Seventeen Stones by Vanessa Wells

easily produced the focus to create a stream of cold,
clear water.  He tipped the goblet in Mia’s direction and said “To your very good
health.”  He nodded and the students began.
     
    Mia
had watched the professor intently, willing herself to produce the same odd
focus that he’d used.  Even with her careful observation and a good theoretical
knowledge of the process, it took her most of the class to manage it.  Ella,
sitting beside her, suddenly widened her eyes in understanding, and quickly
filled her own goblet.  Shortly afterward the professor said “That’s enough class;
let’s see what we have here.”  He walked to the opposite side of the class and
nodded to two young men for completing the assignment before he said in a low
voice “Did you or did you not hear the long discussion that we had about
created water being a different process from summoned water?  Either you are so
obtuse that you do not understand the difference between the two, or you think
that I can not tell the difference.  I want six pages of parchment on my
desk by the next class detailing the process, or don’t bother showing up.”  He
was much less harsh to those who had failed to produce a single drop, merely
advising them to practice before the next class. 
     
    Three
other students were praised for completing the project before he came to Mia’s
desk.  He grinned down at them as the chimes rang.  Ella was included in his
general goodwill.  Mia ignored a few dirty looks from across the classroom. 
Martin had also managed to create water, but the professor had only nodded and
given him a quick ‘well done’.   
     
    As
the other students hurried away, Professor Fain handed her a stack of books
from his black satchel.  “These are a pretty fair version of what probably
happened here in the City for the last thousand years as opposed to the blatant
propaganda they teach in those village schools.  Enjoy.”  Again the corner of
his mouth twitched.  “You’d better head out.  Wait, I have a free period next,
I’ll walk with you.”  As they walked to Charms, he questioned them on their
first day of class.  Ella volunteered the information that Mia had earned special
classes in her first two classes.  Mia corrected her again on the matter of
helping Professor Cavendish.  “It’s just helping out instead of taking the
class…”  Professor Fain grinned.  “Watch out who you show up.  These old blood families
stick together.  Then again, it’s good for them to eat crow every once in a
while.”  He grinned as they walked up to the Charms building.  “And with that
conflicting advice I leave you.”  He waved slightly and walked toward the
library as they climbed the stair to meet the rest of their dorm mates, who had
saved them a seat. 
     
    Vivian
had been looking out the window and whispered to Mia “Professor Fain walked you
to class?”  Mia shushed her friend as best she could while the Professor, a
very old wand wielder named Professor Randal called roll.  He moved like a
statue would if it came to life, slowly, as if every breath were unnatural.  He
waited several minutes before he said “This is Charms.  Open your books to page
one and read the chapter.”  Then he sat down and stared unblinkingly at the
class while they nervously turned to page one.
     
    Mia
finished the chapter in twenty minutes.  Even the slowest reader finished well
before the chimes rang.  Forty-five minutes after class began a boy raised his
hand and was promptly ignored.  He put the hand down after a few minutes and
the noise level in the room rose slightly, but the professor took no notice of
that.  Ten minutes before the chimes rang Mia stood up.  She’d had a bad
feeling ever since the Professor had ignored the boy entirely.
     
    He
made no sound as she walked to the front and didn’t so much as blink when Mia
picked up his hand and felt his wrist.  It was cold and stiff, but she didn’t
know if