Merlyn Academy: Book One

by Sophia Stone

  It is only when the fire licks my skin that Professor Merlyn intervenes. With a quick flick of his wrist his wand is pulling the fire from me and towards him. Funnelling into his wand, until there is only the smell of burning to remind us of the fire.

  ‘Th-that will be all miss Castle,’ Professor Gideon stutters.

  As I walk towards the door, I turn to say thank you but I end up overhearing Gideon and Merlyn.

  ‘I told you she has abilities. What do we do now?’ Gideon said to Merlyn. I don’t dare stay to hear Merlyn’s suggestion.

  17

  ‘So… how did your first test go?’ Zach asked.

  ‘I thought it didn’t go to badly. I didn’t set anything on fire,’ I replied.

  ‘I messed up the last part,’ Elenore put her head down. ‘I turned the snow into rain and soaked the professors.’

  Matt and Zach looked at each before bursting out laughing.

  ‘Don’t laugh. It was mortifying!’ Elenore protested.

  ‘Don’t be nasty,’ I tell them. ‘I’m sure you two have made a few mistakes.’

  ‘It’s fine, Elenore,’ James said, leaning closer to her. ‘Matt set Professor Gideon’s coat on fire during his test, so I don’t know why he’s laughing.’

  ‘Ugh. It was one time,’ Matt groaned.

  ‘Are you guys done? We haven’t got long to practise for your next test,’ Seb said.

  I look at everyone else’s plate and they have finished their meals. I scoop as much food onto my fork as quickly as I can and shove it into my mouth.

  ‘Do they not feed first years anymore,’ Zach laughed. I wiped my face with my napkin, trying to gain some dignity back.

  ‘Done,’ I said.

  ‘Finally,’ Zach grabs mine and Elenore’s hand and we are teleported to the woods on the outskirts of the school grounds.

  ‘Umm. Why are we in the woods?’ Elenore asks.

  ‘It’s quiet out here. But with teleporting it’s all about practice rather than where you practise,’ he said. ‘I want you to teleport back into the hall first. Think about where you want to go and visualise yourself there. Think in details as it's easier to direct yourself. Get your wands ready.’

  I close my eyes and think of the hall. James and Seb eating at the large table by the window. Matt is wandering around waiting for the deserts to appear. I raise my wand above my head and say the spell.

  ‘Teleporta,’ In a flash, I am in the hall between James and Seb.

  ‘Not bad,’ Seb said. Elenore arrives seconds later.

  ‘That wasn’t too hard,’ she said.

  She brushes her hair away from her eyes so we can see her face and the proud smile spread across it.

  ‘Zach wants you to go to gates at the front of the school,’ James said.

  I can’t remember the gates that clearly in my mind, but I remember the rose bushes twisted around the entrance. I focus on that.

  ‘See you there,’ I said to Elenore. ‘Teleporta.’

  The dense bushes make it hard to see where I am. I reach for my wand but can’t move. Rather than land in front of the gates, I’ve landed in the rose bushes. My hair and gown are tangled into the stems and I don’t think I can move without piercing myself with the thorns.

  ‘Help?’ I cry out. I hear a distant voice and then a light appears close by. ' Help,’ I call out once more.

  ‘Jesus. How the hell did you land in the rose bushes?’ Elenore asks. Her wand is illuminated like a torch, making it easier for us to see each other. Zach comes running up behind her.

  ‘I couldn’t remember what the gates looked like, but I remembered the rose bushes,’ I said.

  Zach rolls his eyes and pulls his wand out.

  ‘The things I do for you,’ Zach places his wand on the steam of one of the rose bushes. A dim spark appears, and the mangled stems retreat backwards leaving me on the floor. Zach puts his hand out and I grab it, pulling myself up.

  ‘That’s why it’s important to focus on where you want to go,’ he said.

  ‘Noted,’ I replied.

  ‘Quick question. Have either of you ever been into London before?’

  ‘Yes,’ Elenore said.

  ‘No,’ I reply.

