Harriet Roswell and the School of Witchcraft

Chapter 11

She could smell it before she had even entered the room. A smell so divine - so heavenly that her eyes watered, and her mouth salivated. Deep down the fear of eating 3 school meals a day vanished with the changing of the tides, and as she gazed upon the dinner options, she felt at peace. Tucked away beneath a glass screen, within hands reach sat 5 bulky meals. Vegan fresh green pea and lemon pesto pasta, vegetarian egg fried rice with vegetable stir-fry, kosher butternut squash soup, omnivores bolognese and another diet specialised meal.

It was a tough choice but the pasta won, the white rimmed bowl finding its way to her hands, to rest upon the white tray. Her legs took her past the refrigerated section and she found a fancy glass bottle of cola, from a brand she'd never seen before. The pudding choices were small but just as delightful. Fruit salad with ice cream? (Vegan ice cream available) or chocolate cake? She was won over by the ice-cream and she took the fruit salad of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and kiwi.

The cafeteria was still buzzing with people but it was less chaotic than that morning, without the teachers, the stage, luggage or the air of chaos, the room seemed comfortably big. Her dorm had chosen to sit together, there was space for her and it seemed like a good place to sit, despite the nerves she felt, she sat down with Diana by her side, Lemony and Michael across from her, and Romero at the end of the table closest to her. Toby and Alex were at the opposite end of table, too hard to see and talk to from Harriet's position.

"Are you vegan?" Lemony asked excitedly noticing their twin meals.

"No" Harriet smiled "I just fancied something green today, are you vegan?" Lemony nodded.

"I went vegan last year, I think that's why my parents sent me here, they don't want to cook for me." She gave a grin showing the whites of her eyes, as Harriet tried the first bite of her meal.

"Oh no, how awful..." Harriet said, because she didn't know what else to say "but at least they've got really nice vegan meals here."

"I'd say, all I eat at home is peanut butter and rice. I'm going to have to call back home later and pretend to be pissed and hope my parents don't offer to bring me home."

"I thought you'd be one of those witch people with your hair" Alex said guzzling down his meaty bolognese, Harriet couldn't see him eating, but she sure could hear him.

"I just like horoscopes" Lemony defended herself with a gentle shrug of her shoulders "I don't really understand all this magical shit. Do they expect me to learn to levitate? Turn metal into gold? Have any of you got the faintest idea?" She asked.

"I'm clueless" Harriet said, and it was the truest thing she had ever said.

"It's like religion, but without the religious aspects" Michael said "I'm here because I identify as a witch. I am a witch."

"Religion without the religion?" Romero frowned "so not religion? Hey I've got spell casting tomorrow, are you telling me you've got a head-start on me?"

"I should think so" Michael said gently.

"Like abracadabra?" Romero asked.

"That's it."

"Oh okay then. A real proper witch. Are your spells ever successful?"

"I have surprising success with every spell" Michael said. Romero raised his eyes as he looked to the others.

"Well shit then okay."