6 girls' stories at Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Each girl explores an aspect of a dark conspiracy bent on taking over the school and then the wizarding world of North America, but not if Thalia, Claire, Isadora, Sterling, Lizy, and...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
In wars, magical and nonmagical, Lizy had always wondered what it would feel like to be hauled in front of a judge, a king, or a general whenever one was an enemy soldier, facing torture and execution for being on the wrong side. She figured now she was getting a taste of what that was like, but she'd never realized the judge was going to be her father and she'd be escorted by the headmaster.
"Humphrey, a minute of your time," Headmaster Folks said, pushing open her father's office door. Her father was neck-deep in grading papers and looked like he'd been doing so for hours. His glasses had rubbed the bridge of his nose raw, his eyes were red-rimmed, his hair askew and his clothes were filthy. It was apparent that he'd been there all weekend. Lizy swallowed. Maybe she should make more of an effort to visit him more often, at least to make sure he was wearing clean clothes. Her mother had asked her to watch over him, knowing he tended to let himself go when he was at work. She hadn't been doing a good job at that.
"What is it, Jeremy?" Her father said, taking off his glasses.
"Just a little problem I think we need to discuss," the headmaster said, pushing Lizy into the room and closing the door.
"Yes?" Her father said, looking at Folks and not at his daughter.
"I caught her going through things in my office without my permission," Folks said. "I don't know how she even got inside, but I found a place she'd been hiding behind the tapestry. I think it goes without saying that this is a serious punishable offense." Now her father looked at her and when he did, Lizy wanted the floor to open and swallow her. There could be huge, gnashing teeth involved, poison, acid, all of it. Anything would be better than the look he gave her just then.
"But you said it anyway," Lizy said, and then regretted opening her mouth.
"Lizy," her father said as a warning.
"Indeed." Folks said, glaring at Lizy. Then he looked back to Humphrey Mallowbourne. "This has not been her first offense."
"Really?" Her father said, raising his eyebrows.
"It had better be her last." Folks gave a stern look to Lizy again. It was a look that said 'I know you know. I know it was you. Tread carefully or I will end you.' He looked back at Lizy's father. "Furthermore, I have been getting a string of reports from other students who claim Lizy has targeted them with unprovoked jinxing and hexing. I suggest you address those infarctions as well." The emphasis on the "suggest" made any possible bravado evaporate from her father. His form slumped.
"Yes, sir. I'll take care of it." Folks turned and left, slamming the door behind him. Lizy had turned to watch him leave, and when she turned back, her father was rubbing his face with his hands and groaning.
"Lizy, what is going on with you?" He said, throwing his hands down on the desk. "Snooping? Jinxing? What is all this about?"
