The Woodward Academy, Year 4

Chapter 6: November

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"Uncle David, could you pass the carrots, please?"

"Sure, Garrett." David passed over the carrots to the boy, who piled them on his plate. Angela was already picking at her food, like usual. David was having dinner with Cat, Ben and the kids at her request, not that David minded. They were in her apartment, rather than having gone out to eat, as it was more private, and less stress on the children.

"So how are your classes going so far?" Ben asked David.

"Pretty good. Thankfully, I haven't had any really confusing classes this year, at least not yet. Sword and Staff makes me a bit sore, though."

Ben chuckled. Cat asked, "Why are you taking a weapons course?"

David frowned. His reason hadn't become any clearer with the start of the new year. He replied, "Just in case."

"Are you gonna go into the army?" Angela asked him.

David smiled at her. "I don't think so... but you can never tell, can you? Who knows what tomorrow might bring."

"You're a crystallomancer," Cat said with a grin. "You're supposed to know what tomorrow might bring!" The adults chuckled.

David responded, "Okay, fair enough. And this crystallomancer thinks that having some weapons training might be a good idea for his future."

"Are you expecting trouble?" Ben asked seriously.

David looked over at the kids, and then answered very carefully. "I don't clearly see any problems in the near future, no."

Ben understood what David was saying, and let the matter drop. When they had finished dinner, including dessert, the kids asked to be excused, and then the adults went into the den. Ben offered David a drink.

"No, thank you. I never acquired a taste for alcohol."

Ben nodded. Cat, expecting David's response, brought him a glass of juice. Then she sat down on the couch with Ben.

"David... I want to thank you for your help with Elliot," Ben said to him. "I don't know how you came up with the idea of the newspaper article... nor how you got them to publish it."

"Getting them to publish it was easy. They just hired me."

"So you're a reporter now?"

"What, you didn't notice that pin on my coat? Seriously, my coat is getting very flashy-looking with all the shiny stuff on it. Anyway, yes, I'm their school correspondent. I'm supposed to report on anything interesting that happens up at the school. At least, anything that might be of interest to someone in Gorumshead."

"Won't that add to your work load?" Ben asked.

David shrugged. "I don't have a minimum number of articles to turn in. They pay me for each article, not by the day, so they won't really complain if I don't turn in that much. Otherwise, it's just a matter of me paying attention."

"So, you took on even more responsibility, just to help us out," Ben said.

David grimaced. "I did what needed doing."

Cat said, "I'm sorry that I didn't tell you about Elliot, David. I just figured you had enough to worry about, what with your Presentation Day, and the new school year, and... I hear you have a new girlfriend, so I didn't want to interfere with that..."

David snorted. "I don't have a girlfriend. If you're talking about Ellie, our relationship is... non-traditional. I haven't even seen her in three days, because we've both had other things to do."

"Oh. Well, anyway... I know I should have said something, because I promised to keep you up to date on his actions, but... you just didn't need the extra hassle."

David frowned. "Cat, you're my friend. Since I seem to be continuing last year's trend of losing friends, I'd like to keep the ones I've got. And to me, one of the things friends do is help each other out, when they can. If you need help, ask. Trust me not to try to take on more than I can actually deal with."

Cat nodded, frowning. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, but you'd better let me know if he keeps pulling shit."

"We will," Ben promised.

~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~

David was eating breakfast with his friends, just chatting, when suddenly the table was disrupted. A brownish blur streaked past, then came back. It bounded up Gwen's arm, across her shoulders, and back down the other arm. It then stopped for long enough to see that it was a squirrel.

"Peanut! Settle down!" Ellie cried, coming over to their table. The squirrel, apparently named Peanut, chittered and scampered away from Ellie, stealing a piece of fruit from David's plate. "Sorry, guys," Ellie apologized. "I just can't get her to settle down."

Suddenly, from behind Flo's neck, a loud chittering was heard, and Pickles emerged from beneath her hair. He scampered down Flo's arm onto the table, and confronted Peanut. A fierce round of chittering followed back and forth, and then Pickles lunged at Peanut, who deftly sidestepped, bounded up and over Pickles, and ran off down the table. Pickles screamed after Peanut while the others laughed.

"Guess she told you," Flo told Pickles, who twitched his tail and then made his way back up to his usual resting spot behind Flo's neck.

"Haven't you got control of her yet?" Gwen asked.

"How do you get control of a willful familiar?" Ellie asked. "She doesn't listen to anything I say."

"Gee, I know that feeling. At least your familiar can't trash your entire room with a single shout," Olissa said.

Ellie smiled. "I guess that's true. Still, I wish she'd settle down."

"She doesn't really seem to be much of a match for you," David said.

"Oh, she and I get along great, when she's not all hyper."

"And that would be..." David asked.

"When she's asleep, mostly," Ellie said with a grin.

The group laughed.

"Listen, since I'm here, David... you want to go out Friday?"

"Sure. Seven?"

"'kay. See you guys later."

"Well, Peanut sure made an impression," Gwen said with a grin.

"Is she always like that?" Simon asked.

"No, not really. But when she gets wound up, watch out. So, where you going to take her on Friday?" Gwen asked David.

"None of your business, Miss Nosy-Britches," David said with a grin. Gwen blushed while the others chuckled.

~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~

"You wanted to see me, Ma'am?" David asked. He had been called to the infirmary by Kippy. Dean Lengel was standing over one of the beds, where a boy named Walt was lying. He was in David's Herbology class, and had accidentally mishandled one of the plants. "Geez, Walt. You look like a pumpkin." The boy's skin was orange, and had a grainy texture to it.

"Thanks a lot, David," Walt said, his voice a little muffled because his face was too stiff to talk properly.

David grinned. "Hang in there, buddy. Annie will get you fixed right up." To the dean, he asked, "What did you need?"

"Mr. Orben's parents will be arriving in Gorumshead shortly. I'd like you to go meet them and escort them here. Also, you'll need to show them where they'll be staying while they're here."

"Okay... uh... where will they be staying?"

"In detention housing. Room 1 is actually just guest quarters."

David nodded, and the two walked away from Walt's bed. "Is this normally a job for the IO?"

"Yes, why?"

"I'm wondering, then, why you and the other staff have always been so involved when I've been injured."

"Two reasons," she said.

"Okay..."

"The first is that you have no family. When that happens, we try to fill in the support gap for the student."

"Okay. And the second reason?"

Dean Lengel looked at him as if he should know already. "Because you are our friend, David." She gazed at him intently, to make sure her message was getting through. Once she was sure of that, she said, "Anyway, please go down to the coach station. They will be arriving in about a half hour."

