Peter

  The gate to the academy loomed in front of him. The journey had taken lohan he had expected. The an helped him out of the carriage, as this proved difficult with a wedding dress, and handed him his travel bag.

  "Why do you want to go to the academy? And that while wearing a dress?", murmured the an.

  "I'm visiting my sister."

  "In a wedding dress?" The entleman snorted in amusement. "You nobles are strahat's a wedding dress, isn't it?"

  Peter wi him provocatively. "Of course. Do you like me?"

  "Ha!" The an ughed. "I see. You’re a handful! I'll take my leave."

  "Thank you very much."

  "Oh, I have to thank you!" The an held up the tiara in farewell and then drove away.

  Peter looked after him. He was finally here. He was at the Academy. It had always been his goal. It was what he wanted. However, he did not think that he would arrive here in a wedding dress... Back wheill believed... Hoped... to be a magi. He did nret his decision. He had not wao marry Babette. But, he would have liked Julia to have seen his spectacur performahat she cheered him on. Anyway, where should he have fled if that had been the case? To Ingried? Yes. His older sister would have been an option and he hoped to eventually stay with her. But he missed his little sister and he had promised her to e to the academy. Even if they would certainly look for him here as soon as the chaos in the castle had subsided. Now, he just had to find his sister.

  He smiled as he thought about the versation with Babette in the rain. He had told her his pn. After the wedding, he would visit his little sister. She just had no idea how short the wedding would be. But his 'no' shouldn't have surprised her. He had already told her that. Right? He thought of Babette's expression when he said ‘no’. She hadn't looked surprised, or disappointed. No. She looked angry and indignant. Stunned.

  Julia had told him where her apartment was. So he just had to find the right building. Was the tour already over? Peter went through the big gate. A feeling of freedom, power, and longing flowed through him. A long path through a small forest and several gardens meandered up to the imposing buildings of the Academy for Young Witches and Wizards. He could see some students. Some of them wore feng uniforms. He saw many smiling faces. Some also looked tired. When they noticed the unusual guest, many frowned. Some even poi him ughing. Yes, go on and ugh about me. You will never see anything as phenomenal as me again. Peter grinned. Where might his sister be? With his head held high, he let his gaze wander bad forth betweeudents. Every now and then he wi someohe astonished looks amused him. Then he finally heard a familiar voice.

  "I hope I never have to do that again!" Julia stood with a few friends in front of a rge hedge, away from all the other students. "It was terrible!"

  "Julia!", shouted Peter, hurrying towards her. Well... As much as he could run in his shoes.

  Her friends looked at him with wide eyes and open mouths, but Julia grinned broadly.

  "Peter!" She ran towards him and hugged him. "Is that a wedding dress?" She ughed and tugged at the white fabric.

  Peter hugged her tightly. "Of course! If I visit my little sister at the academy, I have to make a great impression on all the students! I'm sure that I've already charmed some of them!"

  "And what about Babette?" Julia broke away from him. Her friends joihem and stared at him with stunned faces. One girl, a pretty witch with dark skin, looked like she had cried retly. Had something happened? Anirl had put her arm arouwo other faces seemed very familiar to him. Helga and Philip?

  "Babette?" Peter wi his sister. "Oh! I'm sure I charmed her too. In a different way!"

  Julia shook her head and turo her friends. "See you tomorrow." She took Peter by the hand, waved goodbye to her friends, who were still staring perplexed at Peter's dress, and pulled Peter along. "You have to tell me everything!", she said.

  Babette

  Tears ran down her cheeks. What had happened?

  The remaining guests murmured in shock. Some had already left. The queen shouted at a handful of guards and servants and demahat they find her sht away. The guards just looked around worriedly, while the servants hurried away to look for the prin the castle. King Friedrich stood o her father. The two each held a gss of champagne in their hands and talked quietly with worried faces. Her stepmother had withdrawn in tears and wao be alone.

  "Are you okay?" Pau had approached Babette and looked at her sympathetically. "I hardly imagine how you feel."

  Babette snorted. "Of course not."

  "No one expected Prier to do that! You looked like the perfect couple! It's really a shock!"

  "That’s true. A shock." He ruined my life! I won’t five him! What will bee of my pns now?

  " I fort you in any way? Do you need anything?" Pau wiped a tear from her face.

  Babette shook her head.

  "Good." With o sympathetic smile, Pau went back to Fritz. Annemarie and Torsten were also standing there. Both seemed inappropriately amused. Babette snorted and watched as King Friedrich hurried to his raging wife. Babette's father followed him worriedly and beed Babette over. She followed the invitation.

  "Where could Peter be now?", the king asked.

  "He wao visit his sister after the wedding. He is probably on his way to the academy", Babette answered the question. She was angry. Terribly angry.

  "Then we'll bring him back here!", hissed the Queen. "I won't let him ruin his life!"

