Page 36 of Monster's Baby

“I guess he figured out how to climb stairs,” I said.

Aiden nodded silently and followed me up two flights of stairs to the third floor, and then down one of the boy’s hallways.

Professor Reynolds was sitting in the middle of the hall, staring up at a door.

“There you are, Professor,” I said, dropping to my knees next to him.“I know you’re used to being able to walk around by yourself in the academy, but you can’t just disappear like that while you’re still caught up in this spell, okay?You could get hurt.”

“Up!”the baby professor demanded, lifting his arms.

Aiden scooped him up and rested him on a hip.“That was really far that you traveled, bud.We really weren’t paying attention to you at breakfast.Sorry about that.We’ll try to be better.”

CHAPTER10

The headmistress hadn’t collectedProfessor Reynolds at all that day, and he had been a terror in class.Qualitative Spellcraft hadn’t been an issue, since we were trying to solve his mysterious curse, but he had ripped only one plant out by the roots before Professor Wainwright scooped him up and carried him out of the room without a word.

When she returned, she said, “Professor Reynolds has been given into the care of Mister Evans.He says you can meet him in the hallway after class.”

I nodded and tried to focus on the plants that would be needed for our potions lab work that week.We needed to make a list with preparation instructions for the first year Herbology students.I wracked my brain, trying to remember all the intricate details and where a first year student might make mistakes, in order to caution them.I didn’t want to have to brew a potion with improperly prepared plants at best, or incorrect ingredients at worst.

I shuddered.Both could lead to terrible results.

After class, I met up with Aiden, who looked harried.“I need to meet with Professor Dunlop regarding my thesis.He says he needs to go over some issues that Professor Reynolds had made note of, and I have to rectify them before I can start working on it.Ican’tdo math and watch him.”

“No worries.I have some studying to do, so I’ll bring him to my private room.He can’t get away with Darragh watching him,” I said, taking the toddler’s hand.“It’s not like he doesn’t already know where the room is, as a professor.”

Aiden ran his hands through his hair, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.“Thanks.You have no idea how much of a distraction he was this afternoon.”

I chuckled.“He was with me at first, remember.I don’t think I’ve ever seen Professor Wainwright at her wit’s end before, and she’s dealt with some pretty inane questions, like what use salt is in a protection circle.”

“Oh man,” Aiden said, shaking his head.“I needed that.”He dropped a kiss on my upturned lips.“See you at dinner.”

“Oh, you won’t come say hi to Darragh?”

“No, I’m going to try to fix this issue with my thesis.Thanks for writing it down,” Aiden said the last to the tiny professor, who was twisting my family ring around my finger.

I gently switched hands so he couldn’t reach the diamond and amethyst-encrusted ring.“That’s not for you,” I said firmly.“And it irritates my skin.”To Aiden, I added, “See you at dinner then.”

We separated, and I led the professor down to the basement, letting him take each stair one at a time.While we walked, I told him about my plant preparations for my potion.It wasn’t his specialty, and it wasn’t related to his curse, but I thought he might prefer the change of subject.It felt like that was all we had talked about in front of him, and he was probably bored of it.

Especially since he probably could have solved it in two seconds flat if he’d been himself.

Maybe he was frustrated.

“Hey, bud, do you have any insight on how we can fix this curse?”I said suddenly.

He blew a raspberry at me and laughed.

“I’ll take that as a no,” I said amiably.“Maybe once you grow up a bit more.”

I led him into the restricted section and over to the wall that hid my family’s secret room.I was so grateful that I had this space, and even more so that it contained the portrait of my eight-times-great-grandfather Darragh.He was a fount of knowledge, and I would miss him next year.

I made a mental note to ask if he could be copied, but I was fairly certain the answer would be a resounding no.

The passage to my study room was dark, and the professor clung tightly to my hand as we made our way through it.

“Almost there,” I said cheerfully.I pushed open the hidden door and the lights inside came on, welcoming us.“Hello, Darragh,” I said to the portrait.

“You have a child?”he replied, his eyebrows rising so high that they looked comical.

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