"Do I take them to quarters first, or to the infirmary?"

"Whichever. Taking them to their quarters first may take up less of your time."

David nodded. "Okay."

~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~

"Excuse me, Prof. Edgars," a small voice suddenly said to him.

Prof. Edgars looked up, to see the pixie floating next to him. "Yes, what can I do for you?"

"I hate to interrupt your class, but Dean Lengel needs one of your students, David Stroud, to report to her office immediately."

"Very well. Mr. Stroud, the Dean needs to see you. If you do not make it back to class, get your assignment from Miss Volaire."

"Yes, sir."

"What's this about?" Olissa whispered.

David shrugged. "No idea."

David packed his book bag and hurried out of class. He headed up to the Academy level, and over to Beckett Hall.

"Good afternoon, David. You can go on down to room 108. She's waiting for you there."

Room 108, David remembered, was the conference room where Officer Garibaldi had interrogated Cherise. That gave him something of a hint of what was going on.

David walked down the hall and knocked on the door.

"Come in," the dean's voice said.

David opened the door and stepped inside. "Madame Dean..."

In the room with Dean Lengel were Officers Garibaldi, Columbo, and one other that David didn't know.

"Joe, Vivian... I'm afraid I don't know you..."

"David, this is Agent Fred Wilson. He's the head of the local office."

"Sir," David said, shaking his hand. "What can I do for you guys?"

"There's been another burglary, David," the dean told him.

"Where were you today, around noon?" Agent Wilson asked politely.

"Noon... well, let's see, my Civics class ended at 10:30, and I went back to my dorm room to put up my books... I studied there for an hour or so, then I met my friends at Byron Hall... I guess at noon I was eating lunch, or in the lunch room, at any rate."

"Can anyone other than your friends corroborate that?"

"Why aren't his friends good enough?" Dean Lengel asked.

"Madame Dean... they're his friends. They would lie to protect him."

"I take offense to the notion that Woodward Academy students would lie-" the dean began, but David cut her off.

"Ma'am, he's just doing his job... and anyway, I don't need anyone to corroborate my story, as Officer Garibaldi well knows."

"I do?" Garibaldi asked.

"Joe, you put a trace on me the last time you were here."

"Oh, shit. I'd forgotten!"

David rolled his eyes, and Vivian chuckled. Agent Wilson said, "Let me get this straight. You've had a trace on you since the last robbery?"

"Yes, sir."

"By whose authority?" Agent Wilson asked, giving Officer Garibaldi a withering look.

"By mine," David said. Wilson looked at him. "I knew that I would be a prime suspect, because the burglar hasn't been leaving any clues as to how they're getting into the rooms. So, I figured it made sense to be a bit pro-active about clearing myself, and asked Garibaldi to put the trace on, just in case there was another theft."

Wilson nodded. "In that case, let's call up the trace." Wilson pulled out a piece of parchment and unrolled it on the table, using a couple books from the shelf to hold it open. Taking out his wand, he tapped the parchment and said, "Mostrala ubi cacho David Stroud." It was weird to David to hear his name incorporated into a spell like that.

On the parchment, a map suddenly appeared. It showed the floor plan of Beckett Hall. A flashing dot indicated David's location. Non-flashing dots seemed to show the position of Agent Wilson and the others.

"Okay, we know the trace is working," Agent Wilson said. "Now, we will have to track you for the last few hours. Mostrala ubi cacho David Stroud setrie gante," he told the parchment.

Suddenly, the page blanked, and redrew itself. This time, it showed the castle. A clock drawn in the upper left corner indicated that the time was 10:15am, four hours ago. It showed the flashing dot in the History classroom.

"I was in Civics at 10:15," David reminded them.

The clock moved forward quickly, at about one minute per second. Soon enough, it showed David the Dot moving out of the castle, and down the winding stairway to the Academy Moat. The dot moved across the terrace, and then down into Phoenix Dorm. The dot stayed put for about a minute, representing the hour that David had said he was studying.

While they watched the unmoving dot, David asked, "So, where was the theft?"

"Sphinx Dorm," Garibaldi told him.

"I haven't been there since last year, that I can recall," David told him. Garibaldi just nodded.

Soon, the dot began to move again. This time, it headed up to the terrace, where it met up with other dots, and then moved across to the lunch room. Again, the dot remained stationary for a while, then it moved across the terrace again, making its way to Alton Hall. It wiggled slightly as they moved around in the greenhouse during their lesson, but eventually the dot left the building, to come up to Beckett Hall. The clock stopped moving when it showed the current time, and David's current location.

"And that's that," Agent Wilson said. "Unless, that is, you're skilled enough to break a trace."

"That can be done?" David asked.

"Yes," Garibaldi told him. "And as an Advanced Divination student, you might know how to do it."

David grumbled. "So this didn't prove anything one way or the other."

"Actually, it did," Agent Wilson said. "You can use any piece of parchment you like to display a trace, but this particular piece of parchment is enchanted. Had the trace been tampered with, the parchment would have shown that. You would have to be a phenomenally good wizard to fool this kind of enchantment. Your Divination instructor indicates that you are quite capable, but that you haven't reached this level, yet."

David nodded. "So why did you suggest that I might be skilled enough to break the trace in the first place?"

"I wanted to see your reaction."

"Oh."

"Unfortunately, Madame Dean," Agent Wilson said, "With Mr. Stroud here ruled out, that leaves us with no suspects at all. We didn't find anything of use, once again."

Dean Lengel frowned. "We cannot let these crimes keep happening," she insisted.

"We're doing all we can."

"Can I make a request?" David asked.

They all looked at him.

"Could I take a look at the crime scene?"

"Why?" Agent Wilson asked.

"Well," David said, "it seems to me like someone is maybe trying to frame me for the thefts, and if that's the case, I'd like to nail their ass to the wall. But, also, I'm wondering if you guys might be missing something. I mean no disrespect, but it occurs to me that what seems out of place to you and what seems out of place to a current student might be two different things."

Agent Wilson frowned. "Unfortunately, I can't dispute that logic. On the other hand, to have a student poking around in an investigation..."

"A student who has helped us in the past, I should point out, Agent Wilson," Garibaldi said.

"Yes, I read Reed's report. He likes doing things his own way, I understand."

David tried not to bristle at that.

"He got the job done, is kind of the point, though."

"Fair enough. Madame Lengel, your opinion?"

"I trust David enough to have made him the school's Information Officer. I do think he should be escorted at the scene, however. Not because I don't trust him, but because it eliminates the possible claim of scene tampering."

