Chapter 146: Not Students Yet
"Draco, are you ready?"
Penny and Fleur fussed over me, adjusting my suit, smoothing out imaginary wrinkles and brushing off invisible dust. Why imaginary? Because I'd tidied myself up with magic, leaving no room for such sloppiness.
Blake stood off to the side, watching with a smile.
"Ready. I've been ready for a year, so don't worry."
"How can we not worry? You'll soon be a Master of Charms and Spells!"
Fleur threw her hands up.
"The youngest Master of Charms and Spells in how long? Two hundred years? Five hundred?"
Penny asked dramatically, while I just shrugged.
"Three hundred and fifty, I think, but I'm not sure."
"See!"
Both girls looked at me, irritated.
"Our man will be the best of the best!"
Penny tilted her little nose up proudly.
"Even Dumbledore earned his mastery in Transfiguration later!"
Fleur tilted her own little nose up as well.
"Even Snape, who's always boasting that he's the youngest master potion-maker in the last hundred years, earned his mastery later..."
They'd said it in unison, so I knew they were just teasing me with a rehearsed act. When had they even found the time? Then again, we'd had a week since returning home.
"Did they practice this on you?"
I looked at Blake questioningly, and his eyes darted to the side.
"I don't understand what you mean..."
"Yes, yes..."
I nodded.
"All right, girls, calm down. Now you'll kiss me for luck..."
I glanced at Blake.
"...that goes for you too, since you came to see me off to the exam."
"Tch..."
Blake tried to show irritation, but her reddened cheeks and trembling ears betrayed her completely.
"After that, I'll go to the exam. And yes, Fleur, Penny, get ready. When I return, we'll draw up the contract and I'll take your training seriously. As long as we only have an agreement about the future wedding, the Guild won't view it with hostility."
"Um... will we have time?"
They looked at me in confusion.
"You will."
"Can I join the lessons?"
Blake asked, slightly uncertain, and it gave me pause. Honestly, two students at once was already a lot, but on the other hand... in just six months, Blake had completely mastered the entire first- and second-year curriculum, unlike her friends, who had chosen to specialize solely in combat. And the fact that she would likely become part of my family obligated me to see to her education as well.
"Blake..."
"I understand..."
She lowered her ears slightly, a sign not of offense but of mild distress. It seemed she had already worked herself up and now simply took my words as a refusal.
"...two students is already..."
"Blake..."
I raised my voice slightly, making her flinch and look at me.
"First, you need to understand that my sympathy for you will work against you during training. While I forgive Hogwarts students for many things, I won't forgive mistakes from Penny, Fleur, or you, if you still want this."
Blake nodded slowly, and her ears stood upright.
"Also, you need to understand that Fleur and Penny have already pulled far ahead, and you'll have to put in a serious effort to catch up."
"I am ready!"
"BUT!"
I interrupted her, raising my index finger.
"I don't need an uneducated student. So I'll insist on complete mastery of the school curriculum."
Blake quickly nodded.
"So think carefully about whether you need this..."
"I..."
I raised a hand, stopping her.
"...simply think. Talk to Fleur and Penny. They worked with mentors we brought in temporarily. Let them tell you their requirements, then multiply those by two, or better yet by ten, and you'll understand what I expect from my students."
"All right..."
She nodded, and I saw in her eyes a determination to go all the way.
"Very good."
I approached Blake and stroked her head. She didn't pull away, and even shut her eyes tight with pleasure.
"All right, now all of you kiss me..."
I spread my arms. Fleur approached me first, laughing softly, and gave me a passionate kiss. Then Penny kissed me, and finally Blake. But while the kisses from my almost-fiancées were greedy and passionate, Blake's was restrained, even modest.
"Now..."
"No, that won't do at all!"
Fleur threw her hands up, and I looked at her in surprise.
"Why are you looking at me like that? She wasted all the luck we passed on to you with that pathetic kiss! Come on, kiss him properly!"
I blinked in surprise.
"Fleur..."
"No..."
She shook her head, and I could see in her eyes that she knew perfectly well she'd gotten carried away, but she couldn't stop herself, and didn't want to.
"...I said let her kiss you properly, like we did. Otherwise... I don't know what I'll do, but it will be something terribly unpleasant!"
Blake blushed and stepped toward me. Her arms went around me, her lips met mine, and this time the kiss was far bolder. It was as if she'd jumped off a cliff, and I couldn't help but respond, so my arms slipped down from her waist to her backside. And she didn't object!
