The Dark Side

Alexandra spent several afternoons and evenings with Maximilian during the month of December, sometimes with Beatrice and Martin, and sometimes without. When Maximilian's friends were along, they practiced wizard-dueling.

Alexandra was thrilled – though she was less thrilled to discover that all three Stormcrows were far better than her.

“What did you expect, Troublesome?” Martin laughed, as Alexandra picked herself up off the ground for the sixth time one day. “We've been doing this for years. Did you really think a seventh grader could take us, just because you're Abraham Thorn's daughter?”

She glared at him furiously. Her elbows and knees ached, she had bruises up and down her body, and her tongue had been swollen by a jinx, so she could barely talk. And worse, Beatrice was taking pictures again.

“Ease off, Martin.” Maximilian smiled at Alexandra. “You're doing well. But he's right; you shouldn't expect that after a little bit of practice, you'll suddenly be as good as us. We've been hexing the snot out of each other for years.”

“Yeah, jusht wait 'n shee,” she mumbled around her enlarged tongue. She was pleased that Maximilian thought she was doing well, but it was frustrating to be so outmatched.

The camaraderie among her brother's friends was something she increasingly came to enjoy. They teased her a great deal, which annoyed her, but she still felt much older and more mature for being allowed to hang around with them.

She listened to the three of them talk about Blacksburg, and their teachers, and Roanoke Territory. They compared Charmbridge Academy to BMI (generally unfavorably, though they admitted that Charmbridge had better food). Alexandra learned that Martin was originally from Florida, and that his parents were second-generation New Colonials, and that Beatrice was an Old Colonial from a strict Plymouth Traditionalist family.

The teenagers didn't ask Alexandra many questions. She thought they might be curious about the Muggle world, but they weren't. Or perhaps Maximilian had told them not to ask her about it.

In JROC, Alexandra found herself trying much harder to learn drills and cadences and defensive charms, striving for the occasional smile of approval she got from her brother. Colonel Shirtliffe noticed the change as well, and seemed pleased, though now and then, Alexandra saw the teacher giving her and Maximilian puzzled looks.

Even as she grew closer to her brother, Alexandra realized that she and Anna were spending less time together. Anna was as unenthusiastic as ever about JROC (though she had stopped whining so much), but Alexandra no longer commiserated with her about how awful JROC and the Stormcrows were.

They still sat together in the cafeteria and in class, and they still studied together, but Anna was quiet, almost resentful. Alexandra tried to draw her out, but she was getting tired of her roommate's attitude, just because she didn't hate Maximilian anymore. And any sadness she felt at the silent rift between them was overshadowed by her budding relationship with her brother, who seemed more smart and cool and capable every day.

He was an excellent student and a talented wizard, he was handsome and popular, and while most evenings he spent with his BMI friends, on the days he allowed her to tag along, he never acted like she was an annoying little sister that he didn't want following him around. They practiced many new hexes and curses, and with Maximilian's help, Alexandra thought she was probably the best flier in seventh grade now. She loved their private lessons, even if it did mean Anna kept giving her unhappy looks when she snuck off.

In the forests around Charmbridge Academy, it was as dry as it was down in Larkin Mills. Though the temperature was now frequently below freezing at night, they had yet to see any snow, and hopes of a white Christmas seemed dim. This didn't bother Alexandra much; she'd seen enough snow to last her the rest of her life last Christmas. But as the winter break approached, a very strange realization came over her: she was going to miss Maximilian.

In the week before their end-of-semester SPAWNs, Ms. Shirtliffe had the JROC students actually run mock combat drills in the air, dodging obstacles that she and Mage-Sergeant Majors Smith and Franklin threw at them. Alexandra veered and zig-zagged to evade the Paint-Bludgers chasing her, when Franklin threw a Dandelion Grenade. It burst near her, spraying puffy white seeds everywhere. Alexandra ascended quickly so the wind wouldn't carry any into her path, then heard Anna scream in frustration as several seeds brushed against her uniform, and suddenly she was sprouting bright yellow flowers from head to toe.

