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“Here we are.”
It took me a moment to shake off the strange sensation of the portal – like walking through a thick bubble until it popped – and focus on my surroundings.
I looked back to see that the portal we had stepped through had appeared over a set of large, iron gates, and as the portal closed, I caught a shimmer.
“What was that blue light rippling over the metal?” I asked, focusing to see if it would reappear.
My auntie gave me a small smile. “You could see that?”
“Yes. What was it?”
“The protective spells over the school. They keep us safe from prying Human eyes, as well as any would-be intruders. Don’t worry, Amy, you’re safe here.”
I nodded, trying to believe her as I turned around to look at the school itself.
I almost stopped dead at the sight.
Several large buildings were in front of me, all white and covered in gothic spires, with stone paths cutting through the well-kept gardens between them.
“I don’t think I’ve ever actually seen that many flying buttresses in person before,” I admitted under my breath. “And are all the windows stained glass?”
Auntie Jess smiled. “I know, right? But, well, the money came from...” She trailed off. “Let’s just say that the school’s investors have a certain taste.”
I nodded, trying not to be intimidated.
“I know it looks like a lot, but remember, I’m a teacher here. How posh could it be?”
I tried to smile, but the more I thought about the fact that my auntie was a teacher, the more nervous I became.
I couldn’t imagine a school where that wasn’t a potential source of bullying. And what did magical bullying even look like?
I suppressed a shudder as I hoped that I would never find out.
“Well,” Auntie Jess said, pointing to the nearest building, “we should head inside. Gail’s office is just through here.”
“Right. Okay.” I wiped my hands on my dress, hoping that the sweat wouldn’t leave marks as I struggled to remember how to breathe.
What if Gail didn’t like me? What if Auntie Jess was wrong about me having magic like her, and I was sent back to face those Demons alone?
“You’ll do fine,” my auntie assured me. “Now, come on. She’s waiting for us.”
I nodded, though it took me a moment after my auntie headed towards the building to gather my wits enough to follow.
The buildings looked even taller and more intimidating up close, but I swallowed my nerves and focused on my auntie, refusing to look at anything else as she led me through, into one of the buildings.
The inside was just as intimidating as the outside, and the heels my mum had bought me to go with the dress clacked on the wooden floor, making me feel as if I were broadcasting my arrival to the entire school.
I should have just worn my boots, no matter how odd it would have looked.
Thankfully, Auntie Jess only walked to the third door down before turning and knocking on it.
“Come in,” came the response. It was mostly accent-less but not in that overly posh way. More like my mum’s work voice. Respectably middle-class.
That was ground I was slightly more comfortable with.
We may not have been able to afford a holiday every year, but my parents were both university graduates. I could work with respectably middle-class.
Auntie Jess opened the door to reveal a room lined from floor to ceiling with bookshelves, except for the two spaces for tall, narrow windows with small diamond grilles.
In the middle of the room was a large desk, though where I might have expected to see a computer, there were just a few books scattered about and a large, unlit candle.
“Ah, Jessica,” the woman behind the desk said with a polite smile. She was slightly taller than my auntie, which was impressive given how tall she was, and she had olive skin and long, dark hair that she kept out of her warm brown eyes with a large silver clip.
I wasn’t sure what I had thought the headteacher of a school for Witches would be like, but I realised as I took in her sensible black trousers and the black waistcoat over her lilac blouse that it wasn’t anything like the woman in front of me.
“It’s good to see you again.”
Auntie Jess gave her a stiff nod in return. “And you, Gail.”
Gail then turned to me. “And this must be Amelia. Come, let me see you.”
I turned to Auntie Jess, who just gave me a reassuring nod.
I stepped forward as Gail looked me up and down, making her way around the room to circle me.
“Yes, hmm... Intriguing indeed.”
I frowned as Gail made her way back in front of me. “What’s intriguing?”
Gail smiled. “If I knew that, then it wouldn’t be intriguing, would it?” Her hand went to her pocket. “Would you mind if I took a closer look?”
“I... What would that involve?”
“Nothing invasive, I assure you. Just close your eyes, and it will be over in a moment.”
I wanted to ask how something ‘closer’ than circling and ogling at me could be anything but invasive, but I was silenced by my bafflement.
Out of morbid curiosity, I closed my eyes, figuring that this might as well happen.
I frowned as the back of my eyes ached and my head spun.
I opened my eyes, hoping that it would reorient me, only to find myself not in Gail’s office, but in the middle of a vast desert.
I blinked several times, hoping it would clear away the strange vision.
The strange vision that was overly reminiscent of dreams I only half-remembered.
I turned around, spreading my arms wide, half expecting my arms to hit something in Gail’s office and bring me back to sense.
But no, I felt nothing but dry, desert air.
It felt real. As if I really had somehow been transported from Gail’s office to the middle of a desert.
How the hell had I gotten there?
Could Gail teleport people? Had she sent me to the middle of the desert as some kind of test?
“Hello?” I called, but there was no answer.
