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Alexandra Quick and the Stars Above by Inverarity

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The Squib Laws

Alexandra wasn't sure what to do with the token. Maybe she should destroy it, or throw it into Lake Michigan the next time she was in Chicago. She considered keeping it a secret. But when she returned to her room, she told Anna about it. After being horrified, Anna wanted to tell Constance and Forbearance and David.

–Is there anyone else you'd like to tell about this extremely dangerous Dark object I'm carrying around?” Alexandra asked.

Anna sat in a throne-like wicker chair she'd brought to school to replace the simple hardwood chairs they were supplied with in their rooms, and in her elegant robes and fine braids, she had an almost royal air. –Well, we were talking about bringing Sonja into the Alexandra Committee. And Innocence is pretty smart, and she's as loyal to you as anyone. Of course she might want to bring that friend of hers, the chubby blond boy -”

Alexandra was aghast, until Anna's expression cracked and betrayed that she was teasing. –Alex, you know we don't gossip about you. We're seriously trying to help you, and we can do more research than you can alone.”

–I know. But the more people who know about a secret -”

–I suppose that kind of thinking explains a lot of your father's actions.” Anna's deadpan expression gave no hint that she was teasing this time. –Sonja and Innocence did help with the ritual to draw down the stars, and we'll need them again if we try another ritual like Constance and Forbearance want.”

–Sonja does gossip about me.”

–Not about important things. I'm just saying, think about it. I promise, we won't say anything to her without your permission. And Innocence will do anything you ask, even if you don't tell her anything, but she's as old as you were when you went to the Lands Below.”

–That's not exactly a good argument.”

Anna noticed she'd been twisting her braid in her fingers and released it. –Maybe not.”

–Don't tell anyone else about the token, Anna. Not yet.”

Unhappily, Anna nodded.

–Anyway...” Alexandra scowled. –I need to go talk to a rat.”

Anna's eyes widened. –Was someone turned into a rat?”

–No,” Alexandra said, –I think he's always been a rat.”

She went downstairs to the basement the following evening, after waiting for Ms. Fletcher to leave. Ms. Fletcher was a much more active custodian and groundskeeper than her predecessor, the unfortunate Ms. Gale, and Alexandra suspected she was more observant of what went on in the basement, though she had yet to detect any new wards or alarm spells while sneaking down the stairs.

Alexandra walked in the opposite direction of the custodian's office, toward the dark passages that led to less-traveled areas of the basement. She entered a labyrinth of corridors and storage spaces and old, abandoned classrooms and hallways. Beyond the lamps of the main corridor, she cast a Light Spell. She passed a set of old wooden double doors and a sweating section of stone near a juncture in the secondary corridor she was traversing, until she reached a dead end.

She placed her hand on the fresh stone that blocked her path. Until last year, this corridor had gone on to join another one. If she were to circle around and walk through the basement past Ms. Fletcher's office and come at it from the opposite direction, she expected that she would find it blocked off on the other side as well. Between the two stone walls was a door, now sealed off, that opened to a narrow set of stairs leading down to the first sub-basement beneath this one.

Alexandra felt nothing through the stone. She leaned forward and rested her forehead against the wall. She concentrated for a moment, trying to feel any wards in or beyond it, but whatever the Charmbridge staff had done to make sure no students would magically bypass this barrier was too subtle or too far away for her still-rudimentary senses. But she didn't lift her head. She let her thoughts drift, with her eyes closed, and she mumbled something under her breath. It was not exactly a prayer, because she didn't believe in prayers, but it was a hope, and a plea, and she hoped Maximilian could hear it.

–What are you doing, Alexandra?”

Without opening her eyes, Alexandra said, –I had a feeling you'd find me. I'll bet you were following me since the moment I came down the stairs.” She straightened and turned to face Mr. Journey. –You didn't call me 'Starshine.'”

The ghost's eyes didn't twinkle and he didn't smile. –I see you've been getting into trouble again.”

–What? No I haven't - Oh.” Self-consciously, Alexandra ran a hand through her white hair. –That wasn't here.”

–So if I told Ms. Fletcher or the Dean you were down here, that wouldn't be a problem?”

Alexandra looked him in the eye and said coldly, –Does the Dean know you also report to my father?”

Mr. Journey's arms were folded, hiding the dark stain in the center of his chest. His eyes were nearly as dark and bloody for a moment, and she felt a chill emanating from him. Then his face was normal again, though still lined with disapproval. –I don't know. Why don't you ask her?”

