*****
*Here here here*
The sound of three neat knocks on the wooden door tore apart the space. Reflecting on the white walls, it thereby created a small echo, which quickly disappeared in this space of white walls and ceilings.
Standing at the door and waiting for an answer, I indulged in everyday thoughts. Still, further communication with the teacher can affect, if not everything, then a lot. For example, if I treat her more suspiciously or cautiously than before, then she will begin to treat me in a similar way (most likely). If I were a little more savvy in mentalism, I could easily (of course not so easily, but there would still be chances) to imitate emotions at my request. However, alas, I can't do that. Even though I have advanced quite far in this industry, how can I compete with, truly, the bison of this school. Moreover, Poppy herself has lived for a long time (and according to rumors, she lives here quite a lot) in any case, she has reached significant heights in the School of Reason.
"You can come in, Kol," a familiar, soft voice reminiscent of the murmur of a spring, pulled me out of the abyss of my consciousness, allowing me to enter. Okay, whatever happens.
Entering the office and looking around at it, I headed to the chair that was already familiar to me. The office had not changed at all - still the same table, with a mountain of papers that, it seemed, could compete with the height of the towers of this castle. The teacher sitting at this table, sorting through these "demonic" papers. Bookshelves, a familiar chair, a room in soft colors. In a word - everything is as before, which is, in principle, to be expected from a creature living such a long life span.
Having settled comfortably in a soft chair, I froze, waiting for something. Although it's clear why. I waited until the teacher finished the paper. It's better to wait a bit than to interrupt.
Seconds passed, followed by minutes. All this time, Poppy was sorting through all these papers with incredible speed. Some she simply debugged to the side, others she burned in her hand, on others she wrote something and only then put it aside. Quite an interesting process that is pleasant to watch. It often fascinated me, the process was so well worked out and streamlined.
Having finally finished with the paper and putting the pen aside, in a specially designated place (why not in the inkwell? Although I'm not observing it here, it looks like the pen is enchanted, or made in such a way that the ink is "poured" inside) the teacher looked up with her crystal eyes at me . By the way, this is not the first time I have noticed that the color of her eyes is changing. Hmm, why is this?
- Good morning, Calder. How are your first days at Hogwarts after returning from Greenland? — she asked, grinning at the corner of her lips. It's clear that her Sidhe nature has taken over again and Poppy plans to satisfy her impulse at my expense.
- Quite nice. Here they are not trying to kill me, use me, or weave threads of intrigue around me. Yes, and there is no need to sleep half-awakely here. Fortunately, the castle's protection allows this," I said in a dry voice, as if I was reading out a list of some things that are not worthy of the slightest attention.
When I finished, I focused on the teacher, trying to track her reaction. Still, my words are quite harsh. Quite a lot will depend on her answer...
"Oh," said the elf, masquerading as a human woman, slightly distantly. For a moment I felt some fluctuations in her emophone, but, alas, I could not recognize what was hidden behind them. - And what happened in the icy wasteland that you speak so categorically about the "rest camp"?
- And why play? You yourself already know about everything that happened there.
"But I haven't learned your version of events yet." By adding up all the stories, I may be able to find out the truth about what happened there," the teacher smiled at me, folding her hands in front of her, resting her elbows on the wooden tabletop.
She fell silent, waiting for my answer. I was also silent, taking a kind of pause. Hundreds of ideas, thoughts, plans wandered through my head. They collided, merged, collapsed. All this happened at such a speed that subjectively for me about a minute passed, but in reality no more than ten seconds.
Finally, having come to a certain decision, I opened my eyes and looked at the teacher, and began my story:
"As you already know, it all started after crossing the veil. Even though the mercenaries began to end up in already known lands, things still happen that some new "zones" are opening up, so we ended up in one of these. And who would have guessed - I'll fill the last phrase with as much poison as I could "produce." Professor Snape, you can be proud of me. Even my always calm teacher was shocked by these words; his pupils shrank. — That after crossing the veil, all magicians begin to experience a sudden increase in the quality of energy. But not only that, they all turn off. Can you imagine? Did you know about this? Me not. But that's not all. It turns out that metamorphs who have not reached the rank of master return to their true appearance. This is a surprise, right?
Honestly, I thought that this topic did not bother me very much, but I was wrong. At the moment I was overwhelmed with emotions. Yes, I don't have the right to communicate with Poppy at all, because she didn't become my teacher somehow necessary - according to all the rules, but it just so happens that I can't stand betrayal. What do you call an act in which the most important information that can affect the rest of your life is hidden from you?
"Well, okay," I waved my hand, without even looking at the teacher. - It's even more fun. Having learned that the entire space nearby is teeming with draugr, and not even simple ones, but those who have retained their souls, it would be logical to retreat, because there is a child on your team. But no, why? After all, reputation and so on are more important to us. Although I can understand them here, I cannot accept them at all. Next, according to our plan, we have collisions, injuries, and so on. So, - a wave of the hand, as if brushing aside something insignificant. - Little things. Next, according to our plan, is filling the camp in which there is a wounded party member. What should be done in this case? That's right, run. But where should the wounded be taken? Exactly, you need to give it to the weakest magician, let him take care of it. He will be able to do this much better than experienced and powerful magicians, right?
I looked at Poppy for a brief moment. She listened to me attentively and was not worried, but there was something strange about her. And this is not a face frozen with a wax mask, but something else that I cannot understand.
