The Future Comes Calling

A bulbous waxing moon in a clear night sky is bright enough to illuminate individual blades of grass and the jutting stone faces of the far-off castle, even the curved, rocky edges of the floating island. It glints off the still, dark mirror of the large lake that engulfs one corner of the daunting castle, splitting the dense forest from the grassy field.

Nicholas shrieks, messy black hair flying as he whips around, taking the splash of freezing cold water on his side and while most of it rebounds off the puffy black coat, it instantly soaks through the school uniform, the light grey jumper and black slack turning even darker.

”No, stop! ” Nicholas cries at the next splash, staggering away and the small pebbles lining the lake crunch under his feet. ”Thats not fair, I can even see right now! ”

”Yeah, I know, your glasses are in my pocket! ” Stavros cackles, crouched down by the stones the lake water is lapping against. He has one sleeve of his white coat and the uniform underneath shoved up, shivering violently but its worth it. A wicked smirk splits Stavros face, grey eyes half squinted form the force of it. His long golden curls are up in a messy bun and with the moonlight glinting off his back like a halo hed look angelic if he wasn such an asshole.

Nicholas whirls the rest of the way around, brown doe eyes widening. ”You – we just spent twenty bloody minutes stomping around out here looking for them instead of covering under the warm blanket, you dickhead! ”

”Im just saying, don give what you can take, bitch, ” Stavros laughs and threateningly splashes a bit more water onto the pebbles at Nicholas feet.

”I splashed you once half an hour ago, ” Nicholas scoffs but warily backs up some more, one hand running through fluffy black hair like shoving it off his forehead is going to help his trash eyesight. ”Did you seriously lure me down here – give me my damned glasses! ”

”Come and get them, Nicky, ” Stavros coos, an arrogant tilt of his head making more blond strands escape the half-hearted bun.

Rafael stands up where he was crouched a bit further away, patting around on the grass at a suspicious grouping of what might have been Nicholas glasses. ”I don know why I bother with you two, ” he mutters, scratching at his short brown hair as he lopes off with long limbs and hunched shoulders. Hes wearing an extra, rather frumpy jumper thats not quite big enough for him anymore, his bony ankles popping out from under his pants legs too.

”I didn start this, ” Nicholas grumbles, folding his open black coat tight around him. ”You know what, Stavros? Im going to go cuddle with Rafael, and you
e not welcome. ”

The last of the four sixteen year olds is still star gazing a couple meters away, lying on one edge of the enlarged picnic blanket and huddled under a huge quilt Nicholas transfigured, pretending the other three don exist so he doesn get dragged into it.

Its 3am and winter break was long enough ago that the boys are now itching for some freedom and have taken to sleeping outside despite how ridiculously cold it is this far up in the atmosphere. Only the castle has wards for temperature control.

Rafael climbs on in, soon joined by Nicholas who rolls half on top of the lanky boy and shivers, trying desperately to leech body heat until he warms up under the blanket. Stavros walks around the blanket to their heads and flicks his wet fingers in their general direction, spraying light droplets everywhere.

Rafaels reflective gold eyes are particularly bright as he locks onto Stavros standing above them, the light of his blazing eyes poking out just above Nicholas fluffy hair.

”Im positively shaking in fear, ” Stavros scoffs at him and drops to a knee, grabbing his standard-issue apprentice wand from the random pile of four on the ground and flicking drying charms everywhere. ”There, aren I a good friend? ” He pulls the band from his hair, all the golden ringlets cascade down to his shoulders and he shakes it out so itll be nicer to lie on before going for a corner of the blanket.

Nicholas grips the blanket for dear life when Stavros starts pulling at it. ”I said you weren invited, get your own. ”

”You aren going to win this fight, ” Rafael points out to Nicholas, shoving his cold nose into the boys neck only for Nicholas to flinch away. ”Just let Stavros in before he does something else. ”

”I was considering dragging the entire blanket into the lake, ” Stavros hums happily. When Nicholas still looks hes going to fight it, Stavros pulls the stolen glasses out of his pocket, makes a show of cleaning them on his jumper, and then puts them on Nicholas face.

The glasses are large and round, the top a bit flatter, and rimmed in thin black wire which makes Nicholas eyes even bigger as he stares warily. He grumbles but lets Stavros inside, then jerks away as Rafaels nose comes back. ”Stop, ” he complains, rolling away into Stavros.