–I don't like being spied on. I want you to stop telling my father everything I do.”

–I'd be happy if I never had to speak to your father again, Alexandra, but I don't think he's going to give me much choice.” His use of her name, instead of the old familiar nickname, gave Alexandra an unexpected pang. She'd almost become fond of the old ghost, would-be murderer or not, and she had done little but threaten him, much as her father had. Her father obviously intimidated him much more than she did.

–I'll ask him to leave you alone,” she said.

Mr. Journey finally smiled slightly. –Well, good luck with that.”

–You don't follow me around all the time, do you?”

–Of course not. I have other things to do, and I'm forbidden to walk the main floors except between midnight and dawn. But I still have my eyes and ears open, and you do get talked about, Starshine.”

–Stop -” Just for a moment, there was a twinkle in the ghost's eyes, and Alexandra let her protest escape in a breath that misted the air in front of her.

–Did you come down here just to complain about something you know darn well neither of us can do anything about?” Journey asked.

She frowned and turned back toward the wall. –No. Not just that.”

–Alexandra, you aren't trying to get into those sub-basements again, are you?”

–No. I was just curious to see what the wards look like.”

–Curious, were you?” The ghost's voice was without humor again. –I think I really may have to report you to the Dean. Whatever you're up to can't cause anything but trouble.”

–I'm not up to anything.” She faced him again. –I swear - witch's honor - I have no intention of going down there again. I really was curious, and I had to see. I mean, I had to really see that there's no way anyone else can get down there.”

Mr. Journey studied her, then said, –Well, then you'd better get back upstairs before Boudica or one of the elves sees you. And if I catch you sneaking around down here again, you'll be trying to talk your way out of it with the Dean, not with me. That's my promise.”

–Got it.” As she walked past him, she paused and said, –Thanks, Mr. Journey.”

–Stay out of trouble, Starshine,” he said, his voice mournful and fading as he dissipated as if in an unseen wind.

Anna and David were off working on their 'project' the next evening, so Alexandra studied alone in the library. Of course there were no books about obols, tokens, or the Lands Below, or at least none she had access to. But there were many books about enchantments, reverse enchantments, spell analysis, and Artificing. Studying mystical artifacts created by powers unknown went back to ancient Egypt, and probably earlier. Ptolemy had written what amounted to the first textbook on the subject, and Bran had found her an English translation. Alexandra could barely understand it.

She foresaw an entire list of new classes she'd have to take, classes she could not fit in her schedule. Who would teach her these things?

No one. The thought came as a revelation, a daunting, disheartening one. Perhaps this was what her father intended, for her to realize that he wasn't going to tutor her in the ways of wizardry. Not unless she was prepared to leave Charmbridge Academy, turn her back on the Muggle world entirely, and follow him as Medea did, as Hecate had.

She slipped her hand into her pocket, feeling the cold, dead weight of the token. When her fingers touched it, a shiver went through her. There was magic there, magic that wrapped death in a tiny metal coin. How long would it take her to unravel that? And what would she achieve?

She didn't notice someone had approached her until she took her hand out of her pocket. It was like snapping out of a trance. Only then did she look up to see Mary Dearborn watching her intently.

Alexandra closed the book in front of her, carefully. –Do you want something, Mary?”

Mary whispered, –Is it true? You went after him?”

Alexandra looked around. No one else was in earshot.

–That's the rumor,” Mary said. –You went to the Indian Territories and dueled John Manuelito.”

–That's actually closer to the truth than most of the rumors I've heard,” Alexandra said. –But he got away.”

–You really went there to find him?”

Alexandra nodded, unnerved by how much Mary resembled her sister right now, with an eagerness hidden beneath her cold, detached front.

–Did he tell you anything? About Darla?”

Alexandra shook her head. –No. I'm sorry.”

–What would you have done if he hadn't gotten away?”

Alexandra thought about her answer for a long moment. –I'd have made him pay for what he did... to me, and to Darla.”

Mary's eyes didn't widen, but her pupils dilated just a tiny bit. –Would you have killed him?”

Alexandra wasn't sure what answer the other girl wanted. Or what her answer was. –I don't know.”

Mary stood there, her mind seemingly elsewhere. Then she slowly reached into her purse, which was bulging and stretched at the seams with something large and flat forced inside it. It took her a couple of tugs to withdraw a familiar object. She set the mirror on the table in front of Alexandra.

