Alexandra Quick and the Deathly Regiment

The Winter Ball

"You Confunded them, didn't you?"

It was the first thing Alexandra said, as they drove away from Larkin Mills. The Special Inquisitor's car was a perfectly ordinary-looking vehicle, not at all like her sister's silver town car with the falcon hood ornament, nor any of the more fantastic vehicles Alexandra had seen on the Automagicka.

Charlie and Nigel were sitting in their cages in the back seat, along with Alexandra's backpack and broom. She had loaded her things into Ms. Grimm's car and said good-bye to her parents, and then sat wordlessly in the front passenger's seat for the first few miles, until they reached the Interstate.

Ms. Grimm said, "Nothing permanent. I promise you, it didn't harm them at all."

"Neither does Obliviation, right?"

Ms. Grimm cast her eyes sideways as she drove. "You have a problem with the International Statute of Secrecy, Alexandra?"

Alexandra looked out the window. "Are you really taking me to Charmbridge?"

"Of course I am. Where else would I be taking you?"

"Oh, I don't know -- Eerie Island, maybe, or Mount Diablo?"

"Mount Diablo is in California." Ms. Grimm turned off the Interstate, and they went through the troll-booths that guarded the entrance to the Automagicka. Ms. Grimm tossed a gold coin to a large troll with purple skin, and barely slowed down long enough for it to drag a chain out of the way of the car.

"I know where Mount Diablo is," Alexandra said, as they began speeding along the Automagicka. "You told me Anna's father is there."

"Yes." The Special Inquisitor glanced at her again. "On suspicion of collaborating with the Dark Convention -- specifically, he's been accused of being a member of the Thorn Circle."

Alexandra snorted. "That's ridiculous! Anna's father doesn't even know my father!"

"How do you know that, Alexandra?"

Alexandra opened her mouth, and paused. "There's no way Mr. Chu is a member of the Thorn Circle. He's running for Congress!"

"As your father did, once."

"He almost pulled Anna out of school to keep her from being around me!"

"Perhaps now he wants to dissociate himself from his former co-conspirators."

Alexandra shook her head, but Ms. Grimm went on: "Of course you and Anna believe Mr. Chu is innocent, but they wouldn't have arrested him without cause."

"You told me the WODAMND Act lets you arrest anyone you think might be a Dark wizard. All you have to do is suspect them."

Ms. Grimm smiled. They drove silently for a while, while Alexandra thought about Anna's father. Was it actually possible that he was a member of the Thorn Circle? She only knew one person who would know for sure.

After a while, she turned her head to look at the other witch. "Why did you come to pick me up? If I knew anything about the Thorn Circle, especially if I could prove that Anna's father isn't one of them, I'd have told you."

"I have no doubt about the latter." Ms. Grimm smiled thinly. "But there are things you haven't been telling me, Alexandra."

Alexandra tensed. "What?"

"You've been lying, Alexandra." Ms. Grimm's voice was very soft, but it carried a note of menace. "Pretending all these months that your memories of the Lands Below were gone, when they weren't."

Alexandra's first impulse was to deny it, to hide her thoughts behind a wall of Occlumency (for all the good that would do her), and then she simply let out a breath and unclenched her fists.

"Who told you?" she asked.

"That doesn't matter. You must have known I'd find out eventually. You knew you'd have to tell me the truth sooner or later, so you've been holding onto that secret out of sheer obstinacy." She glanced at Alexandra. "Surely it wasn't out of loyalty to your father?"

Alexandra remained silent.

"Eventually," Ms. Grimm said, "my sister and I will not be able to protect you any more."

"Protect me?" Alexandra couldn't hide her surprise.

"Do you really think after all your escapades, all your lying, that you'd still be on your way back to Charmbridge if she and I weren't doing our best to keep you out of the hands of the Juvenile Magical Offenses Division?"

Ms. Grimm let Alexandra think about that for quite a long time. They were zooming along the Automagicka, and Alexandra was distracted a little by some of the odder vehicles, with their strange bodies and seemingly random wheel configurations, but eventually she looked back at the woman next to her.

"Why?" she asked. "If I'm so troublesome?"

"Troublesome!" squawked Charlie, from the back seat.

"A trial and a pain." Ms. Grimm's mouth made a straight line, but for a moment, Alexandra thought she was suppressing a smile. "I think it more likely that you'll eventually lead me to your father if you're allowed to remain free, but not everyone in the Wizard Justice Department agrees. As for why Lilith has taken such a special interest in you, you'd have to ask her that. It's certainly not as a favor to me."

Alexandra watched a bright red car shoot past; it seemed to be floating a few feet off the ground, wheelless.

"You wanted me to help you," Ms. Grimm said. "I obtained information for you about Mr. Chu."

"It wasn't a lot of help."

Ms. Grimm's knuckles tensed on the wheel. Beneath her calm demeanor, the Special Inquisitor was growing angry.

Alexandra tried to collect her thoughts. It was hard to respond rationally when all she felt herself was anger and resentment. She was so tired of trying to outwit adults.

