Oracle (Book I)

Without Words, Without Wand

A little tall and black-haired, Professor Su smiled at each student as they entered her den-like schoolroom which was located in the Humanities Wing. Tugging her bag securely onto her shoulder and smiling back, Caprice noticed that she had a pale, diagonal scar across her left eye.

The lighting was low and soft. The big, sunken sitting area in the center of the room was littered in stout stools and purple, bronze, and sapphire poufs. The desks and chair were stacked against the back wall in a checkered pattern that revealed darkened, mysteriously lit windows in the wall. On the other side of the windows in the wall, the shadowy forms of unknown creatures moved about.

Caprice sat on one of the purple poufs, running her thumb over the edge of her brand new textbook.

"Good morning everyone, I am Professor Su, your Introduction to Magical Humanities teacher. I hope that you have a copy of From Blettles to Blood-Suckers." Many of the students nodded and pulled out their books. Like Professor Earithean, Professor Su started her lesson by giving a writing assignment. "What is your relationship to the magical world around you? How do you relate to the smallest bittle and the largest moom in the sky? Two paragraphs. Also, tell me what a moom is at the bottom of your paper. By the way, what is the difference between a blettle and a bittle?" She pointed at a hazel-eyed boy near the edge of the circle of students. "And your name, please."

"Avin Taymore, Professor. And blettles are sort of like spiders and bittles are a bit like a fleas."

"An apt analogy, Alvin! We'll be learning more about these fascinating insects and more this week..."

Caprice opened her book and turned the pages, running her fingers over them until she found the full-color rendering of a tangle of blettles, which were white, black, and blue. She studied the spelling of the word at the top of the section, tracing the letters with her index finger and sounding it out.

"We may leap back and forth between large and small creatures so don't expect any given order. Understand that we aren't going traipsing out into the Wilds to pet unicorns. Oh, all right, we might go out on a field exercise and see if the unicorns want any company. But I am a firm believer of challenging the notion that wizards are caretakers of the entire magical world. Here, you will not only learn about other magical beings, but you will begin to understand the magical world. You will start molding an idea of your place in relationship to all that is around you..."

Caprice was enjoying Professor Su's lively introduction but before they got around to introducing themselves the bell chimed again. Next was History with Professor Volkorn.

Nezzle appeared beside Caprice as she neared the schoolroom.

"Hey."

"Hallo." Caprice was surprised and happy to see her.

"I said I'd walk you to History, remember. How goes?"

"Its good. A bit overwhelming but everything's so interesting."

"That's good. We can do homework together, if you want. I've already got a ton."

Turning left, they entered an average, brightly lit room with very straight rows of desks, columns but no windows.

As everyone was settling and waiting for the teacher to appear, a shining orb shot into the room and hovered over the teacher's desk. Instead of turning into a letter like the one that delivered Caprice's schedule and notice this morning, it remained an orb and turned a solid yellow. A voice came out of it.

Professor Volkorn won't be meeting you today. Please read chapter one of the prescribed text and be prepared for discussion next lesson. Have a productive day.