"I
suppose you might not have considered," said Headmistress
McGonagall, her face utterly stern, "that the school actually
has a policy
regarding rooftop rambling."
Five
children stood in McGongall’s office, four of them looking
sheepish, and only Iphis maintained a cool and steady resolve. He
shrugged. "I will admit it did not come up in our studies, but
the details of Wizarding law are not part of our curriculum nor our interests."
"No
indeed," said McGonagall, fixing Iphis with a glare, "you
certainly have demonstrated your willingness to flout the law
whenever it gets in the way of your
ambitions. But, yes, to be clear – excuse me." She waved her
wand, and a thick book floated from the shelf behind her to rest upon
the desk, spine facing the children – Hogwarts School Rules.
"Page 1193, Paragraph 12, sub-paragraph 36. Students are
forbidden from climbing or jumping on castle structures, including
walls, roofs, projections, poles, and any other such element of
architecture or landscape, unless
supervised by a member of the faculty or staff in the process of
classroom instruction, with a penalty of not less than one week’s
detention and a loss of twenty house points for each student
involved."
"Goodness,"
said Jocasta, "I certainly never would have thought to prohibit
such a thing."
"You especially would not have thought to
prohibit anything," said McGonagall.
Jocasta laughed nervously. "Guilty as charged."
"Perhaps not the phrase to be using in
this circumstance," said McGonagall. "And whether or not
you would have thought of it, believe me, somewhere along the line
some child has done something that necessitated an addition to the
rules. This castle has been around for a while, you realize."
"A thousand-odd years of
loophole-closing," said Sparrow. "But...if there’s that
many rules, how in Heaven’s name can anyone possibly remember all
of them to enforce them?"
"With
a lot
of practice,"
said Mcgonagall, giving the children a sharp look. "Don’t
think you can find
a rule to flout that I don’t know about."
"And you would set us what punishment?"
said Wren. "Detention or suspension, both are redundant in our
case."
Sparrow
elbowed Wren. "Don’t stamp your feet when you’re on thin
ice, dummy."
"Thin
what?"
"Wise
words," said McGonagall.
"Now,
it is certainly not impossible for met to set smaller detentions
within your overarching suspension. It would be a way for me to be
certain where you were and what you were up to at any given moment. I
might be well-advised
to do so, in order to make an example for any children who would wish
to follow your antics."
Wren winced.
"Or," said McGonagall, "I could
follow the tiny little loophole embedded in the rule, and declare
that your presence on the rooftops was part of a classroom exercise
that I set, with me as your teacher, following along as a cat –
which, amusing as it sounds, would certainly be bending the rules out
of shape! I have done as much as I can for you all in that regard as
it is. I have my authority to consider."
"So what is it then?" said Sparrow.
"What would our detention be?"
McGonagall
leaned back in her chair, and considered for a moment. "Yes,
indeed, what ought it to be? What is the only sort of consequence
that would actually get a lesson through your heads? I wonder...oh, I
know." She snapped her fingers. "It’s the same manner
of consequence that I have
set
before.
If bounding over the rooftops is what you wish to do, then it is what
you will do, every
afternoon, under the supervision of a
faculty member, until such time as I believe you all have mastered
the art. It will be another
part of your accelerated training."
Sparrow grimaced. "Such a punishment would
certainly be consistent."
"You can’t just let us off with a
warning?" said Jocasta. "Let us promise to be good?"
McGonagall
scoffed. "Please! I already know you all intend to do
good, which typically precludes the idea of being
good. Action versus
obedience, and all that. And
you know, if you are all wishing to rush
into adulthood
as you seem to wish, then the consequences for your actions ought to
be more adult, which is to say, more real."
"This will present an extra challenge,"
grumbled Iphis. "We still have so much to study for, and to
force us to spend time in the middle of the day doing nothing
academic –"
"It will present us a welcome chance to
stretch our legs," said Jill, "practice a particular spell,
and prevent us from mental exhaustion. Thank you, Headmistress, I
think this is an excellent idea." She shot a glance at Iphis,
who was looking annoyed. "Really, Iffy, as much as I hate to say
it to one of your intellect, you do need to take your nose out of
your book now and then. We have
already discussed the matter of burnout."
Iphis rolled his eyes. "You would know about burnout." This caused both
Sparrow and Jocasta to glare at him, and he seemed to realize his
impertinence, quietly clearing his throat and looking away.