Why did the Grimm sisters care about her? She'd never asked for special treatment. She hadn't asked for anything that had happened to her since entering the wizarding world. She wanted to tell Ms. Grimm to leave her alone. She didn't want to be here in the car with her, being grilled about things she didn't want to talk about --

"I saw my brother die," she said. Her voice was so low, it was almost a whisper. "I lied to you because I didn't want to talk about it. You don't care what happened to us. You just want to catch my father. And all my father cared about was getting what he wanted -- he took my memories to keep you from catching him, and only gave them back after he thought it wouldn't matter. You two are like... arch-rivals, like a cat and a mouse, and I'm the cheese."

She wasn't even sure if that made sense. She had to stare out the window to avoid looking at Ms. Grimm. But when the Special Inquisitor spoke again, she sounded almost kindly: "That may be the most honest thing you've ever said to me, Alexandra."

Alexandra shrugged, and continued staring out the window.

"Unfortunately," Ms. Grimm continued, "I don't have the luxury of being concerned about your feelings. If you want to dwell on grief and loss, however, I'd ask you to consider all the people who lost loved ones on the Roanoke Underhill."

"I know. I met some of them," Alexandra muttered.

"I need to know everything, now, Alexandra. I need to know how you and Maximilian traveled to the Lands Below, and what you brought back to your father."

Alexandra closed her eyes. Ms. Grimm was right -- she had known she'd have to tell the tale eventually. She had already told Julia. For all she knew, the Office of Special Inquisitions had extracted the truth from her sister, and Ms. Grimm was just checking her version against what she already knew.

Having unburdened herself -- somewhat -- with her mother made it easier to repeat the story now. Alexandra began with Darla's obol, and continued talking as Ms. Grimm drove along the Automagicka. By the time she finished, with her return to Charmbridge Academy and her father's theft of her memories, they were entering Chicago.

"Julia and Ms. King aren't going to be in trouble, are they?" Alexandra asked.

"For not telling us that you'd been given your memories back?" Ms. Grimm frowned. "I don't think so."

But I'll bet it will come up, Alexandra thought.

She wasn't worried that the Kings would be intimidated by threats, but it was just another bit of misery she'd brought upon them.

Ms. Grimm's car exited the Automagicka, and soon she parked in front of Grobnowski's Old World Deli. As they got out, Alexandra had difficulty carrying her pack, her familiars' cages, and her broom. Ms. Grimm took Nigel's cage and the broom from her, and eyed the latter.

"This is a fine broom," she said, as they walked inside. "Take good care of it, Alexandra."

---

Ms. Grimm left her at the Chicago Wizardrail station, telling her that the Charmbridge bus would be along in just under two hours.

"Until next time, Alexandra."

Alexandra watched the Special Inquisitor go, and then looked down at Charlie, who was very unhappy about being confined to a cage, and Nigel, who was also twisting about, disturbed by all the movement.

"Quit fussing," she said to her two familiars, as she took a seat on a bench, and watched all the witches and wizards go by. Most of them ignored her. A few gave her suspicious looks -- ravens and snakes were not popular familiars. Alexandra supposed she should be grateful that her picture hadn't been published with any of those stories about Abraham Thorn's daughters.

An old woman with a bulbous nose, a face dented with warts and moles, and reddish eyes shambled past, and gave Alexandra a long, appraising look. Alexandra suppressed a shiver, and stared back at the woman, who smiled hideously at her, displaying jagged, discolored teeth.

"You have a touch of wickedness in you," the old woman said. "I can tell."

"Who asked you?" Alexandra snapped.

She knew she was being rude -- she didn't care. But the old woman didn't look offended. Her smile broadened, and she leaned closer, until Alexandra could smell her breath. Surprisingly, it was not foul, as she would have expected; on the contrary, it was sweet and pleasant. It brought to mind apple cider and fresh-baked cookies.

She was barely paying attention as the old crone murmured, "Wicked children come to me for things their mommies and daddies won't give them. What is it you want that you didn't get for Christmas, dearie?"

Her voice was so kindly, Alexandra mumbled spontaneously, "I want my brother back."

Then she blinked rapidly, and came to her senses. Her eyes focused, and she glared at the old woman, who took a step back. Alexandra rose to her feet and drew her wand.

"You wouldn't hurt old Hilda, would you?" croaked the old woman, holding up dry, gnarled hands. "What do you want? An Amulet of Resurrection? The Book of the Dead? Elixir of Life? I can get those for you..."

"What's going on here?" said a man in a Wizardrail Auror's uniform. He had his wand out as well, as he approached the couple. He pointed at Alexandra. "You, girl, put your wand away!"

Alexandra complied. The Auror looked at the old woman. "Hilda, if I see you around here again, HAGGIS won't be able to help you."

Hilda glowered at the Auror, but bowed her head in acquiescence. Just before turning away, she looked up at Alexandra from beneath thick, bristly brows, and winked.

The Auror turned to her. "Hasn't anyone ever told you not to talk to hags?"

