Avis Blackthorn and the Magical Multicolour Jumper (The Wizard Magic School Series, Book 2) (30 page)

The creature tried many times’s, to get me — but every time he was thwarted. But, they took time and a lot of recuperating of energies to perform, energy he could have spent in better ways. I thwarted him in the changing rooms when he so very nearly got squished by the statue. Thwarted him when he refused to eat the cursed putting. And I managed to get out of the charmed flowers grip.

It sulked, everything it tried, failed. The creatures memories flashed around it’s brain as it lay in the middle of the cold stone floor
…
the boy striking lucky and defeating him. Oh, the pain of it, the power lost as the boy said his true name for the final time. The creature said aloud the spell that would get him out of that room, away from the boy who knew his true name,and away to safety. But the damage had been don
e
— in this new room, up high, it looked in the mirror, breathing heavily, for the life had been sucked out of it. Before the mirror, it watched its tall form descend, shrink and shrivel up. The clothes now dragged on the floor. Everything reducing in size, he looked ridiculous. He was no longer Malakai…

But he would get his revenge. He vowed, before falling unconscious high up in one of the old school classrooms amongst the sprats and dirt, dreaming of revenge.

Malakai! This whole time.

His form had been completely reduced, unrecognisably after I had said his true name last year — he had stayed in the school since our battle, in that classroom with the dirt and the mark on the wall, plotting revenge against me.

Chambers and Burrows were watching with expectant faces. Chambers with a couple of bags under his arm, the noise outside the room of the mob, getting louder.

“When you are reduced to a form like that, it opens the door to negativity. I mentioned before, that I was governed by different magic when I was a Djinn…” said Burrows. “He probably thinks, that by killing you with magic it will make you come back as a ghost—and I don’t think he wants that.”

“But,” said Chambers. “If he kills you, by
accident
, then maybe he thinks that you will not be able to come back as a ghost and reveal his true name to all.”

“I didn’t think it mattered
how
you were killed?” I said. “I thought you have to have an anchor to become a ghost?”

Chambers and Burrows smiled. “You do, but he doesn’t know that.”

“When you are reduced to that form, you develop a kind of stubborn inward madness,” said Chambers, with half an eye on Burrows. “I mean I wouldn’t know, I’m not the expert but I am sure John would agree?”

Burrows nodded slightly, with a knowing look at Chambers. “He is a sorry, lost creature. But poses a big danger. Before we go, we will help you get rid of it…”

Suddenly out of nowhere a pulse of bright blue light swept through the room. “
AHH
!” Burrows cried out, staggering backwards into Chambers. The noise outside the room was now at fever pitch, they were up here in this turret, hundreds of them by the sounds of it.

“You need to go!” I cried as Burrows stood again, looking weak.

“A poxy dispelling charm…” said Burrows. “I’m too weak to counter it!” he said, before he turned to Chambers. “But we need to help him get rid of the creature—” Another flash of blue light, like a wave, shot through the room causing Burrows to scream with pain. I felt nothing, nor did Chambers.

“We must go!” Chambers cried, supporting Burrows, who held up a long finger at me.

“We must go and find the remaining Heptagon Society members. It won’t be easy, but we shall keep in contact.”

Chambers and Burrows smiled. A second later a purple light licked the air like a firework. And they were gone, along with everything in the room. It was empty, completely empty.

A voice quiet and soft entered the room as if from a discarnate being, a pair of lips spoke from the middle of the room in John Burrows voice: “I forgot to say…
follow the runes
,” it said, before disappearing in a small purple flash.

I sat down cross legged and awaited the mobs entry, looking as nonchalant as I could. I could hear short discussions between the Magisteers about how best to enter. Thoughts about what the Djinn had just told me raced through my head — what did I tell them when they came in?

A second later, a loud voice echoed. “Any thing that offers harm, please step away. I am the Lily. I am entering…” The tunnel opened out as the Lily, white and tall came striding through with big bold eyes scanning every corner of the seven sided room. Straker, Partington, Dodaline and Yearlove followed up the rear.

“Where is it?” said the Lily, from his body pulsed another wave of bright blue light that shot though the walls.

“Who?” I said as simply as I could. “I haven’t seen anyone, I just woke up here.” I avoided eye contact, instead I smiled at Robin who had just sneaked inside with his panic-stricken, but relieved face.

“Well, thank God you are okay!” said Partington darting forwards and summoning a towel around me. Outside the room was quite a crowd — Partington spoke loudly to them: “He’s okay!” he called. There was a loud, relived, cheer.

Straker stepped forward with a deep frown on his face. “We saw something take you, it looked like a Djinn?”

“Of course it was the Djinn!” said the Lily, angered.

