Forgiveness and Responsibility

Not everyone was enthralled by the baseball game. Some of the students were heard to loudly say afterwards, “What a silly game! Who cares about Muggles hitting a ball with a stick?” Ebenezer Smith compared baseball unfavorably to Quidditch, despite the fact that he normally scorned Quidditch as a frivolous waste of time. But most of the sixth-graders got caught up in rooting for one team or the other, and ate their fill of hot dogs and popcorn and soda.

Everyone was sleepy on the ride home, and most of the students were dozing off before the Charmbridge bus even reached the Automagicka. Constance and Forbearance, now wearing Chicago Cubs baseball caps pulled down over their eyes, were snoring softly as they leaned against one another. David had his head on the table and seemed to have fallen asleep as well. Alexandra sat by the window, staring out into the darkness. Beside her, Anna struggled to keep her eyes open, but her chin kept sinking to her chest.

Anna knew Alexandra was stewing over something, and Alexandra knew Anna was sulking a little, so they didn't say much to each other even after they got off the bus. Everyone was sleepy anyway. Even the teachers were weary after the long day, and it occurred to Alexandra as they crossed the Invisible Bridge that this would be a good time for another attempt on her life, while everyone was tired and unwary.

Nothing happened, though, and they arrived back at the academy without incident. Alexandra, Anna, Darla, and Angelique all returned to their suite, and engaged in the usual skirmish for taking turns in the bathroom before bed. Alexandra brushed her teeth, after giving Charlie some popcorn she'd stashed at the ballpark, and then threw herself onto her bed and stared up at the ceiling. She didn't remember Anna turning off the light, and only realized she'd fallen asleep without even pulling the blankets over her when Anna shook her awake the next morning.

“Alex, it's time for breakfast.”

Anna opened her eyes, and looked up at her roommate. Anna looked annoyed and concerned.

“I found out something yesterday,” Alexandra said.

“I thought so,” Anna said, “since you were being such a jerk again.”

Alexandra frowned.

“So are you going to tell me about it?” Anna asked.

“Maybe after I talk to Ms. Grimm.”

Anna winced a little. “Well, come on then. We'd better find out if you've been summoned to her office yet.”

They knew before they reached the notice board that she had, since Darla and Angelique were there ahead of them, smirking. “I would think you would know how to behave yourself among Muggles, at least!” Darla said. “If you keep this up, Alexandra, you won't be allowed on any field trips at all!”

“If she keeps this up, she's going to be expelled!” said Angelique.

Alexandra looked at the board, which sure enough, had Alexandra Quick scheduled for the Dean's Office right after breakfast.

“I think she likes me too much to expel me,” Alexandra said. Though she didn't actually think that was true at all, she was amused by the looks on the other girls' faces, and went to breakfast feeling a little more cheerful.

She was more somber by the time she finished eating, especially since Anna wasn't looking reassured at all.

“It'll be all right, Anna,” she said to her roommate, and then with a sigh, walked the now-familiar path to the Dean's Office.

Alexandra was almost sure she saw Miss Marmsley roll her eyes this time. “You know where to sit,” the secretary's portrait said. But it was only a minute before the Dean's office door opened, and Ms. Grimm said, “Come in, Miss Quick.”

Alexandra entered, feeling a mixture of resignation and anger. From the look on the Dean's face, she was feeling much the same.

“And here we are again,” said Ms. Grimm. “You really must believe there's no limit to my patience.” She rested her elbows on her desk, and held up her wand, running the thumb and forefinger of each hand along it until she was pinching it at either end. “I suppose there's no need to discuss why you're here.”

“Before you curse me or expel me or punish my friends, I have some questions for you,” Alexandra said.

Ms. Grimm registered astonishment. “You? Have questions? For me?” Her voice became colder with each word, and Alexandra thought she might snap her wand in half.

“Who is Diana Grimm?” Alexandra asked, figuring there was no point in not seizing the initiative.

She was rewarded with a moment of hesitation, before Grimm frowned slowly and said, “My sister. What about her?”

“Why did she interview my mother, three days after I was born?” Alexandra continued, watching the woman's expression carefully. “Or are you going to say you didn't know about that?

Ms. Grimm pointed her wand, and Alexandra's tongue suddenly stuck to the roof of her mouth. She gagged and made a sputtering noise, and then Ms. Grimm said, “Sit on your hands.” And Alexandra did – she sat down in the nearest chair, with her hands underneath her, and though she squirmed and struggled, she could free neither her tongue nor her hands, and realized she was rooted in place.

“Now you're going to listen,” Ms. Grimm said, laying her wand down on her desk. And she sighed and leaned back in her chair, and didn't say anything for several minutes. Alexandra was furious, but couldn't do anything but wait.

“My sister works for the Wizard Justice Department,” the Dean said at last. “Yes, she was assigned your case, because your father was believed to be one of the Thorn Circle. I wasn't even supposed to know this, but sisters talk.” She smiled thinly. “Eleven years later, I was made aware that you were coming of age and it was thought that the best thing to do was bring you here to Charmbridge. I've done my best to protect you, Alexandra, but you insist on making it difficult. Initially it was my hope that you would be relatively inconspicuous, just another Muggle-born student.” She chuckled humorlessly. “You, however, have been quite determinedly conspicuous.”

Alexandra sputtered something, but with her tongue still glued to the roof of her mouth, it came out garbled and incoherent. What she wanted to say was: “I'd have been less conspicuous if someone hadn't been trying to kill me!” But Ms. Grimm waved a hand dismissively.

“I don't know how you found out as much as you did – there shouldn't have been any record of your mother's interrogation – that is, interview – in the Census Office. Sloppy record-keeping, but what can you expect from government workers?” She shook her head.

Alexandra narrowed her eyes again, and would have made a comment about vampire government workers, but she kept silent rather than make more gabbling noises.

