Nights at Newtnose

Nights at Newtnose 3: The Library

"He gave me some weird medium," I told Violet. Quip fluttered overhead before landing on a small perch on her lectern, centered at the front of the class. "He wasn't making any sense. He was nearly

warning

me about our Professors. About this school."

Violet looked at me sideways. A feather fell slowly from the rafters onto her head, and Quip squawked at Erica: "Intent, my girl!

Intent

!"

"That's certainly problematic," said Violet. "I don't know. He's only been here a few years, right? And trolls came into his office?"

"He implied they regularly did. Like they're looking for something."

Erica and Avery stood in front of Quip's lectern. The two held their wands at each other, looking unsure. Erica's brows stitched together and her nose scrunched. "

Thymosa

," she bellowed.

Avery squinted for a moment, then looked startlingly angry. "Stop taking my fucking leftovers!" she yelled as she tackled Erica into the lectern, leaving Quip to flutter above the two. A copy of

Cherished Charms and Chants

flung upwards into the air and parchment scrolls rolled onto the stone floor.

"Wonderful!" said Quip. Her shrill voice was somewhat muffled from the wand stuck in her beak. She flicked it at Avery and flew over to her. Avery stopped wrestling with Erica and blinked, looking puzzled.

"Hells," said Avery. She looked at Erica underneath her, who winced and rubbed her lower back. "Sorry, Sis." Avery pushed herself up before helping her sister stand. "Professor, couldn't you have given us pillows or something?"

"And give you something to beat Ms. Liggett with?" asked Quip. She pointed her wand at the lectern, which then floated upwards and righted itself. The book and scrolls quivered on the stone floor before dusting themselves off and swirling back to their previous home on the lectern. "Quite reckless," continued Quip. "No, no, absolutely not."

"I'd rather you hit me with a pillow," I told Violet. She laughed, and accidentally knocked her inkwell over.

"Now ladies, pay attention," said Quip. "This is the power of advanced charmery. You've played with lighter emotions in your elementaries, but now it's the real material of witches and wizards we'll be dealing with." She descended lightly onto her perch. Her little head cocked, and her beady eyes roamed between us. She ruffled her feathers. "Despair, hate, anger. Desire, disgust.

Euphoria

. As you can see, these charms can be quite powerful. Though, I will say Ms. Liggett here seems to have a knack for it."

"Or she's just pissed me off before," said Avery.

"Oh come off it," said Erica.

"Now now," said Quip. "Charmery is often most effective between close friends, family,

and

enemies. The emotions must already be there, waiting, if you will. No blood from stone, after all."

We heard a loud, dull thud from the back of the classroom. We jumped in our seats and looked behind us: Nichole DeNue had collapsed face first onto her table. Seated next to her was Angelica Hornby, looking shocked.

"Now what's this?" said Quip with a start. She flew over to Angelica. "What did you do?"

Angelica stammered. "Nothing, I didn't do anything. Professor."

Quip landed next to Nichole and tittered about her shoulders and head. We gathered around as Quip ineffectually flapped Nichole's face with her small wings before pecking her forehead.

Nichole's eyes were open, but looked at nothing. She breathed shallow, and her skin grew pale. Violet looked at me.

"Nothing serious," said Quip. She waved her wand and Nichole's skin flushed. "I'll need to get the elf, though. Ms. Hornby, you stay here. Class dismissed."

We all stood, staring at Nichole and Angelica.

"I said

dismissed

," said Quip.

We reluctantly shuffled away. Violet and I gathered our materials and left the bright, cool classroom. I looked over my shoulder and Quip was pecking at Angelica's wand. Nichole's arm swayed slowly as it hung limp from the table, and I noticed what looked to be a blot of ink on her wrist.

"I hope Nichole's okay," I said.

"Same," said Violet. "Is this what Stanton was talking about?"

I thought for a moment. "He said to pay attention in class. But it didn't seem like Angelica did anything to Nichole."

"As far as we know," said Violet.

"I don't know, Angelica looked really worried. I can't see her doing something like that."

"Could have been unintentional. We were practicing charms, afterall."

"Avery and Erica were. We were just supposed to watch. How would a charm even do that?"

Violet thought for a moment. "Anhedonia? Catatonia? I'm sure there's a charm for it."

"I'm not convinced," I said. "This school, this Stanton stuff. Why would he be so, I don't know, paranoid?"

"Maybe he isn't. You said trolls were dusting up his office. Or at least were about to."