“If those had been Basilisk Barbs or Plague Pods, you'd be dead, Chu!” barked Ms. Shirtliffe.

“I'm never going to face Basilisk Barbs or Plague Pods, because in one more week I'm never going to wear this uniform again!” Anna declared angrily, as she landed. “It's not as if I'm ever going to join the ROC after I graduate! Like being ordered around just so someday I can be the one screaming at people is something to look forward to? Or killing trolls and snake-men and manticores, when we're not going to war with other wizards? Who actually likes this stuff? No one in their right mind!”

Bitterly, she threw her broom on the ground and stomped away, ignoring Shirtliffe's angry demands for her to come back. Alexandra was shocked. Anna was usually so timid; she'd never seen her friend lose it quite like that before.

“Pathetic,” sneered Supriya Chandra, one of the older JROC girls. “Thinks she's too good for the JROC? We can make her last week a living hell!”

“Please don't,” Alexandra pleaded. She appealed to Ms. Shirtliffe. “She's just upset, ma'am. It's not her fault she never wanted to do this. It's only one more week. Just let her finish it and be done.”

Shirtliffe folded her arms. “What about you, Quick? Are you going to be done after this week?”

Alexandra stood there, with a startled look on her face. It had been weeks since she'd thought about how much she was looking forward to being done with JROC. At the end of the semester, her forced enlistment would be over, and she would be free to choose some other elective next semester.

She glanced at Maximilian, who was watching her with a neutral expression, and then back at the Witch-Colonel.

“I don't know, ma'am,” she muttered.

“Hmm.” Shirtliffe gave her a narrow look, then shrugged. “Up to you. You have plenty of room for improvement, Quick.” Then she called everyone back into formation, and dismissed them for the day.

Maximilian caught her before she went back inside.

“Meet me tonight, by the Quidditch field, after dinner?” he whispered.

“After dark?” she whispered back. Underclass students weren't supposed to be outside the academy building after dark. Although the restrictive wards and alarms put in place after Halloween had been lifted, the staff was still much more vigilant than before, and additional safeguards had been added, such as portraits from the Dean's office that were now hung at every exit.

“Can you manage it without being caught?” Maximilian asked.

“Of course I can.” She nodded. “Okay. What are we doing?”

“I'll tell you then, but dress warm.”

“King,” said Colonel Shirtliffe, and Maximilian let go of Alexandra's arm. He nodded to her, and she walked back inside as he turned around and marched over to the teacher.

Alexandra was curious. None of their previous private lessons had been after dark. When she returned to her room, she found Anna sitting on her bed, with her face in her hands. Her dandelion-covered uniform was crumpled on the floor.

Alexandra sighed and sat down next to Anna on her bed. She put an arm around her friend.

“It's only one more week, Anna,” she said.

“Ms. Shirtliffe is going to report me to the Dean. I'm going to be given detention. Dean Grimm might even make me do JROC again next semester!” Anna shuddered. “Not that it matters – if another disciplinary letter goes home to my parents, my father will pull me out of school and make me go to a day school back in San Francisco.”

“I don't think Ms. Shirtliffe is going to report you to the Dean. Let's try to fix your uniform before those dandelions become impossible to remove.”

Anna sniffed, and nodded.

By the time they went to dinner, Anna had calmed down. She proposed they spend all weekend studying for their SPAWNs. Alexandra agreed, and down in the cafeteria, the two of them sat with David and Constance and Forbearance. Everyone talked about their holiday plans. Alexandra mentioned casually that she was going to be moving back into her old house. Constance and Forbearance had been quite homesick for the past month, and were looking forward to returning to their 'holler' in the Ozarks for a couple of weeks. David told them his family was going to have a large gathering of extended relatives over the Christmas holidays.

Everything felt almost normal again, until Alexandra returned to her room after dinner, and put on her winter jacket. Anna looked at her curiously.

“Where are you going?” she asked.

“Just out,” Alexandra replied.

“Out,” Anna repeated, with an empty expression.

