Catching Up, <Jani>

[Byron Grant]

Byron was so very glad that it wasn’t his weekend to hang around the school while the kids were doing their thing during the day. As Potions teacher, he did have to go shopping for supplies from time to time. And it was time to get more ingredients from the apothecary.

He had given Jani the Wolfsbane potion that he’s modified and it seemed to have made a difference during her transformations. He did warn her that he needed to sort out the pregnancy angle still, and she should speak to him before them trying again.

One good thing the summer brought, other than spending more time with Miles, was his Mastery. Minerva had pulled some strings and about half-way through the holiday he was the proud recipient of his Mastery. Master Xiang’s recommendation, with attending notes in apprenticeship and such things, had arrived and they spent a few days celebrating.

What he was glad about was Minerva’s “present” when his Mastery was confirmed. All of Professor Snape’s notes that had been found in his classroom the year before. Byron had spent a few days going over everything, getting all excited over the smallest thing, while Miles just smiled indulgently.

But where the previous year’s first years were not all complete idiots, this year’s lot was something different altogether. Other than a few who could chop up roots without trying to dismember themselves (not surprisingly the St. Mungo’s kids had no problem there), he was beginning to despair and wanted Minerva to cancel that year group’s potions requirements of the curriculum. He had actually mentioned it to her and she had given him a look that made him cringe.

He would have to come up with a new way to teach these kids. But for that he needed his friends’ help. It was time to use new ways of teaching and it would have to be fun. He just hoped the lot of them would be willing to appear in some instructional movies about how to do the simplest things while preparing potions. For the few kids in class that doesn’t have any problem, he would give extra assignments to keep them occupied during the movie sessions. Or enlist them to help show the others how things should be done. YouTube, eat your heart out, he thought as he smiled at the thought while walking down Diagon Alley to the Apothecary.

His order was already filled and he didn’t really have to collect the stuff himself, but he wanted to see Jani. Purchase all shrunk and tucked away in his coat which billowed and hung like robes, he walked over to the Menagerie. He felt a little resentful as he looked up at the ravens sitting there. He was sore about Mister’s defection to the Forbidden Forest group that hung around the grounds keeper’s cottage. He still wanted a pet and wasn’t sure if he wanted a Crup or a Kneazle.

He didn’t see Jani right away, so he looked around a little more. He was on his knees by the kneazles when he heard someone behind him. He glanced over his shoulder at Jani and turned with a tiny animal in each hand.

“Heya,” he says with a grin.

[Janira Pejay]

Jani had been putzing around in the back room when Byron came in. Marriage to Trent was suiting her well--she was grounded, happy, and it wasn't so much the honeymoon-phase (their relationship had gone through too many ups and downs for there to be one of those, really) as it was that she just felt good about the choice she'd made.

One of the busiest times of year had finally passed--the back to school rush--so Jani had been busy with minor restocking and cleaning ever since the first of September. Byron had also finally convinced her to try Wolfsbane again, and it was going well enough, though there wer etimes it was hard to force herself to swallow the damned stuff still, echoes of her past loss.

Coming out to see who came in, she smiled as she scented Byron on the air. She followed her nose and walked down the right aisle. "Heya yourself, stranger," she said lightly, swallowing a laugh as she saw him with a baby in each hand. "Being thoroughly enchanted, I see," she said with a faint smirk.

[Byron Grant]

Byron just grinned at Jani. “I’m completely enchanted,” he said, nuzzling the small animals for a moment before putting them back into the enclosure with their litter-mates.

He goes over to give his friend a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Jali sends her love but I couldn’t smuggle her out of school,” he grinned before looking at her closely. “How have you been since I saw you last?” he asked. He knew that she still had her reservations about taking the Wolfsbane after what had happened, but this batch was already much safer than the stuff she used to take.

It was still difficult to talk about losing her baby and he wasn’t going to push her or Trent to speak to him. He decides to change the subject a little. “I’m almost getting my Animagus form right,” he said. “Miles still has to rescue me sometimes from being covered in fur or something strange like that, but I’m getting there.” He was really having trouble to get it right, even after more than a year of trying.

“I came to enlist your help and hoping to rope Trent, Dee and anybody else that’s up for a laugh to work on some teaching aids for my first years.” Byron bangs his head against one of the shelves. “My first years are determined to kill themselves before the year is over and I need some new way to teach them, since my current teaching method is not working so well with them.” He sighed. “I was hoping to do the whole “Don’t do it this way, but the correct way” in a humorous manner in a few movies.” He grins.

