Chapter Text
As Malleus and Silver walk down into the main hallway they pause, a few vials of something are floating around the hall. Bouncing and spinning across the hall.
Scanning the area Silver nods and they continue.
As soon as the gathered crowd of students spot Malleus, things go sideways.
The potions scatter. Some fall to the floor and shatter, mixing together creating a fog. Others splash up hitting students.
Silver jumps in front of Malleus, as a potion shatters to the ground by their feet.
As soon as the potion mixes with the misty fog filling the room, Silver falters. Wobbling as he collapses back into Malleus.
Grabbing his shoulders Malleus teleports.
As soon as the green light fades Malleus scoops Silver into his hands.
He’s tiny, the size of Lilia’s palm, if that. Tiny gossamer wings fluttering softly as he sleeps.
Malleus stands frozen watching his guard cradled in his hands.
“Dracona.” Crewel calls out as he runs down the hall, heading towards the chaos unfolding downstairs. “You were in the main hall when the potions shattered?”
“Yes I was.”
Crewel stops and walks over, “Did you get hit by the potions?”
Malleus shakes his head, “Silver was,” he shows Crewel the small fairy in his hands.
“Great… get him to the infirmary, I’ll update you when I know what happened. And walk there. I don’t know if adding more magic to this will have consequences.”
Nodding Malleus walks towards the infirmary. He and Silver are taken back immediately, as more and more students file in. Silver settled on a desk in the corner.
Sebek helps another freshman into a chair. Then he spots Malleus. Running over to his side he freezes.
“Is that SILVER!” He gasps.
Malleus nods.
Pulling out his phone Sebek calls Lilia and explains what happened. Lilia runs back to the dorms to grab some translator bells and the small amount of pixie dust he has.
Once he’s settled down Sebek starts poking at him, “Wake up Silver.”
After a few minutes the pestering pays off and Silver yawns slowly pushing himself into a seated position.
Blinking softly he looks around, not quite recognizing where he is. Then he spots Sebek, looking at him with eyes filled with concern.
“What happened?” He asks, eyes darting around, why is Sebek looking at him like that.
Sebek looks up at Malleus, “We need a bell.”
“Why?” Silver asks. Freezing as he follows Sebek’s gaze up to Malleus. A million thoughts run through his head. Eyes widening he struggles to his feet. The wings pull him back. And he topples into Sebek’s hand.
Malleus runs a finger across Silver’s wings drawing his attention to them.
Silver says something.
Malleus shakes his head, “Lilia will be here with a translator bell soon. We can’t understand you.”
Silver nods, slowly starting to understand. Wings, when he speaks all they hear is the tinkling of a bell, and his size.
“There you are.” Lilia says, As he walks up to them. The moment he sees Silver his face falls. Reaching out he invites Silver onto his hand. “Are you alright?”
Silver nods, “I guess.”
Handing small golden bells over to Sebek and Malleus he nods. “I’ve got some pixie dust. That should help you feel a bit better.” He pulls a small bag out from a pocket and carefully sprinkles just the tiniest amount over Silver’s head, “How’s that?”
“Better.” Silver says carefully reaching back to inspect his wings.
Lilia brushes the tip of his finger across Silver's cheek, “Let’s see if we can get you home.”
He puts Silver down on the tray and wonders of to find the nurse.
Malleus nods, extending his hand for Silver. Once he’s settled Malleus lifts him up to eye level.
The dragon inspects his face, “Sebek.”
“Yes sir?” The freshmen jumped to his feet.
“Go find some leaves, and go to Sam’s for pixie dust, and more bells.”
Sebek nods and runs out of the infirmary
Yawning Silver watches as Lilia waves them over.
“We can go.” He said simply, they need room for others caught up in the spell. “Silver- oh.”
Silver had fallen back asleep, slumped over in Malleus’s hand.
Lilia and Malleus exchange a look then vanish. Appearing in the hall of mirrors, a few students startle, quickly walking into their portals.
