Infinite Regress (52 page)

Once the master believes the apprentice is genuinely ready to earn the mastery, he/she will take the apprentice to be tested by a number of other masters. An apprentice who passes will be released from most of the apprenticeship oaths (the main exception is the secrecy oath, binding them not to share any secrets that belong solely to their master) and earn the right to call himself “master,” as well as take his own apprentices (although it is common for the new master to wait a few years before taking any students of his/her own). It is unusual for an apprentice to fail as the oaths prevent masters from putting their students forward ahead of time.

The term “master” is not sex-specific. A female magician can call herself a “master.”

Overall exams in magic are conducted by the White Council, which ensures a degree of uniformity amongst the different schools. (Exams can also be taken by students who received private tutoring; the student merely needs to show up on exam day, regardless of his or her prior history). The exams are almost always thoroughly practical, putting students in positions where they have to use their magic; cheating is extremely difficult and largely regarded as impossible. (Although someone who did come up with a new way to cheat might earn a great deal of respect).

Outside exams, the five schools have a great deal of leeway in how they can approach education. Whitehall, for example, insists that its students carry out a joint project in third-fourth year, putting forward a proposal in third year and actually carrying it out in fourth. A particularly interesting project may well be carried over into fifth or sixth year. Mountaintop, by contrast, does not consider the joint project to be mandatory, although students may carry out one for extra credit if they wish.

Schools also vary considerably in their approach to discipline. Mostly, however, a student who does not find himself motivated to learn will be failed, eventually, when he cannot pass his exams. (A failure will generally force the student to re-sit the year, but a particularly bad failure means expulsion.) A student who does not attend classes regularly may be banned from the classroom by the tutor (although he will still be permitted to take the exams). Students who disrupt class, prevent
other
students from attending class, use forbidden prank spells or torment non-magical staff will face punishment.

In Whitehall, students can be only expelled for a handful of offenses, including bullying younger students, dating students more than a year above or below them, seriously harming or killing their fellow students or studying forbidden magic. Stronghold adds striking tutors to the list of expulsion offenses. Once expelled, a student
may
be able to apply to another magical school. However, as the school
will
make inquiries first, this happens very rarely (and almost always when the student has powerful connections).

Christopher G. Nuttall was born in Edinburgh, studied in Manchester, married in Malaysia and currently living in Scotland, United Kingdom with his wife and baby son. He is the author of twenty novels from various publishers and thirty-nine self-published novels.

Current and forthcoming titles published by Twilight Times Books

Schooled in Magic YA fantasy series

Schooled in Magic
— book 1

Lessons in Etiquette
— book 2

A Study in Slaughter
— book 3

Work Experience
— book 4

The School of Hard Knocks
— book 5

Love’s Labor’s Won
— book 6

Trial By Fire
— book 7

Wedding Hells
— book 8

Infinite Regress
— book 9

Past Tense
— book 10 (forthcoming 2016)

The Decline and Fall of the Galactic Empire military SF series

Barbarians at the Gates
— book 1

The Shadow of Cincinnatus
— book 2

The Barbarian Bride
— book 3

Chris has also produced
The Empire’s Corps
series, the
Outside Context Problem
series and many others. He is also responsible for two fan-made Posleen novels, both set in John Ringo’s famous Posleen universe. They can both be downloaded from his site.

Website:
http://www.chrishanger.net/

Blog:
http://chrishanger.wordpress.com/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/ChristopherGNuttall