Ophelia felt the magic brimming in her fingertips, hot energy making her skin itchy and tight. She rubbed her hands against her thigh and repeated Tutor Friedrich’s instructions. “Visualize your intentions.”

She squinted one eye at Zephyr, imagining. Perhaps long donkey’s ears? Blue warts on his face? A lizard tongue between his teeth?

His words on the playground rang through her memory. “Ophelia’s got noodle hair!” She squeezed her eyes against the memory of the other children laughing.

Tugging at an unruly curl, Ophelia recentered her attention. Noodle hair for Zephyr. She pictured it dangling down his back, cold and wet against his ear, a glob of tomato sauce dripping down his nose, and almost gave herself away with a giggle.

Again, the magic hummed, its persistence to be released making her nails ache. A quick glance at the other students assured her they were all focused on Tutor Friedrich as he droned on and on about the best method of watering a wand tree.

Ophelia took a deep breath and let it out through her nose. Slowly, she raised her hand to the level of her chin. Noodle hair for Zephyr. The magic loosened with a sigh, and the spark of blue light zipped toward its target.

But, wait... Ophelia stiffened. No! At the worst possibly moment, Zephyr stretched. The bolt of magic collided with the seeing glass he had clutched in his hand. Ophelia’s mouth hung open as she watched her magic reflect off the glass.

She barely had time to duck, but still she could hear the zip as the spell whizzed overhead. It ricocheted off the back window, and now other students had noticed, too. Cecily squealed. Jack swatted at the spell with his tablet. Beatrice and Valentina bolted for the door.

From the corner of her eye, Ophelia could see Zephyr laughing.

The spell bounced twice more before finding a target. Ophelia’s horror and shame grew tenfold, and she covered her burning cheeks with both hands.

“Students! Settle down!” Tutor Friedrich demanded. A noodle slipped free from his cap and slapped against his cheek. He froze, and the entire class froze too. A drip of tomato sauce slipped down his nose and hit the ground with a loud splat.

“Who...” Tutor Friedrich looked around the classroom in bewilderment. More tomato juice dribbled off his chin, and the silence was broken with a giggle from Cecily.

Jack followed, and Valentina and Beatrice laughed nervously by the door. Ophelia risked a glance at Zephyr, bracing herself for more scathing remarks.

But he was laughing hardest of all, and when Ophelia caught his eye, he winked. Actually winked!

“Someone‘a taken your lessons to heart, Tutor Friedrich!” Zephyr said, and even the usually stoic teacher cracked a smile.

“I’ve never encountered quite such a tasty spell,” he remarked, licking a sample of the sauce from his lip. His fingers stuck in the noodles as he tried to run a hand across his scalp. “Excellent visualization of the details, Ms. Ophelia.”

Ophelia’s cheeks reddened again, but she managed a grateful laugh. Magic fluttered in her fingertips as she changed his hair back. A splotch of tomato sauce remained stubbornly affixed to his beard.

As the class settled back down, Zephyr twisted in his seat. “Good magic,” he whispered. “It would have been better if you’d hit your mark.” He grinned knowingly and turned again to Tutor Friedrich.

But Ophelia thought he was wrong. The reflection of the spell had been perfect - just out of place enough to restore a friendship. She couldn’t ask for more.

Though she was fairly confident Zephyr would still appreciate the joke of donkey ears. Her fingers prickled again with magic, and she hid her smile as she plotted for midday break.