Page 5 of Elmwood Inclusive Magic Academy
“Bears can be reclusive, however,” Tudor shrugs.
“It was Orson Elmwood,” Astrid confirms. “I’m surprised Rita managed to get control of the place.”
“Well, this is where the academy was before,” says Tudor mildly. “It makes sense to start it back up here again. No tedious protection magic to redo.” He looks at Hallie and I, then adds, reassuringly, “Although I’m sure they’ve updated the spells before the term started.”
“Hmm, yes, of course,” Astrid hums, then narrows her eyes slightly. “But still, you must sense the magical undercurrents…I can’t imagine the rest of the coven of Morgan would have been happy about it.”
She looks pointedly at Tudor Thornblade, and I can tell she’s hinting at something. Hallie looks back and forth at both of them, fascinated by the mysterious tension.
I feel my face go red. My mom can be so dramatic, it’s embarrassing. Luckily, I’m saved as a tall woman with large brown eyes and short, black hair ascends the dais in the center of the room.
The hall immediately quiets down. Even though she’s standing in the center, with an audience from all directions, she manages to address the entire room equally. She moves and speaks with a charisma you can only cultivate over centuries of leadership. She doesn’t appear to have a microphone or anything, but her voice resonates crispy throughout the large hall.
“Greetings and salutations, blessed be and good evening to you all,” she intones gracefully. The owl bows, and it’s clear he’s her familiar. I’m jolted by a sudden realization as I notice her fangs and the pallor of her light brown skin.
I turn to Astrid and whisper urgently, “Mom, she’s a…vampire?”
Astrid smirks at me, waiting for me to finish.
“And a witch, she’s got an owl familiar!”
“Correct, she’s both a witch and a vampire, darling.”
“But that’s impossible…how could she be both?”
Astrid cocks her head casually, eyes still on the dais, and whispers, “Your boyfriend Timothy, his father trained as both a doctor and a lawyer. It’s a difficult and unusual path, and it takes a lot of dedication and skill. But it’s possible, and earns you a lot of respect in the magical world. Now,quiet.”
“My name is Professor Amrita Vyas, and I am honoured and humbled to be the third principal of Elmwood Inclusive Magic Academy. I’m joined by my colleagues,” she gestures toward a row that includes Lydia, who bow their heads in synchrony, “to warmly welcome you to another term. We are looking forward to reopening the academy, to promote the integration of magical groups and the knowledge we hold so sacred.”
The tone changes slightly, becoming more somber.
“As you can surely appreciate, these are dark and trying times. Tension between magical peoples, while not as difficult as in the past, still divides us. While these disagreements are not wholly superficial, we must learn from the mistakes of our past and prevent our differences from becoming our ruin. We have lost much from petty infighting. Some knowledge can never be regained.”
There’s a muffled stirring in the hall. I can see Lydia and Astrid make brief, but meaningful, eye contact from across the rows. I have a horrible, sinking feeling that I’m in way over my head. I’ve grown up with witches all my life, but I’ve never been as immersed in the magical world as I am now. Pan licks my hand soothingly.
“In the spirit of harmony, trust, and wisdom, we commit to honouring and respecting our differences while sharing what is our’s to share. And what is more precious than our magical practices, our culture, our history? We seek to pass along the knowledge of our ancestors so that these sacred learnings will continue to thrive and grow in these challenging times.
“And finally, I hope you will all come to feel at home here, as I once did when I was a student.”
Hallie grabs my arm excitedly, knocking Pan off my lap.
“Did you hear that, she used to go here!” she whispers.
“Be kind to each other, and be kind to yourselves. Though you may follow Alphas, Creators, Deities, or Demons, remember to first and foremost…follow your own heart.”
She waves her arms in a sweeping gesture. Suddenly, the circular hall is filled with light. The moon and stars shine brighter, glittering and dancing with ethereal splendor. Even the most stoic vampires turn in their seats and gasp. Hallie practically keels over in delight.
Professor Vyas smiles, and waves her hands again. The moon and stars go back to their normal brightness and resume their original positions in the sky. It’s clear the speech is over. Chatter breaks out throughout the hall.
“Do you think we could be as powerful as her someday?” asks Hallie, gazing awestruck at the principal. She descends from the dais, owl perched on her shoulder, and speaks with some of the other teachers.
“Honestly, no,” I reply. “I mean, being a witch is already super overwhelming. I can’t imagine doing a double major.”
I chuckle at my own joke, then I wonder if we actually pick majors at magic school.
Hallie nods, although she still looks hopeful. “I guess I should focus on vampire-ing first. I’ve never even bitten anyone before.”
I can’t help being interested. “Really?”
