- Kirsten is a little sober, - laughed Tina, whom he courted from the first

day of school, - but she's right. You have to follow the lights. They will take you

where you need to go.

- What other lights? Joan looked back. “Apart from the lampposts, which

don't work well, there aren't any lights here.

- Oh, the jester gave us the elixir!

Billy pulled a small vial from his jacket pocket. I took it in my hand and

held it up to the light. A cloudy liquid was poured in a glass flask. I wanted to

drink the dark green elixir less and less.

“Just make sure you both have enough,” Tina explained. “A couple of sips

is enough.

I looked at Joan again with her grandmother's eyes. She once again rolled

her eyes, snatched the bottle from my hands, deftly uncorked it and took two

short sips. It all happened so fast that I didn't even have time to protest or

stop her.

“Don’t worry, it’s safe,” the eared one tried to cheer up. “It's just part of the

quest. Okay, let's go, don't want to miss out on all the fun. You should hurry

too.

Classmates left us, running after Kirsten. And I, perplexedly watching

Joan, was already wondering where to run and call, in which case.

- Joe, what's wrong with you? Well, don't be silent!

But Ackles continued to be silent, now and then, rubbing her eyes.

- Lady, I see them! The lights! Yes, they are everywhere! Take, drink

quickly!

- Are you sure?

“Yes, come on, come on.” Joan handed the vial to me and forcibly pulled it

up to my mouth. - Come on, a sip for mom, for dad, that's left for my sister.

The tart-sour taste took my breath away, and the last sip went down the

wrong throat. I choked and coughed, mentally cursing the bearded man who

gave us the invitation, Joan, who could not resist adventures, and myself for

buying into it.

- Oh, Lady, don't make a drama. Is she alive? Well, do you see them?

Waving my hand to cool off my coughing fit, at first I thought it was all

part of a prank too. But almost immediately I noticed how lonely lights really

began to look out from behind the trees of the square. One, two, five, ten. I

didn't have time to blink, as the whole square was buried in flying lights.

- What if these are Tina's illusions? Suddenly they decided to play a joke

on us?

- Lady, you're paranoid. It's just a potion of eyebright and cornflower, you

know that it allows you to see better in the dark, - her friend giggled.

- Well, how do we know where to go?

As soon as I asked the question, my vision cleared up. Small luminous

dots began to move and lined up, showing the way to the top of the hill.

"That's the answer," said Joan. - Went!

Mystical fires, visible only to those who took the elixir, were taken away

through the square into the forest. Slender paths soon turned into dense

thickets. Increasingly, there were silhouettes of other students, wandering

who knows where.

"Joe, I'm kind of uncomfortable," I finally admitted, trying to find the red

light I'd seen earlier.

“To be honest, me too,” she whispered. - But it's stupid to go back,

agree? Wait, I hear something.

We stopped, listening in fear to every rustle. But the muffled noise in the

depths of the forest clearly took on a rhythmic form. Music played nearby.

- You see, - beamed Joan and disappeared behind a dense bush. - Party,

fun.

As soon as I rejected a lush hazel branch, I found myself on the landing in

front of a two-story mansion, seemingly abandoned. It usually served as one

of the training grounds for the guards, but a long line of students lined up in

front of the entrance, and voices, laughter and music could be heard from

inside.

Joan happily grabbed my arm and dragged me towards the entrance. I

looked around, but everything was calm. It's time to turn off the bore and have

some fun. I really need to relax.

“Look, there are people in masks and robes near the entrance,” Ackles

whispered, and I looked out from behind the heads of other students.

At the front door stood four figures in colorful cloaks and hoods thrown

over their faces. It was impossible to even tell if they were boys or girls. And

to everyone who wanted to enter, they handed out masks.

Who do you think is in the robes?

“Senior students, most likely,” Joan trailed off, apparently waiting for my

reaction. "Klaus didn't tell you anything?"

And what was he supposed to tell me?

- Well, you never know...

- Joan, I'm telling you for the hundred thousandth time, everything is not

what you think. At all. And besides, I am sure that the future rulers do not

participate in this.

In the latter, I myself did not really believe. She pierced me with her eyes,

but with questions lagged behind.

The whole Academy seemed to have gathered here, and my doubts were

instantly dispelled. After all, why don't I sit at home? As we stood in line, I

looked at the other students, especially the girls. All, as if by choice, were

dressed pretentiously, with bright makeup and styled hair. Am I the only one

who read this word “quest” and tuned in to the test?

Terry Fisher's sonorous voice came up ahead, her dress so short that I

even felt embarrassed. Against the background of her, Joan and the others, I

looked like a slob.

- Lady, what are you doing? - a friend somehow easily managed to catch

any changes in my mood.

“Not only do I sound like your grandmother now, but I look the same,” I

snorted, offended, and Joan burst out laughing.

"No, she's not even half as pretty," she encouraged.

Seriously, what was I thinking while dressing up like this? I look like a gray

mouse.

- Well, - my friend drawled, looking at me from head to toe, - there is a little

bit. But everything can be fixed. The main thing is to look stylish and

fashionable. Is it necessary to wear something provocative?

- Said the girl in the corset - I giggled.

- Do you want to change?

- Right on the street? I think they will immediately let us through without a

queue, and we will become the main stars.

- No, that's enough stardom for today, and you excelled at the stadium so

much, - the friend did not let up, - but now we will think of something with

you. Let go of your stupid tail first.