I reached for the small, heavy bottle as it jostled in my messenger bag. Just as I did, Serk flew overhead with his arms flailing.

"Danger in the dovecot!" he yelled with a smile. "Dangers, dangers! Oh, Ms. Hornby, oh whatever have you done!"

I paused and looked around, leaving the bottle in my bag. "Can you meet me in the library tonight?" I asked Violet.

"Hmm," and she scratched her chin. "I don't see why not. What for?"

"I need help looking for a book."

She smiled. "Definitely."

*****

I stood outside the massive walnut doors to the library under the soft light of greenfire which swayed slowly, settling into the quiet of night. The red glow of dusk came through two several story tall windows opposite me. Stained-glass fish swirled upwards in pastel reds, blues, and yellows as darkening light danced at my feet.

I looked to my left at the sound of footfalls: it was Violet. Her blonde curls bounced and she smiled. "What book we looking for?" she asked as we walked through the double doors together.

"It's called

Effigy Esoterica

. No clue where it might be."

"Effigy," she said to herself. "Why wouldn't he tell you where it is?"

"I think he said, 'Wherever they might have it, now', or something like that."

"It might not be circulating," and she thought for a moment. "Come help me get a charms book first, then we can ask the librarian."

"Why not just ask for both?"

"Oh come on," she said with a smile. "Half the fun of this place is in looking around."

"Fair enough," I said.

"That easy?"

"Huh?"

"Nothing," and she laughed.

We walked down a lushly carpeted central aisle: long tables of ash, alder, and pine flanked us on either side as the carpet quieted our steps. Each table was richly stained to a deep brown, with shimmering reds and golds under the light of lanterns set at their centers. The large hall smelled of dust and failing book-binding, sweet and old and nostalgic. Someone was sleeping at a table at the far end of the library, lost in the soft silence of it all, near the massive portrait in which the librarian lived.

The library was circular, situated in one of the seven turrets of the castle. I looked around, admiring the surrounding book cases which ascended for hundreds of feet. "Reminds me of summer," I said.

"How's that?"

"I've spent most of them in libraries."

Violet looked at me quizzically. "You read a lot, don't you?"

"Sort of. I'm also broke and libraries are free."

She laughed. "Here," she said. "We'll need to take one of the carpets to the third story, westward as they say."

"Who says that?"

"I spent my summer on the black sea," said Violet. "'Lo! Starboard, starboard' and all that," and she skipped a step.

We retrieved a rolled up carpet from a large, triangular stack stored in a heavy, iron bin.

"Hells," said Violet. "Why's the lid so damned heavy."

"These are probably older carpets. They get bored and like to fly around sometimes."

Violet chuckled. She laid the carpet on the wood floor and tried to unroll it with a kick. The carpet leapt in seeming pain and rolled away under a table, hiding.

"Well that's new," said Violet.

I slowly walked to the table and crouched at its edge. "It's okay," I told the carpet. "Here," and I pet it gently. After a moment, it stopped quivering. "There you go," I said. "The mean lady won't hurt you anymore." I retrieved the carpet and put it in front of Violet. "

Now

unroll it, you brute. Nicely."

Violet laughed. "Yes ma'am," and she gently pushed the carpet open.

We sat cross legged together, Violet seated behind me, and I pulled two tassels from the front corners of the carpet. The carpet's weave shivered slightly and we quickly floated upwards.

"Third story," said Violet. "Should be somewhere northwest."

I pulled us up and leftward which took us above the rows of tables below. We scanned the small, brass placards marking each section: Charmery, Charmery (Advanced), Cursory...

"There," said Violet.

We floated towards a long row of multicolored tomes, skimming titles a we went.

"

Devious Dispellations

," said Violet. She giggled. "Sounds fun."

The carpet slowed as I let up on the tassels. We floated slowly up and down as the carpet seemed to sigh in relief.

"Oh!" said Violet. "There. Go up a bit.

Chosen Chancy Chants

."

"Hells," I said. "It looks as old as Newtnose."

"Yeah," and Violet reached for it. I felt her arm brush over my shoulder and neck in a long reach. She smelled like jasmine and orange blossom, and I felt the warmth of her legs against my hips.

I patted the carpet. It quivered again and slowly spun. "I'm surprised it's even here," she said.

"Why's that?"

"Some of these charms aren't taught as, erm, particularly as they used to be." I heard the sound of pages ruffling open as Violet skimmed, then the whispers of a few quick swishes of her wand. The sun had fully set, and I looked down to spy the lantern light which marked the tables. I pulled the tassels downward, and we slowly descended to the floor.