I stood slowly. “If it was, it didn’t do me any harm.” I said as they slowly looked around at each other. “But, I do know what has been setting the apparent
accidents
on me and others this year. The collapse of the stadium just now, the falling statue, the cursed pudding, the charmed flower, the fire…”

Yearlove, who was looking out the window, turned. “Yes, yes, tell us then boy!
Who
?”

“
Malakai
,” I said. Robin gave me a wide eyed look of horror and scanned the room with his spectacles again. “He is in the school, he never left after… after Ernie defeated him last year. It wasn’t the Djinn at all, it was Malakai.”

“The Djinn didn’t hurt you
at all
?” said Partington.

“Not one bit,” I said. “But… it saved me, from the collapsing stadium. I wouldn’t have made it out if the Djinn hadn’t saved me.”

“Preposterous, it’s modified his memories!” called the Lily, looking around at the Magisteers, who stared back at me. “Magisteer Dodaline, can you send a
ping
around the school to check for discarnate beings like Djinn, and also for any trace of Malakai.”

“Certainly can,” said Dodaline, before rubbing her palms together and throwing them into the air. A ball of green smoke collected above her head before exploding outwards.

“We shall find out soon enough,” said the Lily. And not a second later did the smoke return to a ball atop Magisteer Dodaline’s head.

Dodaline closed her eyes. “Well, that is interesting…” she said. “Seems there certainly
was
a Djinn here, not more than thirty-seconds ago… but as for… Malakai — I’m afraid it’s found no trace of him.”

Eyes turned towards me, Robin looked worried. “I’m not lying!” I said. Partington began checking my arms for any signs of harm from the Djinn — before flashing a light into my eyes and peering inside. “Ahh,
gerrof
!” I called.

“His eyes are fine, no sign of modifications…” said Partington satisfied.

The Lily sighed and spoke as if he were talking to a toddler. “We are talking about one of the most powerful Djinn to have ever existed. It will not leave a mark of it’s magic.”

Partington shuffled awkwardly on the spot. “No, of course not… just… checking.”

“Well,” said Straker. “At least it’s gone, that’s something.”

Everyone stood in silence, watching me. It was awkward. I’d have killed for someone to just speak, to say something. But they didn’t. I stared at the floor, wondering how to get out of this one.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

“Kill Avis Blackthorn”

“
I
don’t think I need to remind you that we are dealing with a
Djinn
,” said the Lily slowly. “A centuries old Djinn that will say and do
anything
to regain and retain its freedom. You know more than you are letting on Avis and let me tell you now that it’s firmly within your interest to tell me.”

I stood in the centre of the Lily’s office, knees weak. He stood tall and imposing, grey spotted eyes boring into me. I couldn’t bring myself to meet them, for I know I would reveal everything to him and I couldn’t do that. Not after what the Djinn told me — he said I was a member of the Heptagon Society and they were going to find the rest. The words…
Just, be careful of who you trust, the sides of good and bad are not labelled. It’s probably a good idea not to tell anyone about what I am telling you…
seemed to reverberate around my mind as the Lily waited for an explanation.

“I am sorry Sir. I wish I could, but I can’t remember anything.” I lied, staring intently at a crack in the white stone floor (one slight imperfection in a room of perfection). The Lily stared at me silently, I felt his gaze turn cold. He sighed softly, before turning and running a long finger along his desk.

“Now, you say it was Malakai that set these
accidents
on you?” He said. “Why you?”

“I’m sorry Sir?”

“Why…” he said slowly, “was he trying to kill
you
?”

I swallowed. “I don’t know Sir.”

“Look at me,” he ordered, slowly I looked up and met his gaze. He was silent for a moment. “I would have thought that if he was after anyone, it would be Ernest Partington? Wouldn’t you agree?”

“Yes Sir,” the Lily was getting impatient. “You do know that the Djinn is tricking you? It has what it needs from you and now it wants you to believe something so as it can cover it’s tracks. It does not want the person who set it free filled with vengeance — otherwise it could be vanquished, by the only one who set it free. It has spun you a yarn that will make you reluctant to go after it. You are the only one who can get it back into the captor. You are the one that it needed to convince, no one else…”

The rain was splattering against the window, outside the Stadium lay in a huge pile of debris, again. “I’m sorry Sir…” I said. “I don’t remember anything.”

The Lily cricked his neck and looked around at the walls, taking a seat at his desk and slumping backwards shaking his head like a spurned teenager. “It’s a shame… shame… you have to help me to help you. But you don’t want to, that’s fine.”

He stretched out his hand as a glass appeared, filling with orange liquid, which he sipped. “I’ve come to a decision on the outcome of the Riptide semi-final…” he announced placing the drink down, and pressing his hands together.

“Oh…” I said, completely forgetting about the Riptide match, even thought I was still in my yellow Condor top.

