Professor
Celeste’s office looked exactly as how she left it: Stacks of papers on the
desk to mark or review for appeal.

   Only professors get thrills over stacks of
marking. She sat, quickly and efficiently taking each paper, and assigning its
mark. Every page she didn’t want to do she put into the ‘for prefects’ pile.

  This process continued, page after
page, mark after mark, for about forty five minutes before someone knocked on
the door.

  “Come!” she shouted. Professor
Darkstorm pushed open the door and stepped inside.

  He dropped a few scrolls onto the
floor, and when he bent to pick them up, more scrolls fell out of his hands.”

  “Sorry.” He muttered, tossing down
his armful and drawing his wand.

  They shrunk in size, and fit into a
small bag.

  “I’m on my way out.” He said. “I’ve
left Aislynn in charge of my department until I come back.”

  “Wait, where are you going?”

  “Oh, the headmaster, deputy
headmaster and I are meeting with ministry officials today. Year two, every
year brings changes.” 

  “Oh yes, I remember that. When are
you back?”

  “I’m not sure, but I won’t be back
until after Jaecob and Naya. Assume two days. Could you just let the others
know, I think they’re having a meeting now, but on the wrong side of the
school.”

  “Are they?”

  “Sorry, got to run, I’m very late.
What, it’s nearly eight, I should give myself detention.”

  Professor Celeste threw a piece of
popcorn at him.

  “DETENTION, MISS AFOLAYAN!” He
yelled, reacting.”

  “That’s ‘professor’ to you,” she
snarled, closing the door in his face. He chuckled, and ran down the hallway in
the quickest route out.

  Professor Celeste returned to her
desk and marked for a few more hours. All this time, no essay showed up.

  Eventually, around lunchtime the
professor tired of her marking rave, and decided to break. Professor Celeste
walked down to the great hall to have some lunch.

Go
to Chapter 6