Chapter 20
Roxana sat down in her seat, an eighth chair has been added for her to represent Slytherin, she gave a smile to the housewardens and nodded at Riddle who nodded back.
“I call to order this meeting of housewardens. Our agenda today concerns the October Spelldrive tournament.” Crowley said. “Let us begin with the report from the head of the tournament planning committee: Mr. Ashengrotto of Octavinelle Dorm.”
Why am I here ? Roxana though while looking ahead of her without any emotions.
The named Azul stood up. “Greetings. I am Azul Ashengrotto, and it is my honor to lead the planning committee. I am pleased to announce that we have fully booked the grounds surrounding the coliseum. All of the kiosk space allotted to both internal organizations and external businesses is now full.”
He smells like an octopus, and I don’t like that. Roxana thought.
The only woman of the group did not say anything during the whole thing.
Vil frowned. “Incidentally, where IS Malleus? Did everyone forget to invite him again?”
Kalim and Riddle looked guilty. “Oops!”
Azul rolled his eyes before he turned to the headmaster. “Headmaster I have a question, why is Miss Lestrange here ?” He turned to look at her and gave her a smile. “No offence to you my lady, I am merely curious”
I will make octopus carpaccio out of you ! Roxana though, she saw the look in his eyes, she’s not stupid.
“Well now that you asked !” Crowley smiled. “Besides Spelldrive ! Night Raven College will soon welcome the creation of a new game that will start here ! It’s named Quidditch ! Miss Lestrange if you could please”
Roxana smiled. “Of course”
She proceeded to give the same explanation she did in Crowley’s office minus the magic involved, she took out the Golden Snitch which started to fly in its place without bolting around.
“And this is the Golden Snitch in question” Roxana said.
Kalim jumped out of his seat. “Oh ! Oh ! Is it named Golden Snitch because it’s made out of gold ?”
Vil sighed. “Don’t be ridiculous Kalim, who would use gold for a—”
“Actually” Roxana cut him off. “The Golden Snitch is made out of copper and gold; Golden isn’t just for the color”
Everyone turned their head to look at her.
“You’re kidding !” Idia said from his tablet. “Wait ! I will do a quick scan”
The tablet floated up to snitch and did a quick scan.
Idia gave a not so manly gasp. “Holy seven ! it is made out of gold !”
Crowley turned to Roxana. “Miss Lestrange…?”
“It’s my way of showing that I am serious about this” Roxana said lying through her teeth.
It was always made out of gold buuuut not like am going to tell them that it’s normal from where I came from. Roxana thought.
Azul gulped while looking at the Golden Snitch. The opportunity…
Vil was looking at Roxana, honestly he always noticed her around the campus, her beauty was out of this world, and he respected her for it and also how she present herself everything screams elegant, he’s jealous but he will not admit it but… How rich is she to throw gold around like that ? And to use it for a game no less !
Roxana smirked at Vil’s through. I swear no mental defense will be the end of some students here at my hand.
***
“The Spelldrive tournament rosters should be final any day now.”
“Have you come up with any flashy new spells?”
“You know it! I already showed one to Professor Crewel and he seemed pretty impressed. I can't wait to show it to Housewar— BWAAAAAH?!”
“Gah! That hurt!”
“Hey! What just happened?! Why'd you tumble down the stairs like that?!”
“My ankle... It hurts!”
“Oh no! We gotta get you to the nurse!”
The culpable smirked. “Shyeheehee!”
***
“Man... If I can't be in the Spelldrive tournament, then what's even the point anymore?” Grim pouted as he laid on Roxana’s chest.
The woman was content in petting him.
Helia and Sally looked a bit jealous.
“He’s taking our place !” Helia chirped.
“We should eat him” Sally said.
“YOU ARE NOT EATING ME !” Grim screamed at them.
“What's wrong, Grimmy? Something got ya down?” Ghost C said
Ghost B looked at him. “He's sulking because he can't play in the Spelldrive tournament.”
“If you wanna play Spelldrive that badly, why, we can play with ya!” Ghost C said. “I was the team captain ninety years ago, y'know. The girls in the stands couldn't get enough of me!”
Grim looked at the ghosts. “Yeah, but wouldn't we need seven people?”
Ghost A shrugged. “It's not a real match, so who cares? Let's just play!”
“Am sitting this one out, you can get Heli and Sally to play with you”
“Ok !”
Roxana watched them play for a while until Crowley dropped in.
“Good day. Playing some Spelldrive? … is that a snake ?” Crowley looked at Sally who didn’t pay any mind to him before she disappeared in the lake.
Grim deadpanned at him. “Aaand here comes the Fun Police. There goes my good mood, right down the drain.”