- And now, it seems, our brave heroes were saved, but no. Surely it can't be that simple? Let's send the Lich dragon on them. No, so what? Let them rejoice. And what a surprise, the Lich did not kill anyone, but only captured one of us. Suspicious, don't you think? - he turned to the elf, but without waiting for an answer he continued: - However, our "boss" didn't think so. After all, our product is in trouble, we certainly need to save it. Very professional behavior for mercenaries," I grinned, crossing my arms over my chest. Damn, emotions are running wild. How? Why? I can't calm down. - That's okay. You can create a reconnaissance squad or something else by trying to volunteer a comrade. You are magicians! But no, it's easier to teach the WEAKEST magician the technique of the ideal killers of antiquity over the course of several days. For what? Where is the logic? But she's not there. I will definitely be the most experienced intelligence officer. Well, okay, let's move on. "On our agenda is the killing of draugr," with a quick and sharp movement I stuck the silver dagger into the tabletop. — Thanks to this replica of the "Mage Killer," I completed this task with ease. All you need to do is hit the magic knot correctly on the first try.
The teacher, with some kind of disbelief and shock, shifted his gaze from me to the dagger, and then back. However, I was unstoppable. Damn, emotions are raging, shells are twisting. What's happening?
— Reconnaissance with a werewolf deep into enemy territory, what could be better? And the further collision, the stupidity of this dog, as well as his brain, that was fucked by a vampire, what a horror! Turned out to be a traitor. Captivity, torture - why am I talking about this? What's happened? - And then the rescue of my carcass by the brave heroes. But why didn't they notice that madness had taken hold of Ed? Yes, if they had been faster, they could have killed him right away. But no, they endangered me, Sarah, whom I somehow saved, and then they couldn't kill him at all. And who had to kill him? Melee master? No. A necromancer already fighting a dead man? No. I did it for them - a weak magician who simply acted decisively.
My carcass, which jumped to its feet during the monologue, fell limply into the chair, melting into it.
- How retarded do you need to be to attack a dragon that was in a good mood and also ready to talk? Why not come to an agreement? No, we will provoke him. And again the poor little magician entered into a conversation - a barely audible voice, giving off a hoarseness, filled the space of the room.
A sharp surge of mana and obsession flies off me like dry leaves in a gust of wind. In an instant I got there. The emotions subsided, the eyes became serious, I would say hard. A raging flame of magic burned within them, expressing my entire attitude towards this situation.
- For what? — a rougher voice than usual came out of my mouth. Metamorphism took over, gradually changing the body, preparing for something.
The teacher was silent, continuing to look at me with her empty eyes. She froze like a salty statue, but I was not deceived.
- For what? — he asked again, almost growling. The body has become larger, stronger, more agile. In an instant I could break into battle or try to escape. True, none of this will help me, the difference between us is too great.
A smooth wave of a woman's hand and I was shackled in an invisible vice. The body froze, and with it the mana and prana. Only the psi was the same as before. I can't even control my eyes; they were still following the teacher's figure.
Smoothly rising from the table, the girl walked towards me. The sound of her steps echoed like an alarm bell in my head, making my soul tremble. Every sound was like the firing of cannons.
Stopping in front of me, the teacher simply looked into my eyes. Panic overtook me. At that moment, I directed all my strength into the psi, trying to prepare for something. However, what happened next surprised me.
Leaning slightly towards me, Poppy gently hugged me with her arms. The restraining forces were gone, but I continued to sit in a stupor. I don't understand at all what's going on here...
"I'm sorry," the teacher whispered barely audibly in my ear. "You've been through a lot, being so young." Forgive me if you can. After all, it was I who set you up.
I was silent. There were no words. Even empathy couldn't find anything like that. Was she telling the truth? But how? Why? What's wrong here? Another lie? Or not? I don't understand.
Having let go of me, Poppy carefully pulled away and went back to her original place on the owl. My eyes followed her movements, but the previous hostility was no longer there.
"Perhaps first I should explain what it was all about, right?" - She asked me with a slight smile, but without noticing the reaction, she continued. — Even from our first meeting after the expedition, I noticed that your behavior and attitude towards me was very different. About the same as in the middle of the last course - probably it's about that "test". "However, you didn't plan to share your problems, so I asked my comrades about what actually happened during the expedition. But no one could give me a clear answer, but your behavior. Therefore, I decided to act on my own," another wave of her hand and the room was clouded with a barely visible haze. As soon as he disappeared, I was able to discern magical runes written all over the surface of the office. They all converged on the chair where I was sitting. — Small ritual of truth. He forces you to speak only the truth. It affects not only you, like the one on whom it is carried out, but also me. You can then read it in the library, there is a complete description of this ritual - runes again.
Study them urgently. Yes, something needs to be done about illusions. It doesn't matter when my magical vision can't see something because of mana.
— While the ritual is in action, I'll explain a couple of details. Veil - it does not roll back metamorphism changes. At all. If you woke up in your normal appearance, it means someone returned it to you by force - if this is so, then who? Who needs it? What is going on in this team? "The behavior of Flitwick and the others is an arbitrary decision. My request was only to test you, but not to train you as a killer, and certainly not to send you deep into the territory infested with the dead.
I held my head in my hands and thought deeply. What do you even think about this? Does the ritual work correctly or are there any exceptions, errors, etc. Who forcibly reversed my transformation into the icy wasteland? Why did the half-goblin train me? Why this dagger? He couldn't just forget about him.
"Perhaps you should rest a little," she said with a soft smile. "When you've rested, come back." We have something to discuss.
Slowly nodding at her words, he headed out. That's right, I have a lot to think about.