A Day with a Dragon

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I smiled as the bell rang out. I liked school, but it was exhausting. I began to gather my things, and when I looked up, to my surprise, everyone was gone. I blinked, and looked at my familiar, who was wrapped around my arm, asleep. I giggled and rolled my eyes. It looked like some strange accessory. I put my backpack on my shoulders, walking out of the classroom, only to be stopped by Professor Lorelei. I turned to the woman and smiled. Prof. Lorelei sighed. "Off to the library, I presume?" I nodded quickly. "Good. Would you be a dear and take this back for me?" She held a dusty old book out to me along with what looked like American money. I took it, staring at it. I held up the... dollar bill is what I believe they are called. I grew up in Italy and France, I had never actually seen American money. It had a '100' on every corner and the face of a slightly older looking gentleman on the front. At least, that's what I'm assuming, since he was beginning to bald. I looked up at her. "It's... an old book that I checked out last year and never returned. I found it in my desk and I figured I would ask you to return it... and pay for the fines on it." She pointed to the money. I nodded slowly, turning slowly to leave again.  

I put the money in the book so I wouldn't drop it, beginning to dust off the cover

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I put the money in the book so I wouldn't drop it, beginning to dust off the cover. "Huh... No title." I looked over the empty book cover, then to the spine of the thick novel. I blinked, brushing the dust off. "Will-o'-Wisp History Records..." Eh? Why would Professor Lorelei need this? She's the science teacher... I heaved a heavy sigh, turning the book in my hands. The back was completely empty too. "And here I thought I had discovered the Professor Lorelei actually read some fiction for once..." I huffed, walking to the library.  

I walked in with a small smile as I looked around. The library was completely empty. Well, save for the librarian. I went up to the desk, smiling at the woman as I pulled out the paper money again. "Ms. Lorelei asked me to return this for her, and she gave me money to pay the fines on it." I said. The librarian took the book and smiled. "Ah, so that's where that went. She's lucky we only charge 50 cents a day for the books." She smiled as she rang up the cost. "It's... $108.25." She looked down at the 100 I had laid down. I sighed. "I only have British pounds with me. You'll have to convert if I give it to you." I pulled out my wallet. 8 pounds? I pulled out a £5 and 3 ones. I began to hand them to her. She looked at them, taking one of them and handing it back to me. "I just need the 5 and the 2 ones." She smiled as she took them, opening her cash register and putting the money in. She had all kinds of money in there from different countries. I blinked as she dropped 43 cents in my palm. I looked up at her and she winked. "British pounds are worth more in American money. £7 is $8.68 in American money." I smiled at her as she said that, then looked at the book curiously. "Er... Well, now that the book is free, could I...?" The librarian laughed, scanning it again, typing something, then gave it to me. "Go knock yourself out." She said with a smirk on her face. I took the book and nodded quickly, going to my usual spot, an open section in the back that had beanbag chairs bigger than me and it usually just had carts of books that the librarian hadn't gotten around to sorting yet. 

I plopped down on the large, red bean bag, opening up the book

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I plopped down on the large, red bean bag, opening up the book. I coughed as dust flew into my face, shaking my head "Did she even bother to open this after she got it? This dust makes it seem like it hasn't been opened in decades." I coughed, beginning to turn the pages carefully, pushing the dust off to the side so it wouldn't go in my face. I began to look through them. It was simply a record of all the students that went to the academy, their date of birth, the day they got their wisps. As I expected, most of them got their wisps when they were around 14 and 15. I turned to the table of contents, then eyed the sections that was labeled 'Ministry successors'. I flipped to the back of the book and began to look through the pages. "Er.." There were no records on the students that got 'life', 'death', or 'time'. I flipped to the inside of the cover, sighing heavily. This book had been made in the 1600's, when those talents hadn't even been heard of. I shut the book. "Well that was certainly helpful." I mumbled. I went and sat the book down on the librarian's desk, then went off to go read something that would help me with my homework.  

***

I walked about the courtyard. People were still here. Which, wouldn't be a surprise, if they weren't doing homework, but all of them were scribbling things down. I walked through the grass with a soft yawn, then squeaked as I was pounced on, and my familiar clung to me for dear life. I caught myself with my hands, looking back. A large, black cat was on my back. It almost looked like a black panther, and it felt like it weighed eight hundred pounds. I turned my head back, and it licked my face. I sort of cringed from the sandpaper-y lick but giggled, my voice weak from the weight. Elina came running up and panted, attempting to pull the panther off me. "I am sooo sorry Ro, the cat began to get bigger when I fed it." I laughed. "Well yeah. You got a cat. The more energy and mana it gains from its partner, the bigger it'll get. Lucky for you it doesn't get much bigger than this." I giggled as I rubbed the cat's head. It sat down on the ground, purring as it rubbed its head against me. Elina sighed. "You could have told me that before I fed it..." I smiled as the little dragon crawled up my arm and hissed at the panther, little flames appearing out of its mouth. The panther simply blinked at my lizard and walked back over to Elina, nuzzling against her side. I patted the dragon's head. "I guess I should name you..." I yawned. "How about... Larceta?" I mumbled softly, running my fingers over its spines as Elina tilted her head. "Larceta? Where in the world did you get that name from?" "It means 'lizard' in Latin. I'm not being nice, I'm being literal." I mumbled and laid down in the grass. "I should go back to my dorm..."  

 "Wait!" I looked up at the male voice that rang out throughout the small grassy area. Will came running up, panting softly and looking down at me. "Come here, and disspell your pet." He murmured before running off again. I looked at Elina before sighing, getting up. "Here we go, more shenanigans." I mumbled. I looked down at my pet, pulling my wand out. "Cor perierat." I pointed my wand down at the long lizard and it squawked at me as it disappeared. I jogged after Will, worried about what he and his buddies were going to do to me.  

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That's Benjamin Franklin. Judging you.

Hey, thanks for continuing to read. The last two chapters were much shorter than the first one, but this next one is longer, I believe. I think you guys will like it.

Anyway, have a great day!

And just because she grew up in Britain and France does not mean she's British and French.

She's British and Italian, obviously *hair flip*

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