When the three girls were ready, they left the barracks and walked to the dining hall entrance. They joined a group of their classmates, who waited, chatting about the night before and sleeping in the barracks. The comment most uttered was that it was like having a giant sleepover with the whole class. Everyone seemed excited about continuing this for another six weeks and that it would be fun. As they waited, a small commotion broke out at the back of the group and proceeded forward to the doors.

Daria and Franci pushed and bullied their way through their classmates raising their voices threateningly. As they approached Marcia, they became more physical pushing and shoving girls out of their way. Naomi and Polina stood in their way, but Daria barged through them approaching, Marcia. Franci blocked Naomi and Polina from getting through to help Marcia against Daria. Daria stopped in front of Marcia, who stood with her arms across her chest and a look of defiance on her face.

"Step aside Marcia, I want to get in there," Daria reached out to push Marcia out of her way. "You better move or else."

Marcia stood defiantly in Daria's way blocking the entrance taking the whole stair away. Daria reached out to push Marcia aside, but something held Marcia solidly in place. Hard as Daria pushed, she could not move Marcia out of her way. Marcia smiled at Daria, which made her grow angry and start screaming in Marcia's face. Naomi came up the stairs, brushed by Marcia moving her arm and entered the hall as the doors opened.

As their classmates entered the dining hall, Daria and Franci could not move past Marcia. They struggled to move, but the force that held them only got stronger the more they struggled. Marcia stood on the stairs immobile as if rooted in place stuck to the spot. She was not aware that anything happened to Daria or Franci. The spirits she heard the night before and the strange feelings were not around, but she seemed to have the power to hold off her enemies. After her classmates had entered the dining hall, the force holding Daria and Franci faded and they entered the hall followed by Marcia.

As Marcia sat with her friends, she looked around with a curious frown on her face. Wonder plagued her mind with the earlier incident and the new power she had. Her friends chatted as if nothing happened and ate breakfast before classes started. She ate slowly and watched Daria and Franci huddle closely with their tablemates. Marcia sensed that trouble was on the horizon with one or both of the girls, and she wanted no part of it.

Kathy had watched Marcia outside and wanted to talk to Klaus about it before talking to Marcia. It was an unusual event for someone so young, but Marcia seemed to handle it well. Kathy felt that Marcia was able to feel things most young people couldn't, but needed training to use these abilities properly. She knew they only had six weeks with Marcia to get her prepared and help her understand these abilities. The headmaster needed to know what had happened and provide advice about future directions in Marcia's growth and training.

After breakfast, the class broke up into its lab groups and went into the classroom next door. As they entered the room, each table contained four sets of materials for each group. Marcia and her group selected a table close to the front of the room, but near the door. The headmaster entered followed by two young men in white lab coats who carried large boxes that seemed heavy and full of equipment. They set the boxes on a table at the front of the class and stood behind them nervously.

The headmaster tapped the podium to quiet the class and drew their attention. He introduced the two men, who were to conduct the labs and experiments for the class before the class performed them behind the wall outside. These bomb architects would teach the proper construction and handling of explosive material. Polina, Naomi, and Stefan perked up at that announcement excited to watch carefully. Marcia felt bored and had no interest in what they presented or wanted to learn about explosives. Her interests lay elsewhere, and her attitude showed that to her lab partners.

As the headmaster left the room, he stopped by Marcia's lab table and asked her to come with him. Outside the room, they met Kathy and Klaus and went to his office. As they sat around a circular table, Marcia stared at Kathy inquisitively and watched her eyes. Kathy held Klaus' hand with a look of apprehension bordering on fear pasted on her normally smiling face. The look gave Marcia pause to contemplate the morning's incidents with Daria and Franci.

Before Marcia voiced her questions, the headmaster spoke, "Marcia, we brought you here to ask about things that happened this morning. Do you have any idea what you did or how it happened?"

Marcia thought for a moment and responded shakily, "I did not understand, what made me act as I did. Nor did it occur to me that I could do it. It felt strange at first, but as it continued, I felt comfortable and knew I had to keep it going until my classmates were safely inside."

Kathy took over, "Did you feel your classmates were in danger from the two girls? They seemed harmless. They only wanted to get past you and tried to push you out of the way."

"That is not what I felt. They wanted to harm me and anyone else that got in their way. It did not seem to matter to them. What I did, seemed natural to me. I had to protect my classmates. I truly felt they were in danger from Daria and Franci. What did you feel or were you too far away from me?"

The headmaster looked closely at Marcia and paused to ask her a question. "I noticed you are wearing and Eye of Evil Choker. Where did you get it and why are you wearing it here on the island?"