Admittedly, when she felt my hands there, she trembled almost imperceptibly, but she didn't pull away or slap me. And when we finally broke the kiss, her eyes shone with joy and determination.
"Since Fleur insisted so strongly, I won't back down now..."
Blake shook her head.
"...so you will have to make room."
I said this to my future wives, who only smiled and, after moving Blake aside, gave me similar kisses.
After that, with my head pleasantly empty, I went to the Floo connection building to travel directly to the Guild's main building.
"Mentor."
I nodded to Flitwick, who nodded back.
"Are you ready?"
"Yes."
I nodded briefly.
"Hmm... at least wipe the lipstick off your lips, or people will get the wrong idea."
I blinked and conjured a mirror in front of me with a wave of my wand.
My lips were covered in three different shades of red lipstick, and the combination wasn't exactly flattering, but I simply cast a weak illusion over myself.
"Do you think that will help?"
"It should bring me a bit of luck, or at least that's what the girls said. So I'm not wiping it off. And if the examiners are that curious about what's hiding under the illusion, let them look. I don't mind."
"Ha... well, if it's for luck..."
Flitwick nodded to me, and we went to the registration desk.
Unlike last time, when I had gone unrecognized, the girl behind the desk recognized not only Flitwick, but me as well.
"Master Flitwick, Journeyman Black..."
A sincere smile appeared on the girl's lips.
"...I'm glad to welcome you to the Guild of Charms and Spells."
"We're glad to be here as well, Xenia..."
Flitwick read the name on her badge.
"...We have an appointment."
"One second..."
The girl flipped through several pages of her book, then looked up at us in surprise.
"...An exam for the title of master?"
"Yes."
Flitwick nodded.
"At such an age? Forgive me!"
While she sounded extremely surprised, her eyes filled with panic as she asked for forgiveness.
"It's nothing..."
I waved it off.
"...I understand."
"Well... Draco was ready for the exam last year, but after my suggestion, he extended his apprenticeship until now."
"A full master?"
Xenia mouthed the words, and we simply nodded.
"One second!"
She took out a sheet of paper and quickly wrote something on it, then with a wave of her wand transformed it into a crane that flapped its little wings and flew off in an unknown direction.
"Elegant..."
I nodded, and the girl looked embarrassed.
"I only... reworked the standard spell a little."
"That requires a lively mind."
I smiled.
"And desire. Without desire, no one accomplishes anything. What matters is never stopping and always improving."
"Of course."
The girl smiled at me like the sun.
"Draco..."
"What, Draco?"
I looked at Flitwick in surprise.
"Don't give the girl false hope. You've already taken on students of your own, and she can't become one of them."
I shrugged.
"Well, your spot's opening up..."
I looked at Flitwick with a smile, and he frowned slightly.
"...I'm not insisting, but she can be tested, can't she?"
"I'm afraid... I don't have enough money yet..."
"You know what, Xenia..."
Flitwick looked at the girl attentively.
"...if Draco becomes a master today, then I really will give you a chance. Pass my small exam, and you will become my student."
The girl's eyes lit up with enthusiasm.
"Just remember, taking on a student means you're obligated not only to study, but also to teach the first through third years at Hogwarts."
I looked at Flitwick in surprise.
"What are you looking at me for? Or do you think I'd leave a student to do the work here? No..."
Flitwick shook his head.
"...so if you become a master and she passes my exam, you won't be the one teaching Charms to the first through third years."
"Well..."
I shrugged.
"...as far as I know, Dumbledore is having trouble finding a DADA teacher again, so I could try for that position."
Flitwick nodded in agreement.
"Just remember, you'll have to teach all years."
"That is far from certain."
I smiled.
"My students, of course, aren't journeymen, but they'll be enough for the first through third years."
I smiled.
"After all, hired mentors have been pushing them hard for over a year. So..."
"I see you've already thought everything through. Don't you think you might fail the exam?"
"After everything I did in the past year?"
I looked at Flitwick in surprise.
"After that, an ordinary exam doesn't cause me any anxiety."
"Well..."
Flitwick nodded thoughtfully.
"...I can't disagree with you there. Your projects even make me slightly envious. Of course, now I could do much of it better and faster, but at your age..."
Flitwick shook his head, and at that moment a paper airplane flew toward us, or rather, toward Xenia, who immediately told us where we should go.
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