“Or, if you have other ideas I’d be much appreciative. I’ve sent at least five of them to Poppy in the last two weeks and she’s beginning to think I’m a terrible teacher. I wanted Minerva to cancel the entire year group from ever doing Potions for their stay at the school, but she didn’t think it was a good idea.”

He glances down at the Kneazles again. “I’m tempted to get a new pet since Master Raven deserted me,” he says, “but I should run it past Miles first, I’m guessing.” He tilts his head a little. “Which would Miles like more? Kneazle or crup?” he asked.

Byron glanced at his watch. “Do you have time for a cup of tea or something? I have about an hour or so before I need to be back at the school. I have afternoon duty after lunch.”

[Janira Pejay]

She smiled indulgently as he nuzzled the babies. She loved all the babies, no matter what they were. It was only as they aged that she had a preference to those of the canine variety--not that she didn't love on the cats a lot as well.

Jani gives him a warm hug and reciprocates the cheek kiss. She laughed. "Just as well, I'm sure she needs to be studying. Is she doing well in Potions?" she asked. It was good to have friends on the inside to look out for her little sister. "I've been all right, keeping myself busy with the post-school clean up and such, but also getting prepared for teh little rush of All Hallow's and then for Christmas. Having to put in orders and such."

Her eyes lit up and she clapped her hands once. "Oooh, that's wonderful!" she said, grinning broadly. "Oh, you must join us once you've got it down." It was the biggest plus to her lycanthropy, and the thing that she thought had helped her most these last couple of years, having friends in animal form to keep her company.

Her eyebrows rose drastically as he banged his head on a shelf. "Oh, dear," she said sympathetically. "I'm the first to admit I'm not brilliant at potions by far, but I'm willing to help, yes. I can at least do the basics very well." It was more of the matter that she hated the smells of brewing potions. But, if he made her some fragrant ointment for under her nose, she could do it fine.

She shook her head. "No, not a good idea to skip potions," she admonished gently. "It is something they need to know."

She rolled her eyes. He knew her opinion on Master Raven. On all ravens, honestly. She had never gotten along with them. "You probably should, yes," she said dryly but with good humour. "Hmmm. I'm not sure. I'd say Crup, but I'm a bit partial myself. Though with his mother, you might want a half breed that is more amenable to muggles. Or even just a dog... I have regular dogs too, and can get any breed you're interested in."

She smiled. "Tea would be stellar. Just lemme get Lydia to watch the front and we can have some. You want it in the back room or you wanna go out?" she asked.

[Byron Grant]

Byron nods. “Jali is a model student when it comes to Potions. Most of the school knows by now that she’s friendly with us outside the school but it doesn’t mean she gets treated any differently. And she doesn’t try and use it to her advantage in class.” He likes Jani’s little sister a lot and he treated her a bit like his own little sister when they had dealings outside class.

Byron smiles again. “Hey, its one of the big reasons I’ve been practicing so I can join you guys. I just don’t know why I’m having such trouble with the change back. I always end up with something extra.” He sighs a little.

He sighs. “Oh dear, is just the right reaction.” Byron tried to sketch the scenarion he had thought of in the street. “I don’t know if you ever saw those silent movies from the twenties? I want to try something like that. And you guys are all doing things wrong on purpose and so on. I’m not exactly sure what I have in mind yet, but I need to get through to these kids soon.” Byron just nods again. “I know they need the education, but right now I’m ready to throw in the towel.”

Byron grins as she rolls her eyes. “Well, at the time he seemed like a good pet,” he defended his choice. “At least he never stole any of my shiny stuff, which is a good thing I guess.” A crup or canine sounded like a good idea but that he’d need to run past Minerva, felines were allowed and he didn’t want his pet chasing any of the kids’ pets around the school. “I’m more of a cat person myself, but I like canines too. I’ll see what Minerva says,” and he explains his line of thinking about the various pets in the school.

“We can have tea here or over at Jax’s, whichever suits you better,” Byron says. He hasn’t been to the shop lately; Tatry’s been collecting his coffee order. There was still an uneasy truce between him and Jax, even now, but he promised he’d never talk about it to others and he was going to keep that promise. “Maybe you can give me other ideas on how to get those monsters in my class to learn and not try and kill themselves and everybody else in the class.” He thinks a moment. “I think I’m going to enlist Jali to find out from the kids why they are so terrible.” He looks at Jani. “Think that will have any results? I’ve asked in class, but none of them can explain it to me.”

