Charms was the first class on Tuesday morning after returning from the Easter holiday. Her wand had rested for four days and Marissa was sure it must be ready to work now! She dropped off Mirioby in Professor Merrythought’s classroom, then raced back down to breakfast only to find a great commotion on the balcony levels above the Great Hall. Confused groups of children gathered around stone bowls that were unexpectedly empty.
–Saci Pererê took all the guide frogs!†Eva told Marissa as she approached.
–To be first-years in Saci House,†Jaci Erasmi added laughingly as the one-legged black boy swirled past singing:
–We teach froggy Potions,
We teach froggy Charms.
They swish froggy wands,
With their froggy arms.â€
Saci disappeared as Alika Escuro assigned Tatiane Timbura to lead first-years to classes. House Leaders at other bowl pedestals were working to organize their younger students so they wouldn’t get lost in the hallmaze.
–Tatiane doesn’t have to take us,†Jaci Erasmi told Alika. –We can follow Marissa!â€
–She knows all the ways!†Mario Domingues confirmed. Alika could hardly believe that, but after all of her classmates agreed it was true, Marissa led them off to Charms so that Alika and Tatiane could guide the second-year and third-year classes. Her Macaw group arrived a full five minutes before their Anaconda classmates found the way.
Marissa drew her wand at Professor Galhos’ instruction and prepared for practice again. –I said I would do my best,†she whispered to the shiny stick. –Please charm something.â€
Yet despite how carefully she completed each word and wand movement, she still could not ‘Leviosa’ her long blue practice feather even an inch off the desk. Her wand didn’t know or care about her promise to Mr. Palito.
–If I just believe,†she told herself, –like everyone else just believes and magic happens.†But it was hard to keep that idea in her head while across a few aisles Cristiano and Fer laughed at her every attempt. Charms ended with Marissa as discouraged as ever.
–I’m sorry Celestia was so mean,†Rosaria Castilhos apologized as they met in Potions, because she hadn’t been allowed to sit beside Marissa on the trip back to Witness Stone.
–It’s not your fault Celly puts on her princess airs,†Eva Paranhos told Rosaria.
–I just don’t want Marissa to hate me because I have to…â€
–Celestia can’t make me hate you!†Marissa declared sharply. –I don’t let me feel what she wants.â€
–I told Mama all about how you’re helping me in Potions!†Rosaria offered more happily. –Papa can hardly believe I can touch bugs now without screaming.â€
–Dead ones at least,†Eva added.
–And I told Mama that Marissa is nicest to me of all the girls in school,†she continued. –I… I just didn’t tell her you’re not in Anaconda House,†Rosaria added weakly.
–Why?†Eva asked. –What does that matter?â€
–Cecelia says I’ll disappoint Mama and Papa if they think that I’m making friends with… um.. common wizards.â€
–Common wizards?â€
–Well, that’s not what Cece and Celly call Marissa,†she admitted. –They say…â€
–Say… †Eva prompted when Rosaria paused.
–You know. Gut…†Rosaria’s face drew into a painful expression, unwilling to finish the word. Eva understood without the rest and Marissa did too. Gutter girl . That was what the Bella de Barros sisters wanted everyone to call her because she was a homeless child from the slums. Marissa could see it hurt her Potions partner to even half say it.
–It’s okay Rosaria,†Marissa said. –I’m used to everyone saying I’m not good as them. In Sao Paulo rich people hate street kids, even when the rich people are just Mubbles.â€
–Muggles,†Eva corrected.
–Um… that.†All three giggled at her slip, easing the tension of Rosaria’s confession.
–But I don’t think you’re not as good,†Rosaria declared. –I think you’re the best of all!â€
Marissa smiled. She was happy spending the next hour with her partners brewing Leaf Shine Potion for the greenhouse plants, but not as happy as Eva Paranhos was when their trio finished first once again and she could see Celestia’s air of superiority falter for a few moments when Professor Katupya praised their perfectly blended potion.
In Transfiguration Marissa’s wand showed the same results as it had in Charms. None.
–I’m sure your magic will happen soon,†Professor Merrythought assured her once again after class ended and she had directed Tesimal to lead the other first-years down to lunch.
Marissa dejectedly made no reply as she fed Mirioby.
–How was your Easter visit?†the young professor asked. –Are the boys doing well?â€
–Yes, they’re good. And Mr. Palito is too,†Marissa replied. –Um… I didn’t say about magic, but I told them about my friends here and made Quidditch be soccer games.â€
–I’m sure they loved that.â€
–But… I wished I can tell them I’m doing good at school.â€
–You’ll do very well in your own time. Don’t be discouraged!†Merrythought ordered.
–Okay,†Marissa agreed. They talked until lunch period was ending, then she tucked Mirioby back in the pink backpack and ran off to Broom Flying class.
Mr. Cavaleiros chuckled when the Anaconda boys flew by and teased her as she polished broom handles. To show them all she was strong Marissa made herself feel nothing.
Marissa led her classmates to Defense Against the Dark Arts, to Astronomy, and back to the Great Hall when classes ended that day. That evening at dinner it rained hundreds of guide frogs from a dusty cloud beneath the enchanted ceiling. Marissa rescued one that splashed into her glass of glitter juice.
–At least they didn’t all come hopping out of our toilets this time,†one older girl said.
–Saci kidnaps the frogs once or twice every year,†Tatiane leaned over and told Marissa. – I think Katupya lets him just to force more kids to learn the hallmaze.â€
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Marissa hoped that after the holiday the Anacondas might give up hexing her with smells. She found out the next day that Sol’s Quidditch team were still sworn to their mean tricks, they just hadn’t been able to find her alone Tuesday when she was being hallmaze guide. To make up for that the Conda teens hexed her seven times over the next three days, but never once did Marissa let them see they could make her feel angry or hurt.
Rosaria showed Marissa and Eva her Herbology sketchbook in Potions class Wednesday. She had colored it all to life with magic paints that her mother had given her for Easter. The tiny ladybug she had drawn was now bright red and flew from each page to the next as sketches turned to moving images of blooming orchids or budding leaves. She had even painted a landscape of the hillside terrace of magical Brazilian Dutchman’s Pipe flowers that weren’t allowed to grow in the greenhouses with other plants.
