SWNOVELS Chapter 16 - Johnny
Because Elizabeth was puzzled, Miss Harmony tried to explain to her:
“Some rumours say that if you are a pure soul and you speak the truth in a difficult situation, this fountain will fulfil a wish when you sip in its water. And that you could become the wisest. At least that is what the old wizards ... and their legends say. But I say they are just myths, because I do not know someone who had a wish fulfilled by this well. It just managed to help the older ones trick their kids.
The professor got close to Johnny who swallowed the water as cracked earth swallows the first drops of rain.
“Johnny, stop! You have drunk water from the well and you did not become the wisest, as you can see ...”
Miss Harmony looked at the little girl smiling and said:
“I think he has drunk at least ten times water in this well.”
“That's because I only drank a glass at a time, Miss Harmony. I have to drink more. I'm at the fourth ...”
“Johnny, please stop now! That water other than quenching your thirst will not make you wiser, you or anyone else.”
“I have only six more glasses to drink. And then I stop! I promise it's the last time I drink.”
And the boy took the glass to his mouth, trying to drink, but something stopped him at once.
“Ulcus Aqua!” said Miss Harmony, and the glass of water turned into a hot tea.
When the boy's palm felt the hot drink, he dropped the glass into the well. Johnny did not get discouraged, but he took the glass of water again and tried to drink, to finish the ritual that would make him incredibly intelligent. Maybe the smartest man on Earth ...,” he thought.
As neither hot tea calmed the boy, Miss Harmony called out again:
“Celare Poculum!”
The glass disappeared immediately, and the woman beckoned to the boy to come to her at once.
Miss Harmony was a little angry at first. But when she saw the boy was sad because he lost the chance to become the strongest wizard simply drinking water from the Fountain of Wisdom and thinking he would be punished, the woman smiled slightly.
“Who told you that you need to drink more water to become wise?”
“Marc Wagner ... He told me that Aristotle told him ...”
The lady looked around. She did not see the one in question, but instead saw a group of naughty young laughing loud.
She knew those young could only be Marc's accomplices.
“Where's Marc Wagner?” Miss Harmony asked the young people. “I know he's here somewhere ...”
But they shrugged, sign they didn't know where he disappeared.
"He was here a few moments ago," a 16-year-old girl finally said.
“Et Ostende Mihi!” Miss Harmony called out.
At that moment, young Marc popped up, ashamed that he was discovered by the wise woman.
“Marc, what do you have to say about this?”
Young Marc, a freckled, long red-haired boy, tall, thin, looked at Johnny and said:
“I'm sorry I lied to you Johnny. It seemed funny to me, although it is not.”
Johnny looked even sadder at Miss Harmony and Marc. It was clear he was completely disappointed with what happened. He hoped this was an easy way to become wiser ... Something so simple and easy to do, such as drinking water from a well and become wise, was for him the coolest, if it were true. But it seems it wasn't.
“Marc, please leave. We would talk about that later.”
"I understood," said the young boy embarrassed, beginning to regret when he saw Johnny so sad.
“Johnny ... I'm really sorry.”
And young Marc left.
Johnny had tears in his eyes. Harmony wiped away his tears with a handkerchief, then tried to calm him down, like a mother:
“Dear Johnny. You know, I have exciting news for you ...”
The boy looked at the professor carefully, but still with that sad gaze.
“To become the wiser wizard, it is not enough to do what Marc or other wicked young people say. But the exciting news is that you can really become one of the wisest wizards.”
“I will do anything, Miss Harmony!” the boy shouted, wiping the tears on his face. “I'll do anything…”
“You know, what you have to do is not difficult.”
“I'll do anything. You know I'm not afraid of anything.”
The woman smiled.
“Dear Johnny, it's simple. All you have to do is learn as much as you can in school. Learning as much as you can, practicing and studying as best as you can, will help you a lot as you grow. You will gain wisdom and master the most powerful spells.”
The boy was not so sad anymore, but it was obvious he would do anything else instead of learning. He hoped to find another way to become wiser. He knew there was a school for this, but he hoped for something else. Such as drinking water from a well, like that of the wise. Or another way…”
“I’d better fight with a dragon, or a werewolf in Transylvania," smiled little Johnny.
“Johnny, if you learn, you will easily be able to fight even these creatures. But only if you try hard, only then can you become one of the strongest wizards ... a true protector of the magic world.”
The boy smiled, not too convinced, because he considered this method the most difficult.
“You know, all the best is obtained through work, dear ... only through work,” the professor added.
Then the woman looked at Elizabeth and asked:
“Elizabeth, would you mind if this cute little boy comes with us?”
“Nope,” said the girl.
Miss Edwards was happy to be with someone she could befriend and show and explain things she has to do or know at Elmbridge magic school ... someone to be with her all the time and explain to her the way around. Because there were to be so many new things she must get used to. Stunning things, even miraculous ... but many.
“Then do you want to come with us, Johnny?”
“Sure you do.”
The three of them went on with Elmbridge school tour, and Miss Harmony presented the rest of the College surroundings to the girl.
“There is the Herb Sanctuary, Elizabeth. Here you can come during the herbiology lessons, but also after classes to learn everything about herbs and plants, which you find in both the sceptic people’s gardens and in ours. Though, some of them can be found only here, in the gardens of Elmbridge School. They can help you get powerful spell-potions and have many healing powers. Some are familiar even to sceptics and they use them to heal and cure diseases. Of course, the spells in potions are not so long-lasting, not as powerful as the spells we learn over time, but sometimes they can help you a lot.”
“Can we get in a bit?” asked the girl.