ELECTIONS - Northumbria Students Union - Northumbria University

[Epilogue:]
‘Cheer up,’ Natalie said. ‘At least you know the curse
is broken now.’
I nodded, swirling my coff ee in my hand. We were
in one of the campus’ quieter cafes, somewhere
people wouldn’t notice if the origami bird, Vivere, on
the table occasionally preened itself and fl apped it’s
folded paper wings independently. It’s magic hadn’t
worn off when Vesperian’s had and it had taken
to following me around, perched in my hair or on
my lapel. Most people thought it was some kind of
alternative corsage. Sometimes in lectures it would
unfold to reveal anecdotes, suggestions for further
reading or even to correct the lecturer. I was going
to have to fi nd a way to stop it coming into exams
with me.
‘I know,’ I said. ‘Three days yesterday and here I am.’
Natalie shrugged elegantly. ‘Look at it this way, you
only had to wait three days: it’s less suspense than
The Ring.’ She was wearing the lacy gown from her
near-wedding, now dyed sea green. If there was one
girl on campus to appreciate Vesperian’s taste in
Victoriana it was her, proof I suppose that they’d at
least had one thing in common.
‘I just worry,’ I pressed. ‘That demon kid... Aesop, he’s
still out there. His wings’ll grow back in eventually.’
‘So take a module in defensive magic.’ Natalie
shrugged again.
I stared for a full ten second before I got any words
out. ‘You can do that?’
‘Um, yeah.’ Natalie sipped her own coff ee delicately.
‘You think anyone seriously applies to do a full
degree in magic? How’s that going to look on your
CV? Technically speaking I’m a fashion student.’
I digested this. She had done a nice job on that
dress, even if it was getting two disbelieving glances
for every one admiring one.
‘Okay,’ I said. ‘Where do I enrol?’
Special Thanks to the Writers society for their
constant commitment to nu:life.