I understand him very well! I answered with feeling. These terrible crimson trousers! Why else would I rush out at night looking to order normal clothes?
I was so tired that I was afraid not to get home that is, to Charlotte's cottage, I must already call it home. But it turned out that my head, overloaded to the point of complete inability to think, was not at all an obstacle to movement: my body automatically made the necessary gesture, and I stepped from Sabellas living room to Charlottes naturally and easily, as if I had been visiting guests this way all my life.
I barely had enough strength to go up to the bedroom, take off my clothes and crawl under the covers. I felt a cool, soft pillow under my cheek and fell into sleep as if into an abyss.
CHAPTER 2. Day two: Wednesday
Day two, I muttered, opening the portal with the usual wave of my hand. After pizza and coffee for breakfast, in a strict white blouse and black trousers, I felt no, not at all as confident as I would like. But at least it's acceptable. I dont sleep on the go, no crimson pants thats already happiness. And if you consider that Rizella Amtown was, it seems, the name of the master? cast a self-smoothing spell on the clothes Or what else can you call it when you take a blouse out of a bundle, and it unfolds right in your hands and becomes perfectly ironed, just put it on? It even became interesting, is this part of the services of an expensive high-status salon or is it in the order of things in this world? And there is no one to ask; Charlotte never returned.
I arrived at the Academy earlier than yesterday; the large clock above the professors desk said ten minutes to ten. But he was already sitting with a newspaper, exactly like yesterday hes spending the night here, or what?!
Good morning, professor, I indicated my presence.
The disease progresses and threatens to develop into a chronic stage. He looked at his watch and again buried his face in the newspaper, and I suddenly remembered how the Dougal boy sternly turned away from the sheet of Rose whats her name, who was stroking him? Aurus? Aleus? And she could barely contain an inappropriate smile. During the third couple I have a meeting in London. If you cannot agree on a replacement, please notify us immediately. There will be something to keep them busy.
Fine. I will solve this issue right now.
Fortunately, yesterday I already had to deal with the schedule, and I knew where to run and who to contact. Otherwise, it is unknown how she would have gotten out of it. The deputy director for academic affairs, a stern, gray-haired lady, was accustomed to Charlottes frequent visits and changed the schedule without question. This time I was even happy:
How fortunate, Professor Levy just asked for extra hours for chimerologists.
That's what I reported when I returned. And she sat down to sort out the mail.
Today the professor had little correspondence; at first glance, nothing particularly urgent. I drove away the obsessive thought that even the urgent might soon become irrelevant for him. She followed the straight back in the black jacket, looked at the clock second by second, the utmost degree of punctuality. It's probably easy to be punctual when traveling through portals no traffic jams, random encounters or sudden changes to the usual route.
The letters, arranged in piles, went to the professors desk, and I took up the newspapers. It's time to see what's happening in this world!
I dont know whether Professor Norwood watched the press so carefully, or whether the same set was delivered to all departments, but on his table were all, apparently, more or less popular publications, from the Times and the Daily Telegraph to a funny newspaper with the title Positive news and several sheets of free advertisements. That's where I started. After all, how else can you quickly and thoroughly get acquainted with the new world while sitting at your workplace without the right to leave and the opportunity to chat with the same unfortunate people tired of work? And it was interesting what the local press is like from a professional point of view.
She grabbed the entire pack and took it to the table, which at the department served as either a general worker or a lunch table empty and clean, occupied only by a kettle, always full of boiling water, and a decanter with always ice-cold water. A convenient piece of magic Cups and a supply of sugar, cream and biscuits were stored in a cabinet nearby, on the top shelf. The bottom two were filled with test tubes and bottles of reagents and brought to mind jokes about biologists who had dead mice stacked in the refrigerator next to their sandwiches, awaiting dissection. Thank you for not talking about the morgue and pathologists
I made strong black coffee, poured crackers onto the saucer and unfolded the top leaf. Well what can I say. Beautiful, catchy, stylish. Bright colors, fairly thick paper, good layout. It's nice to hold it in your hands. As for the content The very first ad made me choke.
An experienced magician-ritualist provides advice on creating individual rituals.
What is this, you ask? A hint from the universe? Sign of fate? But Sabella argued that no ritualists would help in my case, although she promised to still find someone for consultation. We need to show her. I could hardly resist not immediately hiding the piece of paper in my purse. Its better to ask permission, at least out of politeness.
I looked at my watch forty minutes left until the end of the class. For now, Ill read what else the universe offers
Recharging amulets, updating enchantments, enchanting objects of any complexity from scratch on a turnkey basis. Will it be useful or not? Ask Charlotte if any charms in the house need updating? The gaze darted across the sheet chaotically, drawn to the bright frames. The most ordinary buy-sell-search side by side with the same buy-sell-search, but completely incredible for the world I was familiar with. In fact, Ill buy a piano inexpensively or Ill give away a crib for half the price, and next
A young female pointy-eared manticore is looking for a boy to mate with. Red color, excellent pedigree, exhibition diplomas. Brrr I can just see an exalted lady in stiletto heels, embarrassed to say the words male and bitch. And it doesnt matter that its not a collie or a Doberman, but a manticore breeders in all worlds are probably the same. So, if you suddenly need a manticore on your farm, dont look here.
A nanny with a quick response is urgently needed. The child is 3 years old and has learned to open portals. Hmmm, what else is this? Sweeping across the ad in black ink. For the child a nanny, for the mother brains!
I rushed to the professor's desk. Somewhere here lay his work diary No, I dont have the bad habit of rummaging through other peoples notes, although sometimes it can be very useful. But look at the handwriting
Yes. Exactly. Although I could be sure: behind the short but very poisonous note, the intonations of Doctor Norwood could be heard. Well, well Some people have fun with crossword puzzles, but the professor seems to be resting his brains on free advertisements? I understand you wont find anything there!
She put the diary back in its place, adjusted it so that it lay just as smoothly, strictly parallel to the edge of the table, and returned to the newspaper. Absentmindedly, she took a sip of the cooled coffee.
"Required! Part-time necromancer. Flexible schedule. Contact the caretaker of Kensington Cemetery." Brrr Indeed, theres so much you wont find! It turns out there are necromancers here too? Although Sabella said that they tried to accuse Dougal of trying to raise zombies. So this is basically real?! Oh, mommies. It seems that I somehow didnt fully understand where I was headed.