Phoenix Drop University- Softmore Year

19: A Final Favor

Step, after step, after step, the headmasters office was in the highest floor of the highest tower, he had dropped off Aphmau at their dorm with several guards, he felt like a Prince, protecting his Princess.

A Prince about to be given his punishment for endangering thirty students.

He opens the door and is not surprised to see someone other than the headmaster sitting at the front desk, candles still floated around the room and books still stuck haphazardly in shelves. Like nothing had changed since that last time he'd been here.

The man at the desk looked up at him, and smiled kindly, pointing to a door in the back of the room that Aaron had only went in once before.

As he holds the bronze doorknob in his hand, he feels something similar to a hook catching on the back of his neck and yanking him backwards. With a loud crack, he found himself sitting in white, squashy armchair in front of a huge, mahogany desk.

"I'm sorry this couldn't be in better circumstances." The headmasters voice booms and the man himself pops into view, white robes hanging off his frail body.

"Sir? You look... on deaths doorstep, are you-?" Aaron immediately expresses concern for his superior, but the old man laughs, the action itself seemingly bringing the life back in him.

"Of course, not worried about punishment, just about an old fart like me." The headmaster chuckles some more before sitting in a chair that Aaron just noticed.

"Before you ask, no, you are not in trouble, no one was injured, and you didn't force anyone to partake, you are free to walk out those doors when you finish your finals." Aaron still feels his heart beating like a drum in his chest, the magic that flowed through his veins just minutes before still rushing in his ears.

"This is a more, magical matter." The headmaster winks at him before turning away and snapping his withering fingers, a large, leather-bound book slams onto the desk in front of him.

"Headmaster, I... lost control, I wasn't me, when I... felt the magic flow through me, it was different than last time, it felt like, it was in my blood." The Headmaster nods and strokes his long, curled beard, motioning for Aaron to touch the book.

"Yes, I know, I felt the disturbance in the very fabric of reality. Do you know what happened?" Of course Aaron shook his head, if he knew, he definitely would be practicing magic instead of sitting here talking about it.

"You, in all of the rage and emotion you felt, allowed yourself to be consumed by the excess magic that our dear Drake couldn't absorb, the good magic, and good emotion."

The only thing Aaron can do is nod, he was never interested in magic before, as useful it may be, it is the thing that got him into this mess in the first place.

"Instead, the small bit of Drakes power that he gave you when he tried to invade your mind, reached out to consume the power it had available."

"What you saw, your transformation, was the result." The headmaster finishes, like a teacher in a lesson.

"Why are you telling me this?" Aaron interrupts suddenly, taking the headmaster back for only a second.

"So you can learn to control it." Headmaster Forrester says with a grim smile, and Aaron immediately feels the guilt tug at his chest.

"Aaron, I will not be at Phoenix Drop next year, I will be... elsewhere." The headmaster says, but Aaron knew what he meant by that, and even now feels the pain of loss.

"But in my absence, I want you to take the next year to practice magic. I've already changed your electives." Aaron felt his own ears flick up at this, he wasn't going to abandon the pack.

"But-"

"Aaron, next year is your last, and you've already finished all required classes, I at least want you to know basic magic, and how to control your temper." The headmaster answers for him, and Aaron has no choice but to nod.

"Of course headmaster..." The headmaster smiles, but seems to be unfinished with his discussion.

"Thank you, furthermore, I want you to have something." Aaron looks up at his headmaster just in time to feel a small hand clasp around his own.

Looking down, a little girl, with crimson fluffy ears and apple hair, her tail curled up like ball and just as red. She had steel eyes, his eyes.

"W-Who are you?" He asks the small little pup on gripping onto his hand, she shyly looks down giving him puppy eyes that made his heart melt into a puddle.

"She's my granddaughter, my daughter wanted to give her away, so I took her in." Aaron lifts the small werewolf pup up in his arms and sits her on his lap, she couldn't be anymore than a year old.

"But... I'm afraid I won't be able to take care of her." Aaron stares up at his headmaster with huge and disbelieving eyes, and yet he holds the pup just a little closer.

"Her name is Mía, I know that it's a lot of responsibility, but if you except then I'll tell the staff to accommodate-"

"Yes." Aaron says suddenly, surprising himself and the little girl in his arms.

"Thank you, I'll have Professor Wyatt handle the adoption paperwork then. And..." He hobbles over to his granddaughter and hands her a small golden necklace.

"You be good for grandpa, okay?" The girl nods shyly and tries to stand on Aaron lap, she stumbles, but Aaron catches her.

"Ah?!" Mía and Aaron lock eyes for a moment, both studying each other, she cracks a smile and giggles raising her little arms and pulling on his ears.

The headmaster chuckles, then looks at his watch, and hurriedly starts to speak again.

"Well... that's all I had to say." He mumbles under his breath(yes that's everything in order) "You may want to tell Aphmau about your new... accomplice."

Aaron was only halfway paying attention, he was fully absorbed in making Mía laugh with funny faces, and was currently pulling his ears down over his eyes.

Aaron snaps out of it and looks at his headmaster apologetically.

"Sorry. I'll be on my way then." He picks up Mía and lays her in his arms, quickly thinking of how he's going to tell Aphmau, he turns the door handle to the outside.