Penny stared at Mrs. Justus. "She's a first year student, and dorms with me, Geneva, and Emma." Maybe she just doesn't recognize the name, Penny reasoned.
Alex jumped in. "Remember that food fight the other day? She got in trouble with me."
Mrs. Justus frowned and shook her head. "There was no girl involved in starting the food fight. Just you and his-" she gestured to Justin, "-brother."
The kids glanced at each other.
"Are you three okay?" Mrs. Justus asked. "You're all first years... sometimes all the exposure to magic can affect people when they are first exposed to it... although I've never heard of three students hallucinating the same person." She frowned thoughtfully.
Penny shook her head. "We're not hallucinating! Ask anyone! Juliette is real!" she exclaimed.
Mrs. Justus paused, then unlocked her office door. "Come in."
Somewhat confused by the abrupt turn of events, they filed in. Mrs. Justus sat down at her desk and tapped something into her computer. She nodded and turned the screen around so the kids could view it.
"This is your class list. See? There's no Juliette Unni on it. There has never been a student with that name here."
Penny looked over at the two boys, desperation written all over her features. How is this happening? I know she's real. How could we all just make her up?
"Mrs. Justus... could you please call the headmaster and ask him?" Alex asked tentatively.
She gave him a strange look. "The headmaster is a very busy man. Random students can't just contact him, even through me."
"But we're not just random students! We're the-" Penny said before she could stop herself, remembering just in time that Justin didn't know they were the Fabulosa.
Mrs. Justin stared. "Yes?"
Alex must have sensed her dilemma. He nudged Justin and began talking to him quickly, distracting him from Penny.
"You know... the Fabulosa," Penny whispered. Mrs. Justus looked completely baffled.
"What? The Fabulosa haven't been around for years." Her eyes narrowed. "Is this some kind of prank?"
Penny's heart sank. Not only had Mrs. Justus forgotten about Juliette's existence, she also seemed to have forgotten about the Fabulosa. Still, Penny hastened to reassure the principal. "No! It's not a prank!"
"Then you have a worse case of magic exposure than I thought... hmm..." Mrs. Justus's voice trailed off.
Penny stared at Alex, who looked about as panicked as she felt.
Ms. Justus came to a decision. "It's too late tonight, but before class tomorrow I want you three to check in with the nurse." She held up a hand and barred the protests rising up in Penny's throat. "Magic exposure I'd relatively common for first years, especially those whose families are not Magicae. And while your case is admittably the stronger than others I've seen, the nurse will have something to help. Now why don't you three go get some sleep."
It was an order, not a request. Penny sensed that the boys were about to protest, so she spoke up. "Okay, Mrs. Justus. We're sorry to bother you this late."
The principal nodded. "I'm glad you came... magic exposure isn't usually dangerous, but if it progresses too far I'm not sure what would happen."
Penny gestured for the other two to follow as she led the way out of the principal's office. They walked in silence before Alex burst out with what they all were thinking.
YOU ARE READING
Magicae
Fantasy[COMPLETED] The Magicae are among us. They always have been there, looking and acting the same as us, but with one difference. They are magic. Now, with the evil society known as the Malum rising once again, the three prophesied Fabulosa must make t...
