The summons to the Master’s office was, well, unusual. It’s not like the Master was some remote presence at the University, she was quite hands-on, but they had never been called to her office as a group. The summons was polite and phrased in such a way as to suggest there was nothing wrong, but it was a summons none-the-less.

The quartet donned their academic robes for the visit. This was the Master we’re talking about and whilst Magnus University students, like their Muggle counterparts, were a more informal group than their parent’s generation had been, this was, the Master. Tradition. The plain, brown robes were meant to emphasize their status as servants in the pursuit of knowledge.

“Thank you for coming,” the Master greeted them. “I shan’t keep you very long. First, none of you are in any kind of trouble. Quite the contrary.”

The master was an attractive woman of indeterminant age with an open countenance but a somewhat reserved demeanor. Generally ranked one of the foremost wizards of her generation, she was instrumental in some of the reforms made after the Great Magical War of a generation ago.

“You’ve been working together since your first year, haven’t you?” she asked.

“Yes Ma’am,” Moira replied while the other’s nodded.

“Your first project together was quite impressive and rightly earned you a spot in my department,” she went on. “In the three years since, you’ve matured academically as well as magically and are quite possibly the most effective study group at the University. Well done. But I didn’t call you in here to praise you, deserved or not,” she added with an arch smile. “After all, excellence is expected.”

The four chuckled at the inside joke. Excellence is Expected was the unofficial motto of The School of Tantric Magic, run by the Master.

“We’ve a bit of a situation, or perhaps ‘opportunity’ is a better descriptor, that I would like your help with. Are you familiar with the Eldan?”

All four students reacted but Daniella the more so with a small gasp.

“Yes Master,” Miranda replied. “A magical race of humanoids. Very long-lived, quite possibly immortal, though that’s speculation of the rankest kind. Natural magic users. Bit of an…unsavory reputation. They were associated with the Death Eater cult, but that’s more popular imagination than actual scholarship. They’ve never been officially associated with any human group or groups. They cut off contact with the human world after…He… was destroyed during the Great War.”

“Very good, Miranda, full marks,” the Master nodded to the blonde woman. “Though not entirely accurate, but that’s hardly your fault. The Eldan were officially allied with the Death Eater movement. We’ve suppressed that bit of information to prevent any widening or resumption of…hostilities in the event the Eldan decide to re-establish contact. And they have.”

“The Eldan are back?” Daniella asked, shocked.

“Indeed,” the Master replied. “Back and looking to resume relations with humanity after almost two generations of absence. Granted, to a group with their lifespan, that’s a bit of an eyeblink,” she added wryly. “Among their several gestures of good-will is an offer to allow human scholars access to their library at Matazan.”

Ian cleared his throat, “They’ve never done that before. Offered access to any of their libraries.”

“Quite,” the Master nodded. “It’s an unprecedented offer.”

“Aye, a nice tasty worm, I’d be lookin’ for the hook,” Moira said, eyebrow raised higher.

The master stifled a smile, “Well, there is that. Hence our conversation. Eldan magic is Tantric in nature, so of course the offer comes to our department. They’ve requested you four specifically.”

All of them looked surprised with the exception of Daniella who’s face was studiously blank.

“Why us, ma’am?” Ian asked.

“Apparently they’ve been keeping tabs on the human world in their absence. You four were cited as the most academically excellent at the university in your discipline. Don’t let that go to your heads,”

“No, ma’am” Miranda said.

“So pack your bags, you’re going to Matazan for a month. Your assignment will be to make an initial survey of the library, catalogue it’s contents as best you can and report back. Unofficially, you’re representing The University as well as the Ministry of Magic and are expected to behave accordingly.”

“Yes, ma’am” they chorused.

“That being said, watch yourselves. While they may look human, they’re not and remember who they allied themselves to. Be on your guards. You’ll leave in the morning.”

“Yes, ma’am” they said.

“Daniella, could you remain behind a moment.”

“Of course, ma’am.”

“We’ll meet ye in the pub,” Moira said to her.

“What do you think that’s all about?” Ian asked once they had grabbed a table in the student pub.

“Well, I think we can assume it’s related to this trip,” Miranda said.