–They’re beautiful, Rosaria,†Eva said.
–But I’m NOT painting to life any of the spiders you had me draw. Only my ladybug.â€
Marissa and Eva laughed. She was less scared of insects, but Rosaria was still Rosaria.
After Potions Celestia took Rosaria aside in the hall and spritzed her with her perfume. –So we won’t have to smell the odors you get by sitting next to that,†she told Rosaria.
On Saturday morning Marissa went with her friends to the Woolly Quidditch practice. While the three swallows practiced with Anna, Tiquinho helped her teach Mirioby to land. His macaw Flap-Flap would glide from her shoulder and she would coax Mirioby to follow. Soon he could set down without tumbling over in the grass.
–Good Mirioby!†Marissa said as Tiquinho set him back on her shoulder. He couldn’t fly back like Flap-Flap yet, but awkwardly thrashed his wings to show he would learn soon.
–Tiquinho, has Flap-Flap ever flied far, far away in the deep rainforest?†Marissa asked. Last night Mirioby had once more filled her eyes with a bird’s eye view of a very distant forest valley. Somehow Marissa knew it was real, but could not understand how Mirioby could know a place he had never been.
–No. He only flies here at school and around our village,†Tiquinho replied. –Why?â€
–I just thought maybe he told Mirioby about places he went,†she explained.
–I don’t know if birds do that, Marissa.â€
–Um… they sing and squawk to each other. Maybe ones can let others see things like…â€
–Like you see by Mirioby.â€
Marissa nodded. But Fides, Spero and Amor had never been to a deep rainforest either. If the only birds ever with him didn’t show Mirioby the faraway place, who did?
Sakura and Anna finished practice and they all walked together back through Witness Stone and out to the great wide plaza that the two giant statue wizards watched over. A group of older girls walking in the opposite direction passed by Marissa and her friends. With an air of superiority more practiced than her younger sister, beautiful Cecelia Bella de Barros cast a disdainful glance and fanned her hand beside her nose.
–I hope Principal Absencia does something about her gutter stink soon,†she said loudly to the girls following her, –or all of Witness Stone will end up smelling that bad!â€
Tiquinho was holding hands with Potira, but turned to raise his wand in the other hand.
–NO,†Marissa quietly said as she held his arm down.
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–…and he flew up to my headboard!†Marissa excitedly told Professor Merrythought on Monday morning as she dropped off Mirioby before classes. It was only a few feet up from her mattress, but he did fly!
–Then I think it’s time Mirioby found a new place in the classroom,†her professor said. –He’s growing too big to stay in your backpack all day.â€
She motioned to the tall bronze stand that had sat empty for so long. Marissa hesitated.
–Um… do you think Asuoby might be mad if Mirioby used his perch?†she asked.
–I’m sure Asuoby would be happy to let him use it.â€
Marissa lifted the young macaw near the stand and as he stepped to the perch a thought suddenly came to her. Asuoby! When he was a baby Mirioby had been right by Asuoby when he died. Could the very old macaw have been the one who showed Mirioby the rainforest place that he made her see again and again?
–Professor,†she asked, –did Asuoby ever fly in forests far away from Witness Stone?â€
–Oh, I’m sure Asuoby flew most all the forests of the Amazon,†Merrythought replied. –He travelled with Professor Amaral in the summers and in his younger years Asuoby delivered the professor’s letters to the native villages just as owls do.â€
Then it must be Asuoby who gave Mirioby his view of the forest valley! Maybe it was a place he was trying to fly to that day and he let the baby bird see it just before he died.
–Hurry now or you’ll be late!†Professor Merrythought ordered.
Marissa raced along the passages, taking each twist and turn and stairway that she knew would lead back to the Great Hall this morning. Just as she’d found the hallmaze secret, now she’d found where Mirioby’s memory came from.
At breakfast an almost deafening ‘Team of Destiny’ chant echoed through the dining area. The next Quidditch game Saturday would be Anaconda House against Macaw House and the ever-confident Condas were already cheering their team and degrading the Macaws.
–Loserbirds on loser brooms! Loserbirds on loser brooms!†Stenio Cabral led his players in shouting at the Macaw tables. Like Jaguar House, most of the Macaw team would use the worn school practice brooms while Anaconda team members all had sleek, fast racing brooms bought by their wealthy city parents.
Marissa was hexed on her way to Herbology by Conda Quidditch boys in the hallmaze. Surprisingly the three almost overlooked her because they were busy slamming a Macaw player against a stone wall to demonstrate how hard he might be hit in the game. Marissa stumbled into them as hard as she could so the other boy could go on his way, then let the angry teens cast a weak hex that was almost gone when she reached the greenhouses.
On Tuesday Marissa met Tiquinho after classes to give Mirioby more flying lessons. He was mad when he smelled she had been stink-hexed again, but she asked him to ignore it. On Wednesday she was hexed once between morning classes and once in the afternoon. More Conda players almost stunk her again on Thursday, but the teens were surprised by a strong whirlwind that blew their wands from their hands as it rushed along the hallway. –Pink bag girl!†Saci stopped to greet her as the two boys ran to catch their fallen wands that were still rolling away with the wind. –Got a light?â€
After classes she arrived at the balcony above the Great Hall and found Sakura, Anna, Potira and Tiquinho all there, along with many native first-years.
–He’s getting so big, Marissa,†Sakura remarked as Mirioby sat happily on her shoulder. Marissa didn’t keep him in the pink backpack anymore and he even slept perched on her headboard now.
–Any hexes to undo today?†the Jaguar House Leader Jaci Jaruna asked her.
–Um… no.â€
–The Condas were busy bullying the Macaw team,†Araci Uirapuru told Jaci as she lined up Jaguar first-year girls to return to their house. –I heard one Macaw Chaser sprained her wrist when she was accidentally knocked down a staircase by some Conda players.â€
Behind them Tiquinho held open a little animal-skin pouch as another native boy poured a small bit of reddish powder into it from a shell of his potions necklace. In the last few moments many other Jaguar first-years had quietly and almost secretly done the same. Marissa’s sharp eyes were not the only ones that noticed.
–What is that?†Araci questioned as she quickly appeared beside the two boys.