Alexandra shrugged. The Auror shook his head, and stalked off, following Hilda's departure from the station, as Alexandra sat back down.

She knew an old woman hanging around train stations was unlikely to be able to obtain anything like an 'Amulet of Resurrection.' Still, for a moment, she had wanted to believe...

Over the Wizard Wireless Address system, a voice announced the arrival of the Delta Blue Blazer from New Orleans. Alexandra watched the passengers who disembarked shortly thereafter, and sure enough, Angelique appeared, carrying Honey in her Silenced cage, with a porter-elf dragging her bags along behind her.

Angelique saw Alexandra, gave her a halfhearted wave, and then suddenly became very interested in the animated Regimental recruitment posters lining one wall of the station.

More Charmbridge students appeared, one by one and two by two, until by the time the bus arrived, there was quite a crowd of them -- all giving Alexandra a wide berth.

She found the Pritchards already on the bus with the Rashes. They greeted her, despite the Rashes' scowls, so Alexandra supposed the Ozarker boys hadn't told the Pritchards' Ma and Pa about their continuing to socialize with 'unrespectable' sorts.

Alexandra saw William sitting towards the back of the bus with some other younger students; he waved to her, while holding his toad in his other hand. She gave him a small smile as she waved back, and noticed how the other sixth graders stared at the Muggle-born boy.

Alexandra didn't see any sign of Anna. She found David sitting across a table from his roommate, Dylan Weitzner.

"Happy New Year, Alex," David said.

"S'up, Alex," said Dylan, who was slouched in the booth, wearing dark glasses and a baseball cap turned backwards. Under his robe -- which he'd left open, as many Muggle-borns did until they reached Charmbridge and had to cover up their Muggle clothing -- he wore an overly large t-shirt and baggy pants. He made some weird gesture with his hand.

Alexandra nodded, frowning a little, as she sat down next to him.

"Man, knock that off," David said, rolling his eyes. "If anyone's gonna start a hip-hop club at Charmbridge, it ain't gonna be some white boy from Cleveland."

Dylan sat up. "Oh, like you're keepin' it real with your homies, Mr. Went-to-a-fancy-private-school who lives in the one part of Detroit that doesn't suck."

Alexandra wasn't sure if the boys were joking around or having a fight, but they fell silent when Angelique stood over their table and cleared her throat.

David grinned fatuously.

"'Lique!" exclaimed Dylan, spreading his hands. "Whaddup?"

"Man, I swear I'm gonna --" David shook his head and cut himself off. He patted the seat next to him, and Angelique slid into it, with a disdainful look at Dylan.

"Not sitting with Darla?" David asked.

"She's not returning until tomorrow," Angelique said.

David tried to hide his pleased expression. "You never called."

She sighed, and took out a shiny new cell phone. "I tried. I read the instructions, and I kept my wand away from it. And I had my Uncle Maurice helping me."

"Uncle Maurice?" David said. "I thought you had to hide Muggle toys from your family."

"Uncle Maurice was the black sheep of the family. He liked Muggles." Angelique let out an embarrassed giggle. "Actually, the rumor is that he really, really liked Muggles. Apparently liking the wrong Muggle woman is how he wound up dead."

"Dead?" Dylan and David both stared at her.

"He's my favorite family ghost."

The other kids at the table all exchanged glances.

"Do you think maybe having a ghost hovering around the phone is why it wouldn't work?" David suggested.

Angelique sighed, and glared at the gadget. "Honestly, David, why do Muggles make their computer-chippy-things so difficult to use?" She dropped it back into the pocket of her robe and smiled at him. "So, did the robes I sent you fit?"

David shifted and looked uncomfortable. "Uh, yeah -- my mom said they just need to be taken in an inch or so..."

"Oh, good, we can find someone to do that before the Winter Ball."

David gulped. "You want me to wear them to the Winter Ball?"

"Well, of course! You didn't think formal robes like that are for everyday wear, did you?" She patted his cheek. "I want you to look wizardly next to me!"

"Wizardly," David repeated, with a weak smile.

Alexandra covered her mouth. David caught her look, and glared at her.

"Are you going?" he asked.

Her smile faded. She started to say, "No," and then remembered her promise to Julia. Julia had reminded her of it, before leaving on Christmas Eve.

"Umm, maybe," she mumbled.

"Really?" Angelique arched an eyebrow. "With who?"

Alexandra knew what the other girl was thinking -- who would ask Alexandra Quick to the ball?

She shrugged. "I haven't asked anyone yet."

"You're supposed to be asked," Angelique said.

Alexandra turned to Dylan, who was slouched against the window, listening to the conversation with amusement.

"Do you have a date to the ball?" she asked.

His eyebrows rose above the tops of his sunglasses. "What?"

"Do you have a date?" she repeated slowly, as if speaking to a three-year-old.

His smirk vanished. "Uh, no..."

"Do you want to go?"

Dylan's mouth fell half-open. He sat up, glanced at David, who was now the one hiding a smirk, and back at Alexandra.

