Dean hawthorne headmaste.., p.17
Dean Hawthorne: Headmaster of a Magical Academy, page 17
Still, I went with my gut, hoping not to offend the lady.
“Viscountess, good day to you. I am Dominic Hawthorne, the Dean of Hexerei Academy.” I re-introduced myself, prepared to leave if she tried to shoo me away one more time, like some beggar.
The information I offered seemed to register at last, the lady pushing past her butler to get a better look.
“Oh my! The Dean of Hexerei? To what do we owe this pleasure?” Her tone turned to a more formal one once she recognized my standing at the most prestigious academy in the kingdom.
“I'm here to speak with your son Harvey. Is he in?”
I knew I could relay the information to the woman, and I was sure she was waiting for just that, but I didn’t enjoy repeating myself and thought it would be best if all parties were present before I began.
“Of course, of course,” she spoke kindly to my face, then turning to her butler, she growled under her breath, “Edward! Go get him.”
I don't know if she expected me not to notice the change in her demeanor, but she certainly didn't do a good job of hiding it.
“Right away, Madame,” Edward responded politely, heading toward the grand staircase at the rear of the foyer.
“Oh, excuse me. Where are my manners? Please, come in.” She gestured inside her elaborate estate, but something told me if I didn’t want to be here all day, it would be better to wait outside.
“Thank you for the kind offer, but if it's all the same, I’ll wait right here,” I responded, earning an obvious pout from the Viscountess.
She teetered awkwardly in the entryway, looking behind her every so often to see if the butler was coming back anytime soon.
“Would you like some tea, Dean?” the viscountess asked, determined to provide some form of hospitality while I waited.
“No, but I appreciated the offer. I am just fine waiting right here.” I replied, realizing it was taking longer for the boy to walk down his own stairs than it had for me to travel from Alastor to Barrenfroth.
The viscountess seemed to finally accept my refusal to come inside, the woman stepping out onto the porch so she could shut the door behind her. A good seven minutes of awkward small talk later, and the door finally opened, Viscount Crane and his son Harvey both appearing simultaneously. I bowed at their arrival as per custom, showing respect to the nobility.
“Please, there is no need for that. Come inside,” the viscount bellowed merrily, the man walking in first and leaving me no choice but to follow.
I refrained from outwardly sighing but joined them in the foyer.
“This won’t take long, so I’ll get straight to the point,” I started before the man could travel too far away.
Harvey moved to stand around me and brushed back his dirty blonde hair, his determined green eyes looking steadily in my direction, showing me that he was not intimidated by my presence.
“If you insist, Dean, why have you come to our residence this fine day? Have you decided to accept my boy here into your fancy program?” Viscount Crane laughed whole-heartedly, patting his son on the back, the boy’s whole body shaking from the motion.
“Well, actually that's exactly why I'm here.” I got straight to the point, handing him the acceptance letter.
The man looked visibly shocked, his words meant in jest, but he quickly regained his composure, accepting the letter with gratitude.
The viscountess scanned her husband’s face, gauging his reaction before she showed any of her own, a giddy smile replacing her neutral one, her excitement calculated to match that of her husband’s.
“Ha ha!” he exclaimed as though it were a great triumph. “I guess it's a good thing you refused to settle for our own city's magic school!” he spoke to his son, but his eyes remained on the letter in his hand before finally relinquishing it to its actual recipient.
Harvey stared down at the letter, a mix of emotions showing on his face. The lack of an acceptance letter had weighed heavily on the boy’s mind, affecting his current mood; that much was clear, but what I couldn't quite read was whether or not he would actually accept the opportunity now that it was being presented to him. His father had already made it clear the boy had refused to acknowledge any other school, but would his pride stop him from accepting the tardy invitation?
“Whether or not you had currently enrolled in another academy was outside my previous knowledge before making the decision to come here. I'm simply here to present an offer of entrance into Hexerei. Whether or not you choose to accept it or decide to remain in whatever academic setting you are currently in, is your choice alone. While we would be happy to have you, I understand that the timing may be inconvenient. For that I apologize, but I will need an answer before I return, as I will need to find another candidate in that case,” I told the boy, making sure he understood what the letter meant.
“Please excuse my son’s silence, Dean Hawthorne. He would be happy to accept the entry into Hexerei Academy,” his father jumped in, shaking Harvey’s shoulders as if to wake him from his trance.
Harvey jolted back to the present, holding the letter a little tighter. “Yea, I’ll accept,” he said at last, his confirmation all I needed.
“Wonderful! Now I'm sure you’ll need some time to pack, so I’ll leave you to it. On behalf of the Hexerei teachers and staff, we look forward to your arrival at the academy.” Just as I began wrapping up my speech, preparing to leave the estate, a couple of servants entered the crowded foyer, each one carrying a trunk of luggage.
“Don't worry, Dean. My son is prepared to leave now and would appreciate a ride back with you in your carriage.” The viscount gestured with his hand toward the readied personal items, the family suddenly seeming a little too eager to see their son go.
I maintained my composure enough that I didn't laugh at the prospect of him joining me in my invisible carriage.