“Anna, why do you have to make a big deal out of everything?” Alexandra lowered her voice. “I'm not going to meet with the Mors Mortis Society, if that's what you're thinking!”

“That's not what I'm thinking.” Anna looked down. “I'm thinking that this year everything has been a big secret. You never tell me anything.”

Alexandra sighed. “It's not because I don't trust you. And it's no big deal.”

“If it's no big deal, why is it a secret?”

“Just trust me. I – I'll tell you later. I will.”

“Fine,” Anna said. She gave Alexandra another blank stare. “Have fun with Max.”

Alexandra scowled at her, then shook her head. “Charlie, come with me,” she commanded. The raven cawed, then fluttered to her shoulder. Alexandra and her familiar left their room, and she made her way downstairs, to the same back entrance she'd used when she was sneaking out for Mors Mortis Society meetings.

She was relieved to find the small portrait hanging there empty. The hall monitors almost never left their stations, but the portraits taken from the Dean's office tended to wander about and visit each other when bored. She shushed Charlie and hurried out the door before Dean Nietz returned to his frame.

It was dark and cold as she trudged across Charmbridge's lawn to the Quidditch field, wondering about Max's choice to meet out here after dark. They'd never done that before. Was he planning to show her something forbidden, that he couldn't risk being discovered inside? Maybe something to do with the Mors Mortis Society? That didn't make any sense, since he was reluctant to talk about the Mors Mortis Society and his 'mission' at all anymore. While she was puzzling over this, Charlie squawked a warning, and only then did she realize that the Quidditch field wasn't empty. There were several kids sitting on the bleachers, near the ground level, and they stood up when Alexandra approached.

“What are you doing here, Troublesome?” demanded a familiar voice.

Alexandra groaned. “What are you doing here, Larry?”

She could hardly make out the other two people with him, as the moon wasn't casting very much light that night, but she was sure it was Ethan Robinson and Wade White. This was confirmed when Charlie let out another cry of warning as a pair of aggressive owls swooped by her head.

“You'd better make your familiars back off,” she warned. She had her wand out already. She could see by the way Larry was standing that he did, too. He jumped off the bleachers and took two steps towards her.

“Or what?” he sneered.

She pointed her wand at him. He laughed.

“Quick, I'll turn you into a gnome and feed you to your friend's jarvey if you don't broom out of here.”

“Try it. I'll switch your head and your butt around – not that anyone will be able to tell the difference!”

“You're all talk, Quick. You've got the whole school thinking you're some kind of dangerous sorceress because your daddy is a Dark wizard. I know you're just an arrogant little brat. Do you actually think you can beat me if we cross wands?”

Ethan and Wade were coming up behind Larry now. Alexandra could smell a distinctive odor wafting off of them. She wrinkled her nose. “Are you smoking?”

“I said broom, Quick!” Larry snapped.

She laughed at him. “You guys are idiots! Even Muggles think that's disgusting, you know.”

Larry flicked his wand at her, and said, “Kikksprong!” Alexandra jumped aside as a green spark bounced off the ground where she'd been standing and rebounded off into the darkness, with a sound like a rubber ball. She threw a Spinning Jinx that missed Larry but hit Ethan, who began spinning wildly around and knocked Wade over. Then Larry shouted, “Caedarus!” A tiny spark flew from his wand, expanding rapidly into a solid-looking sphere that struck Alexandra in the face with a loud smack. She cried out and fell backwards, and blinked away tears as the red haze cleared from her vision. The entire side of her face stung.

Larry stood over her, with his wand pointing right between her eyes. Charlie screeched and dived at his face, but was forced to veer away as the boys' owls began chasing the raven.

“Best two out of three?” she mumbled, rubbing her face. This wasn't looking good. Where was Maximilian?

Larry snickered. “What should we do with her?”

Wade had finally grabbed Ethan and held him down long enough for him to stop spinning, but Ethan was too dizzy to stand. “Tie her to a tree and leave her for the Hodag,” Wade suggested.

Alexandra tried to raise her wand, and then yelped when Larry stepped on her hand, still holding his wand pointed at her head. “Not a chance, Troublesome.”

