Altered

Seven: In Need of Help

Charlotte slumped down into her seat at the prefect table. She was weary after a restless night of fretful dreams, which she remembered little now that morning had come. James sat in silence eating his breakfast, still unwilling to acknowledge her when he did not have to.

They were no longer alone at the prefect table. Other seniors had at last been selected as prefects. They sat on the dais with them, eating with excitement and delight at their appointment.

As expected, Iseult made prefect and sat in her assigned seat, three places away from Charlotte. Charlotte caught sight of the Blake twins far down the table and Holly Childs, a girl who could turn invisible, sat beside them.

Lucio Anderson sat to Charlotte's right; a tall, thin boy with long, elegant features, pale brown eyes and auburn hair. Charlotte had never warmed to him. Not only was he a suck-up to the staff, he was cruel. He was one of Elmhirst's particular favourites and swanned through the school tormenting others.

Lucio was not full of his own self-worth without reason. His alteration was strong, terrifying even. Not as terrifying as Charlotte's of course, but nothing was. With a mere thought Lucio could produce fire and bend it to his will. His destructive power was match by few others in the year.

Even though she wasn't fond of him, she had never had a particularly bad experience with him. He was annoying and too loyal to Elmhirst, but he had to be easier to talk to than James.

"Congratulations on becoming a prefect," Charlotte said. She was making an effort at least.

"Thanks," he said. His tone was his usual gloating norm. "I guess I should be congratulating you too, though I didn't expect it". There was a slight cut to his words, but Charlotte ignored them. It wasn't as if she had expected to be head girl herself.

"You were not the only one. I'm still in a state of shock," she sighed, pushing her food around her plate.

"You'll have to behave now," he smirked, slicing a piece of apple on to his plate.

Charlotte gritted her teeth. She remembered now why she didn't usual talk to him. "I guess so". She paused. "Do you know who your partner for the Captain's Game is?"

"I do," he grinned again, stabbing a slice of apple with his knife and eating it.

"And you're not going to tell me?" Charlotte laughed after a long silence.

"I can't go giving you the advantage," he replied. He didn't even look at her as she spoke.

"That doesn't seem fair," Charlotte said. "You know who I am paired with – Heads of House remember. I mean it's not really giving me the advantage against your alteration anyway," she smiled. She could see an arrogant smile touch the corner of his lips. Flattery was his weakness.

"He's with Holly Childs," James growled

Charlotte glanced at James who was glaring at her. She hadn't realised he was listening to them. Charlotte opened her mouth to tell him to mind his own business, but thought better of it in front of Lucio. They didn't need their inability to get on to become public news.

"Holly Childs? Really?" Charlotte sighed, looking back to Lucio. Lucio clinked his tongue, his brown eyes dancing with glee as he looked between them. "Fire and invisibility, sounds like a winning combination," she said in a sarcastic tone.

"Against moving things about and the mysterious talent you have, how could we ever stand a chance?" he said in a dry tone. He looked away from Charlotte, disinterested now that she had stopped flattering him. She chuckled and looked across the crowd. Not many of the students even believed she had an alteration. They had never seen it. She had never allowed them to see it.