Rebecca's success in demonstrating the Shimmering Cloak for Mrs. Travers has made her eager to take on the next challenge. Where the Shimmering Cloak is delicate and complicated, Rebecca's next set of conjurations calls more on her ability to manipulate power.

"That's why I need you as spotter," she tells you. "You can handle the really big stuff." Even if you have trouble making it do what you want, Golondrina, you imagine Rebecca thinking.

You secure one of House Leontes' exercise chambers separated by a magically warded firewall from the dueling areas. While your House prizes its competitive trials, the quicksilver reactions of dueling mix poorly with the concentration needed for all but the simplest of conjurations.

Rebecca warms up with a set of conjurations, rapidly whipping through the Shimmering Cloak, the Binding Vines, and a set of elemental conjurations. You stand ready for a dismissal or a protective ward, but Rebecca performs each step flawlessly.

She sniffs, curls her lip, and frowns thoughtfully. Contemplating her next conjuration.

Without a need to remain at knife-edge alert, your mind wanders back to one of Mrs. Travers' remarks. Perhaps you will visit her between terms, she'd said of you and Dorothy the Porter. Is your Conjurations mistress a romantic with an eye to young love or perhaps youthful erotic follies? Or just a lecherous lady? You're not sure what the difference is, actually.

"Bother!" Rebecca exclaims.

You blink and look back up. Rebecca's still standing there with a pickle-faced grimace.

"What's wrong?" you ask.

"Wards won't let me raise any power," she says. "It's like I'm a baby with my feet sticking out of a rolling bucket frame, I can't fall over but as fast as I kick my feet, I can't run. Come on, Golondrina, let's go to the exercise yard."

Blinking and yawning -- it's been a long day after a restless night, and Rebecca's exercises are going on and on -- you follow Rebecca to the exercise yard of House Leontes.

Rebecca returns a greeting from the Tutor, Preston Sharper, who is coming back in from the yard.

"Have a care, Miss Honeybee," the Tutor says. "Miss Hornbeam is re-setting the wards." Sharper turns and nods to the tall dark-hared student following in his wake. "Miss Winterthorn raised an impressive sending, and dismissed it soundly without assistance." You're not sure if you see shame or pride on Grace Winterthorn's face. Grace is a third-year scholar, formerly from House Minerval. "One more set for precision, now," he says to Grace. "Miss Honeybee. Miss Redmoor." he says, giving each of you a nod as he leads the senior scholar back toward the exercise chambers within House Leontes. Grace's robes swish round her knees as she hurries to keep up with the Tutor.

"All right then," Rebecca says. "I'll be doing the elementals now, you know? Get ready. Are you ready? Golondrina?"

"Yes!" you say.

"Fine," Rebecca says. "All right."

Rebecca's basic callings of earth, air, fire, and water go well. Invigorated by the flow of elemental energy, she steps right into the next level of callings, breathing deeply, incanting loudly, stamping her feet and gesturing grandly with her wand to establish the stars, symbols, and signatures of each element. On her second go-round of air, you feel a gusty breeze tugging at your robe. The hair stands up on the back of your neck. Back in the mountains of home, this feels like air you would never fly in, unless you were a foolhardy thrillseeker or deliberately tempting fate. Or unwary. A vivid memory seizes you, being thrown about by the gusts of a thundershower, your shoulders aching for days after you had put off your dragon form. A shadow darkens the exercise yard. You blink back to awareness. There's a not-so-miniature thundercloud above the yard. You lift your wand in preparation to shield or dismiss a calling that's much bigger than you expected Rebecca could raise.

As you rush an incantation, you can't help but think There'll be a thunderbolt any s...

FLASH

Dorothy the Porter, Marina Madeline, Housemaster Fergus Firetail, and Miss Wormwood are your FRIENDS. Dorothy and Miss Wormwood each owe you one FAVOR. Your serpent familiar Sapienta also counts as a FRIEND.

Rebecca Honeybee is your HANGER-ON (-1 to rolls against her).

You have 1 XP, -1 AMBITION, +3 BRAVERY, +1 CUNNING, and +0 DILIGENCE.
You know the spell DREAM SENDING.
You have the CONSEQUENCE, TIRED.

Roll +BRAVERY(+1) (+3 Bravery, -1 CONSEQUENCE, -1 HANGER-ON) to GET OUT OF DANGER

⚂⚂ + 1 = 7

When you have to GET OUT OF DANGER, on a roll of 7-9, choose one:

• You're injured or exhausted by the effort. Gain +1 XP and a CONSEQUENCE.
• You have to call for help. Expend a FAVOR.
• You get away, but someone's still in danger. ENCOUNTER someone who can help. If you fail, GET OUT OF TROUBLE.