[Janira Pejay]

Jani smiled at the compliment to her sister. Her sister had been warned about using her friendships to manipulate anything, and she was good to her word on that. "That's good. I'm glad she's being good." She knows Jali is quite fond of Miles and Byron, and occasionally goes to them for advice on her work--but not to have it done for her, no, her Ravenclaw sensibilities wouldn't allow that.

Jani pats his arm sympathetically. "I wish I could help, but I can't control my change at all," she said lightly. There was no bitterness, though perhaps occasional wistfulness that she couldn't change outside the strictures of the moon.

She shook her head. "I've seen some movies, but not many, really. Most of my contact with the Muggle world is buying jeans and visiting remote villages in the proximity of wherever I was at the time."

Sighing, she shook her head. "Well, you can't really throw in the towel, so you have to figure something out. Have you tried one-on-one tutoring?" she asked. "Or you could ask the students from higher classes to tutor for house points or extra credit or something."

She just shook her head and hmmed skeptically, but a smile lingered on her lips. She couldn't really criticize others on their choice of pets.

"Depends on what you and Miles decide on. If you go canine, you could always ask the castle for a private yard for it, and just don't let it run around the castle. Or I could really work with it and make sure it will behave." She was good at that.

Jani is all too aware of the friction between Jax and Byron, and so diplomatically says, "Let's just go to the back. I just picked up a really good mix the other day." She called Lydia out of the back and told her to prop her feet up at the register for a bit, and she dragged Byron into the cosy little area she had in the back.

"That might be good. She is bound to find out something, at least. They might be more comfortable telling her than you."

[Byron Grant]

“Well, I think there are enough people who will jump on her with both feet if she tried it,” Byron grinned. The only time she had been in their quarters was the time Dee visited, they help her with questions and things in his office off his classroom. There were appearances to keep, after all. She could approach him after class to ask help or a quick signal to him or Miles when she passed them in the corridors.

He smiles. “Yeah, but its getting frustrating beyond compare. I guess practice makes perfect. My last resort is to ask Minerva to help me. It is Transfiguration after all.”

Byron shrugged. “I’ll offer the one-on-one option to them, maybe get some of the second and third years to help tutoring for extra points before we try and shoot home movies. But thanks for being willing.” He giggles. “I was just imagining it: You the cheerleader, Trent the jock, Aeris the resident goth, Miles the hot geek, Neville the bookish one, Dee the ditzy blonde and Blaise... well I’m not sure how to ‘cast’ Blaise.” There was another person he had a bit of a personality clash with and they still had to get it sorted out. Byron was less possessive of Miles than he was last year at the Winter Masque when he met Blaise. Besides, Dee and Blaise were still a thing and being Dee’s friend meant dealing with Blaise on a regular basis.

“Let’s see what we come up with in the end,” Byron said. He had a suspicion they were going to end up with one of each if he wasn’t careful. Not that he minded the idea.

He smiled gratefully at Jani. “I know I need to get over this thing between me and Jax, but its not easy.” He lets himself be dragged into the back room. “Sounds lovely. I’ve been trying to drink less coffee other than the early morning wake-up cup.”

Byron nodded. “I’ll corner her at dinner tonight and ask her to help out.”

[Janira Pejay]

Jani chuckled. "Too right, mate," she said with a grin. Jali knew she'd get pounced if she tried to take advantage, though that thread didn't stop all children. Jali was a good girl all around, though. Just enough Slytherin to give her an edge without giving her the attitude many of that house had.

"Well, she is an Animagus herself, you know. I'm sure she'd be happy to help you." Minerva wasn't a bad woman at all. Jani liked her well enough.

"Or even NEWT level students who are reviewing for their tests. You can only teach things if you know them--it might be good for them," she suggests on a surge of a thought. Her lips turn up at his descriptions of them. "Yes, I can just see Aeris' expression when you describe that to her," she says with a chuckle. "Blaise is the 'too cool loner,'" she suggests.

"No, but you do know he's over his thing for Miles, yeah? He has Kyle now." While not commited or anything, the two still seemed to be getting along well. She dreaded if they broke up, though--Jax was a tender soul.

She sat them down and tapped the kettle she kept in the back, piffling around getting the tea ready. "So how have things been besides the little pack of dunderheads?" she asked.