Before Marcia answered, Kathy interrupted, "We gave it to her after witnessing the spirits take over her body and mind close to the wall. Since she put it on, the spirits have left her alone, and she feels much better. However, this morning's demonstration was not spirit motivated. It seemed to come more closely from within her mind and body."

"What did you feel when you protected your classmates? You appeared to be in a trance, but in control of your two classmates. They seemed held in place unable to move. When everyone was in for breakfast, the trance ceased, and you were back to normal." Kathy explained.

"We need to watch her carefully while she is here. I knew she was sensitive, but not how sensitive. Summer school will be interesting. Kathy, you and your husband, need to work with Marcia to discover her abilities. Marcia, we may have you move in with them to make it easier. I will come up with a reason for the changes. Who else knows of these abilities, Marcia?"

Marcia sat with a look of surprise followed by a look of disappointment before answering. "My lab partners know about the spirit possession because they saw it at the castle and here. We discovered an altar of a coven in the forest there and here. Some unseen force drew me to the magic circles on both sites. Now with these powers, they try to ignore them, but they know. I hoped to mingle with my friends and classmates, but now I am special again. Can my lab partners at least be told what happened and why I left the barracks?"

Kathy looked surprised by Marcia's admission about the incidents at the castle. She and the Headmaster exchanged puzzled looks, but they quickly faced the situation at hand. Marcia needed help, and they were the only ones who understood her. It was important to get things under control, focus Marcia and develop her abilities.

The headmaster squeezed his chin in contemplation before answering. "What your friends find out is up to Kathy and Klaus. They need to know you are fine but need special training while here. You will attend classes with them most days. When required, you will spend time with me for training. Kathy and Klaus will watch and teach you too. We need to help you cope and use these new abilities. We need to assess your abilities too. Do you understand what you have to do?"

"I think so. I just think it is strange that all these things happened at the same time. What is going on with me? Can you tell me?" Marcia looked at each adult with questioning eyes.

As she looked at each adult, she saw different expressions. The headmaster had the look of authority, the man in charge. Klaus held the look of curiosity, the inquisitive mind wanting to learn more. Kathy looked at Marcia with sympathetic eyes, understanding the confusion and bewilderment of where and when this would end. These different expressions did not reassure Marcia about her future, but she felt each cared about her and wanted to help.

"We are in agreement, Marcia will move in with Kathy and Klaus where they can observe and teach her how to control and use her powers. Her classmates will hear that she has a medical problem that needs treatment and observation. She will attend classes as usual, but her lab activities will be limited. That is the best we can do here."

Kathy spoke, "Marcia, you will be fine. The headmaster knows what he is doing, and we will work closely to help you discover these powers and teach you to use them. It is not the end of the world, but more a new beginning to explore your new abilities. It is time to go back to class and continue your day. Before we go back, we will move you into our house. Klaus will talk to your lab partners and explain about your illness."

Before the group broke up, Marcia's head felt heavy and slowly lowered resting her chin on her chest as a feeling of tiredness overwhelmed her. Kathy saw Marcia and moved close to her to prevent her falling to the floor. As he muttered words that made no sense, the headmaster stood and walked to Marcia. When he stopped muttering, Marcia sat up and looked at the headmaster as if he shook her awake. Kathy gripped Marcia, helped her to her feet and slowly walked from the office. Marcia stayed with Kathy, and as they moved, she recovered her lost energy.

They left the office area and walked swiftly to the barracks, where they gathered Marcia's things. Kathy took the duffel, brought Marcia to her home and settled her in the guest room. Marcia sat on the edge of the bed as the feeling of tiredness overwhelmed her again. This time, Kathy moved Marcia to the middle of the bed and tucked her under the covers. As soon as Marcia lay down, she fell into a deep relaxing sleep.

Klaus had left the office before Marcia succumbed to the draining of her energy from using her new powers. He entered the classroom and went quietly to the table of Marcia's lab partners. They looked at him, and a look of fear filled their faces. He smiled at them trying to quell their bad thoughts. The rest of the class looked on with great curiosity.

Klaus sat at the table and spoke softly, "Marcia is fine. She had a relapse of a condition that makes her tired and needs rest. The headmaster has instructed Kathy and me to take her to our house to live. She will be with us through summer school. She will attend most of her classes as usual, but will not do some of the labs."

Her lab partners expelled sighs of relief at the same time as smiles filled their faces. They all tried to speak at once, but Klaus put up his hand stopping them. He continued, "Marcia will be back with you at lunch. She will be tired and may not want to talk about what happened. Just be patient with her and things should be back to normal soon." Klaus stood and quickly left the classroom. Her partners looked at each other with curious looks, as the rest of the class buzzed about the interruption.