–Jealous Pipe,†Tiquinho answered his House Leader.
–For who?†she demanded strictly.
–Everyone,†he replied casually. Araci gave him a stern, disapproving stare that Marissa was sure she must have learned from Professor Katupya. Tiquinho was unmoved by it.
–For everyone you’ll need a lot more than just first-years can brew,†another voice said. Now her stern look turned to Jaci to show she did not approve of encouraging Tiquinho.
–Well... uh... he will,†Jaci Juruna asserted hesitantly, somehow more affected by her expression than Tiquinho was.
Marissa did not know why Araci turned to glance at her for a moment before her look softened and Araci made a very definite reply to all the Jaguars around her.
–Yes. I guess we will.â€
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The excitement for the coming Quidditch game had continued at meals through the week, mostly with mean taunts and bullying shouts from the Anacondas, not the friendly back and forth chants between houses that had come before the match of Macaw and Woolly. Marissa continued to fail at any magic she tried, but her dismay at this was lessened some by her joy at seeing how quickly Mirioby was learning to fly. By Thursday evening he could glide fifteen feet from Tiquinho’s arm to hers and even fly up to low tree branches. Marissa wished they could take him for lessons again on Friday after dinner, but both the Anaconda/Macaw and Jaguar/Woolly classes had a very hard Potions assignment that Tiquinho decided they must all work on. When all the dishes had magically disappeared, Marissa and Eva took out books and parchment to do their homework in the Great Hall. Sakura, Anna and Potira, who were a group in their Potions class, came over to join them.
–Where Rosaria?†Potira asked.
–Celly don’t let her sit with me,†Marissa replied.
–Not even for classwork?†Sakura said. –That’s silly!â€
–Us common wizards aren’t good enough for proper girls,†Eva said, placing herself and the cousins with Marissa. But the Anacondas didn’t hate them the way they did her.
–Well, we wish Celly would stop trying to make Rosaria into one!†Sakura declared for herself and Anna. Potira nodded agreement.
Marissa wished that too. She was not happy that she could only see her friend in Potions class where partner assignments overruled Celestia’s order that Rosaria never be near her.
–Look,†Eva pointed. –It must be the first-years turn to be kicked out of their bedrooms.â€
Across the Great Hall every Anaconda first-year girl remained at their table and everyone understood they would be there all evening. Week by week Cecelia Bella de Barros and her friends had been redecorating every level of the Anaconda House girls dormitories, forcing one year from their rooms each weekend while Cecelia’s vast project progressed. That year’s girls were ordered to stay in the Great Hall until bedtime during the redesign. Rosaria had told Marissa that last Friday and Saturday all the second-year girls had slept with the first-years while their rooms were redone. It looked like this weekend Celestia’s proper girls must share someone else’s beds.
–How will Celly survive?†Eva cried dramatically.
–Don’t worry,†Sakura replied. –Cece has probably designed a private suite for her... and her dresses.â€
While all the girls giggled Marissa watched Rosaria sit uncomfortably next to Celestia at the Anaconda tables. She was probably being told again what wasn’t allowed on her diet. Marissa did not care what they did to Anaconda House, but she didn’t want the Bella de Barros sisters to ‘redecorate’ Rosaria.
Many other students studied in the Great Hall too. Serafina, Leila and Maria sat together at the next table, while at another some fourth-year girls studying for their crystal balls class talked about a boy sitting further away.
Constanca Estrelafala, the frizzly-hair girl who sometimes recognized Marissa clearly but at other times didn’t, replied to her friend Nina.
–Maybe you should be a little nicer to him since he’s going to be your husband.â€
–Constanca! I would never even date Romão. He’s a jerk!†Nina shouted.
–Well don’t get mad at ME because you asked me who and I told you. One day you’re going to marry him.â€
Nina dropped her face into her hands. –I hate Divination.â€
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On Saturday morning Tiquinho led the way down the forest path to the Astronomy tower. Mirioby sat on Marissa’s shoulder while the swallows hid from the rain inside her robes. Watching the Woolly Quidditch practice each weekend had become as regular as classes from Monday to Friday. Marissa liked having the three swallows play Snitch for Anna, but it was really Potira who insisted they come to see her Woolly friends fly the brooms.
Marissa was surprised to see Monkey Magalhães, the seventh-year Woolly team captain, meet Sakura and Anna on the path as they all came to the clearing.
–What are they doing here?†Tiquinho asked as he was the first to notice two people who Marissa was also not pleased to see. On the far side of the field Mr. Cavaleiros and Sol Braganza stood watching as Woolly players flew overhead.
–Spying!†Monkey answered very definitely with a scowl.
–Tell they leave,†Potira said bluntly. She disliked the potbellied teacher just as much as Marissa did. He ignored the girls in Potira’s Brooms class too, besides barely teaching any flying skills to Jaguar and Woolly boys.
–Love to!†Monkey replied. –But as Brooms instructor, Cavaleiros gets to inspect that we’re ‘following proper broom safety’ in team practices.â€
He handed Sakura and Anna their brooms he had brought over, followed by a direction. –Sakura, no Blue Snitch chasing for Anna today. The spies don’t need to know we might have a great Seeker in a few years, so you two do Quaffle passing drills today.â€
Sakura nodded and went with Anna to join the other Woolly reserve players. Tiquinho, Potira and Marissa sat by the Astronomy tower wall, sheltered from the drizzling rain. Marissa was not in a mood for Mirioby’s lessons with Mr. Cavaleiros and Sol watching, so instead she listened to Tiquinho tell the story of the thousand cauldrons of Jaguating while Potira and her sloth cheered the passing drills. Ker was asleep, but Potira helped him clap.
Across the field, Cavaleiros and Sol followed a practice match closely for half an hour. Every so often Baltazar would shoot a fireball spell from his wand for the two opposing Seekers to chase, and Marissa noticed that Mr. Cavaleiros pointed this out to Sol every time. She was happy to see them leave a short time later.
After practice and taking Mirioby back to her room, they all went to the Great Hall for an early lunch. There was no giant banquet laid out like on school days, but a tray of food and drinks appeared before them moments after Marissa and the others sat at one table. Somehow the unseen little ones knew when children were ready to eat.
