The Adventures of the Junior Phoenixes, Part 1: The Pendant of Life

Chapter 17: The Shadow Grows

Chapter 17

     “You’re late,” Master Wolf said aloud, “Again.”

     Shade walked slowly and achingly into the Magical Theory class. He rubbed his chest where Master Bullavin had struck him with a stunning spell. He shook his head to shake the cobwebs loose, still feeling a little embarrassed and very humbled.

     “Sorry, Master Wolf,” Shade apologized. “I got, um.. held up.”

     “Knocked around would be a better way to describe your delay,” Master Wolf replied. “The Iron Bull has a soft spot for you.”

     “Funny way to show it,” Shade said to himself. He stood for a second, took a deep breath, and walked into the class. Where the Dark Arts classroom was round, the Magical Theory class was a large two-story class with an upper level and lower level of seats. It looked like a small library. There were books on various shelves all around the walls. The desks had folding tables on them; the fold would extend so that the students had room for the large amount of books used in the class. The center of the class was recessed, and a lectern stood in the very center of the recess. The desks on the ground level were flat, but the second level desks were arrayed like stadium seating, going up ten rows. A wooden rail lined the second level, with a large iron spiral staircase that the students would ascend to get to the upper levels. The ground level was for the older students who would often be asked to participate in the lessons. Unlike other classes, Master Wolf taught students from all years in each of his classes; his approach was very different from any other class in the world. Like Master Bullavin, Master Wolf encouraged a hands-on approach to learning.

     Magical Theory was unique in that there was nowhere else in the world that taught a course like it. Most classes, like Charms, Transfiguration, and Potions taught and introduced new spells to students, but the spells taught were spells that a person had created before. Magical Theory explored the depths and wonders of magic, and helped to develop new spells, curses, jinxes, and hexes. The elemental spells that Shade had learned he had created while a student in Master Wolf’s class. Shade continued to study spells and how to create new ones even after he had graduated Salem Academy. It was why he stayed in such close contact with Master Wolf over the few years since he graduated from Salem Academy.

     “I hope the Iron Bull didn’t leave you too beat up to not enjoy a good cup of tea,” Master Wolf said, a slight grin on his face.

     “I can use one, actually,” Shade said, walking to the center lectern, where Master Wolf sat, sitting on a stool behind the lectern. There was a tray with a kettle and a set of cups on it. There were three cups on saucers and one small candy compote filled with small pastries in it.

     “There’s fresh-brewed herbal tea in the kettle and a dish of Pixie cakes. They’re very good. Just try not to laugh hard when eating them otherwise it will take a while to get you down from the roof.”

     Shade poured himself a cup of the tea and took a pixie cake. As soon as he took a bite, he felt the sudden urge to giggle and laugh. Pixie cakes were a special kind of cake that used Pixie honey, honey harvested by Pixies. He took a sip of the herbal tea and the urge subsided.

     “Can you please pour me a cup as well, Shade?” Master Wolf asked, politely. He was sitting, looking at pages in a notebook, and appeared to be grading student papers, a stack of parchment on the table. He didn’t look up. He had not looked up since Shade entered the room. He kept flipping through the pages and making marks, a quill in his hand and an inkpot next to him. He wore his Seneca robes and beads, his white hair in a ponytail and his wand rested on the lectern next to the inkpot.