[Byron Grant]

Byron shares her laugh. “You can be proud of your little sister,” he says.

He nods. “I’ve heard the stories of her display in class when she shows the kids what an Animagus is. I’ve just been a bit reticent of asking her, but its time to stick my unwillingness in my pocket and just ask. Miles has been wonderful in trying to teach me and help me, but something is still stopping the transformation from being natural to me.”

Byron smiles. “I knew it was a good idea to ask opinions from my friends. Miles had a couple of suggestions too. I wanted to hit them with blunt instruments but he vetoed that idea.” Her assessment of Blaise has him grinning. “Yeah, that does suit him well. How’s he and Dee doing? I haven’t seen either in a few weeks, school being what it is and all.”

Byron nods. “Yes, you’re right. And I need to put it behind me and bury it for good. It’s been more than a year now, hasn’t it? If things were different we could have been good friends.” He looks at her for a long moment. “It really hurt him when Miles and I got together, didn’t it?” It’s been more than a year since he and Jax had that bit of a show down in the shop and other than picking up his coffee and the time he got his tattoos, he hasn’t spoken to the Seer much. Maybe it was time to go and see him again.

Byron sat and watched as Jani fixed tea. “Things are going well, my work is satisfying, my research is progressing and I’m even more in love than I was yesterday,” he says with a big grin. “I wish it were still summer and we had more time to laze on the beach but the year is marching ahead and it’s almost Halloween again. Can you believe it?” He looks at Jani where she is busy with the kettle. “How are you and Trent doing?”

Byron sips his tea when it is done brewing. “There was something I wanted to talk to you about,” he starts. “I wanted to tell you first before I start making enquiries with St. Mungo’s Potions masters about refining the Wolfsbane so you can use it safely all the time. I want to know how you feel about that before I went ahead.” The whole reason for his work on the potion was for Jani and others like her who wanted children.

[Janira Pejay]

She frowns faintly. "I wish I could help you figure out what. you've already gotten a lot further than most people end up being able to do, though." It was a process that was very hard for some and very easy for others--part of it depending on themindset you were raised in. Like Trent's school, it had been part of the curricula, but the European schools, not so much.

She snickered. "Well, that isn't the best idea, unless a trip to Azkaban is what you're aiming for," she said, not bothering to hide some of her amusement. Even without Dementors, Azkaban wasn't a cheerful place.

"Dee seems to be doing well. Still going strong with Blaise, it seems, which is a good thing. Trent still isn't happy about it, but she is his sister, so..." Of course, she still scolded him for interfering in her life, but she knew he meant well.

She waited til they were in the backroom to answer, her face thoughtful. "It did," she said quietly. "He's the real thing, Byron, and I think he saw what could have been had he hooked up with Miles. All spun out before his eyes. I think that was why it hurt him so very much." To have to live with those sorts of things--well, she thought it would make the disappointment all the more acute throughout life and it really was no wonder that Seers kind of tended to lose their minds as they aged.

"I think he's managed to soothe that over with time, though. He wouldn't want to hurt either of you, any way." He was like a kicked dog sometimes--not prey, but one of the subservients that most packs had, the ones that weren't much of a threat but would babysit the pups and protect the den.

"Means another Halloween party," Jani said with a grin and a roguish wink. She wondered what she could get Trent to dress up as this year.

Her smile was happy. "We're doing good. I'm happy." And she would give it a year with Byron and the testing things, and then she would go off the potion again so that she could start their family. It wouldn't be easy, but she wasn't getting any younger.

She played mother and made Byron's tea just how he liked it before handing it to him, and then made her own cup and settled down next to him. She sipped for a moment after he spoke, thinking it over carefully. "I suppose it's what you have to do," she said quietly. "They'll know it's me once they look at the Registry. I'm the only female were in England at the moment." She sipped again. "What about that girl you're working with?"

[Byron Grant]

Byron smiles at the praise. “I’m just too competitive not to want to be able to do it and hang out with you guys and now I’m too stubborn to give up.” He thinks a moment. “The transformation process wasn’t part of our curriculum, but we did learn about them.”

Byron laughs. “Well, that would have been a change of pace it nothing else,” he said with a grin. “I’m sure you guys would have done everything you could to make my stay there most comfortable.”

He nods as she tells about Dee and Blaise. “Well, it’s a brother’s prerogative to be unhappy about their little sister’s choice of boyfriend, isn’t it? I’m sure Blaise knows there are a lot of people who will thump him if he hurts Dee.”

