Dispelling Curses 101 Class

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

If she were being honest, Anastasia couldn’t say she seriously expected him to respond the way he did. She figured he’d force her to work with Harley- key word being forced- and give her an I-told-you-so look when she regretted it. But his quick reaction?

Anastasia looked back at Bolt for a moment before she turned to look at Harley with an apologetic smile. “Sorry. I hear Travis is a really good partner.” She told him, although she had heard no such thing. She didn’t even know who Travis was. Plus, she figured the only reason Harley approached her was for the safe of his grades.

“Oh, that’s too bad.” Harley said, looking a lot less chipper now. “Well… maybe you and I can go for dinner sometime-“

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

Bolt frowned just slightly but he was packing up his notebook. Now that was not something he could help her with. She would have to get out of that one on her own...if she wanted to.

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

“Maybe. I have a busy schedule so I don’t know if it could be any time soon.” Anastasia said, giving him another pleasant smile as she sat down again. “We’ll talk, though.” She added, as much of a dismissal as it could be without sounding mean.

“I’ll see you around, Ana.” Harley gave her another smile before bidding goodbye and going to talk to Travis before he left without first becoming his partner for the project.

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

"You should have just flat out told him no. Unless you do like him and I got in the way?" Bolt asked after Harley had gone. He didn't think that was the case but maybe he'd been wrong.

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

“I feel that’s a trick question.” She replied instead, packing her things up now because it was almost the end of class anyways. She knew that maybe she’d give Harley an impression, but… was it a good one? She didn’t know. But he’d be someone to consider.
Harley was popular- in a different way than Bolt was. He was attractive, also in a different way than- no. She wasn’t going to go there again because it just… wasn’t even what she wanted. All she knew was that Bolt didn’t seem to like him and it was interesting.

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

"Whatever. What you do is not my problem," he said and shrugged a little. He tried not to care and he told himself that he didn't. Why should he when Anastasia herself didn't seem to care either. Maybe those cookies really hadn't done enough. "I'm going to grab another snack but save me a seat at the next one, okay?"

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

“You’re right about that.” She muttered, also annoyed now but she wasn’t even sure of why. It wasn’t his problem, and she wasn’t his problem either- which was fine. Perfect. They were barely friends and they already agreed that’s all they be.

So why did she hate his indifference?

“Alright, fine.” She replied, rolling her eyes as she stood up once the bell rang. “But try not to bring so much attention to yourself the next class too.”

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

"I'll do my best. And if I do, I'll make sure to bring extra attention to you too, Ana," he said, his teasing tone back. For some reason he hated the vibe she was giving off now. It made him strangely uncomfortable. Before he could do worse, he winked at her and left.

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

“It’s Anastasia.” She hissed at him right as the bell rang, hating that he figured out her dislike for nicknames. Because it was clear he did, and that it wasn’t as innocently as he’d try to pass it off as. She rolled her eyes when he left, pretending the wink he gave her wasn’t nearly as affective as it was.

“I’d like get a piece of him…” Mavis said as she and Marcie stepped up besides Anastasia, glancing towards the direction Bolt walked off in.

“I’m surprised you didn’t already.” Anastasia replied, standing up with her bag slinger over her shoulder as they started walking towards the door.

“I’m glad she didn’t.” Marcie said, smiling as she walked on Anastasia’s right side. “We still have that pact, don’t we? The one about not dating the same guys.”

“Oh, that’s right.” Mavis said, laughing when Anastasia glared at both of them. “Relax, Anastasia. I’ll keep my hands off of him. You’ve got my word.”

“You won’t have to because we’re not dating.” She snapped at them, but they both just laughed and kept walking. “I’m serious! We’re just partners.”

“Keep telling yourself that.” Mavis replied, grinning still as she took Anastasia’s arm and dragged her to the next class.

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

--End--

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

Bolt was late, but not at his latest. He slipped into class after the bell but before the teachers had begun speaking. Since it was the first class of the day his hair still looked ruffled like all he'd done was run his fingers through it. That was accurate. He had a protein bar in his pocket to eat during class rather than waste his time having to get up early enough to eat. Anastasia was surely there early so he looked for her to sit with.

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

As always, Anastasia was already seated but the time the bell rang. She was wearing the clothes she’d normally wear, her hair perfectly tamed and makeup in tact. Not even the fact that she’d left a seat open beside her, despite being asked a few times if she wanted or needed a partner. Nothing had changed about her, except it had.

Although everything about her seemed perfectly placed and perfect over all, it hadn’t been as easy as it normally would have been. She had to roll out of a bed that wasn’t hers half an hour after she normally started the day and spent a good half of the remaining half hour hiding bite marks that she definitely hadn’t given herself. Her clothes still had a few cat hairs from where Wednesday had been laying on it while she showered, and some of the makeup she had now she’d put on in the few minutes she’d waited for the bell to ring. So although she was -by some standards- looking like she normally did, she was by far from her own standards of normal. Not that anyone could notice, she thought. At least until she heard the door opening and knew, even without looking, that Bolt had finally arrived.

