Deen thought the name sounded a little too stuck up for their tastes and made a note not to do any student exchange programs there.
“Who would have believed that he would help the Airs try to hurt you guys, I mean come on. Just because his parents were Airs, you don’t turn into a monster. It is insane to think about, and to think we accepted him!” Randall had continued on before they could answer.
“Ummm… he goes to The Elizabeth Magical Institute now.” Christina had walked up. “He sent me a letter saying it was better to start a new life away from his parents. That is too bad he got caught up with the Solomons; they are evil.”
“Riley isn’t so bad, he just did the same thing Oscar did. Wanting to show his family that he was worthy of being a member of an Air family. Of course he knows now he was wrong.” Katy said, this is the most Christina had spoken to Deen and Katy.
“Riley is a monster he is the reason Oscar had to leave!” Christina yelled at Katy.
“You are a monster, a stuck up snob! Riley is good, he just made a mistake!” Katy yelled back at her.
Christina was about to say something else but instead reached out and slapped Katy across the face. Katy flipped her hand and sent Christina flying across the terminal; Christina hit the wall on the opposite side.
Katy could not believe she did that. She had not meant to and looked just as shocked as Randall and Deen.
“That was awesome! How did you do that?” Randall asked, just as Antonio ran over to them
“What is going on here?” He asked, Katy could tell he was mad. This was bad.
“I am sorry she slapped me, I didn’t mean to…” She was trying not to cry, but she knew she would lose the battle. “Really I didn’t mean to, I don’t even remember lifting my hand to do it. I didn’t even take out my wand. I am sorry…” Katy was upset about it, she did not know what was going on, she should not be able to do some of the things she could do, and she knew it.
“Katy, listen to me, you have to control that temper of yours. I can’t believe it; you haven’t even gotten on the plane yet. I will have to give you a detention, you can serve it Saturday.” He sighed then walked over to Christina and her parents.
“Brilliant, that sucks… but that was awesome.” Randall was still in awe. “You are going to have to show me that!”
“That was nothing; we can turn invisible and create something out of nothing.” Deen bragged, he after all was a twelve year old boy.
“Deen! What did Jane and Sandra say about bragging and showing off?” Katy did not want the whole class to know how powerful she was, or how powerful Deen was; she felt they would need that power hidden so they would have an advantage, for whatever may come their way.
“But come on, they may want to learn too.” Deen said, and then turned to get ready to board the plane. And before either Randall or Katy could respond Antonio came over and told all classes to get ready to board.
Once everybody settled on the plane and they had taken off Randall came over to Deen and Katy and picked up the conversation they started in the airport. “Hey Katy, Deen, you think you could teach me a thing or two?”
“Sure, why not? You have to work really hard though, Katy is super mean; when I mess around.” Deen said; as he flicked his wand to perform the Custos spell to hear what Christina told her friends about the incident in the airport.
“I am not…” but Katy let the sentence die when she heard what Christina’s version of the events.
“You know what I bet those Solomons are right about Katy being evil, I mean look at what she did to me for sticking up for poor Oscar!” Christina told Rae and Kay, the other two girls in their Fire year.
“I don’t think so, Christina, I mean Rory was telling me that Riley kidnapped her and their uncle tried to kill them! Her father tried to kill her! And you know what is said about the Solomons. And you started that in the airport, after all Riley is her brother, how would you have felt if she had said those things about your brother? And there is a lot more proof that your brother is dark.” Kay stated, as she brought out her homework, not having done it during break.
“Yeah but come on, why would they be so intent on killing her? Even as evil as they are? What is it about her? The rest of our class seems to like her.”
“She is not so bad; she helped me some when I was having issues with our potions and transfiguration homework.” Kay stated, as she scribbled something down so she could get at least partial points for turning something in. “She is smart. Look what she tried to do to Riley when he attacked Deen. She is someone you want on your side, not as your enemy.”
“She is not someone I want to be around. If you like her so much you hang with her. Just know that you will no longer be a part of the group.” Christina said as she flipped her hair and sat back in her chair.
Katy, Deen, and Randall no longer wanted to listen at that point. “Well, so much for not having any problems in the dorm room.” Katy said and made mental note to put protection spells on her belongings. “Now where was I? Oh, yes, I am not mean, I just figure if you want to do something, then you should do it right.”
“Don’t listen to her; she is super hard, even more than our history professor.” Deen said; he ignored Christina’s comments and wondered where the treat cart was.
“I don’t care, I can work hard. You did some really cool things, both in Eleball, and from what I heard when the Solomons took you. Did you really forgive Riley Solomon? He seems so evil. I don’t see how my sister can love him.”
“He is not so bad, he only did what he thought would protect his family, you know. He really is trying to make it up to me and to Deen and his family. And, of course, the MacCathmhaoils, he would try to make it up to Oscar, but Oscar is taking his second chance in London. Everybody deserves a second chance.” If only Katy knew how wrong she was about those words.
“But he is an Air!” Randall countered. “How can we trust him? Even if he hadn’t done what he did, how do we trust an Air?”