“Aye, and the bloody Eldan? You know they’re the blackest sort of magic users, tight with old you-know-who. D’ye think it’s because she was from Serpent House?”

Daniella had been a member of House Serpent before coming to Uni, just as Moira had been Badger House, Miranda Raven House, and Ian Lion House. A high percentage of the former Dark Lord’s supporters had been from Serpent House and it still had a less than savory reputation.

“That’s basest prejudice,” Miranda said. “We’ve worked together for almost four years now and Daniella has NEVER shown any indication of being a user of Dark Magic, and you don’t do the kind of magic WE do without getting to know one-another VERY well!”

Miranda usually didn’t lose her temper and it took Moira aback.

“Ach, well, I dinna mean nothing by it, really. Of course she doesn’t! I’d bet me life on it, but then why did she have to stay behind?”

“We should wait and ask her when she gets here,” Ian said matter-of-factly.

“Well where’s the fun in that?” Moira said, slyly.

Ian ignored her and waived to Daniella who had just come into the pub. She went over to the table and sat down.

“I ordered you a pint,” Ian said, sliding the glass over to her.

“Thanks, darling.” She said, distractedly, before taking a long pull off the glass.

‘Well?” Moira asked.

Daniella sighed. “Our contact with the Eldan is Count Ignatius Bafere. An old family friend.”

Moira shot Miranda an I-told-you-so look.

“What do you mean, ‘old family friend’?” Ian asked.

Daniella took another deep draught from her drink before beginning, “My grans. My mother’s family, they were on the wrong side during the Great War.”

Ian looked shocked, Moira smug, Miranda merely deeply concerned for her friend. She reached out a hand and placed it over Daniella’s.

“I had no idea,” Ian said, stunned.

“Of course not, darling, I never told you,” she said with a weak smile.

“Why not?”

“Because it was irrelevant. I was an infant during that bit of awfulness. Mummy and Daddy were on the right side of things as were my other grands. I barely saw those grandparents growing up and they died over ten years ago.”

“But…we…” he went on.

“We what?” she said. “Fuck? Darling, we all fuck one another. It’s what we do. We do Tantric magic.”

“We do more than fuck,” he said, stoutly, though you could see it had hurt him.

Her look softened and she genuinely smiled at him, “Yes, darling. We do more than fuck. We all do more than fuck. That’s why we’re so effective together, but that doesn’t mean we know everything about one-another.”

“Maybe so, but you still should have told me,” he said, stubbornly.

“Oh and if I had, would our grand House Lion have wanted anything to do with me? A House Serpent girl with a politically suspect family?”

“Danny, no, of course not,” he began.

“My name is Daniella,” she said, angrily. “I need to take a walk.”

She got up from the table and stormed out.

“Well, ye bolloxed that one up, laddie,” Moria observed.

“Fuck,” Ian swore, disgustedly.

Miranda gave him an exasperated look, stood up and leaned over, kissing his forehead.

“I’ll talk to her,” she said before leaving.

“Ye did kinda fuck that up, ye know,” Moira said brightly.

“You’re the one that was calling her a conspirator!” he said.

“I did nae such thing!” she said, indignantly. “I said that yon Eldan was likely interested in her because she’s House Serpent and I was right. I dinnae say SHE was interested in them.”

“Ah, fuck,” Ian repeated.

“Ah lad. Yer a man and cannae help it. We make allowances. She’ll be fine. Miranda will give her a cuddle and let her cry and all will be well with the world. YOU just be sure to tell her your sorry.”

“For what?”

“Lad,” she said seriously. “Listen to Auntie Moira. Say you’re sorry and mean it.”

“OK,” he sighed.

“Good. Now come with me. I’m gonna give ye a cuddle and a cry and make you feel better.”

Later, after some shouting, some crying, some moaning and more than a few orgasms, Daniella lay in Miranda’s arms in Daniella’s bed.

“I’m scared,” Daniella said.

“Of?” Miranda asked.

“This. This trip. The Eldan.”

“What did the Master tell you?” Miranda asked.

“I…I can’t tell you.”

Miranda thought about that for a moment and simply asked, “How can I help?”

Daniella hugged her more tightly, “This is helping. If…if I get…lost. Find me?”

“Miranda kissed the top of her head. “Always.”