As I turned, the expanse of desert before me was finally broken by a cylindrical structure made of stone.
I couldn’t see any entrance or windows, but I headed towards it regardless as the merciless sun beat down on me and I felt a few beads of sweat trickle down my neck.
Hopefully, someone would be there who could give me answers.
Or at least the structure could shelter me from the sun.
I hurried forward, anxiety starting to kick in. I still couldn’t see an entrance into whatever this structure was as I struggled to keep my footing on the desert sand.
The heels lasted only moments before I took them off and threw them over my shoulder, navigating the slippery terrain in just my black tights.
While all black had been a sensible choice for meeting the headteacher of my new school, it did me no favours here as my clothes absorbed the sun’s heat, cooking me alive in the fabric.
As I neared the structure, I saw a small gap in the stone wall where a few bricks had come loose, and I breathed a sigh of relief.
Even if I couldn’t get through, maybe I could shout into the gap until someone heard.
I didn’t know what I expected as I approached, but it certainly wasn’t what I saw inside.
As I finally reached the wall, my hands hitting the rough stone to stop me from barrelling straight into it, I found that I could see through the gap.
To the garden beyond.
While outside the circular wall was a vast, lifeless desert, inside was a sea of green, broken up by bright colours as the tall grass occasionally gave way to various flowers in full bloom, and the trees all seemed to be sprouting assorted fruits and flowers.
I stared in awe as a butterfly with bright blue and pink wings fluttered up to me.
It looked almost unreal, the colours were so saturated, and I found myself fascinated by it, unable to look away.
And then I blinked, and I was back in Gail’s office, sitting on one of the chairs with a dull ache across my head.
I wanted to ask what the hell had just happened, but I didn’t even know how to begin phrasing my question.
I looked up to see Gail still watching me thoughtfully as she leaned back against her desk. “What did you see?” she eventually asked, her voice soft and understanding.
I frowned. What did I see? So, Gail knew about the strange vision? Was it to do with her “non-intrusive” examination?
“What the hell did you do to me?”
Gail gave me an apologetic smile. “You’re more sensitive than I realised. In my attempt to examine you, I prompted you to look inwards as well.”
“What does that mean?”
“What did you see?” Gail asked, ignoring my question.
I shrugged, figuring that she wasn’t going to let it go until I answered. “I was in a vast, lifeless desert, and in the middle, there was a walled garden. A few of the bricks had come loose, so I could see inside, and it was beautiful, but the gap wasn’t big enough for me to get through.”
Gail nodded, as if what I’d said was perfectly normal. “Tell me, Amelia, do you ever have strange dreams?”
I shrugged. “When I’m stressed, I guess. But doesn’t everyone?”
Gail just hummed in thought as she looked me over once more before shaking her head. “You’ve been too close to the threshold between worlds for too long, Amelia. Your subconscious is screaming at you.”
“What is it trying to say?”
“What do you think? It’s your subconscious, after all.”
I shrugged. “I mean, I guess I would say that the garden is something within me. And I used to have dreams... I remember that garden. I used to see my auntie and cousin playing in the garden while I stood across a river from them in a desert. I tried to cross the river, but the currents were too strong... So, it’s something we all share, but I’m cut off from. My magic?” I shook my head as I heard the words coming out of my mouth. “I’m sorry, that’s ridiculous. I didn’t know about magic until a couple of days ago. I shouldn’t have... They’re just dreams.”
“Why are you apologising? You were simply answering my question honestly.”
I frowned. “Honesty isn’t always the best approach. Not when it results in gibberish and I sound...” I trailed off.
I knew I wasn’t supposed to say ‘crazy’. It was ableist.
But when my brain went off track and landed me in hot water, I didn’t have another word that covered the way I felt about myself quite as accurately.
“Do you usually end up saying things that sound like gibberish or...?” Gail waved her hand to refer to the word I had refused to say.
I cringed as I turned to my aunt. Hadn’t she told Gail?
She had been so sure that I would make it through this interview, I had assumed that she had thought to bring up my ADHD with Gail when talking about me with her.
But if she hadn’t...
I’m not sure that I could cope with being sent away from this school just because my brain was wired differently.
Of course, that would probably be illegal, but I would have to be able to definitively prove that that was why I had been sent away, and then any case would likely be crushed in court by the army of lawyers this school could undoubtedly afford.
Legality meant nothing if the laws weren’t actually enforced.
And that was assuming that Human laws applied to Witches...
Which meant that Gail could turn me away over something I had no control over.
Despite all of my hard work, I would never be free, would I? Not even in this world of magic. The constant scrambling to stay ahead so that my account balanced and people saw me as a person, and not just a problem that needed to be solved, would never be over.
Auntie Jess gave me a reassuring smile before turning to Gail with a firm look. “You can’t ask a neurodivergent kid a question like that and expect them to come to the conclusion you’re looking for, Gail.”
