Professor Emylia

Aaralon spun around in a panic, holding his hand up to the door as if to push it shut from across the room. To his surprise, he heard a loud THUMP against the door as if he'd thrown something heavy at it.

"What's going on in there?" yelled the voice from outside. Aaralon recognized it as the teacher of his Runes and Heireoglypics class, Professor Emylia. His glace went to the symbols he'd drawn on the floor to summon the Tar'oth; she'd recognize them right away.

Without thinking, he waved his hand over the floor. The magical dust reacted as if it had been caught in a strong breeze and scattered across the attic, obliterating the symbols. He held his hand out to the book, and drew it through the air into his hand.

"Wow," he whispered.

The pounding at the door became more insistant, and Aaralon quickly stowed the book inside his robes and ran to open the door. He pulled it open just as the Professor was about to use her skeleton key on the lock.

"Um... good evening, Professor Emylia," he said lamely.

The professor looked startled, then narrowed her bright violet eyes at him. "Aaralon. I might have known. What are you doing up here after lights out?"

"Er, well, I heard a noise up here and thought I'd check it out."

"A likely story. You just march right back down to your room, and we'll discuss an appropriate punishment for you in the morning."

Aaralon sighed, and started down the stairs.

"One moment!" the professor shouted.

He looked back up at her. She stared down at him incredulously, looking over his torn robes, his reddened skin, and the bleeding bite on his shoulder.

"Aaralon..." she started, then seemed to grow somewhat fearful. "Oh, Aaralon, what have you been doing up here?"