Chapter 8 - Facing the School Board

June 30

When I finally came to, I was no longer in Ms. Proctor’s garden. Nor was I in the octagonal building with the summoning circle and the glass ceiling. I was first awakened by the shuffling of papers, and the banging crunch of a stapler.

Am I in an office?

“Ah, I think she’s finally awake,” came the now familiar tone of Filomena.

That’s when I realized I was laying in her lap. I immediately shot up with a crack that hurt the back of my head.

“Ah, dammit,” Filomena said, covering her nose with her hand.

“Oh my gods, I’m so sorry. Are you okay?” I flailed about uselessly, unsure of how to help.

She held a hand out to calm me down, “I’m fine, it just caught me by surprise. More importantly, are you alright?”

“Huh? Yeah? I think so,” I said before a dull ache filled my stomach, “Ugh, actually, I’m starving.”

“I thought you might be,” Ms. Proctor said, handing me a wrapped ham sandwich. Had she always been there?

“Oh, thank you,” I greedily tore into the cold salty ham and sharp cheddar wrapped in a soft bread that got stuck to the roof of my mouth with each bite. Never had such a simple sandwich tasted so good in my life.

“You are no doubt wondering where you are and what happened,” Ms. Proctor said with the kind of smile a grandmother might show a small child.

I nodded, not even pausing my chewing.

“We have brought you to Bearlisp Academy, in order to have the School Board issue a ruling on your entrance exam and whether or not it counts as a pass. I would also like to apologize for digging into your personal circumstances, but I think I may have a solution to recent events.”

“What do you mean?”

“Filomena has told me that the two of you are in fact runaways. Normally, I’d ask if that were true but hollows can’t lie, so I won’t even pretend it’s not. If you want, there is an old bylaw of the school’s charter that would allow you to work here, in exchange for room and board during breaks and holidays. I happen to know that Groundskeeper could use the help. She’s been working alone now for nearly a century. What do you think?”

“What would I have to do? I’m not even sure what a groundskeeper does.”

“Oh, it’s mostly yard work, basic building maintenance, changing light bulbs, oiling doors, that kind of thing. But the academy is quite large, and she’s just one person. Is that something you think you could help with? Obviously she would show you the ropes.”

I turned to look at Filomena, who nodded, “Yeah. That would help, but what about my aunt and uncle?”

“You let me worry about those two. You just focus on your studies and work, alright?”

I nodded, but then stopped, “Why are you helping me? We’re practically strangers.”

“Why? Well, I was created for the purpose of maintaining Anton Bearlisp’s vision for this school. There isn’t much I wouldn’t do to ensure the safety of a student. Though, I suppose it might be (and this is strictly between you and me you understand) because I was rather fond of your mother.”

I was about to ask more questions, but I was interrupted by a ringing bell near a wooden dark purple door with a golden knob. The secretary behind the desk stood and walked over.

“The Board will see you now,” she said, gesturing to the door. Her stiff, well-tailored pin-stripe suit and pencil skirt marked her as no-nonsense. She pushed her thin glasses back in place over her even thinner eyes.

We followed her through the door, and entered a room that looked straight out of an episode of Law Drama. Three men, one woman, and a person whose gender I couldn’t tell at a glance sat against one wall in dark black robes, trimmed with purple collars. It could not have been more obvious that they were the School Board, nor that they had earned the capitalization in their name. These were serious people, who held serious power, and did serious things.

I wasn’t remotely at ease, as we took our places in the center of the cold room and sat in old wooden chairs that would creak horribly if we shifted too much. Even Filomena, who was used to sub zero temperatures shivered.

A loud bang echoed across the sparsely decorated room. Someone had tried to enliven the room by painting the walls robin blue, but something about the atmosphere washed it out, and made the room even more ominous.

“We are here to review the unusual entrance examination of one Maxw- excuse me, Maxine Oldstone on this day of June thirtieth in this the year of the crested penguin. Standing in judgment are: Dean of Students Anthony Freethorn, Dean of Faculty George Brightspring, Dean of Curriculum Henrietta Boldspark, Dean of Hollows Riley Tallmount, Vice Dean of Discipline Walter Firemouth, standing in for the recently deceased Dean of Discipline until he can be confirmed for the position. Standing as both witnesses and supplicators: Ms. Proctor, Maxine Oldstone, and the hollow Filomena. Ms. Proctor, we shall begin with your testimony as proctor of the entrance examination.“ the man in the middle said officiously, his nameplate identified him as Anthony Freethorn the Dean of Students.

Off to the side, a mousy woman in an off-white sweater that was two sizes too big for her and glasses that were a size too small, diligently typed everything that was said. The clicking of the keys continued only shortly after the man finished speaking.

Ms. Proctor stood up after she was called, and cleared her throat, “I thank you for taking the time to meet with us to provide your judgment on this matter.”

She then proceeded to tell the board what happened as she saw it.

“Am I to understand that this child not only re-summoned a specific femtagh but also a powerful enough murothoid that it was capable of plotting? You’ll forgive me that this seems a little unbelievable,” the person behind the nameplate identifying them as the Dean of Hollows said incredulously.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

“I am telling you what I saw,” Ms. Proctor said, matter-of-factly, “I understand why you might be hard pressed to believe such a thing, and yet here before you stands Filomena as proof.”

“I see, let us continue to our next witness, Maxine Oldstone.”

I turned to Ms. Proctor who smiled and gestured for me to stand, and I did so. I could feel my legs shaking underneath me, and though I was certain that I would collapse, they managed to hold.