Byron sighs softly. “It was the real thing. Jax told me of what he had Seen and it is the one thing that he can never forget, the things he Sees.” He tells her of the conversation he and Jax had more than a year ago, sparing nothing of himself and their harsh words in the beginning. “Towards the end of the conversation it felt as if we could have been friends without effort, but I just think every time he sees me, Miles or the two of us together he’s going to be reminded of it even more acutely.” He hesitates a moment. "We agreed that we'd be nice to each other in public but friendship wouldn't be an easy thing. I never told Miles what Jax told me about what he had Seen and I promised Jax I wouldn't."

He grins as big as she does. “That it does.” He looks pensive for a moment. “Oh hell, its going to be difficult to top last year’s costume!” he wails.

Byron mirrors her smile. “I’m glad it’s going good. Are all your pets loving the farm?” he asks, knowing how Trent and Jani’s pets were territorial and sharing the space in the city had been difficult.

He knows he was asking a lot of her, “Luv, if you don’t want me to go that route, I’ll find another way. Besides, you’re the only registered female werewolf in the Registry.” He makes a little grimace. “Tara? I haven’t spoken to her in a while. She was more interested in lowering the cost while keeping the quality and making the transition a bit less stressful. That part we worked on together and the result is the potion you’re taking at the moment. She wasn’t interested in making pregnancy safer and basically told me I’m on my own there.”

[Janira Pejay]

"Oh, don't give up, definitely. I'm looking forward to having you with us far too much to let you quit when you're so close." She smiled at him cheekily.

She shrugged. "I suppose it is, but it's pretty obvious he cares for her and treats her well, and she seems quite happy with the arrangement at the moment. I try to keep the altercations down to a minimum. I understand where she's coming from a bit better I suppose." She smiled. "Well, he does know, yes. I think Trent made sure of that." something Dee had not been pleased about at all.

"And people wonder why Seers lose it as they get older," she says with a soft sigh. Jani listens with her tea cup in hand and her head tilted in that peculiar manner that is very lupine in its way. "Well," she drawls out the word, giving herself time to gather her words around her, "I think he wants friends regardless. Some things grow callouses and such over time... I don't think it hurts him much now, but he's still a rather lonely guy in many ways. Of course, I think that's par for course for what he is," poor boy, "but he does enjoy having people to hang out with."

Jani cracks up laughing as Byron wails. "Oh, dear," she says, patting his arm. "I'm sure the two of you will come up with something. I'm just trying to figure out what I can get Trent to wear in public." She wasn't sure what she'd do herself, but something was bound to occur to her soon.

"Oh yes. Dorak and Daemon have staked out their territories and seem to keep to them rather well. We still haven't gotten any more pets but we're considering it." It would just depend. Jani was the sort that would likely take in strays.

Jani shrugged. She just wasn't fond of St Mungos at times, though they had done well by her when she had her miscarriage. "Could always talk to her again, I dunno." She sighed, tugging on her lock of silver hair. "I suppose you should talk to them as well, though. Whatever you feel is best. Just... I don't want everyone knowing about me. The shop would suffer if everyone found out." And she didn't want to face the prejudice she would come up against. She was too used to this, this acceptance she'd been having these last few years, to ever want to go back to before.

[Byron Grant]

“I won’t give up - I don’t want to miss out any longer,” he smiles at her.

Byron nods. “That’s good. I am sure Dee wasn’t impressed that Trent threatened her man, even if it was obliquely,” He was grinning from ear to ear. It was something that big brithers did, regardless of what the younger siblings wanted.

Byron looked a little sad. “I know what you mean. And I think enough time has passed that we can both put things behind us. And it would be nice to bring him into the circle of friends a bit more, wouldn’t it?” he asked. “Completely off topic, have you heard anything of his aunt lately?” he asked, wondering if the poor woman was still lingering.

“Its going to be hard to top last year’s angel and demon pairing.” He grins. “Pirate Kings? Wanna be our wench?” He snaps his fingers. “We’re enough to make the council of Captains,” he goes on, looking at Jani with a raised eyebrow. “You have seen Pirates of the Carribbean, right? If not, that needs to be remedied immediately and very soon. Three movies with good humor, great music and Orlando Bloom,” he says. “There’s Kiera Knightly for Neville and Trent to drool over,” he continues. He was quite happy to go with that idea... with a twist on the costume of course. He’d need to plot with Miles, but there was definitely a way for them to look better than last year.

