The Train
Rose Black
"Headmaster Pearson, we cannot thank you enough for your generosity," Harry says from beside me.
It's been a long time since I've worn a dress, and now it seems that I can't stop putting them on. Now, every occasion is a special occasion now.
The woman across from us nods, her eyes glazed over. "I was very disheartened to hear of Daisy's passing. Even more so, that you were forced to leave college, Rose. I now understand that something greater is calling you?"
I swallow, trying to somehow manage to form words. But I can't.
"She was," Harry says for me. He may have just been in charge of finances officially this year, but he was also in charge of keeping me sane. "And forgive us, but it's entirely confidential. I'm not even sure what this is except that she's been called away by someone or possibly the whole Union? Again, I don't even know myself because it is so confidential."
Headmaster Pearson nods. "I wish you would've contacted me soon. Education is of the utmost importance to myself-"
"You chose the right profession then," Harry cuts her off to laugh at his own joke.
She clears her throat, "-and I hate to see any child taken out of school for reasons not of their own. Besides, running the whole North American school must've been hell on a girl so young."
"I did what I had to," my voice is meek, and God I just wish I could be better.
She tries to smile at me as my eyes start to water. "Education is always more important. I'll gladly return all your students to you once you have the degree you desire. Until then, the NAAPC pupils are staying here."
I can't think of anything to say, so Harry steps in again. "We can't thank you enough."
Warlock's Revenge was the magical school of Europe. There were many different languages spoken here, and a lot of the Mexican students preferred this school to ours. They were much like us, only ten times as large. Our thousand students was their ten thousand. And they were about to gain quite a few more. I had to step down; there was no way I could run a school while working some mission for Adamas Steele. Luckily the Headmaster of Warlock's had been University roommates with Daisy, and they had continued their friendship from across the pond over the years.
I was raised by my aunt and uncle, the two Headmasters of the North American Academy for Power. Tragically and unexpectedly, I lost them both within a few years, leaving me to be the heir of the school. For as young as I am, I was doing alright at making the ends meet and everything together. Daisy and Daniel Levin ran an inventive and groundbreaking education system, defying what the norm was and creating a safer more open place to master the craft of performing magic. I was proud to be able to take over for them, and obviously overwhelmed. They had built this school up themselves, reinventing the ideals to make a more liberal program. It actually crushes the last pieces of my heart to ship all my students off to this uptight 1700s style learning community. But when the Union calls, you have to answer. And it almost makes me feel like I'm being drafted, having to give up everything I have to complete some quest for a man who shouldn't be able to hold as much power as he does.
"The diversity will be good for our students. I'm excited to get to know them all. And if I'm not mistaken, you have quite a few Lusters among your group," she raises an eyebrow.
"Fourteen." Harry answers with a proud grin.
"We only have around thirty. An odd ratio you all have over there. Surely it has something to do with your liberal breeding."