“Claudia was not harmed, I assure you. My sister only wanted to find out what your mother could tell her about your father, which as it turned out, was practically nothing. Diana's superiors determined that your mother was an ignorant Muggle, probably seduced by some Dark wizard, and that she was better off being allowed to remain ignorant. You were watched, of course, irregularly, in case your father tried to make contact with either one of you, but that, I gather, has not happened.” She studied Alexandra for a moment, as if waiting for her to react this time, so Alexandra just sat there and stared back at the Dean.

Ms. Grimm sighed again, and continued. “So here we are. I have a most troublesome young witch at my school, unconcerned by rules or boundaries, nearly impossible to discipline, and determined to poke her nose where it doesn't belong. Perhaps you do have much of your father in you after all. That, no doubt, is what concerns certain authorities.” She leaned forward, meeting Alexandra's smoldering gaze with her own.

“Has it occurred to you, Alexandra, that even if you do find out who your father is, you might not like what you find out?”

Alexandra blinked, and then made more unintelligible, angry sounds.

“No, of course that's not going to dissuade you,” Grimm said. She leaned back once more. “The fact is, if I expel you, you become subject to Confederation law on unschooled magical children, made more complicated by the fact that you now know about the wizarding world. They'll take your wand away, you'll never be allowed to practice magic again, and they might Obliviate your memories. Alternatively, they might decide that your Muggle home is unsuitable, and take you into foster care. You wouldn't like government-run foster homes, I assure you.”

This actually quieted Alexandra, and she felt a little sick. They could take her away from her mother and her stepfather? She stopped her struggling against Grimm's jinx, and sat very still. Ms. Grimm sensed that for once, she had Alexandra's full attention, and nodded.

“Alexandra, I've tried threatening you, I've tried persuading you, I've tried negotiating with you. You simply will not be amenable to reason. No matter what I do for your own good, you make it difficult for me at every turn. If I tell you I will not expel you, I fear you will feel empowered to get away with anything! Yet clearly, there is no punishment severe enough to restrain your impulsiveness. I think I could have you whipped, and it would only make you more cunning in your rule-breaking.”

Alexandra still didn't move, and refused to blink as Ms. Grimm paused to gauge her reaction.

“I could have Miss Chu whipped –” And Alexandra hated Ms. Grimm in that moment, for the triumphant smile that curled the corners of her mouth when Alexandra jerked in her seat and mumbled something that sounded like “Ung-oo!” But then the Dean shook her head. “But I doubt even that would moderate your behavior permanently.”

She picked up her wand again. “Which I suppose gives us both insoluble dilemmas. Mine is what to do with a student who is nothing but trouble. Yours is how to stay out of trouble. For your misbehavior on the class field trip: an essay, a letter of apology to Mr. Bagby, and a week of detention.” She waved her wand, and Alexandra was suddenly unglued. She pulled her hands out from underneath her, and glared at the Dean.

“Who's Mr. Bagby?” she demanded.

“The Census Office clerk, of course.” Grimm looked at her calmly.

“You mean the vampire?” Alexandra exclaimed. “I have to apologize to him?”

“Yes. And apologize you shall. You shouldn't have been wandering about by yourself. He's been a very productive and successful participant in the Vampire Behavioral Therapy Program –”

“He should apologize to me!” Alexandra shouted. The portraits on the wall behind Ms. Grimm recoiled in shock. Grimm's eyes narrowed dangerously.

“You will do as you're told,” she said in a low voice. “And you will not ever raise your voice again in my office.”

Alexandra felt flushed and outraged. She bit her tongue before she said something else.

“Detention. With Mr. Thiel,” Grimm repeated. “He needs help degnoming the grounds.”

Alexandra was suspicious. This was relatively light punishment, and the Dean hadn't even threatened her friends again. Ms. Grimm seemed almost eager to get rid of her.

“Who's my father?” she asked.

Ms. Grimm raised her eyebrows again. “I don't know, and this conversation is over. Your insolence and arrogance are already well over the line.”

“You're lying.”

She hadn't meant to say it, but it came out. All the portraits on the wall grew very still, until they were as motionless as Muggle paintings. Ms. Grimm's expression didn't change, but her eyes became as cold and hard as ice. She rose slowly, behind her desk, and it took all of Alexandra's willpower not to back away from her.

“Hold out your hands,” Ms. Grimm said slowly, and very, very softly.

Alexandra did so. She was nervous, but she didn't show it.

The Dean raised her wand, and then brought it down across the back of Alexandra's hands with a snap. It was just a slender piece of wood, no longer or thicker than Alexandra's, but the impact felt like a blow from a baseball bat.

Ms. Grimm raised her wand again, and again brought it down on Alexandra's hands. And again, and again. Each strike made a vicious snapping sound, like the cracking of a whip. The pain of the first blow was shocking, but each one hurt worse. Ms. Grimm seemed frighteningly calm, even dispassionate, as she struck the back of Alexandra's hands over and over.

It seemed to go on forever. Even some of the men and women in the portraits were starting to look uncomfortable. The pain burned Alexandra's hands like fire and spread up her arms, but she had all her will set against Ms. Grimm now. Somehow she knew that if she cried out or dropped her hands, it would stop, so she did neither, and forced the woman to keep going. If the Dean realized that Alexandra was trying to force her to be the one to stop, she didn't show it, nor did she show any sign of tiring.

Alexandra's hands were trembling a little now, because she'd had to hold them up so long, but she continued meeting the Dean's eyes defiantly. Eventually she started tearing up – she couldn't help it. She tried not to blink, while tears of pain ran down her cheeks. One of the witches hanging on the wall seemed to be trying to get Alexandra's attention, but she refused to look away from Ms. Grimm.

Finally, one of them said, “Lilith,” and Ms. Grimm paused, and slowly lowered her wand.