–Our family won’t be here for this game,†Sakura said as she and Anna filled their plates, –but Monkey wants the reserves to sit together so he can teach us to analyze opponents.â€
–What’s analyze?†Marissa asked.
–Learning the Anacondas style and weaknesses.â€
–Conda weakness they mean,†Potira said.
–I don’t know if that’s a weakness,†Sakura replied unsurely.
–It is,†Tiquinho asserted confidently.
Tiquinho and Potira wouldn’t be at the Quidditch game that afternoon. They were going into the rainforest with a group of native students to collect plants.
–I thought the greenhouses have all the plants we need for potions,†Marissa said.
–This is for... a special project,†Tiquinho replied and said nothing more.
–He wouldn’t tell us either,†Sakura said to Marissa. –Anna thinks it’s for some secret Jaguar ceremony.â€
No one had invited her with them to the Quidditch game, but Marissa did want to watch so she could have another match to tell Sport Club da Luz all about someday. On the trail she let some Anacaonda Quidditch boys catch and hex her, then sat off behind a vine-shrouded lupuna tree to let the smell fade away before she continued on to the game.
Chasers Court overflowed with wizardings people again and Marissa found that because this was an Anaconda House game there were many more of the European city families. She pushed through the crowds and rode the circling platform up to the Macaw stands.
The echoing voice of the announcer welcomed the crowd to the year’s third Quidditch game. The trees of the Anaconda seating area shook with loud applause as their players were introduced, but an even louder roar rose from all the other bleachers a short time later when the Macaw Chaser scored the first goal and Macaw House incredibly led 10-0. Sol Braganza and his other Beater had tried to crush the Chaser between them, but they misjudged his speed and smashed into each other instead!
The rest of the game was incredibly violent, even more than the first game Marissa saw. Sol seemed so outraged that the Macaws had scored first that he had his team hit, slam, and foul every Macaw player at every chance, almost always without the referee seeing. While one Conda distracted the official with a fake struggle, another would viciously foul another Macaw Chaser or Beater with the real attack. Loud ‘BOOOO’s rose from every stand except Anaconda, where wild applause came from fans urging on the mean plays.
Two Macaw players were forced out of the game by injuries. With an accidental wild swing of his Beater’s bat, Sol Braganza smashed the broom of the Chaser who had scored first. The boy landed safely on the remaining strand of splintered wooden handle. Later the Macaw Seeker was slammed into the floor of the field by the other huge Anaconda Beater, again to the cheering approval of Anaconda spectators. The Condas continued to intimidate the Macaws and to score at will for another hour. Sol even knocked his own Seeker away from catching the Golden Snitch once so they could have more time to beat up the other team. Finally the game ended at 390 to 30. The Anacondas team rushed together to congratulate themselves, ignoring the battered Macaw players who limped off the field in defeat.
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On Sunday morning Marissa went to the stables to see if Hierotapirs always laid down in the same rows like her book said. It was true. Each one would lay next to the same other animals each time, lining up like words on a page. Some spots were empty, but whatever secret message was in their patterned fur, somehow the Hierotapirs knew what order it should be read in.
She was cornered in the stables by two Conda teens who got her with a Skunkspray Hex before they were run off by the frightful, angry neighs of the Thestrals they couldn’t see.
–Boy does not like them,†Negrinho do Pastoreio said from the shadows.
–No,†Marissa agreed. –They’re not nice.†Happily she talked with the spirit slave boy until the smell wore off.
Monday morning Marissa received two letters. One was from Mr. Palito, an answer to her last letter sent back again on pink stationary with her own writing somehow erased. The second letter was from a girl.
Dear Marissa,
My name is Rainha. I attend Huascaran Academy in Peru. It is on the other side of the Andes from your school. I love birds. I have twelve canaries that sing Bach concertos. Sometimes I pretend I can tell what they're thinking too. I love Macaws also. My uncle had one, but he works at the Cordillera Blanca Reserve and it was eaten by a dragon! Keep yours away from them!
Sincerely,
Rainha
P.S. Here is a picture of my canaries.
One of the magic photos was folded in the letter, filled with bright yellow birds flying. After she had read it, Marissa shared with Tatiane the reply to the letter she had helped her write.
–That’s nice,†Tatiane said. –It’s not quite what you asked though, is it?â€
–No,†Marissa agreed, –but I like the picture.â€
Somehow the Condas missed her on Tuesday, but on Wednesday they hexed her twice. Just after the last class of the day was one of their favorite times to find her, so the smell still covered her when she came from the hallmaze doorway to the balcony area where the Jaguar students always gathered after classes. Jaci Juruna kindly unhexed her as she greeted Tiquinho and Potira.
–Tiq, we have extract for you,†two second-year Jaguar girls said as they took shells from their necklaces. The simple necklaces that every native child wore were filled with potion ingredients helpful for living in the rainforests. Once Potira had told Marissa that some were cures for poisons, or dusts to help escape wild animals. This looked like the same reddish powder Tiquinho had collected before.
–Girls,†Araci Uirapuru cautioned. –Not here on the balcony. Back at our common room where others won’t see.†Marissa wondered if she should pretend she didn’t see.
–The third-years will have theirs on Friday,†Araci quietly told Tiquinho. –And fourths and fifths have another batch on Monday. First-years, line up and let’s go!â€
–Pungent Pee Hex again,†Jaci Juruna noted as he still stood behind Marissa. –Skunk, dung, pee. Skunk, dung, pee. Don’t they know any other hexes?â€
–Well, NO, they don’t. They’re Conda Quidditch players!†Araci replied, which was all the explanation anyone needed. The Jaguars all laughed as they marched away.
After she fed Mirioby his dinner and the swallows had flown to their nest for the night, Marissa practiced her Transfiguration spell that evening while her roommates were away in the common room. Eva Paranhos offered to practice with her but Marissa declined.
–Um... no, I don’t need help,†she had said. –I just need me.â€
Marissa waved her wand many, many times but couldn’t see one sign that her matchstick might change to a needle anytime in the next few hours. She sighed quietly. She was so tired of looking weak and dumb in her magic classes while others were learning so much. Celestia Bella de Barros had turned six matching teacups into little white mice today and sent them scurrying down one table and up to another where they all formed back into the set of china. Her air of superiority glowed from her the entire day. Celestia was gifted.