"Yeah," he said. "Sure."

Charlie made a coughing sound, matching David and Angelique's amused expressions.

---

Alexandra hid her worry all the way back to Charmbridge. When they got off at the Invisible Bridge, she waited for the seventh graders to disembark, but she didn't see Tomo either. At the Wizardrail station, she'd seen that the train from California was still not running. It traveled under the Rocky Mountains -- and thus, through the Lands Below.

She asked Ms. Speaks if she was using a Time-Turner to collect students from around the country again. The bus driver shook her head.

"The Department of Magical Transportation has started issuing Wartime Alternative Route Plans," she informed Alexandra. "I've been picking up more students from other Territories at Muggle train stations and airports."

Sure enough, after making the hike across the bridge and through the woods to Charmbridge Academy, she found Anna had already arrived and unpacked her things.

"Hi," Alexandra said, immensely glad to see her, and simultaneously remembering the coldness between them before the Christmas break.

"Hi." Anna gave Alexandra a small smile, but didn't cross the room to hug her, so Alexandra set Nigel's cage on her desk and unlatched Charlie's, while hiding her disappointment.

"Did you take a Muggle train to Chicago?" she asked.

Anna nodded. "It took a long time. I rode with Xaoming and Tammy, and Daniel Lucas and Harley Fortescue and a few others... Daniel and Tammy did most of the talking to Muggles. I envy the Muggle-borns, though, and Tomo... they took an airplane. I would have, but my mother was worried about me flying on an airplane by myself for the first time..." Her voice trailed off, as Alexandra listened to her ramble on, without looking at her.

"How's your father?" Alexandra asked softly.

Anna swallowed. "He's still in prison. They wouldn't let us see him. They blame him for the unrest and the Chinese and New Colonials calling for the Governor's recall, even though it's only happening because they put him in prison." She continued rearranging books on her desk, even though she'd been doing this since Alexandra had entered the room. "What about your father?" she asked, without looking up.

"Still haven't heard from him. Still don't want to." Alexandra hesitated, then walked over to her roommate. "I missed you," she said.

Anna still wouldn't look at her. "I missed you, too," she mumbled.

"I want us to be friends again."

Anna looked up. Her eyes were wet.

"I do, too," she whispered. "But..."

"You're right. I've lied to you. I've hidden things from you. Not just from you -- from everyone. I've hurt a lot of people, including my own sister." Alexandra closed her eyes. "I'm not good at talking about... stuff, Anna. To anyone. I couldn't even tell Julia what I was up to, and I still -- I still have trouble talking to her about Max. I only just admitted to my own mother that I met my half-brother last year, and that he d-died."

She opened her eyes again. Anna was staring at her. Charlie, who had fluttered to the window sill, was also watching her, attentive and silent.

"You've been closer to me than a sister," Alexandra said. "Maybe I don't know how to have a sister... or a best friend. But I promise, I'll listen to you. And I...I'll try to stop hiding things from you --"

"Try?" Anna asked.

"I will. I'll stop hiding things from you." Alexandra took a deep breath. "I trust you, Anna. I will trust you from now on."

Anna just stood there for a moment. Then, to Alexandra's horror, she burst into tears.

"Anna!" Alexandra put her arms around her, and Anna shook with sobs.

"I'm sorry," Anna said at last. Her face was red and tear-streaked. "I've been crying a lot lately."

Alexandra nodded.

"Are you done trying to bring back Max?" Anna asked softly.

Alexandra didn't answer immediately.

"No," she said at last. She stepped back, and cleared her throat. "It was stupid for me to try to use a Time-Turner without really understanding them. I get that. And I know everyone says you can't bring back the dead. But I know there's magic out there that they don't teach us about."

"Dark magic," Anna said.

"I swore I wouldn't give up." Alexandra's determined expression faltered a little at the look Anna gave her. "But I won't hide what I'm doing from you anymore. And I'll listen to you." She smiled ruefully. "I can't promise I'll always take your advice, Anna. But you are usually right."

Anna started crying again. Embarrassed, Alexandra put her arms around her again.

"Does this mean we're still friends?" she asked.

Anna nodded.

"Good," Alexandra said. "Because I don't want to go to the Winter Ball without you."

"The Winter Ball?" Anna rubbed her eyes.

"Yeah. I promised Julia I'd go."

Anna stared at her, wide-eyed. "You want to go with me? Not a boy?"

Alexandra laughed. "I'm going with Dylan Weitzner. I asked him on the bus."

"Oh." Anna kept staring at her.

"So, I guess we have to find you a date."

"You really make me crazy sometimes," Anna said.

Alexandra grinned at her. For a moment, that tight knot that had been constricting around her heart for the last eight months loosened a little.

Late that night, she thought some more about what Ms. Grimm had told her, and about Anna's plight.

It wasn't her fault that Anna's father was in prison -- it wasn't even really her father's fault. But she realized, as she lay in bed and thought about how preoccupied she had been with Time-Turners and ghosts and the Lands Beyond for the past five months, that she really hadn't thought about what she could do to help Anna -- and there was something she could do.

