Perhaps it was foolish to hope, the headmaster supposed. He’d pushed the papers, spoken with the social worker and been in countless hearings, all asking him the same questions with the same evidence again and again. Last summer had been busy, even without all the hearings, emergency pleas and injunctions. The only saving grace was the Kires memorial charity, which had paid for the construction of new dorms specifically designed to house students who were in danger from their families or neighborhoods due to their magical nature.

  Several Alumni had also contributed to the various grants for most, if not all of the underprivileged students who may not be able to afford the equipment for magical institutions, and just recently a new flight course. The headmaster glanced out of his window, where various species including a small, almost underweight human with dragonic features flew through the course. Some money that could've gone to teacher stipends and bonuses was used instead for the construction of a new dueling arena.

  Because a particular section of donors would require that their money was going into something shiny, something new or else they would start to question where their money went. The endowment was generating just enough to cover teacher salaries, in addition to their yearly government grants. Some international grants made necessary upgrades and upkeep possible, but it fell short of the money necessary to do large replacements like cooling chambers for frostlings and other heat-sensitive races during the summer.

  His eyes drifted to the various paintings and gadgets around the office, then fell on the door, and looked down at his desk. It was yet another letter from 14th magical court, this time with a ruling on his most recent case. He could tell it was a ruling by the more forceful indent than usual, and by the slight thickness increase.

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  With a swift, sharp movement the seal was broken and the letter spilled out onto his desk. On a second glance, it wasn’t one ruling, it was all off them. All, what 15 of them? The headmaster took them off the ivory desk, and started shuffling through the papers.

  Each letter contained a ruling, and he paused at the text. The court had not only ruled in favor of the school, but had granted him temporary custody over this first case. He quickly shuffled over each case, each saying the same thing.

  Unbidden,a bubbling laughter echoed from his lips as he realized exactly what had happened. The court had granted him emergency custody of all 15 of these students. All of them.

  This called for celebration, but first he had some things to do.

  “Cirl?” He said, and with a soft pop, the elf-like creature appeared.

  “You needed something headmaster?’ Ciril asked smoothly, tightly

  “Yes. We will have a couple new people staying over the summer, court ordered like the last group.”

  The headmaster paused for a second, glancing at the chair that had held many crying students and many angry ones. It had held corvin just the week earlier, and the headmaster knew he’d have to call him in, and other arrangements would need to be made, including introducing him to some of the older students who lived in the summer dorms.

  “Headmaster, will that be all?” Ciril asked, and the headmaster nodded tiredly. The elf went out with a pop. He leaned back, and glanced out the window. A blur of magical wings burst across the sky, shimmering gold constructs whipping across the air and spiraling into the rings that made up the flight course.

  The world wasn’t right, but for a moment it felt like it was.