Fall in love in a weekwe get by

Probably, in good weather, many people liked to walk to the Academy slowly, rather than being transported there by a portal – the path was well-trodden. But there were no people willing to walk in the rain and wind. I walked in splendid isolation, boots squelching through puddles, and remembered today’s dream. Too bright, too… alive? I want to go there. In the warmth and sun. And so that nothing saddens you, and no terrible prospects. Why can't you just walk along Circular Quay with Norwood without thinking about…

Stop. "With Norwood"? Is that what I thought?

Well, yes. If only he would want to take a walk with me, that would be fantasy and magic rolled into one.

A gust of wind hit me in the face, turned the umbrella inside out and almost carried me away. Turning my back to the wind, I tried to straighten the umbrella's spokes, and the downpour that fell on my head was as sudden as snow in the Sahara. Hey, we didn't agree that way. It was a fine, boring and safe rain, why did it suddenly turn into a monster?!

I opened the portal and fell out of it in the Academy courtyard. She slipped and… would have fallen, but she ran into someone tough, smelling pleasantly of tart men's perfume. She grabbed the slippery waterproof raincoat and raised her head.

What is this? Norwood!

“Deja vu,” he said, holding me with one hand and a huge black umbrella with the other. Such a giant is probably not afraid of any wind. – True, yesterday you tried to throw me off balance with your back. Nice variety. Is there something you haven't shared with the portals, Miss Blair? They are clearly not in a good mood for the second day.

“Sorry,” I muttered. I can imagine what a wet chicken I look like now! – I accidentally. I thought about going for a walk, and… here I am.

– Interesting choice of weather for walking. Did the ashes of the Scottish moors knock so actively on your heart? Come on, a puddle is not a good place for small talk.

He grabbed me by the elbow – it seems that in this world they have not yet come to the point of declaring any help to a girl as sexism and sexual harassment – and dragged me into the building. I was painfully ashamed of my wet appearance and “friendship” with the portals, because of which, indeed, for the second day in a row I was trying to knock the professor off his feet. And how did he so delicately say about yesterday – “back”, or rather it would be “ass”.

My hair was dripping, I didn’t even think to put it in a bun at home, having decided to air it out. His cloak dripped onto the marble tiles of the floor, and his boots left ribbed dirty footprints. It’s good that the umbrella was carried away by that terrible squall, otherwise, with my “luck,” I would have definitely hit the professor in the eyes.

And what bad luck. Okay, Norwood's raincoat is waterproof, but he himself is almost dry.

– ? Don't you use umbrellas at all? – Norwood asked with a noticeable amount of interest, who, it seemed, was also looking at me. Although the marks on the floor interested him perhaps more.

“He flew away,” I announced gloomily.

– Impressive unanimity with portals. It looks like he's also unhappy about something.

We had almost reached the stairs when a wave of dry heat washed over me from head to toe.

“You were cold to look at,” Norwood explained.

“Thank you,” I think I blushed. Or is this the effects of a drying spell? Which I shamefully and stupidly forgot about. Still, it’s not enough to learn the charms, you have to get used to them. On the contrary, I’m used to living without any magic. I was already thinking about whether the department would have something to change into, or whether I would have to return home. Well, isn't it stupid?!

On the other hand, in three days you cannot relearn how to live with fundamentally different possibilities. And in a week too. I'll get used to it… if I have time.

The thought that it’s already the fourth day, and with all the successes – every now and then I’m showing myself to be a fool, I wanted to cry. Fortunately, the director’s newsletter, already familiar to me, distracted me from mental torment. Even two, one hovered in front of Norwood, the second was intended for me.

"Miss Blair. I hope you have already arrived at your workplace; if not, hurry up. Doctor Volger came to us from the London Academy of Higher Alchemy, we need to meet him and escort him to the small conference room. Lecture on the influence of tidal cycles on the alchemical properties of metals. We are taking two senior alchemist courses there, and, of course, the presence of all members of the alchemy faculty is mandatory.”

The messenger disappeared, conveying instructions to me.