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  Dark students frequently tormented mortals outside the school. They took pride in it and counted coup amongst themselves. Sometimes they did so in front of whites to draw them into an indignant confrontation.

  Light or white students seemed innocent at first, but the twins found that they too could be cruel. They would be nice to your face but then speak badly of you to others, mocking a person, how they looked or dressed. They too would play pranks, sometimes light, sometimes mean.

  White wizards were supposed to protect the innocent. They would sometimes succeed, preventing their dark counterparts from succeeding in some cruel trick or using their magic to reward good people. Both sides were forbidden to use their magic in the open; the mortals had to be kept ignorant. An exposure was severely dealt with.

  Sometimes the dark students would attempt to expose the white in some way to get them into trouble. The twins were led down this path to test them. They watched impassively as a dark student used his powers to twist reality to create a freak accident. But they did nothing, merely watched as the accident unfolded. “You could have stopped it,” the dark student hissed at them then waved the viewing window away.

  Garnod shrugged it off as if it was unworthy. The student's eyes glittered. “He's smarter than he looks. He didn't rise to the bait. Perhaps he is one of us,” the dark student murmured. Garnod again remained impassively silent.

  “You can go,” the upperclassman said dismissively. Garnod cocked his head and then left.

  >~~~~~****~~~~~<

  The magical people didn't like to admit it, but they did draw ideas from the mortal realm from time to time, even though they thought of themselves as superior life forms. Holograms, computer storage, all sorts of mundane items were explored. Science fiction was an amusement to some professors who picked apart the ideas as not possible without magic though some tended to use those ideas and then claim credit for their genius. They would sell the spells and concepts to those interested, thus making themselves more famous and wealthy.

  Magic was one of the currencies of the magical. As were potions, magical plants and other things. The magical tended to barter most of the time instead of paying flat fees. One of the first-year classes was on the magical economy and contract negotiations. The professor in charge was a stickler, arguing over every word and punctuation in a contract. The students were quickly weary of his class, but all had to pass it before they could move on.

  >~~~~~****~~~~~<

  Two weeks into the school year there was an incident in the introduction to potions class. A first-year, over-confident student mixed the wrong potion together in the lab and it exploded. The wards shielded the class from the inferno and blast wave, but the student behind the incident was singed.

  He snuffled in pain. Some of the whites wanted to attend to his injuries but were held back by their upperclassman. The young man was escorted out of the hall on a floating litter and then teleported to the school's infirmary.

  The next day the students were informed through magical e-mail that they were to report to a new room until the old one could be repaired. Apparently, the lab hadn't been backed up recently, and the investigation into the incident was ongoing. There was a cloud about the room; some thought the professor was covering for the student.

  Each side tended to shelter and protect their own for the most part. Though the darks were frequently known to turn on their own if there was something to be gained.

  On their way to class, the Gray twins seemed disoriented and got themselves lost. They were hazed by a wall of upperclassmen who laughed and forced them into a classroom.

  Before they could leave, the teacher came in angry and forced everyone into their seat by magic. He was into theatrics so he used puffs of fire, flashes of light, the smell of brimstone, and smoke when he summoned things or cast spells. When the twins tried to object and explain their intrusion, he silenced them with a flick of his wand. They exchanged looks as the class snickered.

  The professor announced a pop quiz and the class groaned. The teacher was confused that there weren't enough papers but passed out two more. The twins took the test in silence while the class snickered and exchanged amused looks. “This will be good,” a dark murmured to a satyr. The satyr chuffed a soft laugh.

  As the students toiled over the paper, the teacher did a roll call. He became confused when the two in the back didn't answer. He did a head count and realized he had two too many students. That infuriated him more when he realized they were intruders. “Give me those,” he snarled. “Honestly, why you are here…”

  “We tried to tell you, professor,” the girl began. He held up a hand for silence.

  “Well then, if you wish to take my class you must bear the consequences,” he said and then he graded their papers with the intent to humiliate them. However, he was surprised that they had passed the quiz.

  “You…you cheated!” The teacher accused them, then ranted at the two intruding students.

  “Did they now?” a new voice said. The teacher turned as a truant officer showed up. “Cheaters and truant. My, you are having an interesting day,” he said as he too rallied against them. It was the dark arts teacher, the one whose class had blown up the day before. He had sent an avatar out to round them up.

  “They are always getting into trouble; I see that they have too little to do,” he said with a sniff and raised nose. “I believe they are responsible for the mischief in my lab.”

  “Oh?” the other teacher asked, eyes gleaming.

  “Yes, poor Cedric, he was but an innocent victim,” the dark arts teacher said piously. He claimed to have proof that their tampering with advanced magic had caused the explosion in his lab.

  “We did nothing of the sort. We are innocent. We were misdirected here,” the girl said indignantly. “You know the penalty for cheating,” the dark arts teacher said. “Can you sustain the charge?” he asked.

  “Oh, I think we can find the right evidence,” the other teacher said. He slapped up a wall around the two intruders cutting them off. “Their guilt is written all over their faces,” he said. “Besides, they are here, and they have dared talk back. An expulsion is definitely in order,” he intoned.

