Chapter 25

“I need a drink,” Eloise said when Alastair opened his office door.

Apparently, after the Main Hall had been emptied, and all the decorations hung, a sly group of Illusionists had tried to sneak in a set of ornaments made of Nightmare Glass, which reflected back a viewer’s worst fears. It had been Eloise who caught them.

“Horrible,” she said over a cup of brandy in front of Alastair’s fire.

In Alastair’s short absence that afternoon, Quicksilver had decorated the headmaster’s office as well—though to Alastair’s delight, he’d been tasteful about it. A pine garland hung limply from the mantle. A normal size tree was lit in the corner—nothing like the glittering crystal forest he’d set up downstairs—and snow fell peacefully from seemingly nowhere, disappearing before it reached the ground.

Quite a trick.

“What did you see?” Alastair asked, referring to the Nightmare Glass. “Did you look?”

“Yep. Snakes,” Eloise said darkly. “I hate snakes.”

“I remember.”

She took a sip of brandy. “Want to take a look? I’ve got one in my pocket.”

“Why, by all the gods, would you do that?”

“Because I knew I’d be seeing you tonight,” she said with a giggle, “and I wanted to see what your worst fear was.”

“I’m good,” Alastair said. “You can keep it.”

“Come on!” She pulled out the dark ornament, and it glittered eerily in the firelight. Was there something moving inside it?

“I don’t want to.” Alastair already knew he was going to lose this battle. Eloise had that hard look in her eyes, the one which suggested she wouldn’t give up without a fight.

“Take it!” She tossed the ball and he reflexively caught it. Once he had it in his hand—well, it was like the thing wanted him to look at it. He found his gaze drawn to it, and—

Fire and chaos. Screaming children fled through the hallways as the school burned. Chanting outside—the chanting of Dark Mages—the Night Coven. One of the Main Hall’s stained glass windows shattered in a shower of sharp fragments. Ms. Shadow ran by, followed by a panicked gaggle of Augury students in green-and-white robes.

“Alastair!” she shouted, looking directly at him. Her eyes were piercing. “Why are you just standing there? Do something!”

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He was frozen, panicked, unable to see a path forward. And while he dithered, people were dying. He pulled out his wand, frantically grasping for a spell, but it was too late. The castle roof collapsed with a crash and billowing dust, burying Ms. Shadow and her students in a pile of rubble. There was nothing around him now but white-hot flames.

Back in his office, Alastair tore his eyes from the Nightmare Glass. The fireplace no longer felt quite as peaceful as it had just moments ago.

“So,” Eloise said. “What did you see?”

“Frogs,” he lied, wiping sweat from his brow. “Lots and lots of frogs.”

“Oh.” She looked disappointed. “I thought it would be more exciting.”

“Sorry.” He handed the ornament back. “I really hate frogs.”

He was still shaken by what he’d actually seen and felt: the fire, death, the paralysis. He’d always thought of himself as a man of action, someone who moved decisively in a crisis. But what Ari said earlier, in the bar… “We thought you were going places.”