Love Potion

A Super Arrival

When I arrived back at the courtyard (where the whole school was now more or less here), my mind struggled to match everyone else's. I was in half a state of unease with the truth of Fae, but at least I had been wedged out of my rotten mood. It's not like I could actually help her. I just felt bad. Gosh - I just wanted to be excited to meet Majestio.

It was a bright but deceptively cold day, and the chilliness seeped down my sleeves as I glanced around the ground for the girls.

I saw they were still by the fountain. Persephone sat on the edge of them, looking regretful, but at least accepted by everyone else, though standoffish. Pip's hair was really not that bad... it even looked quite nice, in two pink-ribboned bunches. The seared tuft was behind her head.

I saw Tatiana and Tamsin had left them, and they didn't take long to find, standing in a circle with Viper, Kenzie, Muskett and Crox. Tatiana was holding hands with Muskett, and Tamsin was standing smirkily beside Viper. Kenzie saw me and we shared feeble waves - thankfully, Tatiana was too preoccupied in twirling Muskett's hair in her fingers to notice, but Viper, who did, scowled and said, "Keep walking, magless."

"Old white hair-ass man," I replied, and stalked off with my nose in the air. I was proud, but this didn't douse my angry fires - what did he think, he could speak to me like that? And why even bother? I was walking, anyway! He's just trying to irritate you, I thought. But he's achieving it!

I tried not to think about it. I continued on.

Still, I found I didn't want to join the girls. I may have been excited to meet Majestio, but not in a way that matched their giggles of hysteria.

Instead, I went to join Gray, Kaspar and Gilbert, who stood a little way off the packed crowd that stood closest to the edge of the hill: where the landing carriages docked.

Gilbert greeted me as I approached. Kaspar squeaked. Gray also jumped. He nodded a tight-lipped hello. Gilbert looked at him.

"Hey," I said. "Hope you don't mind if I join you. The girls are fangirling too hard for me."

"Ah, yes," Gilbert replied with awkwardness.

"I suppose you're not as delighted that Majestio is visiting."

"My friend, I was worried enough about Persephone preferring Majestio over me when he wasn't here."

I glanced over at Persephone. Though she was still sulking, she and the rest of them were bolstering at the edge of the crowd, trying to get to the front in the vain hope that Majestio would be the first to see them. "Well, you have five minutes left of freedom!"

He laughed dryly. "I'll be happier when he's gone - but not before I've got an autograph." I laughed again. "Schnikes, the whole reason he's here is for the Marvel Ball... I won't be the light of Persephone's night, but he will."

"Awh," I said. My face went dopey. "You are so in love - fuckery, hell. And Persephone loves you so, too... I'll even give her a firm punch, away from Majestio's direction. You will be the light of her night, and if her eyes wander for one second to that damned superhero's, I will gouge them out with a teaspoon."

"Thanks?"

"Not a problem. So... what are all of you planning to go to the ball a-?"

But my words faded, for a trumpent scream suddenly thoomed around the courtyard, crashing against my ears from every direction; a shape had appeared on the horizon. The four of us spun round, and glimpsed up, above the crying, leaping excitement of the crowd, to the materialising shadow in the sky.