The
door to the room had been rent off its hinges. All around the hallway there
were blast marks, as if a firework had exploded there.

  A number of professors sat on the
couch. When they saw their fellow Professors, they gestured for them to sit.

  “Leave the door. I’d like Balog to
see it.” Professor Nivera said.

  “We were just discussing an incident
in the great hall.” Professor Quilmane muttered. “It’s all sorted out though, I
believe.”

  “Quite.” Professor Nivera said. “But
there is something I wanted to bring to your attentions, just so that everyone
is aware.”

  “What’s going on?” Professor Wolfe
asked, taking a seat.

  “A number of potion ingredients have
gone missing from the store rooms. The puzzle is, the ingredients missing
wouldn’t be used in the same potions.”

  “So someone is making more than one
potion?” Professor Rubeo suggested.

  “Or there are multiple people, each
unaware of the others.” Celeste said.

  “I don’t know which I prefer.”
Professor Nivera said. “They might not even be missing. See, I give permission
for a number of students to go to the store rooms to gather ingredients for
their class potions. I’ve asked around and a few of them did forget to sign the
logbook.”

  “Not a good habit.”

  “No, it isn’t. Nevertheless, I track
mistletoe berries, since they can be dangerous –slightly poisonous and that,
anyway, they are used in one of the class potions.

“I wouldn’t be worried yet then.”
Professor Tutor said quietly, sipping her cup of tea. “I’m sure if someone were
stealing something, it would be more subtle for them to take it from the
greenhouses rather than the potions cupboard, where everything is logged.”

 “Do you have berries growing?” 

“Of course, I am a competent teacher.”
She said, with a twinkle in her eye.

“Say, that tea smells delicious, what
kind is it?”

“Bengal spice. It’s lovely, isn’t it?”

  Professor Hunt shushed the ladies.
“Mistletoe berries, what potions are they used for?”

  “The common antidote, in my class.”
Professor Nivera said.

  “I have a feeling some of our students
have been adding extra ingredients to their food to share.” Professor Mae said,
raising her eyebrow.

  Professor Nivera laughed. “I hope
it’s just that. So, if you come across a bottle of stolen mistletoe berry
common antidote potion... congratulate the student on brewing it. Then give
them detention for brewing it.” 

  The professors laughed, and Nivera
dismissed them.

  “And if anyone sees Henrick, tell
him I won’t be able to join him tonight, I’m going to go through the room and
check everything by the log.”

  “Oh?!” Professor Quilmane said,
perking up his ears and grinning like a baboon.

  She wacked him on the shoulder,
shouting, “Shut up! I would have thought you more capable of self-restraint.”

  “Alex, you’re really just as bad as
the students.”

  He took a posture similar to that of
Lockheart looking at himself in the mirror. “You’re all jealous, how sweet!
Excuse me, I have assignments to grade.”

  “I think we all do.” Professor
Celeste mumbled, holding up the grade book she carried, “but I want food.  “I also need to check on my students. I’m
going for...

...breakfast
first though, if anyone needs me.” (Go to Chapter Nine.)

...a
quick inspection of my students work habits. I’ll be around later.” (Got to
Chapter 10)