Gail sighed before turning to me once more. “I’m sorry, Jessica is right. I was attempting to figure out exactly what is going on with your magic, but I got carried away once I realised what you’d seen. It’s clear from your dreams that you’ve not been listening to your instincts. You knew about magic deep down before your aunt told you, but you refused to see what was right in front of you until it needed to be explained. It’s likely something you picked up as a survival mechanism, but it will be of no help to you here.”
My stomach twisted, and I wondered, if I had figured it out... Could I have done something different? Could I have pushed to go to Ember Academy before my mum had been hurt?
“Gail,” Auntie Jess said, placing a hand on my shoulder, “now isn’t the time. Not after how she left.”
Gail’s face fell, and she turned to me with an apologetic look. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking. Your aunt told me about the attack on you and your parents. Sometimes rogue Demons hunt strong Humans, and with your magic blocked, that’s probably what they thought you were.”
I nodded, figuring that that’s what Auntie Jess had said to explain the attack.
Though that didn’t really do anything to answer the question of what might have happened if I had figured it out earlier.
“I didn’t mean to imply that you should have figured it out, or that figuring things out would have changed anything,” Gail continued, seemingly realising where my thoughts were. Or perhaps figuring it out through other means... I would have to ask Auntie Jess exactly how invasive her ‘examination’ had truly been. “Especially when you have yet to come into your own magic. But don’t worry, you’re not the only Witch from a mostly Human family attending this school. There will be plenty of others who didn’t grow up with magic either. This school prides itself on being an inclusive place for everyone to learn their craft.”
“Everyone? So, other magical beings, too? Or just Witches?” I wasn’t sure how my auntie could think I would be safe if the school let in Demons.
“Just Witches for now,” Gail said. “This school is an experiment of sorts, so we decided to start with teaching Witches. Though our plan is to eventually include all magical beings and help foster better relationships between different factions. And while we only accept Witches for now, we don’t discriminate against Witches with mixed blood, so there are plenty of students here from all kinds of magical backgrounds.”
She moved to her desk and picked up one of the notebooks, rifling through it. “Now, down to practicalities. We keep separate dormitories for those who have already broken through – that’s how we refer to coming into your magic – and those who are still waiting. However, you’re a little older than most in the ‘still waiting’ building, so I thought it would be best to give you a room of your own.”
“Wait,” Auntie Jess said, stepping forward to halt her friend’s rapid speech. “You still haven’t said what you found when you examined her.”
Gail frowned for a moment before nodding with a smile, putting her notebook back down. “Of course. I’m sorry. I got carried away, and I didn’t think. As far as I can tell, whatever was done to Amelia to block her from her magic is breaking down, and in a magic-heavy environment, I expect it will break down for good in next to no time.”
I frowned. “So, what exactly do you think was done to me?”
Gail turned her attention back to me, mirroring my frown. “I am still a little perplexed by that. There have been many discussions over the years about the possibility of blocking the powers of those who break through too young. The problem is that it requires so much power, it’s not worth it. But someone apparently deemed it worth it for you.” She sighed, her gaze flickering back to Auntie Jess for a moment. “I have tried to ask Jessica several times who might have such an interest in you, but she has never given me a straight answer. Perhaps you will have better luck.” Then she shrugged. “Regardless, you’re not in any danger, as far as I can tell, and I suppose it really is none of my business past that point. As long as it’s not hurting you, all this block means is that you’re a little older than usual to be coming into your magic. But it shouldn’t be long now, and I have no issue admitting you into the Academy this year. You can focus more on your A-Levels until you finally break through.”
“And you really think that it won’t be long?”
It took everything I had not to bounce up and down with restless anticipation.
I had magic.
I was going to learn how to use magic.
A missing piece of myself that I had always known was there but had spent so long ignoring was finally going to be revealed to me.
For a moment, I almost forgot the horrors that had led me there.
But then I remembered, and a pang of guilt kept me from fully enjoying the moment.
Gail, annoyingly, shrugged. “I’m not sure when exactly the block will break down, but I’m not worried. I’m sure that it will be soon enough and like I said, you can use the extra time to focus on your Human studies and get acclimatised to the school and magic in general.” She turned to Auntie Jess. “Unfortunately, with term starting tomorrow, I’m swamped. Do you remember where the dormitories are? She’s in Room 308, in the pre-breakthrough building.”
Auntie Jess nodded. “Yeah, I remember. Don’t worry, I can take Amy there, and I can show her around as well. It’ll be good for me to get reacquainted with the place before my first lesson tomorrow.”
Gail smiled before reaching down to her desk and picking up a silver pin with a strange design on it, like several ropes twisted into a circle. She passed the pin to Auntie Jess. “Then here. You’re officially a teacher here now. The students should recognise you as such.”
“I’m not wearing a uniform if you don’t.”
Gail frowned before glancing down at herself and sighing. “I swear, one of these days, I’ll start remembering to wear it.”
Auntie Jess smiled as she attached the pin to the front of her jacket. “Well then, I guess I should probably set a good example for you.”