The Songs Of The Flames (The Curse Of The Thirteenth Series)

Chapter 9

He decided to stroll today, not transport she thought in her head. She was unsure if she liked the sensation. The itchy eyes were not her favorite. Professor Totes gray hair was loose down his back today. It ran in waves down to his waist.

"What class do you teach, if you don't mind me asking?" The question popped out of her mouth before she could think about it. It had pestered her occasionally. She rarely saw Professor Tote, and he certainly was not a professor in any of her classes. 

"You will have my classes next year. I teach Herbology and Gardening." Priscilla glanced at his hands. She had never noticed before, but the crescent moons of his nails were black and his hands were calloused. Herbology and Gardening was not class she currently took, but she had heard of the class before. 

"Is that inside the large greenhouse building out back?" She asked him. The greenhouse was a stone-like building with a glass ceiling. The building was located a distance behind the pond, but Priscilla had never gone inside. She had noticed the building in passing, though.

"Correct." He replied with a hint of a smile behind his facial hair. Priscilla noticed his round cheeks bunched up when he smiled. They arrived at the large oak doors to Headmaster Valerian's office. Priscilla knocked, but no answer came from the other side. Priscilla turned the handle. The room was lit, and a table was set with tea and tarts like last time. Headmaster Valerian was nowhere in sight. Priscilla scanned the bookshelf reading the titles on the spines of the books. On the wall hung portrait paintings, each in a row. There were seven in all. The portrait of Eleanor Valerian displayed a younger Headmaster. The painting was of a woman of around thirty. Her face still showed the young beauty of a girl. Priscilla noticed her portrait was much younger than the others. The next painting was of an older man. The man was perhaps in his late forties to early fifties. The name plate below the painting read Andrias Valerian. Priscilla studied the painting. She was shocked to find the painting bore a slight resemblance to Professor Tote. The man was much younger than the Professor Tote she knew, but it bore some resemblance. She was so focused on the painting, she jumped when the large oak doors opened. Headmaster Valerian herself walked in, smiling down at Priscilla. Priscilla was always amazed by how tall the woman was.

"Priscilla, I was not expecting you to arrive early. Come sit down." She pointed to the chairs beside the tea table. Priscilla sat down in the chair opposite of the headmaster in the burgundy cushioned chair.

"I was just admiring how much the painting of Headmaster Andrias Valerian looks like Professor Tote. Are you two related?" She asked as she added sugar to her tea.

"Professor Tote? I do not believe we have a Professor Tote." Headmaster Valerian said confusion plain on her face.

"He's the professor for the Herbology and Gardening class he said." Priscilla persisted.

"Oh dear, that is Professor Loute." She took a sip of her tea. Priscilla was confused. Did Headmaster Valerian not know Professor Tote? The academy was fairly large, maybe she did not know every name of the staff and students.

"Who is the man in the painting?" Priscilla's eyes casted to the painting of Andrias Valerian.

"That was my father. He was Headmaster before me. The academy has been passed down to Valerian through generations. My father unfortunately passed away under mysterious circumstances, leaving me to take over the school. They never did find his body." Priscilla turned her eyes from the painting to her Headmaster. The woman's eyes were filled with sorrow.

"I'm very sorry for your loss." Priscilla said breaking the silence.

"Thank you, Priscilla." She smiled, and squeezed Priscilla's hand on the table. Priscilla took a sip of her tea. It was Earl Gray, not her favorite. "You're probably wondering why I asked you to meet with me." Priscilla sank down in her seat.