Maglins and the Infinite Quest

12

Later that night, Pipher wrote a letter to his parents proposing the idea of going to Anna's house for the holiday and asking if it would be okay. He assured his parents he would continue to write to them and in a few short months he would have a week-long holiday where he would go home.

"Now there's nothing to do but wait," Pipher thought out loud.

With no homework to do, he went downstairs to the main floor to decorate an ornament for the second year's tree. In the dining hall, table clothes, and small centerpieces were placed on each of the small round tables. On the left side were tables with blank ornaments, in many different shapes and decorating materials like paint and paint brushes.

Pipher found an open table and picked a blank star ornament and some orange and blank paint. This year the trees were rainbow themed with 1st years using red and 6th years using purple. It was allowed to be some other colors but it needed to have at least 50% of the designated color.

The soft Christmas music kept Pipher in a good mood as he decorated. Once he had finished, he wrote his name on the back along with the number two and handed it to a professor that was collecting them.

Before leaving the hall, Pipher grabbed some dinner in sealable containers to bring to his dormitory as well as a bottle of lemonade and water.

The night continued as most did, eating dinner, reading some of his books, talking to Charles when he got back to the dormitory, and getting ready for bed.

The next morning was similar as well, normal, except there were no classes today or Friday. There was to be more sledding, as well as snowball fights, and other fun games in the fields.

Pipher and Charles woke up a bit later and went to the dining hall to get breakfast together.

"I wrote to my mom last night," Pipher said.

"My mother wrote to me and I can't find the motivation to write back," Charles replied.

"I'm hoping to go to Anna's for Christmas holiday, I don't know if my mother approves of that or not yet,"

"Why would you want to go to Anna's?" Charles asked.

"Change of scenery I suppose," Pipher answered, "And besides, we're just friends after all,"

"When is the winner for the writing contest announced?" Charles asked.

"I'm not sure, probably at Friday nights dining hall meeting," He spoke, "I can't imagine it being much later than that,"

"How do you think you did?" Charles asked.

"It definitely wasn't my best work, but then again it isn't as bad as the short story I made in the beginning of year 1," Pipher said, "Are you getting anybody a Christmas gift this year?"

"Not sure yet," Charles thought.

After finishing breakfast they both went back to their dormitory where Charles continued sleeping as he normally did and Pipher occupied himself.

He opened up his mystery book and laid on his bed comfortably, his neck propped up by a thick pillow underneath his head.

Reading the mystery novel didn't spark his interest as much as the smut did, but it still occupied him, and gave him something to do rather than sit around.

In the book were some more strange details of Maglins and one page even had a sketch of some hallways.

Of course this may have just been a coincidence and the building described may have been made to look similar but Pipher was suspicious. There was nothing he could really do about it, nobody to ask or talk to about his discovery. And if there was, what would he get out of it?

He decided to enjoy the book and stop reading into the little details as much and explore the storyline instead.

Hours had passed with Pipher's nose stuck in the book when Charles had woken up and offered to bring back lunch from the dining hall.

"There's chicken sandwiches!" Charles celebrated, "You sure you don't want one?"

"I'm sure Charles," Pipher said as he left and sarcastically said, "Who the fuck likes chicken sandwiches?"