Or rather, there was something she could make her father do.

Quietly, she slipped out of bed, and went to her desk, where she took out a quill and a piece of parchment, and by the light of her wand, which she cupped beneath one hand to keep from waking up Anna, she wrote a very short note:

"Dear Father,
I want to talk to you.
Alexandra"

She rolled it up, very carefully, and then looked at Charlie. Charlie seemed to be asleep, but croaked her name when she walked over and reached her hand into the bird's cage.

She wiggled her fingers, silently coaxing Charlie out of the cage, and after a moment, her familiar stepped onto her wrist. The raven's talons dug into her skin, but she didn't wince as she withdrew her arm, and then began slowly, carefully, tying the rolled up piece of parchment to Charlie's leg.

"Charlie's a raven!" Charlie exclaimed.

Alexandra jerked her head around -- Anna stirred for a moment, and then lay still.

"Shh," Alexandra whispered. "Yes, I know you're not an owl."

She finished tying the note to Charlie's leg, and then cradled the bird in her arms. She spoke very softly, as if she were asking a favor, not giving a command.

"Ravens are wise birds," she murmured in Charlie's ear. "I don't think an owl would be able to find my father -- but I'll bet you can."

Or, she thought, her father would let Charlie find him.

"I want you find my father, Charlie," she whispered.

Charlie made a disgruntled sound, and Anna mumbled something. Alexandra held her breath, but didn't scold.

After a moment, Anna was silent again.

"Please, Charlie," Alexandra whispered. She kissed the top of Charlie's head, as she walked towards the window. "I need you to do this." She stroked the bird, and kissed it again. "If you can't find him, then just come back. But I wouldn't ask anyone else to do this, and I wouldn't ask you to deliver a message to anyone else."

The raven cocked its head, regarding her with one unblinking black eye, then another. Alexandra had always thought that those eyes harbored more intelligence than anyone knew.

She cracked the window open, and then held Charlie out before her.

"Fly, fly!" Charlie said, and took off, flapping out the window and into the cold winter night.

---

Alexandra had the same classes as in the fall semester, since her forced participation in JROC meant that once again she had no choice of electives.

On their first day back, Mr. Grue berated them for half an hour. Almost half the class (Alexandra included) had botched their Alchemy term projects. The teacher announced that they would have to prepare a potion by the end of every week, with no class time allocated for preparation. In class, they would spend the entire semester learning essential elements and compounds.

"At the end of this semester," Mr. Grue said, "those of you who pass will have the option of continuing with General Alchemy in ninth grade, or branching into an elective." He glowered at Alexandra. "If you pass."

Alexandra had done better in Mr. Newton's class, but the Charms teacher promised that their second semester would also be harder, as they were going to study locks, seals, and wards.

"You all know Locking Charms by now -- though most of you neglect to use them." Mr. Newton flicked his wand at a large, old-fashioned padlock sitting on his desk, and it leaped into the air and made a clacking sound as it locked itself before falling back to his desk. "And many of you probably learned Alohomora as soon as you got your wands." He pointed his own wand as he said the word 'Alohomora,' and the padlock popped open and skittered a few inches across his desk. "This semester, you will begin learning more complex Charms, beginning with Colloportus. We will touch upon wards and seals, which are the foundations of many complex enchantments. If you are hoping to learn how to get past Age Lines and magically sealed doorways, however, I assure you, that is well beyond any of your capabilities."

Alexandra sat back in her seat, and regarded Mr. Newton with a thoughtful expression. Charms class might actually be worth paying attention to this semester.

Colonel Shirtliffe told the JROC, during their first drill of the new year, that there would be an extra practice that week for them to rehearse ballroom drills and courtesies.

Alexandra attended, with misgivings. She was relieved when Ms. Shirtliffe assigned the couples instead of letting the mages pick their partners. She was less relieved when the teacher paired her off with Theo Panos.

Theo was no more pleased. He managed to step on her foot every time they practiced entering and exiting the floor.

"If you step on my foot one more time, I'm going to glue your feet to the ground," she hissed at him.

"Do it. Then I won't have to see your ugly face at the ball," Theo said. "I can't believe someone actually asked you!"

She glared at him, but he was right -- with Ms. Shirtliffe watching, she didn't dare jinx him. She had already asked about rejoining the Dueling Club; Ms. Shirtliffe had all but laughed in her face.

Anna remained completely unenthusiastic about finding a date.

"I think I'll just skip the Winter Ball," she said. "I mean, we're going to have a lot of work this semester --"

"It's this weekend, Anna. C'mon, don't bail on me."

Anna looked pained.

"Aren't there any boys you like?" Alexandra asked.

"No," Anna said firmly. "I mean, not like that."

"I don't like Dylan either. I mean, not like that. I only asked him because he was there."

David and Dylan were not very enthusiastic about helping her find a date for Anna.