"Let me make one more thing abundantly
clear," said McGonagall, leaning forward to fold her hands on
the desk. "I did mention arrogance. I worry that, as I have
directed you to a course of self-study and let you arrange your time
and placement as you have wished, in combination with your frequent
demonstrations of extraordinary skill and intellect, you would see
yourselves as above the rest of the students, lording over them,
looking down upon them."
"We seem to have done it literally,"
said Wren.
"Perhaps figuratively in your case, young
mage McKinnon." She gestured at Wren’s cloak. "You have
devised an extraordinary appearance in little time, but you do
realize that the school has uniforms for a reason? We try to make sure that students don’t
put on status displays of wealth and fashion."
"Oh," said Wren, shrinking slightly.
"My apologies, Headmistress...I have simply been thinking of
expressing myself. And...defying certain of their expectations."
"Expectations?" McGonagall raised an
eyebrow.
"Just the…" Wren hesitated,
exchanging glances with Iphis. "The procreative pressure,"
they continued. "I should hope
to at least imply that I’m not involved in that business. Being
neither sir nor madam, after all."
"Ah yes," said McGonagall, "the
matter that you mentally shouted the other day. Careful how you use
that curious ability, Wren my young friend, you might be broadcasting
to all the people you trust. As for your name, I have updated
your school records. Although, be warned -- if the Ministry takes
notice of the change, they might have a few words to say about the
matter."
Wren looked a little taken aback. "You
have no words about it yourself? I would have thought, as the head of
the school, the Ministry would want you to help make sure all
the students grow up to have their proper quota of wizard babies."
McGonagall frowned. "That is not an
academic matter. Therefore, I ignore all such directives." Her
expression softened. "And I am now aware of how I failed Blaise.
Small wonder they stick to the Dragon Tower! I have tried to
apologize, but at my last attempt they didn’t answer the door."
"Might have been out," said Iphis.
"Who needs a door?" said Jocasta.
"Just sneak in through the top."
Iphis shot Jocasta a sharp look. "Unlike
you, my friend, I do not have a death wish."
This earned him a glower from Jill, who said,
"Pick me, then, I’m not afraid of dragon fire."
"No,"
said Sparrow. "Jill, you are not sneaking into the Dragon Tower
from the top. I don’t care if you’re not afraid of fire, you’re
still vulnerable to teeth. You keep out of there."
"But –"
"That’s
an order, First Mate Patil."
Jill rolled
eyes. "Aye, captain."
McGonagal
raised an eyebrow. "You’re getting the hang of this privateering
business. Very well, Captain Jones, I was just about to direct you
five to begin your first session of detention. I trust you
will be able to lead your crew in the exercises I set?"
"Uh –" Sparrow looked to Iphis, who
produced another set of vials from his pocket. "Alright, let’s
get to it."
…
It was a somewhat more trying session than
their earlier rooftop rambunction. There was indeed much bounding,
but only short distances between the closest spires, without
application of any other magic, within easy sight and spell-reach of
the cat that perched upon the peak of the Headmistress’ tower. All
McGongall wanted out of today was to see if the children could be
consistent and cautious, in contrast to what they had
been doing before.
Effectively, it was a class. How the mighty had
fallen; they had found themselves stuck in a
classroom once more, only this one was windy and cold. Stunning
view, though, as Sparrow found herself with just enough time to look
out at mountains whose bare stone gleamed in the spring sunlight.
Perhaps few people ever had the chance to see this vantage point,
unless they were daring enough to take a broom this high, in this
wind.
But there was one person who was not with them
– one alone who had not been so foolish as them, one who had not
been set their particular penalty, one who, in any cases, might have
found it impossible to obey anyhow. One who
was alone, in agony.
Sparrow bade her crew to halt, and perched upon
the peak of a spire, holding tight to the flagpole and closing her
eyes. She concentrated on her thoughts of Miranda.
Her vague image of the girl settled into the
figure of an ice-blue humanoid, standing before a background of
swirling grey and dark grey, periodically lit from within by flashes.
°°° I
AM NOT TO BE DISTURBED, LITTLE SUNSHINE, EVEN BY YOU. °°°
⋄⋄MIRANDA
– ⋄⋄
°°° GO.
°°°
Sparrow felt suddenly terribly cold, and now
even colder, as a strong wind blew her back –
She opened her eyes, finding herself shivering
violently and leaning backwards, the wall-crawling spell
the only thing holding her fingers to the flagpole. Jill was
scrambling up to her, putting a hand on her back to steady her. All
the warmth Sparrow had lost was regained with that touch, and more.
