Chapter Twelve

Mr. McHale inhaled into his tough lungs the cold breeze that the night pricelessly offered. The agency he worked for in tracking down the witches and wizards of Deruthe had elevated him up the ladder of authority in the government. That came with a new level of responsibilities that were demanding and very draining. He had come home that evening extremely drained of energy and his eccentric daughter, Carthia, wouldn’t let him alone requesting to know more and more about the developments in the agency regarding the deathly wizard, Drakeizar as his father had called him.

            Jesi was in his bedroom drawing the map of Gramway as he had seen in Professor Grave’s Library at school that same day. He couldn’t have a great look at it before Professor Grave snatched it from him with the flimsy excuse that students were not allowed the view of the map. Actually Jesi had scheduled to do pleasure reading for an hour before heading home. Upon reaching the Library, the map was spread on the desk of the Librarian and curiosity pushed him to steal a quick glance.

            Time was so much ungracious, Professor Grave came out to see his student with the map of Gramway every student was prohibited from having access to.

“You kid, get away from my desk!”

He had commanded imperiously.

“Ah, sir, it’s me, Jesi Borden.”

Jesi had stammered.

“Borden, why are with this map? Have you any idea the punishment for that?”

He said.

“But it isn’t my fault that you spread out the map on your desk; I was actually coming to ask you a favor when I met the map. I saw it accidentally.”

Jesi said in his defense.

“So what do you want today? I have a book for you about magic wands. You said you would like to read about wands right?”

“Yes Mr. Grave, but May I ask a question?”

Jesi demanded obsequiously, Professor Grave nodded approvingly.

“Thanks. I learnt from the history of this school that it was divided into two equal halves; the Horgward and the Moonfell. As of now, we all occupy Moonfell so what happened to Horgward? Was it destroyed, for I also read that in 1592, 23 years after the school had been built, Raiders invaded this whole place in search of something I am not so sure of. Could those Raiders have destroyed it or possibly made it nonexistent completely?”

Jesi asked, a bit timidly.  Professor Grave fed Jesi a face that made him quiver a while. He seemed to look amazed at Jesi’s words that he moved from behind his massive desk into the main Library. Jesi followed him silently bearing the impression the he had good answers for him. He smiled honestly at that thought.

“You’ve been ravaging my Library for facts about this school of late. Under normal circumstances you come for science fiction and sporadically for romantic novels and some improbable adventure stories. Is there something you are after?”

Professor Grave asked and cocked his head in a desperate search of a book, not exactly the one Jesi had read but one that can answer most of Jesi’s questions. Jesi glanced at him anxiously, unsure of what answer to give.

“Not really sir. I have just got a variation of interests and I love to read about anything at all. So history is just an aspect of my loved literature.”

“I see that, so you want to know what happened to Horgward.”

“That’s what I said Professor Grave.”

“I know that’s what you said boy, you are not supposed to know that at all.”

“And why is that Lord Grave?”

“I will tell you why. Those Raiders you are talking about are inmates from the prison of Magridinol. You don’t know about that prison because it’s only known to witches and wizards.”

He said. Jesi blinked innocently as if he were a Lermil.

“And there are a category of humans who are called Lermils; they are people with no magic powers. Be sure not to say this anywhere otherwise you might be suspected for being a wizard.”

“Yes sire,”

He responded appropriately. Professor Grave had still not answered the question he asked.

“So the Raiders or the inmates of Magridinol were here on a mission to retrieve what had once belonged to them. But they could not destroy Gramway for it was specially made by great authorities.”

“What are those authorities? And by the way do you mean to tell me that Gramway School is Horgward?”

“I can’t tell you that.”

Jesi nodded respectfully.

“You know what, Horgward was not destroyed but as of now, it is not in use.”

“So where is Horgward located? It should be on that map on your desk right?”

Jesi asked.

“I can’t tell you that either. You can never get to know that boy; for your own good.”

Professor Grave said and took off his glasses, wiped them and re-fixed it. He has found the book he wanted, and he handed it over to Jesi.

“Return this tomorrow. All these kind of books had been hidden I wonder where you found the one you read from. It isn’t supposed to be in here,”

He said.

“What of this one, isn’t it supposed to be hidden too?”

“It is, I hid it here myself where no one can find it. Should you be seen with this, you might be rusticated,”

He said.

“I don’t follow Professor Grave, why would they want to erase the history of our school completely by hiding books about its past events? Isn’t that weird?”

Jesi demanded.

“You ought to go home now boy, come tomorrow with the book. At four P.M. the school should be empty of students and you know that.”

Professor Grave said, suddenly losing interest in the talk.

“Alright sire; thanks for your time. It’s been great and enthusing talking to you.”

He said and headed for the gate but stopped and turned sharply at Mr. Grave.

“One more thing, sir, why do you call yourself Grave? I find that unfathomable.”

He said and sighed.

“You talk too much son, come tomorrow,”

He dismissed.

Jesi had rushed home to draw what he had seen on the map on Professor Grave’s desk before his mind fails to retain it. He honestly could not figure out what had happened to Horgward and also could not ascertain whether the inmate Raiders from Magridinol had truly immolated it.

            As he drew on a plain sheet of paper what he had seen earlier, a knock on the door hashed him out of concentration. Judging by the eagerness in the knock, Jesi could tell it was Carthia, his kid sister.

“I’m busy and I can’t talk.”

Jesi shouted without making any move to open the door.

“You are so unbearable what makes you think I want to talk to you. I only want to say something very important and I know you need it for your own good. Open the door then,”

Carthia shouted back.

“Tell me tomorrow, trouble maker, I’m hooked up right now,”

Jesi said.

“Are you naked?”

“Hell no, dummy.”

“Well, you always say you are hooked up when you are naked and don’t want me to see your thing.”

“That’s not funny, Carthia. Come in my door isn’t locked.”

He instructed. Carthia walked in, dressed in her pink night gown. She sighed at Jesi when she saw what he was busy at; trying relentlessly to draw a map of only goodness knows where.

“I wouldn’t have knocked if I had known the door was open all this while,”

She said and blinked.

“What do you want to tell me?”

He asked quickly.

“How much will you pay for the information? You know the usual thing don’t ya?”

She said and splayed herself on Jesi’s bed.

“Don’t start. Get out of here if you got nothing to tell me. You’ve already ruined my hard won concentration.”

Jesi said, getting kind of pissed.

“Be the real deal before I say anything. Alright, you will tell me everything you know about magic wands, will ya?”

“Deal,”

Jesi agreed.

“Daddy is planning to change your school.”

Jesi cast a dirty glance at Carthia, she blenched.

***

School was awful with Rannistar on his usual routine of being excessively imperious with his cult, Chess. A few of its members were in that same class as the boss himself. Unbeknown to him, some of the doings of the cult were already known to the Gore Trio. All the same, the day was horrible with most especially Caulin as he had to suffer the wrath of Professor McGilchrist and his Biology lesson. Caulin, Friend of the Imp, wasn’t properly sound when it came to that aspect of school activities. The day came to end with emotions stirred up vigorously against the negative.

“What of the river side for a bit of relaxation? Your day has been messy dude.”

Adne suggested.

“I know I always hate to be the one to say this but I agree with Adne,”

Jesi said.

“I will go to the washroom and make out to the river with the use of magic of course. I don’t feel like walking,”.

“Smarty, I will do that too. We all are worn out right?”

Jesi said. Adne nodded positively and left the boys.

“Let go to the strange island rather. What do you think?”

Caulin suggested.

“Tell Adne so she doesn’t get perturbed when she doesn’t see us at the bank.”

“I sure will.”