The Witching Hour

Chapter One

Their story opened with a tragedy. Poppy knew that now, now as she looked out the window at the falling snow. This story opened with a tragedy.

It was days ago, around the dining table, and Poppy sat beside Julia, who seemed to her particularly beautiful that night.

"When are we going to actually start learning magic?" Luis asked. They had all been thinking it–for weeks, in fact.

"We learn magic," Miss Hallow replied. "Things like growing flowers and being able to identify poisonous plants are magic."

"That's not what he meant," James butted in. "He meant Influential magic. Magic that allows us to affect the world around us."

Miss Hallow shook her head. "It's a process, children. First you need to know all of the boring things. Then you can go on to the interesting."

There was quiet around the table, save for the clinking of Tom's fork being set down. James cleared his throat.

"Wait," Julia said. "Where's Percy?"

Percy was upstairs.

He was tired. It was a strange, unnatural exhaustion, and he'd decided to go to bed early to get some rest. He set a glass of water by his bedside, closed his diary, and buttoned his striped pajama shirt. 

He yawned and stopped. The window was open. He shook his head, sure Tom had forgotten to lock it up again. Always causing trouble.

He managed to shut it with a bit of force. The wind blew hard, and it was snowing outside. He turned back to his bed, feeling his pocket to make sure the note was still there. It was.

The wardrobe had been blown slightly open by the wind, and Percy had to close that too. He slunk over, so tired it didn't feel real anymore.

There was a girl in the wardrobe. Or they looked like a girl. All he could see were the shoes, Mary Jane's with heels and buckles. He recognized those shoes.

"What are you doing here?" he asked her.

What was that she was holding?

"Percy!" Poppy yelled, reaching the landing. "Percy, are you up here?"

There was nothing. He wasn't on either floor, so he must've gone outside. Poppy clomped back down the stairs, her curls bouncing on her shoulders. "He isn't upstairs," she said.

Miss Hallow shook out her coat. "I'll go look outside for him. Julia's in charge while I'm gone."

Before the children could say a word, she'd disappeared down the stairs to the door.

"Right," Julia said. "We should do one more sweep of the house, just in case. I'll take this floor with James, Austin and Poppy. Luis, Tom, and Sage, look upstairs." She looked Trevor in the eye. "Can you check the shop, and in the cellar?"

He nodded. Each group left the room. Luis led his two up the stairs. "Okay, Tom and I will do most of the search. Sage, can you make sure he isn't in the boys' bedroom?"

Of course Sage got the easiest one. He probably didn't think they were strong enough to let them search more than one room. Luis was rude to anyone who wasn't a boy.

Sage turned the corner to the boys' room. All of the boys but James slept there. James had his own room–the room Sage had noticed to be occupied the day they arrived.

The door to the boys' bedroom was closed. Sage slowly eased it open. They walked in, turning back toward the door–

They'd found Percy.

Tom heard Sage's scream first. He and Luis ran to the room.

Percy lay on the floor, eyes glassy and open. Nothing moved.

"Fuck," Luis said.

Yes, Poppy thought. Their story opened with a tragedy.