‘Hey, fella,’ Jasper whispered into Woof’s ear. ‘What’s going on, hey?’ Woof licked him in response.

Mac pushed his way through the students towards Jasper. He looked worried.

‘Something’s wrong,’ Mac said quietly. ‘I wasn’t around for the last Day of Laying, but I don’t get why we’ve been shoved in here. We’re the ones who know how to find the monsters. We need to be out there!’

Jasper had never seen Mac look so agitated.

Señor Hermes hurried the last few students through the door before slamming it shut and bolting it.

‘All right, settle down,’ Señor Hermes said softly. Jasper noticed that even Hermes seemed on edge. Jasper was beginning to feel nervous himself.

‘What’s going on? Why are we all stuck in here?’ Mac called out. There were murmurs of agreement from some of the other students.

Hermes held up his hand for silence. ‘I know,’ he said, ‘you want to be out there catching the monsters. But this is one Hunt you all have to sit out.’

Mac shook his head. ‘No way! This is when we’re needed the most!’ he protested.

‘When it is nesting, the Skrinkerscreech is a particularly vicious, protective and territorial species,’ Hermes explained over the complaints. ‘They don’t just frighten off potential threats. They kill them. Monsters don’t usually fight amongst themselves, but at nesting time, some species become more aggressive.’

‘But aren’t the others in danger?’ Jasper asked, trying not to think about Felix and Saffy.

‘The others are only in danger of being stung and severely frightened. The Skrinkerscreech’s aggressive streak is reserved for other monsters. Their antennae are designed to detect other monsters in their nesting grounds, and, well ...’ Señor Hermes gestured to the students gathered in the room. He didn’t need to finish the sentence.

We are all part-monster, Jasper realised. And that’s why there are no teachers on the Hunt. They’re all at risk too.

‘I take it you have all heard of the Reversal Room,’ Hermes added. ‘It is where monsters are taken once they’re caught to be, essentially, de-monstered. The room is warm and light, and the monsters are pampered to within an inch of their lives. The more love they are given, the less monster they become. That is where we must go.’

A few kids looked perked up by this news. None of the students had ever been in Reversal Room before.

‘It’s the one room in the school where we know the Skrinkerscreech and their birth plant can’t infiltrate. Screechwort needs the dark, icy, harsh environment of Monstrum House to grow, and the Skrinkerscreech could never nest there as there’s too much good feeling,’ Hermes explained.

Mac still looked disgruntled. Jasper figured that he wanted to get in as much hunting as he could in his last year.

Jasper scratched Woof behind the ears. ‘Did those dumb prefects get much drool from you?’ he asked, then froze.

The prefects! Boris!

Jasper had to get word to Boris. He was in serious danger. Jasper looked at the bolted door. He was trapped. Woof licked his hand reassuringly.

‘Since when have I ever let a locked door stop me, hey, boy?’ Jasper grinned.

He walked quickly to Señor Hermes. ‘Um, I really need to pee.’ Jasper tried to look embarrassed.

Hermes shook his head. ‘You will have to wait. I’m just waiting for word that everyone is in place, and then we leave.’

Jasper crossed his legs. ‘But I really have to go.’

Hermes looked at him sharply. ‘Jasper, I’m warning you. I don’t want you doing anything stupid. If the monsters find you, they will kill you.’

Jasper put on his best anxious face. ‘It’s either in the toilet or on the floor. What if I take one of the dogs with me?’ he suggested. Woof wagged his tail.

Hermes looked at his watch. ‘If you step one toe out of line, you’ll have me to answer to. Matheson!’ Hermes turned to a fourth-year student. ‘Can you please accompany young McPhee here to the toilet? We wouldn’t want any accidents.’

Jasper smiled, but Hermes didn’t appear to get the joke. Jasper didn’t know Matheson very well, but he didn’t look friendly.

Hermes turned to Woof. ‘Guard!’ he said, pointing at Jasper.

Woof seemed to grow in size. He turned to Jasper and snarled, as if to show Hermes that he wouldn’t take any nonsense. Hermes quickly unbolted the door, and checked the hallway before shooing Jasper, Matheson and Woof out.

The door slammed shut behind them. Woof growled again. Jasper heard the bolt slide shut. He was beginning to wonder if this was such a good idea.

Matheson pulled Jasper down the hallway. ‘Hurry up,’ he said impatiently. ‘I don’t want to die for your weak bladder.’ Matheson stopped at the door to the toilets. ‘The dog can go in with you to guard. I’ll keep watch out here. If you hear anything, don’t come out. Just run. There’s a door on the other side of the bathroom. It’s the only other exit.’

Jasper gulped. This was getting scary.

Woof followed Jasper into the toilets. He seemed to know what Jasper was thinking. He stopped growling and yipped excitedly. Jasper gave him a pat. ‘Wait until I’m out of sight, then sound the alarm. I don’t want Matheson in danger.’

Jasper tipped his head back and stared at the vent in the roof. He had been in this bathroom before and he knew of a way out that Matheson didn’t. In his first year he’d discovered a tunnel leading from outside the building right to the vent above him. He just had to climb up into the tunnel, then follow it until he reached the exit. It would take less than ten minutes.

Jasper climbed up onto the sink, working the vent free with his fingers. The vent made a horrible grating noise, which Jasper tried to cover by coughing.

‘Hurry up!’ Matheson called.

‘Coming!’ Jasper replied. He grabbed onto the vent with both hands. The metal dug painfully into his palms. He jumped as high as he could, hauling himself through the vent and into the roof. Woof wagged his tail approvingly.

Jasper carefully closed the vent. He peered into the dark tunnel. Woof sounded the alarm. Jasper saw him barking madly at the door on the opposite side of the bathroom. ‘Clever dog,’ Jasper whispered.