Welcome to the Midnight Madness

"May I sit?" As the children were moving aside for him, he helped himself. "Oh, instructors and staff are invited as well, Annie. I know Professor Sladen and Professor Ellison were here last night." He smiled wondering if they finally ended up enjoying each other's company.

"But, no: last few school years I came here every weekend. The staff needs this as much as the students." He leaned over and said in a lowered voice, "One of the better ideas the Institute has instituted in the last ten years, if you ask me."

Denna entered the Madness, intent on finding the one person who called out to her, invading her thoughts while she was meditating at Memory’s End…Trevor.

She ran a hand over her black hijab, making sure it was tucked securely into the collar of her matching abaya. The beading around the neck glimmered in the dim light and the slinky chiffon fabric clung to her figure in all the right places as she made a slow circuit around the dining hall.

Finally, she found him, relaxing on a sofa in the middle of the room and chatting with Annie and Kerry.

“Good evening,” she said, her eyes passing from Annie to Kerry and finally resting on Trevor.

Standing up, Trevor have the professor a slight nod. "Masa il Kheer, Professor Arrakis." He smiled broadly. He turned to Annie and Kerry. "Would it be all right if the Professor joined us?" He turned back to Deanna. "Professor?"

Kerry was suddenly feeling like Annie and he were in the middle of something. But to say no would be very rude, so . . . "Of course," he said, looking up at the professor. Putting his arm around Annie's shoulders, he said, "We have plenty of room." He winked to Annie. "Don't we?"

Annie giggled with delight, pulling her feet up under her and settling in under Kerry’s arm. “Of course we would be thrilled if you joined us, Professor.”

Denna flashed a smile at Annie. “Masah al nor,” she said, gazing a long moment into Trevor’s eyes. She sat and crossed her legs in one fluid motion.

“How are you all this evening?” She asked, noticing the slim chain still around Annie’s slender neck.

"I'm doing well today." Kerry looked around, starting to relax. Not every day--or night--you have the instructors and librarians come and sit with you.

He snuggled in closer to Annie. "Enjoying the night, just like last night."

Trevor flashed one of his patented relaxed smiles. "I needed to relax a little. The library has been a bit busier than I'd expected this first week." He looked at nothing in particular. "I believe the instructors are making the first week a touch more difficult this year for some reason."

Denna raised her eyebrows and settled into the comfortable chair. “I believe you are right, Trevor,” she said, shifting her gaze to Annie and Kerry.

“Though, there has been a lot of interesting conversation as of late in the lounge surrounding certain students who have risen to meet the challenge.”

Chuckling, Trevor asked, "Would one of these students be someone who checked out all the general divination books last week?" He smiled at Deanna with his eyes. "Maybe someone is already preparing for your class next year, Professor Arrakis."

Annie felt her cheeks flush as Denna stared at her and Kerry and Mr. Parkman brought up their visit that cleaned out the divination section of the library. She thought about all the wonderful things they had already been through in only their first week and just how simple it all seemed to her—not unlike breathing or walking. Was it that unusual for them both to do extremely well? She assumed a lot of her own success had been dumb luck, but she never really thought about it before that second.

She glanced over at Kerry, who seemed to be lost somewhere within his thoughts as well.
“We have had an interesting week, Professor,” she said. “Both of us learned to fly today. Kerry is amazing on a broom.

“He and Professor Salomon ambushed me on the way back from Memory’s End.” She grinned at Kerry.

Denna laughed. “I’m delighted you took my advice, Annie. Kerry might have been in a state of panic had he not found you hurrying down that path back to him.” She winked at the young boy who was clearly at home on the soft couch; Annie tucked under his arm.

She turned her interest back to Annie. “Have you had a good day then, Annie?” She studied her closer, looking for signs of anxiety.

She smiled and glanced at Kerry. “It’s been one of the best I have had since arriving, Professor.”

Denna nodded and smiled, satisfied with Annie’s answer. She turned her attention back to Trevor—her reason for this visit to the Madness.

“What do you say, Mr. Parkman,” she asked, her eyes smoldering as they peered into his. “I believe our young friends are anxious to get back to their hot cocoa. Would you care to join me for a cup of tea before I retire for the evening?”

Standing, Trevor said, "Of course,Professor." He waited for her to rise. "A cup of tea would be wonderful."

He turned to Annie and Kerry. "Annie, Kerry; enjoy the evening." Turning back to Deanna, he said, "Shall we, Professor?" and walked off with her.

Annie said goodnight to Mr. Parkman and Professor Arrakis and watched them disappear toward the front of the dining hall.

"I don't get the idea that Professor Arrakis came this evening for us," she giggled and picked up her mug of hot cocoa.

Smiling, Kerry replied, "You got that, too?" He watched the walk off to the front of the hall. "Now I know how others feel when we walk into the room," he said, chuckling.

Annie grinned and peeked around the room, wondering who else might be skulking around without her realizing. The dim lighting and subdued vibe of the room made recognizing anyone almost impossible.

She began to worry that, since Professor Arrakis and Mr. Parkman had made an appearance, they might get into trouble for sitting too closely.

“I’m a little sad this will end tomorrow,” she said, sipping her cocoa.

Linda walked into the Dining Hall, wandering off for a snack of some sort. She noticed a boy and a girl sitting on a couch together. She shyly walked over and asked, "May I sit here?"

Kerry didn't notice anyone they knew; in fact, some of the faces were very new. "There is always next week, though," he said, smiling as her turned to Annie . . ..

"I think these weeks will get better as time goes on. Except for the testing." He put down his chocolate and reached under the comforter to once more give Annie a playful squeeze on the thigh--

Which he almost stopped when a blond girl he'd never seen before walked up and asked to join them. Kerry pointed to the recently vacated chair and said, "Sure, knock yourself out." As she sat, he introduced them both. "I'm Kerry; this is Annie. An you are . . .?"

"Linda Krolence," she told the red haired boy. "And you?" she asked the couple in return.

Did she just ask us our names? Kerry knew he eyes just went sort of "Whaaaa?" for a second, then he pulled himself back from the brink. "Like I said, this is Annie, I'm Kerry." Relaxing as he rested his hand on Annie, he asked, "Liking the school so far?"

Linda blushed. "Yes, sorry. You already asked that. School is- " She stopped, careful of what to say. "Interesting."

"So what classes you looking forward to the most?" Kerry asked. He returned his chocolate, a part of him smiling as the rich liquid touched his lips. "I'm starting to enjoy a lot of things I didn't think I was going to like."

Linda nodded her head. "Like what?" she asked, trying to avoid answering. "You have hot chocolate, do you know if I can get some Earl Grey tea or Black tea? I do like them best." She looked around the room, taking in it all.