Dueling for Salem

Christmas vacation came without any incidents, and the students were ready for a break from studying. The staff was equally excited to be leaving the school grounds and spending time with people their own ages. Jared and Constance stood outside the teachers' quarters, Jared waiting for his sisters and Constance wanting to avoid going home. Most of the rest of the staff had left at the first possible chance.

Myra, JP, and Asia pulled their suitcases across the snow-covered sidewalk while Ace flew alongside them. "Let's go," JP said. "I'm starving."

"Alright." Jared hugged Constance quickly, wishing her good luck for the holiday with her family.

"Thank you, Jared. Merry Christmas. You too, JP. You had a great semester."

"Thanks. Merry Christmas."

JP and Asia ran through the snow toward the end of the school grounds. Jared and Myra each held onto one of the girls, who still didn't have apparating licenses, and with a loud crack, arrived in the living room of their home. JP and Asia ran off to JP's room, making as much noise as possible since they couldn't be given detention or manage to run into Professor Strauss, which seemed to be their specialty.

"Going out?" Myra asked Jared.

Jared looked at his watch. It was the beginning of Troy's shift. "I think so. You want to come with me?"

"Really?"

"Yeah. Put on some Muggle clothes. I'll magic you an i.d."

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The club was practically shaking as Jared and Myra walked through the door. "A drag bar?" Myra asked.

"Is that what this is called? I didn't know when I came here the first time. Constance...Professor Armistead picked it."

Myra headed toward the bar. "No alcohol," Jared yelled. "You may have to apparate home alone, if you don't mind."

"No. I'll tell mom you're lost somewhere."

"Thanks." Jared and Myra ordered non-alcoholic drinks and sipped them while sitting at the bar. "I meant to ask," Jared said. "What's the matter with Abby?"

"What do you mean?"

"Is she always full of herself, or is it just in my class?"

"It's all the time. She actually said 'with my background in history, I'll be a perfect law enforcement official,' or something like that. And Sadie and Beatrice think she's in love with you."

"They may be right."

"She bothers me so much. They all kind of do. Maybe because it's senior year, but I'm tired of them. I have to hear about my lack of a future from mom. I don't need it at school too."

"I know how it is. You'll find a future. Don't worry."

"Thanks."

"That's him." Jared pointed to the stage, where Troy was beginning his song. He always looked different on stage, but Jared easily recognized his movements, the way he held the microphone.

"Good evening. I'm the Lady Angelica, and I'd like to start out with a little love song. This one's for the special man in my life."

Jared was elated when Troy climbed offstage and fought through fans to Jared and Myra. After kissing Jared extravagantly, he said, "This is your sister?"

"Myra, this is Troy."

The two shook hands. "Myra," Troy said. "I love your brother, but I don't see him nearly enough. Do you go to this boarding school?"

"Yes."

"Do you like it?"

"I love it."

"Then I guess it's alright. I should visit sometime." Myra and Jared looked at each other. "It's okay," he said. "I don't always look like this. I can pull of prep-school. I actually went to Catholic School myself, if you can believe that." A fast, pounding song started. "Myra, a dance?"

Myra apparated home that night feeling good, and collapsed into her bed without talking to her parents, who were sitting together but not talking, in the living room. Her mother leaned into her bedroom. "Where's Jared?"

"He ran into some friends."

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Jared woke before Troy the next morning and moved quietly into the front room to read through a book he had shrunk to keep in his pocket: The Extended History of International Magical Relations. He wanted to be able to answer every possible question from his seniors, who were becoming more demanding as they faced job interviews and the need to actually apply the information learned at Salem to the rest of their lives. He loved the feeling of the easy Saturday morning, lying on the sofa with coffee brewing and Troy asleep in the bedroom. He actually thought of this for his life, living here and not at Salem Academy.

Troy stumbled into the living room, rubbing his eyes. "You get up so early. And you made coffee. How sweet." He sat beside Jared on the couch. "Sleep well?"

"Well enough."

"I'm so glad you could actually stay over last night. Usually, you have to leave right after."

"Sorry. I know."

"No, no. I'm sorry. That wasn't a guilt trip. I'm busy too, so it's perfect for me. I still have another year of law school, and I have the two jobs."

"Thank you."

"What are you reading?"

"It's a history book." Jared closed the cover and threw the book over the sofa, but not before Troy had seen one of the pages.

"This is going to sound crazy, but I swear the pictures in that book moved."

"Really?"

"Yeah. That's weird. Let me look again."

