On the day of June thirtieth, they teleported to the airport and started their long flight home, they had a layover in Paris until late that night, so they would not enter New York until moments before the planes to the school left. Katy and Deen used the time in Paris to search the bookstores to see if they could find anything on the dagger. But they found nothing, and they went to catch the plane back home. The group still barely made it though it was well thought out and with no delays at the airports.
It was very uneventful on the plane ride back to the school, the conversation did not lack after all everybody had many things to talk about with their two weeks they had off, they were interested in the dagger, but not very much, as it was just a dagger, no matter how old and powerful. So, once again the conversations turned to classes and Eleball. The Freedom Warriors had made it to the championship and Fires next game was to be the last weekend in July, then they were to turn around and have two more right in a row.
Deen and Katy were nervous, but not as much as last time since they had now actually played in a game.
Katy was more nervous than Deen. She had use some of her evenings during the break to practice the elements and with Edgar’s help, she had some control over them now, but they still seemed to spark up when she was hurt or upset, instead of a sensation of heat when she got angry her body now seemed to be engulfed in flames. And more than once she burned Edgar.
She knew she had to work on not just the control over the elements but over her emotions or she might hurt someone. And the possibility that she might hurt someone she cared for tore up her insides. So, she worked hard to control her emotions and the power within herself. She remembered the conversation with Edgar about why she may be powerful, and he had told her that it was her bloodlines. She had many Elder Guards and Elders in her bloodlines on her mother’s side, that combined with the known powers of the Solomon bloodlines concentrated into her, it was no surprise. He had told her if her family had her as a child she would have been taught to meditate as a toddler and would have likely not be having a control issue now. So, Edgar had her and Deen meditate each night after dinner. It had helped some, but she still slipped when angry.
When they landed, everybody dropped their things off in their dorm and then went down to dinner. Katy and Deen decided to talk between themselves while they waited for the meal to begin. “I wonder if there are more artifacts like that, connected to only certain people?” Deen wondered out loud. Katy did not get a chance to respond because at that moment the headmaster chose to stand up to start the feast.
Headmaster O’Cuinn stood up and cleared his voice. Again, as with the last two terms, before he spoke, he seemed to look over at Katy. Katy locked eyes again, and again he turned away. “Welcome back, a reminder, no dueling other students except during classes where appropriate, no staking of your vampire professors, and no sneaking of liquid silver into the drinks of your werewolf professors. Also please make sure with your brooms, you are not flying into the wand making trees by the Water dorm, Professor Hamner has asked me to remind you. Now let’s dig in.” He then sat down.
“Deen, Headmaster O’Cuinn locked eyes again. And don’t tell me I am imagining it; he has done it at the beginning of each term.” Katy said as she filled her plate, then pulled out the book she had checked out before end of first term, she only had one chapter left that gave her any problems, which was actually the changing into the animal part.
“I didn’t say it was in your head, I am just saying it doesn’t really make sense that he would seek you out. I mean why?” Deen said as he went for thirds on just about everything and put the dagger out of his mind.
“Whatever.” Katy said as she put her nose back in her book. She knew with dinner it was a lost cause to continue a conversation with Deen. She had not told anybody, yet she wanted to try to turn into an animal but knew she would have to wait for a few years, but she was going to read everything until she was ready to try.
“Katy, stop for one minute with the reading. I know you want to learn everything now, but there is a reason we have ten years of under school, six years of training, and twenty years of practice before we are considered masters at our skills. You can’t learn everything in one year.” Deen said as the desserts appeared.
“I am not trying to learn everything; transfiguration is just one of my favorite subjects. I want to be a little ahead in it okay.” Katy said but she did put the book away and grabbed some pumpkin torte.
“Okay, but how about all the extra spells? How about all the reading about umm… everything!”
“I just want to know things. Oh, and we are going to be actually talking to spirits in Necromancy this term and gazing in crystal balls in Divination. We should maybe reread our notes on those subjects.”
“Thank goodness you are the brainy one and remember all the details. I would have forgotten my spirit board, and crystal ball tomorrow. Brilliant, I can’t wait to drop Necromancy; it can get kind of creepy.” They talked about classes and of course how Katy’s progress as she tried to control her power over the other elements. She had discovered a little more power over Earth, Water, and Air. She had not even tried Spirit. They are going to learn Spirit next term; this term was Air. The Fire house really was not happy about it, but they know that for at least five years they will have one term each year dedicated to Air.
The term started just as any other, Katy and Deen sat in the back, Katy paid close attention and Deen drooled during History. They really got into potions this term, and Katy and Deen showed a real talent for them. All in all, things were going good in classes and with Eleball practice. Katy and Deen showed real promise on the team and were told they might be able to play some, after the last game was won, with each of them scoring points. After all, they could not improve and continue to lead Fire House to victory without playing in the games.
Necromancy got tougher and there were spirits that tried to communicate with Katy, but they were still blurry. The professor said that was normal, but Katy did not like it, it sometimes seemed they were yelling something at her. Something important. Something that could change or save her life. She felt drained after every class. Especially since the spirts used your energy to communicate. It is why Professor Libithina, gave them juice and snacks each class.
Lammas came and they celebrated in true fashion. There was a great large grill out. There were burgers and steaks, and games; it was like going to those fairs one sees on television. They flew their brooms and raced all day, Katy never knew better time. Deen and Katy were the best flyers of the first years, but they all knew that, but it did not make the prizes they won any less thrilling for them. There were so many things to win; the major prizes were in the races. Katy won a baby blood red corn snake that had a couple patches of orange, and Deen won a Phoenix egg. He was told that soon it would hatch in a ball of fire and then he would have a pet Phoenix, but it would not happen until after term ended. Deen looked forward to the hatching, he had a feeling he found his first familiar.
“Well I guess I will just have to wait to see a Phoenix until next term. Katy said as they walked around the grounds. “What will you name it?”
“Don’t know yet, what are you naming the snake?”
“Cleopatra. She was a powerful witch, who loved snakes and she was the Queen of the Nile, her death known to mortals was asked by the magical community. She went on to discover more of the world and helped build Cleopatra’s Magical Institute, to what it is today.” Katy said with a laugh, Deen joined in as they stopped and got a couple of pineapple juices.
They also won several different candies and treats. There were cauldron chocolates, sugar wands, jumbo gummies, caramel apples, candied apples, saltwater taffies, and so many others. After the day of festivities life went back to normal, or as normal as it could be for young witches and warlocks, especially Katy and Deen who would soon be playing in their second Eleball match, and of course Deen’s birthday would soon be upon them.
On Deen’s birthday Katy, for the first time, had to wake him up, and presented with him a box of sugar wands and a Freedom Warriors hat and shirt, which he took to wearing about every day, except during school hours. He would have worn it out, but since it was a magical shirt it would last longer. Katy had gotten him the one that would grow with him for two years so he would have it for a while, which was good, because it had become his favorite shirt to wear to Eleball practice. It was a uneventful time for them, but they knew it would change.
Kris Charles - Author 