All manner of
things Sparrow had upon her plate, but at the very least she was
addressing one now. At this evening, many fellow students younger and
older were filtering into the disused classroom – many of the
students who had promised to come to this impromptu
class, and many they had brought with them. Kingsley Cadogan and
Honorius Heaumont, for example.
And there was one
student, mingling within the back of the crowd, who yet stood out
sharper than anyone else to Sparrow’s eyes – one who bore rainbow irises.
Wilhelmina Burke was making herself known to Sparrow once more.
Sparrow made a
beeline for the girl, but as she did so Wilhelmina caught her eye,
and then she seemed to vanish into the crowd. Sparrow came to a halt.
Whatever Mina was up to, she’d only been sending a message. It
would have been nice if Sparrow had known what
the message was.
She felt a tap on
her shoulder. Whirling around, she saw Inigo before her, looking
worried. "Are you alright?" he signed.
"Yes yes,"
signed Sparrow, "Just remembered something. How are you feeling?
Are you worried? I admit, we’ve had no chance to coordinate our
lesson plans."
"I’m just
waiting for Bella and Johnny to get here," signed Inigo. "They
said they would be here. I don’t know what’s taking them."
"As if it
were impossible for you to function solo?" signed Sparrow. "How
much have you actually been out of their company in your time at
school? Do you ever let them go?"
Inigo pursed his
lips. "Kinda hard when they’re my main interpreters!"
"Right,"
signed Sparrow. "Right, you have trouble communicating
solo. Which is exactly why we’re here this evening. I have signed
out of turn."
"Talking of signing." Inigo looked curious. "I find it
odd that you’re handling the language and I’m handling the MSL
part. Shouldn’t it be the other way around?"
"You
saw what happened when
I tried it."
Inigo
rolled his eyes. "Fine, fine. You could just figure out how to
control your magic, but whatever, I’ll just teach people what I
can." He
turned to the desk, where lay the MSL textbook, and, picking it off
the wood, flipped through the back pages. He looked a bit puzzled. He
handed the book to Sparrow, and signed, "some of this stuff is
kind of weird. A lot of these spells I’ve never even heard of
before. Have you?"
Sparrow
flipped through the back pages. Here were spells for complicated
transfigurations, for calling the weather, for components of
teleportation gates, for minute
effects on specific human organs...the
farther she went the more esoteric things became. It was like an
index of adult-level theoretical topics, except only containing the
incantations, not any explanation of the underlying subjects.
And it had just...been lying in the Forbidden Section after
everything else had been confiscated. As if the Ministry had taken the books based on their title and
ostensible subject matter, without actually looking into the text.
Well, if you were sweeping up tens of thousands of books all at once,
how could you? So between the subject that any ordinary hearing
person would overlook, and the unclear nature of the back of the
book, the book’s underlying truths had lain hidden...protected from
further study by a librarian who might well have fully understood
what the text could teach.
Inigo tapped her lightly on the shoulder, startling her out of her
contemplation. "You looked lost for a second there."
Sparrow
balanced the book on her head. "Sorry," she signed, "it’s
just, the book leaves me a lot to think about."
"I know right?" Inigo looked intrigued. "Like, that
tree-growing spell near the back – how did the sign go? Hang on."
He began to make the sign for the incantation.
And
was stopped in his tracks by Sparrow grabbing his
hands.
He stared at Sparrow, wide-eyed, frozen in shock, as the book hit the
floor with a loud THOP,
causing everyone in the room to fall silent and stare at the two of
them.
Sparrow hastily withdrew her hands, and signed, "sorry, sorry
sorry, I just – the stuff at the back is big and risky and isn’t
even properly explained. Let’s just stick to the front of the book,
alright? Like we’re going to be doing with the lesson anyway."
Inigo’s expression was one of bewilderment and betrayal. "Don’t
touch my hands again. Ever."
"I’m sorry," signed Sparrow. "I was just...trying to
save your hide."
"Understood." But if he understood, he clearly did not
accept, for he took his gaze away from Sparrow, and did not look at
her again as he lay the textbook on the reading stand.
Oh, a wonderful way to start
a lesson, and even better, Belladonna and Johnny chose that moment
to walk into the classroom. Inigo immediately ran to them and started
signing furtively, as they responded in kind, occasionally throwing
baleful looks towards Sparrow.
Nothing
for it then, it was time to move things along.
