The following morning Lesso left your room fairly early to meet with Dovey and the two readers. Which was fine with you, as it meant Dovey wouldn't be anywhere near you when you started setting up for the ball.
You, Pollux, and Anemone met in the Grand Hall of the Castle for Good a little after 9 to begin setting up. With the three of you, and magic, you assumed it would only take you until about lunch time to get everything set up the way Dovey had instructed. Which gave everyone else plenty of time to finish all the other tasks Dovey had assigned to do before tomorrow evening.
Pollux was also in charge of music, which meant she had to enchant all the musical instruments and set up a music list. Anemone was helping out with the food; to which she had assured you your favorite dessert, sugarberry tea cakes, were on the menu.
You had also been assigned to help with the enchantments of the decorations, which would be set up tomorrow morning before the ball. So until the decorations were brought in, once the set up was finished, you had some time to yourself.
Meanwhile, Dovey and Lesso had asked the readers to meet them in Dovey's office to figure out what to do about their...surprise appearance. Dovey sat at her desk, and Lesso stood behind her, leaning some of her weight on her cane.
"What has prompted you two to return now and want to stay? The semester itself is almost over; our mid-year break begins shortly after the ball." Dovey said, looking at the two girls who sat on the opposite side of her desk.
"We missed it here," Sophie answered. "Gavaldon is great and all, but there's just something about this place. It kept calling us back."
Dovey looked toward Agatha, waiting for her to give her own answer.
"Sophie's telling the truth," Agatha added, "we missed the school, the magic, our friends. And with the ball tomorrow, we figured we'd just come back now and enjoy the festivities."
"And what will you do over break?" Dovey asked. "Will you return to Gavaldon?"
Sophie and Agatha looked at one another. "Tedros and Hester both mentioned they were staying here this break. We were hoping we'd be allowed to as well." Agatha answered.
Lesso leaned forward to whisper in Dovey's ear from where she had stood behind her. "I don't see the harm in letting them stay. Perhaps they could spend that time catching up on what they've missed. Besides, there are other professors staying for break besides us. We can look after a few more students."
Dovey nodded.
"Alright fine, you may stay. But, you have to catch up on some of the school work you missed at the beginning of the semester. I will have the professors write up assignments for you. They must all be finished before the new semester resumes. Understood?"
The girls nodded.
Dovey smiled. "Now, off you go. Go find your friends and prepare for tomorrow's ball."
The girls giddily exited the office. As they disappeared, Lesso moved from behind Dovey and began pacing around the room.
"I still think it's a bit odd," she mumbled, "coming back now instead of after the break."
"I agree," Dovey replied, as she watched Lesso pace. "But at the same time, this is the first ball of its kind. And they didn't really get the chance to enjoy their last one. Perhaps that's all it is."
"Perhaps," Lesso repeated as she looked out the window of Dovey's office. She could see students in the gardens enjoying their free time. It was rare they got a day off from school like this.
Even mid-year breaks were rare. Winter breaks only happened during a student's second and fourth years at the school. During their first and third years, the winter holiday was spent at the school. Special classes were set up for that time that were focused around more unusual subjects, such as event planning and training magical beasts.
Eventually, Dovey let out a heaving sigh and stood from her desk. "Well, I need to see how the professors are getting along with set up. Would you care to join me?"
Lesso turned. "I'm afraid I have some other business I need to address. But I'm sure the professors got along just fine. You did give them explicit instructions."
Dovey's face contorted into a frown as she and Lesso made their way out of her office. "I just want to see our students enjoy themselves. There have been so many changes in the last few years. Not to mention a plethora of dangers. I want this night to go perfectly. Give the students one night of magic and whimsy, without worry looming over their heads."
Lesso shrugged, "Fair enough."
She stopped in the hall at the point where she and Dovey were to go their separate ways. "For the record, I think tomorrow night's going to be great. I've seen how hard you've been working to make this perfect. Personally, I think it's going to be your best ball yet."
She let a small smile inch up the corner of her mouth.
Dovey's smile was even larger. It was rare that Lesso commended her fellow dean in such a manner. And it always meant the world to Clarissa when she was complimented by her friend.
"Thank you Lesso," Dovey whispered. She bowed her head for a second, before turning and disappearing into the Grand Hall where you and the other professors were finishing setting up.
Lesso then turned and made her way back toward the Castle for Evil. She had something important she needed to do.
...
By the time Dovey made it to the Grand Hall, set up was almost over. It had only taken you an hour and a half, though it took another thirty minutes just to re-do the things that Dovey was unhappy with. By the time you finished, it was around 11:15. Plenty of time for you to take a quick shower before lunch.
As you stepped under the hot water, your body relaxed. You felt it run down your skin, easing your aching muscles that were still somewhat sore from your duel with Hester two nights prior. You inhaled the scents of pine and spruce that wafted in from your open balcony, and sighed as your eyes closed and your head fell back.