  The class was hushed at that. The dark arts professor nodded sagely. “Well then,” he murmured. “So it will be done. I shall inform the headmaster. We will call a formal review for this evening,” he said. He turned on the two students. “You two will remain in your dorms until the appointed hour,” he said, teleporting them away.

  “Honestly, cheating, injuring another student, being so careless to have gotten caught, tampering with another student's work...,” he tisked tisked.

  “And don't forget talking back to an elder,” the second teacher said. The avatar nodded. “The headmaster will have no choice,” he murmured wickedly.

  >~~~~~****~~~~~<

  There was a final formality of a review before their exit required by magical law. A humiliating trial before the entire school in the great hall. The professors were all in attendance on a dais. The classes of students sat behind the accused in rows, segregated by their profession. It was humiliating in every way, meant to shame all who were put on trial and to serve as an example for others not to transgress. The Gray twins were silent through the initial proceedings.

  Their alleged transgressions were read from a scroll by the school secretary. She was dressed in formal robes despite her plump size. She glared at them after each charge until the headmaster motioned her to get on with it.

  The headmaster was a white wizard that year. He stroked his long gray beard, adjusting his glasses. He was ambivalent of the twins’ plight since they had marginal powers. He had his eye on a few special students he was sheltering and nurturing their progress carefully.

  He thought to let dark have its way on the little things to let them feel like they are winning—to contest them only on the large matters and thus to conserve his winnowing strength. There were those who refused to follow that creed,
however, knowing that every nip would take away some of their strength. He was content with it, however. He was tired too he thought to himself. He couldn't win every battle. He was ready to retire but refused to do so until his dark counterpart did so or was vanquished.

  Besides, their sacrifice, he had to admit that was what it was, a sacrifice, would hopefully be a sobering lesson to the other students about consequences for breaking the rules. Since it was happening now in the first trimester, hopefully it would cow them into better behavior for the rest of the term. He nodded to himself glad of his justification.

  The befuddled professor, horticulturalist and librarian came to the twins’ defense. The animal Magus put forth that the boy had raw talent in powerful emotions, but that was all he said. The elemental teacher put forth that the girl had incredible focus but lacked power. Others shrugged the affair off as if unworthy of their attention. Accusations over the incident in the lab were colored by both professors involved.

  “May we speak in our defense?” the boy asked, raising an eyebrow.

  “No, you may not! Remain silent!” The dark wizard thundered. “To speak without permission! Another transgression!” he said triumphantly, waving a hand and then adding it with his magic to the list of alleged crimes with a flourish. The headmaster frowned, but in the end he grunted in irritation.

  That order and threat didn't cow the twins as it would a lesser being. They exchanged meaningful looks. The girl was sad and nodded slowly as she sighed. The boy seemed to straighten, eyes flaring. Some of the professors who were paying attention saw this and were puzzled, others contemptuous. They thought the child's arrogance was proof that they were unworthy.

  When they were ready for the next step, the floor flared blue and white as a circle formed around the twins. It both contained them in case of a behavioral problem and allowed the staff to assess if they were telling the truth…as well as their worth.

  The staff secretary checked their magical worth again. A graph showed their power. Barely a trickle. “You are worthless, not even worth training,” she said snidely. She went on to deride and berate them on their limited ability.

  “I'd like to address that in cross,” the librarian said. She tried to point out that they had been witnessed doing advanced techniques in the library. “The advanced texts shouldn't have been legible to them, yet they were doing them!” She said waving a hand. “They have power and knowledge, but we don't understand it!” She turned a look of raw appeal on the headmaster, but he seemed stern, eyes flashing. She winced now, head down.

  That statement was turned against the two and used as further evidence. The headmaster sat up firmly. He harrumphed. “Lesser beings shouldn't dabble in things they shouldn’t. And freshmen should never dabble in the advanced courses. Proper oversight and instruction must be maintained. They could have destroyed themselves or others,” the headmaster intoned firmly.

  “They dabbled in what they didn't understand. Obviously, they caused the explosion in the lab probably as a malicious trick,” the dark professor said. The dark professor was smug knowing how the proceedings would turn out. He called forth a witness. Each witness was carefully selected. They wove a series of lies and half-truths among the bare facts. Each time a lie or half-truth was told in the witness booth, it lit a shade of red. This seemed to be ignored, however.

  Finally, the staff wound down as none had further evidence or witnesses to present or eliminate. One by one the twin's defenders became silent, bowing their heads.

  “Let us be done with this then; I call a vote. We have other pressing business to attend to,” a professor said waving an imperious hand in dismissal.

  “Very well then,” the headmaster said. “All those in favor of their expulsion indicate with an aye vote,” he said. One by one the professors were polled. It was obvious that the vote had gone against them even before the vote for their innocence was tallied.

  “You have been judged as unfit to continue practicing magic. As children, you have no appeal. Your families will be notified,” the dark arts professor said triumphantly. He had a malicious smirk on his face. He turned, now ignoring them to address the assembly. “They are to be stripped of their powers and memory then returned to the mortal realm,” he ordered. He waved a hand and then turned to the headmaster. “My apologies,” he said with a flourish and bow.

