A magic school story

Chapter Ten:

“Good morning, Miss Beazley.”

The secretary looked up at him this time, and he realised he’d never looked her in the eyes before and so it surprised him to see they were a deep purple behind her glasses.

“You look more like your father now.” She said, putting her cup of warm water down.

“Yeah?”

“Determined.”

Oh.

“It’s gone now,” she said, lowering her gaze in disappointment. “He was a hard man, your father. Even when he was young.”

“I know,” Jess said. “Haven’t met anyone like him.”

“I’ve met thousands- but none like him. Or your aunt. However corrupt your lineage was, your aunt and uncle made it something different. Goldwyn…”

“Goldwyn! You!” she said snapping her fingers.

“Yes.” He said, snapping awake.

“Were you listening?”

“Of course.”

“Okay, then.”

“Look, I just wanted to speak to the headmistress. Kind of urgent.”

“It always is.” Miss Beazley muttered. “Headmistress Lenden should be inside you can go ahead.”

“Thank you.”

He knocked on the office door, but there was no answer. Guess the headmistress wasn’t inside. He wasn’t going to bother knocking again or let Miss Beazley know that because she would just make him wait in the hall for who knows how long till the headmistress actually let him in.

He pushed the door open, and it was surprisingly unlocked, so inside he went.

She really wasn’t inside, he realised ,taking a quick look around. Well he was going to wait right here. The registration had already closed, so he’d probably have to beg and seem as desperate as possible. He sat himself down at her desk. She had a large chart with loads of numbers and students on her desk. It was one of the most complex things he’d seen. Loads of-

Hang on. He pulled the chart toward him and turned it to face him.

These were betting odds.

He quickly scanned through some of whatever popped up in front of him.

Cancer 1/3 800 to qualify.

Aries 1/0.4 to win.

Final round student winner odds:

Is from Aries dorm: 1/0.8.

Is not from Aries dorm: 1/20.

Below year 6: 1/300.

Dorm place odds:

Aries. 1/0.4 to win. 1/0.2 to place top three.

Leo. 1/5 to win. 1/1 to place

Gemini. 1/10 to win. 1/2 to place.

Taurus. 1/50 to win. 1/4 to place.

Sagittarius. 1/90 to win. 1/15 to place.

Scorpio. 1/200 to win. 1/100 to place.

Libra. 1/250 to win. 1/185 to place.

Aquarius. 1/500 to win. 1/400 to place.

Pisces. 1/1000 to win. 1/500 to place.

Virgo. 1/1100 to win. 1/800 to place.

Cancer n/a. Not qualified.

Final round student winners:

David Gordon. 1/15 to win. 1/10 to place.

Cranton Heartwick Sawyer. 1/0.5 to win. 1/0.2 to place.

Vikanden Motherson. 1/5 to win. 1/2 to place.

Grenich Lightborn. 1/150 to win. 1/175 to place.

These weren’t just winning or losing odds, it was full blown and in graphic detail. You could bet on dorms, students, places- Funnily enough the only dorm you could bet on to qualify was the Cancer dorm... Everyone else was guaranteed. The Aries dorm odds were- 1/0.4 to win?!? That meant they were so likely to win the bookies couldn’t give positive odds.

Jesos Christ.

But… Why on earth did the headmistress have this? Gambling wasn’t illegal or anything and it wasn’t surprising such a large tournament would have this. Strange that she would have this... Perhaps she was involved? Making sure it was all happening legally? Approving odds?

He heard footsteps in the hall outside, so he quickly flipped the chart back the way it was and sat back down. His back hit the chair just as the door swung open.

“Mr Goldwyn,” Headmistress Lenden greeted, as she strutted to her desk and sat. “Is there a reason you’re loitering in my office?”

“I was waiting.”

“Loitering.”

Jess shrugged. Okay, that was fair.

“I just needed to talk.”

“Well, you’re always welcome to.” She said, finally letting a smile slip out. “So talk.”

He already knew why he was doing this. There was no reason to really hold everything against Maizley anymore. It was Boxtens, it was just the way things worked, and honestly he was just one random kid whining about it. There was no way anything would actually come of complaining that the other students were being mean. He had to take drastic measure.

“I wanted to get the Cancer dorm into the Dorm Games.”

“Well, I’m impressed by your drive.” She commended. “I’m honestly surprised you’ve taken so quickly to everything.”

“Yep, ready for exams today, ready for the dorm games. I’m pretty ready.” He said modestly, as he drummed in the air.

“Mr Goldwyn, I would very much like to register the Cancer dorm, but unfortunately the dorm registration has closed and even counting yourself the dorm doesn’t have enough members to qualify. You need eleven students on the field. And I’m sure you’ve seen the dorm games. There are eleven on the field, but you have the pick of the dorm for each challenge. To pick the best students for each task, substitute fatigued or injured participants, and have depth for morale and longevity. The Cancer dorm, if it had an eleventh member, would have none of those options and if one of you were to get so much as a sniffle and can’t participate then you would forfeit a challenge since you would have no substitutes.”

“We’ll load up on vitamin c then." he replied. "And we have eleven now.”

“Do you now?”

“Gwen.” He said, simply.

“Miss Goldwyn has not asked to transfer dorms, Mr Goldwyn.”