For what felt like the first time in a long time, you felt at peace. You had confessed your feelings for Lesso, the ball preparations were running smoothly; even Dovey seemed to be in a better mood today than usual.
It was moments like these, when you were alone and your mind wasn't running a mile a minute, that you remembered you still had light magic.
You conjured your ball of light, and watched it dance between your fingers. You could almost feel the excitement of your good magic finally being used again. Now that Lesso spent most nights with you, it was rare you had time to use it. Though you knew you couldn't keep this side of you a secret forever.
The brothers and Storian had been very adamant about no one finding out you had attended both schools; though you had never understood why. It wasn't as if you could throw off the balance. If anything, you figured the balance would be stronger.
During your time at the school, you once decided to ask Storian what the purpose of keeping that detail hidden was. She, of course, had responded in traditional Storian fashion; by saying something super cryptic that didn't make any sense.
"It will all make sense in time, young one," she had said. "You are the key to a lock that has not yet been forged. There will come a day when all will be revealed. But today is not that day."
Eventually you brought your other hand up to catch the ball of light. As you spread your hands apart, the light grew larger and brighter. You had forgotten how good it felt to wield this magic.
It was different from your dark magic; more calming and pure. But now, as you continued to make your ball of light grow, you felt something new...something strange.
You couldn't exactly explain it, but from the last time you'd used it, something felt...
"Y/N?" You heard Lesso call from inside your bedroom door.
You quickly closed your hands extinguishing the light, leaving your bathroom significantly darker than before.
"Y-yeah?" you answered, as you quickly began shampooing your hair.
You could hear Lesso's heels get louder and louder as she made her way into the bathroom.
"What are you doing?" she asked, as she stepped in the doorway.
"Showering?" You answered, as you rinsed your hair and grabbed the conditioner.
"What was that light?"
Your body froze and your breath hitched.
"Oh um that was just my finger glow." You lied. "I was communicating with Gregor, to make sure he's alright. Making two portals in such a short time can't have been easy."
"That was your finger glow?" Lesso questioned, now leaning on the counter.
"Yeah," you lied again.
"It gets brighter when I'm telepathically communicating with someone from far away. It takes a lot of power to make long distance calls." You joked.
"And you decided to communicate with him while you were in the shower?" She asked.
You laughed, nervously. "Well it's not like he can see me when we're talking telepathically."
She laughed back, which put you a little at ease.
"I suppose that's true; when you and I talk telepathically I don't see you either. Unless I'm looking right at you."
You smirked
You could be looking at me right now if you'd get in here.
Lesso shifted on the counter. You could tell you'd made her a little excited.
"As thrilling as that sounds my dear, it's almost lunch time." Lesso retorted. "And I have quite a busy day ahead of me in paperwork and preparations. I only came to make sure Dovey didn't give you a hard time this morning with set up."
"We did have a few things we had to re-do, but overall, she was actually quite pleasant." You answered. "How did your meeting with the readers go?"
Lesso sighed, "It was fine. We're letting them stay over the winter break and for the remainder of the year. They will be given assignments over break to catch them up to their classmates. Dovey and I will have more details for all the professors about that later on."
Lesso's tone felt off. Ever since the readers had shown up last night you'd felt as if she was a little on edge.
"You seem a little wary about their return. Is something bothering you?" You asked, as you turned off the shower water and grabbed your towel.
"I want to believe these girls are telling the truth in why they say they're here. But I can't help feeling a little untrusting. After everything that happened last year, I feel the need to tread with caution." Lesso explained. "These girls were adamant about going home or switching schools last year, and now they suddenly want to come back simply because they missed it? The whole thing just feels...odd."
You watched her head fall as you wrapped the towel around your body. You lightly stepped forward to lift her chin, placing a gentle kiss on her lips. She pulled you into a hug, completely unfazed that her clothes were now soaking up the water dripping from your skin.
"Perhaps having a fresh eye would help," you suggested. "Maybe I could spend some time with them today and see if I get any inkling that they're here under false pretenses." You lifted your head to look into Lesso's eyes. She was about six inches taller than you with her heels on.
"I suppose it couldn't hurt," Lesso replied. "It would be good for you to get to know them a little better anyway, as you're the only professor they didn't have last year."
You smiled. "Then it's settled! After lunch I shall ask them to take a stroll with me in the grounds outside the Blue Forest and get to know them a little better. I can probably catch them up on a little bit about what I've been teaching this year as well."
Lesso smiled, "Thank you my love."
"Anything for you my darling."
With that, you and Lesso separated. She quickly dried her clothes and made her way to the dining hall. You put on a fresh outfit, dried your hair, and then did the same.
You grabbed your plate and sat at the professors table, in an empty seat near the end. Dovey, Lesso, and Anemone were already in an ongoing conversation about the remaining things left to accomplish for the ball.
When lunch was finished, you went in search of the two readers, hoping to not only do what you told Lesso you would, but also get to the bottom of why Sophie looked so worried when she met you the previous night.