Saying that I'd missed the Dragon uniform was neither accurate nor completely wrong. It was familiar at this point, and I liked that part. The person looking at me in the mirror was someone I could recognize.

The thrum of magic in my veins was dimmer, which also meant the pain from the curse was less. Barely even noticeable, really. It seemed the easiest to handle when everything was fine.

I straightened the front of the coat, my fingers brushed over the badge that told the world I was Dragon Tower Representative Stewart. The texture of the taut yarn was almost rough compared to the smoothness of the heavy but softer coat.

Last semester, I'd arranged the coat to obscure it from view as much as possible. It hadn't mattered in any of my classes, no one seemed to notice. Which had been the goal. But…

I'd told myself less hiding. And it wasn't like people didn't already know.

So I kept it visible. Nothing drawing more attention to it than the simple fact it existed. I took a deep breath. I wasn't a new me, but this was a step. A small step, but it was forwards.

Right now, I would take whatever victories I could get. Even if the win was against myself.

(*********)

Being back in Spellcraft was complicated. It wasn't a very nostalgic feeling, but the room and its amphitheater-like shape wasn't responsible for my mixed feelings about the class. And there was the very slight chance I would do a bit better now. As long as I was careful and paced myself for it. If I was lucky, my reputation from last semester would keep Professor Telvis from calling on me too much.

Actually, being back here made me want to try something. Mom had told me to keep to the very basic of spells if I insisted on practicing, but I couldn't help but think.

Could I summon now? What did it actually look like? I could only just recall a blurry shape. And claws. Very, very sharp claws, if the scars on my wrist were any clue. Would it still be hostile? Everyone else could interact with their summons without consequences, could I?

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I was struck with the overwhelming desire to try. Just to see. But it was neither the time nor the place. This weekend maybe? Or if I really didn't want to wait, I could talk Jarec into supervising as my emergency contact.

My thoughts stopped when I realized something that instantly worried me.

Everyone was sitting in different seats. It was still the same cluster of yellow, blue, and pink I was familiar with. But the order was all changed. My usual seat was taken by a Sylphid whose face I knew but name I couldn't even guess.

It took me far longer than it should to move somewhere before someone was tugging on my Dragon red coat sleeve. The wide end meaning they were nowhere near actually touching me. Which I appreciated even before I noticed that they were the only other person in bold red.

Jarec was pulling me towards some empty seats on the far left of the classroom, they were in the center row, with me being in the seat next to the wall.

It was something.

"There a particular reason we're sitting over here or…?" I prompted him as he sat down next to me.

"Telvis has bad eyesight in his left eye, he won't call on us over here," Jarec explained.

I wondered which of his sources told him that. Or had he just made observations that had gone completely over my head? Either way, I appreciated him attempting to help. Whether or not it was going to work would just have to be tested.

A bit of bright pink popped up into my view like a meerkat, breaking through the thoughts.

"Are you guys excited for this semester?" Angelina asked.

"For this class? Maybe. I expect less disasters so that's a win," I told her.

Angelina rolled her eyes at me, "Can we hope for no disasters at all?"

"There's a little bit of hope in that department," I said. I was intentionally being vague mostly for the sake of it.

"I'll take a small amount of hope, sometimes I worry you don't have enough," Angelina commented.

"I have plenty of hope, I hope they have berry tea with lunch today." Maybe a joke wasn't the perfect call here, but Jarec laughed so that was something.

She sat in front of us. Settling in her new seat like nothing had changed and everything was fine. Albenion came over too, sitting on Jarec's other side.

Not long after that, Professor Telvis came into the room. Looking around the class with a contemplative expression. Now that Jarec had brought it to my attention, Telvis did turn his head a lot more to the left side when he was looking around.

It was a small thing, but I was glad Jarec had noticed. Being almost literally out of sight was probably for the best, at least in this class.

"Last semester was all about fundamentals, the first blocks of magic and understanding the shape and color of yours. This semester is about taking those blocks and building something that will serve you for the rest of your lives." Telvis sounded so confident. But maybe he was right, this semester would be better than the last one.

Progress. It wasn't much, but it was something. And while it wouldn't be enough to get us out of the mess we were in, maybe it could be enough for this.

No more accidents seemed like a reasonable enough goal.

I could do this.

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