“I’m afraid there is no carriage, Viscount Crane. I traveled to your residence using a different method.” I pulled my wand from my robe for good measure, making sure my vague words weren't misconstrued. “But again, it’s no trouble if you take the next couple days to make your way to Alastor.” I smiled. and this time I did reach for the handle of the door, not wanting to teleport inside the meticulously-decorated home.
Giving the family two or more days to make the journey seemed more than generous, but they seemed determined for their son to leave immediately.
“I'm sure someone of your great standing would be able to accommodate one more through your means of travel. Am I right?” The Viscountess giggled, trying to goad me into accepting the request.
“It's not me that lacks the capability, I am merely thinking of your son’s well-being. Instantaneous travel is rough on everyone accept the caster, something I'm sure you would prefer to avoid.” I looked at Harvey when I said my last sentence, but he appeared indifferent, as though he already knew the outcome of the conversation.
“It won't kill him, right?” Viscount Crane questioned curiously, slipping his arm around his wife.
“No. Of course not.”
“Then where's the harm? What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, I always say!” He laughed heartily, his young wife joining in.
I can't say I've ever had anyone willingly request teleportation magic after hearing of the side effects, but there was a first for everything.
“Very well, but don’t say I didn't warn you,” I mumbled, continuing out the door of their grand estate.
Servants followed me out the door, the luggage in tow, until everything, myself included, stood on the front walkway of Viscount Crane’s great home.
“Is this everything?’ I questioned, the group of boxes already looking like too much luggage for such a small dorm room.
“Yea, that should be it,” Harvey spoke up, stepping out from beneath the threshold of his home and onto the front steps.
I nodded, circling the point of my wand around the accumulated items, a chantless spell in mind. The bags disappeared instantly, their destination Mr. Davidson's old dorm room. Little claps accompanied the spell, the viscount and his wife smiling as though they were watching a staged magic show, cheering for the displayed skill.
Their reaction to my spell led me to believe the two were neutralbornes—those born into this world without the ability to manifest mana into magical powers. Viscount Crane was known for his skills with a sword, so it wasn’t too surprising that he lacked any magical capabilities. Harvey, on the other hand, had scored quite well in the magic category of the exam. The boy’s expression remained neutral when his bags disappeared off the house walkway.
While it wasn't unheard of for a sorcerer to be born from two neutral parents, it was more likely that Harvey's biological mother was capable of using magic. I didn't want to pry into their personal business by asking about the viscount’s past relationships, so I kept my questions and my speculation to myself.
“Is there anything else you need before we head off?” I asked Harvey, the next teleportation spell already floating through my mind.
He shook his head, confirming he was ready for departure, taking a step closer to my position.
“Very well.” I waved to the boy to come closer still. “Viscount Crane, I expect you will be around in a timely manner to complete the entrance paperwork.” I turned back toward the boy’s father, letting him know I hadn’t forgotten about the paperwork and fee for attending the school.
I gave an open-ended deadline, figuring I could simply make another visit to his estate if I decided he was taking too long with the formalities. He scrambled from his place at the top the steps, disappearing inside the house momentarily before returning with a scroll and a sack of coins.
“Here you are, Dean Hawthorne. Oh, and this.” He added a smaller sack to the bundle. “I trust you can handle the rest of the required papers on your end.” He raised his eyebrows, waiting for a response.
“Of course, Viscount Crane.” I ascended the steps to accept the offered items, returning to the front walkway after securing them in my robe pocket.
“Alright, Mr. Crane; Are you ready?” I took a few more steps toward the boy, closing our distance to make teleporting us both a little easier.
He looked a little apprehensive, seeming to finally be taking my warning into account.
“There's still time to change your mind if you would prefer to follow in a carriage.” I had my wand in the casting position, but whether I was teleporting one or two people made no difference to me.
“No, no. I’ll be fine.” He inhaled deeply, puffing heavily on the exhale. “Okay, I'm ready,” he told me with determination, his fists clenched tightly, awaiting for the spell’s activation.
“Alright, then we’ll be off. Viscount Crane, Viscountess.” I nodded to the two respectively, and with a wave of my wind, we disappeared from their lavish estate’s porch.
Chapter
Twenty-Seven
ORION KINGDOM: CITY OF ALASTOR
Now if it were just myself, I would have simply appeared outside my office door as usual, but with a new visitor to Alastor, there were certain regulations even the dean couldn't circumvent. Instead of the spell’s destination being the school, we appeared outside the gates of the city, the guard flinching only slightly at our appearance, his hand clutching his weapon a little tighter until he realized who I was.
“Dean Hawthorne, I hadn't realized you’d left the city.” The man closest to us spoke up first, taking a few steps in our direction.
“Bryan, my boy, it’s good to see you. I just needed to pick up a student,” I gestured to the boy before I handed him Harvey’s documents.
The young man glanced over them, then looked at the boy, who was crouched over his knees taking in deep gulps of air.
Bryan chuckled at Harvey’s expense. “Was there no other way to travel?” he asked, handing back the document.