Alexandra's arms were shaking and her face was red and tear-streaked, but she hadn't moved. For one moment, she thought she saw an almost admiring glimmer in the Dean's eyes, and then Ms. Grimm said in that same cold, emotionless voice, “Put your hands down.”

Alexandra dropped them slowly to her sides. She thought they should be raw and bloody, but they were only red and welted.

Ms. Grimm leaned forward, and held the point of her wand under Alexandra's chin.

“There are certain lines,” she said quietly, “that you will learn not to cross. Calling me a liar in my office is one of them. And what you just experienced is not even close to the limit of disciplinary actions I can take. Do you wish to test me further?”

“No, Ms. Grimm,” Alexandra whispered. She hated the Dean – oh, how she hated her!

“Then get out, and be grateful I don't put a Stinging Hex on your behind. I expect that essay and the letter of apology by tomorrow afternoon.”

Alexandra backed away, and then turned and walked silently out of the Dean's office. When she encountered Galen just outside, she had to fight the urge to kick the cat. She walked quickly past Miss Marmsley, who watched her pass in silence, and never noticed Ms. Grimm's own hand trembling slightly as she laid her wand back on her desk.

Alexandra's hands hurt for three days. The first night they stung so badly that writing was painful, and Anna took the quill from her as she sat at her desk, and told her to dictate so she could write. Alexandra was immensely grateful, not just for that but because Anna never said, “I told you so,” and refrained from lecturing her. She did, however, talk her out of including a clove of garlic with her letter of apology to Mr. Bagby, and when Alexandra, in a fit of pique, cast an Editing Ink Charm to replace “Dear Mr. Bagby” with “Dear Creepy Bloodsucker,” Anna shook her head and undid it, making the letters on the paper squirm and unravel back into their original shapes.

Detention with Mr. Thiel was awful. The young groundskeeper was, in Alexandra's opinion, lazy and inattentive. Once he showed her how to swing gnomes around until they were dizzy and toss them into the woods, he ambled around as if it were his job to take afternoon strolls, only occasionally stopping to grab one of the little pests himself. The Charmbridge Academy's lawns were huge, and the gnome infestation had reached such proportions that kids were tripping over them during P.M.E. class, so Alexandra's task seemed never-ending. Thiel never said much, and only occasionally gave Alexandra one of his inscrutable, unpleasant stares. At least Mr. Journey was friendly and entertaining, but Journey was doing other jobs that Thiel was supposedly freeing him up to do.

“Why don't we use jarveys?” Alexandra asked Thiel, one afternoon. “One of my suitemates has one.”

Thiel squinted at her. “School policy. You can thank Radicalists and soft-hearted Muggle-borns for that,” he spat. Alexandra didn't ask him any more questions after that.

On the last day of her detention, Mr. Journey walked out onto the grass while Alexandra was near the tree line, tossing more gnomes into the woods. She noticed that a lot of crows were gathering there, which was a little odd. With the weather warming up, the massive roosts she'd seen during the winter months had dispersed, and as far as she knew, crows didn't eat gnomes. However, she was curious what brought Journey out to talk to Thiel, so she wandered closer, kicking a stray gnome out of the way and ignoring the fact that this allowed it to dive back into a hole and dig itself in.

“The Governor-General isn't going to be checking for dust,” Thiel was saying to Journey, sullenly.

“No, son, but his staff will be,” said Journey, with a visible effort to control his irritation. “And they will be looking in the Registrar's Office, because they'll be checking that our records are correct and up-to-date. That's what the Governor-General and his toadies do, even if they're supposedly just paying a ceremonial visit. They inspect everything.”

“Fine. I'll clean it up,” Thiel said.

“Hi, Mr. Journey,” said Alexandra. The head groundskeeper turned, surprised, and smiled at her. “Well, hello there, Starshine. Got yourself into trouble again, did you?” He made a clucking sound with his tongue.

“Yeah. Last day, though.” She paused. “Mr. Journey, who is the Registrar?”

He tilted his head. “Whichever Assistant Dean gets stuck with the job of checking names that year. Why, Starshine?”

Alexandra had just had an idea.

“Just curious,” she said. Journey raised an eyebrow, then shrugged. “Better let you get back to degnoming. Allan here can't do it all himself, can you, son?” He said this with a chuckle, but Alexandra thought there was an unusually sharp tone in his voice. Thiel just looked back at Journey with a sullen poker-face, until the older man walked back towards the academy. Journey flicked his wand and stunned a few gnomes along the way. “Don't miss these little fellers!”

Alexandra waited until Journey was gone, then said to Thiel, “I'll clean the Registrar's Office for you, if you want.”

Thiel frowned at her. “Why?”

“I don't like it outside. It's too hot.” To emphasize the point, she ran a hand over her forehead, as if wiping away sweat.

“It's not that hot. What do you want in the Registrar's Office?” he asked suspiciously.

That surprised her. She'd assumed Thiel wasn't very bright.

“Nothing! I mean, I just would rather work inside.”

“You'd like to poke around in student records, you mean.” Thiel was scrutinizing her.

“That's ridiculous!” Alexandra stammered. “What would I care about student records?”

“Oh, I think you know,” Thiel said quietly.

She stared at him. “I don't know what you mean.”

“You mind your own business, Quick. I know how you have a habit of getting into places you don't belong. You're staying out here, and your detention isn't finished until you get rid of every last gnome.”

Alexandra was so surprised, she didn't even manage a muttered retort as she turned away from the junior groundskeeper, and began pulling gnomes up and flinging them into the trees.

“I have to get into the Registrar's Office,” she told Anna that night.

Anna's response was to close her eyes and put her face in her hands.

“No, wait, listen!” Alexandra said. She scooted her chair over until she was next to the other girl. “I know Ms. Grimm was lying to me! I mean, she's lied every time she talks to me. I need to get my hands on the Registrar's Scroll.”

