Professor Matlock continued through the lesson, and once he was done, a few students tried his method of laying treats out, and it worked. It took up the entire class hour, but we had about 7 minutes to talk amongst ourselves once we finished.

"How did you feed the flanackle so easily? Did you take a potion or something before class?" Daphne asked.

I shrugged. "No. I guess I've always been that way with animals."

Daphne's jaw dropped. "Wow. That was really incredible."

My heart became whole. I had impressed Daphne on our first day of classes. The day could have ended right there, and I would have been just fine.

Professor Matlock approached our table in the back, a giant grin underneath his beard. "Sorry, I don't know all the students' names on the first day of class. Forgive me, but what's your name again, young man?"

"My name is Rollie Magpie. I'm a Fyron from Amerzia."

"Yeah, I can tell from your accent and cloak that you are both of those things. Ha ha!" Professor Matlock beamed. He paused for a moment, taking a look at me and my hair. "Pleasure to meet you. Perhaps I should wear my hair in that style." He pointed at my mohawk. "And maybe then I can make a flanackle approach me with such ease! Ha ha!"

"Yeah, maybe that's the secret." I chuckled.

"Tell me, Rollie, did you, by chance, take any sort of enchantment potion or use any sort of lure or treat to get the flanackle to approach you?"

"I asked him the same thing!" Daphne said as she slapped the table.

"Ah! And?"

"Nope. I've just always loved animals, sir."

"Oh, don't feel like you have to call me sir. Professor Matlock is just dandy enough. So really? You feel you've always had a special touch with animals, eh?"

I rubbed my chin. "Well, I never thought I had a special touch. But I like them, and they seem to like me, I guess."

"You know, I always felt the same way about myself." Professor Matlock put his hand on his chest. "But I have never, in my entire life, experienced what you experienced today in class. Nor have I seen it happen to another! Oh sure, cats, dogs, bunnies, And all sorts of other house pets love to spend time with Professor Matlock, but I have never seen a flanackle so carelessly approach another human with no regard. Perhaps this might be an effect of the land curse? Certainly plausible, but that was an unaffected flanackle. Its nose was certainly quite normal. Hm. Very peculiar. Oh! Well done, Rollie; I look forward to your continued participation in class. An absolute pleasure to have you with us. And welcome from Amerzia! How exciting. I've never seen that happen in all my years as a Loxton professor."

"Thank you, sir."

"Again! No need to call me, sir. And you, Daphne Poisonwood, it's a pleasure to meet you. I have heard nothing but outstanding remarks from my colleagues, and it's an honor to have you in my class. I hope I can be of some merit for your wonderful academic career."

Daphne smirked. "You're too kind. I'm really looking forward to your lessons."

Professor Matlock put his hand over his heart. "That fills me with delight. This should be a fun semester."

Bells chimed outside the cottage.

"So long, everyone! Enjoy the rest of your day!" Professor Matlock farewelled.

Everyone left the cottage, and I couldn't stop smiling, but then I realized I had a meeting with Professor Kamara.

Bran and I met in the courtyard after our classes finished, and we walked to the elemental ability classroom.

"How was Professor Hawthorne? I've been thinking about him since you told me you had his class," I said quietly.

"Uh, he seemed alright. Not the friendliest guy, but not the meanest guy either. Monotone and a little boring, actually."

"Phew!" I blurted. "So he must be different now ‘cuz I'm tellin' you, a year ago, he was a ruthless prick. Even on the first day of class, he was irritated about something. You didn't get that vibe at all, though? Nothing hostile?"

"I promise, there was nothing like that at all, and I was listening closely too." Bran chortled. "In fact, it was the most I've ever paid attention to that subject. Mage History is too dull. But I'd say he was rather comatose; ask Edna yourself. She'd probably say the same thing."

"Okay, that's good, that's very good to hear. I'm much more relieved." I took a deep breath. We had just made it outside Professor Kamara's classroom.

"I'll be out here, Rollie. Good luck."

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

"Thanks again for doing this." I smiled before opening the thick oak door and walking inside.

Professor Kamara was reading a textbook at a desk and looked up when I stepped in.

"Rollie, thank you for coming in." He nodded.

"Do you want me to close the door?" I gulped. Students were still walking by, laughing and talking.

"No, that's okay. This shouldn't be very long." Professor Kamara waved me over and got up from his desk.

Both of us stood a few feet apart. I was trembling. He folded his arms and his eyes flicked between me and the window.

"Don't worry, Rollie, you're not in any trouble. I just wanted to ask you a few questions. No need to be nervous." Professor Kamara smiled.

I nodded.

"Who all knows you're here in Loxton? Anyone close to you?"

"Uh, just my grandpa, I think." I shrugged.

"Anyone else outside of those people? Can you think of anyone at all?" Professor Kamara folded his arms.

"I don't know... I guess Principal Pine back at Attleton. It's possible there are a few other staff members, but I think only staff people know. Do you mind if I ask what's this about?"

"Earlier in class today, you suggested invasive voices in your head as a sign of a land curse. Have you had personal experience with this?"

I took a deep breath. "I don't know, I think so? When I, uh, first arrived at the Loxton docks, as soon as I got off the boat, some voice started talking to me."