Silver blinks awake from the Magic, “Going to the dorm?”
“Yep,” Lilia grinns.
They step through the portal.
The moment they see the dorm building in the distance Silver gasps. Fluttering up into the air from shock.
Lilia floats up catching him before he could start to fall.
Malleus turns his head to the side, “Oh.”
“I’m sorry Silver, I should have realized.”
“Realized what?” Silver asks, now fully awake.
Lilia hums softly as they walk forward, “Diurnal Fairies don’t exactly like nocturnal fairies. The magic is different, and we have quite a high concentration of our magic here.”
“That’s why it surprised me.” Silver nods, “Felt, weird, almost like getting dunked in cold water.”
Malleus smiled softly, “You are alright now?”
“Yeah, I’m ok.”
As they walk through the gates, Malleus pauses to greet the gargoyles. Then they head inside.
Silver watches everything with wide eyes, everything looks so different from this angle.
It didn’t take long to reach Lilia’s room.
Malleus took a seat in the chair as Lilia set Silver on the desk.
“What now?” Silver asked softly, his winged drooping down.
“Flying,” Lilia decides, “Malleus, can you hand me the pixie dust?”
Silver holds his breath as the glittering dust washes over him. Much more than last time, coating his wings and causing them to glitter and glow.
“There we go, that’s the right amount.” Lilia nods, setting the tiny bag aside.
He extends his finger, Silver pats it in confusion.
“I don’t think that’ll work,” Lilia frowned, turning to rummage through his desk. Pulling out an old feather quill with most of the plumage picked off he offers it to Silver, “Grab on.”
Silver takes it and flicks his wings out as Lilia gently lifts him into the air.
He flutters the wings slightly then dips down. Lilia slowly loosens his grip on the feather as Silver starts to get the hang of things.
Then the feather is dropped.
“Father, your dresser is dusty.”
Lilia laughs watching as Silver flutters around landing on different things around the room.
Eventually settling on Malleus’ shoulder.
“Where is Sebek?” Silver asks, “Shouldn't he be back by now.”
As if he was summoned Sebek pushes the door open. In one hand holding a bag from the school story and Silver’s school bag, in the other an ice pack.
After handing the bags to Lilia he sits down, carefully rolling up his pant leg, revealing a growing bruise. Growling he tapes the ice pack to his leg.
“What happened?” Silver asks as he lands on the bed next to Sebek.
“Epel.” Sebek flops back, “What use am I as a guard if I can be bested by him.” He wallows for a moment before elaborating, “He got hit by the potion as well. Horse beast man. Rook has been trying to get him back to his dorm, I apparently startled him.”
“Given your record with horses I’m not surprised.” Silver teases, fluttering in front of Sebek’s face. Gently patting his nose.
Growling Sebek slowly swats at Silver, giving him plenty of time to duck away, hiding behind Lilia. Peeking out from behind his father’s hair he grins.
“Oh look what Sebek found.” Lilia gasps as he goes though the bag.
“Apparently a lot of fairy sized stuff got left over from the Gala.” Sebek shrugs, still laying down. “Sam sold it for pretty cheap… My lord,” He says slowly, “Why did you have me get leaves?”
“Hm,” Malleus hums, “Diurnal fairies tend to wear clothing made of plant matter mostly leaves.”
Lilia snorts, “Maybe a few hundred years ago. They have got to upgrade those books in the castle. Diurnal fairies have been making clothes like ours for ages. Once they figured out larger looms and technologies they’ve been moving away from leaves.”
“Some of the fairies from the Gala were wearing leaves.” Silver hums, “Was that ceremonial?”
Lilia nods as he starts taking things out of the bag. A small bundle of clothes, pixie dust, plates, wooden cutlery, blankes, pillows, and a few other odds and ends.
“You found a lot.”
“I got what i could.” Sebek says, “It wouldn’t do for Silver not to have anything.”