“You already saw the Registrar's Scroll, Alex!” Anna sounded exasperated. “You told me Ms. Grimm showed you where it recorded your name!”

“Anna,” Alexandra said, and leaned closer. “Teach me that counterspell you used to undo my Editing Ink Charm.”

Anna's eyes widened, then she closed them again.

“Even if you're right,” she said, “what's the point, Alex? Does this mean that much to you? You've never met your father, and he obviously never bothered to find you –” Then she blanched at Alexandra's expression.

“I'm sorry,” she said, but Alexandra got up and left the room, slamming the door behind her.

She didn't return to her room until well after lights-out, hiding in the library until she was sure Anna would be asleep. Actually, she wasn't sure her roommate was asleep when she returned – Anna was a little too quiet as Alexandra brushed her teeth and changed for bed, but she said nothing. The next morning, Alexandra got up early, and left for breakfast while Anna was still getting dressed.

She continued giving Anna the silent treatment for most of the day, including in class, until David, Constance, and Forbearance cornered her before P.M.E.

“All right,” David said. “Whatever she said to upset you, you made your point. Do you enjoy making Anna cry?”

“Anna cries too much,” Alexandra said.

“Alexandra Quick, we're fit to hex you six ways from Sunday!” said Constance.

“How do you fancy a Conjunctivitis Curse?” Forbearance snapped, brandishing her wand.

“With a Stinging Hex?”

“And a Jelly-Legs Jinx?”

“Do you actually know all those spells?” Alexandra asked, and then backed away as they both pointed their wands at her, looking as incensed as she'd ever seen them. David winced and stepped between them.

“Whenever Anna cries, you know who's usually the cause? You!” he said.

Alexandra had no answer to that, so she just glowered at him.

“It's plain she hurt your feelings,” said Constance.

“But she knows she done wrong and she's plumb sorry,” said Forbearance.

“It's only right you accept her 'pology.”

“Considering how many times you been forgiven, Alexandra Quick, I think you got no call being stingy with forgiveness yourself!”

This last point was far too true for her to deny, so she hung her head and said, “Okay. You're right.”

The Pritchards lowered their wands. “Well. That's better,” they said.

Anna started when Alexandra came up next to her in P.M.E. class while she was choosing a broom. Sixth-graders weren't allowed to have their own, so they had to borrow one from the academy's stock of gaming and sports equipment.

“It does mean that much to me,” Alexandra said. “But friends mean more.”

Anna looked like she might cry again, and then she smiled and gave Alexandra a hug. Unfortunately, Larry was watching at that moment.

“Aww, isn't that sweet!” sneered Larry.

“Look, Troublesome has a girlfriend!” hooted Stuart. He and Torvald began laughing, along with a bunch of other boys.

Alexandra felt her face getting hot. “Let go, Anna,” she whispered.

“Only if you promise you're not going to point your wand at them,” Anna whispered back.

Once they separated and got away from the jeering boys, Alexandra, Anna, David, and the Pritchards flew around the academy in lazy circles on their brooms, before Anna drifted closer to her.

“So is this really important enough to risk getting into trouble again?” Anna asked quietly.

“Yes,” said Alexandra.

Anna sighed. “Is it important enough to risk getting me into trouble?” she asked.

“I won't –” Alexandra said, but Anna shook her head.

“Don't say you won't get me into trouble, Alex. You know if I help you and you get caught, I'll be in trouble too. So, is it worth that much?”

Alexandra looked down. There were kids playing games on the grass below them. She could see that some gnomes had already started making holes again. Mr. Thiel hadn't done a good job of warding the lawn following their degnoming.

“You're right,” said Alexandra. “I keep promising I'll be careful, and I never mean for anything to happen –”

“Stop it, Alex,” said Anna sternly. “I know you're sorry. Just like I'm sorry I made you angry. But you know what you do affects your friends too, right?”

Alexandra looked back at her seriously. They had come to a halt, and were now hovering at a higher altitude than was normally allowed. The teachers simply hadn't noticed them yet. Alexandra sat comfortably on her broom, but Anna probably didn't even know how nervous she looked. Her knuckles were white as she clutched her broomstick.

“I know,” Alexandra said quietly.

“I'll help you,” Anna said. “I just want you to start acting responsible.”

Alexandra smiled at her. “I will. And I'll be careful, I promise, Anna.”

“We'll be careful,” said Anna, and circled back down towards the ground. David and the Pritchards had already landed.

Alexandra took another long circuit around Charmbridge Academy, enjoying the aerial view and marveling that she could actually fly like this. No twelve year-old in Larkin Mills would ever be allowed to do such a thing – even if they had flying brooms in the Muggle world. Ms. Grimm was right. Having seen the wizarding world, Alexandra could never be happy going back to live life as a Muggle. Her mother would always be her mother, and Larkin Mills would always be home, but Alexandra was a witch, and magic was in her blood.

With that, her thoughts became serious, and her mouth set in a firm line. She noticed black specks dotting the horizon: crows, skimming above the trees.

If Dark wizardry was in her blood as well, then she had to know. And no one – not her mother, not the Dean, not the Wizard Justice Department, and not even her own mysterious father – was going to keep her from finding out.

With one final shout of glee, she dropped out of the sky, descending at a speed that would make other children wrap their arms and legs around their brooms and hang on for dear life. She braked to a halt inches from colliding with the ground, and could only grin at her friends, who regarded her with consternation and shock. The Pritchards had their hands clasped to their chests, and Anna just looked pale, while David shook his head. Then, in spite of themselves, they all grinned back at her. They couldn't stop, even when Ms. Shirtliffe bellowed, “QUICK!”