"Just ask one of your friends to ask her," she said to them at breakfast, the following morning, while Anna was getting tea and pumpkin juice. "I'm sure they don't all have dates."

David asked, "Does she even want to go to the ball?"

"Of course she does," Alexandra assured them.

They gave her skeptical looks, as Anna returned to their table.

Constance and Forbearance were excited and envious when they found out that Alexandra was going to the ball.

"What are you gonna wear?" asked Forbearance.

"Somethin' purdy, I hope," said Constance.

"I'm wearing my dress uniform," Alexandra said. "Are you going?"

They sighed and shook their heads. "Hain't no one gonna ask us, Alex."

"Why not? Are Ozarkers not allowed to dance?"

"'Course we are!" Constance looked annoyed. "There's plenty dancin' back home!"

"But we'uns hain't never been old enough to be asked a'fore," Forbearance said.

"So ask someone!"

Forbearance's eyes widened, and Constance turned pink.

"That might work for you, Alex," Forbearance said, "but we couldn't never ask no boy brazen like that."

By Wednesday evening, David and Dylan had yet to talk any of their friends into asking out Anna. Most eighth grade boys either weren't going to the ball, or already had dates.

"Thanks a lot," she said to them. "You've been a great help."

"Any time," David replied, matching her sarcasm.

The two boys walked away, and Alexandra returned to her room with a scowl, trying to think of who else she could bully or cajole into taking Anna to the ball -- maybe shy, awkward Thomas Klaus?

Anna was in her room with Jingwei. The great horned owl dominated much of her desk, and hooted at Alexandra as she entered.

"I saw Charlie fluttering around outside," Anna said, feeding Jingwei an owl treat. "Probably won't come in until Jingwei leaves." Jingwei hooted again.

"That's all right." Alexandra eyed the owl, who somehow managed to look amused.

"You can also stop trying to fix me up for the Winter Ball," Anna said. "It's embarrassing."

"But I don't want to go without you."

"I asked Miss Marmsley -- you're not actually required to have a date to attend the ball. The Winter Ball isn't like the Sweetheart's Dance -- everyone's expected to dance with different partners."

"You're going to go by yourself?"

Anna shrugged. "Carol is doing the same thing, because Sonja also nagged her until she agreed to go. Maybe we'll just hang around together." She looked at Alexandra. "And don't go bullying any boys into asking me to dance, okay?"

Alexandra frowned. "All right. You will dance if someone asks you, won't you?"

"Sure." Anna patted Jingwei's feathered head. "That's enough treats. Time to go to the aviary. And stop trying to scare poor Charlie."

Jingwei hooted disdainfully, and took off. Cold air blew in through the open window, and Alexandra and Anna shivered until Charlie finally soared in through it, several minutes later.

Alexandra slammed the window shut, and dug out her own collection of owl treats for the raven. She was very disappointed to find no note attached to Charlie's leg.

"Didn't you bring me a reply?" she asked.

"Alexandra," Charlie said, in a slightly deeper and more masculine voice than usual.

Anna raised an eyebrow. Alexandra glanced at her, and back at the bird.

"Is that it?" she demanded.

Charlie squawked, and pecked at her hand. Reluctantly, she opened it and let the raven have the treats.

"My father," Alexandra said quietly.

Anna's eyebrows rose further.

"I told him I want to talk to him," Alexandra said.

Anna's face twitched. She looked very upset, and Alexandra shook her head. "I have to ask him some things. Don't worry -- this isn't part of some new secret mission."

Anna nodded slowly. "You'll tell me if he actually replies to you?"

Alexandra looked at her, wondering how much would be safe to tell her, and how much she had to, to keep her promise.

"Yes," she replied. "Of course."

She wasn't sure why her father hadn't sent a reply with Charlie -- maybe he feared the raven might be intercepted. Or maybe he just didn't want to talk to her. After all, she had pretty much told him off the last time they'd spoken.

She thought it was more likely, though, that he would contact her in his own time, in his own way.

---

"You look great," Anna said, as Alexandra fastened her wand pin, straightened her cloak, and checked herself in the mirror.

This was the first time she had worn her formal JROC uniform since Maximilian's funeral. She stared at her reflection for a long time, until the mirror confirmed Anna's opinion: "You look fine, dear."

Alexandra smiled, and turned to Anna, who was wearing a fancy red robe with a yellow floral design. She had also tied her hair up in a bun -- the first time Alexandra had ever seen Anna wearing her hair any other way but long and straight.

"You look nice, too."

Anna blushed a little.

"Well, I guess I'd better find my date," Alexandra said, rolling her eyes. "C'mon." She walked out, and Anna followed her.

David and Dylan were waiting downstairs. David looked uncomfortable in his long black and silver formal robes, though Alexandra had to admit they looked quite splendid on him. Dylan was tugging at the collar of a rather ill-fitting bright red robe. He looked a little disappointed when he saw Alexandra.

"I thought you'd be wearing a dress," he said. "I mean, a formal robe."

