A Werewolf's Promise (Scarwood Chronicles #1)

Chapter 7: Nah, This Is Crazy...

So, what's your name again?"

"Hugo."

"Right, well, I'm Rosa, nice to meet you."

The first-years were now on their way to their second class: Spellcasting. Well, it wasn't exactly a class. As was customary, the first Spellcasting lesson of the year was used up to perform testing to see what type of Mana the student consumed, then the rest of the first week was spent making their wands. Each wand had to be made by the student for themselves, or the magical output would be greatly reduced.

Even his mother still used the wand she developed over her years at Scarwood, even if she did get it professionally extended into a staff later on.

As the group walked, Sugar found himself right in the middle of the conversation currently happening between Rosa and Hugo. The shy boy had come out of his shell a bit since the first class, probably because he got to know them a little better, and most likely because Knight's endless yapping finally wore him down. And despite the hard glare that Rosa had given the poor boy during Magic History, they seemed to be on better terms too.

"So, uhm, this thing we're doing next, it's going to be the Mana Aptitude Test, right?"

"Well, for most of the class," Rosa explained with a shrug, "some of us were able to output magic since we were younger, so we got the test early."

Sugar opened his mouth to ask, but Rosa promptly answered before he could even say a word.

"Myself included. Proud fire witch." she said with a grin.

So she was an elemental witch. Sugar tried to remember the rough rankings for the different Mana types. Elemental was pretty high up, if he recalled correctly. Couldn't blame Rosa for being proud, though, Mana is mostly up to luck and genetics anyway. Either way, it did explain how she held her own so well with Salem. They were both early magic-onset prodigies, by the looks of things. And he was just ordinary...

"Wow, a fire witch..." Hugo said eyes wide with awe, "you get extra advantages for being an elemental, don't you? At least, I think so, if I remember correctly..."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, being an elemental makes learning elemental spells easier, right?"

"Oh yeah, that. Only works for our own element, though. I've failed ever water spell I've tried."

Sugar fell back to join Knight, who looked like his brain was working overtime to try and understand everything the other two were talking about.

"Don't worry, the Spellcasting teacher will explain it." Sugar said with a languid wave of his hand, which seemed to be adequate to comfort Knight.

"Oh, right, I can't wait!" he said with his usual infectious enthusiasm...

Everyone was excited, to be able to make that first step into being proper witches, but no matter how much Sugar tried to look on the bright side, he couldn't shake the sinking feeling in his stomach.

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"Ah, you must be the first-years. Welcome."

Those words were the first thing that greeted them as they stepped into the Spellcasting classroom. The second was a black dog that ran in an excited circle at their feet, barking all the while.

Sugar almost stepped back outside the classroom. Dogs never failed to freak him out. Loud dogs even more so...

"Miguel, that's enough..." the teacher said in a tired voice, before going to scoop up the dog, presumably his familiar, "Sorry, he loves new students, and always tries to extort pets and treats from them."