“Creep!” She struggled, then gasped as Larry shifted more weight onto his foot. Meanwhile, Ethan and Wade were both shooting sparks out of their wands into the sky, trying to scare Charlie away. “Stop it!” she cried.

“Aww, is Twoublesome gonna cwy?” Larry taunted. He looked at his friends. “Hey, I know. She likes pretending she's Dark so much, why don't we show her some real Dark magic?”

The other two ninth graders lowered their wands and looked at him. “What do you mean?” Ethan asked.

Larry looked down at Alexandra. “I'll bet you and Dearborn both set that whole thing up on Halloween. Have her pretend to cast a Killing Curse at you, just so everyone would be impressed when you beat her.”

“You're crazy,” Alexandra growled, through gritted teeth. “Darla almost got expelled for that! We didn't plan anything! Get off my hand!”

“Yeah, right.” Larry grinned at her, then said, “Since you and your friend have read about Unforgivables, I guess you know what the Cruciatus Curse is?”

Alexandra stopped struggling, and felt a cold chill. She stared at Larry, and all her attention was suddenly focused on the tip of his wand.

“You wouldn't,” she whispered.

Larry's eyes gleamed triumphantly, as he saw the defiance drain out of her for the first time. “Scared, Quick?” Behind him, Ethan and Wade snickered, a little nervously. Larry suddenly thrust his wand at her, and said, “Crucio!”

Alexandra's reaction was involuntary. It was as if she were on the floor of that room in Charmbridge's deepest basement again. She screamed and curled up into a ball, covering her face with her other hand.

Only when she realized that Larry had backed away, and was no longer standing on her hand, did she look up. She was shaking. Larry was staring at her, with a puzzled, contemptuous expression.

“Blue balls, Larry!” Ethan whispered, sounding horrified.

“Oh, calm down!” Larry snapped at him. “You don't think I actually did it, do you?” He turned back to Alexandra, who was now rising to her feet. “Not so brave after all, are you, Quick?”

Alexandra couldn't stop trembling. “Shut up!” she hissed. The memory of thrashing helplessly on the ground, with her entire body on fire, was stuck in her head now, and she could almost feel her skin burning.

Ethan laughed. Wade brandished his wand dramatically, and loudly intoned, “Crucio!” while jabbing it in her direction.

Alexandra tried not to react, but she couldn't help it. She didn't scream this time, but she flinched away from him and nearly dropped her wand. Her pulse was racing uncontrollably and her breath came in short gasps.

Rage and humiliation washed over her as Ethan and Wade doubled over with laughter. Larry was staring at her again. He'd lowered his wand, and he was frowning. For a moment, he almost looked guilty. And then a dark shape came lunging out of the shadows and knocked him flat on his back.

“Impedimenta!” Maximilian roared, pointing his wand at Ethan and Wade, and both of them stumbled and fell over. Maximilian turned back to Larry, stepped forward, and as the younger boy rose to his hands and knees, aimed a great sweeping kick directly into his midsection. His boot caught Larry right in the stomach, hard enough to lift him into the air and drop him back onto the ground, gasping for breath. “You miserable stinking piece of filth!” Maximilian bellowed, giving Larry another hard kick in the ribs. Larry cried out in pain.

Alexandra winced at the impact. “Max, stop it!”

“Are you all right?” he asked. His eyes were ablaze, and his expression was fearsome.

She gulped and nodded. She was afraid she was about to start crying, and she couldn't bear that.

“I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner,” he panted. “I didn't know these dung-eating trolls would be here bothering you.”

She swallowed. “It's all right. I'm all right.”

“I saw what he did.” Maximilian turned to face Larry again, who was now on his knees, with his arms wrapped around his stomach. “If you ever go near my s – Alexandra again, if you touch her, or even look at her, I swear, I will kill you.”

“You're insane!” Larry gasped.

“Insane? Do you want to see insane?” Maximilian snarled. He pointed his wand at Larry, and said, “Crucio!”