  "And what do you want to do? Force him to marry? And how is he supposed to get to the academy? We turned off his money supply." The king sighed. "Maybe we should wait until the situation calms down. We still get him baorrow if he is not in the castle but somehow got to Julia. When we all calmed down." King Friedrich crossed his arms. "He has made his decision. Just like Ingried and Paul."

  The queen became even angrier. "Ingried and Paul were a disappoi! And now Peter is making a mockery of us! After everything we have already anized for him and Babette!"

  Babette could only agree with her. "What am I going to do now?", she asked.

  "You'll find someone else", her father tried to fort her.

  The king nodded. "And the property is, of course, for you and your future."

  Babette snorted. "Thank you", she said anyway. Future? Peter has just destroyed it! Babette didn't want anyone else. She wahe power Peter would bring her.

  "Maybe Peter be brought to his senses after all!" The quee her gaze wahrough the remaining guests. "Maybe the damage still be repaired! I wasn't striough with him!"

  "Or too strict?" King Friedrich stroked his hair. "The third child just ran away from us."

  The quee him. "And you mean it's my fault?"

  "Well..." The baron looked at Babette. "Maybe we should withdraw for today? Surely all this be discussed tomorrow?"

  Babette agreed. She was tired and unhappy. And angry!

  "Our carriage is gone!", Babette heard someone calling, but she didn't care.

  Leopold

  Everything repared. He was ready to go. His 'friends' would e at midnight to the gate of the academy, which was closed at night. Leopold had stolen a key from the janitor's office. At night, apart from Julia's guards, the gate was not monitored, so it was easy to sneak someoo the academy. The potion was ready. Now, he just had to make sure that Julia's guards didn't notice. At night, they took turns keeping watch. They had been provided with the guardhouse at the gate, which had a door on both sides so that they did not always have to gh the gate. Of course, the guards weren’t supposed to notice. But that shouldn't be a problem. There would be a red herring. And everything would go fast.

  He had been surprised at how many were involved in the pn. He never expected mortals to help. But the friend of the vilge’s elder had a very good work of rades-in-arms who were willing to help the elves. People he met at the pharmacy when his master was running errands, or nearby when his master was letting him take some free time. Leopold felt fident. He was only a small part of the rebellion, but his task was one of the greatest. Did he feel guilty? He tried not to think about it.

  That mortals were part of the rebellion had surprised him. He had always thought that they were all vinced of svery, just like the witches. But even the princess had surprised him. She was different... No. Don't think about it! I will not disappoint my people!

  Would this be the end of svery? If so, he wouldn't see it. That didn't matter. It was a small price to pay for the freedom of many.

  "Leopold? Where are you with your thoughts again?" Marko looked at him worriedly. "We've finished work. Let's go home! I'm really hungry!"

  Leopold looked around the rge kit. In fact, hardly anyone was there. "Oh."

  "Oh? Yes, definitely. What is going on? Are you worried about something? You were so quiet today."

  "No." Leopold ruffled the wolf's hair. "Everything is fine. Let's get out of here!"

  "Hey!" Marko tried thten his hair.

  Together they left the kit and made their way to the princess's apartment. When they got there, Finn was waiting for them at the door.

  "Prier is here!", he excimed excitedly. "You won’t believe how he got here!"

  Prier looked out of the living room. "I know! I'm amazing!" He grinned broadly. "Wele back gentlemen!" Then he disappeared bato the living room. Leopold saw a white skirt fluttering. He looked questioningly at Finn.

  "He's wearing a wedding dress!", he said.

  "What?" Marko walked past him into the living room. Shortly after, they heard him ughing out loud.

  Leopold became restless. The prince was not included in his pn.

  "I know! I am adorable!", ented Prince Marko's rea. Leopold followed Finn into the living room, where Julia and Sophie were also sitting. Sophie grinned.

  "Maybe Marko or Leopold lend you something to wear? Their clothes might suit you", the old servant suggested. "Finn's clothes might be too small for you."

  "I'm not that small!", protested Finn and sat dowo Julia.

  "Aren’t you?" Prier wi him. Finn immediately blushed, which seemed to displease Marko. He sat dowo him and gred menagly at the prince, which clearly amused him.

  Since all seats were now occupied, Leopold sat down on the warm carpet. "What gives us the honor?", he asked curiously.

  "Oh. Nothing special, I promised my sister to visit her!" He hugged the prio him.

  "In a wedding dress?" Marko frowned.

  "Wasn’t your weddioday?", asked Finn. "Julia told me about it."

  "Yes, and I bravely escaped this horror!" Peter smoothed the skirt of his dress. "And thanks for the clothes Sophie, but I like what I'm wearing... Maybe ter? I hope that I stay here." He looked at his sister.

  "I'm happy to lend you one of my nightgowns!" She ughed. "You seem to like them in general!"

  "Of course! I look stunning in a nightgown!"

  "And what do you want to do now? You are wele to stay as long as you want..." Julia looked worried.

  "Thank you." The prince sighed. "I hope I stay with Ingried for a while. Holy, I don't know what to do now."

  Leopold could uand this well. He didn't know that either. He probably had to ge his pn.

  sasi