Alexandra and Anna planned their infiltration of the Registrar's Office over the next few weeks, while the weather became sunnier and warmer. Spring turned students' minds towards pranks and other mischief, and at a school full of young witches and wizards, the potential for both was considerable. Mr. Journey and Mr. Thiel had to clear multiple corridors of beach sand and ivy jungles and ice slicks. The Assistant Deans were patrolling the hallways daily, confiscating Blob Eggs and Dungbombs and Homing Spitballs, as well as separating older students whose thoughts were turning amorous. Public Displays of Affection were forbidden at Charmbridge Academy, so of course PDAs were everywhere. Teachers were using Repelling Spells and Revulsion Jinxes right and left, but you could hardly turn around without bumping into a pair of lip-locked teenagers. Alexandra would have found this annoying, except that it meant the faculty had many distractions, and many students other than her were spending time in detention.

The other distraction was the Governor-General's impending visit. For the graduating class it was much more of an ordeal, as they now had weekly practices for the commencement ceremony, but Dean Grimm had held two assemblies to announce new rules and lecture everyone about being on their best behavior for their Very Important Visitor. If Alexandra didn't know better, she'd have thought the Dean was nervous.

“We definitely need to do it before the Governor-General arrives,” said Anna. “Once he's here, nobody will be able sneak anywhere.”

“You don't have to do this with me,” Alexandra said, for the twentieth time.

“I know. Stop saying that.”

In truth, Anna's words were weighing heavily on her now. She thought about Anna being whipped, and several times came close to abandoning their mission. But she maintained her resolve, because she knew the Dean was lying to her and had hidden something she had a right to know. All the resentment she'd felt for years towards her mother had now been transferred onto the Dean of Charmbridge Academy. The fact that Ms. Grimm wanted to keep her from the truth was reason enough for Alexandra to break whatever rules she had to to get at it.

It was enough for her to let Anna join her on her quest, as well. She felt guilty about it. Anna's willingness assuaged her guilt somewhat, but mostly it just made her determined to plan this particular exploit more carefully than her previous ones. They did not share their plans with David or the Pritchards, and were particularly careful not to discuss them around Darla or Angelique.

The first obstacle was actually finding the Registrar's Office. Unlike the Dean's office, the Vice Dean's office, and several of the Assistant Deans' and school counselors' offices, it didn't appear to be located on the ground floor of the administrative wing. Alexandra knew (from eavesdropping on faculty members) that there was a teachers' lounge and some other offices on the second floor, above the area that she was so familiar with, and she had even seen some stairs down the corridor from the Ms. Grimm's office. But she couldn't think of a good excuse to go up there, and even if she managed to sneak into the administrative wing after hours, she didn't know if Miss Marmsley's portrait ever slept.

“It would be nice if we had a floor plan of the academy,” Alexandra said to Anna.

“Even if there is one, I'm sure they wouldn't let students see it,” Anna replied glumly.

Alexandra snapped her fingers. “Who'd know every room in the academy?”

Anna frowned. “Mr. Journey? But he'd ask questions – ”

“Besides him.”

Anna looked puzzled, until Alexandra said, “The elves!”

Anna's eyes widened. “You're right! They used to clean everywhere, until Clockworks replaced them. But how can we ask an elf where the Registrar's Office is?”

“Leave it to me,” Alexandra said confidently.

The next day, she visited Bran and Poe. The library elves were delighted to see her, but didn't know exactly where the Registrar's Office was.

“Bran and Poe almost never leaves the Library,” said Bran.

“Only to deliver bookses,” said Poe.

“Or sometimes, fetch them,” said Bran, with a frown that made his face look like an apple dried in the sun. “From naughty students.”

“Would any other elves know where the Registrar's Office is?” she asked.

“Oh yes,” said Bran. “But we hardly talks to other elves. We is library elves!” Bran held his small wrinkled nose in the air, clearly of the opinion that a library elf was a higher class of elf.

Alexandra sighed. “Well, where would I find the elves who clean when Clockworks don't?”

“Usually in the basement.” Bran shrugged.

The basement was where Mr. Journey's office was, so Alexandra had to wait until a time when she knew that Mr. Journey and Mr. Thiel were both out on the grounds. A very nervous Anna stood at the bottom of the stairs keeping watch, while Alexandra walked in the opposite direction she would take to get to the custodian's office.

The basement level was at least as extensive and mazelike as the attic, and most corridors were completely dark. Alexandra didn't quite understand why even a school as large as Charmbridge needed such a huge basement, but she committed each turn she took to memory. She cast a beam of light from her wand to light the way, and waited until she was out of sight or earshot of the main stairs, then began calling out, “Hello? Is anyone down here?”

She knew at least that either Clockworks or elves had been through the corridors recently, because there was no dust or cobwebs. But all the doors were locked (she couldn't resist trying to open a few). She also passed at least two stairwells leading up, confirming her suspicion that there was more than one way into the basement.

“Help!” she cried out. “I'm lost!”

Her greatest fear was that some teacher might be down here for some reason, or worse, another student. That would be embarrassing. She also remembered Mr. Journey telling her that ghosts occasionally took up residence in the basement, and while she wasn't exactly afraid of ghosts, she didn't particularly want to meet one while wandering around in the dark.

After crying for help several times, however, she was finally rewarded with a sharp crack. A grayish-looking elf with very wrinkled skin, droopy ears with huge tufts of hair growing out of them, and a worried expression appeared in front of her.

“Students is not s'pposed to be down here,” said the elf. “Missus must be lost.”

Although she could hardly tell by the elf's appearance, Alexandra was a little surprised at the elf's high-pitched feminine voice. “Well, of course there have to be girl-elves!” she thought to herself, and then smiled.

“Yeah, I am,” she said. “You see, I was supposed to take something to the Registrar's Office.”

The elf blinked her large, round eyes slowly, looking rather owl-like.

