"No, no, no, 'The Fly' is about body dysmorphia" Susie shakes her head as we sit around a small table at Dr Cerberus'.
"Isn't it about a guy who turns into a giant fly?" Harvey asks, i shake my head.
"The original yes, but Cronenberg said his remake was a metaphor for STDs" i point out and Susie nods.
"Guys, what are we doing this weekend?" Roz asks and i sigh, looking at Sabrina.
"Well, my dad is going to the farm expo for three days, so i'm stuck at home by myself" Susie sighs.
"Ooh! let's have a girls' night" Roz exclaims.
Susie groans in protest, "Come on, Susie, please? my mom and dad are trying to get me to lead this youth group at their church this weekend, staying with you would give me the perfect excuse not to do that" Roz complains.
Susie shakes her head, "i dunno Roz" she sighs. "Brina, Ivy, you in?" Roz asks and i look at Sabrina anxiously.
"Actually, we'll be at the expo too this weekend, we're helping aunt Hilda sell her honey" Sabrina smiles.
"Wait, you're not gonna be gone the entire expo, are you?" Harvey looks at her sadly.
"Yeah, we are...but i have a coping strategy" Sabrina holds her necklace Harvey gave her.
"Whenever i'm really missing you, i'll hold you close to my heart" she smiles, and Roz turns to us smiling at them.
"Call me the second you get back, i'll come right over" Harvey smiles and they start making out. "Keep it PG" i cover my eyes.
"Uh...relax, Romeo, it's three days" Roz sighs and Susie laughs.
"Yeah, i mean, seriously, you guys...seriously, you guys!" she groans and they ignore us, still kissing.
I roll my eyes, smiling. "To be young and in love," i say dramatically and i feel Susie look at me, "yeah".
***
"Aren't you even a little excited?" Ambrose asks as he sets by our window while we pack.
"I'm stressed, Ambrose, starting a new school is stressful, not to mention we're lying to Harvey and Roz and Susie, and i don't see why we have to be at the Academy for three whole nights" Sabrina stresses.
"It's your induction, cousins, you are on the precipice of a stupendous new adventure at the Academy of Unseen Arts, you will meet interesting witches and warlocks from all over the world, some of them, a great many of them, will be hot" Ambrose grins.
I smile, "well, i'm excited," i say, shoving a t-shirt into my bag. Ambrose points at me, "that's the spirit, cuz" he smiles.
"And i've already met a warlock, technically" i forrow my brows. Ambrose looks at me surprised, "do tell" he says and Sabrina ignores it.
"Ambrose, we're not going to the Academy to hook up with hot warlocks, we are going to the Academy to learn how to defeat the dark lord...we're going to learn how to conjure him, bind him, banish him, that's our only agenda" she says sternly.
"All work, no fun" i sigh, throwing a sweatshirt at her playfully.
***
"Okay, before i forget, i have made you these, they're to take to the Academy, keep in your little pockets" aunt Hilda smiles, handing up protection charms, wrapped in cloth.
I smile, "thanks, aunt Hilda" i say and we sit down at the table. "Protection charms" Sabrina whispers amused.
"Honestly Hilda, what next? crystals? sage?" aunt Zelda judges, walking into the kitchen.
"'I was concerned, Zelda, that they were gonna get bullied, you know how cruel girls can be at that or any age" aunt Hilda says anxiously.
"Don't worry about us, aunt Hilda, we can take care of ourselves" i nod.
"Yes, you've proved that, Ivory, by getting into fights" aunt Zelda sighs and i roll my eyes.
Aunt Hilda smiles, "i know, oh! what if you took Salem and Binx in with you? or we could teleport them to you" she suggests.
Aunt Zelda picks up Salem and Binx meows, running over to me instead.
I pick him up, sitting him on my lap.
"Nonsense, only babies and ninnies take their familiars to school" aunt Zelda scoffs and Salem jumps out of her arms.
"Remember when you tried to bring your spiders? how all the otherstudents laughed and called you names?" she laughs at aunt Hilda and i look at her sadly.
"Yes, i remember one in particular" aunt Hilda looks down angrily.
Aunt Zelda smiles, sitting in front of us.
"My years at the Academy were amoungst the happiest of my life, the books i read, the friendships i cultivated, it was like being part of the most marvelous salon, arguing about ideas, philosophy, your father and I would get into such debates" aunt Hilda smiles and Sabrina snaps.
"Hm, really? because you seemed to be on the same oage about signing our names in the book of the beast" she says blankly. I look down, hiding a laugh.