Agent Wilson nodded. "Okay. Garibaldi, Columbo, you can take this one from here. I was only involved because of their relationship with Mr. Stroud," he explained to Dean Lengel. "Mr. Stroud... good luck, but if you do find something, don't go chasing criminals on your own."

"I know better than that," David assured Agent Wilson.

"Good." He nodded to everyone, and left the conference room.

"Come on, David. Let's go check out the room," Garibaldi said.

As they walked down to the dorm, David asked, "What was taken this time?"

"A book of poetry, a gold quill, and some jewelry again."

"Any of it worth any real amount of money?"

"Not really. The gold quill is worth about a hundred granas, and that would be the most valuable thing taken."

"I don't get this guy's motivation. He keeps stealing mostly worthless items."

"Maybe it's not a guy," Vivian said. "They keep taking jewelry, which might suggest a female."

"Fair enough, though wearing the stolen jewelry around school wouldn't be terribly bright."

"They're a thief. How bright can they possibly be?" Vivian asked.

David smiled at her. After another little while, he asked, "Say, why did Agent Wilson know so much about my Divination skills, if you hadn't told him about the trace?"

"You were a suspect. He did a full background check on you, including talking to every one of your instructors."

"Joy," David said sourly. They continued the rest of their walk in silence.

~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~

"What happened yesterday?" Olissa asked as soon as David sat down to breakfast. "You missed Conjuring class, and you weren't at dinner..."

"There was another theft," David said. The others at the table looked up.

"They don't suspect you, do they?" Gwen asked immediately.

"Well, they would have, but I had Joe put a trace on me the last time he was here, and that cleared me of suspicion."

"So, what took so long?" Olissa asked.

"I asked to see the crime scene."

"Why?" Simon asked.

David frowned. "Someone's working really hard to make it look like I committed these thefts. I don't like that. The Rimohrs aren't finding squat, so I thought maybe I might see something that they'd missed."

"Did you?" Flo asked.

"No," David said with a disappointed scowl.

~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~

David waved his hand in a tight arc, causing a splash of water to jump out of the moat. He was practicing his TEM, concentrating on the new skills. The water leapt upward, and before it had a chance to drop back down, David blew softly, causing a wind to arise. He moved his hands in the prescribed manner, and the water formed into a ball, hovering on a tight column of air. Slowly, he brought the water over the land, so that it was now spinning slowly a few feet in front of him.

Once he was sure that his sphere was stable, he began to manipulate the air column, making the ball slip this way and that, rising and falling. Eventually, he had it doing a loop.

He'd not been paying attention, but David had gotten the interest of passing students, most of whom were lower level than he. No one disturbed him, but they watched with some awe as he worked with the water and the air.

Inevitably, something had to interrupt. In this case, it was Aaron again.

"Showing off for the sycophants, Stroud?" he sneered.

David looked over at Aaron while keeping the ball of water suspended. David then looked around. He had been so intent on his practice that he'd not really noticed the crowd. He looked back to Aaron and shrugged, not deeming him worthy of a response.

Aaron didn't like being ignored. "You may think you're hot shit, Stroud, but you're not all that."

"Better than you," David said, returning his attention to his water globe.

Aaron sputtered for a second, then said, "We'll see about that!"

As Aaron reached for his wand, David's hands moved like lightning. The globe of water collapsed, shooting outward in a horizontal cylinder of water that impacted Aaron in the middle of his chest. The blast was so forceful it knocked him to the ground. He got up after a few seconds, soaked and sore.

"Yeah, I guess we did see," David replied, then turned and calmly walked off. The other students, who had been watching David, all laughed at Aaron, who stormed off in a rage.

~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~

"Now, I want you to take your viewing lenses and set them in front of you," Prof. Zoroaster said. He pulled a small blue ball out of his pocket, and set it on his desk. "I want you to focus the viewing lens on this object."

"But Professor," one of the students said, "What's the point? It's just sitting there."

"Ah, but the viewing lens will let you see who is carrying the ball. A viewing lens has to be focused on something for it to work. In this case, we will use the ball. When we're all ready, I'll have one of you take the ball and leave the room, and we will use our lenses to follow them."

David raised his hand. Prof. Zoroaster said, "Yes, David?"

"Just out of curiosity... when I went to the Centaur Games, they used viewing lenses for the steeplechase. What were those lenses focused on?"

Prof. Zoroaster grinned. "Those lenses are a couple steps up from these. They were enchanted to follow the leader of the race. It's a more difficult enchantment, since the focus can shift. For now, however, we will work with this simpler method. Now, go ahead and start your enchantments."

David looked at his notes, and then motioned with his hands while saying the spell. When he finished, the crystal in his viewing lens glowed a deep purple for about five seconds, and then faded. David picked up the lens and looked through it, and saw the ball sitting on Prof. Zoroaster's desk. He turned around on his stool, to face the back of the room, but the lens still saw the ball. Satisfied with this result, David nodded to himself, turned back around, and set his lens down to wait for the rest of the class.

After several more minutes, Prof. Zoroaster said, "Okay, now that we've all got something that we hope will work, it's time for the ball to go bye-bye. David, if you would, could you take the ball and leave the room? I'll watch through your lens, to make sure it works."

"Where do you want me to go, Professor?" David asked quietly as the professor handed him the ball.

Prof. Zoroaster shrugged. "Wherever you like. If I don't know where you're going, then they are certainly not going to know, unless their lenses work. Take your books with you; there's no need for you to come back here once we're done."

"Okay, Professor."

David packed up his notes, slung his pack on his back, and headed out. He wasn't sure where to go. He could go down to the terrace... but then he decided to go in a direction most other students wouldn't choose. He headed around to the stairs up to the castle. It was a snowy day, and David had to walk through several inches of it as he went up the stairs.

David moved quickly, as the class was nearing an end. He walked through the castle gate and looked around. The castle was always prettier in the winter, although it was hard for him to really see it right now, as the snowfall had just picked up strength. A strong wind was blowing, swirling within the castle walls, and making it very hard to see. David moved across the courtyard to the keep, stopping for a moment on the steps, which were protected from the snow by a roof. After stamping his feet clean of snow, he opened the door to the castle and headed inside.

David stepped into the Great Hall of the castle, which was lit by the torches on the walls. It felt warm in here, though David didn't know how they heated the castle.

A buzzing in his pocket told David he had a mirror call. He pulled it out and said, "Hello?"

Prof. Zoroaster was on the other end. "Thank you very much, David. We're finishing up class now, so you don't need to keep wandering. Your lens worked perfectly, by the way."

