The Diaries Of Liz Davids: Secrets Uncovered (Book One : Complete)

Chapter 19

        June 10, 2011

Dear Diary,

Summer vacation starts today. We’re leaving after breakfast, which is in half an hour. I’ve already eaten.

We’d gotten our exam results yesterday. Mine are as follows:

Alchemy - F

Ancient Runes - C+

Arithmancy - C

Astronomy - C

Blacksmithy - A

Defensive Magic - D

Divination - E

Healing and Blessings - B

History - B

Logic - B

Magical Creatures - A+

Offensive Magic - A+

Potions and Antidotes – A+

I’m just glad there are only two subjects I’m failing, and I have no interest in either of them.

I’ve memorised quite a few spells. I wrote them all down. I have absolutely no idea if we’re going to do them after the summer vacation, but it was the only useful ones I could think of. The four elemental whips – fire, water, air and earth; a levitating spell and a summoning spell. I can’t do them all yet (I can only do the fire whip, actually), but I’ll practice them at the Cuthburts’. We actually got homework for the holidays – after the exams. We have to practice all the spells and potions and things we did this term. I can already do them all, but I’ll have to work on my defensive magic.

I asked Professor Darthorion if I could allow Aaron to see the magic – it would be very useful if he could help me. He said it was alright, so long as I know that if he tells his friends, I would get the blame.

I also asked him if I could borrow some books for the holidays, and he said only two. I took a book on poisonous and non-poisonous herbs and plants and a book on elemental magic if I’d need to make some kind of tree-house for Nicholas and me on the journey.

I’m taking all Felore’s things with me to the Cuthburts, just to be safe. I’m going to put protections on them so that only I can touch them. I hope all will go well. 

Oh, gotta go … back to Earth.

Bleh.

I stuffed my journal into my already-full trunk and made my way out of the room. Nicholas was already waiting for me. I had refused to share a boat over the river with Charini, and Mekisha and Johnny took a ride with her. We had not made peace yet. I would not hear anything of it.

Nicholas and I walked down the steps together, talking of what we might be doing this summer, carefully avoiding any talk of our journey around the world, in case people might be listening.

"Hey, I never got round to asking you," I said, "What’s your Mark?"

Nicholas pulled the sleeve off his left hand, where a strange kind of tribal bracelet tattoo wrapped around his wrist. "It’s supposed to make me faster, as legend goes."

"Not that you need it," I teased.

"Alright, everyone, listen!" Professor Rakoner said sternly. We had just dismounted the boats, and the whole school was standing in a massive clearing at the edge of the Forest of Whispering Winds. "To the first years this is very important, as you do not yet know how this works. The doors that led to the tunnels you came through at the beginning of the year require immense concentration to open. All you do is place your palm flat on the ground and visualise where you want to be. Concentrate hard on where you want to go, and wait for the door to open."