20 - Our Enemies.. Or Our Friends?

Johnny looked at that boy with a frown. He bit his lips with anger because of that student.

Still, he didn't say anything, but kept going, along with Elizabeth. Eventually, they stop in the front of their class and all kids get in.

Miss Harmony waited for them in that class.

"Who's that boy?" Elizabeth asked.

"Alexander Soimescu ... a jerk. Some say he is a distant relative of Dragoesti's. And his grandparents were vampires all their life ... until they died of old age."

"As far as I know, vampires do not die of old age," Elizabeth smiled, hearing the rubbish that Johnny kept selling.

"Whoever he is, you should stay away from him. He has the impression that if his family spent a fortune on the best magic professors, he is a master of magic now."

And leaving Elizabeth in front of Miss Harmony, Johnny went to his desk angrily, at the back of the classroom.

Miss Harmony told the girl:

"Please sit there in the front row ... you have a lot to make up for."

All the children sat at their recently manufactured and skilfully crafted wooden desks. Each of them had the emblem of Elmbridge School of Magic.

Elizabeth placed her books on the desk like the other children, then she began to listen carefully to Miss Harmony. No one managed better than her to explain to those children what magic is and make these kids love magic.

"First of all, I want to tell you that we are extremely pleased to have you among our students in Elmbridge School of Magic, one of the best magic schools in the country ... and in the world."

After a short break when she smiled at those kids, she went on:

"Here at the school of magic, we will train all sorts of wizards. You will learn how to use magic and master it. Many of you will become magic architects, the greatest inventors of all time. They invented among many things, the vigil candle, patented by Henric Julien IV. Professor Brian Hazzelnuck, who paved the way for ... any place in this world where we want to get at once, leaving behind the …witch broom. Yes, he showed us the way to transmutation ... through portals. And we are very lucky because riding those brooms was not very comfortable and safe ... As others told me, because I did not have ... the chance to try something like this."

Miss Harmony smiled at the children, continuing to talk as she looked at them:

"Or maybe some of you will become guardians. Who knows? You will join the group of fighters against black magic. And who punish wrongdoers. Or you will become potion makers who will create the strongest cures and the most powerful elixirs. Or you can become herb growers for potions, fantastic and non-fantastic caregivers ... it all depends on you. Depending on what you choose ..."

"As Johnny really sucks, I think he'll be a potion bottle cleaner ... or a caretaker of mystical and non-mystical beings ... And he will clean their manure," Alexander laughed at his own joke.

Many children in the class also laughed, especially Alexander's friends. Or rather, those who wanted to join this kid's group and his attention, as he belonged to a renowned family.

"You're wrong. I know a lot of stuff. For a year I read all kinds of books, unlike you."

"Maybe you read, but you learn nothing. As for me, I've been studying magic for five years. I came to Elmbridge just because I needed ... papers to prove how good I am."

"Please stop fighting. Alexander, first of all it is not nice to offend. Please, in my class speak only if I speak to you. And please never offend anyone again ..."

Miss Harmony stood up from her desk and got close to the boys.

"Did you hear about Merlin?"

"Of course I did ... I read a lot of books written by him. About magic, potions and more. Anyone heard about him," Alexander the "wise" smiled.

"But did you know that at first, before he became one of the most well-known wizards, he was responsible for growing herbs and cleaning potions? This is how he became the most skilful wizard when it comes to potions and elixirs."

Alexander stopped smiling.

"As for being a caregiver, it means more than you think, it means to have a lot of knowledge. To learn a lot ... In the world of sceptics, this means being a kind of vet. But in our magic world it means much more and it is much harder. You must know everything about mystical and non-mystical creatures. Absolutely everything. To know everything you need when an ice dragon's scales melt, or when the gills of a sea eagle are clogged with algae."

Alexander was as red as a beetroot ... He wanted to say something more, but his words couldn't leave his brain to his mouth, so the only thing he could say was ... silence. Miss Harmony made him feel ungrateful. That's how he was at that moment, actually.

"So Johnny, I really want you to become a caretaker of mystical and non-mystical creatures. But even for that you have a lot to work."

"Thank you, Miss Harmony," Johnny said with a big smile, feeling like a real winner.

"As I told you, depending on how diligent and hardworking you are and you will be ... your achievements will be the consequence of your work. You can be laborious, active students, to become Magic Architects, herb Growers or even potion Creators, Caretakers of mystical or non-mystical beings, or you will learn to be the best. Guardians and Fighters of magic."

"Is Mr. Knudlac a Guardian?" asked Jasmine Thompson.

"Yes, dear. He is as well Magic Knight of the Empire in the Order of the Magic Knights, Magic Duke of Elmbridge in the Chamber of Magic Lords, Member of the Magic Consulate, Director of the Elmbridge School of Magic ... and many more."

"Are you a herb Grower?"

"I am a potion maker," replied the professor with the same smile.

"I also want to be a potion maker. In no case grower ..."

"To be a grower requires as much study and commitment. If you do not know how to grow the howling cucumber, and you do not know when to change its layer of sand, to be similar to that at the bottom of the sea, which is salty and dry and wet at the same time, the cucumber will scream so loud that it will break any stone, including the walls of our school. Or, if you don't water the flying grass properly, at noon and in the evening, just as much as the dew in the morning used to water it, you risk affecting the flight system in the Pegasus horses that eat it, to never fly again. So..."

"I want to be a grower, so that bad things don't happen," rushed the little girl.

"I hope you become a very good grower ..."

The woman smiled at the children.

"In fact, let's see what each one wants to become."

At each desk, she asked each kid what they wanted to become. She listened to them calmly and gently and wished them luck. And of course she urged them to study hard and smart.