And with a small thump of air, suddenly
Jocasta was there beside her. "You tried reaching her too?"
"Tried,"
grumbled Sparrow. "Clearly it is not a wise method. Is our hour
nearly done?" She glanced up at the cat perched atop the highest
spire. She could faintly see the cat slowly nodding. "Alright.
Let’s get back inside, get our bearings, and...hope that Miranda
can join us, at some point today."
So it was that the children leapt back to the
Headmistress’ spire, and clambered in through the window, legs
still itching for use, and there they took what seats they could
find, fidgeting furtively, waiting for the magic of terrible
restlessness to fade – until at last Sparrow felt her leg muscles
relax.
Relax quite a bit, in fact. Her legs went to sleep.
Jocasta hissed, shifting in her own discomfort.
"Side effects. I might have known."
The cat hopped in through the window, and took
the shape of McGonagall. "So at this moment you have learned
something else of great importance. You have learned of your limits,
and what occurs if you exceed them, and run out of time on your
marvelous potion. Isn’t it nice to learn here, instead of
when you’re up in the air at the top of your arc?"
"You’ve got us there," said Jill.
"Couldn’t we have done this inside
somewhere?" said Sparrow.
"Why bother?" said McGonagall. "Why
waste an opportunity to show children
what magic can do? You’ve been so willing to do it before. Unless
I am mistaken about you attempting to teach children some manner of
magical sign language?"
Sparrow shivered, as she caught her
Headmistress’ penetrating gaze. "Ah, heh heh, I might have
gotten into that, yeah."
"Fascinating." McGonagall sat at her
desk and folded her hands. "I have the feeling, my dear Miss
Jones, that when all of your grand ambitions are realized, or even if
they can never be realized, you
will become a Professor at this school. As well as the rest of you,
now that I consider it." She looked over each of them in turn,
all of them looking a little nervous. "Very well, once your
limbs recover, you are dismissed for today, and don’t let me catch
you doing anything else untoward, or I might add it to your
detention exercises."
Eventually the children did recover feeling in
their legs, and they hauled themselves to their feet, making their
way out of the office a little stiffly.
As Sparrow stumbled down the spiral staircase,
she wondered if she hadn’t been getting her friends roped into
McGonagall’s ambitions since before her outburst back in December.
…
The rest of the afternoon, though it was spent
in the Hufflepuff common room, passed in a less relaxing fashion than
Sparrow had hoped. Not that Jill seemed to have too much trouble, as
she lay along the sill-seat of a bay window, bathed in the golden
light of the afternoon sun – but then, she was |shifting positions
more than usual, clearly restless. Jocasta was nowhere to be seen,
though Sparrow heard a tell-tale buzzing zip by her ear now and then.
And Sparrow herself had been scampering up and down the dormitory
staircase at least five times. That potion wasn’t wearing off as
quick as Sparrow liked. She found herself pacing the entire length of
the mezzanine, back and forth.
It was fairly justified. Sparrow had a few
things to worry about, which the day’s lack of study had allowed to
percolate up in her mind. First and foremost, Miranda’s self-imposed solitude, which Sparrow still did not believe
could possibly aid her grief. Sparrow was half-tempted to order Iphis
or Wren or Jocasta to give the girl some real company, but that would
likely end with someone getting frozen solid. Sparrow had no answer
as yet to that trouble.
Secondly,
and nearly as critically,
Sparrow did not know how
soon, or even if, her parents would reply to her letter. And the
owl’s travel time had to factor into it. It might be a week before
a reply came, assuming the bird wasn’t intercepted. And even then,
Sparrow would have to figure out a way to talk in person with her
family securely, and oh honestly
Percival was right, Owl Post wasn’t secure or swift, why in heaven’s name did
anyone ever think it was a good idea?
Sparrow resolved to ask Wren
how they were coming up with
that blasted Wireless. Really, the fact that she and her people were
still using Owl Post showed how incredibly stuck her entire society
was.
Thirdly,
and not a distant third, was the question of what the Ministry’s
response to Sparrow’s declarations might be. Thus far all the
responses, while clearly furious, had been unofficial.
What manner of government let such things slide so far? Where was any
sort of Ministry agent or investigator? Where had been any message to
any student from their parent, hinting at the Ministry’s wrath?
Nothing. Not one thing.
It
was tempting to think there would be none. But it felt more
like...more like the way a great tsunami was preceded by the water
receding very far from shore. It felt like the sort of quiet calm
that told anyone with sense to run for their life.
