Magicae

Chapter 10: Illusions

Dedicated to @WordsAreInfinite

Alex stormed up to the building, fuming. He took back everything he had thought about Penny being nice. Neither of them were nice. They were both spoiled, selfish jerks.

And really? Comparing him to Draco Malfoy? You had to be kidding. How big of a nerd was this girl? Alex had never been one for books, but he had seen all the Harry Potter movies and had enough basic knowledge to understand that Penny wasn't complementing him. Draco Malfoy was a "pureblood" wizard, coming from a long line of wizarding families, and he looked down on those who didn't, especially those with nonmagic, Muggle, parents.

The thing was, Alex didn't look down on Magicae who didn't have magical parents. Very few felt that way, nowdays. He was just saying that because he got mad at Juliette. The last thing Alex expected was for Penny to start yelling at him.

No, scratch that. The last thing Alex expected was for Penny to catch on fire while yelling at him.

He shuddered at the thought of her flaming finger inches from his face. Note to self: Alex thought. Don't make Penny mad again.

"I see that your school year is off to an interesting start, eh?"

Alex's head whipped up. In front of him stood a man that was dressed like someone would for a business meeting, in a dress suit and tie. The man wasn't super old, just kinda old, with a receding gray hairline and the start of a beard on his chin. The man smiled. "I'm assuming you're Alex, and not Juliette or Penny."

Alex nodded. "Who are you?"

The man chuckled. "You'll recognize me in a moment, young man." He peered over Alex's head. "And here come your friends.

Alex started to say that no, they weren't friends, but something told him that the man didn't care.

As Penny and Juliette approached, Alex shot Penny a glare.

"Don't do that," the man reprimanded. "The girl let her temper get the best of her, and she is sorry."

Alex looked at the old man in surprise. "How did you...?"

Th man chuckled. "For a 'kinda old' man, I have exceptionally good hearing."

By now the girls had drawn closer. Juliette appeared to be comforting Penny, whose eys were red-rimmed and wet.

Alex was surprised at the sympathy Juliette was showing. None of that had shown on the car ride.

But then again, none of Penny's temper had shown on the car ride either.

Penny looked at Alex, sniffling. "I- I'm sorry. I didn't mean..." Her voice shook, then faded.

That made Alex v e r y uncomfortable. He had never been good with crying girls. His voice shook almost as much as Penny's as he replied, "It's fine. I really- I really shouldn't have said those things anyway."

The man interuppted, not rudely. "Well, now that that's settled, let's get inside, shall we? Much to get done with you three. Yes, much to get done."

Juliette and Penny both started backwards, as if the man had appeared out of nowhere. Juliette, bold as always, stepped forward. "No offense, sir, but where did you come from? You just appeared out of nowhere."

He smiled. "Why, I've been here the whole time, Juliette- it is Juliette, right?"Before she could say anything, the man answered his own question. "Yes, it is. I've been here, certainly. You just didn't notice me."

Juliette opened her mouth, probably to protest that the man hadn't been there, but he had already moved on. Penny, however, blushed to the roots of her hair, at which the man gave her a sypathetic look.

"No, it's all right. Alex shouldn't have said those things. However, you must learn to control your fire- and your temper." He shot her a smile, which Penny replied to with a weak grin of her own. "Both of which you may learn here."

Briskly he clapped his hands. "Now then, enough of that. We must get you inside. And unpacked. And fed! Goodness, we have a lot to do!" With that, he headed towards the unadorned double doors, the three kids awkwardly following.

Then, as if they had stepped through some kind of portal, everything changed. The building in front of them was no longer a regular school building. Instead it was a castle, looming and ancient, twice the size of the other building. Alex could practically feel the magic radiating off the cracked and ivy-covered stones.

Behind him, Penny gasped, breathing out one word: "Hogwarts." Alex turned around to see her craning her neck to look at the two towers that loomed above them.

Yep. Definitely a nerd. But, Alex thought, maybe that's not such a bad thing.

Shoutout to @WordsAreInfinite, who is critiquing my story. Thanks so much!