One Year Before High School

Chapter 20

It was a cold few days out in the fields. Wisps of cold frost-bitten air would rise irregularly, like steam from some bizarre machine. Ivy was out with Ella, practicing over and over again. It was really a shame that Ivy wasn't an Iridescent, she had a good touch with magic.

She had gone from making small, ugly puffs of cold air to building full on structures. Snowmen, snow forts, and the like. It was very expensive, but also fun and a good way to practice. By the time she was done, it looked as if a small snowstorm had hit the area.

"We better get back for lunch, the others invited us out." said Ella. Ivy shook her hands, red and tingling from cold. "Yeah, that sounds good. Lets go."

Ella handed Ivy a coat, which she put on, then they walked out together. The way back to the school was really long, but they were willing to walk.

The day pretty much progressed as normal. Ivy did her homework, Ella looked over some sheets for the next semester. Apparently, every semester here called for a schedule change. Students would be assessed, then separated to the appropriate classes. The first year, of course, there was no way to tell them apart. Most of them didn't even know the possessed magic. But now that they were proficient, they could be put into classes to better their strong suite.

Ella was hoping she'd get into a specialty magic class, full of students who had a special denomination of magics.

Their dorm was really quiet tonight, something to do with the fact that Maci and Carla were doing some last-minute cramming, and that Tanya and Emily had to go out shopping for groceries again. That only left Ella and Ivy tonight.

"D'you think we'll pass?" asked Ella. She turned around from her desk to face Ivy, who was sprawed out on the bed.

"Mm, probably. They won't check too closely, just that I can do magic."

"Isn't using a locket cheating?"

"I'll be wearing earrings, and my hair down."

Ella turned back. "It's just that...I don't know."

Ivy craned her neck so that she was looking directly at Ella. "Don't worry, we'll be fine." she said, as reassuringly as possible.

Ella hoped she was right.

Somewhere else, Stephany was staring out a window, her head resting on her hand, propped up to support it. She stared at the sunny expanse, at nothing in particular.

I just know it, she thought. I just know that she's hiding something.

For some reason, Stephany was bent on finding whatever Ivy was hiding. No one believed her, of course, but that didn't mean she wasn't convinced. It was just something that was slightly off, something strange.

I would've found out too, if that stupid Maci hadn't come, she thought. Then she frowned. Actually, why did she come? It wasn't like Ivy couldn't have defended herself from me. School rules maybe?

But that wasn't true. The very least Ivy could have done was defend herself. It wasn't against a rule to do that.

"Come to think of it, I've never even seen her do magic."

Stephany shook her head. That was ridiculous. She might be admitted falsely, but there's no way she's actually magicless. Maybe she's just really bad.

"But that doesn't make sense either. She's not bad, she get's straight A's"

It wasn't like she needed to fight her, technically, she reasoned, though why she was making excuses for her she didn't know. If she hadn't hightailed out of there, staff would've found out anyways.

But something still wasn't right.

Deciding that her curiosity wouldn't be satisfied until she did some investigating, Stephany slipped out of her dorm, off to find Ivy.

"By the way, just out of curiosity, why didn't you defend yourself? I've seen you do magic before, so I know you can."

Maci questioned this more as an offhand remark, but Ivy tensed slightly.

"Sorry, I guess I just got nervous. Besides, have you seen what Stephany was throwing at me? They don't teach you that at school."

Ella glanced at Ivy, who had both her hands in her pockets. She was looking down, unwilling to make eye-contact.

"You know Ivy, maybe it's time we told them." she said. Ivy looked up at Ella.

"I don't know..."

Maci interrupted. "Wait, tell me what?"

The whole group had stopped walking, staring at Ivy. Ella shuffled from foot to foot nervously. Ivy sighed, then took a deep breath.

"The truth is...I think I was admitted falsely."

Maci took a sharp breath. She stood still for a whole five seconds, processing what she just heard. The group all stopped as well, waiting for who would make the next move.

"That's...that's not possible. That's never happened before. I..." she stopped. Maci looked around for support, but only widened eyes looked back at her. They all looked to her to know what to do next.

Ella stepped in. "Guys, this doesn't matter. Mrs. La'Lune already knows, and she's here. It could be false, but then what? Please, we have to help."

"Well, of course. We'll help. But why didn't you tell us this earlier?" asked Carla.

They were silent.

Carla looked around, then realized that just standing there, shocked, and doing nothing isn't going to help. She clapped sharply, startling everyone out of their state of stillness.

"Okay, nevermind then. But we have to know what to do now. The test that's coming up will be the biggest challenge for us right now. If we can bypass this, then we'll be fine. Ella, I assume you already have something planned?"

Now that there was something concrete to do, everyone was in motion again. They began to discuss how they would help.

"I've given her a locket, she'll be able to use it during the test. All we have to do is make sure no one sees her wear earrings." said Ella. Carla nodded, then frowned.

"So is that all? That seems so simple. I feel like we're forgetting something."

But she couldn't think of what.

The group prepared for a very long time. Carla, by asking the upper-years, learned that the test was always something simple, with no particular affinity. Make a pencil float, produce some evidence of your skill. Nothing special.

It seemed easy enough, but it still took both Maci and Carla coaching, and Ella recharging the locket, and both Tanya and Emily keeping their dorm from destruction that Ivy finally got competent enough.

They practiced for two entire weeks, begging off homework under the excuse of extracurricular activities. Ivy was slowly getting better.

It was a cold couple of days, but by the end, they had prepared all they could.

It was only a matter of time until the finals arrived.