A few students shrieked with laughter from the hallway. Professor Kamara rubbed his chin as his eyes darted toward the back of the class. "Do you want me to close the door?"

"No, that's okay. I don't think anyone can hear us anyway." I turned my attention back to him. "But a voice wanted me to go inside the forest. It said, 'Come in the forest Rollieee, it's the way to Loxton.' it was bizarre."

"Hm. It knew your name." Professor Kamara scratched his temple. "See, this is the first incident of this nature. There's no report like this regarding the forest, so I'm wondering if we're dealing with something more complicated than a land curse. Anyone close to your family you may have met that would know you're here?"

"Uh, I remember meeting a man my grandpa was friends with, Zane Thumblebatch, and the thought of him chills my spine. He didn't say anything out of the ordinary when I met him, but that was the thing; he didn't say much at all. He just wore a cloak, with his hood up the whole time. I could barely see his eyes. Ever heard of a Zane Thumblebatch?"

Professor Kamara shook his head. "I'm afraid not. But maybe we should look more into this mage."

"I've been staying with my grandpa for a while now, and I've never heard him mention Zane, but he came over the other day. Zane said he just came back into town in May but had been too busy to see my grandpa, but now he's apparently more free because he wants to hang out with my gramps once a week."

"Came back into town in May. That's around the time the curse happened. Well, end of May, but perhaps whoever is at fault had been working at the beginning of May."

"Do you think he might have done it?"

Kamara had a puff of laughter. "We have no idea. We need far more evidence, but perhaps we can look into him. Anyone else you might be able to think of that knows you're here?"

"Uh, Professor Hawthorne had me in his class back at Attleton."

"Hm… good to know. I think we have enough, for now, to look into things. If you can find out more information about Zane, that would be helpful. I'll do what I can on my end. You may go now, Rollie. Let's meet in a few weeks unless we find something out sooner. Does that sound good to you?"

"Yeah, sure thing. I'll be anonymous about the whole Zane research, right?"

Professor Kamara smiled. "Of course, we'll be doing what we can from afar. But if you learn anything sooner, please let us know."

I had dinner with Daphne, Bran, and Edna in the Great Hall. I told them all about my meeting with Professor Kamara.

"Why didn't you tell us you heard your name when you stepped off the train?" Daphne asked.

"I don't know; I was in a strange headspace, I guess. It almost didn't feel real. I was, like, hypnotically drawn to it. I'm just wondering about my grandpa's friend and who he is."

"That name, Zane Thumblebatch." Bran scrunched his brow in between bites of potatoes. "I'm afraid that name doesn't sound familiar to me."

Edna frowned. "I'm sorry, Rollie, I wish I could be more help, but it doesn't ring a bell."

"We can try and look him up. A book in the library talks about some of the infamous mages of Lementum." Daphne shrugged. "I've always wanted to check it out, but I've never been able to since you have to be at least a third-year student to read it, which I think is ridiculous, but whatever."

"I could just ask my grandpa more about him. I'll write to him and see what he has to say too."

We spent some time in silence, scarfing down our meal.

"So, how was everyone's first day back?" Edna grinned. "Mine was wonderful!"

"Can't complain either. It should be a good year for us," Bran chimed.

"Yeah, I'm hoping to do something substantial," Daphne said, looking down and poking at her food.

"Oh, not this again." Bran groaned.

"Cram it, Bran! Leave her alone," Edna said.

"What's the matter?" I asked.

"I-It's nothing, really. I'd rather not talk about it. I just want to focus on the school year and what I might be able to accomplish." Daphne smiled, but something about it screamed it was fake. "How was your first day, Rollie? What do you think of Loxton?"

"Honestly, it's better than I expected. I still have a lot to review and focus on, I'm not quite a natural talent at this stuff, but I think I can get the hang of it and do alright with some hard work. The one thing that bothered me today was that prick, Oliver, 'the hell was his problem?"

"Whoa, hey, I feel your anger, Rollie, but you should watch the language. Never know who is listening." Bran wagged his finger.

"That's true, Mr. Magpie," a robotic voice said from behind me; I turned around, and before me was the knight from the common room. "Sorry we haven't made acquaintance, but I am the knight of the Fyrons! But I'm known colloquially as 'Phoenix' Call me what you wish." He tipped his head. "Pleasure." The knight took a step forward. "Watch your tongue, though, even when you're talking about that ill-mannered Mr. Oliver."

The knight continued walking around all the tables, waving as people joyfully cheered at his sight.

"Whatever. Point stands. Oliver is a jerk. He left a sour taste in my mouth." I scoffed.

"Yeah, it's even worse that he's a Dragonstryke god." Daphne stabbed her food and took a few irritated bites. "Sorry you had to deal with that."

"It's alright, nothin' that can't be handled out on the field." As soon as I said that, I regretted it, but it just came out naturally.

Daphne, Bran, and Edna froze in place.

"You think you might try out for Dragonstryke next week?" Daphne beamed.

"Uh, maybe, definitely thinking about it." I nodded and took a drink of juice. I thought about telling them I brought my dragon bike, just in case, but I didn't say a word about it. "So, tell me, what was your first two years like here on campus?"

We chatted all about their experiences and how they had been friends from the get-go.