Sparrow shook her wand out of her sleeve and with it drew glowing
letters in the air: GREETINGS
ALL, GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN, AND THIS WILL BE THE LONGEST SENTENCE I
WRITE THIS EVENING, IF EVEN I NEED TO! THE BEST LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION
IS IMMERSIVE. WHICH
MEANS NO JIBBER JABBER. MOUTHS CLOSED.
LET’S GET STARTED!
It
went better than Sparrow had expected, for a first lesson with a
completely untrained teacher
who had recently startled the
entire class and severely offended her co-teacher. Mostly better.
There were, here and there, students who had trouble
not speaking aloud
at least a little bit – some who were finding the basics
frustrating and reverting to what they knew.
Still and all, most were patient enough – there was a key
difference in this classroom, Sparrow thought to herself, as she had
students pair up to practice "I" and "know" and
"you". The difference was that these children had chosen to
be here – not forced for the sake of a general curriculum grade,
not browbeaten into doing something they found boring. This was a
class of pure interest. It made all the difference in the world.
The fact that there was a promise of extra power in the advanced
stages might have had something to do with it as well. Sparrow
realized that she had not specified how quickly they would be getting
to the magic bits. Which...could mean everyone expected something
soon, or perhaps this very session. Which meant
it was probably about time to call on Inigo.
Assuming he even wanted to help, now. He didn’t actually bother to
look in her direction until Johnny finally nudged him, at which point
he stalked to the front of the classroom, grabbed the textbook off
the reading stand, and flipped it open to a page near the beginning.
He shot another glare at Sparrow, then proceeded to read over the
page for a bit before he looked up at the crowd.
He appeared quite a bit nervous at everyone’s rapt attention, and
cast a pleading look at Belladonna at the back of the class – she
took the hint and came to stand with him at the front, holding the
book open for him.
Sparrow might have thought that things would go smoothly from this
point forward. This was not to be. For though Inigo was able to
demonstrate the levitation spell with perfect accuity, floating many
quills into the air, the students who attempted to follow his example
had far more trouble getting their signed incantations to do
anything. Not nothing, thank goodness, that would have been a
disaster – though there were just a few who couldn’t manage
anything at all, and some of them stalked out of the classroom in
disgust. Well, it was clear what they had come for.
This moral high ground that Sparrow felt clearly did not assuage
Inigo, for he looked equally perplexed and distressed, standing up
there, faltering in his first efforts as a teacher through no fault
of his own.
That was, until Johnny came up and managed to float as many quills at
once as Inigo. At which point Sparrow realized what the problem was.
She shook her wand out of her sleeve and wrote on the air, LOOKS
LIKE YOU GOTTA GET GOOD WITH SIGN LANGUAGE FIRST.
This was just the thing to relieve all the tension in the room. All
the students looked once more to Sparrow, and it was once more her
turn to stand before everyone and instruct them. As Inigo and his
little crew retreated, Sparrow gave them an apologetic look. "Sorry
about that," she signed, "but at least now they’re even
more motivated."
"By greed for power," signed Belladonna.
"Whatever works,"
signed Inigo.
And so the instruction continued, as the hour wore on, and though
very few of her students – her students, oh Sparrow was
growing up so fast – were learning anywhere near as quickly as Sparrow could, their slow progress
was steady. For this, at least, Sparrow could be relieved.
The one regret she had, over the course of the class, was that,
though there were so very many pureblood students here, she had
chosen a method of instruction that prevented her from being able to
communicate with them very well just yet. Which meant she had no way
of asking them about certain delicate and
unsettling matters. At least unless she wanted to go the annoying
writing route again, but she hadn’t been carrying that bottle of
ink on her for a while, and she certainly wasn’t going to write
such a question in glowing letters for everyone to see! So that
matter was out, at least for the hour.
Except that she could ask Inigo and his little band of tiny pirates...if
she was still in their good graces.
Oh, shit. Pirates. That was something she had
to ask them about immediately. Nothing for it then. As she was
bidding the class to depart, she turned to Inigo where he stood with
Bella and Johnny, and met his eyes. ⋄⋄I
WILL NOT FORGET WHAT WRONG I HAVE DONE YOU THIS EVENING, MY FRIEND. I
AM EVER AT YOUR MERCY. YET
THERE ARE CRITICAL MATTERS I WOULD DISCUSS WITH YOU, IF YOU WOULD
EVER WISH TO SPEAK TO ME AGAIN.⋄⋄
Inigo jumped. "Jesus Christ," he
signed, "you don’t have to get that dramatic on me! I
get it, you’re sorry, let’s move on. What do you want to know?"
