Page 13 of The Holy Academy of Witches

Some time later, as I was making notes for myself on a particularly tricky aspect of the curse, which was rife in the news at the moment, I was interrupted by a delicate cough. Pausing my pen, I raised my eyes to see Sage sitting with her open textbook. “Had enough?” I asked.

“No, I was wondering… there are mentions here of light and dark magic but also constitutional… from what I gathered in the reading I did before coming here we only use constitutional magic, is that right? Or…”

I lifted up a small pendant used for scrying, and set it in motion like a pendulum. It swung back and forth gently, “Once you venture out of what is considered the norm, our constitutional magic, you set something in motion. The simpler the spell, the quicker you return to normal.” I gestured with my finger causing the pendulum to swing faster side to side. “The more extreme… the longer it takes to escape the side effects.”

“What side effects?” Clove asked, leaning closer.

I clenched my jaw, as my thoughts went to a place I didn’t like to venture into in the presence of others. “Simpler spells of light and dark magic will leave you with a nice high, followed by a small drop. Not unlike recreational drugs or high amounts of caffeine. But unlike caffeine, it tilts the scales of your magic. Giving you an affinity for dark, or light. The more you use of one, the easier it is to delve deeper. So, what do we do?” I asked.

“Specialise?” Clove asked.

I stiffened, pausing the pendulum with my mind, at one extreme. “Okay. Now imagine your magic is almost completely light… what would happen?”

“I… I don’t know.”

“What would happen to the plants if there was only the day? Only Summer?”

“They’d burn up.”

“Precisely. You’d burn up.”

“So, we don’t use it at all?”

“You don’t use it at all. Novices are forbidden from meddling in things they cannot control.”

She looked deep in thought, “So it’s for after we graduate?”

“Exactly. Experienced Witches and Warlocks know their limits and can regulate the effects,” I explained.

“Why can’t they just teach us how to do that here? Surely it would be better for us to know sooner, rather than later.” Her voice rose indignantly as she balled her hand into a fist and pounded the tabletop lightly.

Leaning back in my seat, I watched as she gathered herself. Looking momentarily embarrassed by her actions. “The only way to regulate the effects is to use a spell of equal magnitude from the opposite scale… and if you go too far one way or the other… Well, it doesn’t end well.” She pursed her lips at this, “The Academy are in a difficult position, one which they don’t take lightly. Parents know their teenage children will inevitably rebel. Now, do they strictly enforce rules around what is acceptable under their roof in the hopes that the child will understand the consequences or do they take the approach of allowing them to smoke and drink under their watch hoping it gets it out of the child’s system in a safe environment… Well, there’s possible fallout with both options. Your child may be satisfied with that or the false security may lead them to believe it is safe when it isn’t and they do worse behind their back.”

Clove’s shoulders sagged as she looked back down at the checklist of tests I had set for her, “I’m done.”

“Very well. I’ll take these back to my room with me and look them over and tomorrow evening I will let you know our next steps.” I picked up the paper and objects and slid them into my bag.

“Will I meet you here again?”

“Obviously,” I walked off without saying anything more and followed the illuminated path back to my dorm.

My phone vibrated in the pocket of my skirt as I entered the building and I glanced at the caller ID before lifting it to my ear, though there were only a few select people who had my number.

“Cillian, to what do I owe this pleasure?”

A deep laugh sounded through the phone and I smiled as I walked up the flights of stairs to my dorm.

“Just thought I’d see how things were over on the other side of the water… Back to making everyone’s life hell, I presume?”

“Ha ha,” I replied sarcastically, “do you know it always amazes me the sheer amount people have to say about me, considering I barely speak to them.”

“What’s the latest?”

“Oh y’know… that my mother gives me the best grades in every subject, that I’m the spawn of Satan and I live off a diet of baby hearts.”

“The usual then?” I could hear the smile in his voice as he leaned back in his leather desk chair.

“How’s SAV?” I asked as I let myself into my room.

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