“I'm pleased to see you're all getting along. Quite pleased indeed.” Crowley smiled.
“Yeah, they just keep coming' back anyway. Might as well get along, I guess. Did you want something, or...” Grim shrugged.
“I have a request to make of you both. Why don't we take this inside?” Crowley asked.
*Slytherin Dorm – Lounge*
“Seriously? MORE requests? I ain't a part of your janitorial staff anymore, y'know!” Grim pointed out.
“Oh? You DO recall that I never promised to cover the living expenses you've been racking up, yes? Hard work can be a beautiful thing, Grim. I'm sure you agree Roxana” Crowley said.
Roxana glared at him. “And last time I checked I donated literal gold to this school, got the legal paperwork so Slytherin will become a real dorm, and Mirror already agreed to it by making an oath with me, and the papers were already sent so this school can become co-op-ed once I get out of here, I can take back my gold and give it to someone else you know ! Let’s see who ? Oh right ! The school rival Royal Sword Academy !”
The magic around Roxana was suffocating.
Alright Crowley had to see this one coming a long time ago, but he got blinded by the gold and make a magical oath with Roxana’s magic, he has to admit she manipulated him so good that he’s in an impossible situation now that he can’t get out off, the simple thinking about getting out of it is making his own magic hurt him.
Is that her Unique Magic ? It’s similar to Ashengrotto but different…this one is truly unbreakable ! Crowley though.
“Then please, threat aside !” Crowley said.
“So you admit it’s a threat” Roxana deadpanned.
Crowley had sweat running down his face. “*Ahem* I'll get straight to the point. There has been a rash of students being hurt in suspicious incidents on campus lately. I'm here to ask you to investigate the matter.”
Grim raised his invisible eyebrow. “Suspicious incidents...?”
“Yes. Students falling down stairs, getting burns from boiling water, and so forth.” He explained. “The specifics of the incidents differ, but the nurse's office has had a clear spike in patients over the last few days. With yesterday's incident on the stairs, we now have ten wounded students. We're just fortunate that none of the injuries have been life-threatening...yet.”
“Ya sure it ain't just kids being' clumsy?” Grim asked.
Crowley crossed his arms. “I'm sure many of our students are too distracted by the upcoming tournament to focus properly. But this is far more accidents than we've had in the past years. Furthermore, all of the wounded students were considered contenders to make their dorms' teams.”
Grim looked interested. “Oooh, NOW this is getting' interesting.”
“All of the accidents happened in public spaces, and all of the witnesses said the same thing: "It looked like he was just being careless."” Crowley said.
Grim shrugged. “Sounds like they were just being' careless, then. Case closed! Glad we could sort that out. Bye!”
Crowley deadpanned. “Not the most thorough of investigations, Grim.”
Grim frowned. “But this has got nothin' to do with me! I can't even participate in your dumb tournament! So what do I care what happens? Phooey!”
“I'm sorry to hear that—especially after I'd prepared such a magnificent reward for you...” Crowley pitifully said.
Here he goes again. Roxana shook her head.
“Ha! I ain't falling' for that line again! I wouldn't do it even for a hundred cans of tuna!” Grim refused.
Wait till he add something else.
“But what if I allowed you to participate in the Spelldrive tournament?”
There it is.
Grim looked at him in shock. “PARDONNE-MOI?!”
He fell for it.
“Should you solve the case, I'll generously permit your dorm to enter the Spelldrive tournament. What do you say to that? Surely you're dazzled by my altruism?”
“Myah... Myahahaha!” Grim laughed like a madman.
“As a participant, the whole world will lay eyes upon your majesty. Just imagine the cheers echoing from the sold-out stadium seats! "This year's most promising rookie, the mighty Grim, has taken the field! Hurrah!" And so on.” Crowley continued.
“Oh, man. It's like I can already taste it...” Grim said under his breath.
“Ah, but of course, you have refused my offer. How unfortunate. Let's forget this ever happened.” Crowley shrugged and started to walk away.
“No, wait! WAIT! I'm in! I'll do it!” Grim said.
Crowley looked at him with fake surprise. “What's that? You'll do it, you say?”
Grim nodded. “If you'll let me into the tournament, you bet! Right, Roxana?”
Roxana smirked at the opportunity that appeared in front of her.
And Crowley ?
Crowley had a sudden bad feeling.
“Well~ don’t blame me if more students end up in the infirmary after being cursed, don’t worry ! They won’t be lethal curses, it will be something easily reversed by me, but something that will make them uncapable for a while” Roxana said with a cruel smirk.
Yes…THIS bad feeling.
Crowley closed his eyes. I should have seen this coming…