One Year Before High School

Chapter 21

The day arrived.

Tensions rode high, peaking at almost tangible levels. The air hung thick, akin to a heavy blanket of fog.

Ivy, in a rare moment of visible uncertainty, tugged at the necklace around her neck, feeling the cold sterling silver. The coolness seeping into her collarbone was grounding, almost tranquillizing.

"You ready?"

Ella was bundled up. Snow had fallen outside, covering the world with an expanse of white. Dull sparkles danced atop the fresh mounds, awaiting.

It was a beautiful, wintery day. Too bad they couldn't enjoy it. Maci, Carla, Tanya, Emily. Everyone had put in so much work to help.

Ivy nodded, stuffing the locket into her shirt. Shaking out of her reverie, she nodded. No, no doubt right now.

They exited their dormatries, and headed for the main building. Though they had traced this path many times, today's felt extra long, as if exceptionally aware of the passage of time.

Step, step, step.

The hubub of noise around them did little to sooth their nerves. Today would be the day. After, Ivy would be safely transferred out, and then they would be okay.

Entering the classroom, everyone was eerily silent. There were no jokes, conversation, no noise at all. Just the silence of waiting. It was an important day, and they all knew it.

They took their seats, and waited for the examiner.

Dull clacking of heels echoed down the hall, and in entered Mrs. La'Lune. She was dressed in a pantsuit, dull blue-fading-to-purple. Professional, yet elegant. Many stared unintentionally, it was their first time seeing her.

She took her spot at the front of the class, standing behind a raised dais and podium.

"Good morning class, I'm sure you've all been working very hard" she began. "It's the conclusion of another year. I think we can all remember our first days at the academy. Some of you grew up in magical families, others on earth. But regardless of origin, we are gathered today to celebrate our first year together"

Dull applause met this statement. Hesitating felicitations that belied their nervousness. Mrs. La'Lune smiled softly and stepped off the podium.

"Very well, from the first row please"

Bit by bit, showers of smoke, ice, magic, fire burst into life. Most of these were fleeting, but it was enough to earn them a pass. Mrs. La'Lune walked down row after row, either nodding appraisingly or commenting on some minuet detail. The dull clacking of heels only accentuated her prescence. It also served to remind Ivy of her turn.

When it was her turn, Mrs. La'Lune gestured for her to start. Ivy gulped, a small and almost unnoticeable motion, and brought up her hands. She squeezed her fingers together, trying to inch out even the smallest amount of magic.

Poof!

A small cloud of icy mist gathered. Ivy looked up, relief evident on her face. Mrs. La'Lune nodded, hands behind her back, and went on to the next person.

She sighed, it seemed things were going to be okay.

"Wait!"

Stephany burst into the room, face red from an obvious long run.

"Miss Stephany! You cannot just-"

Stephany ignored the headmistress, pointing one finger at Ivy.

"She's fake!" she almost screeched, voice breaking. "She's not real, she was admitted falsely!"

A gasp could be heard around the class, and everyone turned to Stephany. The girl shook her head and walked over, grabbing the locket and breaking the chain.

"See here! This is a magical locket, they can store magic. She was using it to cheat!"

A triumphant grin decorated her face as Stephany held it up. Against the glare of lights, it shone like a beacon.

Whispering started, and people started to shuffle in their seats. Mrs. La'Lune bit her lip at this intrusion.

"Wait!"

A student stood up.

"That doesn't prove anything"

"Of course it does! Why else would she have a locket?!"

"That just means she wants a good grade, not that she was falsely admitted"

Stephany went to retort, then stood silent. No, they didn't know her like she did. They would think, logically, that it was just a ruse to pass a class. She had to play this carefully.

Then a smile spread across her face.

"Alright then, let her perform magic"

The room fell silent. Mrs. La'Lune glared with fury at Stephany, who actually recoiled a step.

Ivy looked around. They were in too deep now. If she backed out, it may raise legitament suspicious, and if that happened...

Then not even Mrs. La'Lune could protect them.

All eyes were on Ivy, and instantly she started to sweat. No...this wasn't possible.

Ella took one hand in hers, and she stilled. They were in this together, she seemed to say, and somehow that made everything okay.

Ivy steeled herself, and promised that...she just had to try.

Nothing happened.

Stephany smirked in triumph, throwing up the locket. It landed somewhere behind them, the sound of it clinking echoing through the room.

Mrs. La'Lune glared bitterly at her.

Then...

A spark.

Two sparks.

Three sparks.

Them the room was bathed in blue light as Ivy let loose an enchanting performance. Cerulean danced across the room as tiny, fluffy snowflakes drifted down. Somehow, it wasn't cold.

The room watched with nothing short of awe as Ivy began to levitate, hand still in Ella's.

"They're Ivories"

No one knew who said it, but as soon as the thought was voiced, it seemed so obvious.

They were Ivories.

Stephany couldn't believe it. Her investigation, her...her plotting, only for the scales to tip completely in their favor?!

She stepped forward, then back again, uncertain. The problem was solved when Mrs. La'Lune laid one hand on her.

"Outside"

Wordlessly, she obliged, still in a bit of shock as to what had gone wrong.

Mrs. La'Lune turned to the class, and for once, a genuine smile graced her features.

"Ella, Ivy. You, and your friends, have done a great deed today. Thank you for standing up. Class, our two Ivories!"

And the applause was thundering. It's been forever since the last Ivories, and now they had two! For years, maybe decades, this moment would be the talk of everyone. Their own two Ivories, shining as bright as the sun itself.