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Alexandra Quick and the Stars Above by Inverarity

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Beneath the Stars Above

The next day, Forbearance and Sonja accosted Alexandra in the hallway.

–Forbearance told me that you want to perform a ritual to draw down the stars,” Sonja said. –That is so wicked! We read about the Stars Above in class, but Mrs. Estrella won't let us do it. I'm really flattered that you want my help.”

–I wasn't aware that we'uns had agreed to this,” Alexandra said, looking pointedly at Forbearance.

Forbearance reddened. –Anna's come 'round, and we persuaded Constance. We hain't yet told Innocence, but there's no doubt o' her.”

–What about David?”

–Constance is gonna talk to him.”

–I see. The Alexandra Committee has been meeting behind my back again.”

–Alexandra Committee?” Sonja giggled as Forbearance turned a deeper shade of red. Alexandra stopped in the hall, and the other two girls skidded to a halt.

–If we do this, you understand I want it to be kept secret?”

Sonja smiled ingenuously and put a finger to her lips.

–Are you absolutely, one-hundred percent certain there's no danger involved in this ritual?” Alexandra asked Forbearance.

–Hain't no magic ritual that's gin-certain, Alex. You know that.”

–I won't have any of you risking yourselves.”

Forbearance smiled nervously. –The risk be your'n - if'n you meet Powers.”

–You know, if this does work, it would be such a fantastic extra-credit project!” Sonja's voice trailed off as Alexandra glared at her. –I'm just saying - Mrs. Estrella would give us a high grade for sure.”

–No extra credit. No telling Mrs. Estrella. If you're not okay with that, then forget about it.”

Sonja pouted. –Oh, Alexandra. You are such a grumbly gnoll sometimes.”

Remembering Anna's reproach, Alexandra said, in a more careful tone, –Thanks for agreeing to help me.”

–Well, it will be fun, at least. Even if it doesn't work. Though I hope it does. Those signs of yours really are rather ominous.”

–There's no need to make a big deal out of it. Or tell anyone else.” Alexandra emphasized the last part.

–Got it. Really.” Sonja put a finger over her lips again and winked.

In their room that evening, Alexandra found Anna examining the clean robes that had just been returned to her. Clockworks delivered the laundry now, though it was unclear whether it was elves or Clockworks who actually did the washing. Anna's father had required her to buy attire 'appropriate to her station' from Madame Wu's, but the dragons and phoenixes woven with magical thread into the fine Chinese silk kept fraying. Anna had been complaining about the damage to her robes, though she carefully avoided blaming the elves.

Alexandra tossed her own pile of clean robes into a drawer and said, –I thought you were against me messing around with Powers again.”

–I don't like it,” Anna said. –But Forbearance is convinced that your stars say you're on a path to calamity.”

–You're starting to sound like her. Do you really believe in all this astrology nonsense?”

–If you think it's nonsense, why are you agreeing to the ritual?”

–I don't believe in astrology. But I do believe in Powers.”

Anna lowered the red and yellow robe she was holding. –So you want to meet Powers and make a deal with them?”

–Maybe.”

–Or maybe you're just curious.”

–Is it so bad to be curious? I'm agreeing to try something Forbearance suggested. She's not exactly reckless and eager to play with dangerous magic.”

Anna didn't look at Alexandra. –I wish you'd take things seriously instead of becoming obsessed with things that aren't your problem, or else carrying on your stupid feud with Larry Albo or the Rashes.”

Alexandra moved closer to Anna. –What should I be doing, Anna? Walk around all the time thinking 'Oh no, I'm doomed'? You think I'm not taking this seriously? You're not inside my head, you don't know what I'm thinking.”

Anna sniffed. –You don't tell me what you're thinking.”

–I do.” Alexandra sighed. –Usually. Except when I'm afraid you'll freak out because you worry too much. Like if I tell you I sent Quimley to find John Manuelito for me.”

Anna dropped her robes. –Who's Quimley?”

–The ex-house-elf I told you about who lives with the Generous Ones.”

–You went to the Lands Below again?” Anna's face turned white.

–Ssh! No, of course not. I summoned Quimley - voluntarily, I mean, it was voluntary for him to come. And he's going to try to find where John Manuelito is hiding.”

Anna could do nothing but stare, aghast. –What did you tell him to do if he finds him?”

–Nothing. Just tell me.”

–And then you're going to go after John, instead of maybe telling the Wizard Justice Department?”

–I'm not sure the Wizard Justice Department will even do anything. He's got to pay, Anna. Also, he has tried to kill me several times, and I doubt he's given up just because he can't use Mary anymore.”