“One can never have enough pets,” Byron said seriously. “There are enough in the castle to use as an army if you wanted,” he continued, “but one hardly ever see them. One or two more won’t hurt anybody if I get a canine and a feline for us.” He grimaces. “Gotta clear it with Minerva fist.”

Byron lightly touched her hand, still marvelling at the heat she generates. “I’ll speak to Tara again and exhaust all other options before I contact the hospital. Thing is, they know more about the interactions that I do, so I see me going to them in the end.” He looks into her eyes. “I’ll let you know before I go and I’ll keep you out of it as much as I can.” He smiles. “I’m from the school, I want to do theoretical experimental research. Only those that know we’re friends and also know you’re were will make the connection - and those people won’t care what I’m doing for a friend... they are the ones handing me the ingredients to brew the best potion I can.”

He was wondering if he shouldn’t try and find the Contraluna again and see if that would have a more benficial effect during pregnancy. Time to write to Master Xiang.

[Janira Pejay]

"No. That conversation was quite loud, if I recall," Jani said, her smile tucked into one corner of her mouth before blooming over her face as she remembered that she didn't have to hide her amusement from both parties involved right now. "Of course, I tried to explain to Trent why he shouldn't have done that, but I do understand where he's coming from..."

Not that it soothed Dee that much. Afte rall, it was her life that had been interfered with.

"Still alive, still making his life hell," Jani said with a frown. "That woman just will not die. I think her love for making people miserable is sustaining her." But Jax wasn't the kind of guy that would abandon her now. "At least, she was alive a couple of days ago and I've heard no differently since then." And she figured Jax would let someone know.

"Pirate kings?" Her eyebrows raised as he continued. "No, I think I've missed those," she admitted with a faint smile. "But they sound quite fun. And the costumes sound like they'd be fun as well." Jani wouldn't mind dressing as a wench. Hell, that would be fun. Though... "Though I doubt your Aeris would dress up as a wench for you lot," she said with a wicked looking grin.

She chuckled. "Army of cats and owls!" Jani said, pretending to cheer with an arm in the air and a smirk on her face. "Definitely clear it with the boss lady though."

Okay, so she might be sulking a little, but she knew it was best to let him talk to everyone. She just didn't have to be perfectly happy about it. "Go for it. Just, yeah, give me the heads up. I'm sorry I'm not enthusiastic," she apologized, "I'm just get jumpy about this sort of thing. I know it has to be done though." Especially since she was the one that wanted the problem solved.

[Byron Grant]

Byron joins Jani in her amusement. “Ah, I know well of loud sibling conversations. Alex would threaten some boyfriend of Erica’s at school and she would yell at him over that. It was quite amusing for the most part, as long as I didn’t get dragged into it of course.”

He made a bit of a face when she tells him of Jax’s aunt. “It cannot be easy to deal with something like that.” He thinks a moment. “Maybe a peace offering of some sort from me to make his life a little easier would come in handy? Any ideas?” he asks.

Byron was all but bouncing in his seat by now. “YAY! Movie night!” He grins at Jani. “Well, we can make Aeris the Pirate Empress and put her in tight pants, thigh length boots and a jacket.” He was having fun with the idea. “A short jacket,” he says with a wicked grin. “I think I’ll run this past everybody, you wanna ask Trent if he’s game for it? It would mean that he doesn’t have to go half-naked... we’ll give him a waistcoat.” Byron had as much fun poking Trent’s shyness sometimes. “Oh, you know who we have to make sure is here... Chaz.” All of them have some connection to the dragon keeper.

“Don’t foget the rats and an occasional toad,” Byron teased. “I’ll do that. Not one for surprises that, so rather give her the heads-up and hope for the best. In this case, its easier to ask permission than forgiveness.” The strong-willed headmistress of the school had a special place in his heart. She might be crusty and prickly, but she did have a very good heart.

“The hospital as a last resort,” he promised and gave her a comforting hug. “I know you get jumpy and I’ll keep all the flak and stuff away as much as I can. I have another idea of sorts, but I need to confer with Master Xiang about that before I start experimenting with it. I’ll keep you in the loop with the progress.”

Byron sipped more tea. “Now, enough of that talk,” he said. “What’s the gossip in the Alley? What is the latest scandal that Witch’s Weekly made up about Blaise?” He grinned, trying to make Jani forget about the potion talk.