“
Yeeas
,” said the Lily slowly. “I am awarding the place in the final to the Swillows.”

I couldn’t speak, my mouth drying up — was he serious? He was only doing it to get back at me for not telling him what the Djinn said. “But, but… that’s not fair!” I cried, the injustice burning a cauldron of poison in my stomach so hot, I didn’t even care who I was talking to. “You can’t… I mean… I was ten feet from the bolt-hole before the stadium fell! I was about to score!”

“Ah, but you
didn’t
. And on the subject of
fairness
…” he said slowly. “Do you really think it’s
sporting
to wear the pair of Seven League Shoes?”

“I…
I
…” was all I could manage. He knew, of course he did, that I used the shoes to get an advantage — he was the one who gave them to me.

“I am afraid that is the least of your problems… I don’t think I need to remind you what we spoke about before?” he raised his eyebrows.

“Er… what’s that Sir?”

“But I am surprised you’ve forgotten,” he chuckled. “The fact that if you did not vanquish the Djinn then I would be forced to
exspell you
from Hailing Hall.”

An ominous feeling slipped into my stomach. “And it has gone Sir…”

“Yes, gone. Not vanquished.”

He was still going to exspell me? “No Sir, you can’t exspell me… I mean, the Djinn has gone, that’s what you were worried about?”

“No! I am worried that there is Djinn out there that has a connection to you as it’s life giver, and with you in the school, that could pose a security issue for the pupils that are in my care,” he said voice rising.

“But Sir… you can’t exspell me because… this is my home… I can’t leave. I’ll have nowhere. And magic, I’ll…” tears began to fall from my eyes, I couldn’t help it. I couldn’t believe that I was being exspelled! What on earth would I do? Go home? No, that was not an option… I wouldn’t be able to learn magic fully and I wouldn’t be able to get a job without my P.W.W’s!

The Lily watched me coldly. “You know the rules, you agreed to my demands of vanquishing it.”

I held my hands to my face as hot tears streamed uncontrollably. “But… I cannot just exspell you instantly — I have to satisfy the School Councillors, by providing them with the evidence, it shouldn’t be a problem — releasing a Djinn is a criminal offence. You have until the end of the year to prove that it was Malakai who set the accidents on you, and not the Djinn. If you can prove it, with
evidence
, then you will be allowed to stay. We’re not barbarians — innocent until proven guilty. Currently you are guilty and due to be officially exspelled in just under three weeks.”

I swallowed and took a deep breath. “Yes Sir…”

The Lily stood. “I’m off for an emergency assembly. I’ve just told you the contents of it, so it’s not required for you to come… wait for the doors to unlock before going to the Healer’s room to get checked over. We don’t want you bumping into anyone in the corridors as they make their way to the assembly.”

My
head was pounding. I stood in the middle of the Lily’s office utterly dumfounded. If I didn’t find evidence for it being Malakai that set the accidents on me, then I would be exspelled!

I felt weak, my knees shaking together so violently I though I might collapse. It was like my worst nightmare. I’d have to go home and be treated like a scivvy (a magical-less servant). I stood and listened as crowds of people made their way down to the Chamber.

I stood alone in the Lily’s office. It was completely white; the walls, the door, even the window frame and curtains. It was strange to see so much white in one place, it kind of dazzles the eyes — like standing in Slackerdown or the Arctic or something. All the things that usually stood in this room — storage units, tables of magical items, bookcases and such had vanished when the Lily left he room. They sunk downwards into the ground — obviously he didn’t trust me to be around them alone. The only thing that remained was the Lily’s desk. I suppressed the urge to smash it up, for it was the least he deserved. He was being completely out of order.

Click
, went the door, opening wide. I walked slowly, the doors clunking shut behind me as I made my way towards the Healer’s room. I hadn’t been harmed at all by the Djinn, all I did have was a horrible headache which felt like my brain was caving inwards. Perhaps it was the stress.

As I walked the empty, silent hallway a thought occurred to me. A terrifying thought… what if the Lily was right? What if the Djinn had tricked me? What if it had completely fooled me and implanted memories of it being nice and telling me all about being in the Heptagon Society just to keep me on it’s side? To make me impotent against vanquishing it — if I even could anyway. My mind was a mess, it hurt to think.

Approaching the large double doors to the Healer’s room I heard a familiar voice from inside — one I had learned to hate… Jasper’s. I tip-toed closer to the door and pressed my ear to it.

“Ouch, that still stings a bit,” he said.

“It will do,” said the Healer in her soft, wonderful voice.

Jasper cleared his throat. “It’s all that Avis Blackthorn’s fault… he saved me, now they all think he’s a hero — but don’t they see? It’s his fault anyway! He’s the one who set the Djinn free…”

“Ok dear, calm down and stop talking so much. It will help.” I pulled away from the door, the stupid git was talking about me — I’d saved his life and he was still moaning. “There,” said the Healer. “Keep that held onto there and that should heal in a few minutes or so.”