–Why are you telling me this?”

–Because you'd want to know. Also, if I do meet the Stars Above...” Alexandra's tone became harder. –Forbearance said the Seven Sisters are associated with war, secrets, betrayal, and vengeance.”

–You're conveniently forgetting forgiveness. Also night, water, oceans - Alex, we're not doing this so you can get John Manuelito. We're doing this so we can save your life.”

–Getting John Manuelito might help. How do you know John Manuelito's not the dire calamity the stars are warning me about?”

Anna didn't like that idea at all.

–I'm trying to keep my promise not to hide things from you,” Alexandra said. –It's a lot harder when you get upset every time I tell you something.”

–It's hard not to get upset when you're being stupid.”

–Are we fighting again?”

Anna sat down right on top of her folded robes and put her face in her hands.

Alexandra sat next to her, careful not to sit on the robes herself, and put an arm around Anna's shoulders. –I don't plan on dying. Not now, and not in seven years.”

Anna dropped her hands and gave Alexandra a look that was half-sardonic, half-fearful. –Promise?”

Alexandra thought once, then twice. –I promise.” If she wasn't able to keep that promise, it would hardly matter.

On a cold and windy evening a week before Thanksgiving, seven students walked furtively in a line across Charmbridge's lawn, seeking a flat grassy area concealed from the school by a small hill. As usual, there weren't many other students out this late because it was so cold, but Warming Charms and cloaks were good protection from the chill, and juniors and seniors sometimes ventured out in couples or groups. Most were going to the Glade; Alexandra and her friends headed in the opposite direction.

Being so cold and windy, it was also remarkably clear, and since Charmbridge Academy was far from any Muggle cities, the stars were especially bright and numerous. Normally Alexandra would have just appreciated their beauty, but thinking of the stars above as living entities made her feel a little dwarfed and humbled. She could tell by the way her friends walked in silence, even Sonja and Innocence, that they were similarly affected.

The stars, of course, could not literally be living entities. Alexandra knew enough about astronomy to know that. No matter what she learned about magic, the stars were huge balls of burning gas impossibly vast distances away, and the light spread across the sky had started on its journey toward Earth hundreds or thousands of years ago. Some of the stars they were seeing now might have died before humans even existed. Alexandra knew this.

Forbearance knew it, too. She was rather offended that Alexandra thought she was ignorant of what a light year was.

–I read some Muggle science books,” Forbearance had said. –They're right lettered, them scientists. But magic says two things can be true even if'n one says the other's impossible.”

–That doesn't make any sense,” Alexandra said.

–You don't misdoubt science 'cause you can do magic, do you?”

–Well, no, but -”

–Science an' magic is both true,” Forbearance said, –that's what I think.”

Alexandra didn't see how this could be, but she didn't see how it could not be either. She was just barely aware that she didn't know enough about either science or magic. So she contemplated the stars as everyone came to a halt at the chosen spot, and wondered how the stars could be both Powers and enormous nuclear reactions floating in space trillions of miles away. Surely all the stars couldn't be Powers - there would be billions and billions!

–Glory,” said Innocence, looking up at the sky, –that's a power o' stars!” For the ritual, she was wearing a cloak over her finest dress, and her hair was neatly covered by the bonnet she usually refused to wear at school.

Everyone was dressed formally, even Alexandra. Forbearance and Sonja said that what they wore didn't really affect the casting of the spell, but wizards performing rituals like this always dressed in their best garb, because it was traditional and, as Forbearance put it, –It makes you treat it serious.”

Anna had put her hair in Chinese pigtails again, and wore a bright golden robe with silver and emerald brocade. Alexandra had pointed out that this was not exactly appropriate for sneaking outside at night.

–Neither is Sonja's hair,” Anna replied, and Sonja laughed. The last few weeks Sonja had taken to enchanting her hair so that its normal fiery red was nearly literal. It was a fashion that had become popular with witches of all hues: blonde hair glowed with reflected sunlight in the hallways, and dark hair shimmered like glossy, polished stone. So far the teachers hadn't cracked down on the fad, but Alexandra was annoyed that Sonja hadn't undone her hair charm. She wore a hooded cloak, but her head still looked like a half-covered lantern glowing in the night. Hardly any of Alexandra's friends knew the first thing about being stealthy.

Charlie cawed. Alexandra made a shushing noise. Forbearance and Sonja weren't sure how to factor a familiar into their astrological calculations, but they thought Alexandra should bring hers. The raven sat on her shoulder with an imperious air, evidently feeling part of the seriousness of this gathering.