On the other side of Rafael, Adam sucks in a sharp breath when the motion pulls the edge of the blanket up from where hed tucked it around him. Cold air hits his left side and he quickly yanks it back down and shivers despite being fully dressed in warm clothes. ”Eat him without moving so much. ”

”Sorry, ” Rafael mutters, doesn stop shoving his face into Nicholas neck to breath him in. ”I think Im hungry. ”

”Wow, thats reassuring to hear from a werewolf, ” Nicholas scoffs up at the stars. ”The last thing Ill ever hear. ”

Stavros laughs and reaches over Nicholas to shove Rafaels head away. ”You are too far from a full moon to be trying to lick Nicky. ”

”I think its the honey soap you use, ” Rafael guesses, shakes Stavros hand out of his hair. ”Or the moon really is getting too close. ”

”Your period is five days too early, ” Stavros jokes.

Rafael shows teeth and the fake growl is real enough to vibrate through Nicholas shoulder where they
e pressed together.

”Im going to go lie next to Adam, whos the only nice one here. ” Nicholas huffs and grips the edge of the blanket but isn brave enough to pull it off. Its cold enough for his nose to hurt.

Adam frowns up at the sky. ”I think I need to piss. ”

”Damn, so do I, ” Nicholas realises.

”You can piss together, ” Stavros says like hes come to some incredible realisation.

Theres no movement for a long time.

Nicholas groans. ”Come here, Adam, let me hold your dick. ” And, just to make sure everyone is suffering, flips as much of the blanket off as possible.

It was the worst timing because it had only just gotten warm with four bodies under it so Stavros shrieks at the burst freezing cold, Rafael scrambles for the blanket and Nicholas makes his escape, crawling up and almost stabbing himself on the pile of wands. (Sure, they could have used warming charms, but that somehow detracts from the full experience of sleeping outside.)

Rafael and Stavros roll together and pull the blanket tight over them to try and retain as much warmth as possible. Nicholas is shivering already as he edges around Rafaels head. Adam jokingly holds up his hands but Nicholas isn one to let a dare pass by and grabs a hold, quickly dragging Adam towards the dark forest that rings most of the massive floating island.

Adam squeaks when his back his icy grass and flails. Nicholas laughs and starts running backwards as fast as he can, Adam leaving a long trail of dark grass where his poor jumper wipes off all the shining dew.

Stavros squints up at a patch of stars and then looks down towards the lake. ”Do you think, if I conjure a surfboard, I could ask the mermaids to make waves for me? ”

”You
e an idiot, ” Rafael says, not at all fondly.

Only a few meters out, Adam kicks free and rolls to his feet, brushing off the back of his now wet jumper and then just slicking back his blond hair with it. ”You sadist. ”

”No one will ever believe you, ” Nicholas scoffs, turns to throw doe eyes at Adam with a flutter of his eyelashes.

They reach the tree line where a curtain of darkness descends and stumble blindly through the undergrowth a bit deeper in. Technically no one is allowed in here as there are not only various hidden and impossible to detect portals to other forests all over the world, but its also filled with creatures from unicorns to the occasional wendigo – just barely held back from eating all the students by wards. But the boys have spent the last four years running wild through these woods, they know how to navigate it.

”Ill go left, you go right, ” Nicholas says.

”Im not going deeper into the forest, ” Adam complains. ”Why don you go right? ”

”I said it first. ”

”Well I said it second. ”

They have a short stare off.

Nicholas raises his eyebrows. ”If I die, its on you, Adam. ”

”I swear to you- ” Adam begins.

”That there are no monsters this close to the castle? ”

”-that Ill come charging out, and beat the shit out of anything trying to mess with you, ” Adam finishes. ”Ill take on a unicorn for you, Nicholas. It won stand a chance. Full pro wrestler Adam – Ill suplex bloody a centaur. ”

Nicholas cracks up laughing.

”Ill get expelled, ” Adam admits with a casual wave over his shoulder as he heads towards the left. ”But Ill do it. ”

”Adam? ” Nicholas calls.

Adam stops, turns to him with a smile.

”Are centaurs insects because they have six limbs? ”

Adam gags a little in disgust and Nicholas giggles, running off.

The distant castle fades from view entirely, and soon Nicholas can even see the flat, open grass or the lake just beyond. He trips, catches himself on a tree, touches something gross and squishy. Its probably just moss but still, he wipes it off on his trousers with a grimace.