  ‘Okay. Right hmm. A picture will have to do then,’ Zach reaches into his pocket and pulls out his phone. A few taps later and he shows me what he has been doing. ‘So, this is the Tower of London. Really old building where lots of people died. But it is a landmark of London and where you need to teleport to as part of your test.’

  ‘Okay. So, what has a picture got to do with it?’ I ask.

  ‘If you have never been to a place, you can still teleport to it, you just need to have an image in your head of the place you want to go. Obviously if you have been to place it is easier to navigate yourself there but lots of witches and wizards use this method.’

  ‘So I just need to look at the picture?’

  ‘Study it a bit. Imagine yourself in the moat. There is no water there anymore, so you won’t get wet.’

  I look at the picture and to the left of the tower is a green ditch.

  ‘Is that the moat?’ I point.

  ‘Yep. We will see you there,’ Zach disappears and then Elenore follows shortly after. I am left alone with Zach’s phone trying to imagine myself in a place I have never been to. I close my eyes and imagine myself standing in the moat looking at the pale stone walls. I smell petrol from the nearby road and can hear people talking.

  ‘And that ladies and gentlemen is the end of the tour. Questions?’

  I open my eyes and see I am at the top of the moat behind the small wall separating the visitors from the drop. The coach engines are buzzing ready for the tour groups to enter and depart behind me, and people are talking in many languages. I can’t hear Zach or Elenore nor can I see them.

  ‘Oi. Love. You’re not supposed to be in there,’ a man in a navy and red dress appears on the bridge in front of me. ‘Did you hear me?’ he repeats slowly.

  ‘I got lost. I’m looking for my friend,’ I look around the crowd and still can’t see Zach or Elenore.

  ‘Get from behind that wall now or I’ll have you arrested. I’m sick of you kids larking about. Every bloody day it’s something,’ he grumbles.

  ‘Lizzie! Lizzie!’

  I turn to look under the bridge and see Zach and Elenore crouching down. Elenore gestures for me to come down.

  ‘Do you not understand English? Move!’ the man shouts.

  I take a calculated risk and make a run for it towards Zach and Elenore. I can hear the man shouting behind me, but I dare not look back in case I trip down the steep bank. Zach reaches his hand out and I grab it. Instantly, we are back in the wood.

  ‘And that’s why we normally do practices and tests at night,’ Zach said. ‘How did you end up so far up the moat?’

  ‘I don’t know. I was looking at the verge and saw a few cars. My wand must have got confused,’ I said.

  ‘You have to navigate for your wand. It doesn’t know what you want,’ Zach said.

  ‘I think you did well considering you’ve never been before,’ Elenore chirps in. ‘I’m proud of you,’ she walks towards me and gives me a warm hug.

  ‘I suppose you did okay,’ Zach said. He comes forward and joins in the hug briefly.

  ‘Better not let your brothers see you do that,’ I said giving Zach a big grin. ‘They’ll call you soft,’ Zach withdraws from us and dusts himself down as if removing something from his outfit.

  ‘You two better get back to your room and start practicing. If you breathe a word of this to my brothers, I’ll make it rain toads into your room,’ he said with a grin.

  ‘Just embrace your sensitive side,’ I tease.

  ‘ Yeah, Zach. Nothing wrong with being a sensitive man,’ Elenore jokes.

  ‘Pfft. Whatever. See you at dinner. Good luck,’ in an instant Zach disappears so Elenore and I walk ourselves back to our room.

  Elenore and I spent most of the eveni
ng searching for different images of The Tower of London and also of Number Ten Downing street. I tried to look for as many angles of both places to make sure I could direct myself and my wand where I needed to go.

  ‘We better start walking down, or we’ll be late,’ Elenore said after looking at her watch.

  ‘I’m dreading this,’ I said.

  ‘Me too,’ she replies.

  Once we reach our classroom, we both pull out our scrolls. As we have completed a portfolio for this class, we don’t need to sit a theory test and for that I am grateful. I’ve found it hard enough to revise for the practical’s but adding the theoretical knowledge into the mix would have blown my mind.