David pulled his robes tighter and shivered. –It's freezing out here. We don't have to do this 'Stars Above' ritual naked, do we?”

–Yes,” Alexandra said. –You first.”

Sonja giggled. Constance wrapped her arms around herself. –David Washington, where would you ever take a notion like that?”

–He's thinking of skyclad rituals,” Sonja said. –I've heard some Muggles do that.”

–Some witches did, too, long time ago,” Forbearance said. And hastily added, –Never in the Ozarks!”

While Forbearance lit her wand and began checking the scroll she'd prepared, Sonja officiously positioned everyone else, using a variation of the Compass Spell. Her wand indicated where each person was to stand, at the point of an imaginary six-pointed star with Forbearance at its head.

–Now,” Forbearance said, –everyone knows the blessin'. You says it after I read the ritual to draw down the stars. Remember, you has to be thinkin' 'bout Alexandra, not yourself. Anyone wishin' for herself - or himself - takes a leg out from the ritual, an' I don't think I formulated our position elegant enough to work with only five or four points.”

Alexandra wondered about the theory behind all this. Forbearance had admitted that she was guessing and using received lore as much as Arithmancy and magical theory to calculate where they were supposed to stand and their proper positions beneath the rotating kaleidoscope of stars. And she had an ancient verse - which was somehow not 'doggerel verse' because it came from old books - whose stanzas were incomplete. Alexandra bet the words to this 'ritual' were likely some long-ago wizard's 'doggerel verse' that just happened to have been written down.

Forbearance had warned her about being too skeptical. The Stars Above might not know or care if the person trying to call on them doubted their existence, but she thought at the very least it might not be respectful.

Alexandra was skeptical. But she'd also done magic with less foundation for believing it would work.

–Are we'uns ready to start?” Forbearance asked.

Everyone nodded or made a sound of assent. Even Charlie cawed. Their lit wands shed enough light to make them clearly visible across Charmbridge's lawns. The bleachers and the hill would shield them from the school itself, but anyone in the woods or elsewhere within line of sight couldn't fail to see them. Alexandra knew there was no help for it if they were to stay within the supposed perimeter of protection around the school, but she didn't much like it.

And yet, she was going along with it, and so were all her friends.

Forbearance began reading. Anna was solemn and concerned as always. Constance was doubting and worried, but she was there to support her sister and Alexandra. David looked vaguely embarrassed, but he raised his wand to Alexandra and smiled self-consciously. Innocence was radiant at being included. Sonja, too, was glowing by the light of her wand (and her hair), delighted at being accepted into Alexandra's circle of friends who went around doing mysterious, covert things.

Sonja and Forbearance had had to interpolate some of the words in the incantation Forbearance was about to recite. They had tried to explain to Alexandra the natal and horary calculations involved in determining which heavenly Powers to invoke by name; Alexandra just hoped it wouldn't all be for naught, if for no other reason than so Forbearance wouldn't feel foolish.

As Forbearance spoke the verses aloud, her careful enunciation retained barely a trace of her Ozarker accent:

–Occident and Orient, Pole and Anti-Pole,

stand at the four corners of land and deep and shoal.

Lie they all beneath the sky; there is no war or love

that seen by night, evades the sight, of th'eternal Stars Above.

By ev'ry Power in the sky, by Earth and Sun and Moon,

By Romulus and Sirius, by Pluto and Neptune;

By Kesil, Ash, and Kemah, by Jupiter and Mars,

I call to thee, my plea: convene the Parliament of Stars!”

Alexandra fixed her eyes on the stars while the last lines faded, wondering what was supposed to happen.

Nothing did.

After a long period of silence, Alexandra finally brought her gaze back to earth. Everyone was shifting uneasily, their eyes moving between the sky and Alexandra and each other.

Finally, David cleared his throat. –Guess it didn't work.” He did not actually sound very disappointed, and Alexandra noticed that Anna was also trying to hide her relief.

Forbearance, however, was quite distraught. –I know I done said the words right! I know I did! An' we spent so long edzaktin' ever'thin' -”

Constance, who had ever been the critical one, walked over to put a comforting arm around her twin, while Innocence just scuffed her shoe in the dirt, obviously more disappointed than the others. Sonja tossed back her luminous red hair and sighed. –Well, we knew we were guessing about some parts. It was never a sure thing. But it would have been ash and elm if it had worked!”

They stood in place uncertainly, not sure whether it was all right to move. Then Charlie flew into the air and cawed a warning. Everyone froze, then scattered, regrouping on the other side of the bleachers. Charlie was difficult to see silhouetted against the night sky, but when the raven returned to her, it said: –Big fat jerk!”