Perhaps
the entire Ministry had been eaten by Lethifolds. It would serve them
–
Where
had this sweat on her brow come from, all of a sudden? Why was her heart racing and her breath ragged?
"Oh
good heavens child," said a voice to her left, and there was
Brother Ealdwine floating towards her. "Come away from the
stairs, that’s a dangerous place for you to stand right now."
Sparrow
took a step towards Ealdwine, then another, and another, slowly
following him as he guided her along the balcony and away from the
stairs. "Sit sit," he said, gesturing to a bench seat up
against the wall. She sat, her breath coming fast and shallow.
"Breathe," said Ealdwine. "Breathe in."
Sparrow
took a deep breath in.
"Now
breathe out," said Ealdwine.
Sparrow
let out a long breath.
He
repeated those directions a few more times, and Sparrow felt her
heart rate beginning to slow. At last she breathed calmly and easily.
"Whoof! Okay. Thanks, I wouldn’t have thought of that."
She looked up, meeting Ealdwine’s concerned gaze. "How did you
think of it?"
"It
is what I do for the first-years," said Ealdwine. "They are
in a wrenching transition of life, you know,
being away from their parents. And being thrown into a rather
rigorous academic environment – have you never seen the first-years
panicking?"
Sparrow
hung her head. "I’ve only been concerned about protecting
their bodies, I suppose. Not their hearts."
"I
have heard of your oath," said Ealdwine. "To take Vows, at
such a tender age...my order would never have considered such a
thing. What on earth possessed you?"
"The
same thing I just thought that terrified me," grumbled Sparrow.
"But
what –"
"Something
that only one such as you could
survive," said Sparrow.
"And
you survived such peril, at such an age? Before you even received
your Hogwarts letter?"
"It’s
a long story," said Sparrow. "I don’t like to tell it
unless I’ve got all my loved ones about me. It’s...got details I
hate to describe. But yes, I did swear an oath to let no one in my
sight come to harm. So. I’ve been something of an arrogant little
child on my high horse all these years."
"If
you should wish to speak of it in confidence," said Ealdwine,
"you have only to ask me, and I will be happy to listen."
"So you have offered," said Sparrow. "You
and your confessional, and all that." She eyed Brother Ealdwine.
He hadn’t come out with the God talk this time. Maybe he was
actually safe to speak with. And – a lightbulb went off in
Sparrow’s head. Ealdwine was a ghost. He was the perfect candidate
to stand before Jill’s fire. "It’s not really me who needs
to speak with you in confidence," said Sparrow. "The needs
of my girlfriends are greater. They keep talking about going off bang
the moment they actually reveal the worsts of their pasts – but
you, anything that goes bang just goes right through you, doesn’t
it?"
"Barring
certain extremely powerful and tricky spells," said Ealdwine,
looking disturbed. "Is the situation with you and your fellows
that bad, then?"
"I’ve
only gotten a glimpse
of
it
myself," said Sparrow. "I will confess this, Brother – I
don’t think you’re
the most qualified to offer counsel for such a level of grief. But
now that I think of it, I don’t think anyone
is qualified."
"I cannot tell if that is a backhanded
compliment or not," said Ealdwine.
"Whatever,"
said Sparrow. "All you really need to do is listen, alright? Let them
pour out their troubles. In the form of molten fire."
Ealdwine
floated a little higher. "I suppose I shall rise above it. As
for being reassuring – well, I suppose with God all things are
possible."
"I
should be calling them here anyway," said Sparrow. "Hang
on." ⋄⋄JILL?
JO? I NEED SOME HUGS. ⋄⋄
• WE
HARDLY NEED AN EXCUSE TO GIVE THEM! BUT YOU SOUND AS THOUGH SOMETHING
HAS TROUBLED YOU? •
⋄⋄WELL,
YOU SEE, I HAD A BIT OF A PANIC ATTACK AND – ⋄⋄
Jocasta’s arms were enfolding Sparrow before
she could even finished the thought. Swiftly followed by Jill’s.
"You two are so good to me," said
Sparrow, in a muffled voice.
"Tea," said
Jocasta. "Now."
"But dinner," said Sparrow.
"We can get the kitchen staff to send
something up here," said Jill. "You need tea right now."
"I shall go and inquire at the kitchens
then," said Brother Ealdwine. He sunk through the floor.
And so Sparrow was lifted off her feet by Jill
and bridal-carried down the stairs.