Circle of Wands

Chapter 2- 33 West Downer's Street

"33 West Downer's Street," Toran said, looking down at the letter in his hand. Then he looked back up. 33 West Downer's Street was simply a... a bus station. He looked down at Twinkle, who was loyally sitting by his ankle, also looking at the bus station. Toran shrugged and walked over to the small building.

There was a button that said "Call bus". Toran looked around, confused.

"Okay, then," he muttered and pressed the button with the heel on his hand. The button blinked a few times. Toran felt a rumbling in his feet. Twinkle screamed and Toran picked her up, slinging his bag over his shoulder like a messenger bag. He cradled Twinkle against his chest, holding her quivering body. Suddenly, without the slightest warning, a bus pulled up next to the bus station. It had three floors- which, three floors?!  - and kids from Toran's age to roughly eighteen scattered around. 

The doors opened with a hiss and the driver looked at Toran.

"Oi, mate, you gettin' on?" The driver said with a Scottish accent. Toran nodded nervously and stepped onto the bus. "Put your bag o'er there," the driver told him, pointing to a rack behind the driver's seat. Toran nodded again and slung his bag off his shoulder, cradling Twinkle in one arm, and tossed it onto the rack. It made a loud clanging sound and Toran winced. 

6He walked to the back of the bus where there was an empty table. Toran pulled out a chair and plopped himself down. The bus rumbled into motion again and Twinkle shook in fear. 

"Shhhhhh ," Toran said comfortingly. The bus had been moving at a normal speed, but all of a sudden, it jolted forward. Toran glanced out the windows, and colors and things flashed by at the speed of light. The bus screeched to a stop and a thin girl with round glasses and short black hair and freckles stomped onto the main floor. She was wearing a dark grey hoodie and tight black leggings. She had a cargo backpack and combat boots. 

The girl flung her backpack onto the rack and snapped her gum at the driver. Her hood was pulled up over her hair and she had thick eyebrows. She thudded down the aisle and caught Toran's eye.

"I'm Cam," she said, snapping her gum and smiling. She stuck out her and raised a questioning eyebrow. "You?"

"T-Toran," he said nervously back. Toran shook Cam's hand and pulled out a chair for her. Cam rolled her eyes and chose the other chair. 

"Cute rabbit," she said offhandedly. Toran put Twinkle on the table.

"She's friendly, if you want to say hullo," he offered. Cam reached out and scratched between Twinkle's ears... her favorite spot.

"Her name?" she said, not looking at Toran.

"Twinkle," he said fondly, looking at his rabbit. "So, um, I'm going to guess that you're going to Southwinds?"

"What's Southwinds?" Cam asked confusedly. Toran slapped a hand over his mouth. Cam busted out laughing. "Oh, Lord, you should've seen the look on your face! Yes, I'm going to Southwinds! This is a magic bus !" Cam wheezed with laughter. Toran rolled his eyes. 

"Oh, hush," he said in mock anger. Toran simply couldn't keep the grin off his face. Cam knocked him on the arm lightly. Toran tilted his head, smiling, yet confused.

"We're friends, right?" Cam asked, confused at Toran's reaction.

"I wouldn't know," Toran admitted bashfully. "I've never had a friend..." Cam's eyes widened. 

"Oh my god ," she said with sympathy. She reached over and embraced Toran around the shoulders. "I guess that makes me your best friend, then."

A boy walked over to them. He seemed to have just gotten on, for Toran hadn't seen him before. The boy was pale and had dark black hair and sharp blue eyes.

"I'm Amer," he said with an air of indifference and casualness. He swung his gaze towards the ceiling briefly before returning his cold stare to Cam and Toran. "Amer Cattasphor. I assume you know me?" Amer smirked.

Cam leaned over to Toran. 

"Amer is the sun of the Overseer," she whispered. "The Overseer makes sure that Norms don't find out about magic and the folk follow the laws of the community." The Cam leaned back over to her spot and nodded at Amer. 

Toran watched Amer carefully.

"Well, anyway, you both look like you very pathetically need friends," he drawled. Cam adjusted her hood and sneered.

"You wish," she smirked at him. "What do you want, Amer?"

"I wanted to warn you," he warned, feigning concern. "This little boy here will take advantage of you. My father, the Overseer, mind you, knows his evil-doing parents. Their planning to overthrow Southwinds right now," he pouted. Toran let out a laugh.

"You bloody liar," Toran chuckled. "My parents are dead. Nice try." Amer blanched white and turned on his heel. He walked away quickly to a group of kids, also first years, Toran noticed. He had by now figured out how to identify whether they were first years or not. All the upper years looked confident, greeted other people and, some of them, the bus driver. Sometimes by name. The newcomers looked nervous and didn't know what to do. Every single one needed to be instructed by the driver.

Everyone but Amer, that is.

Toran had a difficult time figuring out whether Amer was a first year or not. After he shared his method with Cam, she said that she noticed that Amer didn't even look at the driver, just tossed his bag and crate (which, Toran thought, why are you tossing an animal crate? ) onto the rack and sauntered right over. 

The bus, which was continuously rumbling, suddenly shot forward and- wow - the bus pulled up next to a fortress made of stone and jewels and quartz. Toran gasped and Cam smiled ruefully.

"This is Southwinds Magic Academy?" Toran asked in disbelief. Cam nodded and laughed.

"It is truly marvelous, isn't it?" she said, barely moving her mouth. Toran heard other collective gasps around the bus as his fellow first-years caught sight of the prodigious school. The bus halted in front of a set of large golden gates. The doors hissed open and a flood of students on the first floor of the bus rushed forward to grab their bags. Twinkle tried to jump out of Toran's arms and Cam caught her. As she caught Twinkle, she grabbed Toran's arm and yanked him up. They were pushed to the front of the bus, by the rack. Cam snatched up her back as Toran snatched up his.

They darted in and out of the crowd as they made their way off the bus. Toran's duffel bag was up over his shoulder, Twinkle under his arm like a fuzzy grey football. Cam pulled his arm again and led him to the line forming at the gates. Cam and Toran screeched to a stop and stopped in front of the gates.

"Welcome, old and new students," a strong female voice boomed from invisible speakers. "Behind these gates is Southwinds Magic Academy. You will be paired with your section shortly. Your lessons will consist of Norm classes and Magic classes where you will learn charms, spells, hexes, and potions. Free meals will be provided three times a day and your weekly schedule will be provided every Monday morning. Please enjoy your time here."

Toran opened his eyes wide, not realizing that he had closed them to listen to the oddly comforting voice. The gates creaked open, surprising the people in the front of the crowd. The large group surged forward, sweeping up Cam and Toran with it. Soon enough, they were in the fortress. Toran couldn't stop smiling.

He'd finally found his home.