"That's a pity."
"It is. But I already have everything I need." He nods towards the two leather-bound books he's set on my bed.
"Good." I swallow down the nerves those books bring. I don't want to accept what using them can mean. Black magic is dangerous at the best of times, but it can also get us imprisoned. Or maybe even dead. They may not enforce it very often, the death penalty technically still exists for witches and I don't want to have to face that situation. Especially now I have a third book that might get me the answers I need without having to resort to anything illegal.
Maybe I should outright tell Thomas about what Daphne found, but somehow, that feels like I'm breaking her trust, and that's the last thing I want to do.
"I wanted to do a couple of tests," he says.
I gulp. "Okay...what kind?"
My gaze strays to Rhubarb as he trips over a lump of duvet. I don't know why, but it makes me nervous that Thomas can see my bed in a less than pristine situation, but I didn't have time after Daphne left to fix it. I'd been too focused on making sure none of my dirty washing is on show. At least I made the bed this morning, even if it's not perfect. I'm sure he'll understand that it's not completely possible to have things pristine all the time.
"I want you to do a small spell."
We both glance over at my growing collection of kittens. Some of them are playing with one another, while Ginger sleeps in the tiny slither of winter sun. None of them are as mischievous, or as people-centric, as Rhubarb is, though. It doesn't surprise me in the slightest that he's on the bed with us instead of with the others.
"I don't think that's a good idea," I say eventually.
"If you don't want to, then you don't have to, but I think I have one that won't produce a kitten."
I perk up at that. It's not that they aren't cute. I've come to love all of them and their quirks, but I don't have the space to keep an infinite amount. Maybe I should start a business selling kittens to my classmates. See Mona for all your familiar needs...
"What makes you think I won't make one?" I don't want to get my hopes up, only to find myself back where I started at the beginning of the day. Then again, I suppose I don't have anything to lose. If I produce another kitten, then everything is the same. If I don't, then that's progress. Either isn't an issue.
If I keep telling myself that, then maybe I'll believe it.
"It's only a small spell. It's one for children..."
"Oh, that's brilliant. I wonder why we never thought of that?" I muse. I've thought about the effect this has had on everyday spells a lot, but it's never occurred to me to think about trying to do a children's spell in order to break the pattern.
"Huh, I thought you'd be more insulted by that."
I let the smile I'm feeling inside show on the outside. "It's a brilliant idea," I admit. "I'm a little jealous that I didn't think of it myself. But I feel hopeful, I guess."
"Alright then. Did you ever play one of those colour matching games?"
"The one where we had to use our wands to match the colours up?" The child hiding deep within me loves that game, and is anxious to play it again.
"Well, I brought it with me." He pulls it from his bag and places it on the bed between us.
Nerves flutter in my stomach, and I know it's not over a children's game. There's just something intimate about the way the two of us are sitting, with the hexagon between us, each side a different colour, just waiting for me to change the bricks to match.
"Are you okay?" Thomas asks.
I nod quickly. "Just excited." And nervous, scared, and just about every other emotion known to man.
"If it feels like it's going to get too much, then we can stop."
"Thanks." I take my wand out, noting how weird it feels in my hand.
A year ago, I wouldn't have gone for longer than ten minutes without holding it. Now, I can go hours without even reaching for my wand. The perils of having backfiring magic. I hate the way it makes me feel, but I know I have to get on with this if I ever want to get my magic back to normal.
"Before you start, I need to cast a spell on you, is that alright?"
"What kind of spell?" Alarm slips through me. I trust him, I do. But I'm not expecting this, and that causes some sort of problem in my mind.
"It'll let me track what you're doing. That way, I can see if there's anything blocking you, and reveal what kind of curse is on you."