–But I’m still nothing,†she said to Mirioby as he swooped over to her from the bedpost. –How come I can’t learn magic as fast as you’re learning to fly? How come I just can’t?â€
Marissa gave up practicing and read her History of Magic chapter before going to bed.
The next day she still could not make any spells in Charms, Transfiguration, or Defense Against the Dark Arts. And Friday was the same. Marissa was sure that by now mean Professor Guerra believed she would just be swallowed whole by a monster someday. How much longer would it be before her teachers gave up and decided the same thing that the Bella de Barros sisters told everyone? That Marissa was not a witch.
After dinner ended on Friday evening Sakura came over to find her at the Macaw tables.
–We’re not practicing at the Astronomy tower fields tomorrow,†she told Marissa.
–Um... why?†she replied with a little disappointment. Fides, Spero and Amor loved playing with Anna every Saturday.
–Because we get to practice on the REAL Quidditch field with the REAL golden hoops!†Sakura exlaimed excitedly, jumping up and down.
–Well now that the whole world has heard, can you ask about the rest a little quieter?†said Baltazar Varnhagen, who with quiet Anna had arrived behind Sakura at the table.
–Ask what?â€
–The Quidditch field is over twice the length of our practice area,†Sakura informed her, though Marissa knew the small clearing was nowhere near the size of the stadium hidden among the towering trees. –Can the swallows fly fast that far to help Anna practice?â€
–Yes,†Marissa smiled. –Yes they can!†The swallows would fly for miles through the city in Santa Efigenia without ever tiring. A few hundred meters would be very easy.
–Good!†Sakura replied. Anna smiled.
Baltazar explained that Professor Galhos had been in heated discussions with Ramo Cavaleiros for weeks to allow the Woolly players to practice on the full Quidditch field. She finally reached an agreement after reminding him that Anaconda House did not own the field.
–If I were Galhos, I would have just turned him into a pig instead of arguing,†Baltazar declared. –But I guess with that potbelly Cavaleiros is almost there already.â€
So on Saturday morning Marissa met the cousins near Woolly House and walked to the wide lily pond they would cross to reach the massive wall that surrounded Witness Stone. The swallows flew along above them, but Tiquinho and Potira were not with them today. Once again they had gone with the plant collecting Jaguar children, leaving even earlier to travel into deeper forest areas to gather more secret plants. But Tiquinho’s scarlet macaw stayed behind. Far across the plaza Marissa saw him perched with other colorful birds on the stone ledges of Jaguar House.
–Awk!†Mirioby called out.
–Yes, it’s Flap-Flap,†she said to the young hyacinth macaw on her shoulder. –But you can’t fly that fa...â€
Mirioby swooped from her shoulder. With a strong, smooth stroke of his outstretched wings he rose high into the sky. Marissa watched in amazement as he flew the entire distance across the plaza, a hundred meters further than he had ever flown before. She and the cousins smiled with delight.
–I think Mirioby wants to stay with Flap-Flap this morning,†Sakura laughed.
–Yes,†Marissa agreed happily. –He can fly anywhere now!â€
With Sakura and Anna she stepped across the wide pond on the floating path of lilypads. They passed through the gate and soon reached the courtyard and the heavy stonework Floos surrounding it. With other arriving Woolly players they rode a lift that took them up to the field level of the Quidditch stadium. The swallows happily sped far across the wider area of open sky, playing Blue Snitch with Anna. Even on the worn old Quetzal broom that was her favorite, Anna too could reach higher speeds across the long field.
–Damn, she is fast!†Monkey Magalhães said to Baltazar as they watched Anna rushing after Spero, dipping and rolling to follow his path of flight until she lightly tagged him.
Spero glided back to the players bench. –Your turn, Fides!†Marissa called out to the other swallow who was snapping up a dragonfly before he zoomed away past Anna. Across the field Sakura hovered on her broom in front of the three tall golden hoops, assigned as Keeper while the reserves players practiced scoring runs. She was having trouble knocking the Quaffle away from the hoops, but like all the others was excited to be on the big field.
–We play Jaguar House next Saturday,†Monkey announced to his team when practice ended. –But they’re just a warmup for our match against the Anacondas next month.â€
The Anaconda name brought boos and hisses from all the team.
–Yeah, we probably can’t win,†Monkey admitted reluctantly, –but let’s show Sol and his goons there’s one team at this school that can put up a real fight against their bullying and cheating. Woolly House isn’t gonna be beaten by three hundred points.â€
Monkey and Baltazar led a cheer of –Woolly! Woolly! Woolly!†before they all departed back to Witness Stone. Marissa stopped for a while at Chaser’s Court with the cousins. Sakura explained to her how the vine-covered stone Floos worked with magic fire ash, and for awhile they played hide-and seek with the swallows around the huge fireplaces. It was nearly noon when they began walking the stone pathway back to the school.
Halfway back Marissa saw a group of large boys coming from the opposite direction. She continued walking ahead of Sakura and Anna until she met Sol Braganza, Stenio Cabral, and two more seventh-year Anaconda players named Fonseca and Rezende. To show she didn’t have to hide from their tricks, Marissa quietly stopped and waited for one to put a stink hex on her.
–I got this one, Sol,†the Fonseca boy said raising his wand.
–Not in front of the Jap girls, stupid!†Sol growled. He stood and glared at Marissa but she could not tell what he might do. Sol stepped forward to stand almost on top of her. –Ya know, I’m already pissed we lost half our practice to your monkeyblood friends!â€
Marissa stood her ground, though the swallows upon her shoulders shuddered nervously. –Stay with Anna,†she whispered, and they fluttered away behind her. Sol Braganza looked very angry that she had not backed away.
–Aren’t you tired of this yet, gutter girl?†he finally said to her. –Just run away! Go ask Principal Absencia to send you back to Boca da Lixo where everyone stinks like you!â€
Sol and the Bella de Barros thought Marissa should be hurt by hexes and mean names. They didn’t understand that nothing they did to her was worse that what people in Sao Paulo did to homeless children every day. Those kids couldn’t run away, they had to stay and face their desperate lives. Face hunger and sickness, brutal police, and deadly gangs that laughed at killing street kids. The Anacondas thought hexes would make her run away, but it was easier to face them than anything she faced in Santa Efigenia. Knowing that made her stronger than them.