“The Registrar's Office?” she repeated. “But the Registrar's Office is on the second floor! Missus is very lost!”

Alexandra nodded. “I guess I went too far down a flight of stairs, and then I found myself here, and it was dark, and well...”

The elf was staring at Alexandra, and then her eyelids narrowed in an expression Alexandra had not seen on an elf's face before: suspicion.

“Come with Em please, Missus,” said the elf. “Em will take you to the Head Custodian.”

“Mr. Journey's outside with Mr. Thiel,” said Alexandra.

The elf's eyes narrowed further. “Em thinks it's very curious Missus knows exactly where Mr. Journey and Mr. Thiel is and where they is not when Missus is looking for the Registrar's Office.”

Alexandra was beginning to feel she'd made a mistake. This was not going at all as she'd hoped.

“Can't – can't you just tell me where the Registrar's Office is?” she pleaded.

“If Missus has something to take to the Registrar's Office, which is off-limits to students,” said the elf shrewdly, “give it to Em and Em will take it there.” The elf held out her hand.

“I order you to tell me where the Registrar's Office is!” Alexandra exclaimed, a little desperately. But to her dismay, the elf actually chuckled.

“Students can't order elves,” said Em. And she pointed at Alexandra, and suddenly her feet were rooted to the floor. “Naughty Missus! Em will be back.” And the elf disappeared with a pop.

Alexandra spent several minutes trying to undo whatever charm the elf had used to root her to the floor, without success. She had, she realized, seriously underestimated elves.

Now she was in trouble. Em would no doubt go tell Mr. Journey, and as tolerant as the custodian was, she didn't think she could give him a story that would be convincing enough. Maybe she could get away with nothing more than another lecture, she reasoned. After all, Journey seemed reluctant to turn students in to the Dean, and was pretty tolerant of their pranks, as long as no one got hurt.

It was while she was thinking this that she heard a pop behind her. She turned around as far as she could with her feet still stuck to the floor, and said, “Hello?” But she didn't see anyone.

She was wondering if she had imagined the sound, when she felt a constricting sensation around her neck. She clutched her throat, dropping her wand, but couldn't feel anything. Without the light from her wand, she was in complete darkness, and then she felt herself losing consciousness. The last thing she was aware of was toppling backwards, and then the back of her head hit the floor while the soles of her feet remained anchored in place.

“She's coming around. I told you she'd be fine.”

Alexandra's vision was hazy. Mr. Journey's face was hovering over her, blurry. She had a terrible headache.

“Alexandra! Are you okay?” Anna sounded worried. Anna always sounded worried, Alexandra thought. And she was crying too, great wailing sobs that were excessive even for her.

“What happened?” she asked, though she was still dizzy and breathless and it came out sounding like “Whuhoppend?”

“I was worried because you hadn't come back and then Mr. Thiel caught me by the stairs and Mr. Journey said that an elf caught you sneaking around in the basement and I'm sorry I didn't know what to do, Alex, I had to tell them, but we found you lying on the floor and you must have blacked out and you hit your head so we were really worried and I think you should go to the infirmary –”

“Whoa. Slow down, Blossom,” said Mr. Journey, interrupting Anna's frantic burbling.

“Blossom?” thought Alexandra. And then she realized that the horrible sobbing sound had continued even while Anna was talking, which meant that Anna wasn't the one crying. She tried to sit up, and her head swam. She might have hit her head again if Mr. Journey hadn't caught her as she collapsed backwards. “Easy there, Starshine. You took a nasty bump on the head. But a simple De-swelling Charm will fix that.”

“She should go to the infirmary.” That voice was Thiel's. He sounded sullen, as usual.

“Well, maybe.” Mr. Journey sounded uncertain. Then the custodian said gently, “Em, that's enough crying. You can see she's all right. Now stop being silly, old gal, you didn't kill her.”

The sobbing diminished somewhat. Alexandra heard the elf sniff, and then wail, “Em is so SORRY! Em is a BAD elf! Em should be punished!”

“No argument here,” muttered Thiel.

“Allan!” snapped Mr. Journey. “Em did what she was supposed to. You can't blame elves for doing their jobs! The poor critters don't even have a choice! I don't want to hear you blaming poor Em again, you hear me?”

Thiel didn't reply, but by now, Alexandra felt able to try to sit up again, and she did. This time she swayed a little, but Journey's hand on her back steadied her.

“Now,” said the groundskeeper, “care to explain what this little adventure was all about, Starshine?”

“Umm,” Alexandra said, and glanced at Anna. “It was all my fault. Anna didn't even know I was going to go into the basement. She didn't know anything.”

Mr. Journey chuckled dryly, while Thiel glowered at the two girls. “Gotcha, you're trying to protect your friend.” His eyes hardened, just a little. “Now, why were you in the basement?”

“I wanted to find an elf,” Alexandra said. Em, sitting in a corner wiping her nose on the ragged apron she was wearing, looked up in surprise. Even Thiel looked surprised. So did Journey.

“Why were you looking for an elf?” Mr. Journey asked.

“I was hoping an elf could tell me how to find the Registrar's Office.”

Anna closed her eyes, looking defeated, while Thiel snarled triumphantly, “I knew you were up to something, Quick!”

“The Registrar's Office?” Mr. Journey had an odd expression on his face. “What in Merlin's name do you want from the Registrar's Office?”

“It was another dare.” Anna opened her eyes at this, and stared at Alexandra as she continued. “Larry Albo bet me I couldn't sneak into the Registrar's Office and out again.”

She realized a second too late that if Mr. Journey asked Larry about this, her lie would be exposed, but Journey just shook his head.

“Starshine, why do you and that Albo kid have to keep butting heads like a pair of billy goats? Did you swear another oath over it?”

“No,” Alexandra said. “Not a magical one, this time.”

