Page 29 of Monster's Delight

“If there’s a spell for the future, there must be one for the past,” I said, working my way through the branch of magic with barely a thought.

“Two sides of the same coin.” Professor Dunlop smiled. “Or spell, in this case. You must be feeling better.”

I blushed and turned away from the mirror. Seeing these objects had lessened the tipsy buzzing in my brain. I was glad it was showing in my questions as well.

“Sit. We need to discuss what happened tonight.”

I took the seat intended for a student, facing the professor across the desk. Displayed behind him on the wall was a sword and a familiar-looking staff with a carved three-leaf clover on the inside of the hook.

“Sorry, I don’t want to distract from the topic at hand, but is that Saint Patrick’s staff?” I asked breathlessly.

Professor Dunlop smiled. “Of course you’d recognize that. Declan had a replica made before he donated it to the school.”

Startled at the mention of his name, my gaze dropped from the staff to the man sitting in front of it. “You know my grandfather?”

“Quite well. We were roommates. Don’t tell me he’s never mentioned me!”

My jaw dropped open. “He only ever called you Edwin. I had no idea!”

“Ah, well, that makes sense. You know, you remind me of Declan. He had a rebellious streak too.”

I wasdefinitelynot imagining his amusement now. “Rebellious? Me?” I asked, feigning ignorance.

“Yes, you,” he said, mimicking my tone. “You know, that prank you pulled reminds me of one that Declan pulled on me back when we were in school.”

“He didn’t tell me about that one.”

Professor Dunlop smirked. “He turned the bathroom floor into quicksand while I was in the shower. I came out and immediately sank up to my knees. Obviously, he couldn’t undo his spell without trapping me in the floor, and he couldn’t rescue me without getting trapped himself.”

I covered my mouth to hide my smile. “How did you get out?”

“How do you think?” He raised an eyebrow.

“Flying?”

“Got it in one.” He took off his glasses and placed them on the desk. Steepling his fingers against his mouth, he looked at me silently for a moment.

I resisted the urge to squirm under his scrutiny.

“What we have here are three rules broken. You are up past curfew, in the boy’s wing, and creating mischief.”

Put all together like that, I began to see that I was in serious trouble. “I’m sorry.”

“Are you? Or are you just sorry that you got caught?”

I wrinkled my nose. “The latter.”

“Naturally.”

Was he stifling laughter?

“It’s a Friday night. I will let the late hour slide. You need to cut loose every once in a while. The prank is harmless fun. I assume you can remove it easily?”

I nodded.

“You will return to the scene of the crime and remove your spell at lunch tomorrow.” He glanced at a large grandfather clock in the corner of the room. “Make that later today. That will be your punishment. No later than noon, mind.”

I nodded again.

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