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Chapter 4. Through the corridors

«I am Madame Argento, rector of the Nordlig School. Follow me. I’ll show you where the women’s hostel is. Boys and girls live in different wings of the castle. And meals and some lessons are held together. You yourself will learn everything about this and many other things later. «And Madame Argento took me to the women’s hostel. It was located right there in the castle. Great!

I turned around and noticed that my suitcase and small duffel bag were gone. This worried me. My stuff! Someone took them. By themselves, they could not evaporate. Or could they?

«It’s afternoon.» Lessons will start in half an hour.

– Ah … – I gave a voice. He sounded uncertain, aloof, – My things… Bag and suitcase. They…

I didn’t know how to say Gone. Wouldn’t that seem like an accusation of theft?

– Do not worry. They are already waiting for you in the hostel. – answered Madame Argento, turning her face to me. Then she raised her hand and snapped her fingers.

– Voila!

I guess my mouth opened with confusion. Voila?

At the mention of dinner, my stomach rumbled. I immediately felt hungry. And I was ashamed to admit this to Madame Argento. I decided that I would survive one missed lunch. I also figured out how I could have skipped lunch: after all, I went in a balloon with Franklin at about eleven o’clock in the afternoon! And the flight itself took several minutes. So it seemed to me. What if the travel time actually took longer? This would then explain my awakened feeling of hunger. Yes, I didn’t really have breakfast. But I would be hungry in a few hours. Or do they dine here much earlier?

Then the hurricane of thoughts about hunger, my suitcase, old Franklin disappeared. I was amazed at the beauty of the castle.

The heels of Madame Argento’s footsteps thudded on the stone floor. Even thick red carpets could not drown out the rector’s confident gait. I almost ran after her to keep up with her. Sometimes I stumbled because I didn’t look at my feet. All my attention was absorbed by the castle. These corridors and walls, architecture and decoration. This was the pinnacle of creative thought. I guessed baroque styles and notes of older architectures. My eyes darted. I turned to the paintings, canvases hanging in the corridors and huge colored tapestries. A whole museum could be assembled from all these paintings. Stern faces in huge wigs. Ladies in lush dresses. The artists depicted in their creations in great detail gorgeous balls, festive meals, faces of significant persons of bygone times and art workers and perfectly reflected the spirit of the past era.

They depicted hunting scenes, and simply landscapes, and much more, than people lived many centuries ago. But for me it all seemed like a fairy tale, not connected with reality, the fiction of an unknown artist. How can a lady of advanced age wear such a cap on her head, more like a rubber bathing cap, together with such an expensive dress, and a choker around her neck? I think no. But at the time, it might seem fashionable.

High ceilings were propped up by semi-columns with lush bas-reliefs. Huge stained glass windows, bright patterns on the curtains, in which I dreamed of unusual colored embroidery, and mystical stories dedicated to important events of magical life.

I reluctantly left it all behind and stepped onto the flight of stairs, followed Madame Argento to the second floor. Here the splendor has diminished. The ceilings were of normal height, the paintings on the walls were not visible. The half-curtained windows threw in a faint light, but still chased away the melancholy twilight. There were few doors. This was more like a school in the world of ordinary people, if not for the exquisite carvings on wooden doors. I was sure that behind these doors were classrooms, devoid of the expensive decoration of the main hall of the castle and the adjacent galleries.

Madame Argento led me down a quiet corridor, opened the door, behind which there was a spiral staircase, and we climbed even higher. The steps went further, where above through an invisible window, blinding sunbeams lay on the stone wall. I smelled a hint of floral scent. Our path passed this welcoming sign. Now he was walking along a narrow dark passage, and my anxiety was growing. I was afraid to appear in front of other students. I’m new and I don’t know anyone yet. How will other girls accept me?

Then the thought came to me that just as I am now walking along a castle that is new for me, one day my grandmother was walking. The young woman, probably unsure of herself, was heading to the women’s hostel, and did not know what awaited her outside the door. And my mom? My grandmother did not tell me where she studied. But I’m sure it’s also in Nordlig. Perhaps it was here that she met her dad, and they fell in love. These walls mean more to me than I thought. Here I can touch the past of people dear to me.

I clenched my fists for a second, trying to give myself confidence. The rector opened the door, entered, and stopped. I immediately bumped into her and stumbled on the threshold, taking a step back. I hastened to squeeze out an apology and stopped short.

We stood in a spacious room with about twenty girls of different ages. Their faces immediately turned to us. The din of conversation subsided. All girls were in school uniforms. And I stood alone, unlike everyone else in my usual clothes. A second later there was a loud greeting:

– Good afternoon, Madame Argento!

