Professor Green raised a skeptical eyebrow as he looked from Elliot to me and back again, probably thinking of the multiple discipline reports that had found their way onto his desk over the years with the names Elliot Mason and Regan Fitz written across the top.

“Is that so?” Green said. “That certainly didn’t look like a goodbye, at least not one that I’d ever want to take part in.”

At any other time, I would have laughed at the way Green made Elliot squirm. You can’t butter this one up, you great big brown-noser, I thought as Green looked at Elliot like he was something interesting he’d found on the bottom of his shoe.

“I think you’d better come with me, Cadet Mason,” Green finally said. “There are a few boxes of old World War Two uniforms in my classroom that need to be put into storage, and you look like just the man for the job. But before you do that, I would like to see you extend a proper goodbye to Cadet Fitz. It will do you no good to move up in the Academy if you retain the manners of a first year.” Elliot’s face twitched, but he nodded and turned to me, his hand extended for the customary handshake exchanged between cadets. I stared at that hand for a half second before acting on instinct and harebrained desperation. Taking a step forward, I threw my arms around him in a tight hug. He froze, because that’s what you do when the universe turns upside down.

“I need that letter back,” I hissed in his ear, just loud enough for him to hear me.

“What’s in it for me?” he whispered back, his arms wrapping around me in what was probably the most awkward and weird hug of my life as he kept up the bizarre charade.

“Whatever you want,” I said in desperation, although I had no clue what I could possibly do for Elliot Mason that he’d care about.

“Maybe,” he said, raising an eyebrow as he took a step back and out of my arms. “Goodbye, Cadet Fitz,” he said, the epitome of good manners.

“Much better,” Green said. “Now move along to my classroom. I will meet you there momentarily.” Elliot nodded and pivoted sharply on the spot. I watched him go, wishing I could bore holes into his back with my glare alone.

Green turned to me, a look of concern on his face. “Cadet Fitz?” he asked. “Anything you want to tell me?”

I shook my head, making an effort to smile, but it felt too stretched and tight on my face.

Green raised one of his thick gray eyebrows that always reminded me of a fat furry caterpillar. “Are you sure, Cadet Fitz?” he asked.

“Positive, sir,” I said. “It’s just that Cadet Mason makes me want to scrub my skin with sandpaper, sir.”