–Don’t you get it?†Sol’s voice grew lounder. –YOU DON’T BELONG HERE. Look, even the mute can cast a spell now and you can’t! Doesn’t that tell you something?â€
Anna shivered as he pointed at her. They were three very little girls facing four very big boys. Marissa wished her friends were not here to be scared by Sol, but she stood firm.
–Are you gonna hex me then?†she asked. He wanted her to be scared of him too, but she wouldn’t be. That just made Sol Braganza angrier.
–Why?†he yelled. –You’re so soaked in stink hexes already you’ll probably smell like skunks and horse shit forever!â€
–It don’t work that way.â€
–What?â€
–Hexes fade away,†she told him. –Tiquinho told me hexes cast on different days don’t soak to each other. Umm... and he says the ‘team of density’ is too dumb to know that.†She added the last part because she didn’t like what he called Anna.
Instantly Sol swung his arm to hit her, but Marissa could see he hadn’t put real force into the swing. His fist halted an inch from her face. He had expected her to flinch or cover herself. She didn’t.
–Sol, don’t! She’s a first-year!†Rezende warned him.
Marissa felt Anna’s hand on her sleeve, pulling to ask her to step away and leave, but she stood as still as a statue. She was going to stand there until Sol walked away.
He raised both his fists now. Sol Braganza was very strong, but could probably not hit her any harder than Leandro had when he knocked her to the ground in Santa Efigenia.
–Dumb? I know more spells than you’ll ever cast with that welfare wand!†he snarled. –You’ll never cast ONE!â€
–Sol, we have to get to practice,†Stenio Cabral urged the furious Quidditch captain. –Coach will be waiting at the Floos.â€
Sol bent down, his face inches from Marissa’s. –Afraid of nothing, gutter girl?†he said. –I’ll put a Boggart up your behind and we’ll see what your guts are afraid of!â€
Marissa said nothing, but she didn’t think that worked that way either.
–Let’s go!†Sol yelled as he stormed by her down the path. The other three followed. As they disappeared around a bend, Marissa turned to see Sakura had tears on her face.
–I... I thought he was really going to hit you.â€
Both of the cousins were very shaken. Marissa sat with them a few minutes until they were better.
–How did you stay so calm?†Sakura asked her after wiping tears away.
–I decide what I feel, not them! They can’t make me feel anything.â€
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The girls agreed not to tell anyone about the confrontation with Sol and the Conda boys, mostly because they knew Tiquinho would want to fight all of them with duelling spells. By Monday afternoon Marissa believed that Sol had made his players say nothing too. Celestia, Cristiano and Fer had not teased her in any way about the meeting on the trail, so maybe Sol didn’t want anyone to know he was forced to walk away from a girl.
Sol Braganza was wrong to think he could scare her, but he was right about one thing. Her wand. After more hours of practice through the weekend, it still made no magic. Marissa could deny that Condas hurt her, but not that she couldn’t cast a single spell.
Monday was May 15th, a full three months since she had first come to Witness Stone, yet Marissa had not found how to make her wand work any more than it had on her first day. At lunchtime she sat with Professor Merrythought on the terrace outside her classroom. They shared a sandwich and sliced fruit while watching the swallows fly with Tesimal.
–Beginning next week we won’t have this time together,†her professor reminded her.
–Cuz you’re gonna be tu..tutoring.â€
–Yes. Helping fifth-years and seventh-years prepare for OWLs and NEWTs.â€
Marissa was disappointed that her private time with Professor Merrythought would be going away, but made sure not to show that because it would make her look not strong. Mirioby was eating nuts now, so she don’t have to nurse him his baby bird food each day. Feeding him was why Marissa really stayed here at lunchtime.
–Um... Professor,†Marissa said quietly, –first-years have tests too. At the end of the year and at the semmers...â€
–Semester,†her professor said.
–What happens if someone gets bad grades on a test?†Marissa asked. –What happens if I.. if someone can’t do...â€
–Oh, Marissa,†Merrythought replied, feeling her concern. –The end of semester is two months away. I’m sure you’ll find your magic by then!â€
It was less than two months, Marissa thought. It was really only six weeks.
–Your spells won’t have to be perfect,†she tried to assure her student, – just improving. –Believe in yourself, Marissa.â€
–I’m trying.â€
–I know you are. Now let’s get Mirioby to his perch and you off to Herbology.â€
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Sol Braganza was unwilling to hex her himself, but didn’t stop his players from continuing to. Over the next week the Anaconda teens stepped up their attacks on Marissa even more often. Over the next week too a joyful contest of cheers went on at every meal between the teams playing in the next Quidditch match on Saturday. Marissa was sure it would be a fun, friendly game until Thursday after classes when she heard Jaci Juruna answer Baltazar’s request for a favor from the Jaguar team.
–You want us to cheat?†the confused House Leader asked.
–Really. I need you to knock us around as hard as you can,†Baltazar confirmed his request. –Slam us! Foul us! Hurt us! Help me get the Woolly Quidditch team ready for the Condas.â€
Jaci shrugged to Araci Uirapuru beside him before he agreed.
And so the Quidditch game Saturday was a fierce battle, filled with jarring collisions, flailing fists and countless fouls, but also joking and laughter among the opposing teams. When Woolly finally won, the players met at midfield to congratulate each other on a hard-fought game and all the fans rose to cheer both teams. To Marissa it was the most awesome game yet! And that morning she had got to collect leftovers from the food fight to help feed the Hierotapirs. That more than made up for being stink hexed two times again on Sunday by the Anacondas.
Tiquinho found Marissa on Monday after dinner.
–Come on, we’re going for a walk,†he said.
–Won’t Potira be mad?†Marissa asked. Potira frowned sometimes lately when Tiquinho spent too much time with Marissa.
–No, her and the cousins are doing a Potions report,†he replied, –and I told her I’m going to duel with the Jaguar boys.â€
–Are you?â€
–Sure. After we’re done,†he confirmed.
–Where are we going?†Marissa asked as she followed him down the hall leading out of Witness Stone.