“But she’ll be out of Aries after this semester, her marks would have dropped.” He said.

“Dorms are assigned or applied to by the year, not semester.”

“But she can leave whenever, and she said she’d want to come here."

“Now, I have a hard time believing that.” Headmistress Lenden said patiently.

He was slightly worried about doing it, but Jess would really need to stretch her patience if her was going to win here.

“Her dorm kicked her out.” Jess said, sharping his tone. “They ruined her, why would she stay? She wants to leave and she wants to come to the Cancer dorm. She told me so.”

“Miss Goldwyn will have to apply to leave-”

“She’s too proud to!” Jess said convincingly, but he played up the exasperation in his voice. “I mean who would openly want to leave the Aries dorm after being told they had to write remedial exams? At least spare her from walking down here."

“You said Miss Goldwyn told you she wants to transfer dorms?” the headmistress asked, after considering his argument.

“She couldn’t have been any clearer.” Jess lied.

“Very well then, Mr Goldwyn. You have eleven members."

“Thank you.” He said, relief washing over him.

“But the registration is still closed.” Headmistress Lenden quipped.

He threw his hands up and groaned. “There must be some exception.” He pleaded.

“The Dorm Games aren’t a school bake school. There are sponsors, rules, contracts and arrangements that have to be made months in advance.”

God, there must be some way. The headmistress was tough but fair. And she sat there across him in her blazer and kind but wise face. He liked her, he couldn’t help but agree with everything she said, but now… There must be something. He glanced again at the odds sheet, but to his surprise they weren’t on the table! She must have hid or removed it when she came in… It was a risk and highly unlikely but if it worked…

“You know the odds of cancer dorm even qualifying are extremely low…” he said. “I get that. Just think how rewarding it would be if you let this happen.”

The headmistress stared at him slowly raised herself higher.

“Mr Goldwyn, in my experience people are only half as clever as they think they are, and even less charming than they actually are. Now, I can only hope that you’re desperate and genuine in your feelings and that’s why you would consider insulting me by trying to bribe me! And snooping in my office and my personal property! In any case Mr Goldwyn…” she said, nodding at him in disappointment. “That is a bet I cannot make. I cannot bet on who qualifies seeing as how I can control who registers."

He- he was going to cry wasn’t he? He’d never felt so small.

“You can always get someone else to make the bet for you.” He offered quietly.

She gave a small soft laugh.

“Out of moral principal I wouldn’t make the bet, Mr Goldwyn. There’s no such thing as victimless crime."

“I’m sure the bookies would survive.”

“Your soul, Mr Goldwyn, would not. Your character. Everything gets easier in life the more you do it. Especially wrongdoing, Mr Goldwyn. Don’t get too used to it.”

“I never intend to.”

“Very few do.”

"I’m sorry.”

She stared at him in surprise. She must have been just as surprised as he was at how honest he was being.

"I didn’t mean to… I got caught up in…” He mumbled, slightly

“Mr Goldwyn, can I ask why the obsession with the Dorm Games?”

“I need to win a bet.”

That did make her laugh loudly.

“All this for a bet.” She said.

“And to prove a point.” He said, not joining the laughter. “It doesn’t sit right with me how people treat the cancer dorm and other students...” He shook his head. “I don’t like it.

“Mm… Be the change, yes?”

Jess nodded.

He seemed to have calmed considerably. He could feel his dad’s temper and flame sometimes but it almost always flickered away quickly. He was very much a candle in the wind compared to his father being a volcano against a paper fan. Right now, he was slumped in his chair, mostly because headmistress Lenden had made him realise how rashly he was acting. She'd humiliated his crooked spine right out of him.

“Mr Goldwyn,” Headmistress Lenden said. “I admire your loyalty to family, but you don’t have to miss an exam as your cousin did. It’s already one o'clock."

Shit.

He got up quickly too his feet.

“Sorry, I forgot about that.” He said.

“You’ll find the exam room in the west hall. It’s not far from here. But you’ll need to change your clothes.” The headmistress said, slipping her glasses on as she summoned over a stack of documents.

“Ask Miss Beazley to open a portal to the dorm for you. You can change your outfit and head to your exam.”

“Thanks.” He breathed in relief. That was damn nice of her, that would save a lot of walking- well he’d be running. Actually… “Do you think I could portal home for something? My dad has some wands and staves at home- I didn’t bring any with me.” He explained.

The headmistress nodded. “Miss Beazley, can arrange that for you. Just make sure you’re back in time for your exam.”

“Definitely! Thank you.”

“And, Mr Goldwyn.” She said, peering at him through her gold rimmed glasses. “Do well on the test will you. The dorm games require immense preparation, you won’t have much time to train if you’re stuck in remedial classes."

Wait.

“You’re letting us in?” he asked, as breathlessly as if he had run to the dorm.

“Indeed I am.”

He didn’t realise how dry his throat was, and his thank you barely clawed its way out of its throat.

“Good luck to you, Mr Goldwyn.” She said, giving him the smallest of a smile. But it was plenty.

Strange... It was strange how his eyes were wet, yet his throat and mouth were caked in dust. He was halfway out the door when he spoke again, and he was relieved to hear his voice was back.

“Hey, um..." he said, at her door. "You should bet on us. We’re gonna win.”