Chapter Four: Willow

Walking into Professor Valgrur's room was like sliding into a mad scientist's den. All sorts of decanters, distillers, potions, and cauldrons bubbled away in the room, weaving a thick, pungent aroma that hung in the air.

Chloe followed her, both nervous and curious. Neither of them had ever met this professor before. Though many taught at the academy, some teachers would never cross paths with students who weren't studying potions.

When they entered her classroom, Professor Valgrur was writing up notes for one of her lectures on an old-fashioned chalkboard, very different from the whiteboards and digital screens other teachers used. The chalk made a distinct scraping sound on the board. Scritch scritch.

"Uh, Professor?" Willow asked, choking on a bit of chalk dust. She coughed a few times. "Is it okay if I ask you something?"

The old, wizened professor turned to them, her black robes swirling in an almost demented fashion. "Ask, child," she said, gray eyes oddly sharp in her shrunken face. Surely, she must be at least two centuries old.

"I… I was told to come here because you know how to brew a potion that can reveal if someone's enchanted. A Truesight potion, I think it's called?"

The professor fidgeted with her chalk, coating her left hand in chalk dust. "A most intriguing request, child. You're not one of my students, are you?" She squinted, hobbling a little closer. "Ah, but your features look familiar."

"I believe you taught my mother. I'm Willow Colson."

"Ah, a Colson. I've had three generations of you Colsons in my lessons. Not you, though. A shame." She smiled, showing oddly pointed teeth. "And why do you want such a potion? They don't always come cheap, mind."

"I, uh, have reason to suspect a friend of mine may be under an enchantment. People don't take him seriously; they think he is… grieving. But I think that if there's proof he is enchanted, they might take him more seriously."

The professor pressed her wrinkled lips together, forming deeper crags all around her mouth. "That's reason enough for me. I have a few of those potions lying around. Living in such a place, you have to be prepared for all the ways magic can be employed. Does this friend attend the school?"

"He used to. He dropped out recently."

"Ah." Her eyes glinted. "I believe I know who you're talking about. That boy has been a topic of some interest among the teachers. However, we teachers are usually pretty diligent in picking up if someone is enchanted. We would be poor ones not to notice."

Willow glanced at Chloe, not sure how to answer. Chloe stepped in instead.

"I think it's a bit more subtle," she said. "I had a friend who was enchanted, but the effect was a bit more noticeable. This person is supposed to be grieving, and he's not been around any of the teachers long enough for them to notice anything is off."

"True." Professor Valgrur shrugged before fishing out a dull gray vial. "Fifty dollars. It'll take me a day to replenish this one."

It seemed Professor Valgrur was money-wise on top of being ancient and talented at potions.

"You should inform Professor Z'Hana and Professor Umber of this, however. Both of them were teaching the boy before he left, and both of them would wish to see him back in classes. They won't shut up about it at times," the professor muttered, handing over the vial to them after Willow produced the money, the same money she was planning to spend on a fun evening out at a nightclub with her friends.

Oh well. So much for those plans. Maybe she could persuade Harrow or Chloe to pay her way in instead.

"I will let the professors know," Willow said. "Thanks for your help."

The scritching noises started up again as the professor turned back to the board.

"I guess…" Chloe whispered, "We'll just show ourselves out." They left the smelly classroom, and outside in the corridor, the air felt a million times fresher.

"That was something." Chloe examined the gray liquid. "I'd hate to swallow something like this; it looks disgusting."

"My mother always said good medicine tastes awful. That's how you know it's good medicine."

"Sounds like an elaborate con to make you take medicine."

"Probably." Chloe had a good point, actually. She'd have to ask her mother about it sometime. For now, though, they had the vial of viscous gray liquid. Next came messaging Eva and the professors, and then, finally, Martin.

However, she was warned that some enchanted people reacted badly when told they were enchanted – and multiple people had advised her not totell Martin about the potion. But Willow arranged to meet him in the lunch hall anyway and even offered to pay for his meal.

Guilt made her insides squirm at the thought of feeding him the potion without him knowing. That wasn't something you did to someone you wanted as a friend or someone you cared about. But Z'Hana, Umber, her mother, Chloe – all of them said telling him was too risky, which was why she ordered some drinks a few moments before Martin arrived and poured the liquid from the little vial into the drink. She stirred the drink vigorously, and the gray faded into yellow, making the drink appear normal.

When Martin arrived, he beamed as she handed him the drink, and she felt like an absolute monster.

Even though she was doing the right thing, it didn't mean she liked it. But it made sense. She couldn't help but notice Professor Umber sliding into the dining hall and glancing over them, then slowly going for lunch, deliberately not looking at them again.

