Contents
Chapter Five. The Archives
Overview
Walden reinforces Chetwood’s defenses after Old Faithful’s near-brush, then meets Kenning in the archives, where Philomela details centuries of incursions culminating in a student’s fatal 2003 summoning. Walden argues the demon follows the school’s power, not vice versa, and she and Kenning agree to collaborate via weekly meetings.
A brief Saturday class underscores Nikki’s eagerness and Walden’s boundaries, while Mathias remains shaken but stable.
Summary
Walden finishes paperwork from observing Ezekiel’s lesson and considers next year’s staffing load. In the engine room, she tunes the thaumic engines and lays compact warding arrays, focusing extra effort on protections against higher demons after Old Faithful’s recent stir. She monitors her pupils: Mathias appears shaken but functional; Will is pointedly kinder to him; Aneeta stays quiet; Nikki devours fourth-order summoning theory and eagerly accepts Walden’s old copy of Nielle’s Arrays.
On Saturday, Walden meets Chief Marshal Laura Kenning in the dim school archives. Archivist Philomela Jones guides them through records: an early Headmaster’s diary noting Old Faithful had “returned,” a 1926 Headmaster (Rodney Merringham) lost while attempting to destroy it, a failed 1961 campus move that triggered a deadly major incursion, and a 2003 case where student Charles Green deliberately summoned Old Faithful and died.
Leaving the archives, Kenning argues the school should close to eliminate risk. Walden counters that Old Faithful’s power is parasitic on the school’s magical density; moving students would draw the demon elsewhere, as history shows. They acknowledge the grave stakes despite a strong recent safety record and agree to reset relations and share expertise.
They schedule standing coordination meetings for Thursday evenings. Later, during a Saturday single with the Upper Sixth, Walden assigns timed A-level practice. Nikki tries to ask about the advanced text, but Walden enforces silence; meanwhile, she quietly helps a stalled Mathias, reinforcing boundaries and steadying the class after the week’s tensions.
Who Appears
- Dr. Saffron "Saffy" WaldenHead of magic; strengthens wards, leads archive review, debates Kenning, sets weekly meetings, and manages a focused Saturday class.
- Chief Marshal Laura KenningSecurity lead; confronts Old Faithful’s history, argues for closure, then agrees to a cooperative reset and Thursday coordination.
- Philomela JonesArchivist-librarian; provides detailed records of Old Faithful’s incursions and key institutional history.
- Nikki ConwayGifted student; hungrily studies fourth-order summoning, receives Nielle’s Arrays, and is reined in during timed practice.
- MathiasPowerful student; still shaken post-incident, works quietly, stalls on an exam problem and receives Walden’s help.
- WillStudent; teases Nikki but shows unusual consideration toward Mathias after the mishap.
- Old FaithfulResident higher demon; historical incursions reviewed, its presence frames the safety debate and defensive strategies.
- AneetaStudent; quiet and steady in lessons, reliably practices exam technique.