–Who are you talking about, Charlie?” Alexandra asked.

Two figures stood at the top of the hill between the field where they were hiding and the school, lit from behind by the lights from Charmbridge Academy. They were tall and wore wide-brimmed hats, and instead of robes and cloaks, they were clothed in pants and thick jackets over long-sleeved shirts.

–Oh, no,” Forbearance moaned.

–Benjamin and Mordecai,” Alexandra said, in low, angry voice. She rose from where she'd been crouching, as did everyone else, now that it was clear that the Rashes had found them.

–We'uns saw you'uns sneakin' outside,” Benjamin Rash said loudly. –We'uns watched what you'uns was about.”

Alexandra snorted. –What were we about?”

Benjamin didn't answer her. All of the Pritchards, even Innocence, looked down at the ground.

–Constance, Forbearance, we'uns been real patient,” said Mordecai.

–Too patient,” said Benjamin. –You'uns hain't s'pposed to be consortin' with them, but we overlooked it.”

–Again with the 'them,'” David muttered.

Mordecai ignored him. –You won't shun 'em. An' we'uns never wished to make you'uns miserable.”

–But now,” his brother said, –you'uns are practicin' sorcery an' usin' Ozarker magic, too.”

Forbearance gasped. –We hain't!”

–All this gallivantin' has to end,” Benjamin said.

Alexandra took a step up the hill toward them. –Who the hell are you to tell them what they can and can't do?”

–We wasn't talkin' to you.” Benjamin didn't look at her. –This is between us an' our kinfolk.”

–They're my friends.”

–You do a lot of speakin' for your friends,” Mordecai said.

Forbearance pleaded: –Mordecai, Benjamin, please, don't be stirrin' no fraction.”

–We hain't drawn our wands,” Mordecai said.

Everyone's eyes darted about. Alexandra and David both had their wands clenched in tight fists. Anna was holding hers at her side, while Sonja's hand was thrust nervously into a pocket of her robes. The Rashes' hands were empty.

–Why don't you?” Alexandra asked, waving the tip of her wand up and down.

Benjamin finally turned his head in her direction, as if reluctant to acknowledge her.

–We'uns promised Constance and Forbearance not to start no ruckus with you,” he said.

–That's convenient. You know you'd lose a fight, just like last time.”

–Shut your mouth, Mudblood,” Benjamin said.

In the shocked silence, Alexandra boiled with fury, but it was David who swore and cast a hex. The crackle of magic knocked Benjamin backward.

–David!” Constance gasped.

Everything was moving slowly to Alexandra. Benjamin was sitting on the ground. He put a hand to his face and it came away bloody. David pointed his wand at Mordecai, who had flinched when his brother fell but had not drawn his own wand.

–Expelliarmus!” Alexandra said, and David's wand flew from his hand. He yelped.

Constance walked past David and knelt next to Benjamin.

David shook his hand and knelt to retrieve his wand, with an indignant look at Alexandra. –You heard what he said!”

Mordecai said calmly, –How 'bout we tell the whole kittle to Dean Grimm, then? We can talk 'bout your conjurin', bringin' a seventh grader out after curfew-” He gestured at Innocence; – - an' how you cursed Benjamin when he hain't even drawn his wand.”

Constance put a handkerchief to Benjamin's face. –What you said was abominable, Benjamin Rash. I won't abide you blackguardin' my friends like that.”

–We'uns wasn't breakin' curfew or workin' Dark magic,” Mordecai said.

–Dark magic?” Sonja exclaimed. –That's a lie! We weren't doing Dark Arts!”

–It hain't true,” Forbearance said. –Mordecai, you know it hain't.”

Alexandra sneered. –You figure we'll be punished worse for breaking curfew and cursing you than you will be for using the m-word? Fine - so we all get detention. I can live with that. How about you guys?”

Anna looked a lot unhappier than David or Sonja, but it was Constance and Forbearance who blanched.

There was something very unpleasant in Benjamin's expression. –We'uns don't care much 'bout detention - or expulsion, come to that. Let Dean Grimm pack us back to the Ozarks.”

Alexandra looked from him to the trembling Pritchards. –Is that what will happen?” she asked. –If you get busted, your parents will pull you out of school?”

–You got no idea how far past the banks they gone,” Benjamin said. –If their folks knew the half of it...”

–You creeps,” Alexandra said. –You just wanted to get them in trouble.”