“Well, at least you have some sense,” the older custodian grumbled. “But for goodness' sakes, haven't you found enough ways to get into trouble?”

Thiel was glowering at Alexandra and Anna, and the elf was just rocking in her chair making small moaning sounds, punctuated by sniffles.

“I know it was stupid,” said Alexandra. Thiel snorted at this, and she glared at him.

“And not only that, but you tried to bully poor Em into helping you in your scheme,” Mr. Journey admonished her. “I'd expect a self-important pureblood like Albo to treat elves like that, but I thought you had more respect for the most powerless among us. I'm very disappointed in you, Starshine.”

“That charm she stuck me to the floor with wasn't powerless,” Alexandra blurted out. Em began bawling at this, and Mr. Journey put a hand on the elf's shoulder and muttered something reassuring.

Alexandra did feel guilty, and not just about making the elf feel guilty.

“Mr. Journey is right,” said Alexandra. “I'm sorry, Em.”

The elf stopped crying, and stared at her. “Missus... Missus is sorry?”

Gritting her teeth inwardly, as she never enjoyed apologizing, Alexandra nodded. “I didn't mean to come down and order you around like... like a self-important pureblood. I just wanted your help.”

“Missus is sorry!” Em repeated, amazed.

“Well, she should be,” said Mr. Journey, but he sounded slightly mollified.

“And you just fell over backwards,” said Thiel, studying Alexandra.

She put a hand to the back of her head, where there was indeed quite a sizable lump, and winced, then nodded.

“Awfully clumsy, Quick,” said the junior custodian. “It's a wonder you can walk and hold a wand at the same time.”

“Allan,” growled his superior. “No need to be unpleasant.” He walked back to Alexandra and pulled out his wand.

“She could have a concussion,” said Thiel. “She should see the healer.”

“Gosh, Mr. Thiel, I'm touched,” Alexandra said, not even trying to hide the sarcasm. He sneered back at her.

“Well, as you can see, she's pretty hard-headed,” the older man said with a bemused twinkle. He held his wand over the bump on the back of her head, and spoke an incantation that made it tingle and caused the skin all around her head to feel tight.

“Better?” he asked. Alexandra felt the back of her head, and found the bump was gone. She nodded.

“Now,” he said. “No more wandering around in the basement, no more abusing the elves, and no more accepting dares from Larry Albo. Give me your word, Starshine.”

She thought a moment, and nodded again. “I promise.”

“We're just letting them go?” Thiel demanded.

“You want to bother the Dean with this, while she's biting heads off over the Governor-General's visit?” Mr. Journey asked. Then added, “But if you're that eager to give them detention, son, then you can be the one to supervise them.”

“Fine,” Thiel said. “Why should I care?”

“Keep an eye on your friend, Blossom,” Mr. Journey said to Anna. “If she gets dizzy or starts acting peculiar, then take her to Mrs. Murphy.”

“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir,” Anna mumbled, eyes downcast.

“Kids,” Mr. Journey chuckled, shaking his head as the two of them left the custodian's office.

“I hate it when he calls me 'Blossom'!” Anna whispered.

“I didn't just fall over and hit my head! Someone tried to strangle me! And I'm fine now!”

Anna had been hovering over Alexandra like a worried mother hen for the entire evening. She had listened to Alexandra's story, but had a skeptical expression that Alexandra was only too familiar with.

“When Mr. Thiel and I found you, you were just lying unconscious on the ground,” Anna said.

“After someone tried to strangle me!”

“But you weren't strangled.”

Alexandra was looking in the bathroom mirror, tilting her head this way and that. There were no marks on her neck.

“You could use a haircut, dear,” said the mirror. Alexandra ignored it.

“So you got there in time.”

Anna chewed her lip. “And Mr. Journey came from the other direction. If there was someone there, they had to be invisible.”

“Elves can teleport,” said Alexandra.

Anna blinked. “They can what?”

“Teleport. You know, disappear and reappear somewhere else?”

“Oh, you mean Apparate.” Anna blinked. “Wait a minute. You think an elf tried to strangle you?” Now she wasn't even trying to hide her disbelief.

“No, just saying.” Alexandra really didn't have a theory, but she was sure that once again, someone was out to get her. She didn't think it was Em – the elf's distress was obviously real.

Anna sighed. “Well, if we believe someone is trying to kill you again, shouldn't we forget about –”

“No.”

“But you promised Mr. Journey!”

“I promised not to go into the basement, or abuse elves. Or accept dares from Larry Albo.” Alexandra folded her arms, thinking. “I've got no choice now. I'm just going to have to do some recon on my own.”

“Some what?” Anna's brow furrowed.

“Recon. It means sneak around and find out where things are located.”

“It means get in trouble again.”

“I'll –”

“Don't even say it, Alex.”

Alexandra decided she was going to have to figure out how to sneak past Miss Marmsley. She had noticed that the wizards and witches in the paintings lining the hallways and the walls of the library tended to fall asleep after hours. She'd even caught the old warlock who supervised Delta Delta Kappa Tau hall snoozing a couple of times. She hoped Miss Marmsley slept too.

She waited until the following weekend, and set her alarm for three o'clock in the morning. Anna woke with her, while Charlie squawked at them reproachfully.

“You stay here this time,” she said to Anna. “If I get caught, I'll just say it was another dare. I'm not going to try to get into the Registrar's Office. I just want to see if I can find it and get back out.”

Anna nodded, looking resigned.

“You should go back to sleep,” Alexandra said. Anna nodded again.

Alexandra dressed, but left a pair of soft slippers on her feet, and cautiously opened the door to their room, slipped out, and shut it behind her.

Delta Delta Kappa Tau hall was quiet. She approached the entrance cautiously, but when she looked up, sure enough, the old warlock was asleep. She proceeded down the stairs to the entrance foyer, then down the main hallway, past the dark and empty cafeteria, and approached the administrative wing.