Larry jerked backwards. His spine arched grotesquely, and he began screaming.

“Are you Squibs laughing now?” Maximilian yelled.

Alexandra stared, for one horrified second, and then she rushed forward and grabbed Maximilian's arm.

“Max, stop it!” she shouted. “Stop it now!” She was still shaking, and Maximilian's arm was like a solid block of wood, with more strength than she had in her whole body. It hardly budged even when she jerked hard on his wrist, but he turned his head towards her, and that awful, enraged look on his face faded. He let Alexandra pull his arm down, and Larry let out a whimpering moan, and collapsed limply on the ground.

Alexandra stared at her brother for a moment, and then walked over to the other boy.

“L–Larry?” she stammered hesitantly. She started to kneel next to him, and he sat up and scooted backward on the ground, kicking out at her.

“Get away from me!” he gasped. His face was pale. Beneath his dark curly hair, there was a sheen of sweat on his forehead, despite the near-freezing temperature. He rose awkwardly to his feet. “Stay away from me, you rotten little gorgon!”

Maximilian made an angry sound, and Alexandra spun around to glare at him. He paused, still glowering at Larry, but he didn't move.

Larry was staring at the two of them, wide-eyed. “You're both demented!” he choked. “You ought to be bound and chained on Eerie Island!”

Alexandra licked her lips, which felt as if they were becoming dry and cracked.

Larry looked at Ethan and Wade, who were still tangled on the ground, moving sluggishly.

“Finite incantatem!” he said, pointing his wand at his friends. It took him three more tries to lift Maximilian's Impediment Jinx, and the other two boys sprang to their feet, staring at the older boy in shock and fear.

“Let's get out of here,” Wade quavered.

“You're crazy! Both of you!” Larry repeated. All three of them turned and fled back toward the academy.

Alexandra turned slowly to face Maximilian. His expression was sullen, and a little abashed.

“You are crazy,” she said. “If they tell on you, you'll be expelled for sure! You could even be arrested!”

“They won't tell. They weren't supposed to be out here either, and they'd be punished for what they did to you, too.”

Alexandra shook her head. “So you planned it out?”

“No!” Maximilian protested. “Alex –”

She held up a hand, and backed away from him.

“Alex, wait,” he pleaded. She shook her head and turned away from him.

“Charlie!” she called out. “Charlie, where are you?”

The raven cawed, and then landed on her shoulder.

“We're going back inside, Charlie,” Alexandra said.

“Alexandra!” Maximilian called behind her, but she ignored him, and he didn't pursue her.

By the time Alexandra arrived back in her room, she felt numb. Her expression was empty as she regarded Anna, who was sitting at her desk doing Geomancy problems. Charlie croaked and hopped onto the top of Nigel's cage, as Alexandra shrugged off her coat and shivered. Anna didn't say anything, but was looking at her as if she very much wanted to say something.

Alexandra ran her fingertips lightly over Charlie's feathers, and the raven preened and made soothing, clucking sounds.

“Are you all right?” Anna asked at last.

“Fine,” Alexandra replied.

“Did he hit you again?” Anna asked.

Alexandra blinked, and stared at her roommate. “What?”

“Your face is red,” Anna whispered. “Like someone smacked you.”

Alexandra raised a hand to her face, which still stung from Larry's hex. “I –” She paused. “Did who hit me? What do you mean, 'again'?”

Anna swallowed. “You know who I mean. If you want me to leave you alone, I will, but don't ask me to keep pretending I'm too stupid to know what's going on. Look at you. You look awful.”

Alexandra blinked at her roommate, feeling flustered and confused. “Anna, what are you talking about?”

“I'm talking about Max!” Anna shouted, making both Alexandra and Charlie jump. “The two of you keep going off... wherever, and half the time you come back with bruises! Why, Alex? Why do you let him do that?” She looked close to tears.

Alexandra stared at her friend. “Max isn't – I mean, you have it all wrong, Anna. He –” Then realization sank in. Her eyes widened and she bolted to her feet. “Oh my God! You think Max and I –? Are you out of your mind?”

