Ravenrook Chronicles: The Mysterious Student

Chapter 3

On the 12th of January, Tim was awoken from a pleasant dream by the sound of glass shattering and an unholy scream. His first instinct was to check on Henry. He quickly snuck over to Henry's bed but he found that it was empty. He dashed into the corridor to find Henry kneeling outside their bedroom door. Tim was distraught. At that moment he could think of nothing other than protecting Henry. In his panicked state, he couldn't feel the biting cold of the January night air. A dark figure gracefully leapt out of the newly shattered stained glass window. Tim dropped to his knees, cradling Henry's weakened form. Soon, three Crown agents came rushing towards them. Henry raised his arm and weakly pointed towards the window. The agents followed the figure out of the window in pursuit. Henry leaned up to Tim's ear, "Carry me to the headmaster's office," he whispered faintly. Suddenly his body went limp.

Tim sprinted up the stairs to the headmaster's office, cradling Henry's unconscious, bleeding body; tears running down his cheeks. Tim burst through the headmaster's door. Henry III stood behind his desk, expressionless. Henry was bleeding from an open wound in his chest. Blood spilled from his unconscious body, like a rose blooming across the mottled green and white carpets in the headmaster's office. Tim's mind was blank, it felt as though he was an observer in his own body, watching the scene play out as if these events were part of some morbid stage play. He was feeling his body act without him telling it what to do. Henry III moved forward and swept his desk clear, books and stationary clattered to the floor.

"Lay him down," Lord Henry ordered.

Tim complied wordlessly. His heart in his throat. Waiting anxiously for Henry III to do something to help his unconscious, bleeding friend. Tim watched as Henry III walked calmly over to the safe and pulled out a brown bottle with a dark liquid on the inside.

"You may go now, lad. I'll take it from here," Henry III said, his tone commanding.

"With all due respect, sir. I'd like to see this through."

"I get that, Tim, but Henry would want you to get some rest."

Tim stood there, he wanted to obey but his body would not allow him to. He was frozen on the spot out of concern for his friend, the sound of his heart ringing in his ears. Seeing Henry like this glued Tim to the spot. Tim felt as though something compelled him to stay. Something unexplainable. Henry had lost a lot of blood, and was still bleeding. What kind of friend would he be if he left Henry's side now?

Before he had time to offer further protest, two Crown agents lifted him and threw him out of the office. He caught a faint curse that Henry III muttered as he was being escorted out of the office. Tim could not return to his room, he struggled to think of anything other than Henry. His only real friend was in danger and he was powerless to help. He couldn't leave, not now, not ever. He'd give anything for Henry's safety. He fought against his body for as long as he could but eventually he fell asleep in the corridor outside the headmaster's office.

***

The next morning, Tim was woken by a soft, mirthful giggle as he opened his eyes to meet the two deep blue eyes of Henry staring down at him.

"Oh, how my knight in shining armour kept vigil all night at this office door," Henry

said, grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"Only for a prince such as you," Tim replied, happy to see his friend back to normal.

"Crazy business last night,"

"What happened Harry?"

"Crazy bloke tried to steal corporate information or something like that. I accused him

of trespassing and he stabbed me. I'm right as rain now, though. So don't worry yourself too much,"

Henry was completely fine after the events of that night. He had healed uncannily well. Tim was slightly weirded out by Henry's speedy recovery, yet, he felt his heart soar when he realised that his friend was perfectly fine. He allowed himself not to worry about the process of Henry's recovery and just be thankful that he survived. The events of the night stuck with him though. He was scared to think that Ravenrook security had been so easily bypassed. Following this event, a few Crown agents could always be seen bolstering the ranks of the Ravenrook security personnel. To ensure that an event like this wouldn't happen again.

***

A few days later, Tim's mother called him regarding the incident.

"Tim are you alright, I heard one of the students was attacked," Ashley Garland's

worried voice demanded on the other end of the line.

"Mum, I'm fine, everyone else is as well. Henry was attacked but he's better now,"

His mother went silent. Tim could feel her concern in the heavy silence that fell on them both.

"Lord Henry has increased the security, we're all a lot safer now," Tim attempted to

calm his mother's nerves. In the end he decided it was best to change the subject. He ended up talking about the weird folklore they were studying in classes, the folk songs Tim had learned in the music classes. If he didn't enjoy reading folklore before, he certainly did now. He found it fascinating to see how people described the world around them. It shows how the human condition is common to all of us, no matter where we come from.

Tim and his mother conversed a good while longer before she hung up. Ashley was so proud of her little Timothy and what he had achieved in the last few months. He had even saved the life of one of classmates. She could feel her heart swell at the thought that Tim was a hero.

***

That evening Henry came and sat at the foot of Tim's bed, he smiled faintly at his friend, his blue eyes twinkling in the candlelight as he met Tim's gaze, overtop of a book about Japanese Yokai that they were assigned for class.

"Tim, I want to thank you for helping me that night."

"Henry, I-I would do it again without a second thought, you're my closest friend."

"Tim, I'm leaving for London in a few days and I'll be gone for about a week. I need to

inform The Crown of the event in person. Would you like to tag along?"

"What about lessons? About schoolwork?"

"You needn't worry about that too much, I know you're already two weeks ahead of

the class, besides there's something that I need you to see in London."

" You've got me there. Fine, I'll start packing some things."

Tim regarded his friend with a warm smile as he got out of bed, stretched, and walked over to the piano, turned the volume to a whisper and started playing one of Henry's favourite pieces.