I rolled up the carpet as Violet muttered to herself, her wand describing small circles through the air. She looked from her wand to her book and back.

The carpet wiggled out of my hands like a fish as I opened the lid to the storage trunk. I grabbed it as it flopped through the air and shoved it roughly back inside before shutting the hatch. "What charm are you working on?" I asked.

"A desire charm," said Violet. "Newer charms are a bit more general. This one is more specific, if that makes sense," and she swished her wand again.

I looked to the north of the library for the librarian. Framed in his massive portrait, he was asleep on a lush, red chaise, still wearing his glimmering silver mail. His sword leaned against the foot of the chaise and a tabby cat slept with a purr on his armored chest.

I knocked on the mahogany moulding which scrolled around the entirety of the frame in small leaves, apples, and grapes. The knight shot upright awake, shaking his head. His cat leapt off his chest with a hiss before pawing around on the red rug laying under the chaise.

"Students!" he said. "You musn't be here now, for it is late." He paused, then tipped his visor up. "Ah, beauties!"

"I'm trying to find

Effigy Esoterica

," I said.

The knight hummed. "Ah, yes. A wondrous tome. A disastrous one, too. No, I am afraid Ser Allonso cannot serve this request." He frowned, looking forlorn. "My heartstrings rend to deny you."

"But Professor Stanton assigned it to me."

He scoffed. He crossed his arms and shifted his weight. "He would never."

"Excuse me?"

"That man comes from some of the finest wizarding stock," and the knight nodded. "Unfortunately, my ladies, I simply do not believe that man would ask for you to retrieve such a tome."

"He most certainly

did

assign that book-"

"No no," continued the knight. "Do not tempt me with any more questions. I was given a critical charge, and I cannot-"

"Oh shove off, we'll find it our damned selves-"

"I would never locate a book in the Reliquary. Absolutely not.

She

has forbidden it."

I paused. I looked at the knight, who was looking back at me in defiance. He faltered, however. "Ah," he said.

"So it

is

here."

"Erothy

mia

?" said Violet, swishing her mind.

The knight and I looked at Violet. "Oh," she said, "don't mind me."

I noticed Ser Allonso looking deeply at her, as if in remembrance. After a few moments, I realized he'd forgotten I existed. I tapped my foot.

The knight coughed. "Even if it

were

," he continued, "hypothetically speaking, of course, Professor Stanton would have never requested such a thing for a mere

student

. Now," and he uncrossed his arms before gesturing towards the entrance to the library, "it is late, and you must leave."

Violet looked at me, then Ser Allonso, and back to me. She swished her wand at nobody in particular, and said, "

Ero

thymia."

After a few moments, we heard a quiet, small moan from behind us. We both turned and noticed the sleeping student a table length away. She slowly raised her head, then looked with tired eyes at Violet before sighing and touching her lips. It was Angelica Hornby.

"Angelica!" I said. "We had no clue that was you. How's Nichole? What happened to her?"

Angelica didn't seem to hear me. She licked her middle finger, still staring deeply into Violet's eyes, candlelight flickering across her face. "You remind him of her," she said with a wry smile.

Violet looked at Ser Allonso, whose eyes flickered from her to Angelica. Violet held up her wand, inspecting it with a furrowed brow.

Angelica stood and walked around the table in a sultry sway. She pulled a chair from the table nearest us and sat it in front of Ser Allonso and Violet. She slowly crossed her legs, pointing her foot at the knight's face. "He loves looking at us, you know. Stuck there in his portrait, so lonely without his woman. Isn't that right, Ser?"

The knight sputtered. "Ridiculous."

"But you look at her different," and she fluttered her eyes at Violet. "I'd love to feel you like I know he'd love to feel you," and she licked two fingers and uncrossed her legs. Her robes hiked up above her knees and exposed her underwear.

"Oh hells," I said. "Violet, you must have charmed her."

Violet stood there, arms at her sides with a look of shock. "I didn't aim it at anyone. I

didn't

charm her."

Angelica massaged her wet fingers over her panties along the groove of her pussy. She fingered her nipple with her other hand beneath her bra. "Come on Violet," she said. "Let me show you what I did to Nichole."

With both hands, she pulled her red robes and bra under her breasts which leapt out readily. She kneaded them, staring at Violet, gyrating her hips and moaning. She licked her lips and pinched her nipples with a laugh and a smile. She slowly dragged her right hand down the robes still covering her belly while she continued to massage herself with her left. She slipped her hand under her panties and slowly inserted her fingers into herself, moaning softly, still staring at Violet as the thin black fabric of her panties rippled over her knuckles.

