Wenclair - a New Term at Nevermore

Chapter 31

Mr Watson stood on a small temporary stage, facing the tables packed with students and their parents. The sun was starting to set and the sky above was almost pink, visible because the dining hall was too small to accommodate double numbers and so a great number of trestle tables and folding chairs were set out in the quad on Parents' Weekend.

He began to make a speech. Wednesday smiled to herself; she had added a clause to his speech notes, aware that they were written by his secretary and he would not know the difference.

"I am so pleased to welcome all of our students' parents and siblings to Nevermore Academy for this weekend. Lined up we have the second round of our fencing tournament, a performance by our choir, a recital of some Edgar Allen Poe poems, and, of course, parent-teacher meetings so you can all find out how naughty your children have been!" Some parents chuckled politely but all the students made a face at being treated like toddlers. "Now I do believe that our reception has frittered away the time, and it's six-thirty. So all I can say now is tuck in!"

A humdrum drone of talking ensued and Wednesday turned to her mother, who sat beside her.

"Mother, did you bring the book I asked you to?"

"Yes, of course, my little devil! Here it is."

Morticia extracted from her bag a large tome. The cover was red leather embossed with the words Magick and its Practical Use in Householde Gardening, and the pages were yellow with age. Wednesday brushed dust off it and breathed in the familiar rotting scent of the Addams library. Wednesday put the in her rucksack, removing Thing from it.

"Oh Thing, how I have missed you! How much mischief have you got up to with Wednesday?", exclaimed Gomez with a boyish sparkle in his eye. Thing signed that Wednesday had just been spending all day staring at Enid - Wednesday was sure that he would have included an obscene addendum had she not slammed the water jug down on his pinky finger.

"Young love.", sighed Morticia, and Gomez placed both hands over his heart, smiling sappily. "I remember when I couldn't take my eyes off you, Gomez."

"Yes, I should not have painted myself in glue.", replied Gomez.

"Did I say it was unpleasant, mon amour?"

"Tish, I love it when you speak French." Gomez began to kiss Morticia's hand, then her wrist, then her arm.

Wednesday pushed her plate away from her and stood up. Pugsley, seeming desperate to also make an escape, took Pubert's hand and followed his sister.

"I am going to go and see Wednesday's dormitory!", he announced, but his parents did not seem to notice. The families sitting either side of the Addamses at the long table surreptitiously moved aside, scooting their chairs away from the passionate couple.

Wednesday walked briskly, not wanting to slow down just for the sake of her brothers. She consulted her watch and saw that it was five to eight; there was no time to store Pugsley and Pubert away, and so she supposed they would have to go to the library with her. Xavier was already seated on a comfortable armchair when she got there.

"Good evening, Xavier. You wished to meet me?" The boy stood.

"Wednesday... and co?" Xavier's voice changed throughout the sentence, bold at the beginning but suddenly confused and trailing off into a high pitch at the end. "That baby's got a moustache."

Pugsley spoke up. "Pubert doesn't appreciate being called a baby. You'd better call him 'young man' cos otherwise he's gonna incinerate you. He can breathe fire. He reduced his nanny to dust when he was 10 months old."

Xavier paled, and collapsed back into the chair, but attempted to play it off by gesturing to the other chair. "Take a seat.", he said airily, and Wednesday took Pugsley's shoulder and steered him to sit with Pubert on his lap. She remained standing, and stalked over to him.

"What did you summon me here for?" Wednesday stared through her eyebrows straight into his pupils, in an attempt to intimidate, but Xavier sat up straight and raised his voice.

"Why the hell would you mess up my prep?"

This was not what Wednesday had been expecting. She stepped back, confused.

"I haven't done anything to your prep."

"Yes you have! In every class I share with you. Spanish - I get a 2! And Carnivorous plants - a 4! I was doing well in those classes and now my parents are furious! And don't even talk about Drama. Very funny. Setting my stage lights in the shape of a di-"

"Watch your language. There's a four-year-old in the room and I don't want him wandering around saying 'funny'." The last word, Wednesday whispered as if it were rude. "Anyway, I have no idea what you are talking about. Ask the multitude of other people who share the same class. I have business to attend to and will see you tomorrow in the fencing tournament. Adieu."

Wednesday turned on her heel and left, bringing Pugsley and Pubert in her wake. "Do you remember the way back to the quad?", she asked them, and both shook their heads. "I look forward to your spectres haunting the Academy." With that she left for the dormitory, gardening book heavy in the bag on her back.