"Are you actually planning to be pirates?"
All three tiny prospective pirates before her
nodded vigorously.
"And it’s ostensibly to re-connect
Wizarding territories," signed Sparrow. "But is it also to
get away from what your elders are demanding?"
The three tiny prospective pirates looked
bewildered. "What do you mean?" signed Inigo.
Now it was Sparrow’s turn to frown. "Are
your elders not demanding anything? But if any of you are purebloods
–"
"What is this about?" signed Johnny,
as Inigo and Belladonna only looked more bewildered.
"I just…" Sparrow took a deep
breath. "Inigo, I don’t know if you’re pureblood, I’m
pretty sure a pureblood family would have forced hearing on you at
the earliest possible age, but –"
"Half," signed Inigo. "My
parents argued a lot about that issue. Why?"
"Because I’m learning something highly
unsettling about the culture of Wizarding Britain," signed
Sparrow, "which has thrown cold water on all the idealism and
romance of the recent dance. I figured I’d ask you, if you had a
connection to pureblood culture, if you’ve also experienced any
pressure to get married and have children."
Johnny and Belladonna both nodded their heads
vigorously. "Me and Bella have got it all lined up," signed Johnny.
"No muss no fuss, no more nagging."
⋄⋄ WHAT! ⋄⋄
Johnny, Inigo, and Belladonna all flinched,
before signing simultaneously, "What’s your problem with
that?"
"So many problems!" signed Robin,
glaring at Johnny specifically. "You especially told me said you
were only interested in boys, why on earth –"
"We have to increase the population of the
Wizarding Race," signed Belladonna.
Sparrow’s hands froze, halfway to the
position of what she would sign next. Wizarding what?
"We do like each other very much,"
signed Johnny. "And we’ve got Iggy here for both of us
anyway." He patted Inigo heartily on the back.
Wizarding what?
"I do wonder what Sparrow will do though,"
signed Inigo. "She’s got her girlfriends, she’s not dropping
them, so it might have to be an arrangement with some fellow, unless
there’s some magic I don’t know about."
Wizarding what?
"You want to keep talking about Sparrow like she’s not here?"
signed Johnny. He nodded to her. "She’s right in front of you,
numskulls."
"Right," signed Inigo. "Sorry, Sparrow – what’s the matter?"
Sparrow shook herself. "I have never, in all my years here,
heard anyone refer to the Wizard race. That sounds like some
pureblood shit. Are any of you purebloods?"
Johnny and Belladonna raised their hands.
"Okay." Sparrow sighed. "Okay. I’ll ask Jocasta
about it later. Before that, would you like to tell me exactly what
you mean by have to?"
Belladonna looked confused. "Have your own parents never – oh,
right, you’re a muggleborn. Well, take it from me, if you want to
make it in Wizarding society, you have to make it clear you’re
making more of Wizarding society! Bit of
trouble if you’re doing the making, but from what I’ve heard of
muggles, us Wizards have it easier."
Sparrow thought back to her own aunt, who had died in childbirth when
Sparrow was seven years old. "I won’t disagree with that,"
she signed, grim-faced. "Yet I am thoroughly disappointed to see
you all acting this way, agreeing to this insanity so easily."
"Insanity?" signed Inigo.
"Sensibility," signed Belladonna.
"Responsibility," signed Johnny.
"Responsibility?" Sparrow’s hands were signing furiously.
"Fucking responsibility? You three are
eleven years old. You
don’t have any
such responsibility
– good God, what a horrible thing to put on little
children!"
"We’re not little,"
signed Bella, "we’re eleven years old! And you’re not much
older, you know! And you’re just as short as us! If anyone is
little it’s you!"
Sparrow’s hands froze again, as Johnny and Inigo both laughed
behind theirs. Bella had scored a point. "Alright," signed
Sparrow slowly, "alright, look, the point is, the adults putting
all this on you are a lot more skeevy than you think, alright? You’re
going to grow older and learn more about yourselves and decide how
you want to handle things, and the adults around you are going to
hold you to rash decisions you made earlier." She felt a twinge
of hypocrisy at her own words. "You should be avoiding any
elders who are pushing this procreation business upon you."
"Avoiding my own parents?" signed Belladonna.
"If you’re not prepared to
disobey your own parents," signed Sparrow, "you
three are definitely not ready to be pirates. That’s what you
wanted, right? That whole pirate-crew thing isn’t a joke?"