She didn’t look back at him or anything, although she knew he’d hear the way her heart skipped a beat when she became aware of him. Not because she didn’t want to get caught or because of anything she’d normally worry about, but because he’d quickly gone up the ranks of the few people she liked and knew it.

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

Bolt sat right beside her as if it was the most normal thing. It had become normal...last semester. Sitting there in the first day of school was completely different, and he knew people would notice, but he knew she'd saved the seat somehow. He could tell, too, how her heart beat shifted. At this point, he was very atuned to it. While that sounded romantic, he just had a really good memory for heart rhythms

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

“Late again on the first day. Did you not hear your alarm go off or something?” Anastasia asked, her voice light but not so much that it would be suspicious. Amused, she supposed. Which actually did make this very suspicious after all.

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

"The alarm means I'm supposed to get up?" Bolt asked, feigning cluelessness. "Maybe yours does. Mine means I have thirty more minutes to sleep." He didn't joke that how could she be sure he even had an alarm because they'd already had that conversation when she'd seen it in his room. "At least I didn't miss anything this time, but you're still welcome to share your notes."

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

“We haven’t started yet.” Anastasia replied, fighting back a smile as she reached for her pen. A pen she’d taken from his room, after a particularly playful fight about how he was always taking her things and not giving her anything. A pen had just been a good compromise,, apparently. “But you’re welcome to take notes on how to be on time to things.”

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

"Have you ever seen me take notes?" Bolt asked, amused. He hated taking notes because it distracted him from actually listening. Which is why he could make it a single semester at the least with a singluar one subject notebook. Notes were for calculations and reading observations and things like that. Instead he pulled out the granola bar from his pocket. It was a little bent from him sitting down but it wasn't too bad.

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

“I have, actually. But I’m pretty sure that’s not a question you actually expected to be answered.” Anastasia replied, bumping her knee to his lightly. She glanced at the granola bar for a moment before tilting her head to the side. “Is that your breakfast?”

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

"Yes. I am capable of feeding myself," Bolt answered, giving her an amused look. He wasn't sure if she had snacks or would think to bring one this early so he figured he'd bring something for himself. That was more routine than grazing from her bag anyway.

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

“And you’re satisfied with that?” Anastasia asked, still very much amused as she leaned her chin on her hand. “I suppose you would be, seeing as it’s likely all you’ve packed. Since you know how to feed yourself and all.”

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

"Considering it took no effort at all, I suppose," Bolt said, raising an eyebrow at her just slightly. Since they were in public, even if it could be just as comfortable as the two of them...he was not necessarily comfortable. It just meant he wasn't as expressive as he was when they were alone. All of his expressions were subtle- or at least more subtle than normal.

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

“Then I suppose the extra breakfast croissant I bought this morning is going to waste, then. Since I brought it just in case you weren’t well fed.” Anastasia said, giving a teasingly dramatic sigh as she reached into her bag and pulled out the well wrapped breakfast before placing it on the table between them. “To avoid last semesters Hangry-Bolt fiasco, obviously.”

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

Bolt did look a little surprised then, eying the croissant. "Well I haven't opened the granola bar yet... It is better to eat fresh food before the preserved stuff," he said, carefully reaching for the croissant in case she decided snatch it away from him.

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

“I know.” Anastasia replied, giving him a wink before she reached for a thermo before handing it to him. Which, once he took a sip of it, he’d realize contained coffee. She knew they’d agreed to keep things low key- that she’d been the one to suggest it in the first place- but that could happen the next period. Right now, people were still dozing off and likely wouldn’t notice if she reached over to kiss him right now. Or at least the people on her table wouldn’t, anyways.

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

Bolt smiled a little and winked at her before taking the thermos too. They couldn't speak more because their teacher started to speak, but he'd have to thank her properly later. This was a huge step up from some crackers she had stuffed in the bottom of her bag.

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

The rest of the class went on pretty smoothly, since they’d just gone over the new syllabus for the year. It was an advanced version of the last time both Anastasia and Bolt had been recommended for, so it would hopefully not be so predictable and boring as the previous one. Or at least that’s what she thought until she caught sight of one of the subjects, and she raised her hand before she’d even finished reading the entire description of it.

“Yes?” John asked, raising an eyebrow as he paused on what he’d been saying as he noticed the raised hand. Despite having said he wouldn’t do it, he’d gone from wearing the semi-casual clothing he usually wore- he and Luke had worn the same thing often that it was beginning to be strange- to wearing a comfortable suit he didn’t feel was suffocating him. More… professional.

“It says here that we’re going to be learning about Necromancy.” Anastasia said, frowning as she read the part again before looking back at Constantine. “I thought that was dark magic. That we couldn’t do it.”

“It is dark magic, and you can’t do it.” John replied, crossing his arms. “The course will mostly be about the dangers of doing things like that. The consequences playing with magic outside of your league.”

“So how are we going to practice it?” Anastasia asked, since that’s what they usually did. In small doses, usually. But how could someone “somewhat” do it?

