Harmony

Rushing out into the hall, you turn in the direction of Professor Dove's archaic sorcery class, searching for Harmony. Squeezing past students crowding the hallway, you spot her radiant golden hair held back by her trademark black headband. You pick up your pace and move up beside her.

"Hey, Harmony." You say pleasantly.

"Hello." Her tone isn't as cold as it once was but lacks the friendlier warmth it briefly held last night.

"I was thinking we could walk to class together." You propose.

"Why would we?" Her raw question catches you a bit off guard.

"Well... I..." You falter. "Thought that because we have the same class next and... After last night I thought..."

"Babbling is unbecoming." She asserts. "And what exactly do you think happened last night?"

"I thought we were studying together and maybe becoming friends." You answer.

"We were not studying. I was tutoring you." Harmony contends, still marching forward while refusing to look at you. "And you were fortunate for it." Was the progress you made with her last night just in your head? Had her slight friendliness been your imagination? You stop dead in the hallway allowing Harmony to continue on without you. She takes about ten paces before stopping herself to turn and look at you. "If we are going to walk to class together, you have to keep up. I refuse to be late." Confused, you just stare at her for a second. "Well?"

"Right." You say, trotting up to her again. The two of you resume the march to class.

"How was your illusions class?" She inquires simply.

"I did well." You answer. "You were right though. Professor Sloss caused almost every illusion to fade to make his point."

"Of course I was." Harmony's simple brag cuts short. The two of you climb the stairs to the second floor of the academics building in silence. "And what is he expecting next?" She raises the question just before the lull becomes awkward.

"He wants us to push ourselves and try something more complex." You answer. "Maybe we could... Maybe you could tutor me some more?" You correct yourself.

"I might be able to find the time to tutor you again." Harmony informs you, stopping outside the door to Professor Dove's class. "Maybe this weekend." She looks to you, waiting for confirmation.

"Yes, this weekend would be great. Whenever you are available would be great." You tell her.

"Good. Then it's a date." The words come out of her mouth before she realizes what she has said. "I mean... It's... A session. It's a session." Harmony quickly turns and enters the classroom.

You pause for a moment before following her in. Harmony has already taken her seat looks straight ahead, refusing to acknowledge your presence. Without another word between you, you take your seat behind her and wait for class to begin. Soon the curvy professor takes her place at the head of the classroom. After the toll of the bell, she begins her lecture on methods used by sorcerers of old on how to extend the duration of spells and how best to properly utilize these techniques safely. It's an in-depth lesson but, despite its tedious nature, Professor Dove's mesmerizing voice holds everyone's attention. She wraps up with a demonstration of alterations to casting runes and what details affect durations. As the bell rings to dismiss class, she addresses the class with one last bit of information. "I would like to invite you all to the sub-level of the library. It holds books and tomes on advanced spells, charms, and curses and is reserved for professors and invited students only. Please feel free to study its content at any time."

You get up to leave and see Harmony has once again darted out ahead of you. Making your way into the hall, she is nowhere to be seen. Without knowing her after class plans, you have no idea where she might have been off to in such a hurry. You could search for her but you have plans to meet Lee and Brice in Delmorgan Park before attending dueling tryouts.