"That's good. Well, I'll see you next class, Professor."

"Good day,"

David fogged off, and was just about to put his mirror away when it buzzed again. He held it up. "Forget something, Professor?"

"I haven't been a professor in a while," Dean Lengel said with a grin.

David chuckled. "Sorry, ma'am. I was just talking to Prof. Zoroaster, and I thought he'd forgotten to tell me something. What can I do for you?"

"Where are you at the moment?" she asked.

"Up at the castle, why?"

"Oh, good. That's where I was about to send you. The snowstorm has gotten very bad, and it's not safe outside for people to be moving around. I've cancelled classes for the rest of the day. I need you to go tell each of the classes there in the castle that they need to stay put until I give the all clear. The food service pixies will serve dinner in the Great Hall."

"Yes, ma'am. I'll go do that now. How many classes are meeting right now?"

"Four."

"Okay. I'll get right on that. Do you need me to go anywhere else?"

"No. You should stay put as well. It's really nasty out there."

"I can travel by... other means, if you need me to..."

"No, we're handling everyone else. But the castle students have a good place to ride out the storm, so they might as well just stay there."

"Okay. Let me know if there's anything else I can do."

"Surely. Good luck."

David smiled as he fogged off. I'm not going into battle. It's just a snowstorm.

David knew that he wouldn't find each class fast enough, since their class period was almost up. He moved back to the front door and leaned against it, thus blocking anyone from leaving.

In a few minutes, students started streaming into the hallway. It was a first-year who reached David first.

"Uh, can you get out of the way, please?" the girl asked politely.

David shook his head. "You can't go out there."

"Who says?" another student, an older student, demanded.

"Dean Lengel."

"What the hell is this shit?" someone else shouted.

Just then, Prof. Gardner and Prof. Burke both showed up in the hallway. They had been talking with each other, and were a bit surprised to see a bunch of students milling about the entrance hall. They made their way to the door.

"David? What's going on?"

"The storm outside has gotten really nasty. Dean Lengel has closed the school, and she has directed us to stay in the castle for the duration of the storm."

"But I have to get to my next class!" one student whined.

"Your next class has been cancelled," David told her. "All classes are cancelled for the rest of the day. Look, the castle is well-heated, nicely lit, and very safe. The pixies will serve dinner in the Great Hall, and there are more than enough bedrooms in this place."

"What about the ghosts?" one of the students asked.

"I'm sure they'll make an exception at this time," Prof. Gardner said.

"I'll have a talk with Lord Woodward, to make sure there aren't any problems," David said quietly to the professor. Prof. Gardner nodded his thanks.

"Okay, everyone," Prof. Gardner said, turning to the group, "You heard him. Everyone just find somewhere to sit down and relax. It could be hours before this storm lets up. Use the time to study," he said, to the response of many groans.

At that, David wandered off to find Lord Woodward.

-----

Once David was done chatting with Lord Woodward, who had assured David that the ghosts understood the exceptional nature of the situation, he had then spent some time with Penny. If he was going to be forced to stay in the castle, he figured, he might as well do something pleasant to pass the time.

Now he was wandering the hallway on the entrance floor, where most of the other students were milling about. He made his way into the Great Hall, where someone - the pixies, probably - had installed picnic-style tables for them to sit at. He decided to just take a seat, as there was little else for him to do.

While waiting, David called Jailla, who was back in the dorm room, to let him know what was going on, and to see if Jailla had a better view from his window of how bad the storm was. The news was not good; the snow was still falling hard, and the wind wasn't easing off. Jailla assured David that he was fine, and could certainly manage until David got back.

After that, there was little for David to do. He didn't feel like studying, and so he just sat there, letting his thoughts wander.

After a little while, someone came and sat down beside him.

"Hey, Flo," David said in greeting. "I didn't realize you were stuck here, too."

"Yep," she said. "Heck of a storm out there," she told him.

"Yeah. Jailla says it shows no sign of slowing down. We could be here all night."

"Oh, well," she said. "At least we're warm."

David chuckled. "Yeah. Now our only danger is dying of boredom."

Flo giggled.

The two chatted for a while about school things and other trivialities. Soon it was time for dinner. The pixies popped in to ask what they wanted.

"What, no menus?" David asked.

"Due to the special nature of the evening," the pixie explained, "You may order whatever you like. It will, however, take longer for you to receive it."

Flo ordered a steak and potato. David went for spaghetti and meatballs. The pixie nodded, and disappeared in a flash.

As they were eating, David noticed that Flo kept looking up and around her, as if she was watching for something.

"Something the matter?" he asked.

"No, just... not used to being in here. Not like you. You seem to feel right at home."

David chuckled. "I spend a lot of time in the castle. It's all old hat to me now."

"The only rooms I know at all are the ones I've had classes in. Maybe after dinner, you could show me around. It'd kill some time, at least..."

"Sure."

When they'd both finished their meal, they got up and left the Great Hall. David asked, "So, you want to start from the top and work your way down, or start from the bottom and work your way up?"

"We're closer to the bottom, aren't we?"

David nodded. He led her over to the stairs, and they walked all the way down, until they'd reached the basement. It was a dark and somewhat forbidding place, with cells for keeping prisoners, and an apartment for the guard who must have spent his days watching over them. There were also storage rooms, but little else.

As they were heading back up to the first floor, Flo said, "I wouldn't have wanted to be that guard."

"Yeah, probably low guy on the totem pole. Either that, or maybe the job rotated, so no one had to do it for too long at once. I've never asked Lord Woodward about that."

The tour of the castle took a long time, since they were not in a hurry, and they decided to walk the entire length of every floor. They even climbed to the top of the South Tower. It was cold and windy, and the snow was still falling hard, so they didn't stay outside long. Finally, they ended up on the fifth floor, and entered the Master Bedroom. The one wall of the bedroom was made of floor-to-ceiling windows and a set of French doors which led out to the balcony, which gave them a view out to sea.

"You want to play some cards?" Flo asked. "I have a deck in my pocket..."

"Sure, why not?" David said. "We can sit on the bed."

Once they were situated, Flo pulled out the deck and began to shuffle it. "What shall we play?" she asked.

"Poker, I guess," David said.

"But we have no chips to bet with," she objected.

"Well, we could play strip poker..." he offered, clearly joking.

Flo giggled. "I don't think you really want to see me naked, and I'm not good at poker."

David grinned at her, and then said, "Well, actually, I've already seen you naked."

Flo got a strange look on her face, and said, "Awkward," drawing the word out.

"Sorry, maybe I shouldn't have said that."

