Harriet Jinjur vs. the Academy

Chapter 14: Dinah's Domain

The morning after Queen Elmnope made her announcement, the Meadow of Leisure has been fully decorated for Lilth Fair. The whole environment has been turned into a backwater renaissance fair with booths set up with facility members occupying them.

Shania Twain music was playing from the blown-out speakers on the poles with paper-cut cat banners with most of the students shuffling past one another and clearly bored that they're spending Saturday morning like this.

"Wands, charms, and potions!" Grimsley cried out from his hollow skull. "Cutting off the prices! Get a head-start on fall exams!"

"Wicker baskets!" shouted Alice the Scarecrow. "Support the less wicked by buying one today!"

"Death masks!" Mr. Spinks proclaimed. "Get your death masks! They may be in poor taster, but it's a rich bargain!"

Miss Hazelnut has already walked by the three, unsurprised on how things are looking. Queen Elmnope strolled next to her in the aisle, still in her puppet theatre moving on its own accord, studying the surroundings by twisting her permanent smile about.

"I expected more out of this," the Queen said. "Not enough wimmen in charge of the booths."

"The new Headmaster insisted that the Academy reopen with no exceptions," Miss Hazelnut explained. "But I do get where you're coming from, your majesty. We happen to be short-staffed due to the multiple lay-offs recently. Not to mention not too many want to work in a place with such a notorious past."

"Well, I suppose your Cockney friend's triple-shifts makes up for it. Thankfully, your students appear to want to compensate, even though there's not much in the way for how many are out and about."

"They can think for themselves, your majesty, despite my grievances," said Hazelnut. "Rest assured, I don't take lightly to their behavior. I found one of them doing some redecorated with a spray bottle."

"Those Phoenixtrix are quite a mischievous bunch," Elmnope snickered. "But enough of that. Tell me more about this Chosen One your boss kept mentioning."

"Harriet?" the headmistress looked around the many students passing them by. "Knowing her, I'm sure she has an excuse about why she's still cooped up inside. Excuse me."

Miss Hazelnut walked back to Mr. Spinks's booth, who he's currently giving out supplies to a short, black boy.

"Here you are, Gerry," he told him. "Now, if you have any difficulty molding it, just place it over your face and let magic do its work."

"You mean pressure will skew it to match my face?"

Mr. Spinks stared at Gerry for a few seconds before replying dully, "Sure."

The boy then runs off with the death mask supplies huddled in both arms as Miss Hazelnut came by.

"If it's for someone else, be sure you ask for consent first!" Mr. Spinks shouted to Gerry before turning Miss Hazelnut. "Sorry, ma'am. I take it I need the queen's authorization to sell these kits?"

"Never mind that," said Miss Hazelnut. "You didn't happen to see Miss Jinjur pass by lately."

"I haven't."

"Why am I not surprised?" she sighed.

Queen Elmnope then rolled past Miss Hazelnut, blocking her in her path.

"Now, Henrietta, you already have enough on your plate. I don't want this unnecessary bluster during this time of grief," she stated with a confident falsetto. "Allow me to retrieve Miss Harriet for you."

"Your majesty, I don't mean to sound curt, but absolutely not!"

"But I insist," the finger puppet went on. "After all, you're supposed to have fun too. Besides, the Headmaster couldn't leave me alone summoning me for a personal audience with her."