Students of all levels please note that it is compulsory
for you to take the train back home next Friday, which is the eight of February,
for your Chinese New Year celebrations. The train would leave for Ang Mo Kio
MRT station at 12 p.m. sharp at the Segassem Villa. Please be punctual. For
the First Years, your house prefect will take you to the train station, so please
assemble at your respective common rooms at 11 a.m. sharp. Please report to
Ang Mo Kio MRT station on the fifteenth of February at Eight in the Morning
to catch the train back to school. We would like to emphasize the fact that
you do not have to take your trunks along.
"Next Friday!" Janice boomed. " That's fast."
"Fast! How can it be fast! I can't wait for Friday to come!" Lawrence
said happily after he read the notice.
Making a silent note, she approached Landy, who's reading History of Magic
textbook (Chapter 2: The Wizarding Industrial Revolution), Amelia, who's reading
Witch World (a teenage magazine), and Zoya, who's doing her History of Magic
essay.
"Hey there! So, what did Orbanaz say?" Landy said, looking up from
her History of Magic textbook.
"Oh, he didn't say anything much, he just said that I'd have to train harder
and that my training would be suspended next week because we would be going
back home for Chinese New Year." Janice replied, shrugging.
"Hey, have you guys decided what to wear for Chinese New Year?" Amelia
added, holding up her copy of Witch World.
Landy groaned. Janice knew that of all things Landy hated, it was shopping for
clothes that topped the list, for she felt that it was an utter waste of time
and the time could be used for catching up on a good book.
"Don't worry, Landy. Besides, the school let us go home in advance to let
us buy our clothes, remember? I can go shopping with you for clothes, you know."
Janice assured.
"Thanks." Landy said, before returning to her textbook. Meanwhile,
Janice took a look at Amelia's copy of Witch World and flipped through the magazine
for ideas on what she should wear for Chinese New Year.
"Where did you get this magazine from?" Janice said, as she returned
the magazine to Amelia.
"Oh, it's from the magazine rack, just next to the bookshelf." Amelia
said, as she used her wand to put the magazine back to the magazine rack.
"Well, the dress robes featured in the magazine are quite nice, but too
bad I can't wear them. I need to wear muggle clothes because no one in my family
except my parents and my twin sister knows that I'm a witch. If I wear these
robes, they'll surely yell at me." Janice said dully.
"You have a twin sister? You never told us about her." Zoya said,
her eyes widening.
"Her name's Lily. Unfortunately, she wasn't accepted to Yap Ee Chian."
Janice replied.
"Also, her sister's really snobby, when we were in primary school, she's
always gossiping and spreading rumours about people she hates. Needless to say,
she wasn't very popular. Remember when we were in primary five, she spread this
rumour that I would go shoplifting everyday after school, Janice? Because of
that, I was made the outcaste of the class for a month. Sorry if I offended
you or something, but this is the truth." Landy chipped in.
"Of course I don't mind. I'm used to getting such complaints in primary
school. Just fire away any comments you have about her now." Janice said
quickly.
"Where's she studying now? I didn't see her after we received our posting
results." Landy said.
"She got into Holy Innocent High. Anyway, I don't really care about her
now. She even called me a freak after I came back from Vertic alley. From then
onwards she would usually refer to me as a freak in front of my parents; needless
to say, my parents gave her a lecture when they invited some of their office
colleagues over for dinner and Lily called me a freak in front of them."
Janice replied, shrugging.
"Honestly, Janice, I'm amazed at your temper. If my sister called me a
freak, I'd just chuck her out of the window and I'd tell my parents that she
eloped with her boyfriend or something like that." Amelia said, awed.
"Oh no you don't!" Zoya exclaimed, laughing.
"Hey Zoya, would you mind if you lend me a piece of parchment and your
quill? I'll like to write to my parents that I'm coming home for Chinese New
Year." Janice said suddenly.
"Sure." Zoya said, handing Janice a piece of parchment and a quill.
With that in hand, she began writing a letter to her parents.
Dear Mum and Dad,
How's life for you guys? I'm very much alive down here. How's Lily? I'm writing
to you because I'll be coming home on the eighth of February, which is next
Friday. Is it okay for you to pick me up from the station? If you can't make
it, it's okay because I'm not taking my trunk with me (as it's not the June
holidays). I'll be returning to school on the fifteenth to catch the school
train. You don't have to buy any clothes for me because Landy and I will go
shopping for clothes ourselves. See you on the eighth! (if you can make it.)
Love from Janice.
"Done!" Janice squealed, holding up the parchment.
"That's fast." Landy said, closing her History textbook.
"Yeah, Excuse me guys, gotta go to the owlery now, bye!" Janice said,
with that, she dashed to the owlery.
"Remember, training after dinner!" Amelia called out after her.
After sending the letter, as it was almost dinnertime, Janice quickly hurried
down to the hall for dinner.
"Sorry guys. I'm late." Janice apologised as she approached the gang,
who's already wolfing down the dinner. She quickly settled down and helped herself
to some Nasi Bryani.
"What are you guys doing for Chinese New Year?" Lawrence asked through
a mouthful of Nasi Bryani.
"Hmmm....I think we're just gonna do some visiting and collecting some
Ang Pows*." Landy replied.
*(Ang Pow is Hokkien for red packet, which typically
contains money)
"Speaking of Ang Pows, I need them badly. I've been running low of money
since Christmas. I need to buy some dungbombs to blast my younger brother."
Boon Kee said, absent-mindedly.
"I need to buy some dress robes to wear for my father's work parties..." Zoya mumbled.
"Hey Landy, do your relatives know that you are a witch? Now I'm not sure
what to do if my relatives asked me how RGS's." Janice said suddenly.
"Same here, I don't think my mum told my relatives that I'm a witch. But
I'll think of some way." Landy said dully.
"Oh my gosh!" Janice shrieked suddenly, causing other students from
the CuiHua table to see what's the commotion about.
"How am I supposed to tell my parents that I'm a Slayer?" Janice said
desperately.
"Professor Lim didn't write to your parent's about your case?" Lawrence
said, taking a sip of his pumpkin juice.
"Errmmm...I don't think so, actually I'm not very sure, maybe I should
ask Orbanaz later, he might know. " Janice said slowly, before eating her
Nasi Bryani.
Just then, an owl came swooping over the CuiHua table, clutching a letter. To
Janice's surprise, the owl dropped the letter right in front of her before it
took flight again.
"Yours?" Janice beckoned to Lawrence.
"It's yours, see? It's even got your name in front." Lawrence said,
pointing to the envelope, which had "Janice" written on the front.
Recognising it as her Mum's handwriting, she quickly tore open the letter and
read the contents.
Janice,
It's Mum writing. Your Dad and I are very glad to hear that you are doing just
fine. We're doing very fine at home, although it feels a bit weird to see only
Lily in the house when you are away learning magic. Lily's fine. We're also
very surprised when the headmaster of your school, Professor Lim, informed us
that you are the newborn Slayer in the wizarding world. All of us were very
happy initially that you had brought honour to our family by just being able
to perform magic, but now you are the new Slayer, you have proven yourself to
be worthy of slaying too. I've already told all of our relatives that you are
a witch. They are also very happy too. I found out from your grandmother that
her late aunt was also a witch, but because magic in China wasn't really accepted
then, she didn't pursue it. So from what Grandma had told me, a Skip happened
in the family, which is when the magical blood of a person has skipped a generation
and reached the next, reaching you.
By the way, Lily has something to say to you. It's enclosed in the next letter.
We're coming to pick you up from the station. See you at the station!
Love from Mom and Dad