–You really shouldn't deal with hags,” she said. –Didn't your parents tell you that?”

–No,” Alexandra said, her voice a little strained.

Mary's mouth formed a little bow. –Oh. I forgot you were raised by Muggles.” She said this in an artless way that made the condescension seem less offensive. –Well, you shouldn't. Everyone knows that.” She turned and walked away. In the mirror, Alexandra's reflection clasped her hands under her chin as if delighted by their reunion, smiling with rosy red lips and emerald green eyes. Even her white hair became frosty and beautiful.

Alexandra threw herself back into her studies. She did her homework diligently. She read the literature HAGGIS sent her and checked out books about hags, knowing she still had to complete her Citizenship Project. She attended JROC drills and followed Ms. Shirtliffe's every command. In the evening, she continued using what time wasn't spent on homework studying other things. The magic of unraveling enchantments and duplicating spells, the magical theory behind Apparition, the Arithmancy of lightning strikes. She even read the textbooks for more advanced Charms classes looking for Disguise spells. This was all added to the books she was reading about the magic of thought and memory.

Aside from Anna, she spent little time with her friends. She realized she'd barely exchanged a word with David since the night after her return until he caught her after Potions class one day.

–Remember what I asked you about in December?” he said.

–Asked me about what?” Mr. Grue had ended the class by giving them more homework than Alexandra had in all her other classes put together. She knew he was hoping she would fail, but he was going to have to try harder than that. Already she was thinking about the compounds and synthesizing formulas she'd have to work out on her own. Anna was much better than Alexandra at Arithmancy, but she was no longer much help with Potions -

–Are you ignoring me on purpose or because you're thinking about something more important?” David's annoyed voice intruded on her thoughts, and Alexandra realized she had no idea what he'd just said.

–Sorry,” she said. –What did you ask me about?”

He rolled his eyes. –Dueling. You said you'd teach me to duel.”

–Join the Dueling Club. It's the start of the semester.”

–I don't want to quit Quidditch. And I don't want to start out as a total beginner in front of everyone else.”

–So you want personal lessons so you can keep playing Quidditch and so you won't have to get beaten in public.” She softened her tone a bit. –I actually do need to practice dueling, since I can't join the Dueling Club myself this semester, but I need to practice with someone who's good.”

–Thanks a lot.”

–If I find someone else to practice with, you can come, too.”

They walked on, and just before reaching their next class, David said, –Do you have a date for the Winter Ball yet?”

–Not really. Sonja's been trying to fix me up with Abel Horschack or Corey McCluskey but...” She wrinkled her nose. –Do you?”

–No.” He put his hands in his pockets. –So, um, want to go?”

Alexandra did a double-take. –With you?”

–Yes, with me.” He looked annoyed again. –I'm not asking you on a date.”

–Well, technically, you are.”

–Do you want to go with me or not?”

–I thought you might ask Anna,” Alexandra said carefully.

–Anna? Why Anna?”

–You've been hanging around a lot together.”

For a moment, David's eyes slid away from hers. –Me and Anna are just friends, Alex, you know that.”

–Like you and me.”

–Yeah, exactly.”

–Just so we're clear -”

–Just friends.”

–There wasn't anyone else you could ask?”

David's expression turned glum. –If it matters, me and Dylan asked Constance and Forbearance first. They felt bad about it, but they have to go with the Hayseed Twins.”

–Nice to know I'm your last resort.”

–Hey, I don't see a bunch of guys lining up to ask you.”

–How could I refuse such a romantic invitation?” Despite her tone, Alexandra found the banter with David came easily. This was something they could talk about that wasn't life and death.

–Is that a yes?”

She considered. –All right. It's a date.”

David cleared his throat. –One other thing. Any chance you could talk Anna into going with Dylan?”

In the incredulous silence, the bell for the next class rang.

–He needs a date, too,” David said.

–Then he should ask her.” Alexandra grimaced. –I'll warn her first.”

On Friday afternoon, Alexandra returned to her room from her JROC dress uniform inspection to find a large, black owl sitting on the windowsill. Anna was untying a scroll from its leg, and fumbled nervously when Alexandra entered, causing the owl to make an ominous keening sound accompanied by a threatening snap from its beak.

–I'm sorry,” Anna mumbled, pulling the scroll loose. The owl gave Alexandra a baleful look, then dismissively turned its back and spread its wings, soaring away without waiting to collect an owl treat.