I obediently followed the advice of a friend, she carried out a couple of

simple manipulations, and the hair obediently lay down.

- Thats definitely better. It’s good that I still put on makeup, otherwise I

only have red lipstick with me. I don't have a mirror, so I'll paint your lips.

- Always dreamed of a personal make-up artist!

- Roll up your sleeves. Super! And unbutton 2 more buttons, you're not in

the exam. Oh, dont look at me like that, put on a white blouse, it's good that

its see through.

I snorted, but did everything Joan said.

- That is better, - she winked, - just dont grumble like an old grandmother,

otherwise all my efforts will be in vain.

- Oh, looks like we're next.

One of the people, wrapped in a robe, put a seal on my wrist.

- Take masks, entrance is prohibited without them.

We started rummaging through two huge boxes: cats, jesters,

mice. Finally, I drew out a black mask with gold patterns.

“Joan, it suits you,” I said to my friend, and I took out a white lace for

myself.

Finally, we went inside. The hall was crowded, people in robes, people

without robes. Bright lights blinked to the rhythm of fast music, and

immediately to the side was a buffet table.

- They came up with a cool idea, - my friend did not let up, - I was terribly

hungry. Lets go out for a bite to eat, well have something to drink, and we

need someone to talk to.

“Look, it seems ours are standing,” I nodded towards Peter and Thomas.

- Are you serious? We have enough of these clues at lectures, we need to

find someone better.

- Okay, youre right.

Honestly, I myself did not really want to have fun with them at the party.

We approached the table, which was bursting with treats: snacks, fruits

and cocktails. Glasses of drinks of different colors resembled flasks in

Potions class. Its just better to mix these elixirs inside. I chose red and Joe

chose blue.

- Lady, just dont turn around, Peter seems to have noticed us. If he talks

to me and asks me out again... Oh, I swear Ill burn him.

"I dont understand whats so annoying about him?" - I drank a cocktail, of

course, an alcoholic one, but I almost didn’t feel it behind the cherry taste, - he

doesn’t seem to be scary, he fights well, by the way. Just think, he shows off a

little and constantly corrects everyone. There are no perfect people! And he

also laughs so disgustingly, sometimes even grunts, and tries to play macho

out of himself ... but it doesn’t suit him at all. Oh yeah, we also almost failed a

geography project because of his addition. Well, he lied a little about his

girlfriend. But we don’t know for sure, maybe she was ... they just broke

up. And he also claimed that rulers are much better among men! But that

doesnt make it bad, does it?

- Doesn't, - Jo barely restrained laughter.

“But I wouldn’t go on a date with him either,” I giggled.

- That's it. Oh, it seems that my classmate is there, - a friend left me alone.

Without her, I immediately felt uncomfortable in a place where everyone

was wearing masks. I wonder if future rulers are here too? And why are some

in colorful robes? However, except for me, it seems that this did not bother

anyone, and the students only provoked me at all. They flirted with strangers,

trying to figure out who was who.

I tried to come up with something to do, drearily looking at everything

around. A shining butterfly flew before my eyes. This time of year? She

fluttered before my eyes, as if specifically attracting my attention. Illusion or

still a potion effect? Curiosity got the better of me as the insect flew to the

center of the room and I followed. Making my way through the crowd of

dancing students, it seemed to me for a second that no one else saw the

butterfly. As if it was another prank, but as soon as you were in the crowd of

people in the middle of the hall, everything immediately fell into place. Several

hundred butterflies glowed like Esthers signal tower, forming a

silhouette. Interested students were surprised to see what would

happen. When the last butterfly took its place in the mosaic, they disappeared,

leaving behind only a bright shimmer, from which the jester suddenly

appeared. Seems, that bearded man spoke about him with invitations. I went

closer to the audience, who surrounded the man in the cap, and began to

watch the performance.

He did a few somersaults, and then, standing on one leg, began to juggle,

tearing off colorful balls from his hat. The jester deftly controlled them, but

suddenly one fell and rolled towards me. I picked it up and wanted to return it,

but the juggler, making a sad grimace, did not take it, but continued to

entertain the people. However, soon the rest of the balls were on the floor.

Just part of the show. But how beautiful it was!

On the green ball that ended up in my hands, the number 5 was drawn,

and some kind of crack passed through the center. Seems to be part of a

thread. Unrolling the two halves, I found a crumpled piece of paper inside.

“Beware of the men in black. Look for the next clue,” was written on it.

So that's why they're all wearing different robes. Interesting, but where to

look for the rest? I looked around, trying to see anything else strange or

unusual. But she did not notice anything interesting, except for dancing

couples and flashing ethereal crystals. I slowly made my way back to the

table, where Joan was already flirting with the guy who handed us the

invitations.

- Meet Terrence, sophomore guardian, and this is Lady, - I nodded to him

affably, - what do you have? Beware of men in black?

- Have you seen the performance of the jester? It was

something! Butterflies, lights! He dropped the ball, and there was this note in

it, - I said, - somehow it’s completely incomprehensible where to look for this

clue. You do not know?

I looked at my friends bearded admirer.

- Oh, don't drag me into this, I was just handing out invitations! he

laughed. “I've had enough of this dedication.

- And what is wrong? Joan was surprised. - It's fun here.

- You know, working in a team with third-year students is complete ... - the

unflattering response was muffled by loud music.

quot;Fighting them is no better,quot; I chuckled. - What same they assholes!