“I think Airs have gotten a bad rep because of an ancient grudge, I think it is time to forgive and start anew.” Katy stated, as she opened her bag to grab a couple of jewels, as the treat cart started to make its way to them.
“I don’t know…” Randall started as he dug in his pocket for his money. “I know I should try. After all Haley loves him. She is convinced he is her soul mate. I guess I could give him a chance. After all he might become family.” Randall said as he handed over his jewels for some Cauldron Chocolates and Silver Bells. “Thankful there are Silver Bells left, normally the fifth and fourth years always buy them. They are silver chocolate bells that really jingle on a licorice rope. They jingle after you eat them so; there is a jingle in your step. It can annoy people, but I think it’s funny.”
Deen looked like he was in heaven there were a lot of new items like Jel Potions, it was liquid candy in a whole lot of different colors and flavors, and they could turn your tongue and hair different colors for a short amount of time. Deen grabbed quite a few of those and his normal sugar wands, even though they had just picked up a very large box at Kandi’s Sweets just a week ago.
Katy bought some gummies and sugar wands, she also bought some of their new gumballs, and the packaging stated the gum could temporarily change your appearance, depending on the piece. There was a picture of a young girl on the wrapper that showed her long blonde hair transforming to a short black hair style and her eyes changing from green to red. Katy figured there was a transfiguration spell on the gum, and she wondered how they did it. It might be useful one day to figure it out. It may be a potion, Katy was so focused on the gum, and she did not hear Deen’s thoughts.
“Earth to Katy!” Deen said as he waved his hand in front of her face.
“What?” Katy said and she snapped out of her thoughts.
“I was thinking something and you totally missed it!” Deen said with a sad face.
“Sorry; I was thinking about something.”
“No problem, I was thinking we could figure out how they make these Jel Potions change people’s hair colors and use it some of our pranks.” Deen said with a smile.
“I was thinking something along those same lines.” Katy noticed his purchases now. “You know Deen, you are going to have a sugar attack!” Katy said as she tapped a few of her gummies and they started to run around the table.
“Nah, I am able to burn it off, after all you are a slave driver with all the ‘we must know everything’.” Deen said as he started to chew on a sugar wand.
“Hey, how do you make yourself invisible? That would be awesome; we could sneak around the castle!” Randall stated, as he ate some of the Silver Bells.
“We couldn’t do that, there is a potion that has been made that can see what is hidden.” Katy stated as she started to munch on a few of the gummies.
“Oh, that sucks.” Randall said.
“Yeah, but Katy made it. I am sure she can find a way around it.” Deen said with a smile.
“Well, there is one way; but it is really, and I mean really, hard. I found a book on Photokinesis. It is basically how to make an illusion that people can’t see you. I looked it up after reading a bit about it in on the old spell books your parents gave me for Yule, Deen. It is light; there is also information on Umbrakinesis and Ergokinesis. But Umbrakinesis sounds dark; it talks about darkness and portals. Ergokinesis sounds kind of cool, but it sounds a lot like the Spirits power.” Katy told them as Antonio started to walk their way.
“Well, I hope what we learn in history is more interesting this year. After all, I barely got an S in it, Miss I get all E’s.” Deen changed the subject as Antonio reached them.
“I think it is interesting, I mean think of all the things our ancestors seen and did. If we do something large in this life wouldn’t you want our great, who knows how many greats, grandchildren to hear about it? To see it in writing? To know that their ancestors just didn’t exist but did something to make sure they did? I know I do.” Katy responded.
“I see you guys are discussing classes. How is the flight going?” Katy and Deen both knew the question meant ‘what did the other kids know?’
So, Katy opened her mind to him and showed him Christina’s reaction, and what Randall had told them he had heard.
“Just fine. How long until we are there, professor?” Randall asked.
“Oh, not long, hmmm…” Katy could see he was deep in thought about how to address these rumors with the classes. He knew there would be questions and answers were to be expected.
“We are doing great, can’t wait for dinner!” Deen said as he pulled out another sugar wand.
Katy rolled her eyes. “It is going good, it will be better to be back at school.” Katy really said she would know more once she got back to school.
Antonio sighed and said “okay, if you need anything yell for me.” He walked away and left the small group to talk amongst themselves.
It was soon after that, they the landed back at the school. Katy breathed a sigh of relief as she saw the school glowing with the elemental colors. After they dropped off their bags in their dorm rooms, everybody went down to dinner. And as soon as Katy walked into the room she heard the whispers, the questions, and the silence around her. She and Deen sat down in their normal spots and waited for the rest of their class.
They watched as Tony lead in the first years and showed them their table. They also watched as the sixth-tenth year students arrived. When they arrived and before they sat down, Garret, the captain of their Eleball team, came over.
“Hi guys! We are going to start practice earlier this year, since we have an all-star team; I figure it won’t hurt to practice in the snow after all who knows about the weather here. And with fifth and sixth years learning weather manipulations this year, who knows what they may throw at us; I don’t want to see us caught out in the snow, so to say. So practice will pick up in two weeks Saturdays and Sundays only for now. Later you two.” He said and walked back to his table. He was a tenth year now and everybody knew that he would try out to be a pro Eleballer, and he knew he would to have to show everything he had this year during the matches.