Violet stared intently at her; I looked to the knight and he was doing the same. Angelica bit her lower lip before plunging her fingers deeply inward, spreading her legs wider and relaxing her hips. She looked at the knight, looked at Violet, smiled again and leaned her head backwards while spreading her labia for them both. Her pink pussy glimmered in the soft light of the library, the supple skin of her cunt giving readily to her play.

I pointed my wand at Angelica. "

Exelafeia

," I said, but she simply fingered herself faster and twisted her nipple harder.

Shlt Shlt Shlt

echoed softly through the cavernous room.

"

Exelafeia

," said Violet. Angelica laughed, looked at her and spit on her breasts. "You don't

mean

it," and she looked at the knight. "Wands," she said. "

Wonderful

idea."

She removed her wand from her robes and, still eyeing the knight, licked it slowly from haft to tip. She dragged it over her lower lip which quivered, down her neck and between her breasts. She traced it down her belly before circling the tip over her clit. She sighed and shivered. "Come on Violet," she said. "I've seen how you look at Charlotte."

"

Exelaepsia

," said Violet in a small, quavering voice. She was breathing quickly and looked flustered. Her wand shook slightly in her hand. "

Somaplysi!

"

"Not enough," said Angelica in a lusty smile. "Oh," and she giggled. "Someone is getting excited."

I looked at Ser Allonso: he had dropped his mail entirely and was stroking his large member. It had to have been several feet long by the height of his portrait.

"Oh hells," I said. "The fuck do we do? Counterspells aren't working."

Anglica played with herself faster, eyeing the knight's glimmering dick. "You like this, Ser? You miss this, don't you, the look of us. Here," and she stood up. She turned around and hiked her robes with her hands, exposing her ass. She slowly bent over while pushing her panties down her right leg. She kicked them off and knelt on the seat of her chair before leaning forward into its back, her exposed breasts plushing outward from the wooden frame.

She looked over her shoulder at Ser Allonso, eyes fluttering. She spread her cheeks with both hands, her pussy and asshole twitching. She gyrated her ass in the air and arched her back. "Wouldn't you like a go, Ser?" Then she looked deeply into Violet's eyes through a part in her straight, black hair as it split over her shoulder. "And what about you, Violet?"

Violet was breathing faster. "Violet?" I said, "This isn't

normal

."

Angelica slipped her wand between her legs and circled the soft flesh around her asshole with its tip. "Come on Violet, come lick me. Right here," and she swirled her wand around her clit before inserting it into herself. She pushed it slowly inwards as she stared at Violet, moaning, fluttering her eyes. A drop of spit fell from her lower lip and a white lather welled around the shaft of her wand.

I heard a deep moan from behind me: Ser Allonso had grasped his cock with both hands and was thrusting wildly through his palms, mad with lust. I looked at Violet who still stood speechless and noticed her nipples hardening through her robes. She was incredibly flush, and couldn't look away from Angelica.

"I think the Ser wants more of me," said Angelica. She withdrew her slick wand from herself and pointed it at her cunt. "

Peos kaloisthas

," she whispered.

A ghostly red cock, thick and long, slowly materialized in front of Angelica's pussy. She smiled and her eyes shone with lust. "

Gamosthos

."

The cock slammed into her wet cunt and Angelica cried in pleasure. Her ass clapped as if an invisible pelvis were attached to the ghostly dick and she bucked forward. Her shimmering hair danced in front of her face as the spell fucked her relentlessly.

"Oh

fuck

," she said. "Fuck, fuck," and thick claps reverberated in the library.

She braced herself with one leg on the floor as she bucked, the knee of her other still upon the seat of the chair to support her. She moaned and laughed, cunnyjuice running down her inner thighs, her breasts swaying over her robes in her lean with each

clap clap clap

as the cock fucked her deep.

"More," she said, and she throated her wand and slipped it into her asshole. As she did so, the sleeve of her robe pulled upwards above her elbow, and I noticed a small and dark, opaque sheen on her wrist. I thought of the inkblot I had seen on Nichole's in Quip's classroom.

I quickly walked to Angelica and grabbed her hand. "Oh," she said with a smile as she bucked forward. Her eyes fluttered and she moaned, looking at me for the first time through a haze of lust and pleasure. "Yes

ma'am

," she whispered, and before I could look closer at her wrist she brought my hand to the back of her head. "Pull," she said. "Pull hard."