She gave him a sour look. "Sorry, I don't do dresses. JROC witches are allowed to wear their dress uniforms to the ball."

She had worn a formal robe to the Roanoke Cotillion. She didn't think she'd do that again.

Next to Dylan, David breathed, "Whoa."

Everyone turned around, to see Angelique and Darla descending the stairs. Angelique was wearing a deep green and gold robe that flattered her figure in a way that immediately drew the eyes even of older boys. Darla was wearing pink and silver; she glittered like a Christmas ornament, and wore her hair in haughty curls piled high on top of her head.

Angelique sashayed over to David, who looked bedazzled. Alexandra rolled her eyes, and told Dylan, "Let's line up."

He offered his arm. Hesitantly, she took it.

Anna and Carol followed them. She and Dylan fell in line behind Sonja Rackham and Ebenezer Smith. She saw Darla stride over to Stuart Cortlandt. The ninth grade boy smiled at her and kissed her hand, looking dashing and awkward at the same time.

Couples were congregating and pairing up outside the Charmbridge auditorium, which had been converted to a ballroom for the event.

The procession into the ballroom reminded Alexandra a little of the entrance to the Roanoke Spring Cotillion, except that there was no announcer calling the names of each person who entered, only a gauntlet of teachers. Colonel Shirtliffe wore her full dress uniform; Alexandra almost gagged when she saw she was escorted by Mr. Grue, in a dark robe and cloak that looked only slightly more dressy than what he wore every day in class. Ms. Fletcher was resplendent in her green robes and colorful, bright-dyed cloak. The head custodian was standing next to a rather dour, uncomfortable-looking Mr. Newton. Dean Cervantes watched everyone with his arms folded across his chest; next to him was a severe, dark-haired woman Alexandra didn't recognize; presumably Mrs. Cervantes.

The school's magic band played as the students filed in and filled the dance floor. Dylan slipped an arm around Alexandra's waist, and then proceeded to step on her feet worse than Theo had. She could only take a few minutes of this before pushing him away and telling him she wanted to get something to drink.

"Fine," he said. "Hey, look -- Ebenezer isn't even dancing with Sonja. I'm gonna ask her."

"Have fun," she said.

At the refreshments table, one Clockwork was ladling pumpkin juice and Fizzy Pop into cups, while another walked back and forth from the kitchen, carrying trays of snacks. Alexandra sipped some Fizzy Pop and watched the dancing -- she was perfectly content to stand on the sidelines, since Julia wasn't there to nag her into finding more dance partners.

Thus, she was the first to see Constance and Forbearance enter the ballroom after almost everyone else -- each on the arm of one of the Rash twins.

The Pritchards were wearing their fanciest, most colorful dresses, with brightly colored hoop skirts and lacy bonnets. The Rashes wore stiff, uncomfortable-looking woolen suits. Alexandra wasn't the only one staring at them as the Ozarker boys led the girls onto the dance floor.

"Why aren't you dancing, Troublesome?"

Alexandra sighed and turned around to face Torvald. He looked a little more presentable than usual, dressed in a formal jacket and vest beneath a black cloak, in Old Colonial style. He seemed to have spent some time trying to fix the blemishes on his face, too, though it was still pockmarked, and there was an angry red band of acne along one side of his nose.

"Go bother someone else," she said. "I thought you brought Karina?"

"I did." He gestured. "She's dancing with one of your JROC buddies right now." He held out an arm. "Are you and what's-his-name exclusive?"

"Dylan? Heck, no! We're not anything." Without thinking about it, she took Torvald's arm, and allowed him to drag her back onto the dance floor.

Torvald wasn't a great dancer, but he managed not to step on her feet. She noticed his eyes were on the Pritchards, though.

"I didn't think Ozarkers were allowed to dance," he said.

"Of course they are. They dance plenty back home."

"Excellent." He grinned. "I think I'll ask Constance to dance next. Or Forbearance. Either one -- I can't tell them apart."

Alexandra rolled her eyes. "You'll have to get past their 'chaperones.'"

"Oh, I can take either Benjamin or Mordecai. I mean, if you can..." He winked at her.

"I beat you, remember?"

"You got me by surprise."

"Want a rematch?"

"Not tonight." He leaned towards her, as the dance ended. "How about a kiss?"

Alexandra made a face, and held her hand out against his chest, stopping him cold.

He sighed. "No harm trying."

"Wanna bet?" She wrinkled her nose. "I'd seriously recommend you not try that with Constance or Forbearance."

Torvald grinned at her, bowed with a flourish, and headed off in the direction of the Ozarkers. Alexandra wanted to watch, but caught sight of Anna, sitting by herself against one wall. She walked over to her roommate.

"Have you danced at all?" Alexandra asked.

"A couple of times." Anna shrugged, and looked at Alexandra. "I only came because you wanted me to."

"Sorry," Alexandra said, feeling guilty as she sat down next to Anna. "I really did hope you'd have fun."

"Like you are?"