–Big fat jerk,” said Charlie, who had been very still and quiet while the owl was present.

–Inspection go all right?” Anna asked, while sliding the scroll into her sleeve. Alexandra caught the gleam of an embossed seal before it disappeared.

–Colonel Shirtliffe didn't say anything, which meant my uniform is as close to perfect as it can be.” Alexandra carefully removed her jacket. She wanted to keep everything pressed, creased, and polished to perfection for the ball on Saturday night. –What's up?”

For a moment, she thought Anna would feign ignorance, but the other girl was terrible at subterfuge. –Nothing. I requested some documents.”

Alexandra had guessed the black owl was an official government owl. Owl Post owls always expected treats, and Jingwei, whom Anna would have sent for a really important errand, was up in the aviary. Alexandra waited expectantly.

–If I ask you not to ask questions, will you be angry?” Anna asked.

Alexandra hung her jacket up and paused before unbuckling her belt. –No.” She couldn't refuse Anna the right to keep secrets. –Does this have to do with your 'project' with David?” She'd been guessing, but she saw by Anna's reaction that her guess was correct, and now she was even more curious. –You will tell me eventually what all this is about, won't you?”

Anna nodded. –Yes.”

–Okay.” Alexandra removed the rest of her uniform, and tried to put the secret of the scroll and her friends' strange behavior out of her mind.

On Saturday, the floors throughout the academy were clean enough to eat off of and polished like glass. All the utilitarian lamps with their ugly metal baskets had been replaced by magical moon-bright globes or elegant candelabras, and a fine red carpet lay along the corridor leading to the auditorium which, for the Winter Ball and other dances, became a ballroom.

Younger students didn't usually attend the Winter Ball, but for freshmen and up, it was one of the major events of the year, and certainly the most formal. Witches wore their finest robes or dresses, and boys wore fine robes, except for Palatines and Ozarkers and a few other Old Colonials, who wore suits. Alexandra avoided the robes-or-dress question by wearing her formal JROC uniform. The only concession she made to femininity was a pair of earrings that had been another gift from Julia.

She stood in front of her magic mirror, checking herself out in her button-up jacket and over-the-shoulder cape. The mirror made fun of her by exaggerating her serious expression into one of mock severity, scowling at her with upturned lower lip. Behind her, Anna tightened the braids coiled above her ears, then thrust lacquered wooden sticks through the braids.

Alexandra considered her mirrored reflection. Makeup did not become her while wearing the JROC uniform - indeed, that was one of the reasons she preferred it - but the mirror was still able to show how her features could be set off to their best advantage regardless of what she was wearing, and it now enticed her with a little added sparkle to her eyes, some gloss on her lips, and a hint of color around her cheekbones. These were all simple charms Julia had taught her. She touched her wand to her lips and then carefully touched up her eyes, cheeks, and eyebrows, adjusting her appearance until the mirror was no longer showing her what could be and instead what was. Alexandra nodded, and her reflection smiled in satisfaction.

–Stop looking so smug,” Alexandra said. Her reflection winked at her.

–Pretty bird,” said Charlie. The raven was admiring its own reflection in the mirror, which obligingly preened and displayed feathers so glossy black that they were iridescent.

–You know, that white hair makes you look like an old lady from behind,” Anna said. –I can't believe you haven't fixed it yet.”

–I think I'll just let it grow out,” Alexandra said.

–You're being stubborn.”

Alexandra turned to her. –Why don't you use one of those glossy hair charms everyone else is using? You'd look really pretty with that polished lacquer look.”

Anna smiled. –You think so?”

–Definitely.” Alexandra looked in the mirror again. Her snow-white hair was carefully straightened and parted. –I'd just look like my head was covered with frosting.”

–You'd look prettier in robes, but then people might mistake you for a girl.” Anna waved the extended sleeves of her own bright amethyst robes and grinned.

Sonja knocked on their door, and entered leading Carol by the hand. Carol squinted, her face transformed with Makeup Charms and the removal of her glasses. Sonja had made over her mousey roommate and now examined Alexandra and Anna critically. Alexandra took in Sonja's red hair, styled in fiery glowing curls, matched by brilliant ruby earrings and bright red lips.

–Anna, you're adorable,” Sonja said. –Alexandra - well, you look fine, too. Why won't you let me dye your hair if you can't undo that Age Line curse?”

–Too late now,” Alexandra said.