The three children shook their heads.
"Well don’t get out ahead of your capabilities like I’ve
done," signed Sparrow. "There are so many things you need
to learn before you’re ready. High competence in spellcraft,
geographical knowledge, patience and caution, how to work as a team,
how to survive the journey, stuff like that. It could be cool if you
pull it off but you need years to figure out what you’re doing,
alright?"
Inigo looked surprised. "You’re not going to tell us no? Even after we’ve
ticked you off?"
"Think of who you’re talking to," signed Belladonna.
"I’m looking forward to coordinating as we grow older,"
signed Sparrow. "You travel one half of the world, my crew
travels the other...actually, that was something I was wondering
about. You say you’re doing this in order to re-connect the
Wizarding territories? I mean, I can understand how they might have
trouble communicating these days, but how bad is it really?"
The three children exchanged nervous glances. "We don’t know," signed Belladonna. "It’s not
clear. The Ministry gets visitors from Normandy now and then, but
they’re not from the Biscay ministry anymore, and my mother keeps
asking where the Pyrenees people have gone…"
"Which I would also like to know," signed Inigo, "since
I am from there."
"Hang on," signed Sparrow. "Are you saying there’s
no communication between the Wizarding governments?"
"Haven’t heard of any for a while," signed Johnny.
"Our journey will be to find the truth of the matter,"
signed Belladonna.
"Or die trying," signed Inigo.
No communication between Wizarding governments. No coordination. No
international enforcement of the Statute of Wizarding Secrecy. No
wonder Wren’s own people were able to get away with so much. What
was going on? What was actually out there? Was that why there were
mutterings about forcing an increase in the population? "Definitely
don’t go out sailing just yet," signed Sparrow. "It can’t
possibly be safe."
"We’re not stupid," signed Belladonna.
"You’d better not be," signed Sparrow. "Anyway, I
should go. I’ve got some more questions to ask other people. Thank
you very much for –"
Inigo grabbed Sparrow by the
shoulder. Then he signed, "just a moment, I want to arrange our
teaching methods for next time. I’m teaching the basics, and
you’re doing the magical bits, got it?"
"Are you absolutely mad?" signed Sparrow. "You know
what happens if I try that stuff! That’s why I need you!"
"I know my own language better than you," signed Inigo.
"And you need practice in learning how to control yourself.
Consider it your detention for grabbing my hands."
"I’m already kind of in Super Detention," signed Sparrow.
"I’ve been hearing about that," signed Johnny. "What’s
the deal with that anyway?"
"Got to go cheerio." Sparrow grabbed the textbook off the
reading stand and scurried out the door.
…
That evening, in the Hufflepuff common room, Jill was sitting before
the fireplace, practicing her control of her wandless casting of
flame. Her efforts were proving sporadic. Sometimes she was getting
nothing, sometimes it came out all at once, vaporizing the kindling
and setting all her efforts back to square one.
Sparrow might have laughed at this. But the fact that the fire was
not yet properly lit was not why she was huddled before it with her
knees to her chest.
Jocasta settled down beside Sparrow. "Goodness," she said,
"you are not even trying to cuddle your beloved this evening!
What’s gotten into you?"
"I’m a bit unsafe at the moment," said Jill. "It’s
fair enough."
"Not that," said Sparrow. "It’s just...since before dawn I’ve been hearing stories of the
insane compulsory sexuality of our world. I’m a little lost."
"Compulsory," said Jocasta. "Yes, that is true. But I
were to offer you cuddles freely, you might find warmth at last. If
you are willing?"
Sparrow sighed, and scooted close up to Jocasta. She let herself be
slowly unwrapped from her curled-up posture, guided up to the couch,
guided to lay back against Jocasta, with the girl’s legs wrapped
loosely around her – she was not as warm as Jill, no one could be,
but She was enough. And quite familiar, by now. Sparrow let out a
long breath.
"So," said Jill, waving her hand ineffectually at the cold
fireplace. "Wizard race, huh?"
"I have heard it mentioned at dinner parties," said
Jocasta. "Rarely. Mostly by my uncle Sextus. An utterly annoying
man, prattles on about the honor of Wizards...never sees the irony of
saying such a thing in that house."
"That house," murmured Sparrow. "The one that would
destroy me if it knew what I was up to?"
"The very same."
Sparrow sighed, settling deeper into Jocasta’s embrace. But she
caught sight of what had worried her before – the faint lines, making their way up Jocasta’s forearm.
