Page 1 of Elmwood Inclusive Magic Academy
THE LAST WEEK OF AUGUST
Maggie
“There is no way I’m going to that school!” I shout. I grab my favourite mug and slam the cupboard door.
All three of my moms are circled around the kitchen island. Astrid waves a hand toward the kettle without looking at it, magically heating the water faster than it could boil on our gas stove top.
“Sweetheart,” coos Millie, clasping her hands together, “you don’t need to do anything you don’t want to–”
“You don’tneedto,” Lydia says, “But Maggie, if you want us to support you going to that awful college you want to go to, then you have to go to Elmwood Inclusive Magic Academy first.”
I make a guttural angry sound in my throat that’s cut off by the kettle whistling. I bang my mug on the kitchen counter, infuriated at how unfair my life has unexpectedly become.
“You can’t just make up new rules, right before September!” I argue, directing my words at Lydia, who is clearly the one in charge.
But Astrid answers, pouring hot water into my mug.
“I thought you weren’t going to start in September anyway. You said you were taking a gap year to work.”
“Now you don’t need to work!” chirps Millie, “you can try out the Academy for a year, learn a bit more about your background, and we’ll cover any expenses you need for...”
“Old-Dead-White-Man College,” Astrid fills in, smirking.
“John JohnsonCollege,” I reply. “Youalwaysdo this, you’re always ruining things for me! I just want to have a normal experience for a change. I don’t want to have to deal with stupid hexes and ravens and people turning into toads…”
“That was justonetime,” Astrid shrugs.
“It was my first boyfriend! And he’s still covered in warts!”
Lydia fails to suppress a grin at the memory. “Maggie, we just want what’s best for you. I know it hasn’t been easy. You’ve had to hide your powers from the other kids, you haven’t had many friends, or felt comfortable inviting any of them over…for some unknown reason…”
“There’s atreegrowing in the middle of our living room!” I gesture toward the large oak that takes up most of the first floor.
“She was here before we were…” whispers Millie reverently, referring to the tree.
“It’s just one year, love,” says Lydia, firmly, “it’ll be good for you, like Millie said, to learn more about your culture and your heritage. Then you can do whatever you want afterwards.”
I glare at her. It’s the last thing I want to do, but I’m totally stuck. I already deferred my start date at John Johnson College and I know tuition will be much easier with my moms’ support. They can tell they’ve won this round.
“And you and your mom can spend some quality time together!” says Millie, looking at Lydia proudly. “She’ll be Vice Principal, and she’s teaching the Basic Charms and Enchanting course.”
“You’re only making me go because your friend is the Principal,” I reply. “This school didn’t even exist before!”
“It did, it was just closed down for a while,” explains Lydia. “Now the Triple Council is starting it up again. And I -we- wouldn’t be making you go unless it wasn’t a good choice. Professor Vyas is a renowned vampire, she’s incredibly powerful and she’s starting up the school again to get some much-needed integration between the magical clans.”
I roll my eyes at her. There’s always so much politics - witch covens going to war, shifters embroiled in decades-long feuds,vampires allying with one group and then another. I can’t keep up with it, and I honestly don’t want to.
My familiar, Pan, jumps up on the counter. He’s a white fennec fox, the size of a small house cat, with massive pointed ears and two tiny black eyes. For a moment, I think he might come to my defense, but instead he starts lapping at my neglected cup of tea.
“Thanks for your help,” I mutter at him.
I turn to my mothers. Millie, still gazing lovingly at the oak tree; Astrid, heavy-lidded and bemused; Lydia, towering over the kitchen table. I know she won’t budge.
“Ok, fine. I’ll go, but after this year, that’s it, you have to cover my tuitionandmy dorm at college!”
“Deal,” Lydia says, smiling widely. “We leave next Sunday.”
I sigh and take the cold tea from under Pan’s nose. I make my way toward my room. Millie pats me on the arm as I go by.
