There'll be a thunderbolt any s...

FLASH

The world goes electric-white, and the thunderclap blows you sideways into a bouncing roll across the Leontes exercise yard. Sprawled on the stone pavement, still clutching your wand, you blink upward into a troubled sky. Another bolt sizzles down onto the stone wall at the edge of the yard, blasting off a great chunk of stone. Rebecca screams dismissal runes into the storm to no obvious effect. Rebecca. You promised her.

Battered and tired, you struggle to rise. Storm winds blow you back off your feet. Nothing left but the thing you've been hiding. You unbank the fires within, breathing hard and fast to kindle their flames to full height. The fire roars through your veins, transforming you to the form you inherited. Your limbs twist, your claws emerge, and your vision blurs as your mouth becomes a protruding, fanged snout. Your red scholar's robe stretches, tightens, and tears through in back as your wings manifest.

Exchange the CONSEQUENCE TIRED for the CONSEQUENCE DRAGONFORM.

Another bolt flashes down nearby. Rebecca lies stunned upon the pavement, her wand broken and smoking beyond her fingertips.

No time no time...

You kick off your ruined shoes. Before your transformation is complete, you claw your way across the exercise yard and scoop Rebecca up, dashing toward the shelter of the arched door into House Leontes.

As you pass through the door, Rebecca moves in your arms, coughing, blinking, and shaking her head. Her glasses are still in place. Her gold-trimmed red robes are mostly in order. You set her on her feet.

"Grarr y'arr riigh?" is the best you can manage through your draconic mouth.

Rebecca blinks in confusion but doesn't flinch or stumble.

"What...?" Rebecca says.

"Grooh," you say, nodding.

Rebecca squnts through her glasses, focuses her eyes and looks at you in alarm, then looks at the wand you still hold in one clawed hand.

"Golondrina is that you?" she asks.

"Hrehhh," you reply.

There's a flash and a boom from behind you. Another voice cries out from somewhere outside.

It's not over.

Sharper said that the Assistant Warden was resetting the wards that Grace Winterthorn had disturbed. And then Rebecca had raised a storm straight through those broken wards.

Miss Hornbeam might be in dire peril.

Wheeling round, you desert Rebecca and dash out into the storm.

Roll +BRAVERY (+2) (+3 Bravery, -1 Consequence) to ENCOUNTER the Assistant Warden and get help.

⚃⚄ + 2 = 11.

On a 10+, you succeed in your efforts. Take +1 Forward on your next roll. (You're both focused on quelling the storm, so keep DRAGONFORM as a CONSEQUENCE).

However things shake out, you will likely have to DEAL WITH YOUR HANGER-ON soon.

You raise an elementary personal ward to protect yourself from the battering wind snatching at your wings, and seek out the Assistant Warden.

You find Miss Hornbeam sheltering in a corner, wand uplifted and moving rapidly in a magical pattern. She's gamely trying to get the magical thunderstorm under control while resisting its effects to the best of her ability. Where Barbara Torch might be out there defying the storm, Asteria Hornbeam is not quite so brash.

"Miss Redmoor!" the Assistant Warden greets you, in no confusion as to the wielder of the wand, despite your scaly, clawed form loosely wrapped in the rags of a red Leontes robe.

"Hehhpk," you say, bringing one hand to your chest. "Eee hehhpk." You spread your wings, willing energy into your personal ward. A pocket of calm manifests from wingtip to wingtip, far enough out to enfold Miss Hornbeam.

With you holding back the storm, Miss Hornbeam is free to use all her strength and skill to dismiss it. In a few minutes of somewhat intense banishing and dismissal, the thundercloud dissolves into shreds blown high and wide, which soon vanish into the afternoon sky.

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, DRAGONFORM.

• You may choose to DEAL WITH YOUR HANGER-ON now. Choose an option and roll +AMBITION (-2). (-1 HANGER-ON, -1 AMBITION, -1 CONSEQUENCE, +1 Forward).
• You may try to ENCOUNTER a FRIEND to help with your CONSEQUENCE. Roll +BRAVERY(+4) (+3 Bravery, -1 CONSEQUENCE, +1 Forward, +2 FRIEND) capped at +4, or +BRAVERY(+3) to get help from Asteria Hornbeam.