  “Quite right, that is my office,” the headmaster said. He eyed the dark arts teacher for a moment then turned his attention to the two head familiars. “Do your duty but do by kind. The screams can be disconcerting to some,” he ordered.

  The Phoenix fluttered her wings on her perch. The Cobra hissed, then slithered out of his hole. The watching students murmured.

  “Silence!” the dark arts teacher thundered.

  When the Phoenix and Black Cobra were called forth to strip them of their magic, the two beings paused in front of them. They reared up as if to strike making the students who were watching thrill in fear for the whites and with delight for the darks. To the startled watching masses confusion, the magical familiars instead froze in place and then bowed deeply. The twins nodded their heads politely, graciously. The Phoenix lifted her head to the ceiling and flared, taking off to disappear into the ceiling. The cobra merged with the shadows and disappeared into the floor.

  The professors had been ignoring the animals talking amongst themselves. All had been deeply bothered by a being about to be stripped of their magic so instinctively avoided the sight. One was using his magic to grade reports on a holo in front of him. When the animals instead left the chamber, it startled one or two professors who looked up. They in turn poked others into attention.

  “Indeed, judgment has been made,” the boy said voice deepening as he stared a basilisk stare at them. His eyes glittered with gold. He looks at his sister. “It has, hasn't it?" he asked.

  She nodded reluctantly. “They have been judged and found wanting,” she murmured quietly. She turned to the librarian and horticulturalist. “I am sorry,” she said and then closed her silver eyes in pain.

  “They do not deserve your pity or your respect, sister,” the brother said. His voice was roughening; there was a subsonic rumble in it, one that sent small things skittering about and made everyone feel uneasy.

  The professors were on their feet in outrage. “We are the professors! You will respect us and obey your betters!” Sparks and lightning bolts flew to cow the transgressors. The winds picked up whipping at the hair and papers. Both freshman stood firm.

  The boy looked down his nose at the lead professor. “Respect for your age? You are not older than us, mortal,” the boy said, eyes snapping in anger as his voice dropped into a deep eerie bass. There is a flare of rage and fire in his eyes. His eyes narrow to slits. “Respect for your titles? Bah, only humans put titles on themselves. Respect for evil or good? White or dark? Only a human thinks magic is in absolutes. Magic is a rainbow; it is all the shades and yet none of them individually. It is gray, neither white nor dark. It is only how you use it that truly matters.”

  While he spoke his sister used her finger to play with her silver unicorn pendant. The librarian saw it. Her vision focused on it and then the girl, seeing an after image of another being there for the first time. She gave a startled gasp. The others looked to her. She got shakily to her feet clearly stricken. She was shaking like a leaf.

  “I'm…sorry, my lord. My lady. Please forgive our transgression,” she said, falling to her knees. The staff stared at her in confusion and then at the twins.

  “Ah, the keeper of knowledge has stumbled onto the truth at last,” the boy said with a curled lip. He turned, looking back at his sister. She smiled slightly. “You were right with this one.”

  Wise eyes turned to the librarian. They regard her for a long moment and then both beings nodded. “A pity that such wisdom comes so late.”

  He turned and the room faded. Incidents, petty, cruel, and kind were played out. Then to the class room, the entire trigger inciden
t was replayed.

  “How! How is this possible! They are but low rankers!” A dark wizard gasped. “It…it's not possible. Demons!” He pointed an angry finger at them as the replay faded.

  The headmaster was getting to his feet; his robes tangled his feet for the moment. Finally, he managed to stand. He cast a spell and stared at them pointing his glowing gnarled wand. “Begone from our hall, Demons,” he growled.

  “Very well then. Judgment,” the sister said reluctantly. “I had thought they were better than this,” she admitted.

  “Do not put your faith in mortals, sister. I told you so long ago when we leant them our magic,” the brother said. He turned holding out his hand imperiously to her. She reluctantly came forward and took his hand. As she did the familiars came forward and bowed deeply and then disappeared. The humans gasped in surprise. Then the twins turned to look at them all. Their images fluttered, the watching crowd could finally see the ghost image of the dragon and the unicorn. “Judgment is rendered. Our judgment. There is no appeal. You have a day to set your affairs in order. Then it ends. It all ends as it began.”

  He turned a contemptuous look on the professors. “As it began with us, it shall end with us. Very well then, on your own heads be it.” He clapped his hands over his head. His sister did as well. The clap caused a clap of thunder that echoed in the chamber. There is a golden flare coming from their feet spreading like a halo outward. It touched all in the room and kept going. Magical artifacts crumbled into dust, melted or exploded in puffs of fire.

  With that they teleported out. As they did their true forms were momentarily seen. The girl was the unicorn, the boy the dragon. It was too brief for some to realize the meaning at first.

  The headmaster and librarian sat heavily. The librarian wept, feeling the knowledge she had accumulated, the books stored in her clothes had begun slipping away already. The others looked at her in confusion. “You fools, you still don't get it!” She said as the healer tried to comfort her. She brushed her helping hands away and looked up angrily. The horticulturalist who had turned himself into a living tree was visibly shrinking, and his leaves were falling off. The others were fading, their former glory ending.