"Cheire, this is a school. We don't want you here any more than you want to be here. But here we all are. Now out there," he pointed towards the barrier with his cane, "Out there is a better place. Food, warmth, freedom. Magic." He made a magician’s pass with his free hand showing a spread of cards. All slight of hand, but still impressive looking, generally. "But they also have rules." He made his face. "Rules they base everything on."

He slid around to her other side, cards gone, leaning on his staff towards her. "If we want to get out there, Cheire, we have to show them we can play by rules." Or fake it.

"And rules say if you're in a school... you're a student or a teacher. What do you think a pretty thing like you has to teach the students here about how to be evil?"