“Thanks,” said Jasper. “Oh, there is one more thing, before you go…” Jasper paused, I could sense he was nervous about something. “It’s just, well, I was wondering if you know anything about…
blackouts
?” his voice cracked.

“Blackouts?”

“Yeah, well it’s silly, probably nothing. Forget I said it actually.”

“If you wish,” said the Healer. “Your cut looks healed over now, you are ready to leave.”

I jumped out of the way of the door and tip-toed down the corridor, slipping into an alcove. The double doors opened slowly as Jasper gave his thanks — I peeked round the corner. He was still in his white Riptide kit. It was muddy and torn in several places. He marched away up the opposite corridor, muttering to himself. I moved out of the alcove and quietly slipped into the Healer’s room.

I
didn’t go back to the my dorm room straight away, making a pit stop for the same place I always go when things get tough — the clock tower. I don’t know what it was about it, apart from the fact that I basically lived up there for half a year. Maybe it was the dusty floor, the clanging bell, the bird mess, or the damp smell. Still, I found myself climbing up the thin, spindly ladder and opening the roof hatch.

Pacing the floor, I kicked at the rotting beams — I was just so annoyed and frustrated, tears welled up in my eyes. I preyed for this to just be a horrible dream, and I’ll wake up in a few hours with everything back to normal. I sat down and stared out of the clock face across the rain battered grounds of Hailing Hall — I couldn’t let this be my last memory of this place. If I left, my life would be over… I’d never see Robin, or Tina, or Hunter, or Partington ever again.

A horrible image flashed before my eyes — me turning up to their seventh year graduation to congratulate them, only… they didn’t recognise me. I shuddered — currently, in three weeks I would no longer be a student of Hailing Hall.

I
didn’t know how long I was up there. It could have been minutes, or hours — I should have been able to tell seeing as I was in the clock tower, but I had a dreamy daze wash over me. Making my way out of the clock tower to the darkening sky outside, I stumbled and tripped back to my dorm. Pushing open the door, all eyes turned to me.

“Where have you been?” Robin cried, charging over to me.

“Yeah,” said Jake. “We ‘ave been worried sick.”

All the boys were sitting on their beds looking worriedly at me. With light blazing in the brackets, all the boys looked freshly washed, I suddenly realised that I was still caked in mud and dressed in my Riptide shirt.

“Just been… thinking,” I muttered, stumbling inside and crashing down on my bed.

“We watched the demon kidnap you,” said Hunter. “Everyone thought it killed you.”

“The girls were terrified for you,” said Graham. “Someone should go and tell them your okay.”

Dennis jumped up off his bed. “I’ll go…”

“Well?” said Robin. “What happened?”

I sat up a little in the bed as flakes of mud fell everywhere. I didn’t care. “I have no idea,” I said. “I was unconscious. Didn’t see the Djinn.”

Simon recoiled. “Who said it was a Djinn?” he said suspiciously. Bummer.

I squirmed. “Hunter did, just then…”

“No,” Simon pointed. “Hunter said
demon
, not Djinn.”

“Same difference,” I said waving my hands.

Simon huffed snootily. “They most certainly are not the same!” he called. “You must have had some recollection to know that it was a Djinn and not a demon? Anyway, why would it
save
you?”

“We ‘ave all been wondering,” said Jake sitting on the end of his bed. “It iz’ a little strange ‘dat the Lily says the Djinn that you released collapsed the stadium, but why would it collapse the stadium on you — but then save you?”

“Exactly!” clapped Simon.

“We kind of put it together Avis,” said Graham. “The jumper that you just got from nowhere… it did weird things to people… that was from the Djinn wasn’t it?”

My eyes felt heavy and I was tiring, my headache returning as I strained to think of the right thing to say. “Look, it’s been a long day… I just want to get some sleep—”

“Yeah but…” said Simon. “You haven’t heard the best bit! We had an assembly earlier, the Lily told the whole school that someone in our form
cheated
.”

“He didn’t say
cheated
,” said Robin. “He said
used an illegal spell
.”

“Same thing… anyway, it means that he’s awarded the place in the final to the Swillows! Which means it’s your fault that we are out!” Simon cried — the other boys scoffed at him.

“How do you come to that conclusion?” said Graham.

“Yeah!” Hunter bellowed. “We wouldn’t be anywhere near the final if it wasn’t for Avis.”

I sighed. “I already knew. The Lily told me earlier, in his office. He’s angry with me that I wouldn’t tell… I mean, that I couldn’t remember anything about the Djinn. So he’s told me that I’m going to be exspelled in three weeks…”

“
WHAAAAT
?”