  ‘Students, please have your scrolls ready. Please come into the classroom and leave all non-essential items on your desks and then stand behind them,’ Professor Song asks. Elenore and I walk over to our desks and remove our bags and cloaks, leaving them on the table and then stand behind our desk. Once again, Professor Merlyn is present.

  ‘The way the practical test will run is as follows: I will instruct you to teleport yourselves inside the White Tower in the Tower of London. Specifically, the room where The Line of Kings are kept. That is, the large building in the centre of the structure. I will meet you there. Once you have arrived, you need to teleport yourself back into this classroom where Professor Merlyn will check your portfolio scrolls. Is that clear?’

  ‘Yes, Professor Song,’ the class chant.

  ‘Perfect. When you are ready, you may go,’ Professor Song disappears in front of us.

  ‘Ready?’ I said to Elenore.

  ‘As I’ll ever be. See you there. Teleporta,’ Elenore disappears.

  I think about the White Tower. The oak stairs. The rows of shiny armour and wooden horses. I imagine I am standing in front of Henry VIII’s armour so I close my eyes, ready to see the suits in real life.

  ‘Teleporta,’ I feel the pull as I land in armour room. I hear the familiar chatting of my classmates.

  ‘Shh. We don’t want to draw too much attention. When you are ready, please go back to the classroom,’ Professor Song instructs.

  ‘You did it!’ Elenore whispers.

  ‘So, did you. Well done!’ Professor Song looks in our direction with a stern look.

  ‘Teleporta,’ I said to take myself back. Elenore arrives at the same time.

  ‘This is so cool. Think of all the places we could go,’ I said.

  One by one, our classmates appear until finally Professor song is the last to arrive.

  ‘Everyone back?’ she asks.

  ‘Yes,’ we all reply.

  ‘Good. Professor Merlyn, has everyone completed their portfolios?’

  ‘Professor Song, you will be pleased to hear that the whole class has completed their portfolios. Congratulations on passing your Teleporting Test,’ Professor Merlyn said.

  ‘Well done everyone. I hope you have a lovely evening and I look forward to seeing you soon,’ professor Song turns to talk to Professor Merlyn and they engage in a mild disagreement as the class disperses.

  ‘Miss Castle. A word, please?’ she said.

  ‘See you in dinner,’ I tell Elenore who nods and then leaves the room.

  ‘Professor Merlyn has asked that you complete one more test,’ she said.

  ‘Oh. Did I not pass?’ I ask.

  ‘Oh no dear. You passed the test. We would just like to try you at another one. Did you revise for the Prime Minsters house too?’

  ‘Yes, I did.’

  ‘Excellent. I’ll go ahead. You will need to meet me in the White drawing Room,’ Professor Song evaporates, and I am left with Professor Merlyn.

  ‘Would you like me to go now?’ I ask him.

  ‘Whenever you are ready, Miss Castle,’ he replies.

  I pull my wand out and remember the pictures I had seen of Number Ten Downing Street. An old-fashioned building with outdated décor. I remember the White Drawing Room from an online article: The terracotta curtains and garish patterned carpet. I imagine I am sitting on the plush, white stripped sofa.

  ‘Teleporta,’ I open my eyes and sitting in front of me, on a chair, is Professor Song.

  ‘Well done, Lizzie,’ she said without making eye contact with me, 'You may go back.’

  Once more, I imagine myself back into the classroom.

  ‘Teleporta,’ I said.

  Professor Merlyn has that look on his face as he did yesterday. I can’t tell if he is annoyed or sad; his thin-lipped expression gives little away.

  ‘May I go now?’ I ask him.

  He nods his head and I turn to leave. In that moment, Professor Song arrives back.

  ‘She is not a guinea pig,’ Professor Song shouts at Professor Merlyn who nods in my direction. ‘You may go Lizzie.’

  I walk out of the classroom and the door slams behind me. Feeling confused, I drag myself to dinner.

  18

  ‘Come on, we’re dying to know,’ Zach said as I was eating my dinner. James, Seb and Matt were still in the line for their food.

  ‘Yeah. It was okay,’ I replied.