“He insisted.” I shrugged, receiving a pitiful headshake from Bryan that was directed at Harvey. “You’re clear to pass. Good luck at the academy,” he offered Harvey, knowing full well the boy was too sick to pay attention to his surroundings.
“Thank you. Do tell your mother I said hello,” I told him, readying the next teleportation spell.
Evelyn Sparrow, Bryan’s mother, was a long-time friend, one mutual between all the members of my adventuring team. Although a decade younger than myself, our friendship was strong and had continued as such—even if our meetings were few and far between.
“I'm sure she would prefer it if you said hello in person.” He smirked, waving my entrance inside the city.
I smiled back, knowing we wouldn't be walking the rest of the way to the academy. “I’ll keep that in mind,” I said half to appease the man, but I made a mental note to find some time to visit my old friend.
Harvey held out his hand as I approached, shaking it as though he meant to tell me something, but the spell was already in motion and with a flip of my wrist we disappeared, our new destination the front walkway of Hexerei Academy. I chose our destination for two reasons; one: I thought a tour of the grounds was in order, seeing as this was likely the boy’s first time on the premises and two: I didn't want to have to clean up puke from my office.
As soon as we appeared on the walkway in front of the building, Harvey rushed to the grassy area and threw up, his whole body racked with dry heaves. When he finished expelling his lunch, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and stood up, his face drained of all its color.
No words of apology emerged from my mouth, the boy having been warned of the side effects of instant travel, but I did activate a quick healing spell, one to eliminate minor nausea caused by motion sickness. Some of the color returned to the boy’s cheeks, but I could still tell he wasn't feeling the greatest.
“Do you need to sit down before we continue? Or perhaps you would prefer a trip to the health room?”
“No, I’ll be fine,” he grumbled, his answer immediate as he tried his best to appear strong even in such circumstances.
“Alright, if you're sure?” I presented my statement as a question, not wanting to force the boy, but a swift nod answered my question once again. “Very well, allow me to show you your new home for the foreseeable future.”
I led the way, walking up the front steps and into the great halls of the academy. The space was quiet as we passed through the grand double doors, the classes still in session. I made sure to point out pivotal locations for the boy as we walked: the cafeteria, the training arena, the gardens; and I gave him a generalized idea of where to find his classes, the first-years mainly situated on the first floor.
I informed him of the current classes available to first-years, letting him know that in the succeeding years, the classes available to him would increase and those would be located on the other floors of the academy. For now, all core classes were held on the ground floor.
Heading toward unit one of the dorms—where the first-years stayed—I gave Mr. Crane a brief speech on the expectations of the school, being sure to highlight that cheating would not be tolerated. He nodded along as I spoke, but I'm not sure how much of the information he retained from our conversation, the boy having yet to recover from magic sickness.
At room number seventy-nine, I stopped, searching my robe pockets for the key I still had in my possession, Mr. Crane standing close behind me, waiting for the moment when the door would be unlocked.
“These will be your accommodations during your first year here at the academy. I do hope you find them satisfactory.” I pushed the door open, analyzing the space to be sure it had been cleaned after Mr. Davidson’s departure.
After confirming the cleanliness of the room, I stepped aside, letting Mr. Crane enter his new dorm. The dorms at the academy weren’t big by any means, the majority of the identical rooms housing two twin beds, two desks for studying, personal dressers and nightstands, and if you were really lucky, a closet. In addition to the small living quarters, each room featured a small, attached bathroom complete with a sink, shower, and toilet, all equipped with a water magic stone.
The luckier students, namely those that paid extra for the privilege, were given single rooms, the space the same size, made larger only by the fact they didn't need to share it with a roommate. Unfortunately for Harvey, entering in the school year so late meant he didn't have his choice of accommodations, a viscount’s son or not.
By the looks of things, Harvey's roommate was pretty tidy, the other student’s belongings stacked neatly in his area, so at least he had that going for him. I could see the disdain written all over his face as his eyes glanced around the small space, but he didn't say anything, the boy quick to understand his own situation.
“I'll let you rest for the remainder of the day, and later I’ll have your class schedule, academy uniform, and the accompanying textbooks delivered to your room. Be prepared to start classes in the morning. I’ll also be informing your teachers of your arrival, so they will expect you first thing. Welcome to Hexerei, Mr. Crane. I hope you have an enlightening first year.”
I set the key to his room on his personal desk, being sure he saw it before I took the few extra steps toward the door. The boy rushed to sit down on the bed, taking my advice to rest while he had the chance. I nodded to show my intent to leave, closing the door securely behind me.
Once in the hallway, I readied my wand, teleporting myself back to my office, ready to sit down in my comfy dean’s chair—whether that meant paperwork or not. Reappearing in front of my closed office doors, I nearly collided with a student, the third-year lurking around the halls despite classes still being in session.
She jumped at my sudden appearance, scrambling to appear as though she had a reason for being near my office. She settled for clasping her hands together, her body rocking gently from side to side. I recognized her immediately as the student I'd saved earlier from falling down the stairs, a moment that, with everything that had happened in quick succession afterward, felt so long ago.