Tucking his wings back Silver sorts though the stuff. Picking clothes he thinks will fit and sorting things into piles. Quietly moving things around. It’s more than he anticipated.
He’s drawn from his thoughts as one of Lilia’s bats squeaks from inside the wardrobe. Watching as the bat drops then flaps into the air.
“Malleus,” Lilia calls, “Could you open that window?”
Shrinking back Silver bumps into his father’s leg. Malleus slides the window above the desk open.
Then everything hits him all at once. Just how small he is, how people can't understand him without help, the fact that the bat’s are bigger than he is. It’s all too much…
“Silver? Silver! what’s wrong?” Lilia asks, looking with wide eyes as Silver freezes.
Then he’s gone.
Jumping to his feet Lilia looks around desperately trying to find where he went.
Silver darts out the window wings blurring together, as he finds his window. It’s one of the few open ones.
Landing on the bed that suddenly felt like the size of a house he scrubs at his face desperately trying to calm down.
A soft coo draws his attention, looking over he spots one of the doves that hangs around his room.
Reaching up he gently touches her beak. Letting out a shaky breath he sinks to his knees. What if’s swirling through his head.
He takes stock of his body, thankfully his uniform had shrunk with him, though it was starting to bother his wings as the rub against the fabric. His nails are normal, no dark coloration like the others. His wings have the same shape and swirl like patterns as the small fairies from the gala, but were tinged with the colors of his eyes. Reaching up he feels his ears, pointed. Then he feels a dull pinprick on his lip.
Touching his lips he feels something slick. Pulling his hand back he sees a smear of blood. Opening his mouth he feels his teeth and freezes. He has fangs…
A wave of exhaustion washes over him as he lays back next to the dove. He can deal with all of this later.
_______
Sebek scrambles to his feet, eyes darting around the room trying to spot the small fairy.
“He went out the window,” Malleus blinks surprised, “I didn’t think he would do that.”
“I don’t think he was thinking.” Lilia frowns, “Where would he have gone?”
“Our room?” Sebek suggests, “We always leave our window open.”
Lilia nods, “I’ll go talk to him in a bit, he needs a minute to cool off.”
_______
Silver yawns as he rolls over, pulling his blanket tighter around his shoulders. As he wakes up he pauses, he didn’t fall asleep with that blanket.
“Morning sleepy head.” Lilia hums, from where he’s sitting by the desk.
“How long?”
“Just a few hours, It’s almost dinner time. Everyone affected by that position has to go to the cafeteria for food.”
Silver nods, flicking his wings as he listens.
“Do you know about fairy talents?” Lilia asks softly.
“Not much,” Silver shrugs, “They all work together to help change the seasons… Do I have one?”
Snorting Lilia gestures for him to look behind.
“Oh.” Silver blinks, fluttering up to look at all the animals that are laying on his bed.
Doves, pigeons, bluebirds, squirrels, rabbits, and mice. All gathered on the bed.
“Animal talent would be my guess,” Lilia says simply.
“Would have thought it was sleep.” Silver jokes slightly, “Glad it’s not though.”
“I’ve heard of bath drawing fairies.” he muses, “Sleep talents could be possible.”
“Lilia!” Sebek shouts from behind the door, “Can I come in now, they want Silver at the cafeteria.”
He stands up and opens the door, “Go with him Silver, I'll work on making you a place to sleep.”
Silver nods and flicks his wings, he easily keeps pace with Sebek.
“Can I land on your shoulder?” Silver asks after a while, they’ve made it through the mirrors and are well on the way to the main school building.
Looking over to him Sebek frowns, “Are your wings really that weak?”
Sighing internally Silver shrugs, “I’m still getting used to them.”
He humphs, “You can land, you did save Malleus from getting splashed.”
“Yea,” Silver murmurs as he settles onto his shoulder.
“What would have even happened to him if he got hit.” Sebek gasps, “You must have saved him from something horrible.”
Sliver nods, not fully paying attention to Sebek’s rambling. He can tell that he’s trying his best to keep a clear head.