–True. Come on, the boys are waiting downstairs.”

As she usually did when engaged in social interactions that she found trying and not altogether comfortable, Alexandra allowed Sonja to act like the leader of their little clique for the evening. Downstairs, students were streaming out of the residence halls in a colorful spectacle of fancy robes, scarves, shawls, and cloaks and here and there, hoods, headscarves, bonnets, and hats. Alexandra nodded to her fellow JROC members. It wasn't required for them to wear their dress uniforms to the Winter Ball, but everyone did. Charlotte Barker, she thought, filled out the JROC shirt, jacket, and trousers much better than she did, and some of the boys were almost - she struggled for the word. Dashing? Handsome? She didn't like either term, with their connotations of a physical appeal that she was unwilling to allow she felt for any of her fellow students. Even the ones who looked much better in tight trousers than loose robes.

–Alex?”

Alexandra jerked her head around to face David. –What?” She almost ran a hand through her hair, until she remembered how carefully she had straightened and arranged it. She eyed his robes, defiantly patterned in red and black and orange print when the fashion for boys was plain, solid colors. –Nice.”

–Thanks,” he said uncertainly. He offered an arm, and she took it and joined him in the line to enter the ballroom. Anna and Dylan followed behind them. Dylan had given Anna a corsage which did not match her robes at all.

The Winter Ball was an elegant affair, by Charmbridge standards, though Alexandra could not help comparing it with the cotillions she had attended in Roanoke. There, Julia had made her dress in robes that would have befitted Anna and Sonja's tastes. The Old Colonial witches and wizards (and New Colonials dressed like Old Colonials) glided across the dance floor and whispered and laughed and flirted beneath magically floating candles, attended by unobtrusive servers and house-elves, entertained by magic orchestras much more accomplished than the Charmbridge magic band which played for the student body tonight. Remembering the pomp of those adult events made Alexandra very conscious that the Winter Ball was just kids playing dress-up. And yet, everyone took it very seriously, even the teachers, some of whom Alexandra suspected of longing for the days of cotillions and arranged marriages. Dean Cervantes wore flashy green and yellow robes with ruffled trim, making his wife look drab next to him, and Dean Grimm was wrapped in silky black that reflected no light, giving her face and hands a disembodied look.

Alexandra watched Sonja fall a step behind Stuart Cortlandt, just before he led her onto the dance floor, and wondered if the sophomore was aware that Sonja had a serious crush on him. Stuart was from a pureblood Old Colonial family. Alexandra wasn't sure what Sonja's blood status was; she had never asked, and Sonja had never volunteered it.

Blood status wasn't supposed to matter anymore, but few purebloods partnered with non-purebloods. Larry Albo held court with his group of Old Colonial friends, like a little coven of the Elect.

–So, we gonna dance?” David asked.

–You're supposed to lead, dork,” Alexandra said

He took her hand and drew her awkwardly to him, sliding an arm around her waist. She was comforted by the fact that a few feet away, Dylan and Anna looked even more awkward. By the end of the dance, she and David had both relaxed a little, while Anna still bore a resemblance to a trapped bird in Dylan's embrace.

–Whoa,” David said.

–What?” Alexandra looked in the direction he was gazing. Students were still trickling into the ballroom. Two couples had just entered: matching pairs of Ozarkers. Benjamin and Mordecai Rash were absolutely identical in coarse, old-fashioned dark suits with top hats. Their gaits were as stiff as the arms they held out for their dates, but Alexandra could not deny there was a certain dignity in their bearing. One of the Pritchards wore a yellow dress and bonnet and the other wore blue. They had obviously been acquired just for the ball, as they were far fancier and more decorative than anything the twins wore normally. Their bonnets were downright skimpy, actually allowing a few curls of blonde hair to be seen. By Ozarker standards, they were dressed quite daringly, and the Rashes did not exactly look displeased. Constance and Forbearance were lovely, and David wasn't the only boy staring at them.

–She looks good,” David said.

–They both do,” Alexandra said.

–Uh, yeah.” David remembered who was holding his arm. –You look good, too, by the way. Even with the white hair.”

–Work on your timing and your delivery.” She nudged him with an elbow. –Want me to challenge the Rashes to a duel? While they're distracted, you can ask one of the Pritchards to dance.”

He rolled his eyes. –Knock it off.”