Flo shrugged. "How about some gin rummy?"

"Okay."

As she dealt the cards, Flo asked, "So, when, exactly, did you see me naked?"

"You remember your first sex-date with Jim?"

"Vividly," she said with a grin.

"He made me come with him, to try to prevent... er... exactly what happened. Obviously, I didn't do a very good job."

Flo giggled. "So, did you leave when he left?"

"Shortly after that," David said.

"Uh-huh," Flo replied, with a knowing grin.

-----

David and Flo played various card games for hours, chatting with each other and killing time. Eventually, they both ended up lying down on the bed as they played, because it was a very comfortable bed.

Finally, even the card games had grown boring, and they gave up. Flo put the deck away, and the two stared at each other for a moment.

"Now what?" David asked. Flo giggled.

After a long moment of silence, Flo asked, "So, I have to ask. Did you... touch me... that night?"

"Why do you ask?" David replied.

"I think you know why. You did, didn't you?"

"Busted," David said, hoping she wasn't going to be mad at him for it. "I didn't want to leave you in the state you were in."

"Hmm," she said. Then she slid over, closer to him. "Well, thank you for that. It felt wonderful."

"Happy to help," David said with a smile.

Flo leaned in, and the two of them kissed softly for a long moment. When they broke their kiss, Flo looked into his eyes and smiled softly. "You sleepy at all?"

David gave her a one-shoulder shrug. "Sort of."

"Why don't we just go to sleep, then? We have this nice bed to lie on, and you'll keep me warm, won't you?" she asked, pushing herself against him.

David smiled at that. "Do what I can on that score," he replied. He slid his arm along her side, and then around to her back, and pulled her against him. She turned her head downward and settled it into David's shoulder. From that point on, they didn't say anything, and Flo was very quickly asleep. It took David quite a bit longer than that, but he, too, finally dozed off.

~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~

When Flo woke up, she saw David standing in front of the window, looking out at the world. She could see that the snow on the balcony was over a foot deep, but at least it seemed to have stopped falling.

As Flo sat up, David sensed her movement. "Good morning," he said quietly, turning halfway, so he could see her.

"Hey," she replied. She got up and walked over to where he was standing. She gave him a quick kiss, and then she snuggled against him, her arms wrapping around his chest. David embraced her, too, and they stayed that way for a little while.

Finally, Flo asked, "You been up long?"

"Hours. I don't need much sleep."

"That had to be boring, staring out the window and listening to me snore."

David chuckled. "You don't snore."

"Even worse! Didn't even have that to listen to!" she said with a giggle.

"I managed. Did you sleep okay?"

"Like a baby," she replied. "I'll be right back, okay?"

"Sure."

Flo went into the master bathroom and took care of her morning necessities. She was back out shortly, and returned to David's side.

"You think it's safe to go back to the dorms now?"

"Probably. Since the snow's not falling anymore, I bet they've already cleared paths."

"I guess we should go, then, huh?"

David shrugged noncommittally. She stood with him, staring out the window. Finally, David spoke.

"You want to go out with me tonight?"

"Sure. Where to?"

"We could go to a movie."

"Where are you going to find a movie, here?"

David grinned. "I figured we could go to Earth."

"Okay, sure. Sounds like fun. Play your cards right, and you might get to see me naked again."

David raised his eyebrows and grinned, and then kissed her softly. She increased the pressure of their kiss, and David held her more tightly. They remained that way for a solid minute. Finally, though, they had to separate.

"We should go now. It'll be breakfast time soon," David told her.

"Okay." She stepped away from him, and then called out, "C'mon, Pickles!"

Pickles, who had been sleeping in a chair, got up and bounded over to her, climbing her as if she were a tree, and then settling down behind her neck, covered almost entirely by her hair.

"Isn't having him there uncomfortable?" David asked.

"No. He's been there so long now that I hardly even notice. It was a bit weird in the first week or two, but he doesn't weigh that much, so it's not a problem."

David nodded. The two chatted as they made their way out of the castle. People were still asleep, some of them sleeping in the hallway. David shook his head at them. The castle was literally full of beds to sleep on, and they chose to sleep on stone.

Outside, the day was clear, and the sun was shining brightly. There was no path across the castle grounds, and the snow was deep enough to be difficult to wade through.

"Do you know a snow-removal spell?" Flo asked. "I can't think of what to use."

"Hono ventus would work just fine, but I'm thinking I want to try something."

David concentrated, staring at the snow in front of him. He worked hard to envision what he was trying to do, and then he raised his hands high in front of him, paused a moment, then brought them down and outward in a grand sweeping motion that moved up and down like a wave.

Before them, the snow leapt upward, and then sideways, starting nearest them and quickly moving away. It cleared a path, mounding the snow to either side.

"Wow," Flo said. "I'm impressed. What was that?"

"Aquamandy. It's just frozen water..."

Flo laughed, and the two walked off the castle grounds and down the stairs, heading for breakfast.

-----

As David walked to his Conjuring class, he watched the children of the faculty members playing in the deep snow. Snowmen dotted the landscape everywhere. There was even a snowman honor guard flanking the walkway up to Beckett Hall. David chuckled as he saw that. Kids were having snowball fights, and even some of the students were joining in, building snow forts for the kids to hide behind.

Despite the festive atmosphere, David himself was a bit nervous, as he considered his date with Flo later in the day. He wondered if she had been trying to get him to ask her out from the very beginning of the night, or if things had just happened naturally. He stuck a pixie stick in his mouth as he considered it. He knew it didn't really matter that much. After all, if she had been so interested in going out with him that she'd planned out a way to entice him to ask her out, how was that a bad thing? Still, he was a bit nervous.

His walk to class was pleasant and uneventful, other than his nervousness. He was alone because he'd been studying in his dorm room, and hadn't caught up with any of his classmates on the way. He tried to refocus his thinking on Conjuring, which was a sure way to get himself in a good mood. He loved conjuring, now that Quayde was gone.

The paths had all been cleared of snow, and only a light dusting clung to people's feet. Nevertheless, enchantments had been placed at all building entrances which instantly dried pant legs and shoes. David stopped for a second to let his boots be dried, but then he moved on toward class, a smile on his face as he anticipated a fun hour.

-----

"How was your pot roast?" David asked as they waited for their server to bring the dessert menu.

"Tasty," she said with a grin.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it." In a few seconds, the server showed up with the menu.

David said, "Before you bother looking through the menu, I think what you want is probably the Death By Chocolate."

Flo's eyes lit up. "Yes, I definitely want that!" she agreed.