  ‘“Okay”? That’s all?’ he asked.

  ‘I managed to teleport to the Line of Kings with everyone else,’ I said.

  ‘I was hoping for a little more detail than that considering I went out of my way to help you,’ Zach said.

  ‘What more is there to say?’ I snap.

  ‘Are you okay Lizzie?’ Elenore asked. ‘You don’t quite seem yourself.’

  ‘I’m fine. I’m just tired.’

  ‘You sure?’ Elenore asks.

  ‘Yes. I’m going to go to bed. It’s been a long day,’ I get up and grab my things and make a hasty retreat to my room.

  “She’s not a guinea pig,” Professor Song had said. What did she mean by that? I know I am not being told something. Everyone else is not asked to stay behind for more tests. Just me. But I know I shouldn’t have snapped at Zach and Elenore. That was unfair of me.

  I feel like I am going mad. Maybe I am?

  As I reach the first flight of stairs, I hear running footsteps from behind me.

  ‘Lizzie! Wait up,’ Elenore shouts. I debate for a second whether to pretend I didn’t hear her and carry on up to my room. But I wait. ‘Lizzie are you sure you’re okay. It’s not like you to snap.’

  People get hurt when I snap.

  ‘I am just stressed with these extra exams,’ I said.

  ‘Everyone gets stressed with exams, Lizzie. We could ask the boys to do more revision with us if it would make you feel more relaxed about it all.’

  ‘No, not those. I seem to be the only one singled out for extra tests at the end of the planned ones.’

  ‘Is that why you keep getting called back?’ she said with a surprised look on her face. ‘I thought they were just checking you were okay.’

  ‘No. I am getting extra tests and It is exhausting me.’

  ‘Maybe they aren’t sure of your specialism yet,’ she said.

  ‘Don’t we have a test for that?’ I ask.

  ‘Yes, but sometimes it isn’t what you think your specialism is. The professors need to know in order to do the exam properly.’

  ‘So why am I the only one called back?’

  ‘Maybe because you weren’t bought up like the rest of us,’ she said. ‘Maybe you’re just harder to read.’

  ‘So how do I revise to make it easier to be read?’

  ‘You don’t revise for the Specialism test. I don’t know the ins and outs of the test. No one apart from those who have taken it do. And they aren’t meant to share what they know.’

  ‘Why can’t they talk about it?’

  ‘The power that becomes your specialism with dictate your course for the rest of your life. If you manipulate that... well, I imagine it won’t end well with the Sorcerer’s Assembly.’

  ‘The what?’

  ‘Sorcerer’s Assembly. They are like a parliament for witches and wizards. All the top families are on it. They regulate us to
make sure we don’t get into too much trouble. That’s why there will be a representative at the test,’

  ‘I wish there was a book or something I could use to find out about all of this. It’s so much information,’ I groan.

  ‘You have me, James, Seb, Zach and Matt. You only have to ask.’

  ‘I know. I just feel silly asking questions all the time.’

  ‘It’s not silly. We don’t mind. Are you sure you’re okay now?’

  ‘Yes. I think an early night is still a good idea though.’

  ‘Okay, if you’re sure. I’ll see you in the morning. Night.’

  ‘Night,’ I make my way up the flights of stairs to my bed.

  I can’t wait until I am allowed to teleport myself to bed.

  I slept so well that I didn’t hear Elenore come in last night, but I’m glad she set her alarm or we both wouldn’t have had time to revise for our Shape-shifting exam. We get up, dress and make our way to the library for some last-minute revision. Neither of us could stomach breakfast right now.

  ‘You go first. Turn my bag into a bird,’ Elenore said. I look at her black satchel.

  ‘A bird?’ I query.

  ‘You chose a bird as your shape-shifting task. Best to practice on the bag and mess up then end up having to walk around as some half bird person thing,’ she said.

  ‘Fair point,’ I clear my throat and aim my wand at the bag. ‘Transamus,’ I said. The bag jumps up in the air and two white wings appear. The bag flaps around like an injured bird; only able to flap one side.