It doesn’t take them long before they reach the cafeteria.
“Go find a spot,” Sebek says, “I’ll get you food.”
Silver hovers mid air for a moment before spotting a familiar flash of lilac hair. Epel’s sitting next to Rook, looking uncomfortable.
Heading over he gingerly lands on the table.
“Bonjour, Monsieur sleepyhead.” Rook nods.
“Hey Silver,” Epel waves, wincing as his ear flicks.
Silver waves back, “Hello.”
Epel glances at Rook, “Uh, Silver?”
“Hm?”
“We can’t understand you.”
Silver nods slowly, fluttering his wings as he jumps in the air so he can see where Sebek is getting food. He points over to Sebek.
Rook nods, “I see.”
Epel groans, “Is he mad at me?”
Silver shakes his head no.
“Oh good. I feel so bad for kicking him.”
Landing back on the table, Silver listens as they talk.
Sebek arrives a few minutes later, setting the plates down, his eyes flick from Silver and the plate, “Oh.”
“I don’t think he can eat that much Sebek.” Epel laughs, tail flicking. It had clearly been braided by Vil.
As Sebek huffs about not truly making a mistake, Silver carefully tries to tear a chunk of bread off the roll. Sebek had gotten him risotto, but something just didn’t sit right with him. Maybe it was how big everything was. How a single grain of rice was bigger than his hand. It was a lot.
Thankfully Sebek had remembered to bring the silverware and a plate.
“Anyone else in your dorm hit by the potion?” Sebek asks.
Rook nods, “We have quite a few, a beastman is human, Epel here, and a bird beastman.”
“Riddle got turned into a mer.” Ace says as he and Deuce jump into the conversation.
“Really?” Silver askes startling them.
“Woah.” Deuce murmurs.
“He just sounds like a bell?”
Sebek pulls his fairy bell out, “We have a translator.”
“So Riddle’s a mer?”
Deuce nods, “Yeah, he’s in one of the ponds in the hedge maze.”
“I wouldn’t bother him right now,” Ace shudders, “He’s super mad.”
Nodding Silver puts his plate on the table top. He doesn’t blame the housewarden for being upset. If his father wasn’t here, he probably wouldn’t be as calm.
“I don’t blame him,” Rook says, “These swaps seem very stressful.”
“They are,” Epel groans, “I feel all weird.”
“Like what?” Deuce asks concern painted over his face.
“Like, bad… uhg, it’s hard puttin it in words,” Epel mummers, his accent slipping out, “I’ve got too much energy,” His ear flicks.
“Vil had to braid his tail,” Rook says.
Silver nods, listening to the others chatter. It didn’t bother him too much that Sebek was the only one to understand him. He was still trying to wrap his head around what had happened. He takes a bite of his risotto, pulling a slight face at the texture of the piece of rice. It tasted the same as always, but the size of the rice was throwing him off.
It doesn’t take too long for Sebek to finish eating, both his salmon and the plate of risotto.
The walk back to the dorm was quiet, Silver sitting on Sebek’s shoulder.
“How are you doing?” Sebek asks after a while, “After hearing about Epel and Riddle…”
“I don’t know,” Silver says slowly, “Something is definitely, different.” He sighs, “I feel like, im exposed out here. Like anything can see me.” He trails off then flutters up to look at Sebek, “I’m worried that something with how Fae age is happening.”
“Oh?” Sebek says, “You don’t look any different… aside from the fairy stuff… Do you feel different?”
He nods. Dropping his head into his hands, “I just want to go to father.”
Sebek grins suddenly, clearly struggling to keep a shout out of his voice, “Oh that’s easy. He protects you, it’s a common thing, most of my siblings get overly clingy to our parents when they get startled, though they normally grow out of it. It must be how small you are.” He teases.
“So I'm ok?”
Shrugging he nods, “I’d still ask Lilia but yes. I Would Say Your Fine.”
Silver drops down into Sebek’s hands, “Thank goodness.”