The waiter nodded. "And you, sir?"

"Strawberry shortcake."

"Very good."

When the waiter departed, David said, "I know how much you like chocolate..."

"I love chocolate," Flo said. "I had to stop working at the candy store. I was gaining too much weight!"

"You look fine to me," David said, to which she graced him with a smile.

When the waiter brought their plates, he set down David's first. Then he placed a platter in front of Flo. On it was a large piece of chocolate cake, covered in chocolate butter cream frosting, with chocolate mousse between the layers. Next to it sat a double-fudge brownie, topped with chocolate-chocolate-chip ice cream, all drizzled with chocolate syrup. A few shaved chocolate curls adorned the top. Two chocolate truffles finished off the plate.

"Oh, my," Flo said, her eyes widening in glee.

David chuckled as he watched her pick up her fork and study her dessert like a lion sizing up a zebra. Finally, she attacked.

For the first several bites, Flo said nothing. Finally, she looked at David and said, "That whole naked thing is looking really good for you."

David laughed, and said, "Glad you like it."

"Oh, god. I'll explode if I eat all this, but I can't help myself!"

David ate his shortcake sedately, while he watched Flo devouring her dessert like it was the first thing she'd had to eat in days. It didn't take long before her platter was cleaned off.

"Wow. That was amazingly good," she said. "But I'm not sure if I can move, now."

David grinned. "And now you know the purpose of the movie. It's to let dinner settle."

Flo chuckled at that. "What are we going to see, anyway?"

David shrugged. "I don't even know what's playing. We'll just have to pick one when we get there."

"Nothing sad," she told him.

David nodded in agreement.

-----

They had chosen a romantic comedy when they got to the theater, and the movie itself was fairly entertaining. By the end of it, Flo had snuggled against David, her head on his shoulder, while his arm was wrapped around her, his hand resting on her side.

When the movie ended, the two left the theater and hailed a cab back to the hotel where the travel gate was located. In short order, they were riding the rock lift back to their dorm.

Flo, who had been holding on to David's arm throughout their travel, turned to him and asked, "Your place, or mine?"

David grinned at her. "Yours," he said after a second's thought. He wasn't going to say it to her, but he didn't want to make Jim uncomfortable by bringing her into the dorm room. At least, not unless they ended up dating long-term.

They made their way to her bedroom, and David closed the door behind them. Flo had already removed her coat by the time he turned around. She was facing away from him, and so he stepped behind her and embraced her, his hands resting on her waist and pulling her back into him.

"Mm," she hummed, enjoying the feel of his hands on her body.

David kissed the base of her neck, nibbling lightly and flicking his tongue over her skin. Flo giggled and shivered, but did not pull away from him.

After a long moment, David finally reached down and grabbed the hem of her shirt, which was a loose-fitting pullover. He slowly pulled her shirt up her body, exposing her belly, and then her bra-clad chest. Finally, he got the shirt off her, dropping it to the floor and returning his hands to her waist. Without her shirt, it was clear that Flo had a little extra weight, but David didn't care; she was still very attractive. He returned to kissing her neck for a while, until she was squirming against him. Her movements were making his cock hard, since her butt was rubbing back and forth against it.

After a while, David moved his hands from her waist so that he could unfasten her bra. When he did, she shrugged, and the garment fell free, exposing her ample chest to the air. David looked over her shoulder to see, enjoying the view. He slid his hands around to her front, and he cupped her breasts gently, fondling them for a long while, causing Flo to moan in pleasure.

Flo didn't wait for David to remove her pants, mainly because she didn't want his hands to leave her breasts. She unfastened them and shoved them, with her panties, down her legs. After that, she leaned back into David, making sure her butt rubbed against his cock, keeping him nice and hard.

"Okay," David said, teasing in his voice, "I've seen you naked again. Do I have to leave now?"

"Don't you dare," Flo replied huskily. She suddenly broke from David's grip, and climbed onto the bed. She stayed on her hands and knees, and looked back over her shoulder at him. "What you have to do is get naked and get over here!"

David smiled, and then quickly removed his clothes. Flo watched him over her shoulder, her eyes taking in his body. She stared at his cock hungrily as he moved to the bed. He slipped in behind Flo, his cock resting in her ass crack while his hands caressed her lower back and ass.

"Mm," Flo said, "That feels nice. Now fuck me with it!"

David chuckled softly as he leaned back and positioned his cock head against her opening. He pushed forward slowly until the head of his dick slipped inside her, causing her to moan softly. At that point, he slid in the rest of the way in one quick thrust.

"Oh, my!" Flo cried out. "Very nice!"

David gripped her hips, and started to move within her at a rapid pace. He felt her pussy squeezing him as he thrust, and Flo was moaning and uttering encouragement as he fucked her. He could feel his own climax approaching, and he tried to hold that at bay as long as he could. It was a losing game, however, as her pussy continued to ripple along his length. He grunted loudly as he came, spewing his load deep into her pussy.

Once he'd come down from his high, he did not pull out of Flo. He continued to rock his hips, moving within her. After another minute, though, Flo moved off him. She turned, and then she lay down, her face now staring up at his cock.

"Bring that wonderful thing down here," she told him. David leaned forward, and Flo reached out, taking his cock in hand. She held it up out of the way, and began to lick and suck on his balls. David groaned at how good that felt.

Finally, she pulled his cock down, and ran her tongue along the underside. David leaned forward some, and she immediately slipped his dick into her mouth, sucking on it.

After a few seconds, David leaned even further forward. This allowed his dick to slide fully into her mouth, and she began to blow him in earnest. Meanwhile, he reached out and urged her to spread her legs. When she did, he bent forward and swiped his tongue across her clit.

Flo shivered, and groaned, causing vibrations on his cock. David smiled, and then set to work on her clit, flicking it with the tip of his tongue, and then sucking on it. Flo's mouth slowed on his dick as she was becoming more and more distracted by the pleasure David was giving her. She didn't stop, however, and her moans added wonderful feelings to her sucking.

David continued to work over Flo's clit, and then he stuck a finger deep into her cunt. Flo groaned out in passion, her body heating up rapidly. It wasn't much longer before Flo screamed around David's cock, her body twitching as her orgasm washed over her.

As Flo's climax reached its peak, David finally let go of her clit, and he slowly removed his finger from her pussy. He sat up, which pulled his dick out of her mouth, and then he turned around, so that they were pointing the same direction.

Flo didn't resist as David rolled her onto her side. He lifted her top leg, and then he slid his cock slowly into her pussy, which was very wet, very warm, and very tight. It felt wonderful. Once he was fully inside, he let her leg down, which caused even more pressure against his dick.