Suspicious professor…

Martin didn't seem to notice anything, and he gulped down the liquid without showing any indication that it tasted funny. They got lunch – the favored leek and potato pasta bake, which tended to sell out early due to its cheddar cheese top layer – and sat down together, with Martin draining the rest of his drink.

"It's been a long time since I've eaten here," Martin said. "I've missed the atmosphere, to be honest. Thanks for inviting me."

"Happy to do so," she said. "I was looking forward to seeing you again."

He tucked into the food, practically inhaling it. She didn't even attempt to try and keep up. "Jeez, you were hungry! Did you starve yourself before coming here?"

"Mmf – it's just – really – mmf!" Somehow, he managed to get it all down neatly while all she could do was stare, not sure whether to be impressed or horrified.

"It's all right, not exactly Michelin Star cuisine." Except, judging by the way he consumed it, it might as well have been. "I can cook a pretty good leek and potato pasta bake myself. Maybe I can make it for you sometime."

He looked up, his fork halfway to his mouth. Some of the cheese, stretching ominously, threatening to fall off. "Oh, I'd love that! You can cook?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm pretty decent," she said, trying not to be distracted by the cheese or the way his lips parted, ready to take a forkful.

"Me, too, though mostly it's the foods we foraged and hunted in the forest and mountains. Perhaps there's a few things we might be able to teach each other."

She flushed, thinking of an image where they might be huddled next to a campfire, the flames crackling as they ate whatever food he'd prepared. The image felt cozy, snug… and romantic. She shivered. It was probably best not to start thinking of romantic things just yet. Not when she'd already fed the poor guy a Truesight potion without him knowing. His happiness and genuine pleasure at being there, eating the food, talking to her –did nothing to quell her guilt.

Instead, that guilt simmered within, and she kept wondering how he didn't see through her and know something was wrong.

I'm doing the right thing. Everyone's said it's necessary.

Maybe she could trick her brain into feeling better.

Martin spoke. "My sister seems to think you're a pretty cool person. She mentioned wanting to hang out with you again," he said, enthusiastically going for the food again. "She was talking about you this morning even!"

"I like your sister," Willow said, "not quite as much as I like you…"

"Not quite as much as me?" One eyebrow popped up. "Well, that's nice to hear. You're not too bad yourself. I didn't even have to wait for a date." He paused as Willow froze. "Not that I'm saying this is a date or anything. Just that it's nice not to have to wait to hang out again."

Date.

The word flickered through her brain like lightning. "I mean, that's what friends do, right?" She laughed it off casually. Honestly, such a thing had never occurred to her. Besides, dates needed to be more than eating lunch in the dining hall. If he wanted a real date, maybe she could arrange something more appropriate.

And… now she was thinking of dates and what Harrow had said about Martin being her "type," even though the reasoning behind it was nonsensical.

We can be friends, she thought furiously to herself. It doesn't have to be a big deal or develop into anything else. Besides, he's probably more interested in connecting with me because of my powers.

Still, her treacherous little mind liked to wander.

"It's nice," he said, completely oblivious to her internal struggle. "My other friends have been keeping their distance since everything. Sometimes, it's easy to forget that you can make new friends as well."

She smiled and nodded before her attention fixed to a strange, faint glow emanating from Martin's skin. Barely perceptible at first, it increased in intensity until a distinctive green aura seemed to reach out from his back. He didn't notice the glow, but Professor Umber, still in the room, noticed. The professor also chose that time to approach their table just as Martin polished off the pasta bake. He waved to get Martin's attention.

"A non-student eating in the dining hall?" he asked.

"That's not an issue, is it? I was told it would be fine," Martin said, wiping his mouth, a frown now furrowing his brow.

"It's not too much of an issue. But… I would like to see you for a few moments in my office. I believe we have something to discuss that will be of importance to you."

"Yeah?" Martin appeared puzzled but still unaware of the glow lifting from his back, the evidence that he was enchanted.

Willow's heart sank a little. To think he'd gone this long without ever being tested for an enchantment. To have had his thoughts be driven by it for months and months and not know…

"I can wait here if you like," Willow suggested.

"We may be a while," Professor Umber warned. "It may be better for you to finish your lunch and go to your next class."

"Right." By now, Willow's heart had officially sunk to her shoes, followed by the rest of her mood. "I guess… we'll see each other another time," she told Martin wistfully.

"You have my number. Looking forward to it." He gave her a beatific grin before it vanished as he slunk after Professor Umber.

I'm sorry, she thought while realizing she had lost her appetite. She picked at her food, but everything tasted like ash, so she eventually gave up.

Should doing the right thing feel this bad? Hopefully, when Martin found out about the enchantment, he'd understand, though, all the same, she worried that any hope of a connection with him was now lost.