Consequences for Quentin.

"Hey Dickwad. Open up. We know you're in there." I could hear Margo's voice outside, foul mouthed as ever.

I sighed.

Just when I was about to nap.

I could just mute them of course but....

Yeah. I'd rather not sour my relationship with future piggy bank of magical shit, High King Eliot.

But first, I switched off the portal gun contruct and switched the stealth mode on the room.

Immediately, the tables and tools flipped over, hiding into the floor and melding into the walls and I stuffed the portal gun into a cupboard, warding it with my own magic before lowering the room's wards and forcefield, opening the door.

"Hey guys... Long time no see."

"Yeah." Margo nodded, looking me up and down, "We thought you died."

"Even held a small funeral party. Which was just a regular party but with more booze and sadder music." Eliot added, sitting down beside Margo on the bed.

"Now we can hold another party, once we get you to the cottage. Come on now."

I groaned.

"I'm sleepy guys."

"You can sleep when you're dead. Living is the time to enjoy yourself." Eliot shushed me as we walked over to the academic building.

"There you are." The two rushed up, catching Alice and Quentin as well, just as they were let go, "Poor things. We heard what happened. Let's get some drinks in you." Eliot grabbed Quentin.

"And I have just the right dress for those assets you're hiding under that pilgrim tent." Margo said, dragging Alice away.

.

In the cottage, I sipped on my drink, looking over at Quentin sulking.

"So you messed up. Big deal. No one got hurt. Well except Professor Weghe. But he's dead so there's no more getting hurt for him." I chuckled.

"You're unseasonably dark today." Margo said with an amused smile.

"It's a dark day." I replied, "Not for me but, Quentin's having a silent panic attack over there."

"It's a little bit bigger than messing up!" Quentin said, pacing around the room nervously.

"Bigger than the third year class wiping themselves out in another world? There's a bad story around here every few years. There was even an apocalypse in the 90s. We're still here. Nothing will happen."

Eliot chuckled.

But it did nothing for Quentin.

"He IS having a panic attack." He confirmed, and looked Quentin over, "So Quentin, you said you and Alice did a ritual?"

"We wanted to just talk!" Alice defended.

"So you did this on purpose? Like you cast it thinking 'Oh monster from another world, by all means, come on in!'?"

"No! It was to summon Charlie."

"My brother. He died and we wanted to see if we could talk to him." Alice explained.

"And now we're in this mess."

"What if they...what if... I-I... Before I came here, I was, I put myself in a hospital. I was on drugs an-and I... You know that feeling of...never belonging... that n-nothing was never going to not be pointless then why go on r-right, I mean who am I even...half the time, the drugs..." Quentin hyperventilated, "I can't leave here. Outside, I'm nobody. Here.. at least I have-I feel like I can do something. I belong." He gulped thickly.

"Quentin, relax." Eliot told him, "It's not that bad. The third year class got themselves killed. You just got one professor."

"Not even a good one." Margo huffed.

"The point is, it's okay. To feel that way. Everyone does, one time or another."

"It's not tha- If they find out what I-"will He looked at Alice, "What we did, I will get expelled."

"Don't-" Alice tried to change the topic, but Quentin was having none of it.

"You don't get to 'Don't' me on this, Alice."

"Sheesh. Girls, girls, relax." I teased.

"And why are you so cocky about this huh?" Quentin snapped at me.

"Quentin!" I leveled a glare at him, sending him whimpering back inti his seat.

"Relax. If they don't know who did it, they won't be able to expel you." I assured him.

"Yeah. I have a spell. I'll write it down for you. Once you learn that, they won't be able to read your mind. It's bulletproof." Eliot added.

"Thanks guys. I-i'm sorry. I just."

"Ugh.... Are you going to talk about your feelings now? I can't bear to watch this." Margo teased, giggling, and grabbed Alice, "Alice, come with me. Let's get you in a better dress."

"No it's not-"

"It'll make you feel better. Trust me." Margo didn't take no for an answer, taking her to a room up the stairs.

Eliot finished his drink and leaned back into the chair as Quentin sulked even harder.

"Look at him. The Incredible Sulk. Why are you always like this? Like a wound up ball of used condoms."

"Hey!" Quentin snapped back, "You don't know what it's like...being like this, nothing feels right, everything's just dull and lifeless and it makes you want to... Want to... " He ground his teeth in frustration.

All that angst from a 22 year old.

Was I like this when I was 22?

Well no. Probably not. Offee was a great tempering unit for my feelings.

Always so open and understanding.

Soaked up all I said with a loving smile.

Like a sponge.

Well, I did leave Ahsoka back there with a broken heart. That was real shitty of me.

Still, at least I wasn't a whiny bitch.

