Meeting the headmaster

When all three of them walked out of their quarters, Pheonix noticed that, the quarters which are near to their's were spaced differently from each other. Few were like theirs, having thick trees on their backyard. And few had lush green gardens with variety of flowers. Few even had an extra floor.

As they neared the administrative block, Pheonix remembered about the old book he found that morning.

" Ladies, could you carry on towards the dining hall first, I have to meet the headmaster regarding a matter."

"Is it a top secret one?" Kate asked exitedly.

"Nah, it's about this book." He shower her the old book.

"You mean the book about the chamber pot?" Pheonix nodded his head to Kate's question. Samantha somewhat felt disappointed. " I will carryon then. You can come to the dining hall after meeting with the headmaster." She felt that he was just boasting and she was quite sure that he will be stopped at the entrance of the building and will be asked to leave.

"In that case, I will also come with you." Kate took his arm and started marching towards the building. "Where had the shy and timid girl that I knew of gone to?" Samantha was truely amazed by the ease with which Kate was behaving with Pheonix at the same time the feeling of jealousy and resentment rose again. " What a show off. He, a new student meeting the headmaster to show a book about chamberpot !!! In his dreams." Huffing, Samantha left for the dining hall.

"Kate, you do realize that you are acting like a mom taking her mischievous child to his father to get him punished for the misdeed he had committed?"

"I do feel like it!. Now I realize how mom's feel when they have a naughty and troublemaker kid like you." Kate smiled but let his hand go.

"Excuse me, is the headmaster available in his office?" Pheonix enquired with the headmasters assistant. A beautiful lady looked up from her work and recognizing Pheonix, smiled. Master Pheonix, what a surprise. Yes headmaster is in his office. Come I will take you to him.

Kate was surprised by the way the headmasters assistant addressed him and then started to followe them.

"Come in.... " a calm but firm voice sounded from inside the cabin when the lady knocked on the door.

She opened the door wide, "Headmaster, master Pheonix wanted to meet you so I brought him here."

"Ah yes, Pheonix, lad, come in, come in. You may leave Briana." The headmaster sent his Assist off with a smile.

"And who do we have here... Lady Kate of Sherwood City. What a pleasant surprise."

Both of them bowed deeply. "I was just accompanying Pheonix here that's all, headmaster." Kate informed him.

"Really.....! Tel me my boy. Is there anything you need "

"Headmaster do you by any chance recognize this book." Pheonix held the book infront of the headmaster.

"I don't lad. Who this book belongs to?"

"It belong to a person named "Glen Todler. "

The headmaster stood up so fast that his chair toppled back and Kate jumped in shock.

"What did you just said lad? "Glen Todler", that's the name of my Master."

"I thought so. Here headmaster. Take it. This belongs to you. But I would request you to do something. The book is too fragile. And I believe it will crumble if we open the book for a couple more times." Pheonix handedover the book to the headmaster.

"No problem. Watch carefully lad. This spell might come handy to you in the future. It spells like this....." The words that came out of the mouth of the headmaster felt gibberish to Kate. But, Pheonix could clearly make out the incantation. And infront of their eyes the cracked and crumpled cover of the book started to mend itself.

The headmaster then read the initial couple of pages and as he progressed a warm smile bloomed on his face. "This is truely my masters book. Lad, you don't know how much it means to me or to Remus. Thank you my boy. He inclined his head."

"I didn't do anything headmaster, I was simply going through the books outside the academic studies provided to us in our quarters, when I saw this old book, almost kept hidden behind a big books."

"Is that so ! Still, thank you for giving it to me, lad."

"One more thing headmaster, As per the book owners request, it would be wonderful if, It can be taught to worthy people and help others to achieve success like him."

"That I will take care of my boy." The headmaster assured him with a smile.

After saying goodbye, Pheonix and Kate turned to leave when the headmaster called him. " Lad, I had put the condition and am about to activate the barrier. Is there anything that I need to know befor I do?"

Pheonix thought for a few seconds and then shook his head. " Nothing elses headmaster. I had considered all the possibilities before placing it. Even I can't take it down easily now."

"What if there is someone who is powerful than, say let's assume a being more powerful than You or Myself or even Remus?"

Kate's jaw dropped to the ground. "Him as powerful as the headmaster? She knew he was stronger than anyone in their group but this!!!!"

"No headmaster, unless he is a demi god, no one can break it or take it down. It only allows those without magical ability. For those who have magical abilities they need to fulfil the condition you had placed. At the same time, No beasts below the level of legendary can even come nearby."

"Excellent, How about you? Can you enter the barrier without fulfilling the condition?"

"I can, but it would be a lot of unnecessary waste of energy, headmaster."

"Here you go then, the headmaster pointed his finger at the right forearm. A small symble of the Academy of a copper coin size appeared on his forearm.

"Only the ones like this mark given by me are allowed to enter. I had attuned my mana signature to the condition."

"That's a great idea headmaster. But please inform the others that it will be painful while inscribing the symbol onto others."

"Ha ha ha..... I will do that my boy. I will do that."

"When did you last went for hunting inside the ancient forest?"

"I think it was more than six months ago headmaster. It was a red dragon. Master Remus laughed so hard that day when the hair on my head caught on fire accidentally. " Pheonix had a sad smile with a distant look.

"Do you miss him, lad?"

"More than you can imagin headmaster. Irony is that, I almost wanted to kill him and run away just a couple of years ago, when he started to train me."

" Ha ha ha..... you would not be the first one to think in those lines my boy. He is a kind of a stickler when it comes to training. "

Pheonix nodded in agreement.

"Well then, off you go kids its getting late for your lunch. And Kate. I hope you would keep this conversation within yourself?" The headmaster raised an eyebrow questioningly.

Kate nodded her head in a daze and followed Pheonix out of the cabin.