For the rest of the evening, Alexandra alternated between dancing with David and talking to Anna (who only danced the first two dances with Dylan before gratefully giving him permission to dance with another girl). A couple of the older JROC mages, including Mage-Sergeant Major Daniel Keedle, made a point of dancing with each of the witches in the corps, and everyone whistled and cheered when he took Witch-Colonel Shirtliffe for a spin around the dance floor. The senior, soon to graduate, bowed with all the formal dignity of an Old Colonial warlock, and Ms. Shirtliffe returned his bow rather than allowing him to kiss her hand. Then Daniel held out a hand to Alexandra, and trying not to look startled or embarrassed, she took it.

No sooner had the Mage-Sergeant Major released her than Torvald Krogstad grabbed her shoulder. –How about a dance, Troublesome?”

–Are you asking me?"

Torvald pulled her onto the dance floor. Alexandra thought about stomping on his foot - her JROC boots had nice hard heels - and settled for a glare. Unfazed, he encouraged her to join him in spinning to the wizard rock the band was playing. As she reluctantly did so, she caught sight of David and Dylan advancing on Constance, Forbearance, Benjamin, and Mordecai. Oh crap, she thought, please don't start a fight.

A bump almost knocked Alexandra off her feet, and she paid attention to Torvald again. The music ended, and Alexandra couldn't see where David and the Ozarkers were.

Torvald leaned close to her. –Another dance? Since your date has abandoned you?”

–He -” Alexandra had no desire to make excuses for David to Torvald, but the older boy was making her nervous. Much to her surprise, she had kind of enjoyed the dancing. But once was fun. She wasn't sure what two implied. –No, thanks. Maybe later.”

She was puzzled when Torvald looked genuinely disappointed, but shocked when he planted a kiss on her lips. He held it for a moment, before letting go of her hands and stepping back.

–Why did you do that?” she asked.

–To say I did it and got away with it, of course.” He grinned. –You've quite a fearsome reputation, Troublesome. I'll bet everyone's wagering right now whether you're going to pull out your wand and hex me. Including the teachers.”

Alexandra could feel blood rising past her neck. –Not in the middle of the ballroom with half the school watching me, I won't.”

–You didn't pull away.” He took his leave with a wink and a bow.

–Yeah, go harass someone else!” she said in a loud voice.

She was surprised and amused to see David and Dylan dancing with the Pritchards. When the dance ended, Constance and Forbearance returned to their dates, but they held their heads up and met the Rashes' scolding with cold stares until the boys closed their mouths. During the long ballroom dances, the Ozarkers danced together, and Alexandra thought that while Benjamin and Mordecai were indisputably jerks, there seemed to be a real gentleness in the way they treated Constance and Forbearance that wasn't always apparent when they were arguing or remonstrating with them.

David danced the last dance with her, but he was distracted, and his eyes were not on her.

–Is it Constance or Forbearance you keep staring at?” Alexandra asked. –Or is it this weird thing guys have for twins?”

–Knock it off, Alex.”

She stopped teasing him. They were dancing a slow dance, and it was past midnight so everyone was tired. Even the music from the band had a sleepy quality to it. Everyone's arms rested more heavily on their partners, and among the more affectionate couples, there were heads leaning on shoulders and even (when no adult was looking) kissing. Here and there Alexandra caught glimpses of roaming hands. Even under the baleful gazes of deans and teachers, teenagers would behave amorously, and Alexandra had heard plenty of gossip about what went on completely beyond the adults' sight.

She looked at David, and found him watching her for once.

–Remember when I kissed you in seventh grade?” she said.

He snorted. –Of course I remember. Your brilliant plan to make Angelique jealous. I thought your brother was gonna kill me.”

She laughed. Then she leaned closer to him, and after hesitating for a moment, put her lips against his. He tensed, almost as he had on that previous occasion two years earlier, but then he kissed her back. Awkwardly. After a couple of seconds, they pulled away.

–Why did you do that?” he asked.

–I felt like it.” Her hand was on his upper arm, and she squeezed it. Not that she'd really thought she was attracted to him, but remembering Torvald's kiss and seeing all the other couples had put thoughts in her head, and the lateness of the hour had made her impulsive. But she realized guiltily that she had probably completely confounded him. –Are you upset?”

–No.” His hold on her tightened, just a little. –But don't do that again.”

–Okay.” She wasn't entirely certain why she had done it. The dance ended, and Ms. Grimm thanked the band and the faculty and bid everyone return to their rooms. Clockworks were lining up to clear away the décor and furniture, and Alexandra knew elves would appear once the students were gone.