Moving slowly this time, David slid in and out of Flo at an almost leisurely pace. He caressed her leg as he moved, and she turned her head to smile up at him.

"That feels so nice," she told him.

David leaned forward, and he slid his hand onto her breast, caressing and fondling it gently. Flo hummed in appreciation.

David kept up his slow fucking of Flo for a long time, the two of them almost relaxing as they coupled. Finally, though, he sensed that she was ready for another orgasm. He sat up straighter, and took hold of her legs, turning her so that she was on her back now. He laid his body over her, kissing her passionately. Their tongues were quickly involved, and David began to speed up his movements. They were still not rushing things, however.

Slowly, their movements intensified, the couple moving in unison as their passions rose. In due course, they were thrusting together forcefully, pushing each other toward their peaks.

Flo arrived first, crying out in pleasure, her eyes fixed on David's. David thrust faster, increasing her orgasm's strength, until finally, he slid into her all the way and froze, cumming himself, his seed bursting forth amid grunts and groans of pleasure.

For a long moment, the two remained locked together, their bodies frozen, their eyes staring into the other's. Finally, though, they had to come down, and when they did, they both smiled.

David pulled out of Flo, and then he settled onto the bed beside her. He pulled her to him, turning her so that they were spooning. His softening cock was resting against the bottom of her ass, and his hand rested gently on her breast. She snuggled back against him, enjoying the feel of him in the afterglow of good sex.

As they were resting, David took the chance to look around the room. He'd never been in Flo's room before, and he was interested to see how she had decorated. He was pleased to see that the stuffed unicorn he'd gotten her for her birthday was sitting prominently on top of her dresser. Several other stuffed animals adorned various other spots, as well. Next to her dresser, he saw a collection of slippers. Fuzzy bunny slippers, fuzzy kitten slippers, fuzzy puppy slippers, fuzzy...

"Are those guinea pigs?" David asked incredulously.

Flo giggled. "Yeppers!"

David chuckled. She was clearly an animal person.

For a long time after that, neither of them said anything. Finally, David said, "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Why didn't you ever date Jim? Was he that bad in bed?" David asked, his tone clearly indicating he was joking.

Flo giggled. "Well, he wasn't very good, but that was just inexperience. I don't date long-term, David. I don't want to be tied down to anyone right now. Maybe after I leave school... or when I get older, I'll want to settle with someone. Right now, I just want to enjoy myself."

"Fair enough," David told her. "So we won't be doing this again?"

Flo turned over to face him, and with a hungry gleam in her eyes, she replied, "I didn't say that." She grinned at him.

"Oh-ho," David said with a grin. "So that's how it is."

"Mm-hmm," she replied.

David kissed her deeply, and she reciprocated. Soon, their coupling started again.

~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~

"Hey, David... What's with you and Flo lately?" Gwen asked. "You two have been a lot chummier since that snowstorm."

David grinned and said, "That's a self-answering question, Gwen. We've gotten... chummier."

"You guys are dating now? What about Ellie?"

"Well, first off, you already know that Ellie and I are non-exclusive. I will date other girls while still spending time with Ellie. As to Flo and me... Flo doesn't want a relationship with anyone at the moment. She wants to explore, experiment, and have some fun while she's young and can enjoy it. So, we're not a couple or anything. We just... grew a bit closer."

"Just how close?" Olissa asked with a grin. They were all walking up to their Civics class together.

David shrugged. "Close enough," he replied with raised eyebrows. Olissa giggled.

"You really ought to settle down with someone," Jess said. "Just how many girls are you dating right now?"

"That would all depend on what qualifies as dating, at this point. And I see no reason to settle down with anyone until the right someone makes herself known. It's not like I really need to be in a hurry about it, is it?"

Jess frowned slightly, but shook her head. "No, I guess not. I guess I'm just more conservative about the whole dating thing. One at a time, is my motto."

David shrugged. "If that's what works for you, go with it. I seem to keep encountering women who are willing to be with me, but who don't want that whole long-term commitment thing, so I'm going with the flow... so to speak."

The group laughed at the pun, and they carried on toward Civics class.

~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~

"Okay, today we learn a rather noxious little hex," Prof. Phillips said to the class. "In fact, I'm sure most of you have heard it before, used as a rather mild pejorative. At least, those of you raised in Dugerra. I'm not sure if it's a typical Earth curse or not. The hex is slappywag."

Many of the students laughed, and Prof. Phillips grinned.

"Yes, yes. It is somewhat silly sounding. It's pejorative use implies a rather dull, uneducated and nonintellectual individual. A dunce, if you will. Its magical use, however, is somewhat more odious.

"Slappywag, the hex, is an illness hex. The person affected will find themselves nauseous, their head will be heavy and unfocused, their sinuses will create a great deal of mucus, endless sneezing fits and coughing fits will ensue, and the victim will run a high fever for some time. The duration of slappywag depends mainly on the strength of the hexer versus the victim. If the victim is a fairly weak wizard, he or she may never be able to break slappywag on their own, and will require the services of a healer. Any competent healer can reverse the effects of slappywag in a few minutes.

"By itself, slappywag is not fatal. However, it severely draws down on the body's resources, making the victim more susceptible to other issues. For this reason, it is not advisable to use slappywag on anyone you're not willing to see dead.

"Now, if you will pair up and approach your practice dummies, we can begin the exercise. The intonation is, of course, 'slappywag!' and the wand action is as follows." Prof. Phillips moved his wand in the sort of casting motion one associates with a fishing pole. "The full swing is necessary for successful casting of the hex. Now, all of you, give it a go, on the practice dummies only, please."

David turned to watch Olissa, as it was her turn to go first. She gave it a try, but the practice dummy choked himself, indicating she'd not gotten it right.

"You're sidearming it a bit," David told her.

"Huh?"

"You're moving your arm like this," he said, showing her that her casting motion moved off to one side, rather than remaining perfectly vertical. "You need to keep your arm straight up and down."

Olissa nodded, and then she gave it another try. This time, the practice dummy gave her a thumbs up. Olissa nodded firmly in satisfaction.

"Thanks," she said to David.

"No problem." David stepped in front of the dummy, raised his wand, flicked his arm forward and snarled, "Slappywag!"

The dummy actually rocked back slightly, and then gave David two thumbs up.

"Feeling a little angry today, are we?" Prof. Phillips asked, having seen David's attempt.

David grinned sheepishly. "Just imagining an enemy," David told him.

Prof. Phillips smiled. "Just don't go using it on them in real life."