“Well, what should I think?” Anna cried. “You started out hating him and he treated you like crap, just like me, and then suddenly you're following him around like a puppy and he's always putting his hands on you...”

Alexandra was pacing their room in a circle, holding her hands up to the sides of her head, grimacing. “Anna...” she groaned. She whirled around and sat down abruptly in front of the other girl, perched on the edge of her bed. She leaned forward and grabbed Anna's hands.

“Max and I are not a couple!” she said. “He's my brother!”

Anna's eyes went wide. She stared at Alexandra speechlessly.

Alexandra sagged a little, feeling drained, as if all the tension had finally been let out of her. “Abraham Thorn is his father,” she said. “He didn't tell me until a few weeks ago. He was trying to keep it quiet because not everyone knows, like they do about me, and I guess he didn't want people figuring out we're related, and... oh, it's a long story, Anna! I'm really sorry I didn't tell you before. I wanted to, I really did. But it wasn't just my secret to tell. And those bruises are from dueling practice. Max hasn't been beating me up or bullying me. I know he can be kind of a jerk –” Her face clouded over, as she thought about what had just happened that night. 'Jerk' was an understatement. “He can be really nasty, sometimes. But he's not... I don't know.”

Alexandra wasn't sure herself how she felt about Maximilian now. Her thoughts were muddled, but getting the truth out was a relief. Anna was just listening to her quietly, and however she reacted, Alexandra was glad she was no longer keeping secrets from her best friend.

“Are you angry at me?” she asked.

Anna shook her head. Her eyes were still wide.

“I was going to tell you eventually. I just haven't been sure how, and I'm still getting to know Max, and it's just been really confusing.”

Anna nodded.

“Would you say something?”

“It sort of makes sense, now,” Anna mused.

Alexandra frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Max being kind of a jerk,” she said wryly. “So what else do you have in common?”

Alexandra blinked at her, then snorted and gave Anna a shove. Anna shoved her back.

“I can't believe you thought I was... you know. With a junior! Do you think I'm a brainless bimbo like Darla?”

They heard a strangled sound from the other side of the bathroom door, and both of them stared at each other, mouths open. Alexandra pointed her wand at the door and said, “Alohomora!” The door flew open, and Darla stumbled forward and fell onto the floor.

“Brainless bimbo?” she sputtered, with all the indignation she could manage while lying on the ground at Alexandra's feet.

“Yeah,” Alexandra said. “And nosy, busybody sneak, too!”

The other girl clambered to her feet, glaring at Alexandra.

“I should have known there was no way any boy would actually be interested in you!” Darla sneered.

Alexandra shook her head. “What's it to you, Darla? What is your problem, anyway?”

Darla sniffed, and brushed herself off.

“Look, don't tell anyone about Max, okay?” Alexandra tried to sound conciliatory. “It's his business, and mine, not anyone else's.”

Darla tossed her head. “You should be careful, Alexandra. I think I know a little more about what your brother is capable of than you do.”

Alexandra narrowed her eyes. “I don't think so. But I know what I'm capable of if you go blabbing your fat mouth.”

Darla gasped, and took a step back. “Who do you think you're threatening? Have you forgotten what I've been learning?”

“How to pretend to cast Unforgivables?” Alexandra scoffed. Her expression darkened, and she raised her wand to level it at Darla's face. “Before you ever even think of cursing me again,” she said slowly, “you'd better make sure it will work. Because I promise, I won't say anything I don't mean.”

Darla's face turned white. She stammered, and backed away wordlessly, as all her bravado evaporated.

Alexandra slammed the bathroom door, and turned to look at Anna, who had gone pale.

“I didn't mean –” Alexandra sighed. “She just made me so mad!”

“Yeah,” Anna said quietly.

“Anna, you know I wouldn't actually hurt her.”

Anna nodded. “But sometimes...” She bit her lip.

“Sometimes what?”

Anna looked down. “Sometimes, you can be pretty scary, Alex.”

I guess that's something else Max and I have in common, Alexandra thought.