“Wow! Practices already, do you think we will win again this year?” Deen asked Katy as Randall and Rory sat down on either side of them.
“I think so; if we work hard enough anything is possible.” Katy said, and turned to say hi to Rory. “Hey, Rory how was your break?”
“Great! Randall says you are going to teach him some stuff. Do you think you could teach me too?”
“Brilliant, you will have to work really hard. I mean really hard. Katy doesn’t take slackers. I even have to pay attention sometimes in History, she won’t accept anything less than an S in that class. And she was telling me that I should pay even more attention and try for a G! And History is the most boring subject here!” Deen told Rory.
“Really an S… how did you do it? I am barely getting a P. He makes me want to go to sleep!” Randall asked.
“I am getting an S.” Rory said, all of a sudden he appeared more eager in the way this conversation would play out.
“That is great! And it isn’t so hard if you realize that maybe one day he may be talking about us in that class! Well maybe not him but some history professor. Wouldn’t you want the students of the future to pay attention to what the professor was saying about you, about what you did, about why you did it?” Katy asked.
“Well when you put it that way… you know I think we can all try harder.” Rory stated and started to think about ways to focus more in class.
“Fine, we can meet a couple times a week up in your dorm; does Russell want to join as well?” Katy asked.
“No, he is mad at you and Deen. Well, he is pretending to be because he is not only our cousin, but he is Kay’s as well and she told him that if he wasn’t mad at you two she would tell his mom about the detentions he has been getting.” Randall stated.
“How does she not know, I swear my mom gets a letter from my professors all the time?” Deen asked, he started to twitch in his chair, he hoped dinner would start soon.
Though it didn’t seem to bother Deen, it did bother Katy. She was felt as if her class was being divided and she felt like that was not the best thing to happen at this time. She felt like something would happen soon, and she would need as many allies as she could get. And if her peers were divided on her, then how did everybody else feel about her outside of school, and that put fear in her soul, what those thoughts, those feelings may be. And for the first time she wondered if she should have accepted Sandra’s offer to home school her for this term. But then she thought of all the things she missed when she was separated from her world. Then and there she vowed to herself that those beings intent on her destruction and the destruction of her loved ones would not stop her from living.
“That is probably because you are always in detention with Katy. Professor MacCathmhaoil probably sends them. Normally they don’t unless it is a serious offense.” Randall stated.
“Well, I won’t be in detention this Saturday with Katy. You saw what she did. Did Christina get a detention as well?” Deen stated, he started to get even more restless at the fact dinner had not yet started.
“Nah, her parents threatened something, so she just has to write lines. ‘I will not slap people.’ No big deal, not really fair to you Katy.” Rory stated, and looked around to see what the holdup was with dinner, now curious why they had to wait this long.
“It is just a detention.” Katy even started to wonder what the hold up on dinner was; she stood up and looked up at the staff table. The headmaster was not there yet. That was strange he normally could be seen at the staff table as the students arrived. Katy looked around to see if anybody was missing. She opened her mind to the thoughts around her. She heard Riley as he talked to Haley over by the Water table. He explained what had happened, and how he has gotten a second chance and he was not about to blow it. She heard his cousins as they plotted something; she started to listen closer to them, but passed over them as she heard the Headmaster’s voice echo inside her mind.
“She is listening. Such a powerful little witch, Antonio, look there is no reason for her to know. She has had to deal with so much. To know that, would just cause her more worry. Don’t worry about it. I will worry about it. I know what Edgar thinks, he has been to see me about a hundred times over break. Even on her birthday. He was trying to convince me of telling her some other information as well, but you know my feelings on that. She is better off not knowing right now. Look, I will take care of everything I promise. Now let us, go and get the welcoming dinner done with, and we can finish this conversation later in my office.”
Katy would swear she could hear him swish his cloak as he walked into the room. Katy sat back down and would have told Deen what she heard, but the headmaster started to speak, after he took a moment to look into her eyes.
“Welcome again to another year! Welcome first years! Now a couple of new rules for this year, first Eleball practices can be during the lunch hour. Second, eighth thru tenth years will have a new curfew, two in the morning. Now the reminders, as always please do not stake your vampire professors, or try to poison your werewolf professors with silver. And if any students have any questions about the incidents that happened here last year, please refrain from seeking out the individuals involved. Please see your head of house for the official comments. Thank you.” Headmaster O’Cuinn then sat down in his chair, and flipped his hand and dinner appeared on the tables.
“Wow! I guess the whole school knows what happened!” Deen said as he loaded his plate with everything and anything.
“Wow, really do you think so Deen?” Katy said with sarcasm, but quickly changed her tone, at the hurt look on his face. “We could have figured that out by what our classmates had said on the plane. This is worse than I thought. Brilliant, what am I going to do?” Katy slumped back in her chair, suddenly not very hungry.
She knew that with the headmaster statements about not to seek the students involved out, that they would. And over the next couple days she found out how right and wrong she was.
Kris Charles - Author 