Everyone filed out of the ballroom. Alexandra caught her aunt watching her as she walked arm in arm with David out into the corridor that spilled students into the main hallway and thence to their residential halls. She wanted to wait for Anna, but the press of students was so great that it was easier to just continue on to the stairs and intersections where boys and girls separated. She and David stopped at the stairs leading up to the freshmen girls' dorms and waited for their friends to catch up to them.

During a brief lull in traffic, David said, –You know you're a pureblood, right?”

–What?”

–Think about it.”

This was something that simply had not occurred to her. Alexandra had arrived at Charmbridge as a Muggle-born, then learned that she was a half-blood because of her father. She was even recorded as a half-blood on the official Confederation Census.

Someone falsified those records, she realized suddenly.

She shook her head. –Maybe I am, technically, but don't call me that.”

David gave her a reproachful look.

–I'm not sure what to do yet,” she said. –I mean, if I call myself a half-blood, I guess I'm kind of lying, but if I say I'm a pureblood, I have to explain about my mother. Why should I have to explain anything to anyone? Anyway, why do you care about blood status so much all of a sudden?”

David shuffled his feet nervously. –There's something Anna and I have been wanting to talk to you about.”

Just then, Anna appeared with an indignant expression. Dylan followed her, looking sheepish.

–Anna,” David said, –I was waiting for -”

–Not now.” Anna pointed at him accusingly. –Your roommate is a jerk!”

–Tell me something I don't know.” David held up his hands. –Whatever he did, it's not my fault.”

–What did you do?” Alexandra asked Dylan.

–Nothing!” Dylan protested.

–He's grabby! And he tried to kiss me!” Anna pulled the pins out of her hair with a savage gesture, as if she were contemplating sticking them into Dylan. He took a step back. –I'm going to my room.” She stomped past Alexandra and David, with her hair falling loosely around her shoulders.

Alexandra narrowed her eyes at Dylan. He gave her a bashful, not-very-contrite smile. –Everyone else kissed their dates good-night.”

Alexandra pointed a finger at him, as if she might curse him without even using her wand, and then dropped her hand in disgust. –Good-night, David.” She followed Anna upstairs.

By the next morning, Anna was in a better humor, and assured Alexandra that she didn't need Dylan cursed. Nonetheless, they both gave Dylan scathing looks in the cafeteria at breakfast.

Alexandra listened idly to half-heard snatches of gossip from the other girls. Sonja had not come to early breakfast, so Janet and Lydia were talking about how late she was rumored to have returned to her room and trying to pry details from Carol, who professed ignorance and said only that Sonja was still asleep.

David separated himself uncomfortably from his roommate and sat next to Alexandra and Anna. –So, can we talk after breakfast?”

–About what?” Alexandra asked, and saw a look pass between David and Anna.

–Not here, and not in the rec room,” David said.

–The library,” Anna said.

–Okay.” David nodded. –By the way, I'm sorry if Dylan was a jerk. I mean, it wasn't my fault.” He flinched as Anna slashed open a melon with her knife. –But I did ask you to go with him to the ball.”

–Yes, you did.” Anna stabbed a melon slice with her fork.

–So, uh, I'll see you in the library.” David slid down the bench, back to where Dylan and the other boys were sitting. Dylan gave them a little wave. Anna ignored him.

–I could still curse him,” Alexandra said.

–Don't worry about it.” Anna's mind seemed to be on something more serious. Alexandra curbed her questions until they left the cafeteria.

They were almost the only students in the library on this Sunday morning after the Winter Ball. David joined them a few minutes later, still a little sheepish. Even though the library was virtually empty, Anna cast a Muffliato spell before they said anything else.

–This isn't about you two, is it?” Alexandra asked.

Her friends shook their heads. David said, –Actually, it's about your mother. I mean, your sister.”

–Claudia?” Alexandra frowned.

–You know I was doing a lot of research about the Confederation Census for my Citizenship Project - blood status, laws about Muggles and Muggle-borns, and so on.”

–Yeah.” The way her two friends were looking at her - the way you look at someone you're about to dump some horrible piece of information on - gave her an uneasy feeling of déjà vu. –What does this have to do with Claudia?”