"No." It came out too forcefully. "I mean, they do move. It's a new thing. My mom's in government."

"Really?" Troy eyed him suspiciously. "Alright."

"I should go," Jared stammered. "Speaking of my mother, I'm supposed to be home."

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Thea and Clive loaded Asia's suitcases into the trunk of the car. "Where are the girls?" Thea asked. "We need to get going. Asia's parents want her home in an hour, and I have to drive regularly through the neighborhoods."

"They're eating breakfast. They were up practically all night."

She ran up the front steps into the house, shouting, "Joan, Asia, are you ready?" then "Clive, are you coming?"

"Whatever you want."

"Jared's still not back?"

"No."

"Maybe you should stay. I don't really want to leave the house empty or leave Myra alone."

"Sure." Clive didn't understand the whole situation, but he wanted his children safe as much as she did.

The Department had successfully covered up the incident, and non-magic people had believed that the whole tape was a strange joke. Clive's students had laughed about it, shocked at themselves for believing it.

Thea had dealt with scorn from Armistead, but he hadn't demanded that she shut down the program. She assumed he was convincing the council to revoke her funding, which she had barely recovered after Edison Constantine's death. Armistead could be after her file database, which she was keeping at home under the Fidelius charm, and she didn't put it past him to threaten her house or her family.

"Asia, JP," she shouted again, and the two girls ran out of the house. "Get in the car. Asia's parents would like to see her sometime during break."

It only took half an hour to drive to Baltimore, and JP and Asia sprung out of the car. Frank and Leana brought Asia's luggage inside. "Stay for a while, Thea. We'd love to talk to you."

The three adults sat in the living room of Asia's small house, and her parents again looked nervous, though they were in their own territory. "Clive couldn't make it?"

Thea had the impression they liked him more than her, or they at least related better to him. "No, he's at home."

"Thank you for bringing Asia home."

"It's alright. Transportation isn't too hard for us."

"That is convenient."

"You have a fireplace, right? We could hook you up to the Floo Network."

"Isn't that illegal somehow?"

"By our laws, it's borderline, but not quite illegal. Lines are blurred when a magical person lives with non-magical people."

"I don't know. We're doing alright. And with what happened before..." The Madisons had been nervous since the revealing. They had called the McFarland house that night, demanding to know if the men in question were wizards like Asia.

"I know."

"If you don't mind, I'd love to talk to you about Asia. She keeps talking about things I don't understand. What are Aurors? What's Quodpot?"

"Quodpot is a sport. Aurors are similar to police officers."

"Oh no. She has no real plans."

They kept Thea there for an hour, interviewing her about every aspect of Asia's life, until she said, "I'm very sorry, but Joan and I should be going."

"Merry Christmas. Any big holiday plans?"

"My uncle's coming from England."

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"Wake up everybody. It's Christmas!" Jared and Myra sprung out of their rooms at JP's first shout. Their father and mother dragged themselves out of their bedroom. Clive made coffee, the only thing he could cook better than Thea, while everyone else gathered in front of the tree.

"Don't open anything yet," Thea said, though they were all past the age when waiting to tear into their presents was unbearable.

They waited until the fireplace flashed green and Filius entered with a bundle of presents. "Happy Christmas everyone!" He passed out his presents first. Myra and Jared opened their books, old British volumes. Myra's was in ancient runes and Jared's concerned the Goblin rebellions. There was rumor of Goblin in Filius' past, though Jared and his sisters had always been afraid to ask about it. JP took longer to open her present, which she knew would be a book. Uncle Filius always gave everyone books; JP assumed it was a teacher thing. When she finally tore back the yellowing paper, she saw: Master Book of Charms. One of the chapter titles read "Charms for Dueling." JP smiled at Filius, then shut the book quickly.

The family spent the entire day in the living room, looking through and trying out their presents. Myra read one of her many books, while JP tried new spells. Clive screamed as JP turned his hair orange, then lengthened it. "Filius, could you set me straight please?"

Jared stared across the room, his new book open in his lap. He thought about Troy, who he had seen the day before. Troy was spending Christmas alone, but Jared couldn't think of any way to get away and see him. He already felt like he was sneaking around, even though he was twenty four and shouldn't have to lie every time he left the house. "Jared, are you alright?" Thea asked.

"Yeah, thanks. I just need some coffee. Can I get anyone anything? Filius?"

"Yes, please. Thank you, Jared."

"How do you want it?"

"The same was as you gave it to me last time."

"Chocolate syrup and two shots of caramel?"

"Exactly."