_______
“You’re back,” Lilia smiles, taking Silver into his hands, “How are you feeling?”
He shrugs, “I’m managing.”
“Do you need anything?” Lilia asks, “Or want something?”
Silver stays quiet for a moment, “Do we still have cookies.”
“Yep.” Lilia says walking into the kitchen, the few students in the kitchen freeze, but relax when he starts rummaging through the cabinet that holds tea and coffee supplies, “Here you are.”
Silver takes the broken piece cookie that Lilia hands him.
“I thought you might like that,” Lilia grins, watching him eat, “Diurnal fairies tend to love their sweets.”
“Really?”
He nods, “I heard the other people changed like this were getting things like instincts. Is that happening to you as well?”
“Yeah.”
Lilia motions for him to continue.
“Sebek told me that it’s normal, I want to be close to you. You just feel safe.”
“That is normal for a young fae,” Malleus hums as he settles down on the couch next to them.
“And I will always be here if you need me.”
“Thanks.” Silver yawns.
“Let’s get you to bed.” Lilia sighs, “You look completely exhausted.”
Silver nods.
Once they reach Silver’s room Lilia sets him on the desk, and starts pulling out the pile of clothing, “Here are some pajamas.”
Silver takes the light purple set and starts taking off his shoes. Lilia turns around.
“Father.” Silver calls after a moment. “I'm not sure how to get my jacket off.”
Gently he helps edge the jacket over Siver’s wings. “Are they sensitive?”
Silver starts working on the vest buttons, “Not really, they just feel weird.”
He finishes getting changed with little issue. Lilia places a small box on the desk, “Malleus and I made this. Take a look.”
Silver swings open the small door to the box and gasps, “You made this for me?”
A room built in the right proportions for Silver.
“Can you… stay?” He asks slowly, “I don’t want to be alone tonight.”
“Of course.” Lilia says with a soft smile.
_______
It had been about a week since the potion incidents. Crewel had been making potions to stop the effects of the mixed potions. Unfortunately there isn’t one potion that fixes everything. A base potion had to be made then adjusted to a specific student. The beastmen turned human were the first group to get back to normal, then those turned into mers, then beastmen. The Professor is working on the potion to fix Sliver’s form, but fairy magic is extremely complicated.
Making everything worse, Crowley had decided that Silver couldn’t miss any more classes. So he was sent back. It didn’t go well. He ended up getting permission from the professors to just stick to Kalim’s schedule since they shared most of their classes anyways.
The whole situation is dragging him down. He can't train, he can't talk to most of his classmates, and he’s stuck relying on others to get food. He couldn’t always escape Lilia’s cooking. Every other person on campus who was changed is back to normal.
He’s the only one left.
He tries to stay positive and calm, but sometimes he can’t silence the thoughts that creep in. It’s after classes for the day and instead of heading back to the dorm, Silver heads for the botanical gardens. He just cant go back to the dorm, not right now. His thoughts turning against him like this would only worry the others and make things worse.
It’s quite. The warm air, and flowers easily draw him in.
He settles onto a sunflower and within minutes is asleep.
“There you are!” A loud voice shouts startling Silver from his slumber.
“Gah! Oh, Hi Sebek,” Silver murmurs.
Sebek opens his mouth then pauses, “Are you ok?” His voice is much quieter than before.
Shaking his head no Silver takes a small breath, he has to get this of his mind, “You don’t like me better like this do you?”
Eyes wide Sebek frantically shakes his head, “NO!” It’s clear he’s struggling to find the right words, “Why would you even think that!”
“I just, I know father loves me no matter what. But, i cant shake the thought that he’d be happier with me like this.”
“He would not!” Sebek shoots back, “If you're like this how could you Possibly BE A GOOD ENOUGH GUARD FOR LORD MALLEUS!”
Cracking a small smile at Sebek’s words, Silver flutters over to his shoulder. “Thanks Sebek.”
“Think nothing of it… Human.”