Nicholas pauses, bouncing a little on his feet because he really needs to go. He looks around for anything suspicious. Unbuttons his pants. Does another check.

”If theres a Dark creature out there, ” Nicholas begins loudly. ”I just want you to know, Im underage with my dick out, and that means you
e a paedophile if you
e watching. ”

Adams distant laughter can be heard.

Nicholas does another seven checks and then damn near breaks a world record with how fast he pisses. It really is impressive. He should have timed himself. Hell tell Stavros about it later and probably get a hi-five.

Nicholas weaves his way back to where hes pretty sure the meeting point was and hops over a large bush to find Adam lying on his stomach on the ground.

Nicholas laughs and jogs closer. ”Aww, did you trip? What happened to suplexing centaurs for me? ” Nicholas stops at Adams side and leans over with his hands on his knees. ”Was it really that embarrassing? I promise I won tell… ”

Adams face is half in the dirt, but with Nicholas leaning over this far he can see one open eye staring out.

The smile falls from Nicholas face. He swallows, opens his mouth to call Adams name. It turns into a scream when he sees red light reflecting off the trees in his peripheral vision and a spell hits him in the back a split second later.

…

Rafaels head snaps around.

Stavros starts to prop himself up on his elbows. ”Did you hear something-? ”

Rafael is ripping the blanket off with a snarl that human vocal chords should not be able to make, in the next blink already halfway across the grass field towards the forest.

Stavros is rolling up onto his feet and barely has the mind to grabs the pile of wands in hand before hes tearing after Rafael. He leaps over a large bush, follows the sound of Rafaels roar, skids to a stop next to Adam.

Stavros breathes in, breathes out. Drops to his knees, drops the other three wands, only finds his own through touch because hes staring into Adams empty eyes.

The spell is a simple flare, but shoots out like fireworks, blazing red that lights the trees, burns the shadows, until it speeds above the canopy and darkness descends again. It breaks with a deep crack that shakes the trees, as high as the tallest castle tower, paints the forest around them in red flares.

Stavros breathes in, breathes out. Turns and runs deeper, into the forest, wand at the ready. Theres the crackle of port, someone snapping out of existence just before he arrives, but Rafael is still there, holding a limp Nicholas around the waist with one arm, Rafaels other hand tight around Nicholas forearm that now hangs at a strange angle.

Rafael looks at Stavros, eyes bright and reflective.

”Hey, ” Stavros says, holds his hands out because theres something else looking out of Rafaels eyes. ”Come on. Its me. Look – look at Nicholas, look at his arm. We need to get him back to – Adam. ”

Rafael turns back to the forest and Stavros carefully steps in, takes Nicholas whose eyes are closed – not dead. Maybe.

”Rafael, ” Stavros says again, louder this time, angrier.

Nicholas drops fully into Stavros hold. Stavros casts something to keep the arm still, then a basic waking charm. Nicholas gasps as he comes to, chokes on a sob.

”They ported, ” Stavros says as if that helps.

Stavros half drags Nicholas back out but as soon as Nicholas sees Adam he lurches forward and falls to his knees, grabs his wand, broken arm held to his stomach. Through his tears Nicholas tries three different spells to bring someone back to consciousness, four different ones to end a spell, throws out a minor heal like that can fix a dead body.

Stavros stands over the two, wand in hand. Rafael paces circles around them, watches the forest.

Mr. Gilgal is the first teacher to arrive, skating over the ground with a speed charm. He throws out a light spell that splashes over the trees and sticks, sucks in a breath when he sees Adam.

Stavros breathes in, breathes out. It doesn work. Stavros laughs. He laughs and he laughs and he laughs.

”Rafael, ” Mr. Gilgal tries.

Rafael jerks his head, can talk, can think. Watches the forest.

”Nicholas, ” Mr. Gilgal begs, puts a hand on the crying boys shoulder. ”Nicholas, please, what happened? ”

”T-teleported, ” Nicholas remembers, manages to choke it out even when the crying makes him stutter. ”Back – I woke up nea-near a fruit-faced bush, straight i-in. ”

Mr. Gilgal casts something and all three of the students glow. A stretcher forms under Adam with a sheet over him. Mr. Gilgal checks the next teacher running across the grounds is close enough and heads deeper into the trees, to where the wards end.

”No! ” Nicholas screams and yanks the sheet off Adam with the only arm that still works. ”Adam needs to get to a hospital! Why – why is no one taking him-? ”

Stavros sees this and he just laughs.