The corridor here wasn't completely dark; a few lanterns remained glowing, enough to see by. Alexandra crept very slowly up to the entrance to the main office. The portrait of the school secretary hung where she could see anyone approaching. Just before walking through the entrance, Alexandra pulled a knit ski cap out from beneath her shirt, and pulled it down over her face. Anna had suggested several charms she could use to temporarily disguise herself, but Alexandra had immediately thought of a non-magical solution, one that wouldn't be as awkward to explain if she were caught elsewhere in the hallways by a faculty member. If Miss Marmsley did see her, in the dim light, at least she wouldn't see her face.

But Miss Marmsley, still seated in her chair, back erect, shoulders square, had her chin tipped forward and her hat sliding down across her forehead, and was fast asleep.

Alexandra walked very slowly and carefully past her, and past the bench on which she had sat so many times, and the Dean's office, to the stairs. There was a door here, and there was a small click as it opened. Alexandra stiffened, but she didn't hear a sound from Miss Marmsley. She set her foot on the first step, and went up the stairs.

At the top, she saw only another corridor. More faculty offices. There was one for the Deans of the Tenth, Eleventh and Twelfth Grades, and two other doors with no signs on them, and then, at the end of the corridor, a plain wooden door marked “Registrar's Office.”

Alexandra stared at this door, and her promise to Anna that she would just go this far and no further suddenly seemed a weak and foolish thing. If she had gotten this far...

She reached out and tested the handle. The door was locked, of course.

For full execution of her plan, she needed more practice with Unlocking Charms, and with Anna's Editing Ink Reversal Charm. Anna had promised to come up with a way to warn her if someone was coming while she was standing lookout. This was supposed to be a recon mission, nothing more. Yet if she could just slip inside, and find the Registrar's Scroll, it could all be over tonight –

A rhyme was forming on the tip of her tongue. She had opened so many locks even without a wand, back home. Then she became aware of movement in the corner of her eye, and spun around to see Galen quietly padding down the hall towards her.

Alexandra glared at the cat. “Shoo!” she said. Galen slowed, but didn't stop, and gave her a disdainful look.

Alexandra drew her wand and pointed it at the cat. It stopped in its tracks, sat back on its haunches, and regarded Alexandra balefully.

“I ought to turn you into a rat,” said Alexandra.

The cat's response was a lowered head and arched back, and a hiss.

Galen was Ms. Grimm's familiar, thought Alexandra. The cat might not be able to tell on her, but it was probably unwise to actually make good on her threat. And being discovered by the cat made her uneasy. She didn't believe in omens, but this seemed a good time to declare her reconnaissance a success, and withdraw.

“Bad cat!” she muttered, and headed back down the stairs. Galen made a growling sound deep in its throat.

Alexandra half-expected to find Miss Marmsley awake, or some other alarm triggered by her intrusion, but apparently the Dean felt Miss Marmsley and her cat were sufficient security.

“It was easy,” she told Anna, who of course was still awake when she returned to their room.

“Maybe too easy,” Anna said worriedly. “And Galen saw you.”

“Galen's a cat!” Alexandra scoffed. “Darla has a cat, and it doesn't talk.” She fixed her roommate with an accusing stare. “If you want to back out –”

“No,” Anna said quickly. And, taking a breath, met Alexandra's gaze. “I told you, I'll help you. I know you're going to do this whether I help you or not. But someone has to be careful, and it won't be you.”

“I was careful. I didn't get caught.” And then, rather than continuing the argument, Alexandra yawned. “Let's get some sleep.”

As it turned out, their scheming had not gone unnoticed. David and the Pritchards cornered Alexandra one day, to ask what she and Anna were up to.

“Nothing,” said Alexandra.

“That's why Anna looks so nervous lately?” David demanded.

“Anna always looks nervous.”

“Usually because of you.”

Alexandra glared at him. “Have you been grilling her too?”

“I tried. She says you're not up to anything. She's not as good a liar as you.”

Alexandra's mouth curled in a scowl, and she looked away.

“Why didn't you ask for our help?” Constance asked.

Alexandra looked at her. “I don't want you involved.”

“So involving Anna don't concern you none?” Forbearance asked.

Alexandra bit her lip.

“Alexandra Quick, you're our friend,” said Constance. “But so's Anna.”

“You best know what you're doing,” said Forbearance.

“I won't let Anna get hurt,” she said.

“Who do you think you are –” said Constance.

“– to say what you'll let happen?” Forbearance finished.

This was so similar to Brian's rebuke, months ago, that Alexandra stammered for a moment.

“You always think you know what you're doing,” said David.

“And involve your friends,” said Constance.

“Especially Anna,” agreed Forbearance.

“It's something I have to do!” Alexandra said with sudden forcefulness, startling the other three with her vehemence. They stopped their scolding as she glared at all of them. “I told Anna she didn't have to help me. I've even asked her not to get involved. But I'm going to do it with or without her help.”

Constance and Forbearance looked at each other, while David studied Alexandra.

“If it's important as all that,” Constance said slowly.

“Then let us help too,” her sister said.

Alexandra shook her head. “Thank you,” she said quietly, “but there really isn't anything the rest of you can do.”

“Well, will you at least tell us what it is?” David asked.

Alexandra shook her head again. “If you don't know, you can't get in trouble for not saying anything.”

“We can still get in trouble for being your friend,” David pointed out darkly.

She was silent for a moment, then asked quietly, “Are you asking me not to?”

“Would it do any good?”

She bit her lip, not sure what to say.

“If you say it's important, Alexandra,” said Constance.

“Then we believe you,” said Forbearance.

They lowered their voices. “But be it on your head if there's any consequence to Anna.”

“We will hold you responsible.”

Alexandra nodded. “So will I,” she said quietly. “If anything happens to any of you.”