Thick & Thin [𝓣𝔀𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓦𝓸𝓷𝓭𝓮𝓻𝓵𝓪𝓷𝓭]

Chapter 26

November 1st-
Our poor cousin can't get the thought of her big brother out of her head. Neither could Kekoa and I. I want to hug her so badly so she knows we, Annie, and Skylar love her to death. But apart from that, let's focus on how our asses need to start studying. We have mid-term exams TOMORROW, and if Tutu finds out we haven't studied, then we're in deep trouble. I keep scolding Kekoa for not organizing his things, but he refuses to listen to me. Oh well. He's my hot-headed arrogant twin brother.

~~~

Today was a study hour for all classes. The next day would be mid-term exams. Annie had created her study guide for the twins, Allison, and Skylar to use before the test. She had been doing elaborate notes, partly thanks to Riddle, and thankfully, that day had Allison, in first-period history, studying her notes for the test tomorrow. Skylar sat on the other side of the classroom, doing the same thing. They went over their notes, jotting down other things they could use for referencing. Trein was at his desk with Lucius, combing him. Thank goodness, for his back was feeling much better after the events at Fleur City.

Allison wrote down answers to her hand-made study guide, at her desk headphones on her fox ears. She wasn't over listening to The Nightmare Before Christmas, even if it was the month for Thanksgiving. After that was Christmas. As she tapped her toe lightly to the music, she wrote, licked her lip, and wrote some more. As other students read books, drew things on paper, and more, Allison began to feel... light-headed. Her eyelids felt heavy. She took her headphones off and lay down. "What's going on...? I slept perfectly fine this morning," she thought.

But she still succumbed to the slumber. No matter what she did, her eyes wouldn't open. "Miss Bianchi, could you help collect textbooks from students?" Trein asked.

There was silence. He looked from his book to see the fox girl sleeping. Other students looked to see a sleeping fox. "Allison?" Trein asked again.

Still, there was no answer. He exhaled and asked for Jamil to wake her up. He looked at the sleeping girl beside him and gently shook her. But Allison remained silent and asleep. "Psst. Allison. ... Allie. Hey!"

Now something felt wrong. He looked at the professor, feeling slightly worried. "I think she's passed out," Jamil said.

"Then let me take her back to Pomefiore. The third-years have the first period off for extra study hours," Trein said.

As he walked to pick up Allison, Jamil stood, a hand on her shoulder. "Wait. ... Please, professor. Let me take her back. I can carry her."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Trein exhaled and returned to his desk as Jamil picked Allison up, making sure her skirt was covered underneath. Students, including Skylar, watched in fear as the door closed behind them. "Oh God... What happened...?" he breathed.

Outside, Jamil walked to the Hall of Mirrors and through the Pomefiore mirror, entering the pocket dimension. Vil was sitting outside, reading his History of Magic notes. Upon hearing footsteps, he looked to see Jamil with Allison in his arms. "Oh my goodness! What happened to Al?!" Vil shouted, running over.

"I don't know. She passed out during class, and she was studying for the mid-term exams tomorrow," Jamil replied.

Vil sighed and took Allison into his arms, thanking Jamil as the Scarabia vice-housewarden left. Now the fox was in his arms. Vil walked inside and put her in bed, tucking her in. Not even a minute later, Allison slowly sat up in her bed. "Oh dear– Al, lay down. How did you pass out in class? Did you not eat breakfast?" Vil asked.

"I... I ate this morning..." Allison muttered as she lay down.

Her voice was raspy as if she had come down with a cold. It was weird. Suddenly, she wakes up, saying she ate breakfast and slept fine. Vil sat at the foot of her bed, a leg over the other. He snapped, and a bowl of soup and throat lozenges appeared on a tray. "Al, maybe this sickness was because of your big brother. I knew him when I was little. Hell, I looked up to him. But then I heard of how he scratched a child, and so I trashed all of the things I had of him. Posters included. I think this spell came from when he... spat on you," he explained.