Donner and Thalia: The Day of the Hunt (Episode 6)

Chapter Four

4.

Donner, Thalia, and Paul made their way through the tall stone halls of the academy, each with their weapons hanging on their belts as Lenny led them to the Enchantment lab.

"So are enchantments carved or drawn?" Thalia asked.

"Interesting question, they can be either," Lenny said, "Drawn enchantments use a special ink composed of flower petals, they last a while but eventually fade. However, they're easier to apply to the weapon and faster, drawn enchantments are used for wars when soldiers need enchanted weapons in large numbers for a coming battle. A carved enchantment is permanent and usually reserved for Knights in ownership of high-quality swords. That's important as well. The weapon's quality has shown to have an influence on the effectiveness of the enchantment, drawn or carved," Lenny came to a large door and pulled a key from his robe.

"Lenny, you're allowed to be in this room after class hours, Right?" Paul asked a bit concerned, wringing his hand on the hilt of his father's mace.

"Oh yes," he held up the key, "I cleared my little extra study session with professor Orzhov. He says I was a little rocky at first, but I've developed a great eye for enchanting, my symbols are almost to the book accurate," Lenny said with pride before turning to unlock the door.

"It's fine, Paul," Donner said, "Even if he didn't have the key, Thalia could just pop the lock open herself," he grinned and turned to Thalia, getting an eye-roll from her.

"Won't be necessary," Lenny said as he pushed the door open. The enchantment lab was one of the larger classrooms, wide stone tables that could seat four sat three by two in the room with the large oak worktable of the instructor at its back. Shelves with various bottles of rare and colorful ink lined the walls, and against the back wall, laid meretriciously smoothed and sanded quarterstaves, each with a different, ornate carved pattern running up it.

"What are these?" Donner asked, approaching them.

"Oh, these are neat, here," Lenny panned through the pile of staffs and pulled one out, dark cherrywood with crossed carvings in what appeared to be quite a professional pattern. "The big test of first season enchanting is the construction of a Wizard's staff, this one is mine," he carefully held it out for his friends to admire.

"Wow, Lenny? You made this?" Thalia asked as she ran her fingers over the wood, "it's so smooth, may I?" she asked.

"Of course," Lenny handed it to her with care, "I've spent hours sanding it. Professor Orzhov says that, much like enchanting a weapon, the quality and care that goes into the construction of a Wizard's Staff is just as important as any magical properties infused into it."

She took it in both hands, moving it around a bit, "It's heavy," she said before handing it back.

Lenny took it back in his hands, "Just need to find a magical source for it, hoping to get a good one in the Day of the Hunt

"The Day of the Hunt? Now that piques my interest," Donner smiled, "What's that?"

"The first seasons take a class trip deep into the woods north of the castle. The professors release magical beasts into the woods, and as the name suggests, we hunt them. Regents from monsters, such as hair, fangs, and claws, can be powerful magical ingredients for things like ink, tools, wands, and, most importantly, a staff. My final exam for enchantment class will be how my staff is judged once I finish it. I'll most likely be using this staff for my whole time here at the academy. I have to make sure it's the best it can be," Lenny put his staff back against the wall with the rest. "That's why I'm so glad I have the opportunity to practice enchanting with your weapons. I'm not that good at carving into metal, and I don't want to risk damaging your weapons. However, Professor Orzhov said I can use stencils, first years usually aren't allowed to use them, but as long as it's for a private project and not something I'm turning in for a grade, he said it was okay."