Lesson 1: Make a good enough first impression

            “Welcome to Magnolia High, school of the Dark Arts. Being accepted at this esteemed high school means that you’ve been trusted with the knowledge of the most powerful magic in the known universe,” Professor Vain, headmaster of the school, said. He was a short, round man with a smiling face. He looked nothing like his brother, head of the Holy School of Magic. His brother, Professor Brood, was a tall, thin, dark man with a haggard face. Vain was a very flamboyant man, as could be seen in his style of dressing; he wore many outrageous outfits, including a few ancient magician hats and robes. He continued in his high voice, “As you know, this school has few, although strict, rules. There shall be no fighting and getting caught. There will be absolutely no forbidden magic used without permission and the third and final rule is: Aim to steal your teacher’s badge. Stealing this means you were able to overcome one of the most powerful people in the world. If you attempt to steal the badge and are injured or killed in the process, you’re to blame. Now first years please find an upperclassman that is willing to test your capabilities. Normally a teacher would do this, but this way you’ll make new friends.”

A loud ruckus followed as twelve-hundred people moved and shuffled about. After some time, everyone but one boy was partnered with someone and had quietly begun to assess the first year students’ powers.

The boy looked around, unable to find a partner. Before the teachers could find him unable to have a partner, he felt someone grab his arm. They pulled him to a corner of the room and sat him down.

“Thank you! I’m Blake Childers. Who are you,” the boy said to the girl who pulled him aside.

“Blake Childers, you should be more careful. If you had been seen without a partner, you would have been expelled. The exams to enter the school aren’t finished. This test sees if your power level is high enough to be noticed by upperclassmen. Now, Blake Childers, hold out your hands and I’ll begin to test your power,” the girl said. Blake looked at her. She had a pretty face. Her brown eyes were cold as stone. She had long, black hair.

Blake did as she told him, holding out his hands. She looked at them and then grabbed his right hand, holding it between both of hers. She closed her eyes and held his hand tighter. Quickly, she pulled on his hand and he fell forward, his face colliding with hers. She tilted her head right before he could hit her, making it so that he kissed her. He felt magic on her lips, a cold and bitter magic.

Hers was a magic that did terrible things. But as she kissed him, the magic warmed and became sweet in his mouth. Then he heard her voice deep within his mind.

This is an ancient way of finding out a person’s magical potential. I can put a small amount of magic into you and access all your thoughts and memories. There is no need to get upset, Blake Childers; I didn’t go through any more than needed. I respect people’s boundaries if they respect mine. The voice died as she pulled away from him. “To be honest, Blake Childers, I’m impressed by your potential. Already, I can tell you’ll exceed every other freshman. But do not get lost in the power, Blake. Don’t get lost,” she said as she stood up and walked away.

Blake looked after her wondering what she meant by getting lost. Blake jumped as he felt a hand clap his shoulder. His second year friend, Blair Wormwood, smiled at him. “So, Blake, who assessed your power?”

“I don’t know her name. She was powerful though, I could tell from the magic I felt when she kissed me.”

“Kissed you? Boy you work fast, already hitting on girls, eh?”

“What do you mean? Don’t you kiss to assess power? That’s what she said. Oh, look, Blair! There she is,” Blake pointed to his left.

Blair looked and gasped. “Her?! She assessed your power? Damn, you lucky b*****d. Don’t you know who that is? She’s one of the school bad-asses! Her name is-” Blair stopped as the headmaster began to speak again.

“Sorry, boys and girls. I have the teacher vote for class president. This year’s president will be Raven Darke, a third year girl,” as he spoke, the girl Blake had been pointing to looked up. She walked over to the headmaster, followed by two boys.

“Thank you Headmaster Vain and the rest of the staff. I’ll be a fair class president. I have high expectations of this year’ freshmen class.”

“As is customary at Magnolia, is there a freshman you would like to have assisted you? I am aware these two already do almost everything you tell them to, but it is custom to ask, you see.”

“Actually, Headmaster Vain, I have a freshman in mind,” She spoke louder into the microphone, “Would Blake Childers please assist me this year?”

Blake and Blair stood staring at the stage. Then Blair shoved him towards the stage and the two boys who had followed Raven grabbed him and hauled him onto the raised stage. Raven looked down at him and Blake suddenly felt very small in his light t-shirt and blue jeans. Raven asked him directly, “Would you do me the honor of being my assistant?”

“Uh, ah… Yes. Yes I will. Thank you,” Blake said quietly. Raven nodded and turned to the headmaster. The two talked together for some time until the large spell room was empty of most of the student, who had gone to their dorms.

“Goodnight, Raven. You, too, Blake. I expect many things from you two,” Vain said before Blinking out of the room.

Blair, who had been waiting by the walls, came over and shoved Raven in the chest. “What are you up to, Raven?! There is no way you’d choose Blake over your stooges! What are you planning?!” Blair shouted at her. The two boys came up and the bigger of the two put Blair in a full nelson to pull her away.

Raven looked at her and then to the two boys. “Come on Wolff, Viper. We’re leaving. I have no need to be awake all night because someone cannot accept that she didn’t get to be school president.” Raven grabbed Blake’s hand, holding it gently, and looked at him. “Come on, we’ll be staying in the President’s Dorm near the faculty sleeping quarters. Your things are already there. Count yourself lucky, we won’t have anyone to keep us up all night, unlike those who live in the crowded commoner’s dorms.” She walked off, leaving Blair watching her friend be taken away with the school jerks.

 

When Raven stopped in the hallway outside the two large rooms, she looked at Blake, who was slightly shorter than herself. Then she looked at Wolff and Viper, two big and hulking muscular wizards.

“Wolff! Viper! You’ll be staying in the room on the left. Blake and I will stay in the President room. Make sure you two go to sleep; we have nearly twice as much work to do now. I’ll see you two in the morning, at five o’clock sharp. Now off you go.” The two large wizards shuffled through the small door and closed it behind themselves.

Blake looked at Raven with apprehension. He would be sharing a room with her for an entire year, he thought. How? But as he walked into the large, suite-like room, and found all his belongings around a big, soft bed, he began to feel tired. He lied down on the thick bed and fell asleep without even changing out of his clothes.

Raven watched him fall asleep. What a cute kid, she thought. But then she remembered the power she felt within him. She made the right move keeping him close. If something happened to awaken that power, she doubted the headmaster could stop it. So she, Wolff and Viper would have to prevent it from fully awakening. She sighed and got up. She washed up in the hot, deep waters of the bath and put on a warm night dress.

Raven was too tired to cast a Doppelganger on the bed to make another. So she lay on the end on the bed, far away from Blake, who was curled up near the headrest. Raven would cast the Doppelganger in the morning before he woke up. Until then, she would just sleep near the footrest of the ultra-large bed.