Now Alexandra shrugged. "I came because Julia asked me to." She leaned against the wall and sighed. "Anyway, the only ones who will dance with me are Muggle-borns who don't care who my father is, or jerks like Torvald."

Anna looked at her, and seemed on the verge of saying something, when someone spoke Alexandra's name.

They both turned their heads, and Alexandra immediately rose from her seat, at the sight of Larry Albo looming over them.

She expected him to sneer or threaten her or something, and her fingers were twitching, eager to snatch her wand, when he extended his hand towards her.

"Dance with me," he said.

Alexandra stared at him. Anna's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open.

Larry continued standing there, with his hand extended. Alexandra's eyes darted around. Over his shoulder, she could see Wade dancing with some tenth grade girl; he was looking in their direction, with an expression of astonishment that matched Anna's. Alexandra couldn't see where Adela was.

"Very funny," Alexandra said. "Now get lost."

Dean Price was only a few yards away, and Alexandra could see Ms. Shirtliffe, across the room, with her eyes already on them. Surely even Larry wouldn't be stupid enough to start a fight with her here?

He dropped his hand, and stepped closer to her. Alexandra would have backed away from him, if not for the fact that half the school was watching, and she didn't want to appear afraid.

He leaned close. Alexandra was on the verge of drawing her wand then and there, when he whispered in her ear, "I have a message from your father."

She gasped, in shock and outrage. "What?"

"I have a message from your father," he repeated, still whispering.

Behind her, Anna remained tense, and seemed to be trying to decide whether to say something, or run for help, or just sit where she was.

Alexandra shook her head slowly. "I swear, Larry, I don't care if I get expelled, if you don't get away from me right now, I'll --"

"Your father said to tell you, you sent your raven with a message for him. You wrote a note that said you want to talk to him," Larry whispered.

Alexandra was stunned into silence. How could Larry possibly know that?

He stepped back and held his hand out again. "Dance with me."

Alexandra looked over her shoulder at a speechless Anna. She could feel dozens of pairs of eyes on them as she took Larry's hand, and allowed him to lead her onto the dance floor. The band was playing a slow, wheezing number, the sort that had many couples clinging to one another as tightly as the adult chaperones would let them get away with. Larry put his hands on her waist; Alexandra felt flushed as she laid her hands on his shoulders, gritting her teeth all the while. Then he leaned close, without pressing himself too closely against her, and she was struck with a sudden suspicion.

"Is this... is this you?" she whispered. "Father?"

Her father could be using Polyjuice Potion again, she realized. She wondered what he'd done with the real Larry.

But Larry just stared down at her, then said, "Your father said to tell you that I won't remember this conversation afterwards. Also, no one else can hear us."

Her eyes widened. "What did he do to you?"

Over his shoulder, Alexandra saw that Adela had returned from the lavatory, and was staring at them with an appalled expression on her face.

He leaned closer, until his lips were almost brushing her ear. She gasped, and fought an impulse to push him away.

"Your father said to tell you to meet him in the woods, where you did last time, on the night of the next new moon."

Alexandra was so disoriented that the dance was almost over before she realized that Larry had stopped talking. She looked up at him. He was still staring at her. When the music ended, he turned around and walked away, without another word.

She could see her friends and Larry's friends alike staring at them. Larry walked over to Adela, who grabbed him and began hissing something in his ear, gesturing violently in Alexandra's direction. He glanced over at her. His lip curled; his expression was now one of disgust.

Alexandra had no idea what Larry would remember now. She wondered what his explanation to Adela would be, but she didn't think asking him would be a good idea.

He'll probably accuse me of using a spell on him, she thought. She walked back to Anna, who was still staring at her in astonishment.

"Not right now," she whispered.

She looked around at the other students -- some were still looking at her or Larry, but most were paying more attention to whomever they were dancing with, and Ms. Shirtliffe's eyes were no longer fixed on her.

She waited until Dylan finally returned to check on her. She'd watched him asking one girl after another to dance, and mostly being turned down. She had to give him credit for persistence.

"I'm tired," she said. "I'm going back to my room. You can stay."

"Okay." He shuffled, and seemed to feel as if something more was called for.

"Don't even think about trying to give me a good-night kiss," she said.

He grimaced. "No. Just... well, did you have a good time?"

"If you're worried about 'abandoning' me, forget about it."

"Okay." Dylan looked relieved. "Umm, thanks for agreeing to go with me."

"Agreeing to...?" She stared at him, and snorted. "Yeah. No problem."

Alexandra and Anna weren't the only students trickling out of the ballroom by now. Some would stay late into the night, but Carol, Sonja, and Ebenezer followed them out. Once Ebenezer left them, at the stairs to the girls' dorms, Sonja complained all the way back to their suite about what a terrible dancer he was, and how he'd hovered over her so she was hardly able to dance with anyone else.

Alexandra tuned her out. She was thinking about her father's message, and his choice of medium.

She had been telling the truth -- she was tired. But the last thing she did, after saying good-night to Anna and before turning in, was to look up the date of the next new moon in her almanac. It was February 14 -- Valentine's Day.