There was silence. The girls stood and did not move. It seemed to me that they were all gathered on purpose so that they would meet me. I could hear my heartbeat and the crackling of logs in the large fireplace. My suitcase and bag lay near the door.

The rector nodded:

– Good day to you, young ladies! – Then she made a gesture in my direction, I felt a soft push in my back and obediently took two steps forward.

«This is Miss Roselyn Burling. Your new colleague. I ask you to love, and favor, and help her become «Heflig Miss»!

Heflig miss! It meant: a polite miss, a well-mannered lady. I felt humiliated. If I were even in school uniform, I would not stand out from the general mass of students and would feel much more confident.

Everyone looked at me, and I felt myself blush.

– What should I say? Madame Rector asked quietly. And then a chorus of voices filled the room:

– Welcome, Miss Burling!

Greetings for me. It was more chaotic, not as well-coordinated as for Madame Argento. I was confused and speechless. Now, of course, I should have said something too. And it was not supposed to be «nice to meet you», but something more valuable. I was silent, felt helpless and burned with shame.

Madame Argento winked at me and headed for the exit. Her steps began to subside outside the door. Someone chuckled, apparently trying to suppress a chuckle. One girl nodded amiably. Most of the students looked at Madame Rector. And then they returned to their business, scattering around the room.

But a plump girl with a short haircut, with a round face and plump lips, looked at me unfriendly. She collapsed again in the armchair by the fireplace, where she had sat before my arrival. I read some inexplicable hatred in her black eyes. She whispered something to her neighbor and now both unkindly bored their eyes at me.

I didn’t like these two girls right away. Especially a complete «toad». I wish I could conjure a fire spell and watch her scream while engulfed in flames.

I took my bag to distract myself from negative thoughts. My first day at school, my first appearance in this room in front of all the girls. An important moment on my journey to the lady. And I got angry seeing these two gossips like this. Bad thoughts must be extinguished, and it won’t be easy.

One of the students came up to me. She was older than the other girls.

– My name is Suzanne. Suzanne Dorte.

I smiled at her and held out my hand to shake, but Suzanne bowed her head a little and lowered her eyes. A kind of half-bow. I immediately pulled my hand and bowed my head too. It turned out for me not so gracefully as I wanted. Suddenly Suzanne laughed and grabbed my hand herself and squeezed.

– This is such a joke! I hope you will forgive me for this? Although, in fact, this is how you need to say hello when you meet one of the elders in the hallway. I am the headman of the girls. Come on, I’ll show you your bedroom.

I smiled back. I liked Suzanne. I have a good headman. Not sullen and not angry as it could be.

Suzanne grabbed my hand and pulled me along.

– Bedrooms are upstairs. Yours on the top floor.

I followed Suzanne up the spiral staircase. We found ourselves in a small staircase tower, in which on each floor there was a vault and a round room with three doors. As it turned out, a turret with a spiral staircase was adjacent to another, larger tower. The bedrooms were located in it. Light fell only through narrow vertical windows above the steps. A cold wind blew into these cracks. I shivered from the draft and turned away from the light. I was afraid of heights and did not want to see the ground far below my feet.

Suddenly Suzanne released my hand and spoke cheerfully, jumping over the step cheerfully:

– You can always contact me. If you don’t know something, it doesn’t work, you feel unwell or something else… and in general, if you need any help, contact us. I will be happy to help!

Climbing to the third floor, we found ourselves under the very roof. The round area was less well lit than the others. Frozen, out of breath, Suzanne asked:

– Do you use pearl shampoo?

– What? Not.

And then she suddenly spoke in a very quiet voice, as if she was afraid to wake someone up:

– Sorry, but there is only free space here. Now, if you arrived early, you could choose a room and better … – She pointed to the closed door. «My bedroom is in the next tower. The entrance to it is on the opposite side of the girls’ tower living room. Bye then!

And Suzanne went down the stairs.

– Thank. I smiled at Suzanne. Although her words of regret about my room alerted me. So, I will have to live in a terrible closet with a leaking roof? Yes, I’ll catch a cold right away, I’ll sleep with a temperature! What’s the matter with learning magic?!

Chapter 5. Ismeralda Duerre

I opened the door and looked around the room. To my delight, it was quite cozy, warm and clean inside. Two beds with thick duvets and duvets, two dressers, a huge wardrobe and a small fireplace. A couple of lamps hung on the wall. Their bright light finally drove away my fears about the terrible room. No ceiling leaks. No drafts.