Now that I think about it.....

Yeah, I can see why he went for Alice in the original series now.

She just took in all of his whiny bullshit and never uttered a peep until it came to a bursting point and she snapped.

Because unlike Offee, Alice didn't have a natural biology that allowed her to shrug off stress like anything.

"He gave you the spell right? So just stop what you're doing and just enjoy the cocktail for now. Everything will be fine."

"Professor Van der Weghe's dead. And the Beast... It knew me. It called my name. I can't shake th-the feeling.. it's.. it's like it's my fault.... And it is."

Eliot patted his shoudler to comfort him but Quentin shrugged him off.

"I know it is. His blood is on my hands. If I didn't..."

I sighed.

This guy....

"Alright." Eliot interjected, "I'll tell you something deep and dark and personal. Ready? Good. I killed someone."

Quentin's head snapped to Eliot as he took a drag of his cigarette.

Eliot sucked in a cold breath, breaking his usual facade, letting his mask drop.

"I was 14 and he was th-..... He beat me up. So I was walking down the street, eating a candy bar, because by then I already ate my feelings at a professional level.... And I saw him crossing over. There was this bus coming... I barely thought the thought. I knew immediately what I had done. That I had done it. My nose literally started bleeding.

Logan Kinear died instantly, and I ruined my favourite button down and that is the story of how I discovered I was telekinetic."

He let put a breath he had been holding and lean back into the chair again, lolling his head.

Of course.

That was one of the best backstories in the show.

Eliot Waugh.

If you asked most people where Eliot Waugh came from, they'd give one look at him, see his clothes, the way he carried himself royally, and think he came from old money. The kind that summers with Dukes and Magnates.

But truth be told, Eliot Waugh was the son of a farmer in Indiana, a place that hated him for being gay and he shared the sentiment.

So Eliot left. Came to the big city. And reinvented himself entirely. He called ot his biggest project. To change Eliot the farmer's son to Eliot, high class magician.

And that, along woth his chill but sullen attitude and a deep love for his friends, made him my favourite character in the show. It was the reason I cut him so much slack.

I liked him. And I always wanted a friend like that.

A fantasy, sure. But then again, I was in a magical school in a world of gods and monsters, so.....

"If you're trying to tell me it all gets better-"

"No! No, gods no. It doesn't. What I'm trying to tell you is.. that you're not alone." Eliot explained, "Funny thing they don't tell you about magic. It doesn't come from talent, it comes from pain."

"The thing about that is... Scientifically-"

Eliot kicked me in the shins.

"Ow!" I cried.

"Shut it smartass. I'm trying to teach Q here a lesson and you're bringing in science..." He chuckled.

"Okay. Sorry." I laughed along, "But seriously. It's no big deal. Even if you fail what's the worst that can happen? Sure they'll wipe your memories and such, but if you're smart about it, say write down all the basics of magic and mail it to yourself.... You can technically regain magic." I suggested.

Yes, I know I'm being soft on him. But he deserves a chance to keep the power he has gained.

I know it's what I would want if it happened to me.

The realisation hit Quentin like a truck and his eyes lit up like fireworks.

"Yes! I can do that! Why didn't I think of that?!" Quentin squeaked excitedly.

"Because you're an idiot?" I teased.

Quentin ignired it however and picked up his back to go rushing to the library, when Eliot raised a hand to stop him.

"Because it won't work." Eliot cut him back down to size, "They don't just wipe your memories, they also make you an alibi. And once they see that you posted something for yourself just before they wiped you? They'll chase it down and wipe that too. Now if you had prepared for this months in advance, maybe, just maybe it would have worked. But now, one day before you get caught? It'll be way too obvious what you're trying."

I could almost hear Quentin's world shatter as he slumped back down into his seat.

"What do I do then?" He sulked. Again.

"It's liek you've learnt nothing from our conversation. Just use the spell I gave you. It's bulletproof."

"Unless they do regular old detective work and catch him anyway. A simple locator spell could reveal the truth." I rebutted.

"Yes, but he's not stupid enough to have not covered his tracks right Quentin?" Eliot stood up for him only to find him aghast.

"Quentin? You did cover your tracks, right?"

"Ummm..."

I burst out laughing, watching Quentin squirm in his seat.

"Of course. Of course he didn't."

And Eliot sighed.

"No one can save you now, Coldwater."

"Well, you can hope they don't find out." I said, "But I wouldn't bet on that."

__________________

The extra chapter for 200 powerstones as promised!

A bit short. but the original chapter got to 4000 words and so I had to cut it in two.

See ya later at 9.30 pm ist as usual!

Thanks for reading.

Pat-reon chapters coming tonight.

Bye~