–Old Colonials used to believe all kinds of crap about pure blood,” David said. –It's never been illegal in any Territory for wizards to marry Muggles, but they used to put so many restrictions on wizards and Muggles living together, and where their children could live and go to school, they might as well have forbidden it. Like, the unofficial official policy was to make life hell for Mudbloods.”

Anna nodded. –Most of the laws are gone, but a lot of the attitudes are still there.” Anna had cause to know this. Her childhood as a half-blood growing up in a proud, pureblood wizarding community had not been easy.

–Claudia grew up a pureblood. Until...” Alexandra's brow wrinkled.

–You know if there's anyone purebloods despise more than Mudbloods, it's Squibs,” David said.

Uncomfortably, Alexandra said, –I know that's why the Pruetts wouldn't take Claudia in or acknowledge her as a relation. So what's your point, that she had a miserable childhood and having to raise her sister who was technically a pureblood was really hard for her? I know that. It sucked to be her, but -”

–This isn't really about you, Alex,” Anna said quietly.

Alexandra had been preparing to deflect another round of lectures about poor Claudia. She was tired of hearing that from her aunts and her father. But reluctantly, she stopped talking and let Anna and David continue.

David said. –They used to have what were called the Squib Laws.”

–Squib Laws?” Alexandra had never heard of these.

–It had to do with what purebloods believed about breeding,” David said. –If wizards having children with Muggles was bad, what do you suppose having a Squib meant?” Alexandra didn't say anything, so he went on. –A Squib meant bad blood, and worse, they thought Squibs would make any children they had Squibs, or anyone who had children with their children, etcetera. If you read some of the stuff Old Colonials wrote back in the nineteenth century, you'd think Squibs were gonna doom the entire wizarding world.”

–That's crap,” Alexandra said.

–Of course it is, but they believed it.” David lowered his voice, despite the spell already protecting their conversation. –They passed laws to prevent it.”

Alexandra felt her uneasiness growing. –What kind of laws?”

–Laws against Squibs marrying wizards or anyone with known wizarding blood. Laws against Squibs living in wizard communities. Seers and Astrologers claimed they could predict whether a child would be a Squib, and Alchemists and Herbologists and other shady types sold... preventions, and there were stories that some Squib children, or suspected Squib children... well, seems there was quite an infestation of Erklings and Redcaps in North America for a while. And then, funny, it's like they all just vanished when it stopped being fashionable for Squib children to disappear.”

–In China, they didn't even pretend,” Anna said quietly.

–The worst here is when they actually passed a law making it illegal for Squibs to have children,” David said.

Alexandra didn't like the sound of this, or David and Anna's shared tension. –How -?”

–There's a spell called the Barrenness Curse,” Anna said.

–Does that mean what I think it means?” Alexandra asked, appalled.

–By the 1950s or 1960s, it wasn't really done anymore,” David said. –But the laws were still on the books in some Territories until the Eighties. Your father was actually one of the Congressmen who helped abolish them for good.”

–What does this have to do with Claudia? If they didn't do it anymore -”

–The laws were still on the books,” David repeated. His eyes flicked uneasily to Anna.

Anna slid a scroll out of her sleeve. –I sent a request to the Confederation Census Office. They used to administer the Blood Status Regulation Commission. Of course they're not going to just admit they used to do things like that, or send records of who they did it to. I had to practice my Editing Ink Charm a lot to duplicate my father's seal.”

It took a moment for that to sink in. –You forged an official request from Congressman Chu?” Alexandra was both shocked and impressed by her friend's audacity.

Anna unrolled the faded scroll and pushed it across the table to Alexandra. –You realize, if he ever finds out, he'll kill me. I mean, he'll literally kill me. Ava-you-know-what.”

–I don't think so,” Alexandra said, but Anna's face was white and showed no trace of humor. Alexandra laid her hands on the scroll to keep its wrinkled edges from rolling up, and read the official Blood Status Regulatory Action under the authority of Confederation Law 843 Article 6.

Confederation Law 843 was one of the so-called 'Squib Laws' - specifically, it provided for 'Necessary measures to prevent continuation of non-magical bloodlines of wizarding issue.'

The report was written in similarly opaque bureaucratese. Using so many words to obfuscate what they were doing, Alexandra thought, could only mean that everyone knew that what they were doing was too horrible to talk about openly, even if it was legal.

What had been done, twenty-four years ago, was that fourteen-year-old Claudia Quick, a registered Squib, had been administered the Barrenness Curse. The authorizing signature was Elias Hucksteen, then the Governor of Roanoke.

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