"Eat up and then i'll get my coat and drive you" aunt Hilda smiles awkwardly.
"Absolutely not, Hilda, you've been excommunicated, or had you forgotten?" aunt Zelda says judgingly.
"Oh, how could i forget when you're reminding me every other minute?" aunt Hilda says sadly.
"As a consequence, you're not allowed within spitting distance of the Acadmy or any other church of night property, for that matter" aunt Zelda cocks her head.
Aunt Hilda storms over to the table, "'well i can give my nieces a bloody hug before they go, can't i?" aunt Hilda spits, annoyed.
She reaches down, hugging us both.
***
Sabrina and I walk along a train track, carrying our bags as we stop outside of a train station. A little boy in blue standing on the front steps.
"Pardon me misses, are you Sabrina and Ivory?" he asks politely, holding a small board with our names.
"We are" Sabrina smiles, "I'm Quentin, we've been expecting you, this way please" he says and walks up the steps.
I go to as him if he goes here but it's like im paralyzed by fear, i didn't think i'd be this nervous starting a new school.
Sabrina looks at me and back to him, "are you a student here?" she asks and i smile at her.
"Oh, of course miss, i'm here to show you to Father Blackwood's office" he informs and we head inside.
***
"The Academy was built according to the principles of sacred geometry" Quintin says, leading us through the school.
Every student we pass stares at us, making me even more nervous.
We enter a small area with a statue of the dark lord in the centre, all eyes stare at us.
My eyes land on a red haired boy, leaning against a doorframe.
His eyes fill with curiosity and he smiles, a smile creeps on my face and i look down shyly.
***
"Welcome to the Academy of Unseen Arts, girls.
I recognise that there's been a bit of...unpleasantness between us, but that's only because we so desperately wanted to get you here" Blackwood smiles.
"I've prepared your schedules" he hands them to us.
"Um..." Sabrina hums and he looks up.
"Yes?" he asks, "what about classes like conjuring? binding rituals? demonology?" she asks.
'wow, discreet' i say. "You have to fulfill the Academy's general requirments first...just now i believe you are due at choir practice" he smiles and i sigh.
***
We walk into a room full of instruments, clearly a music room, I shuffle beside Sabrina.
"Forgive the interuption, my dear, but i have some additions to your ranks, Sabrina and Ivory Spellman, my wife, Lady Blackwood" he introduces.
She shakes our hands, "I've heard a lot about you, girls.
We've all heard a lot about you, welcome" she smiles, but it doesn't seem genuine.
The weird sister laugh quietly and i look down.
"I've leave the Spellmans in your capable hands then" Blackwood smiles at his wife, before leaving.
"Now, girls, can you sight read music?" she asks and we nod. She hands us a book and we hold it between us.
"Just a verse or two, so i know where to place you" she says expressionless.
I breathe shakily and a few people, mainly the sisters, snicker.
"It's time we put our love behind you, illusion has been just a dream, the valley of death and i'll find you, now is when on a sunshine beam, so bring us the young perfection, for there i shall surely be, no clothing, tears or hunger, you can see, you can see, you can be" we sing together and Sabrina closes the book.
"My, my, Prudence, i do believe you have some competition, finally...Ivory, a bit louder next time" Lady Blackwood smiles quickly and i nod.
***
Sabrina and I sit by ourselves at lunch when a boy with dark hair approaches us. "Hi, i'm Nicholas Scratch, Nick Scratch, mind if i join you?" he asks, sitting down.
"Sure" Sabrina says and i smile.
"I'm Sabrina" she says and he stops her, "Spellman..your Edward Spellman's daughters" he smiles amused.
"we are..and i'm Ivory" i smile surprised, shaking his hand.
He explains how he's reading our father's journals when someone sits beside me.
I turn to my right, looking at them.
It's the red haired boy from this morning, he smiles.
"Hi, i'm Jamie, but you can call me J" he smiles hopefully.
"I'm Ivory" i smile, something about him seems familiar but i cant quite put my finger on it.
"It's good to finally meet you" he grins and it takes me a moment, my eyes widen.
"J?" i ask shocked.
"in the flesh" he gestures to himself.
"Jamie? hey man" Nick says, noticing him. Jamie smiles, looking at Sabrina.
"hey, i'm Jamie" he shakes her hand, "Sabrina, finally you got her to talk, she's been nervous all day" she smiles at me.
The moment is rudely interupted, "Sabrina, Ivory, boys, we're not interupting are we?" Prudence asks, sickly sweet.
