Page 10 of Hex Appeal

"The nurse knows all," Ceries agreed."So if you know my chocolate preferences, what else have you learned about me, Principal Starcatcher?"

"Not nearly enough."He watched the team captain demonstrate a particularly complex play."For instance, I still don't know what made you choose teaching over...what was your other option?"

"Magical law enforcement."She grinned at his surprised expression."I know, hard to imagine now.But I was all set to join the academy after graduation.I had the tactical spellcasting scores and everything."

"What changed?"

"My little sister got sick during my senior year.Really sick.I spent months helping her keep up with schoolwork between treatments."The memory still ached, but the good kind of ache—like a muscle that had healed stronger."Watching her face light up when she mastered something difficult, even on her worst days...that's when I realized I'd rather create those moments than chase bad guys and rogue magical creatures."

"Is she—"

"She's fine now.Teaching middle school, actually.Following in my footsteps, though she'll never admit it."Ceries smiled."She uses my lesson plans but always changes one small thing out of principle."

They watched the team practice in comfortable silence for a moment.A stray hockey ball zoomed past them, narrowly missing Malachai's head before a student summoned it back with a hasty spell.

"Your turn," she said finally."What's your real fear as an educator?Not the official one in your principal biography—the thing that actually keeps you up at night."

He was quiet so long she thought he wouldn't answer."Failing them," he said finally."Not the students—though that too—but the teachers.Being so focused on regulations and safety protocols that I forget to support the people making the real difference every day."

"That's not what I expected."

"No?"

"I thought you'd say something about maintaining proper filing systems or ensuring all the semicolons in the school handbook are consistently applied."

"Those matter too," he said with a straight face that cracked into a smile when she nudged his shoulder."But not as much as making sure good teachers can do their jobs effectively.Even if their methods occasionally give me heart palpitations and create extra paperwork."

"I do not—" She caught his raised eyebrow."Okay, maybe sometimes.But in my defense, that were-poodle incident was entirely Rhubarb Rumplekin's fault.I specifically said 'change thecolor,' not 'transform into an entirely different species with a fondness for pink.'"

"The paperwork for that one required a form that hadn't been used since 1962."

"See?I'm expanding your administrative horizons."

The team was packing up now, their practice ending as sunset approached.Neither Ceries nor Malachai moved to leave.Something about the growing twilight made it easier to talk, as if the fading light offered a different kind of honesty.

"What about you?"he asked softly."What keeps you up at night?Besides experimenting with potentially volatile hexes at two a.m.."

"Not being enough."The words came easier in the growing darkness."Not reaching the student who needs it most.Missing the signs that someone's struggling until it's too late."

"I've seen you with your students.You don't miss much."

"I missed Tommy's anxiety about shield charms for two weeks."

"But you caught it.And now he's one of your strongest students."

She turned to look at him, surprised by the certainty in his voice."You've been watching my class?"

"I watch all my teachers."But there was something in his tone that suggested maybe he watchedherclasses with particular interest.

The field was empty now, the last students heading for their cars.They should probably leave too, but Ceries found herself reluctant to break this moment of connection.

"What's your hope?"she asked impulsively."Not as a principal, but as an educator.The big dream that made you choose teaching over something sensible like professional spell-breaking or magical artifact hunting."

"To build something lasting."He looked out over the darkening field."Not just test scores or safety records, but a place where students and teachers feel supported enough to take risks.To fail sometimes, but fail safely.To innovate without fear."He glanced at her."You?"

"To make a real difference.Not just teaching spells, but teaching students how to believe in themselves.To trust their instincts, to know they can handle whatever comes their way."She smiled."Even if sometimes that means dealing with accidental toad transformations."

"Speaking of which, the lockers in the east wing are still occasionally singing the school fight song—and making up their own words to it."

---