On the left bed, knocking the blanket into a lump, lay the girl and looked at the ceiling. More precisely, her legs lay. She herself slid backwards onto the carpet between the beds, and her golden hair sprawled randomly across the carpet, dyed pink at the back. Quite a bit, just the ends. This surprised me. The school has rules. And hair coloring?! And in that color?! Pink! It definitely went wrong. She must be brave to show up at school like this.

My neighbor’s skirt slipped a little, exposing her underwear. The girl twisted a magic wand in her fingers, in her other hand she held an open book, at the pages of which she poked with a stick from time to time.

Somehow I did not even think that I would have a roommate. But that didn’t even upset me. Only alarmed.

I looked at the door. The only white plaque bore the words Ismeralda Duerre. I entered the room.

– Hello. My name is Roselyn. Rose, too. And you?

In response, the girl began to hum quietly to herself:

– Isme-isme! Isme-isme-e!..

I went to the other bed and put my bag next to me. The girl did not turn to me, but said in a melodious voice:

– What brings you to me?

– To you? – I was outraged by such impudence. And a little roughly answered: – I will live here!

– I have?

– Why do you have? This room is now half mine!

– Ah, but I thought … – the girl’s voice fell silent in mid-sentence. In the unspoken phrase, I caught notes of sadness or even sorrow in him. The girl sighed and continued to hum something to herself. I noticed that my bed was not made evenly, in the middle there is a funnel in a crumpled blanket. I glanced unkindly at Ismeralda, but didn’t say anything.

I needed to change. I opened my bag and then I remembered that my suitcase with a school uniform was left at the bottom. I followed him, but before I could leave the room, I froze at the door. My eyebrows rose in surprise, and then I burst out laughing. Here is magic!

Another sign appeared under the name «Ismeralda Duerre». And it read «Roselyn Burling.» I began to go down cheerfully. And behind me there was a rustle of paper and a dull thud. Ismeralda tossed the book, and it fell on the carpet next to the fireplace.

Chapter 6. Acquaintance with Jamely and Matilda

In the common room of the female dormitory (living room), the number of people was significantly reduced. The fat, nasty little girl with short hair and her friend were still spinning around the fireplace. Two other girls at the table were copying something in their notebooks. One passed me and began to climb the stairs.

My suitcase stood in the same place where it had been waiting for me before. I was wondering how heavy it would be and whether I could drag it upstairs, when the laugh of an unpleasant girl who reminds me more of a toad than a lady-to-be caught my attention. Acrid disgusting sound. Her gray, short, messy hair made her look sloppy. And the only braid did not reach the shoulder blades and was a thin thin tail covered with black elastic. From this it was a little sorry for the" fat woman». But only until she turned to me. Large features of a round face. Big potato nose, plump lips twisted in a disdainful grin. The grin of a predatory beast. She is fat, heavy and, probably, therefore, stronger than other girls.

I felt with a sixth sense that perhaps the source of ridicule was me. And, of course, the loud, ostentatious laugh was addressed to me. Who else?

The toad turned around at my appearance and, squeezing out a sour face, in a nasal voice stretched out the following words:

– You were going to sleep in pink pajamas?! Ha-a-ha-a!

I felt a sticky chill on my back, leaned over to the suitcase. The lid was ajar. I looked inside. My new school uniform has been crumpled and pushed to the edge. There were no pink pajamas. Someone rummaged through my things. And who – I already knew. With rage raging inside, I jumped to the Toad and pushed her away from the fireplace. On the logs, blackened with flames, lay my pajamas.

The toad sighed, but stayed on his feet. Although she had nowhere to fall, except in a chair. Her friend poked my shoulder and blurted out:

– Why are you fighting? Are you crazy?

This girl’s hair was raven black, cropped short. She looked like a boy in features. Large, protruding eyebrows made the face stern.

I couldn’t handle two, common sense told me, but the rage demanded immediate revenge.

– How dare you?! I pointed to the fireplace.

– And like this! I wanted to! What do you say? – Now the Toad pushed me in the back as I turned to her friend. I fell to the floor. I hurt my elbow badly and, rubbing it, I felt tears flowing against my will.

– There was a «queen» here! Comes to school whenever he wants. You will walk on my hind legs! Skinny heron!

From such a stream of insults, I went mad, kicked Toad in the ankle. The toad, to my triumph, could not resist and fell, clutching on the chair.

– Oh you!

– Khe-e! – Toad’s friend hurried to help her up.