I look down, clenching my jaw.
"No, not at all, join us, please" Sabrina smiles and they sit down.
"Well, Sabrina, Ivory, how are you enjoying the Academy so far? is it like your other school?" Prudence asks and i shuffle in my seat.
"Uh, Baxter High? no, not really" i chuckle lightly.
"You know what we heard? we heard you didn't want to take your dark baptism because you were in love with some mortals" she presses and i tense.
"Must be some Spellman kink, hm? slumming with mortals? like father like daughters', right?" she mocks and Sabrina looks down, i feel my blood boil.
"Careful Nicky, Jamie, or they'll cocktease you the way they did the dark lord" Prudence cocks her head.
"Why do you have to be a bitch all the time, Pru?" Nick smiles sarcastically and i smirk.
"I don't know Nicky, why do you have to be such a warlock slut all the time?" she clenches her jaw.
I snap, "Prudence?" i smile.
"Hm?" she smiles over at me.
"If you have a problem" i chuckle, standing up.
"Ivy, don't" Sabrina whispers.
"Maybe you should remember what i can do to a teenage boy, and to your magic" i lean forward, pressing my hands against the table.
"Or maybe i could jog your memory?" i threaten, digging my nails into my palms.
Jamie quickly stands up, "okay, lets walk" he says carefully, taking my arm.
Reluctantly i step away from the table, opening my hands, staring at red nail marks on each palm.
"You okay?" Jamie asks as we walk through the school, i sigh.
"Yeah, they just make me so...angry" i huff.
Jamie takes a deep breath, "So, what did you mean? what did you do?" he asks carefully.
I look at him, "not so long ago, these boys at school were bullying my..friend. And one day we caught them tearing posters down we had made for a club and my friend went crazy, tried to hit them, they hit her and that's when i lost it. I punched a boy, i broke his nose, i'd like to think i would've won if another boy didn't get me" i explain, pointing to my lip at the faint, pink mark.
"Sabrina and i asked the weird sisters to help us get payback" i sigh.
"Remind me to never gett on your bad side" he chuckles.
"What about Prudence's magic?" he asks.
"One day, the weird sisters tried to put a blood curse on Sabrina and I, but i stopped it, and took the full curse, protecting Sabrina" i say prkoudly.
"You're something else, Ivory Spellman" he smiles curiously.
***
jump up in bed, taking in my surroundings of the dorm. Someonthing woke me up, as if there's something wrong.
I look beside me at Sabrina's empty bed, i look around the room paniced and i notice Prudnece, Dorcas and Agatha's beds are empty too.
I grit my teeth, throwing my covers.
'Sabrina, where are you?' i aks in my head.
It takes a minute before she answers, 'i don't know, it's a small room, a-and it's round' she says shakily.
'i'm coming to find you' i assure her, running through a hall.
"Jamie? Jamie" i whisper as i desperatly look for a round room.
I know he has a way of finding me or hearing me.
"Jamie?" i whisper again, "What?" a groggy voice says behind me and i turn.
He rubs his eyes, his red hair a fluffy mess in his pajamas, a baggy white t-shirt and grey sweatpants.
"The sisters have Sabrina, she said she's in a small, round room, where is it?" i ask quickly.
He perks up, anxiously.
"She's being Harrowed" he says, "'Harrowed? what's that?" i ask.
"It's like a test or a prank that students do to other students, it's horrible um..try the witches cell" he nods.
"Great...where's that?" i stress, "oh, right" he nods, leading the way.
***
"It's just down there, listen i need to go back before someone notices, i'm sorry" he apologizes.
"No, of course, but thank you, Jamie" i smile and we part ways.
I find the sisters outside of a door, about to close it.
"Close that door and i'll make your life a living hell" i spit and they turn.
"Alas, the almighty Spellman here to save baby Spellman" Prudence clicks her tongue.
"Let her go" i say slowly.
"No, but if you'd like to join her, by all means" she motions to the door.
"Let. her. go" i say anggrily, "laba ragana uz bad dot sim meitenem vejains lidojums" i chant and they fly backwards, hitting the ground.
I rush inside the room, grabbing Sabrina, "hurry, we have to-" i worry and a loud bang echoes through the small room.
I quickly turn and rush to the door, i angrily bang my fists against it.
"succubitches" i spit, something bangs against the brick wall behind us and we jump.
Sabrina walks towards me and a birned, bloody hand grabs her foot and we scream.
My screams are ceased as a hand covers my mouth.
Tonight's gonna be a long night.