“That, I’m afraid, will only be taught through passages in your textbooks.” John said, looking at the syllabus for a moment. He had asked the same when it had been suggested, so he understood her concern. “It seemed the school board believed some of you would need the lesson.”

Anastasia nodded and didn’t say anything other than that, because she understood the message. She needed the lesson, and it wasn’t a coincidence. Did her mother have something to do with it?

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

Bolt looked curious at Anastasia's question. She really did seem to have an interest in it. He recalled the book she'd swapped from the library and was even more intrigued.

"We'll also be learning spells to counteract necromancy. We can't practically test it, of course, but we'll still have a few rounds of practice testing for those who are capable," Arana continued. The necromancy unit wasn't her idea but she supported it to an extent. It took a lot of research on their part of how to accurately combat necromancy.

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

“What does counteracting necromancy even mean?” Anastasia couldn’t help but to ask, her head lifting so that she’d be able to look at Arana. Definitely not the sort of questions someone like her should ask, considering how she was supposed to be hiding it and all.

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

"We will cover dealing with the products of necromancy, corpse protection spells, and some nullification," Arana explained. "As well as some other things. The research is slim due to the rarity of potential necromancy users, but what we do have is extensive. This is the highest rank course we offer, so it will not be simple."

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

“Oh.” Anastasia replied, trying not o look disappointed by the response as she continued writing in her notebook. So the stuff she’d already read in over the counter books. The title had made it sound more… well, more.

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

"Don't worry, we're going to cover some very interesting things," Arana told her. "If we have a good semester up until then, well even be examining some of the documents in the restricted archive. This and all the topics will be worth your time.

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

If you say so. Anastasia somehow kept herself from saying, playing with her pen. She’d already read a lot of the books in the restricted section so it wasn’t as exciting anymore. Less, maybe, since she’d lose the sneaking around factor.

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

Bolt couldn't take his eyes off of Anastasia, too busy trying to figure her out and make some conclusions. It seemed he never could quite understand her completely, but he was still going to try. He paid closer attention to her until the end of class, even though he knew she wouldn't reveal more than she had already.

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

As the class ended and students started piling out, Anastasia stood up and put her things into her bag before holding it out to Bolt with a sheepish grin. They’d agreed on it, after all, so she didn’t feel bad as she turned on her heel and started towards the exit. Totally ignoring the funny look he was giving her.

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

Bolt pulled her bag into his shoulder without a second thought and followed her down the hallway until he found an empty, out of the way, out of sight place. He grabbed her hand and pulled her in, needing a moment alone with her outside of the necromancy questions.

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

Anastasia didn’t hesitate in following him when he took her hand and pulled her somewhere no where near their next class, waiting until they were safely hidden away before reaching up to pull his face close to hers. She needed him to kiss him- if only for a few seconds.

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

It hadn't been that long since they'd been alone together but the kiss was as much needed as if it had been days. Bolt took a minute to just kiss her but knew their time was limited, so he broke it reluctantly. "Thank you for breakfast."

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

Anastasia couldn’t help but to breath out a laugh as she pulled her head back to look at him. “You pulled me into an empty room to thank me for breakfast?” She asked, that constant amusement on her face as she reached for his hand. “You could have thanked me outside. Unless it was just an excuse to kiss me.”

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

"It was an excuse, but I am still grateful," Bolt said, grasping her hand as soon as he felt her reach for him. "I'll take any reason to kiss you....even no reason at all, if I'm allowed it."

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

“What if I asked you for a reason each time? A very well explained reason…” Anastasia teased, moving closer to him so that she’d brush her lips against his. “Maybe even have you white them down for me. It would be romantic, wouldn’t it?”

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

"Then I would probably never be able to kiss to kiss you again," Bolt said, amused. "I'm not a writer, you know. But I could probably make you something way more easily." It was a lie, sort of. He was good with words, but he wasn't into the flowery stuff.

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

*write*

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

“I’m sure you could.” Anastasia replied, smiling as she gave him another kiss before she pulled away. “And I’m also sure you’d write for me if I asked you to. You’re obsessed with me, after all. And you like kissing just as much as I do.”

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

"Do you want to test me?" Bolt asked, amused. "If I did, it would certainly be an uneven deal. I have to work hard to make you enjoy something before we both benefit? Are we at that stage of the relationship?"

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

“Haven’t we been in that stage of our relationship?” Anastasia asked, her voice playful as she reached for the doorknob but didn’t turn it. Instead, she glanced back at him with a grin. “Granted, I usually like whatever you suggest the moment you suggest it, but it wouldn’t hurt to try new things.”

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

Bolt pretended to consider, but he knew there were a lot more facets to any stage than could be summed up this simply. "I think we can wait and see, but don't hold your breath on those love letters."

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

Anastasia rolled her eyes at him, although she was obviously not angry, before she turned the knob and stepped out into the hallway. Which was semi empty, considering it was only a minute before the bell rang.

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

Bolt winked at her, though he would have pulled her back in the room for another kiss. Unfortunately they didn't have much time. Instead he just walked close beside her on the way to their next class.

[Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches]

(Next class? Haha))

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

((sure. Which were you thinking?))