–You'uns done that,” Mordecai replied evenly. –We'uns didn't even draw wands.”

–We'uns knew what to 'spect from someone of your breedin',” Benjamin said.

With an enraged growl, David moved toward him, but even before Alexandra could catch the back of his robes, Constance slapped Benjamin across the face. The loud noise froze everyone.

Benjamin put a hand to his face again and looked at Constance, who had put her own hand to her mouth.

With the greatest of efforts, Alexandra put her wand back in its sheath and pushed past David to face Mordecai, ignoring Benjamin. –Do you really hate me so much you'd ruin Constance and Forbearance and Innocence's education just to get back at me?”

Mordecai's expression was stony. –You reckon this is all 'bout you, don't you, Miss Quick?”

–We're tryin' to protect you,” Benjamin said to Constance.

–We'uns don't need your protection,” Constance said. –We hain't never asked for it.”

–Your folks did. An' you'uns knew you was sowin' trouble. You'uns known it all along.”

–You're such a big man,” David said.

–What do you want from me?” Alexandra asked.

Mordecai's face remained as stiff as his posture. –We'uns don't want nothin' from you.”

Benjamin rose to his feet and addressed the Pritchards. –You'uns sit with us at meals from now on. You don't study with Troublesome - or this... Muggle-born...” He gestured at David; –in the library or play games with 'em in the rec room, an' you don't go outside with 'em.”

–What gnolls you are!” Sonja said. –Constance, Forbearance, are you going to let them treat you like this?”

Innocence mumbled something.

–An' you reg'late that child,” Benjamin added, pointing at Innocence.

–Why don't you put a leash around their necks?” David said. –Sounds like that's the way you prefer things in the Ozarks.”

Constance and Forbearance cringed at that, and Alexandra realized that their humiliation did not come solely from Benjamin and Mordecai.

–Be quiet, David,” she said. David bristled, but when she tilted her head toward the Pritchards, his gaze followed. He saw their downcast eyes and shamefaced expressions, and pressed his lips together angrily.

Alexandra walked over to Forbearance. –Would your parents really pull you out of school?”

Tears glistened in Forbearance's eyes as she nodded.

–All right,” Alexandra said. –You do what you have to do to stay here at Charmbridge. I'll stay away from you.”

–We'uns tried to let it be,” Mordecai said. –You'uns brought this on yourselves.”

–Shut up.” Alexandra turned to face him. –You two are cowards and bullies. Someday, when my friends aren't around and you can't rat them out to get back at me, we'll have a reckoning, as you'uns call it.”

For a moment, Alexandra thought - hoped - Mordecai would draw his wand. Then he held out his arm. Forbearance reached for it, slowly.

–This hain't 'bout you, Alexandra Quick,” Mordecai said, –even if you think it is.”

Benjamin took hold of Constance's arm, gently but firmly, while glaring at David. Bloody red blisters were splayed across his face. It was just a small curse, but an acutely painful one, Alexandra knew. But the Rashes were not unskilled at curses and counter-curses; David would never have been able to strike him down if Benjamin had had his wand out.

–We'll settle up someday, boy,” Benjamin said.

David tensed; Alexandra was afraid she'd have to Stun one or both of them.

–Apologize,” Constance said.

David and Benjamin both looked at her and said, –What?”

–You apologize, Benjamin Rash.” Constance didn't resist his hold on her arm, but she stood stiffly, so that Benjamin could not move her without pulling her off her feet. –I told you I will not abide such hateful words.”

Benjamin gestured at his blistered face. –He cursed me!”

–David oughtn't have done that. But you're lucky Alexandra didn't do worse.” Constance didn't quite meet Benjamin's eyes. He slowly turned redder and redder. His fingers clenched her arm until it must have been almost bruising. Alexandra was itching to do something; she could see David was, too. But nobody moved or spoke.

Finally, Benjamin's head turned as if it were rotating on rusty clockwork gears until his eyes focused on David, Alexandra, and Anna. They burned with hatred and he practically spat out: –I 'pologize for my rough words. I oughtn't have spoke like that.”

There was a tense silence. Then David said, –Fine. For Constance and Forbearance's sake.”

–Whatever,” Anna mumbled.

–I accept your apology,” Alexandra said through gritted teeth. Then she added, –If you hurt my friends, I'll make you sorrier.”

Constance and Forbearance winced, but then they were walking downhill with the Rashes.

–Come 'long, Innocence,” Forbearance said softly.

Innocence slunk between Alexandra and David. She paused and looked at Alexandra. –You hain't the only one got secrets,” she said, then followed her sisters back toward the academy.

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