And I jumped up and grabbed Toad’s hair. This was a mistake. My fingers immediately slipped out of my opponent’s short tail. She, in turn, grabbed my hair and pulled me hard to the side. My head was spinning. I lost my balance, and immediately felt a blow to the back of my head. I was lying on the floor. Added to the pain in my head was the aching itch on the tips of the fingers of my left hand, these are my nails. I think I scratched my opponent.

– How dare you, you reptile? – The toad rushed to me. She kicked my suitcase, it’s good that it wasn’t me, and hastened to leave the common room. Her friend jumped out after.

I sat up slowly and looked around. Here is my suitcase, here is the fireplace in which my pajamas burned out. And no one is around. Only at the far table are two frightened girls looking at me. Then I realized that this skirmish had made enough noise.

My head was buzzing, the back of my head ached. I leaned against the suitcase to stand, then pulled it. It turned out to be heavy. I was able to drag him up. But in my current state, when a bruise on my elbow hurt, and my head was spinning, and I myself was inflated, it seemed to me an impossible task. I nevertheless pulled my load towards the stairs, did not want to leave my things here, but after two meters I gave up.

– Hey how are you? – It was one of the girls silently approached. – Where is your magic wand?

Indeed, where? In my bag upstairs in the bedroom. It was there that I put it at home.

– I will help. – The voice caught genuine sympathy and determined desire. The girl drove her magic wand over the suitcase.

My suitcase, swaying, flew off the floor and floated upstairs. With a resounding thud, he hit the steps, but moved forward. The girl supported me by the hand and led me upstairs.

On the second floor, I hissed:

– How dare they?! I’ll show them some more!

«This is Jamely Ports and Matilda Reinhart. You better stay away from them and that’s it.

– I «hold on»? What have they done to my clothes!

The girl said nothing. And the voice of reason inside me noticed: of course, she is right: do not run into trouble. What do you say when it comes to Madame Argento or Director Brutilde? And grandma? I don’t want her to know which lady I am.

Chapter 7. What is the punishment?

I went up to my room. Ismeralda jumped on the bed. The pillow and the book were still on the floor. And the girl was waving a magic wand over her head. Seeing my tear-stained face, she was surprised and asked:

– What happened?

I didn’t answer. Ismeralda looked past me and asked in surprise:

– Monica?

My assistant appeared after me. The suitcase flopped to the floor, and I, exhausted and depressed, on an empty bed. It was impossible not to notice that they were also jumping on my feather bed. Of course, Ismeralda. I didn’t give a damn about it now.

– My name is Monica. My bedroom is in the next tower. I am from the second Grant. – My assistant spoke in a cheerful voice and was silent for a minute. Ismeralda looked at Monica in bewilderment and waved her hand with a magic wand:

– Hi Monica!

Ismeralda sat down on the edge of the shifted feather bed and, breathing heavily, looked at my tear-stained face in surprise.

Monica glanced sideways at Ismeralda’s wand and said, putting her hand on my shoulder:

«Don’t think about Jamel and her henchmen. You can’t cope with them. So try to forget this incident. And you shouldn’t start a war either.

I rubbed my eyes. I felt grateful to Monica for helping me with the suitcase. I myself was now unable to conjure anything. Nodding to her, I noticed to myself that I would not give up so easily. There will be revenge for the insult. Monica turned to leave, but then Suzanne burst into the room, and Monica had to step aside.

– Rosalina! – Shouted Suzanne and jumped to me. She plopped down heavily next to the bed so that I almost jumped to the floor. Suzanne put her arms around me and began stroking my hair.

– Oh my God! I just found out what happened. I’m sorry! Lily found me and said that the new girl rushed to fight Jamely! Of course, I know Jamely. And I’m sure she did something bad again!

– They rummaged in my things! They threw my pajamas in the fireplace!

– Oh, poor thing! Did you get hit?

She touched my cheek. Pain stung the right side of my face.

– Oh! – I shuddered. The face was still burning. There may even be a bruise on the cheek.

– Sorry, I didn’t mean to. – Susanna was alarmed and ran out of the room. – You need to put something cold on your cheek.

Monica barely had time to press against the door so as not to be swept out of the way, and then sadly shook her head and left.

Ismeralda said softly:

– This is a bad girl, Jamely. I always forget her name. Zha-me-li. It even sounds strange.

Ismeralda pointed her wand at her eye and, squinting, began to examine its end. Only now did I notice that Ismeralda’s magic wand was broken off. Ismeralda struggled to see the core of her magical item.

Suzanne returned. She handed me a tube of cream.

– Apply to injury. It will get easier.

– He’s cold. Even icy! – I exclaimed.

– Yes. It was I who bewitched him with a chilling spell. Is that great? Suzanne, flattered by my surprise, smiled.

