Easrim go up at eight o’clock, drowsy and ready to take on the day....after a shower. After Easrim got ready, he grabbed his things -which he packed the night before- then went to the mirror and said:

“Buffleetoe’s school of Magical Exploration.” The mirror rippled then showed a lake. Easrim passed through and looked around there was only a lake and a field of grass. He scratched his head, then looked up. There were two clouds seeming to be stationary, despite it being quite windy. Easrim decided to try again, but be a little more specific. He went back to the mirror and said:

“Buffleetoe’s school of Magical Exploration, front door.” The mirror rippled again, then showed a huge door. Easrim walked through it again, and this time he was in front of a mansion.

He looked up at the school, and lost all his dignity he had. The school looked like boxes piled precariously on top of one another, stretching miles above him. He looked around. He was on a grass platform. He looked to the side, and saw the ground wasn’t there. He frowned, and hopped over the wall that was probably to stop people from doing was Easrim was doing, but he didn’t care. He jogged to the edge where the grass stopped, and leaned over. His eyes bulged.

“Oh my. The school is floating.” He was miles above the ground. He could faintly see the lake from before. Easrim didn’t know if he should be surprised or just should have just expected this. What can’t magic do?

Surrounding the entire mansion was a thick cloud, like the one he had seen before. Easrim looked at his watch, then walked back to the huge door. He had thirty minutes before he was supposed to be at the school, but better early than late.

In front of the mansion, if you could call it that, there was a statue of a unicorn. He stared at it. It moved. He bit back a shriek. It had turned around to look at him. Easrim decided he should ignore the statue for now, and announce his presence, so he knocked on the door. He used the door knocker that was shaped like a unicorn.

BANG.

BANG.

BANG!

Easrim waited for fifteen minutes, admiring the school before the door opened. A horrible smell hit his nostrils like someone had not taken a bath in years. Easrim was polite and didn’t even flinch, let alone reach for his nose. A old man looked outside confused then saw Easrim standing there. The old man looked taken aback. he said in a surprised tone:

“Can I help you?”

Easrim said in a polite tone, “hello, my name is Easrim. I am the new potions master.”

The old man looked even more surprised at this news, “I thought you were a Halform.”

“I am.” Easrim said. He realized that this was the wrong thing to say, even if it was true.

The old man’s nostrils flared and said in a angry tone, “I don’t know how you got here, but Halforms are not allowed here. I don’t know what my wife was thinking when she said she invited you to teach here, but you should leave, now,” then he said in a tone that was very rude said in a way that he didn’t mean a word of it, “Good day to you sir,” then slammed the door in Easrim’s face. Easrim stood there for a second unsure of what to do.

Then a female voice spoke to Easrim.

“Younger Professor Natille has had a very bad experience with halforms years ago, so she doesn’t like halforms, especially male halforms.”

Easrim jumped and turned around looking for the one who spoke and saw no one. The only thing he saw was the statue which was still looking at him.

Easrim thought for a second, then said to the statue,

“Um, hello?”

“Hello, Professor Pax” said a very old and wise female voice that came from the statue

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know you could talk. Otherwise, I would have said hello.” Easrim said

The statue said, “That is all right I am sure that you aren’t used to talking statues where you come from.” Wait a moment, thought Easrim, did the statue say she? Easrim decided not to clarify with the statue.

“So does everyone want me to leave, or just Younger Professor Natille?” Easrim asked, afraid of the answer.

“Most of them are curious, but they are open to letting you join,” was the reply. He visibly relaxed.

“Well, how can I contact Older Professor Natille in order to tell her that I am here?” Easrim questioned the statue.

“As Young Professor Natille is not here at the moment. Why don’t you call her? You do have a phone, don’t you?” the statue asked in responds.

“Do witches and wizards have cell phones?” Easrim questioned again. He had a feeling that this statue was very old if it was calling older Professor Natille young.

“Of course witches and wizards use cell phones, they're very useful.” The statue responded in a very old weathered voice. The beautifully crafted iris and pupils in its stone eyes were rolling at Easrim.

Easrim took out his phone and asked for the phone number. The statue gave him the number which he called straight away, because it was almost 9:00 am.

Ring.

Ring.

Ring.

“Hello,” came older Professor Natille voice from the receiver.

“Hello, Professor Natille, this is Easrim.” Easrim said into the speaker.

“Oh, hello, Professor Pax, I am in your shop looking for you. Where are you?”

“He is in the front lawn and just talked with your husband,” said the statue. Easrim jumped. The statue was standing right next to him. He could smell its breath. Should a statue have a breath? Easrim wondered. He assumed they shouldn’t, but after all, this was a school for magic. Professor Natille must have jumped to because the phone dropped on her end

A metallic Clang

Easrim heard Professor Natille curse on the phone.

“Language Young Professor Natille,” said the statue

“Sorry, Madam Naomi” said Professor Natille in a hurried voice.

Professor Natille hung up the phone.

“You just wait right here for a little bit she will come bring you inside shortly” said Madam Naomi.