Morgan le Fay Institute for Magic

Chapter 8 - Confident Conversation

"You can still go back."

The smell of wet grass hung in the air as Ravenna and Dan left Morgan le Fay grounds on Saturday. The grass squished under her feet. Her best friend hadn't said a word since they'd exited the school building, a permanent frown on his face.

"And leave you to c...c..." He sighed, starting again. "And let you do this alone? I don't think so."

"It's just a chat, Dan. I'll be fine, I promise."

He grumbled something unintelligible, so she decided to let it go. Sometimes he could be as stubborn as she was.

Dawnwich was quiet when they arrived. As if the town was still waking up. A few early-afternoon shoppers were all they came across on their way to the Fae's Foot Inn.

Dawnwich was a sleepy town. Muggles and wizards mingled here. They were neighbours, they went to the same shops, the same restaurants.

But not the same pubs.

The Fae's Foot Inn was untraceable for muggles. They walked right past the door and into the next pub over. The Fae's Foot, therefore, was the only place of magic in Dawnwich.

Dan stopped by the bookstore a few buildings further down the street. The sign of the pub, which showed a two-toed foot and a pair of wings, swung gently in the wind, its hinges creaking. "I'll wait here. In about ten minutes, I'll follow you in and keep an eye out. Remember, if you -"

"Get in trouble, I'll pretend to suddenly notice you, I know. I'll be fine, Dan."

"Right," he said gruffly. "Just be c-careful."

"It's only a chat. Stop worrying so much." She smiled, nudging his arm, before leaving him alone by the bookstore window.

Warm air blew into her face as she entered the Fae's Foot Inn. She zipped down her winter coat and glanced around the pub. She recognised him immediately. He sat at a table alone, swirling his butterbeer in his glass and staring into the nearby fireplace. He was a plump man, certainly not taller than Ravenna herself.

"Excuse me... Alois Mallow?"

His lips pulled into a grin as he looked her up and down. "Miss Inkwood, I'm chuffed you came. Please, sit down. Can I get you a drink? Butterbeer?"

"Oh, er... Yeah, that's fine."

She waited awkwardly as he swigged down the last of his own drink and went to get two more at the bar. Her boots stuck to the grimy floor when she crossed her legs. The smell of cigarette smoke hung heavy in the air.

Butterbeer sloshed over the rim of the glass as he set it down in front of her. "You know, I am a lot like you. Not half as powerful as you, but we have a lot in common. I can tell by the look of you."

Ravenna doubted that, as she peered over her butterbeer at the pudgy little man with his dim grey eyes and pale skin that made him look as though he barely ever got out of the house. She took a sip to avoid snorting, and said, "How so?"

"I'm your future. And the future, I'm sorry to say, isn't bright. But you can change that. That's why we're here."

Ravenna hunched in her seat. "Yeah, well at least you could graduate."

Surprise flashed in the man's grey eyes. "What do you mean?"

"You haven't heard? What the Ministry did?" When the confusion on his face didn't clear, she straightened her back. "A Ministry official came by the other week to assess the level of teaching at Morgan le Fay. The prick never even gave us a chance. He took away not just our funding, but also the exams. He won't send another official to conduct the O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s later in the year!"