After a minute I felt better. The hands stopped shaking.

– This Zhamely. What do you advise me to do with her? Who can be informed that she…

– Not! What are you? Suzanne threw up her hands. – Do not tell anyone!

«What?» I couldn’t believe my ears. – She must be punished!

– I agree, but now you will not change anything, and you will only receive punishment.

– What?

– Listen to me! It’s better not to tell the older ones. Teachers, that is. – And Suzanne began to quickly explain her argument: – If they find out, they will punish all of us, all the girls, that is! Here are the rules. Do you understand? We’re going to have to sit all Saturday writing on Noble Conduct or something like that. If we’re lucky, we’ll get Mrs. Fossil. And if Mrs. Bennetti takes over our «education», then all Sunday will have to sit at work. She will arrange for us such «Rules of the correct tone for a real lady» that you will climb the wall! And an apology won’t help.

– This is unfair! Why should everyone be punished? Can’t I complain about them? I looked at Ismeralda, seeking her understanding or advice. I knew from her face that she was frightened. It seems that the threat to sit out on the day off for additional exercises was real.

– Yes, I remember how on New Year’s Eve I rewrote «One Hundred Rules of Lady Conduct.» It’s a pity I don’t remember them. Or was it for Christmas?

– I, as the headman, in turn will talk with Jamely and Matilda. I will forbid them to come near you. Good? Did you agree?

I nodded. What can you do about it. I was new to this learning environment and could be wrong. And I also didn’t want to spoil my relationship with my headman, Suzanne. She calmed me down, took my side, brought an ice cream tube. In a word, I tried to help everyone I could.

– Good. – I said so softly that I myself barely heard my own voice. And then all the weight of the resentment fell from my shoulders. I rubbed my eyes and noticed that the room was more welcoming and nicer than a minute ago.

– I think it was Christmas. – Thought aloud Ismeralda. – Susie, don’t you remember, huh?

– Ismerald, I don’t like being called that. You know.

– Yes, sorry. I forgot. You are half French.

– Right, half. And I’m proud of my French roots. And this «Susie» of yours sounds like a commoner from the English countryside. As if I were a laundress or some kind of cook!

I laughed. Suzanne’s business tone and her comparison with the washerwoman struck me as funny. Suzanne turned to me and smiled too.

– Hmmm. And I like that name. It’s so kind.

– Ismerald!

– I understand you. I will try to remember.

– Yeah, try! – Suzanne snapped and in turn answered: – And buy yourself a new wand. This one is broken.

– I like this. Ismeralda tossed her wand and deftly caught it. At the same time, she had to flop down on the feather bed.

«This is how I feel the magic inside the wand. And I understand her better. Do you want to try?

Ismeralda handed her wand to Suzanne. She pulled away:

– Thank you, I am not eager. I have to go. I have a lesson in five minutes. I don’t want to be late. Suzanne fluttered out the door. Before she had time to close, Suzanne’s head stuck back into the room.

– Check your schedule. Suddenly you too have a lesson now.

It was already meant for me. I hastily unrolled the sheet I received from Madame Brutilde and frowned. Numbers, a bunch of incomprehensible words. It takes time to figure out the schedule.

– Ismeralda, tell me what lessons I have today.

– So-ak. Ismeralda dropped her wand and took the leaf. – Look, right here. Today is the second day of the school week. The first one has already ended. He was yesterday. So-ak. At ten o’clock you have the Wizard’s Water Course, the first Grant.

– Thank! – I was delighted. My first lesson at a magic school. Great.

– It’s time for you to go. – Graduated from Ismeralda.

I looked at my watch on my left wrist. Twelve twenty, arrows pointed.

– Lesson in fifty minutes.

– It can not be. Look. Ismeralda slipped into her pocket.

– What time is it now? – I turned to Ismeralda, fearing that I was in the wrong time zone. What if here time goes an hour ahead?

– An hour of the day and five minutes. – Ismeralda glanced at the small gold dial and before hiding the watch back in her pocket, bent her left ear towards them.

– What about? Is it already 1 pm? – I didn’t believe it.

– And five minutes. Ismeralda repeated slowly.

– You take it wrong.

– Not. Today, after breakfast, I put them on the big clock in the main hall.

Clock in the hall! I completely forgot. Madame Director, Brutilde, told me about this watch. The Nordlig school lives by the time set by this clock.

I began to quickly take off my clothes. I had to change into school uniforms as soon as I came.

Chapter 8. Introductory course of the wizard

I never thought that I don’t know so much yet. My grandmother studied with me at home, I read books, and then I felt like a complete beginner.