"Um...can I – I mean, if you want to show me, can I see the
rest of your scars?"
Jocasta chuckled. "The physical ones, perhaps. Go on then."
Sparrow turned over, rising to her knees, facing Jocasta. She brushed
her fingers against the girls’ forearm, tracing the set of lines,
gently pushing up the girl’s sleeve, gradually revealing more such
lines, and up and up, apparently even past the part where Sparrow
could push the sleeve no further. She let out a long sigh.
"You are so troubled by what I choose to do with my body,"
said Jocasta.
"You know the oath I have sworn," murmured Sparrow. "I
cannot let anyone come to harm. If I could stop you from doing this
to yourself…" She met Jocasta’s intrigued gaze. "But
then, who would I be, to lay chains upon you?"
"You would be yourself of just a year ago," said Jocasta.
"I suppose I’ve been doing better," said Sparrow, "with
the influence of my loved ones. But you?"
Jocasta sighed, and briefly met Sparrow’s eyes with a fond gaze. "I
wonder if it would reassure you, were I to say that I only injure
myself for amusement now? It is no longer necessary for my heart to
survive." She rose to gently brush her lips against Sparrow’s.
"Not when you and Jill are my heart."
"That is mostly reassuring." Sparrow smiled faintly,
reaching a hand around to Jocasta’s back, holding her up and giving
her a gentle kiss in return.
"Mostly?"
"If I am troubled," said Sparrow, "it is by the
stifling cruelty of our world. You have had such chains placed upon
you. I am troubled by what I already know of what you have been
through...and that I cannot yet safely know more of it."
"I am sorry I cannot yet tell you all of it," murmured
Jocasta.
"But can you stop hurting
yourself altogether?"
"I wonder if I can."
Sparrow leaned forward, and placed a gentle kiss on Jocasta’s lips.
"Can a kiss from me remind you of what you might lose, if you
were to destroy yourself?"
Jocasta chuckled. "You learn from me so well! And I say again,
you are an absolute sap."
"As long as I can be sweet to you."
"You do taste delicious," murmured Jocasta. She tipped
Sparrow’s chin up with her fingers, and met her eyes with a hungry
expression, leaning close – at Sparrow’s delighted grin, she
lunged, crashing her lips into Sparrow’s.
The two were thus occupied, and thoroughly satisfied, for a goodly
length of time. Yet eventually, Sparrow pulled back, and when she
moved forward again, it was not to Jocasta’s lips, but to her ear.
She nibbled gently on Jocasta’s earlobe, eliciting a giggle from
the girl, but this was not her real goal. Her real goal was to
conceal the movements of her lips, as she whispered, "Have you
heard anything from your own family about the government wanting to
force people to have children?"
Jocasta’s giggles ceased abruptly. She turned and met Sparrow’s
eyes, just for a moment, with a look that told Sparrow all she needed
to know. Yet not leaving Sparrow with this, she closed her eyes, and
in a moment, a vision of a green seated figure flashed into Sparrow’s
mind. • YES. •
The vision vanished, leaving Sparrow staring at Jocasta’s
now-humorless expression. "Oh no," murmured Sparrow, "I’ve
gone and upset you, I’m sorry."
"Wasn’t you who did it," murmured Jocasta. "Not in
the long run. Come here." She lunged for Sparrow again.
Being thoroughly occupied again, Sparrow almost didn’t notice the
tapping on her shoulder. She pulled her head back, looking into
Jill’s concerned eyes, breathing deeply as she let air return to
her lungs.
"Goodness," whispered Jill, "quite an enticing look,
my dear. Tempting. Yet I might suggest that you do this in a less
public place?" She pointedly glanced up, and though Sparrow was
not in a position to follow her gaze without looking too obvious, she
did glance past Jill, to see Cleo Sassoon sitting at a table by the
wall, hand hiding her mouth as she giggled at the sight of Sparrow
and Jocasta.
Jocasta grinned wickedly. "Less public place, eh?"
Before Sparrow could respond, there was a small thump of air
as Jocasta vanished. Sparrow fell onto the couch. Her ears caught the
faint sound of tiny buzzing that faded into the distance.
"Come on," whispered Jill. She scooped up Sparrow into a
bridal carry. "You must be very tired, we should get to bed."
Sparrow yawned. "I’ve had one hell of a day, I’ll give you
that. But I think we’re about to be even more tired."
…
Sparrow’s dream that night was of
a great fire swirling all about her.