–If I tell you I’d have to Obliviate you.â€
Marissa knew that was a spell because she’d heard the old macaw Asuoby repeat it, but it wasn’t one in any of her first-year spells books so she didn’t know what it did.
They walked along outside, hopping over oranges on the pathway. Tiquinho led her past the ways that went to Macaw House and Woolly House, and past the Astronomy tower.
–This way,†Tiquinho said after they had crossed the Quidditch practice field and come under the cover of the forest again. A narrow stone walkway, smaller than the regular paths through the school grounds, led into the shadowed leafy undergrowth. Marissa had never been beyond Witness Stone in this direction. Curious monkeys swung along above them in the trees.
–Where are we going?†she asked again.
–Upstream along a ridge,†Tiquinho replied.
She knew that. Warring River flowed somewhere along to their right, out of sight in the dense rainforest foliage and curtains of vine. The vegetation was growing thicker and the shadows darker as it grew late. Soon they had been walking half an hour.
–It’s further than I thought,†Tiquinho said, stepping over some monstrous tree roots that grew across the path.
In the dimming light they lost the path and had to backtrack thirty feet before finding it again. The stone steps were hidden under giant-leafed bushes.
–Um... are we lost?†Marissa said.
–NO. Jaci told me the way, but I guess it’s pretty overgrown. Mostly only little ones use this path.â€
Tiquinho pushed through hanging vines and huge palm fronds as night arrived.
–It’s here somewhere,†he said hesitantly, following the barely visible stones muddied by a little stream that had washed over them.
–What’s here?†Marissa asked. –Maybe you should turn on your...â€
–AAAAHH!â€
–Tiquinho!â€
His shadowed form had just vanished in front of her, dropping into the darkness amid tearing branches. He had fallen, but it was too dark ahead for Marissa to see how far.
–Tiq? Tiq?†she shouted louder without an answer. She needed a flashlight or even a glowworm light to see, but all she had was her wand. Marissa took it uncertainly from the fold of her robes.
–Please!†she held it to her lips and whispered. –Tiquinho might be hurt!â€
–Uuu... uuu... – came a sound from far below in the pitch black.
–Lumos,†Marissa cried out as clearly as she could. A tiny, hopeful glow appeared at the tip of her wand, but at the same moment a much brighter light illuminated the darkness below and Tiquinho’s wand beside his fallen body. It wasn’t her magic, Marissa quickly realized. Tiquinho had turned on her wand along with his.
He lay some twelve feet below in a stone-walled room like a basement without a house on top of it. Her wand faded out in a second, but by Tiquinho’s she could see a steep narrow stairway that led down into the space. Vines tangled around her ankles and almost made Marissa fall too as she rushed down the leaf-strewn steps to Tiquinho.
The floor was hard stone too, but he had fallen on his chest and face in a spot where the foliage trailing from the walls had covered the ground.
–Are you okay?†she asked as she dropped to her knees beside him.
–Ugh...†he rolled over to one side and pushed himself up on his left arm. In the wand’s light she saw a grimace of pain on his face. –I... broke my wrist.â€
–I have to take you to the Healer,†Marissa told him firmly.
–When we’re done,†Tiquinho replied. He clenched his teeth as he got to his feet and looked around. Marissa could hear water running and along the room ran a number of carved stone canals that disappeared back into the ground on the wall opposite them.
–What is this place?†Marissa asked.
–The cisterns,†he replied. –Water from the river flows in here to be filtered before it gets sent to different buildings of Witness Stone.â€
It was like faucet pipes, Marissa saw, but very old. There were six stone-lined channels, each with a carved symbol above a water spout that poured into it. A bird, a monkey, a cat, a snake, wizard hats and...
–That goes to the greenhouses,†Tiquinho said of a leaf symbol as Marissa scraped off some moss to see it clearly, –and those are...â€
–I know what they are!†she said. It was very simple. –But why did we come here?â€
–Plumbing maintenance,†he replied, pushing back his robes to take an animal-skin pouch from his waist. It was the one the other Jaguars had poured their necklace shell powder into a few weeks ago. With his good hand he held it over one channel of flowing water.
–I need some help,†he said, holding his injured wrist against himself.
Marissa lifted the bottom of the pouch so that its content emptied out as Tiquinho held it. The dark red powder poured into the water for two or three minutes, dissolving as it flowed away. Marissa thought it was ten times as much powder as the little pouch should be able to hold. She didn’t know what this was all about and Tiquinho wouldn’t say.
They made their way back to Witness Stone, guided by Tiquinho’s shining wand light. Alika and Tatiane were out looking for Marissa and met them near Macaw House.
–Tiquinho broke his wrist!†Marissa told Alika as she was about to scold them for being out by themselves later than first-years were allowed.
–How?†Alika replied.
–I.. tripped and fell trying not to step on Mappy’s fruit,†Tiquinho said. –It’s nothing.â€
–It’s NOT nothing!†Marissa told him. It was very swollen and she’d heard his moans of pain as they returned on the dark trail.
–I’ll take him to the Healer or he won’t go,†Alika stated. –You get to your room, now!†she added to Marissa.
–Be at the Great Hall early tomorrow,†Tiquinho said to them all as Alika led him away. –Before breakfast appears!â€
Tatiane turned to Marissa with a questioning look, like she wanted to know a reason for his instruction. Marissa could only shrug.
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Marissa and all the students of Macaw House came to the Great Hall at 6:45 on Tuesday. First-years were always led to breakfast at seven, but on most mornings many upper-year students would straggle in later or or even skip breakfast to sleep in if they liked.
–Araci asked the Woollys to come early too,†Alika said, nodding to the Woolly House tables that were also already fully seated with every student. No one was arriving late.
–Something is definitely going on,†Milo Timbira replied.
Breakfast appeared at exactly 7 a.m. The tables instantly filled with trays of fluffy eggs, fried carne de sol, fresh rolls and bolo de fubá, all smelling like they had been taken from the ovens or stoves only the second before the little ones magicked it to the Great Hall. The aromas of black coffee and freshly squeezed orange juice blended with all the others.
As her roommates began filling their plates, Marissa heard voices across the vast room increasing in number and loudness. Sudden shouts, yells and cries of distress were filling one quarter of the Great Hall. Soon everyone’s attention was turned to the Anacondas.
