Fractured

Uagadou School of Magic

Sometimes I wish I lived on a mountain
Drank from a stream
Instead of a fountain
I'd stay there, on top of the world

- Airstream Song - Miranda Lambert

Chapter Twenty-Four
Uagadou School of Magic

After a couple of hours on the bus, trundling through the tunnel, the children could see a glimmer of light ahead.

'Here we go, everybody,' the bus driver announced, 'we're about to exit the tunnel and I get to enjoy my favourite part of the school year...'

Rose reached over the seat behind her to poke Albus and Scorpius. They jerked awake, mumbling incoherently.

'Wake up, losers, we're almost there.'

The tunnel opened up onto a valley floor. The ground around them was lush and green, with vegetable gardens and forests stretching either side of the road. A jagged mountain range reached high overhead, enclosing them. Ahead of them, the tallest mountain disappeared up into the clouds.

'Wow,' the children breathed in collective awe.

'Welcome to Uagadou School of Magic,' the driver said, with a smile in her voice.

The path rose steadily upwards as they approached the mountain. They passed through a small hut-village. The occupants stepped outside to wave and shout greetings to the convoy of buses as they passed. Little children ran laughing alongside, pulling faces at the students.

'That's the local tribe,' Danai explained, leaning across the aisle. 'They're the protectors of the school.'

'Cool,' Rose said, pulling a face back at a little girl about Nova's age. She shook off a momentary wave of homesickness.

Another tunnel opened up, and they drove inside the mountain. It quickly became apparent that they were in a bus station. The space had roads splitting off into different sections, with giant numbers glowing above each area. A teacher stood underneath each number, waiting for the students to arrive. Their bus stopped next to a giant "1", and the other first-year buses pulled up behind them. A woman in long, green robes and a yellow hijab stood at their shelter.

'Alright then, you're going to disembark in a nice orderly fashion. I'll pull your luggage out of the bottom of the bus, and you can grab it then step back out of the way. Everyone stays right here until the teacher gives you permission to leave. Does that all make sense?'

There was a general murmur of assent. The bus driver jumped off and started heaving the trunks and suitcases out onto the pavement. The children nervously started picking up their travel bags and shuffling down the aisle.

The air outside the bus was cool, with a slightly damp smell. Rose, Albus and Scorpius huddled together as they waited for their trunks. Danai rolled a pink suitcase past and went to wait at the back of the crowd. She was soon followed by Sara, who had a hiking rucksack weighing her down.

'That bag's bigger than you!' Rose teased, pulling her trunk towards the two girls.

Sara smiled weakly at her, the blood having drained from her dark face.

'Um, do you need to sit down?' Scorpius asked, worriedly. 'You don't look so good...'

'I'm fine,' Sara whispered.

Rose set her trunk down and pushed Sara down to sit on the lid. Albus pulled an unopened bottle of water out of his backpack. Sara accepted it with a resigned nod. Danai hovered nervously nearby, looking repeatedly at the teacher standing a few feet away.