"Yes, sir."

As Prof. Phillips walked away, Olissa asked, "Who were you thinking of?"

"Aaron."

Olissa giggled and said, "Ah, him."

"Yeah, him."

"Don't let him bother you, David. He's just a loudmouthed jerk."

"I know, but that's precisely what bothers me about him."

Olissa smiled and touched his arm, then the two of them went back to practicing their lesson.

~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~

"I'm not getting this," Tony growled.

"Don't let yourself get frustrated," David told him. "That aggravation just screws up your focus, making it that much harder to get it right. This isn't Star Wars. Here, there is such a thing as trying."

Tony chuckled at David's reference. "Yeah, well I've been trying for two weeks, with no success. If I don't get this, I won't pass this class, right?"

"Probably not."

"Which means I can't progress in Conjuring."

"True..."

"I want to learn the damned Conjuring Room! I've seen you and some of the professors use it. It's damned cool, and really convenient."

"You'll get no argument from me on that... but it's not a really easy thing to do. I don't want to sound negative, but if you can't get this right... you are going to have a really hard time with the Conjuring Room."

"I know! That's why I'm frustrated!"

David chuckled. "I get ya. Just keep practicing."

"Okay. Thanks."

David moved on to another student who seemed to be having trouble. Prof. Blackstone was working intensely with one of the students who had missed a couple days of class due to an accident in Potions class, so David was left to help out the students who were struggling.

David stopped to watch Flo, who was struggling a bit.

"What am I doing wrong?" she asked David.

"Nothing visible," David said. "So that can only mean you're losing concentration at some point. Conjuring requires you to stay focused all the way through. You can't relax until the ball is actually fully formed inside the cup. Try again."

Flo did, but the ball materialized above the cup. It did, however, fall into the cup once she was done.

"That does not count," David said with a grin.

"But it's in the cup!" she objected with a corresponding smile.

"But you didn't put it there. Gravity did."

"Party pooper," she said with a mock pout.

David chuckled, squeezed her arm gently in support, and then moved on to someone else.

For the rest of the class, David continued to move around, helping out where he could. Finally, Prof. Blackstone called out, "Okay, that's all for today. Keep working on this lesson. We will do another day on it next time, for those of you who are still struggling. See you next class."

As David was putting his book back in his backpack, Prof. Blackstone came over to him.

"Anything I need to know about?" he asked.

"Tony is still not getting it," David told him. "I realize it's not my call to make, but I don't think he's going to get past this."

"Do you think a concerted effort would help him?"

David grimaced. "I want to say yes, because I don't want to just write him off, but... honestly? I don't think so. I think he's reached his limit. He understands what he's supposed to be doing, he just can't do it. He's just like I was with Metamorphosis."

Prof. Blackstone nodded. "I'll have a talk with him, then."

"Yes, sir."

"Do you have any more classes today?" Prof. Blackstone asked.

"Yeah, I have TEM right after this."

"Okay. Could you come see me after you're done with TEM? I'll be in my office."

"Sure."

"See you later, then."

-----

David re-entered Hyneman Hall after his TEM class had finished up. He wondered just what it was that Prof. Blackstone wanted to talk to him about. He figured he'd find out soon enough, as he knocked on the door to his office.

"Come in."

David opened the door and entered the office. "You wanted to see me, Professor?"

"Yes. C'mon in and have a seat."

David did so, and looked around the office curiously. He'd only been in here a couple times, and it seemed like it changed each time. Prof. Blackstone apparently liked variety.

"So, David. I wanted to let you know that, as a teaching assistant, you've been doing a remarkably good job."

"Thank you, sir."

"Of course, as a student, your performance is unsurpassed. You have a real talent for Conjuring."

David smiled at the compliment. "It's one of my favorite subjects, now."

"Now that Prof. Quayde isn't the one teaching you, you mean?"

"Yes, sir," David replied with a grin.

Prof. Blackstone nodded. "How busy is your school schedule?"

David shrugged. "No busier than most people's, I guess. I am taking seven classes, but one of those is a physical class. Of course, as school Information Officer, I am randomly called on to do things. Why do you ask?"

"Any other clubs or such that you belong to?" Prof. Blackstone asked, ignoring the question for the moment.

"I'm a member of the Peg Riding Club. We only meet every other week, on Saturday."

"I see. Would you feel comfortable taking on any more duties?"

"Well, honestly, that would depend on what the duty was, Professor."

Prof. Blackstone nodded. "As I said earlier, your work as a student is unsurpassed. I haven't seen someone your age as good as you are in over ten years. I made the same request of that student as I am now making of you."

"And that is?"

"I would like you to become my apprentice."

David was not completely shocked, given the way the conversation had gone. He was, however, still a bit surprised. He had, after all, just finished his last apprenticeship a month before.

"Are you sure, Professor?"

"Couldn't be more so. I was impressed with you the day you took your challenge exam, and you have not disappointed me since. You have all the makings of a conjuring master. You... are fully finished with your Potions apprenticeship, correct?"

"Yes, sir. I received Mastery last month."

"Good. I was aware of your presentation day, but I didn't know if you and Prof. Stott were continuing on with further collaboration or not."

"No, sir. We see each other on occasion, but we're no longer working together."

"Well, I hope, then, that you will give some serious consideration to my request. I'd hate to see your innate talent go to waste."

"I wouldn't have to invent new ways to conjure things, would I? I mean, inventing new potions was tough enough..."

Prof. Blackstone chuckled. "No, no. Your Presentation Day for conjuring is a test of skill. You will be pushed, David, to your limits. As my apprentice, you will be failing at tasks a lot, because as soon as you can perform them correctly, I will move you on to something harder."

David nodded in understanding. "How long does a typical conjuring apprenticeship last?"

"From the point you're at right now, I wouldn't expect it to take you more than two or three years. We would meet twice a week, in the evening, for two to three hours each time. It would be one-on-one instruction, just you and me. I will teach you everything I know about conjuring, and, in fact, I may even bring in a couple other conjurers, to teach you some things that I'm not especially good at."

David nodded again.

"I'll understand if you need some time to think it over," Prof. Blackstone told him. "You don't need to give me an answer right now, if you feel you need time to think about it."

"I don't need any time to think," David said. "Like I told Prof. Stott when she approached me, it would be stupid of me to pass up the opportunity you're offering. If you think highly enough of me to make the offer, it would also be rude to turn you down."

Prof. Blackstone grinned at that. "Well, hooray for politeness," he said. David chuckled.

"So, when do we start?"

~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~
~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~~≈≡≈~~