Finding the Proof
A few days later Hazel, Evervine, and Marcel sat in Star Academy's great library – in their usual spot. The rainy sky outside was reflected in the pentagon shape of the ceiling. The groups favorite quiet room in disarray.
There were parchment, potion charts, magical ingredient lists, aura sketches, and small holograms of Rosa and her friends walking about the school.
"Okay." Evervine looked to Marcel. "They could be preforming the Vital Mirage, the Aether Renewal, or the Soul-Switch Draught?" She paused and waited for a response. When Marcel frowned she carried on.
"I mean this is just going by the ingredients that Temperance selected."
"Right. Right." He looked to Hazel. "You are just as good at potions as I am. What do you think?"
Hazel looked up from an active aura map of Corwin Dale. It squirmed before her in a unique pattern of sickly greens and dusty, almost filthy browns.
She pursed her lips, "It couldn't be the Soul-Switch Draught, someone would be dead by now and I do not sense any increase in sound power in the school."
Marcel nodded in agreement. "And Aether Renewal is too powerful for Temperance to pull off. I have seen her potion work."
"Fine! Then it is Vital Mirage." Evervine slammed her book closed in satisfaction.
"I think so. I looked into the deaths of those two boys found in Evershade and they had the symptoms of the Vital Mirage."
Hazel frowned and looked up at Marcel. "Symptoms? What symptoms? Vital Mirage doesn't leave any symptoms."
"Exactly! The two dead boys had absolutely no symptoms or even any sign of magic usage." Marcel pops a sun-spark tart in his mouth and makes a face at the intense sour explosion in his mouth.
"How many sweets did you bring back from Celestial Delight?"
Marcel shrugged and handed her a jolly chocolate. "Oh a blue one!"
Marcel smiled but looked to Hazel as Evervine popped the spicy chocolate in her mouth.
"The other two just don't fit Hazel."
"I know. With the Dales, and the other students, and Rosa and the emotion doll we probably should go to Professor Sing."
"I agree. We have enough information." Evervine stands abruptly and looks to the other two – neither moved. "Come on you two! Stop stalling!"
They quickly went to the library's teleport pad and teleported to the southeastern tip of the school – where the Divination classroom was. They walked through the vast halls and different layers of magic until they came to the Divination classroom door. It was a shimmery door in a huge mountainside. The door swung open to reveal a long shimmering corridor of brilliant white and prism light – it was like walking from reality into a dreamy, uncertain, unknown.
Hazel led the way down the corridor. As they move forward they pass waving visions of students, past Tan heroes, and the Star Academy itself. Each vision seemed to sense them as they passed and brightened.
They finally came to the end of the corridor and the Divination class opened up before them. The tables sat in three concentric rings and the ceiling was the brightest sun.
Professor Sing sat at a large desk, her head facing up toward the sky as star maps twinkled a rearranged before her.
She looked at six maps at once and Hazel found herself testing herself as she tried to determine what system each map was from and what the stars were saying.
Professor Sing looked up from her work.
"Come, come, Ms. McGonagall, don't dawdle. What is it?"
One of the star maps shifted and swirled as if it was trying to bring something into view.
"Professor. We think we understand why the fate lines of Sof House are like they are. It has to do with Rosa Alexander."
Professor Sing looked up and listened to everything Hazel had to say. She sat forward at the mention of the Vital Mirage potion and the explanation of the Emotion Doll. When Hazel was done they all sat in silence as Professor Sing thought.
She finally looked to Hazel – her face stern and concerned. "And Shylah feels that you should handle this Emotion Doll?" Hazel did not have time to respond before Shylah was fluttering up and down on her shoulder.
Professor Sing nodded understanding. "Hazel you should have gone to Spawning Lake first. This Emotion Doll seems to be the real threat and it should be taken care of now." She sighed. "Does your mother know about this?"
Hazel pursed her lips – suddenly regretting her full disclosure. "No ma'am."
"I have an obligation to both you and the six houses of divination Hazel.
"We will tell headmistress Pilar, you will tell your mother now, and we – the professors of Star Academy - will inform the six houses of divination."
Evervine squirmed as she worried for her friend. She was not used to being passive.
"Yes ma'am. I will tell mother now."
Hazel turned and went to her desk – out of habit, Evervine and Marcel followed. She pulled out her intricately shaped crystal ball. Its many facets sparkling in the prism light.
She didn't need to focus at all before Minerva McGonagall appeared in the swirling faceted mists – her face projected in the hundreds of facets.
"Hazel? Is something wrong?"
"Professor Sing has advised me to inform you of a prophecy given me and a cursed item in pursuit of me."
Professor McGonagall pursed her lips. "Well - go on."
Hazel told her adopted mother all. Afterward Minerva McGonagall was silent – her jaw moving as if she were secretly performing an incantation.
"Fine. I will be there shortly. We will go to the Spawning Lake together."