Back at Eaglesclaw, Jade spun around in a happy circle, the sunshine warming her skin. The weather was so much nicer in Salem than in England. It was so good to be back, where she could sleep in her own bed and go to her own classes.

"This is so nice," West yawned, from her perch in the Meeting Tree. She had a large book propped on her lap, and was making notations in pencil. "I missed this tree. I missed this patch of grass. I missed this sunshine."

Alana looked up from her sketchbook, where she was drawing a celestial sun with hundreds of intricate swirls and dots. "I missed being here, and being home. I missed watching your choir practice."

As if by the word 'Choir', Anya, Tessie, Katrina, Emmaline, Ruthie, Jenna, Ben, and Moira, the other members of the Eaglesclaw School Magical Melody Choir, walked over. Some of them were older, some only first years. Moira was a sixth year, with dark hair and several piercings, whereas Anya was barely a first year and a tiny one at that, with a pixie-like face and long blonde hair that she liked to tuck behind her petite shell-like ears.

Tessie gave a squeal when she saw Jade, and hugged her impulsively. Tessie idolized Jade, following her around at school and sitting with her at lunch. The little girl plopped to the mossy ground, spreading the skirt of her choir uniform.

The choir uniforms were very cute, but the subject of much dissent in the group itself. They were comprised of a black blouse spotted with white stars, a black blazer with white buttons, a white skirt with black ribbon trim, black tights with star-shaped cutouts, and black sneakers. Moira, the leader of the team, had purchased silver treble clef rings for the whole team at the beginning of the year, and none of them ever went to competition without theirs.

"There's our champion," Moira grinned, revealing her crooked teeth.

"I'm not a champion anymore," Jade laughed, sipping from the mug of tea that she held. She'd developed a liking for the stuff at Hogwarts, and then brought back several boxes of her favorite flavors. An American could still drink good tea, could she not? "I'm just Jade."

Anya shook her tiny head. "No, Jade, you're-"

A voice interrupted. "Jade!"

It was Jack. His robes were neatly pressed as always, his tie straight and his hair combed. He had a look of intense concentration on his face. "Jade, I want to talk to you."

She gave him a look, trying to size up his intentions, then shrugged and followed him to a nearby bench. Jade smoothed out her skirt and sat down, careful to conceal the hole in her choir-uniform tights. She had ripped them the day she got them, and hadn't had time to sew them yet.

"Jade, I want to get back together." Jack ran a hand through his hair.

Jade should have given it some thought, at the very least. Instead, she laughed, spraying tea across her newly washed white skirt. "You're kidding, right?" She asked, still giggling.

Jack looked thoroughly insulted. "No, I'm not kidding. I still like you a lot."

She raised one eyebrow, a skill that Alana had recently taught her. Before she could properly formulate a response, however, someone snapped their fingers behind her, making a rhythmic beat. It was West, backed by the entire Magical Melody Choir.

"Hit the road, Jack," West began, her voice penetrating the other outdoor noises.

Anya stepped forward, her petite figure dwarfed by everyone else. "And don't cha come back!"

The others joined in to finish up. "No more, no more, no more, no more. Hit the road, Jack, and don't cha come back no more!"

Jack looked hurt as everyone, Jade included, collapsed into laughter. Jade had to hold onto Tessie because she was laughing so hard that she couldn't breathe. After a moment, she stopped and looked up. "You're still here?"

He took the hint and left. West high-fived Jade, and the girls went back to sit under the tree with Alana.

"That," Alana crowed, filling in her drawing with colored pencil, "was amazing. His face!" She snorted appreciatively.

"There's something I forgot to tell you guys," Jade said, looking down at her feet. She produced a crumpled, folded piece of parchment from her pocket, where she'd been carrying it around for the past few days.

"Is it a love note?" Alana chirped, peering at the paper.

"A piece of sheet music?" West asked, running a finger over its edge.

"A sandwich order?"

"Alana!"

"What? I missed breakfast!"

Jade smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "It's just a note. I found it when I found my Compass last week."

"What does it say?" Alana watched as Jade unfolded the paper and read aloud the words she knew by heart.

"'I had to borrow your compass. Tell West I said hello.' It's from someone who calls themselves 'Z'. Do you know who that could be?"

West nodded slowly. "Yeah. I know who."

Alana turned to her, curious. "Who?"

"My sister."