Benches were knocked over as children jumped from their seats and pushed away plates. Marissa watched curiously as scores of Anaconda students checked the bottoms of shoes, sniffed at their sleeves, flung off their robes and even tore off shirts in frantic, bewildered efforts to find the source of something.
–Milo,†Alika Escura asked as the disturbance increased, –is that...â€
–Yes,†he replied. –This is gonna be good!â€
Marissa saw other students backing away as far as possible from the Anacondas section. There was a bad smell. A VERY bad smell, far worse than any stink hex ever cast on her, that kept growing stronger and stronger. Marissa and her boys had seen a dead dog in an alley in Santa Efigenia once. It was there for days maybe, decaying in the summer heat. It was the worst thing her nose ever smelled... until this smell. This was like a thousand rotting dog bodies, and there was no doubt that it was all coming from the Conda tables!
–Oh my stars!†Principal Absencia cried out at the High Table, pausing abruptly from tucking a napkin into his shirt collar as he prepared to eat. –What is THAT?â€
–A rather strong smell,†Professor Katupya stated plainly. To his right Professor Parreira inhaled the air deeper as if to analyze its composition.
–Well, cast a spell or spread a potion dust to dispel it please.â€
–I’m afraid it may not be so easy, sir,†said Parreira, the Herbology professor.
–AAAACK!!â€
In a whirlwind of dust, the one-legged black boy Saci Pererê dramatically fell from the balcony with his hands clutching his throat. He stumbled along an aisle gagging as if the putrid odor was choking him to death. Falling to the floor, Saci then rolled down the aisle in a fit of laughter at Anaconda House’s plight. Others began joining in with him.
As Marissa viewed this all, she found the Anacondas starting to realize a shocking truth. It wasn’t their trays of food, and it wasn’t something on their clothes or something they’d stepped in. The horrendous smell was coming directly from their skin! And not from just a few of them or even just a few dozen, but from every one of almost two hundred and fifty Anaconda students. The incredibly bad smell was even making some kids faint! All of this had happened in only two minutes, and now Professor Guerra and a few more professors rushed from the raised level of the High Table to help the sickened children.
At the center of the chaos, Cecelia Bella de Barros stood at a table with her wand raised. Marissa watched as she frantically waved it outward again and again and then at herself. She looked to be casting spell after spell trying to dispel the increasing odor, but nothing was working. As all the air about her overflowed with the horrible stench, the beautiful blonde girl’s air of superiority seemed to vanish. Filled with frustration, Cecelia lowered her wand and simply screamed.
Professor Katupya’s deep voice rose above the loudening disturbance.
–Anaconda House Leaders and seventh-years, please lead all of your students out to the plaza. The aroma will be less overpowering in the open air.â€
–Aroma!?†Principal Absencia cried. –It smells like a slaughterhouse! How is...â€
–And please DO NOT return to Anaconda House to use your baths or showers. Your water supply may be tainted.â€
–Tainted?†Absencia shouted. –Katupya, what is this all about?â€
As the Anacondas rushed up the aisles, Katupya gave additional orders to other House Leaders for care of sick or nauseous children before turning to answer the principal.
–Aristolochia Gigantea, Arthur. Or Brazilian Dutchman’s Pipe as we commonly call it. A flower which produces a malodorous scent attracting insects to assist in pollination,†His voice still magically loud, Marissa and everyone around could hear the explanation. –There is a magical subspecies which responds to the fragrance of any other blooming flower by emitting its own overpowering carrion scent that brings insects to itself instead of the competing blossoms. Because it envys the beautiful fragrances of the others we call our magical variety Jealous Pipe.â€
–Yes, yes, magical flowers! What does that have to do with this... this... horror!?â€
–The Anaconda House water may be contaminated with Aristolochia essence.â€
–How?â€
–Oh, possibly by vines growing into a water channel somewhere and flowers falling in,†Katupya responded calmly. –In water the essence is unnoticable when someone bathes or washes hands, which I’m sure all the Anaconda children did last evening or this morning. But after the water has dried a residue remaining on the skin will react as the flower.â€
–React as the flower? What does... what does that...†Absencia threw his hands in the air.
–When breakfast appeared and food aromas began filling the Great Hall as they do, Jealous Pipe essence on Anaconda students reacted by issuing its own powerful smell.â€
–Which can’t be counteracted by spells,†Professor Parreira added. –Magic Aristolochia has to wear away.â€
–Well... well...†Absencia seemed at a loss of how to respond. –Take care of it all then,†he hastily declared as he rushed to leave the hall by his personal Floo behind the table.
The hundreds of stinking Anacondas were running to flee the Great Hall, accompanied now by an unending laughter from all the other Houses greatly entertained by the sight.
Cecelia Bella de Barros rushed alongside her sister while directing out the last group. –Our dresses!†she shouted at Sol Braganza ahead of her. –They’re ruined. RUINED!â€
At the High Table Professor Katupya calmed observed the chaotic retreat.
–Ubiritan,†Parreira observed. –Aristolochia essence must be extracted and purified to a powder. You and I both know petals falling into water couldn’t cause this.â€
–We do?†Katupya answered innocently. –Maybe I need more Herbology classes.â€
–Hmmph, maybe you do!†she replied, noticing his barely perceptible smile.
Though she would not show it, Marissa secretly enjoyed seeing all of Anaconda House embarrassed and ashamed by the foul odors. The way they always tried to make her feel.
–I don’t think they’ll call you smelly anymore,†said a voice from behind her. Marissa turned to see the young native boy with crimson red striped face who she’d met by falling on him her first day at Witness Stone.
–Oh, Tiquinho!†she exclaimed, as she realized what the he must have planned for weeks. The powder all the Jaguar classes had secretly made, their trips gathering flowers, and the mysterious visit to the cisterns had all been.. for her. Her head told her she couldn’t slug him in the shoulder like she would the boys in Sao Paulo, but before it could tell her what she should do, her body had somehow acted on its own. Suddenly, without her realizing just how it happened, she was hugging Tiquinho.
Standing just behind him, Potira Arating did not look happy about that at all.
Marissa and the Wizards by JCCollier
Chapter Notes: Marissa handles her problems in the way she knows how. she would never ask for help, but after a time receives some anyway.