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Professor Widogast was never late.
The man was the physical embodiment of a finely-tuned clock. Punctuality was one of his top values, and asked the same courtesy from his students. If he planned to be out, he would notify one of the TAs, or at least send over a substitute.
“Do you think something happened?” asked Henry, fanning his sweaty face with his workbook. “It’s almost five minutes past already.”
Urevet shrugged. “He probably sent for a substitute, and the substitute is running late.”
Craning her neck to look at the little clock over on the professor’s desk, Isha said, “Well, they have four minutes to get here, or we bail. This is our education. We have standards.”
“Oh, get over yourself,” scoffed Oscar, his friends joining in the laugh.
“Time is precious!” Henry argued. Most of the other students shrugged and continued to chat amongst themselves, while others started preemptively reviewing their study guides.
From her spot in the sunny window, Blueberry Buttons picked her head up with a soft mrrr?
Footsteps could be heard from down the hall and the students darted back to their seats, sitting at attention. The door opened, and what had to be the most well-dressed man they’d ever seen strode into the lecture hall.
He dressed like a coastal noble, wearing a sleeveless navy coat with heavy golden embroidery around the collar and bottom hem. A gauzy cape in the same shade of blue draped from one shoulder to the floor, buckled around his neck with a simple geometric motif wrought in gold. Underneath, they could see a silken teal blouse with gently puffed sleeves and a high collar, and dark gray pants.
His face was clean shaven, and waves of copper red hair were partially braided to one side with several daisies and Forget-Me-Nots woven in.
The entire class remained wide-eyed and silent. Several students glanced at each other, trying to glean if anyone knew the man at the head of the room.
Setting the stack of books onto the table, the man sighed and began to fiddle with the clasp around his neck.
“Entschuldigung. The ceremony ran longer than I cared to stay, and the Martinet - ”
“PROFESSOR WIDOGAST?”
~
Caleb startled as his class seemed to implode all at once.
“…Ja?”
A student in the back shrieked something in an incoherent babble of Infernal. Several others began to flail. More coughed and fidgeted in their seats. Wondering what in the world had driven the children to such a state, he managed to wrestle the silken cords around his neck to come free and draped the elaborate coat over the chair. One of the bones in his corseted gray vest dug into his side, and he rubbed at the offending spot, trying to tug it down so it didn’t make it worse.
Someone towards the front made a strangled sound. One or two were a little flushed in the face.
The stress of finals was probably pressing on them. The summer heat wasn’t helping either, he was sure.
“Thank you for your patience. I tried to get here sooner. I promise I will make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
He grabbed a piece of chalk and his battered copy of Advanced Evocation Theory, preparing to start.
“Professor?”
Rhianetta. Quiet, studious, excelled at spell target accuracy.
“Ja?”
“You look nice. You said you were at a ceremony?”
He nodded. “To commemorate the anniversary of the Lucidian Accord, the peace talks between the Dwendalian Empire and The Kryn Dynasty.”
“Weren’t you there for those?” asked Oscar.
Bright, brash, needed intellectual challenges often, nervous around cats but slowly warming up to them.
“I was, but not actively engaged in the negotiations themselves. My friends and I were liaisons, and stayed nearby on our ship.”
“You have a ship?”
Henry. Skittish, gaining confidence in spell theory, working on improving personal organization.
“We did. Unfortunately, that one sank.”
“How?”
“Attacked by a dragon turtle on the coast of Rumblecusp.”
“You’re shitting us,” Oscar said.
“You said ‘that one,’” added Henry, “Does that mean you have another one?”
“Perhaps, after finals, I can elaborate more on - ”
The door opened with a sudden bang, and Beauregard sauntered in, wearing gray suit pants and a sleeveless, strapless top in royal blue with golden lightning around the bodice. She had also exchanged her lightning gloves for several heavy, enamel bracelets.
“Beauregard.”
The universe was trying to permanently delay today’s lesson, he was sure of it.
She held up a book in one hand, smirking.
“Hey nerd. You left the ceremony before I could give this back to you.”
“Thank you.”
Turning, she waved to the awestruck throng of students. Caleb didn’t fail to notice the amorous looks she was getting from both the girls and boys. “Afternoon, small wizards! Listen to him. He’s one of the good ones.”
Rhianetta’s eyes were glittering with reverence. “You’re Expositor Lionett, from the Cobalt Soul.”
Beauregard turned to smile back at Caleb. “I like her! Your kids know their shit.”
“I called you by name, and you’re still wearing Cobalt Soul colors,” he added.
“True! Which, I’m pretty sure that Ludinus was pricklier than usual since you chose to wear the same palette, instead of Soltryce Academy colors. Stealing my limelight, you dick.”
She threw a light punch into his shoulder.
“Schiesse,” he grumbled, rubbing at his arm, “It was not my decision. Jester brought it straight from the tailor’s and left it in my office.”
“Hey, you gotta admit Marion has good taste. She actually called in a favor for this one from Marquis Zaif’s tailor.”
“I KNEW IT!”
From the corner by the window, Larelle jumped out of her seat.
Fond of sweets, excels at proper pronunciation in verbal spells, needs more practice with somatic motions, her mother runs a wildly successful shipping business.
“Marquis Zaif’s tailor? The Marquis Zaif? How in the world did you manage to commission something from the genius who dresses the lord of Nicodranas?”
“It’s fucking summertime, and Empire clothes are too hot for this shit weather,” Beauregard grumped, “And no one is gonna tell the Ruby of the Sea ‘no’ when she asks for a favor.” Cracking her neck, she waved at Caleb as she headed for the door.
“See you at dinner next week! Tell Wulf he needs to bring that spätzle dish he promised!”
“You tell him.”
“Nah, too busy.”
“You are the worst sister.”
“You bet! Stay in school, kids! Byeeeeee!!”
Caleb sighed.
The second the door closed, the entire class erupted into a wild roar.
“YOU KNOW THE RUBY OF THE SEA?”