William Calhoun and the Black Feather. Book I. Aik Iskandaryan

and his hands stop sweating.

      «So I may use it because it is already in the Feather Tome?»

      «That’s right, young Calhoun!»

      «In that case, thank you,» William said sincerely and turned to leave, but at that moment, the old man called out:

      «Mister Calhoun!»

      «Yes?» William turned around.

      «Always keep the feather close to you and give it to no one! Your feather is able of committing any kinds of heroic acts, but at the same time it is capable of truly horrible things.»

      William was overwhelmed with happiness. First of all, he’d registered his magic feather. Secondly, he was up for the unknown study at the Preparatory Course of magic. Perhaps, that was why he didn’t pay due attention to the last words of Mister Wellington and just replied politely:

      «I’ll remember, sir! Good day!» and walked towards the door.

      At the same moment, a shrill eagle cry pierced the room. He turned around in fright and saw that the nest-shaped counter was empty again and the birds that had been sitting quietly on their places were flying around chaotically, filling the room with the noise.

      William hurried to leave the room and shut the door behind himself with relief as he headed to Nymus.

      «Master Calhoun!» he called out happily. «I hope everything is fine?»

      William nodded and Nymus and he left the Feather Nest and started walking along the street filled with wizards and other creatures, unfamiliar to William.

      «Where are we, Nymus?» he asked, looking around this strange street.

      «Feather Street!» Nymus replied. «Mostly, visiting wizards live here.»

      As they were passing one of the numerous shop windows, William read the name «Fancy Wizard’. There were several dozen dummies with robes of different designs, lengths and colours.

      «Did it go well?» Nymus asked again.

      «Yes! Partially!»

      And William told him about his odd misadventures in detail. Nymus listened quietly, but in the end, he said:

      «Do not worry! At least, now you are the owner of a registered feather, which means we can send a letter to the Wizard Education Department and apply for the Preparatory Course! I shall handle it. Master Calhoun has nothing more to worry about.»

      «I’m so grateful to you for everything you’re doing for me, Nymus!»

      «Serving Master Calhoun is my duty!» he responded.

      «Where to now?» William asked briskly.

      «I shall peregrine Master Calhoun to the Blackfriars Lane, then I shall return to the Magic Post Office and start on the letter to the Department. The answer should come by the evening.»

      With that, he took Williams’ hand and they peregrined.

      Chapter six

      The Six O-Clocker

      Several hours had passed before Nymus appeared again. William busied himself with cleaning his room. As he was tidying up and dusting, he kept thinking about Mr. Wellington’s words and about that other Calhoun who used to wield this feather. Perhaps, that very night, when all Calhouns were killed, someone managed to place their magic feather beside him, right before their death. Because it was clear that the feather could have belonged only to one of his ancestors. But Mr. Wellington made it clear that feathers didn’t serve strangers. Whom did he mean by strangers? It must have been another wizard kin! But, according to Wellington again, feathers couldn’t be inherited! Why did he have this feather? And why did it obey him?

      Then he remembered the morning at the Magic Post Office and Vulpik’s reaction to his surname. Vulpik’s reaction wasn’t much different from Wellington’s reaction at the Feather Nest. What could all that possibly mean? William had been pondering about those questions for a long time, but he failed to find an answer. Finally, he dropped this useless activity.

      Not long before evening, Nymus came, as promised.

      «Good Mail, Master Calhoun!» he raised his hat in a customary movement.

      «Nymus!» William was particularly glad to see his mailmage. Because he was supposed to deliver him a letter from the Department with the results of his request about studying at the Preparatory Course. «Have you got any news?»

      «Yes, Master Calhoun! I do not come empty-handed!» At this held out his large right palm. And that one clearly had something inside.

      William realized that now the expression «not empty-handed» had acquired quite literal meaning for him. «Who knows,» he thought, «perhaps it was made up by mailmages!»

      «Do you have a letter from the Department?» he pointed at Nymus’s swollen palm.

      «I do! That letter exactly!» Nymus pulled out a blue envelope from his palm pocket and handed it to his master.

      William took out the letter and read it aloud:

      «Dear Mr. Calhoun!

      The Wizard Education Department is happy to inform you that you have been officially granted the status of the Preparatory Course enrolee. You are to complete a year of studies of the special Enrolee Program, within which you are to study such subjects as Featherology, Wizard History Refutation, and Magiflorology. After the year of studying at the Preparatory Course, you will receive grades awarded for each of the abovementioned subjects according to the Fifteen-grade system, which will allow you to enter a MUni according to the total grades you will receive during the Preparatory Course! Please, note that each of the three subjects will be taught for two months. By the end of March next year, you will get a letter with your grades, where you will also find a referral to a relevant MUni.

      Best regards,

      Daphne Wootton (vice head of the training department)

      Enrolee Training Department»

      To William Calhoun

      13, Blackfriars Lane,

      London, England.

      William finished the letter and gave the mailmage a happy look.

      «I’ve been admitted, Nymus!» he exclaimed. «Admitted to the Preparatory Course!»

      «Master Calhoun has chosen to read the letter aloud, so I am already aware of that! Please, accept my congratulations, Master Calhoun! But this is not the only news I have brought!»

      He held out his other hand and pulled out another envelope, purple this time.

      «Whom is the second letter from?» William asked, puzzled, as he took the envelope from Nymus.

      «From the Department as well! It is supposed to come together with the letter about the admittance to the Preparatory Course!»

      William opened the second letter and also read it aloud:

      «Dear Mr. Calhoun!

      The Wizard Education Department is eager to inform you that this Saturday the Annual Enrolee Ball is going to take place, which all enrolees of the Preparatory Course are to attend. Attendance is mandatory. In case you turn the invitation down, your further studies at the Preparatory Course will be annulled and the refusal to take part in the Annual Enrolee Ball will be viewed as disrespectful to the Ball regulations and its organisers. We would also like to inform you that because of the anniversary of the Annual Enrolee Ball, it is going to take place in Germany, at the residence of the president of the International Federation of Wizards, Quincy von Bulberg. To reach this destination, you will need to come to the Cabstation before 5:30 p.m. this Friday, where you are going to take the Six O’Clocker together with other participants of the Ball to travel to the castle. During the ball, all enrolees will receive feathermaps with addresses