The children enter very quietly in the classroom. It was the first lesson with Mr. Knudlac for Elizabeth and for many others.
"Please sit down," Knudlac told the children. And open the magic book ... on page 4.
On each desk where two students were seated, a volume of How to use a wand - Lessons for beginners, Get busy and make it snappy by Paula Brown, appeared for each student.
"Today we talk about how to use the magic wand. The magic wand is ... the extension of a wizard's hand and it is normal to be the first thing we learn to use. Today if we have more time after reading, we practice defence against the attack of the opponent... How to disarm your wand attacker," said the professor.
The boys were on top of the world. Bustle and noise among them, because it was clear they liked the subject they were to discuss at that course. What can be more fun for young people of their age than fighting with magic, to show which one is brighter.
"Quiet! just read what I asked," Mr. Knudlac frowned for just a moment, but enough to turn those little barbarians into little angels.
Everyone began to read as if they were soldiers in the army. The children began to read from the magic book, surprised at what they learned and repeated, in their mind or aloud, various words. A little girl, who seemed not to know the mysteries of magic as well as the others, like Elizabeth, however, managed to throw a colleague's wand from one of the desk to Knudlac's table, using the knowledge in the book.
The girl was embarrassed, especially because some of the kids who had private lessons with famous professors, to avoid making fool of themselves at the school of magic, like Alexander, started laughing loud at her.
Yet, only at a simple glance of Knudlac's they calmed down.
The children continued reading the book. Still, some of the kids who laughed at that little girl were not interested in that information because they already knew it.
For example, Alexander was familiar with the use of the magic wand at the age of 5. His parents came from one of the richest families of wizards. They did their best to make sure their son would become an elite student. It was a tradition in Soimesti family to be winners, to be the best. It was a tradition of theirs too, not to consider the means or the path chosen to get there, the results were important… to be the best. Anyway, that does not mean he did not look forward to using his wand from his father at that lesson.
After a couple of minutes, Mr. Knudlac approached Elizabeth, for she saw the little girl was like a kitten fallen in the middle of a river. She couldn't understand the words in the book.
"My dear, what happened, why don't you read?" he asked in a soft voice.
The girl looked at Mr. Knudlac a little scared and said in a quiet voice, a little fearful:
"I don't know how to read too well. I mess up the letters between them ..."
The kids laughed even louder than at the wand moment. They were about to say she had nothing to do in the school of magic. First to attend a sceptics' school and then return to the famous Elmbridge School of Magic.
"She embarrasses Professor Knudlac," Alexander whispered to his friends. "She is a relative of his, I got. If I did this to my father, he would certainly disown me."
Again only a swift gaze of Professor Knudlac's managed to calm them instantly.
The professor smiled, looking at Elizabeth.
"Keep calm, dear. You are certainly not the only child here who does not know how to read correctly."
Mr Knudlac looked at the class and asked:
"Is there anyone else in the class messing letters from time to time?", Mr. Knudlac asked. "You don't have to be ashamed," he told them. "It was very difficult for me too with the letters when I was your age. Needless to speak about numbers."
Two red-haired boys and a fair-haired girl, close to Elizabeth's age, also admitted it was harder for them to read and understand precisely the lines in the magic book.
"Come to the first rows, please. I will explain to you how things are."
The kids in the first desks let the other four sit in their places as if trained to do exactly what Knudlac wanted.
After they all sat at the desks as they were asked, Mr. Knudlac spoke to the students:
"The rest of you, keep reading, and you four, listen to me ..."
Mr. Knudlac sat in front of the two desks where the four children sat. He looked at them with a smile, then turned his gaze to Elizabeth's eyes:
"Today, because I set out to teach you some spells, I will help you to read better. But then, please practice reading and writing as much as possible. Because ... writing and reading means knowledge. If we know how to write and read, we can learn anything ..."
The kids didn't understand much. How to read if they can't read properly?
Eaden Knudlac took some stuff from a shabby closet. There were some cute bonnets for the girls and caps in checkers for the boys. After the children placed them on their heads, the professor raised wand and said a few words:
"Lectio autem scientiam!"