# The Enchanted Minds of Astoria

## Chapter 4: The Summons

The following morning dawned grey and misty, matching Lyra's apprehensive mood as she made her way to her first class. She'd barely slept, her mind racing with worries about Celeste's threat and what it might mean for her and Finn.

As she entered the grand lecture hall for Advanced Nature Communication, a hush fell over the room. Lyra felt dozens of eyes on her, and snippets of whispered conversations reached her ears.

"Did you hear...?"

"...practicing forbidden magic..."

"...can't even control her own powers..."

Lyra's cheeks burned as she slid into her seat, wishing she could disappear into the ornately carved woodwork. At the front of the room, Professor Willowbark cleared his throat, silencing the murmurs.

"Before we begin today's lesson on communicating with water spirits," he announced, his mossy green eyes sweeping the room, "I have an announcement. Miss Lyra Thornbrook and Mr. Finn Moonweaver are to report to Headmistress Ravencrest's office immediately after this class."

Lyra's heart sank. So Celeste had indeed reported them. She barely heard a word of the lecture, her mind whirling with possible scenarios, each more dire than the last.

As the class ended, she caught sight of Finn waiting for her in the corridor. His silver hair was disheveled, dark circles under his eyes suggesting he'd had as restless a night as she had.

"Hey," he said softly, reaching for her hand. "You okay?"

Lyra shook her head, not trusting herself to speak. Together, they made their way through the winding corridors of the Academy, past shimmering tapestries depicting famous mages and windows that showed ever-changing magical landscapes.

All too soon, they found themselves standing before the imposing ebony doors of Headmistress Ravencrest's office. Finn squeezed Lyra's hand one last time before raising his fist to knock.

"Enter," came a commanding voice from within.

The office was a circular room, its walls lined with ancient tomes and mysterious artifacts. At its center sat Headmistress Ravencrest, a tall, elegant woman with streaks of silver in her raven-black hair. Her piercing grey eyes studied Lyra and Finn as they approached her desk.

To Lyra's surprise, they weren't alone. Professor Thornheart, the stern head of the Illusion Department, stood to one side, his face an unreadable mask. And there, looking entirely too pleased with herself, was Celeste Starweaver.

"Miss Thornbrook, Mr. Moonweaver," Headmistress Ravencrest began, her voice neutral. "It has come to our attention that you have been engaging in unsupervised magical experimentation outside of Academy grounds. Is this true?"

Lyra opened her mouth to deny it, but Finn spoke first. "Yes, Headmistress," he said, his voice steady despite the trembling Lyra felt in his hand. "But we weren't doing anything dangerous. We were just trying to understand why our magic has been... difficult lately."

Professor Thornheart scoffed. "Difficult? From what I hear, Miss Thornbrook can barely communicate with a blade of grass these days. And you, Mr. Moonweaver – your illusions have become the laughingstock of my advanced class."

Lyra flinched at the harsh words, feeling tears prick at the corners of her eyes. But before she could defend herself, another voice chimed in.

"Now, now, Thornheart," came a kindly voice from the shadows. "Let's not be hasty in our judgments."

Lyra turned to see Professor Elderbloom step into the light. The ancient elf was rarely seen outside the greenhouse these days, but his eyes were as bright and knowing as ever.

"Headmistress," Elderbloom continued, "I believe we may be dealing with a case of magical resonance. It's rare, but not unheard of, especially in young mages of exceptional talent."

Ravencrest leaned forward, interest piqued. "Explain, if you would, Professor."

As Elderbloom launched into an explanation of magical resonance, expanding on what Lyra and Finn had discovered in their research, Lyra felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe they weren't in as much trouble as she'd feared.

Her relief was short-lived, however, as Celeste interjected. "But Headmistress, surely you can't allow this to continue? It's a disruption to the entire class. And what if their lack of control puts other students in danger?"

Ravencrest held up a hand, silencing further arguments. She studied Lyra and Finn for a long moment, her expression unreadable.

"This situation," she finally said, "is unprecedented in recent Academy history. On one hand, unsupervised magical experimentation is strictly forbidden for the safety of all. On the other, if Professor Elderbloom is correct about magical resonance, we may be witnessing the development of a rare and powerful magical bond."

She steepled her fingers, thinking. "Here is what we shall do. Miss Thornbrook, Mr. Moonweaver – you will be placed on probation. You will continue your regular classes, but thrice weekly, you will report to Professor Elderbloom for special instruction in magical resonance and control."

Lyra's heart leapt. It wasn't expulsion, and they'd be allowed to continue exploring their connection under proper supervision.

"However," Ravencrest continued, her voice growing stern, "any further unsupervised experimentation will result in immediate expulsion. Is that clear?"

Lyra and Finn nodded vigorously.

"As for you, Miss Starweaver," Ravencrest turned to Celeste, whose smug expression faltered. "While your vigilance is appreciated, in the future, I expect you to bring such concerns directly to the faculty rather than engaging in gossip. You will assist Professor Thornheart in researching the historical precedents of magical resonance as your punishment."

As they left the office, Lyra felt a mix of relief and trepidation. They'd avoided expulsion, but the road ahead was far from clear. 

"Well," Finn said, a wry smile playing on his lips, "I guess we're in for an interesting few weeks."

Lyra couldn't help but laugh, the tension of the morning finally breaking. "That's one way to put it. But at least we're in this together."

As they walked hand in hand towards their next class, neither Lyra nor Finn noticed the thoughtful look Professor Elderbloom gave them, nor the worried frown that creased Professor Thornheart's brow. The winds of change were blowing through the halls of the Astoria Academy of Magical Arts, and nothing would ever be quite the same again.