“Maxine, let me assure you that you are not in any trouble,” the Dean of Faculty said with the warm tone that people in power use to try and make them seem friendly and relatable, “We only wish to hear the story from your point of view. We will endeavor to hold any questions and clarifications until you have finished.”

There was a pregnant pause after he finished, before it became obvious that I was intended to speak. I silently kicked myself for waiting so long. I proceeded to tell them everything that happened. Haltingly at first, but as I went my confidence rose.

“The murothoid said something about you killing its brother? That is deeply troubling, young lady,” the Vice Dean of Discipline said harshly, “Is it true that you are a murderer?”

Wait, am I? Did I kill that hollow’s brother? Does that mean that I deserve to be in jail or something? No, wait, the police would have kept me in custody if that were the case. Right?

“If I may speak,” Filomena said while I was trying to puzzle out if I was a murderer.

“You will have your moment to testify, hollow,” the Dean of Curriculum said, “Until then, Maxine is to answer to the best of her ability. This is not a criminal court, she will not be shuffled off to prison.”

“Um,” I said, “I don’t think I’m a murderer, though I’m not sure what the laws are in this case. Please allow me to explain.”

“Go ahead, that’s what we’re here for,” the Dean of Students said patiently.

I then proceeded to explain what happened the afternoon that my parents were killed, and I summoned Filomena.

“I see,” the Dean of Curriculum said, “that is very much not murder, Vice Dean, it is self-defense. Not to mention that hollows killing one another is not illegal in our world unless the killed hollow is bound in service to a mage. The hollow lands may have their own thoughts on the matter, but in this case, in our world, Maxine is innocent.”

“Maxine, I’d like to examine your core with a spell if I may,” the Dean of Students said, “Don’t worry, it won’t hurt, and you just need to hold still.”

I nodded, “Okay.”

A light green light appeared around the Dean of Students’ hands, and I felt a warmth in my chest. His mouth fell open.

“Well?” the Dean of Curriculum said, “What did you find, Anthony?”

“I’ve never seen a core this large…” he whispered.

“Is that good?” I asked nervously.

“The easiest way to think of a core is as a heart but for magic. A larger heart can pump more blood but if it is too large, it becomes more of a burden on your health. In much the same way, a large core means you can wield more magic, but doing so exhausts you quicker.”

“Is there anything I can do?”

“There are some things, we will have to make a note of this in your file, so that you can be accommodated.”

“That’s even if we want a bloodthirsty violent hollow like yours wandering our halls,” the Vice Dean of Discipline spat.

“Perhaps we had better hear the hollows testimony then,” said the Dean of Hollows, “Tell me, Filomena, right? Who are you? You seem quite powerful to want to be a familiar.”

“I am the third princess of the Southern Wastes,” Filomena announced to the horror of nearly everyone in attendance, “As such I have been afforded the best tutors since infancy, so no, I do not need to be a familiar. Still, there is something that has pulled me to this child, and I seek to understand what it is. As for the murothoid I killed, he had already killed Max’s parents when I arrived, she was cowering in her basement waiting for death.”

“Why interfere then?” the Vice Dean of Discipline demanded, “it’s not like your kind normally cares if a human dies.”

“Curiosity,” Filomena said, matter-of-factly, and unapologetically, “at least at first. I’ve become quite attached to Max over the last few days, and so I will stay by her side until she crosses the river of souls.”

“It is a rare enough thing to summon a femtagh as a familiar even for an experienced mage, let alone a third princess. Why are we even questioning her qualifications at this point?” the Dean of Hollows asked the other members of the board.

“Because of this murder business,” the Vice Dean of Discipline practically shouted back.

“Oh, shove it in your ears.”

“Shove it in my- Why you pompous little-”

The Dean of Students banged his gavel until the two stopped arguing.

“I think we have heard enough to make our decision, we will now vote. Dean of Curriculum?”

“I am for Maxine Oldstone joining our academy.”

“Dean of Hollows?”

“I am greatly for Maxine Oldstone joining our academy.”

“Vice Dean of Discipline?”

“I am vehemently against Maxine Oldstone joining our academy.”

“Dean of Faculty?”

“I am for Maxine Oldstone joining our academy.”

“And I, the Dean of Students, am for Maxine Oldstone joining our academy. That leaves 4 members for, and 1 against. The judgment of this body is that Maxine Oldstone has passed the entrance examination and upon being sorted into her dormitory will be a student of Bearlisp Academy. Congratulations young lady.”

“Thank you, Dean,” I said.

“We shall send you a list of required materials, textbooks, and a student manual soon,” the Dean of Curriculum said, “I look forward to seeing your excellent grades.”

“That may actually be sent to Groundskeeper’s cottage, Dean,” Ms. Proctor said, “Max will be staying with us until the start of the school year.”

“That is unusual,” the Dean of Students said, sitting down again, “Why is she staying with you and not her guardians?”

“Because of some difficulty with her new home, she is taking advantage of our work study program,” Ms. Proctor said, trying to usher me out the door.

“Hold it,” the Vice Dean of Discipline said, “We do not have a work study program.”

“Oh?” Ms. Proctor said, “It was never dissolved, it has merely been unused for a while. Groundskeeper could use an assistant and the bylaws are very clear.”

“I will be looking into this,” the Vice Dean of Discipline said venomously, “and I assure you we shall follow the letter of this bylaw. I will tolerate no special treatment for any of our students, just because you were friends with their parents.”

“My dear Vice Dean, whatever could you be referring to, I am the picture of impartiality,” Ms. Proctor said over her shoulder, gently pushing me through the door.

I could hear the Vice Dean of Discipline continue to yell behind us, “THE LETTER OF THE LAW!”